The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) sent participant to the international integrated workshop on humanitarian planning dubbed as “building better response on April 14-18, 2015 at InterContinental Jakarta MidPlaza Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The training aims to provide participants with an in‐depth understanding of the international coordination system for large‐scale emergencies and help participants identify where they can take action and engage directly within the system.

Engr. Ismail Guiamil, member of the quick response team (QRT) of the agency attended this 3-day international workshop.

BDA-QRT is organized in 2014 to undertake quick response to emergency situations such as armed conflict, natural and man-made calamities. The team is under the social welfare program of BDA.

BDA is established in accordance with the humanitarian and rehabilitation aspect of Tripoli agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

According to Guiamil, the training is much related to the current initiative of BDA under its social welfare program to strengthen its humanitarian response.

“Inputs from the training will be very vital in the continuing objective of BDA to improve and enhance its humanitarian strategies”, Guiamil said.

Understanding role in the international humanitarian coordination system, application of humanitarian principles, steps to strengthen coordination and engagement system, and challenges in coordination are among the expected topics to be discussed in this training.

Participation to such activity is also another opportunity for capacity building and establishing linkages and networks with other organizations worldwide.

This 3-day international training is organized by the International Medical Corps with other organizations such as Concern Worldwide, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).