BDA exec commends the MTF-RDP/2 reflection session
Written by BDA Communications
“I can see that we are happy and inspired despite the challenges in our midst”.
This was how the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) Executive Director Mohammad S. Yacob described the feelings he observed during the Joint Reflection Session workshop conducted on June 27-28, 2018 at the Community and Family Services International (CFSI’s) Center for Excellence and Humanitarian Service, Cotabato City.
This reflection session is a monthly activity jointly undertaken by BDA and CFSI to evaluate and assess the project implementation for the Mindanao Trust Fund – Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTF-RDP/2) whose ground work began second quarter of this year.
Yacob has commended the MTF-RDP team for their effort and dedication in meeting the project deliverables amidst challenges they encounter along the way.
“The result of what we do in the ground is enough to make us feel inspired” Yacob pointed out. He went on saying that one’s work output is a source of inspiration.
Meanwhile, he also urged everyone to keep an eye on their deliverables and stay focused on the project objectives to guide them in their actions.
Part of the reflection session agreed points is the formulation and presentation of the key actions and work plan for the current month which has been consolidated by the MTF-RDP Monitoring and Evaluation Team led by PME Head Engr. Rahib Labay.
Further, Project Coordinator Rhadzni Taalim shared his appreciation for the activity as it helps him and his team move towards the realization of the project objectives on improving access of target communities to socio-economic infrastructure and providing education for the youth thru the Alternative Learning System. Contributing to the gains of the peace process is also part of the goals, as has been noted in the project documents.
“I am glad that this is made part of our regular activities because it really helps us improve on our work”, Taalim noted. He added that though this mechanism ‘we are able to determine what we have accomplished, what needs to get done while keeping in mind those which have not been done so far due to some reasons’.
BDA and CFSI have been partners for long for this MTF intervention since its inception way back 2006 with World Bank as Trust Fund administrator and secretariat with pool of resources coming from the different donor countries.
BDA convene to promote strong ties of brotherhood
Written by BDA Communications
In a bid to push for stronger ties of brotherhood among its personnel, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) had organized a gathering-cum-iftar (breaking of fast) for staff and volunteers on June 3,2018 at the BDA training center located at Brgy. Datu Balabaran in Cotabato City.
“We want to promote strong sense of brotherly love among our staff as we journey together towards the attainment of our vision for our nation”, BDA Executive Director said in his brief message.
According to Uz. Samsudin Hassan, an alim (Islamic scholar) invited by BDA to give lecture on the topic “Developing and Maintaining Brotherhood in Islam”, this blessed month of Ramadhan is a ‘mudarasah’ which means that a person who imbibes its true essence can learn a lot from its many teachings. Hassan is a graduate of International University of Madinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a long-time volunteer of BDA-RMO Central Mindanao.
He reminded the crowd of BDA officials and personnel to be on guard pertaining the use of their eyes and tongues if these will lead them towards acting against the Will of their Creator.
“We should be mindful of how we utilize our sense of seeing, hearing and speaking (talking) in the way deal with our brothers”, Hassan pointed out.
Hassan particularly conveyed about the need to shun away with idle talk, gossip, lies and other similar sins.
Dr. Abdus Sameh L. Piang who is the Vice-Chairman of the BDA Board of Directors supported the scholarly reminders of Hassan.
Dr. Piang reminded the group of where BDA had come from, how it started as well as how they struggled to battle with challenges as they sail through the years of development work and putting ‘Islam in the realm of what we do for our communities’.
BDA Head of Finance Julhaina E. Cadon also shared her experiences thru a presentation of her 8-day tour in Indonesia which provided her many insights about how the Indonesian brothers manage their program funds for the benefit of their people.
After the lecture, the group gathered to share the blessings of Allah during the time for iftar.
The event was facilitated by the Agency thru its Human Resource Division led by Hashim B. Manticayan with his team.
Bangsamoro scholars thank BDA for opp to help in serving communities
Written by BDA Communications
The group of Bangsamoro Scholars who are studying in Turkey thanked the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) for the opportunity to help in serving communities in need as they were requested to act as translators during the implementation of the Qurbani Program 2018.
