December 8, 2020. Abdulnassser Akmad, a community leader in Brgy. Kurintem, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao delivered today a touching wonderful message as he spoke during the turnover ceremony of concrete road in Brgy. Sifaran, DOS, Maguindanao- CAMP BADRE.

“This project is our life. You gave us not what we want but what we need” he stated.

In his speech, as their organization formally received the certificate of turnover for the project, Abdulnasser told that he did not reach high school education, but he was determined to speak in English in gratitude of the project given to them.

“We have to spend P100.00 per sack of corn to transport to the nearest market”, he told.

For a poor family in remote areas, that amount is big enough to add to their expenses plus the burden of difficult road to carry their local crops, to sustain their families.

He said that “before, because we are living in far community, we feel the isolation and being underserved, now with this project, we feel that we are near, that we belong”.

“We are deeply thankful. We will take care of this project as we take care of ourselves” Abdulnasser ended. 

The Sifaran Story

Imagine the burden of selling your farm crop yield to the market wherein the income shall be needed to feed your family, but bringing your farm produce requires means of transportation that endures rough and tough road.

Imagine sick individuals who need immediate access to basic health services, but they are constrained because they are residing in a remote area, at least 10 kilometers from the nearest medical station.

Imagine a pregnant mother who will about to bear a child and bring new life to this world, but one will need to endure a long travel and challenging ride before she can avail a safe and better natal health care.

 This is the life of people in Brgy. Sifaran, DOS, Maguindanao within the territory of CAMP BADRE- one of the acknowledged six major camps of the MILF.

Barangay Sifaran is an agricultural land. Means of transportation is only habal-bahal (single motorcycle). Farm products such as corn, rice, banana and coconut are being transported to the market by habal-habal which is almost 10 kilometers away from the farmlands.

The road condition really affects the daily lives of the community especially during rainy season. The road is unpassable and even habal-habal found it difficult to travel; delivery of farm produce had been delayed and damaged before it reaches the market. Incidents of motorcycle crashes have been increasing with one recorded death due to accident during the course of sub-project implementation the site. Since the only means of transportation is habal-habal, the travel fare is very expensive wherein most of the residents cannot afford. Instead, they opt to hike to go their destination, especially the students.

Today, December 8, 2020, the collective dream of this people is realized as the concrete road project was officially turned over to the community through the People’s Organization mobilized for the project.

The project is funded through the Mindanao Trust Fund – Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTFRDP/2)- implemented in support to the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Through the road construction, the steep and challenging portions were cut, elevations were fixed, passing of commuters is already smooth. Even though it was not fully paved yet, there were no more recorded incidents in the area. Delivery of farm products is now faster compared to the previous condition, the freshness and the quality of the farm produce has been preserved that commands higher buying price, and improved household income.

 Turnover Ceremony

Turnover Ceremony of the SEI project for MTFRDP/2 marks the official passing of the responsibility on operation, maintenance and sustainability of the project to the People’s Organization (PO) formed in the community/barangay. In this, the PO will officially receive a certificate of acceptance and turnover, which will symbolize the authenticity of this significant event, where various sectors, stakeholders and partners witness the activity. Implementing agency reminds the PO of the trainings provided to them and urge them to apply all those learning and skills towards the operation, maintenance and sustainability of the project.

During the turnover of the project in Sifaran- CAMP BADRE, various stakeholders and partners came and shared the celebration and success of the project- that signify the peace and development in the region.

• Task Force on Camps Transformation (Camp Badre)
• Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA-BARMM)
• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR- BARMM)
• Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MIPA- BARMM)
• International Monitoring Team (IMT)
• Municipal Local Government Unit- DOS, Maguindanao
• Barangay Local Government Unit- Sifaran, DOS, Maguindanao
• People’s Organization
• Community Members
• Minrock Builders
• Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF)
• Political Committee (PolCom)
• Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.)
• Community and Family Services International (CFSI)

December 6, 2020. While various development efforts are underway in camps communities, approaches shall consider the current threat brough about by the global pandemic on COVID-19.

Being situated in remote areas, people in camp communities can have difficulty to access of information about this global threat not only on health but on economic aspect as a whole.

With this, series of information drive about COVID-19 is being undertaken as one sub-component of the of the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase III (MTF-RDP/3) across the communities in the six major camp where the project is implemented.

In a recent, inception meeting with BARMM Agencies for MTFRDP/3, Ministry of Health reported that many people in the remote areas are still not convinced of the threat brought about by the COVID-19, thus the ministry is looking forward to reach out those communities for education and awareness on the pandemic.

