BARMM: Professional LGUs lead to more resilient communities

Davao City―Community progress and resilience would no longer be elusive in the predominantly Moro region, as officials say bold steps were made towards a continuing move to professionalize the local leadership and governance.

Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Al Hadj Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the regional government is building a strong working relationship with the municipal and provincial local government units within its political jurisdiction.

During the early weeks of 2020, BARMM heads of offices have been into a series of forums, including a Bridging Leadership Program, supported by the United Nations Development Programme.

BARMM Interior and Local Governments Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said his office commits to undertake programs, projects and activities “to capacitate and transform the [region’s] LGUs; to promote progressive and resilient Bangsamoro communities whose people enjoy peace and harmony.”

Ebrahim said Islamic values formed essential part of the Bangsamoro government’s aspiration to achieve “moral governance.”

Local Governments Director Khalid Dumagay said partnership has enhanced regional programs in the current Bangsamoro intergovernmental development collaboration with the national government, and also with international development organizations.

Officials said these include the formation of the intergovernmental bodies on finance and budget and infrastructure programs between the national government and BARMM, as provided in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), as well as with international organizations like UNDP, and United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Also, a tablet-based app developed with the help of the UNDP IT Team will be an effective tool at peace mediation in the Bangsamoro region and in its LGUs development planning.

The UNDP local office has commissioned enumerators to basic data gathering and processing to help fill-in development gaps by obtaining accuracy in demographic data, as well as human and other potential resources of development.

Sinarimbo, concurrent spokesperson to Ebrahim, said the Bangsamoro Government will continually mobilize local leaders to push for the “transformation of their localities into peaceful, progressive and resilient communities.”

He said the fledgling autonomous region will nurture development-oriented and professionalized local officials and leaders as stewards of their communities.

Sinarimbo said the BARMM Ministry of the Interior and Local Government will “provide LGUs and local leaders and administrators with excellent technical and administrative guidance.”

Up-to-date policy guidance will include learning from contemporary experience in developing good governance, and “continuing professionalization of the workforce,” Sinarimbo said.

Strengthening the Bangsamoro governance “will ensure effective and efficient use of financial resources”―as officials are also required to “work towards modelling full compliance to financial rules and regulations,” Dumagay said.