Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) presented to government line agencies and to international organizations the draft Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) for further technical refinement on October 3, 2014 at the office of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in Pasig City before its presentation to President Benigno Aquino III in the 3rd week of October.

Joining the meeting were cabinet secretaries from the NEDA, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Energy (DOE), representatives from United Nations (UN), the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

In his opening statement, BDA Chairman Saffrullah Dipatuan said “The Bangsamoro people want to break the cycle of insecurity, poverty and marginalization caused by the protracted armed conflict and limited investments”.

“For sustainable peace and progress to be achieved in Bangsamoro,” Chairman Saffrullah Dipatuan explained, “the BDP will strengthen institutions; provide livelihood and jobs; and establish security and justice to Bangsamoro residents, regardless of ethnic group, creed or religious background.”

NEDA Secretary Balisacan concurred that a “game change” is necessary to address Bangsamoro’s complex development challenges. He emphasized that GPH and MILF efforts must diminish the widening economic and social disparity in Bangsamoro.

To date, residents of the proposed Bangsamoro core territories hold the highest incidence of poverty. Nearly 1 million of Bangsamoro of working age are outside the labor force, of which 75% are women.

In a region where 63% depend on small-scale agriculture, only 0.5% of farm-to-market roads are paved and irrigated areas only cover 25.8%. These exacerbate the daily conditions of the 900,000 Bangsamoro residents who are already food insecure.

The BDP, a reflection of the Bangsamoro people’s aspirations and fundamental needs, will mitigate these dismal numbers by providing short- and medium-term programs across the areas of economy; social; environment and natural resources; governance, justice; culture and identity; security; and cross-cutting concerns that includes gender, youth and other vulnerable groups, peacebuilding and food and nutrition security.

The Plan will detail rehabilitation and recovery initiatives which will target residents of the proposed Bangsamoro core territories.

It is noted that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central Committee review of BDP draft is ongoing.

The Plan is currently in the draft stage and will be subjected to consensus-building during the 2014 BDP Roadshow or stakeholders’ consultation.