In a meeting hosted by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) on July 18 here at Cotabato City, key official from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) told the agency of the significance of proper information to communities for massive support for the incoming ratification and plebiscite among others.

“It’s up to us now how are we going to make our communities properly informed about the things that matter to them”, OPAPP Assistant Secretary Rolando Asuncion stated.

He added: “we are now in the tail end towards a new beginning and it’s up to us on how we work out things so that our communities – especially those who are not yet very supportive of our endeavors – to provide their support for the coming Bangsamoro government referring to the need for massive support for the incoming ratification and plebiscite among others.

Further, Asec Asuncion recognized the fact that the battle is not yet over in the BBL approval for the fight is yet to be fought still in that plebiscite aspect.

He reiterated support to the efforts towards progress in Mindanao and described the situation as having ‘reached the tail end towards a new beginning’ now the Bangsamoro Basic Law made its way to the approval of the Bicameral Conference.

The JTFCT meeting is part of BDA strategies to cull out learnings, polish related concerns and resolve pressing issues regarding the on-going implementation of the Mindanao Trust Fund – Reconstruction and Development Project attended by representatives from key partners such as the JTFCT, BDA CPST and office staff and the Community and Family Services International (CFSI).

MTF-RDP/2 is part of the continuing effort of BDA together with partners to help uplift the living condition of its people thru access to basic socio-economic infrastructure and alternative learning system.

MTFRDP/2 targets selected communities in the six major camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) namely Camp Bushra, Camp Bilal, Camp Abubakar as-Siddique, Camp Rajamuda, Camp Badre and Camp Omar.

This intervention is comprised of engaging the communities through a community-driven development and alternative learning system with an end in view of making those productive, participative and peaceful communities. Moreover, this is in line with the Normalization Aspect of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

BDA is the project-implementing unit (PIU) while the CFSI is the trust fund recipient.

Funds for the projects come from the Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF) with various donors such as the European Union, the government of Sweden, Australia, Canada, United States, New Zealand and the World Bank, which also serves as Trust Fund Administrator and Secretariat.

The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation in the Philippines (AECID) is also supporting the project.