MTFRDP/3 is a project informed by the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), that aims to enable identified communities in the conflict-affected areas of Mindanao to access socio-economic opportunities as well as basic services and engage select ministries of the BARMM in participatory governance mechanisms.

December 4, 2020. In all professions, values are important to guide the worker to be able to deliver compassionate service.

For Satria T. Andang, a head nurse in #Buluan District Hospital (#BDH) in Maguindanao, patience is significant in dealing with clients/patients.

With the intention to establish link with the agencies of the #Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (#BARMM) for the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase III (MTF-RDP/3), the first inception meeting was conducted on November 27, 2020 in Cotabato City.

Designated officials and focal person from BARMM Agencies attended the activity and expressed common aspiration to extend services to camp communities, based on their office’s expertise.

✅Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA)
✅Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR),
✅Ministry of Health (MOH)
✅Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS)
✅Ministry of Public Works (MPW)
✅Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE)
✅Ministry of Social Services and Development
✅Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs

Mainstreaming with BARMM line agencies is one major component of the MTFRDP/3, in an intent to establish links for sharing lessons and experiences over the years for consistent and complementary development approaches.

MTFRDP/3 is a project informed by the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), that aims to enable identified communities in the conflict-affected areas of Mindanao to access socio-economic opportunities as well as basic services and engage select ministries of the BARMM in participatory governance mechanisms.

October 26, 2020. It is when you are discussing a topic to the group of participants of the training you are facilitating and someone was just walking in the middle carrying a weapon, as if showing off power and disrespect.

Another scene is when a village leader did not welcome your team to the place, and whenever there is activity, he will send a group of armed men circling around the venue.

What would you do as the team leader of the project?

For Alimuddin Hadjinor, community development officer of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.), such incident was part of the dynamics in camp communities that a development worker must know and understand. For him, patience is the best thing that one should possess to be able to manage such situation and realities.

“I and my team had let them do such disrespectful act and we just went on with our activity”, Hadjinor said.

He added that even they were ignored by the village leader despite the various attempts to pay respect to their office, his team would still go down for a while to greet and update them about the activity they are conducting for the day in the community.

“We just let them with that manner, no words from us. We only told them that our team is here in the village to conduct training as important component of the project that shall provide benefit of the people”, Hadjinor stated.

His team carried out all the activities in line with the project implementation and maintained harmonious relationship among the community members in the camp.

Hadjinor has been leading the team of Camp Project Support Team (CPST) in Camp Omar Ib’n Al-Khattab, who is the first team to complete the implementation of the socio-economic infrastructure (SEI) sub-project under the MTF-RDP/2 Stage 2 and officially turned over the facility to the rightful beneficiary in Brgy. Talibadok, Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao.

The agri-facility building with solar dryer and corn sheller sub-project shall benefit the farmers and the residents of the community who have no access to post-harvest facilities- thus affecting their income to sustain their families. Brgy. Talibadok is an agricultural land, and farming is one major source of income.

This sub-project is funded by the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTF-RDP/2)- implemented in support to the confidence-building measures on Camps Transformation under the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

MTF-RDP/2 covers eight villages in the six acknowledged camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) namely: Camp Abubakar as-Siddique, Camp Badre, Camp Bilal bin Rabbah Darul Shuhada, Camp Busrah Somiorang, Camp Omar Ib’n Al-Kattab, and Camp Rajamuda.
MTF-RDP/2 focused its support to the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT) towards transforming their outlook from conflict to development. There is also a component on Alternative Learning System (ALS) that cater the needs of the vulnerable groups like the out-of-school youth, women, elderlies, person with disabilities, and others who were not able to complete education due to war and poverty.
Teamwork and respect
CPST Camp Omar is composed of Alimuddin Hadjinor (Community Development Officer), Nasser Masandag (community organizer), Engr. Abdulgaffar Sundang (rural infrastructure engineer), and Walid Maliga (driver).
When asked what is their best practice as a team that enabled them to be the first CPST to complete and successfully turned over one of two sub-projects in the said camp, these hardworking development workers said, “It’s the respect.”
“We respect each other. We recognize the role of each member of the team. We do consultation, we listen to everyone’s idea and then we come up with an informed and collective decision”, Engr. Sundang stated.

”Teamwork is also a winning practice”, Masandag stressed.

“We help one another. While we do our own job, based on our position, we also help each other if anyone of us cannot do his task because of some valid reasons”, Masandag added.

Meanwhile, Walid Maliga, the team driver, is appreciative to the team for considering his thoughts whenever they have activities to conduct.

Now, the team is happy to share that those individuals who have disbelief in them and to the project are their friends already. In fact, those people have asked for forgiveness from the team and since then, those enemies are now friends.
CPST Camp Omar told that these friends have become supportive of the project, generous to them, offering them food and warm welcome whenever they are in the community, for monitoring and supervision of the project implementation.

