Month after the Donors Forum for the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) on 03 September 2013 in Manila, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) gains support from the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA).

JICA has contracted Phikoei International, Inc. (PHILKOEI), a local consultancy firm, to support the BDA in the formulation of the Bangsamoro Development Plan.

Under this engagement, local consultants coming from PHILKOEI conducts review of available data on different themes such as: 1) infrastructure, 2) agriculture, fishery and agri-industry, 3) power, 4) water resources and 5) disaster management, and environment and natural resources.

BDA is helping the team in coordinating with provincial offices and inviting key participants to the FGD through its Regional Management Offices (RMOs).

BDA has assigned counterparts in various themes covered by JICA. This process provides an avenue for the BDA learn from the experts in various themes and eventually take the lead role in updating the development plan come the implementation of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and Bangsamoro Government thereafter.

On October 3, 2013, the first focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted in Marawi City with key informants from the provincial office of Lanao del Sur. This was followed by another FDG conducted for Maguindanao province on October 7, 2013 at Cotabato City.

Participated by officials from key offices of the province, this FGD is aimed on additional data collection and verification and validation on different sectors.

Participants were first asked of the existing problems and issues for each sector in their provinces. From this, discussions started among the participants with the facilitation of the team for each sector. The discussion likewise includes identifying of priority projects based on the identified problems.

Through this FGD, the team was able to get more data with understanding of the situation of the province. FGDs in the island provinces such as Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi will also be conducted very soon.

Aside from FGD, the team is also conducting field visits to other areas in the Bangsamoro for gathering of secondary data.

The conduct of needs assessment is among the commitment of JICA through PHILKOEI in assisting the BDA for its ground work for its Bangsamoro Development Plan.

JICA would like to be engaged in the discussions of Governance thematic area of the Bangsamoro Development Plan.

JICA is also interested in supporting the BDA in formulation of the Phase II (Medium term) in the five sectors after Phase I is completed.