“We are happy and thankful when BDA invited us for the Qurban Program 2018. This is a chance for us to render service while on short vacation from schooling abroad”, Engr. Benamine Ubpon, taking doctors degree of management and organizational in Yildirim Beta it University in Ankara, Turkey and President of the Moro International Students Association (MISA) stated.
For him, becoming a translator for Turkish brothers who came here in the Bangsamoro to monitor the program implementation is already an achievement.
A colleague named Zulkarnain Kudto, studying master in agricultural economy in Cukurova Universitesi shared that when you translate, you help connect people.
During the Qurban Program, their group bridged the communication gap between Turkish officials who were speaking in their own language and the locals who are the beneficiaries of the program.
“We told them, our Turkish brothers to speak to us first, like when they provide instruction during the distribution, so that we can relay the information to the communities who cannot understand them”, Zulkarnain said.
Another scholar who is Khalid Omar described that being a translator requires patience and that one should have enough information to entertain and provide the foreign group of the facts they may be interested about.
“We have to introduce to them the culture of the people in the community and about the place where we went to during the Qurban Program”, he stated.
Part of the curriculum in studying in Turkey for foreign students is to learn the Turkish language before proceeding to the intended course since subjects are being taught through the country’s national dialect.
Bangsamoro asatidz learn strategies for better advocacy of Model Family in Islam
Written by BDA Communications
At least ten (10) asatidz (plural form of ustadz/Islamic teacher/scholar) from various committees of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) convened on September 26-29, 2018 at Green Leaf Hotel in General Santos City for the workshop on information, education and communication (IEC) Development for the Fatwa on Model Family in Islam.
The overall goal of the activity was to come up with strategies to better advocate the official rulings on model family in Islam by teaching participants of the importance of communication in advocacy.
During the workshop, participants were grouped into four based on sub-topics of the Fatwa on Model Family in Islam and worked together for the development of the communication plan for this campaign.
Facilitator of the activity gave inputs on advocacy, communication, research, messaging, stakeholder analysis, timing and channel of communication.
Informative videos related to the topics discussed were also presented during the workshop.
This 3-day event was organized in line with the on-going program on reproductive health advocacy in the Bangsamoro by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with partners from Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI) and Commission on Population (POPCOM).
B'moro workers join hands for public policy in Bangsamoro
Written by BDA Communications
Officials and representatives from the various line agencies of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) convened and worked together on April 1-4, 2019 at Berjaya Hotel in Manila for the continuity of the public policy training for Bangsamoro.
The Dutch Mission to the Bangsamoro, The Hogue Academy for Local Governance and De La Salle University organized the activity.
In the training, the participants are grouped based on different sectors such as health, education, environment and energy.
Each of the group worked together for Public policy development & policy tools for BTA, Public policy decision making within the BTA, Public policy implementation & financing public policies and also listened and interacted during various lectures related to policy making.
It is informed that this was the first batch of the participants of this training while the second batch will be in the second week of April.
Outputs from this series of workshop will be submitted to the BARMM for their comments and possible consideration in their policy making for the Bangsamoro government.
Other partners for this initiative are Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI), Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), Kingdom of Netherlands, European Union and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Aligning Bangsamoro Socio-economic Model with the Socio-economic Component of the Normalization
Written by BDA Communications
Key officials and staff of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) convened on September 23, 2018 at Em Manor Hotel, Cotabato City for a workshop on Aligning Bangsamoro Socio-economic Model with the Socio-economic Component of the Normalization.
Facilitated by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), this workshop is a follow up of the series of workshops and conference on the formulation of BDA socioeconomic development model.
To note, BDA developed a livelihood model intended to provide opportunities for the people of Bangsamoro to improve their source of income.
Said model was already presented to the national government agencies, development partners and other key stakeholders through a Donors Forum in Manila on March 2018.
In socioeconomic development model, the BDA takes as the starting point of its livelihood program by providing response on the question on how can we improve the livelihood of self/family employed people. This resonates with the bottom up approach that has marked the work of BDA over the past 15 years. This approach will create better opportunities for people that are now lacking the facilities to start or improve their self-employed businesses.