“The most important is the intention. As long as you know your goal, and why are you doing the project, and that it is for the benefit of people, not of a single individual, you will succeed” the team ended. (BDAInc.2020)

"We are on the road to recovery...
"We will do our best to take care of this project...
"All-out-war in 2000, this is now the blessing..
"This is a big honor for us....
"This road project will result to high productivity and low losses of Bangsamoro farmers....
"Bangsamoro Gov.t supports development projects that benefit the Bangsamoro constituents...

These were the words and statements of various stakeholders who attended the Turnover Ceremony of One-lane Concrete Road on November 23, 2020 in Brgy. Nabalawag, Barira, Maguindanao (CAMP ABUBAKAR).

The project was funded through the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTF-RDP/2)- implemented in support to the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

- #Bangsamoro Development Agency (#BDA Inc.)
- #Bangsamoro Planning and Development Agency (BPDA-#BARMM)
- Task Force on Camps Transformation- Camp Abubakar
- Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation (JTFCT-MILF)
- Community and Family Services International
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (#MAFAR-#BARMM)
- Municipal Local Government Unit of Barira, Maguindanao
- Barangay Local Government Unit of Nabalawag, Barira, Maguindanao
- International Monitoring Team
- People's Organization
- Community members
- Stoneline Construction

Partners and stakeholders at the community level express full support to the continuing development assistance coming for camp communities through the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase Three (MTF-RDP/3). Recently, BDA Camp Project Support Team across the six major camps paid courtesy call to partner local government units (municipal and barangay level) and to MILF Political Committee as part of the coordination and communication strategy to inform stakeholders of the key information about the project, guided by the values of transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability.

MTF-RDP/3 is a project implemented in continuing support to the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB); and in desire to aid the Bangsamoro transition taking into account the current global pandemic towards an inclusive collaborative and complementary peace and development approach for all.

NOVEMBER 27, 2020. Through a ceremonial rite, a Teduray community in Brgy. Rifao, North Upi, Maguindanao rejoiced during the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of WATER SYSTEM LEVEL II (SPRING DEVELOPMENT) this week in the said barangay.

Mary Jane Limao, 33 said that they are happy for this project because it will provide the whole community with safe water.

Her family and the rest of the people in the barangay are relying on a deep well to get water for daily consumption.

Up in the mountain, access to basic services is difficult for Mary Jane and the whole village.

"We go to the public market on weekly basis to get some of our needs. We walk for four hours to get there, and it is very hard, mostly when it rains because the road is not good", Mary Jane stated.

On health, medical workers visit at community every week.

Planting of vegetables and farming of rice, corn and other local crops like coffee is the source of living of many families in the Brgy. Rifao.

Praise be to Allah (SWT), the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate. Alhamdulillah, we are done with one of our greatest obligations towards the almighty Allah. It was a month-long sacrifice, patience and intense worship. Today, we should feel grateful to Allah (SWT) for giving us the strength, determination, and patience that enable us to get through the blessed month of Ramadan.

May all the lessons learned, guidance, good deeds and enlightenment remain within us, as we continue to endure the current global pandemic. May our strengthened faith from Ramadhan be our greatest weapon to move forward in the "new normal" situation. We are very grateful that in this Ramadhan, we were able to reach out and helped the most needy Bangsamoro families and communities and the orphans through food packs distribution and free Iftar, through the generous support from our Turkish brothers and sisters and other valued partners.

The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA, Inc.) extends its felicitations to the Bangsamoro people and to our Muslim brothers and sisters in all part of this world on this propitious and happiest festive day of Eid’l Fitr. As we normally understand, the Edidul Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, but what most of us, Muslims, miss is the profound meaning of FASTING in this month for which everyone has been actually enjoined to toil sacrificing everything; his time, his wealth and even those things were lawful to him outside this month, but during those 30 days long of sacrifice, in the day time, he has to leave it for the sake and in obedience of Allah (SWT), the Almighty Creator.

The uniqueness of this month of Ramadan, it creates in our inner self the real essence of the True Struggle in the way of Allah (SWT) and that the New hope and Opportunities in the New Normal for everyone. Let us remain steadfast, love one another, respect one another and work hard for the success of every Bangsamoro.

It is our hope and prayer that challenges ahead of us may be surmounted by strong love,unity and faith.

Eid'l Fitr Mubarak!!

FREE IFTAR.Aside from food pack distribution,BDA Inc.also facilitated serving of free Iftar meals to selected orphanage in Cotabato City and Qur'an Center in Sultan Kudarat,Maguindanao.