Immediately after the turnover and launching of the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP), the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) presented the BDP during the Philippine Studies Association Conference held at the National Museum of the Philippines, Manila on November 13, 2014.

With this year’s theme “Philippine Studies in the 21^st Century: Mapping the Shifting Terrians of Inquiry”, topic on Governance, Reform and the Bangsamoro in the Philippines was among the highlights in the one of the plenary sessions chaired by Dr. Steven Rood, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation.

Distinguished panelists in the said plenary discussion were: a) Dr. Mohammad Yacob, BDA Executive Director – Bangsamoro Development Plan, b) Mr. Senen Bacani, GPH Peace Panel Member – Development Challenges in Achieving Fiscal Autonomy in the Bangsamoro, and c) Dr. Rhodora Gail Ilagan, Professor, Ateneo de Davao University – Lessons from Bantay Bayanihan.

This panel served as an opportunity to bring to the fore and highlight the development in the GPH-MILF Peace Process, understand the strategic vision and roadmap for the development of the Bangsamoro, and examine ways on how to enhance civilian oversight over the security sector.

Dr. Yacob, in his presentation, emphasized that “the BDP is a comprehensive development plan based on sustainable human development, peacebuilding and Bangsamoro core values”.

“It aims to address various forms of injustice, which is at the heart of violent conflict in the Bangsamoro, to ensure stability and build confidence over the course of the transition”, he added.

Dr. Yacob stressed that the overall impact of the BDP is attaining stability and confidence in support of the political and normalization transition outcomes.

With regard to the implementation arrangement, Dr. Yacob divulged that “the BDA is hereby established as the Development and Donor Coordination Unit of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) during the pre-transition period until the Bangsamoro Transition Authority is established, based on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central Committee resolution signed on October 15, 2014”.