Progress Plan: Evolution of Bangsamoro Development Plans

A writer once said, “A comprehensive development plan is not just a document; it is a visionary blueprint for a better future.” That was my perspective as I looked through the printed copy of the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2023-2028 that the Commission on Population and Development in Region 12 gave me during my return visit to Cotabato City more than two months ago. This 397-page document reinforced my optimism that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is on its way to success.

While comprehensive development plans provide a long-term vision and strategic framework, they are not written in stone. They are designed to be flexible because we live in dynamic environments where many conditions can change rapidly. During implementation, new information, technologies, promising and best practices, and feedback from stakeholders and people will emerge, requiring planners and implementers to make changes to remain relevant, efficient, and effective. There are also unexpected events such as natural disasters, pandemics, economic shocks, political changes, and in the Bangsamoro, ongoing security threats from extremists and other disgruntled factions that require flexibility to respond quickly to these events.

Comparison of two plans

The first BDP 2019-2022 was created primarily to lay the foundations of the BARMM, particularly in terms of establishing administrative structures, initial governance reforms, and addressing urgent socio-economic needs. It focused on peacebuilding, creating a new governance framework, and addressing immediate post-conflict reconstruction needs. It required heavy preparatory work, such as a legislative framework and building the capacity of new institutions and human resources. It covered transitional issues, such as integrating former insurgents and establishing basic social and other services.

The second BDP builds on the foundations of the first plan, focusing more on sustainable economic growth, long-term development, and improving the quality of life of the Bangsamoro people through comprehensive and strategic initiatives. It also emphasizes advanced challenges such as economic diversification and infrastructure development, pursuing efficiency, sustainability, and broader socio-economic impact.

Common goals and vision

What do these plans have in common? Both plans emphasize strengthening governance structures and institutional capacity and promoting transparency and accountability; improving education, health care, and social services to improve people’s lives; supporting economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction; and prioritizing peacebuilding, community resilience, and maintaining peace and order.

Moral governance is at the heart of both BDPs, a governance framework that is truly rooted in ethical principles, accountability, transparency and a unified concern for the well-being of the Bangsamoro people. It is rooted in Islamic values, indigenous cultural practices and universally recognized principles of good governance. It further emphasizes honesty, justice, inclusiveness and the public good, with the goal of establishing a government that not only meets the immediate needs of its people but also provides a solid ethical foundation for future development and stability.

Moral governance is essential for a region that has long suffered from protracted conflict, marginalization and underdevelopment. Previous administrations have struggled with corruption, nepotism and inefficiency that have eroded public trust and hampered development efforts. By emphasizing moral governance, the BARMM leadership aims to restore trust and confidence in government.

Adapting to challenges and opportunities

The coronavirus pandemic halted many of the development plans of the Bangsamoro transitional government from 2019 to 2022, which aimed to prepare the region for normalcy. The extension of the transitional government until elections in May 2025 gave the BARMM government the opportunity to prepare development plans to strengthen the region during the extension period and beyond.

Despite the pandemic, the macroeconomic targets of the first transition phase of the Bangsamoro government showed favorable statistics on regional gross domestic product, annual growth, population growth, labor force participation, unemployment, inflation, and poverty incidence. The dramatic decline in the latter from 54.20 percent in 2018 to 29.80 percent in 2021 was the largest reduction in the poverty line across all regions of the country. Despite these remarkable results, the BARMM still maintains the highest poverty rate nationwide. The second BDP aims to further reduce it to 20 to 25 percent by the end of the transition phase.

A joint effort for a better future

I am always fascinated by the process of creating a comprehensive development plan for the region. While there is a template for designing this document, the transitional government, through the highly competent Planning and Development Office, the technical secretariat of the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council, has gone through a transparent and participatory process of engaging various stakeholders in formulating the six-year development plan. It also has a promotional and advocacy strategy to continuously inform and engage various sectors on the main aspects of this plan. This is worth discussing in the next column.

The second BDP represents a significant effort towards sustainable development, building on the solid foundations laid by the first. Focusing on economic growth, infrastructure development and improving the quality of life of the Bangsamoro people, it establishes a solid framework for the future of the region. Promoting transparency, resilience and moral governance, the BDPs are not mere documents, but visionary plans, guiding the Bangsamoro towards a brighter and more prosperous future.