August 2, 2019. For a flood-prone communities like Brgy. Buliok, Pikit, North Cotabato and Brgy. Kudal in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, water is not a problem only that it is not potable for drinking. People have to buy water to ensure safety for their health, which is quite expensive.

Now, the long-awaited moment for both barangays has finally came when they received solar-powered water system project (level II) that respond to one of their basic needs in their communities.

In Brgy. Buliok, the community formally received the project on August 3, 2019 through a ceremonial turn-over organized for this event.The project was funded by various donors (through the Mindanao Trust Fund) 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.

In Brgy. Kudal, the turnover of the project was on Aug. 2, 2019 witnessed by various stakeholders in the community like municipal and local government units, people’s organization, community members, women, youth, and the elderly and BDA and CFSI. 

JTFCT chairman told the community that “this project is yours, so take care of it to benefit everyone”.

The project in Brgy. Kudal is funded by the Spanish Cooperation for International Development (AECID).

Both conflict-affected communities, the people of Brgy. Kudal and Buliok are grateful for this kind of assistance extended to them through the MTFRDP/2 with BDA and CFSI.

For them, such project is a big step to a journey in moving on from conflict to productive, progressive and   peaceful community.

Woman-board member of the Kudal Farmers and Fisher Folks Association, believes that the water system project is very significant for the development of their community.

Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTFRDP/2) is program partnership signed between BDA and CFSI that aims to improve access of targeted communities in the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao to basic socio-economic infrastructure and alternative learning system. Moreover, this is in line with the Normalization Aspect of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). 

With support from key stakeholders for the Mindanao Trust Fund – Reconstruction and Development Project II (MTF-RDP/2), the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) vowed to give their best effort in working together as one team to ensure that project deliverables are met and properly implemented.

“As one family, we are bound to work as one team so that our beneficiaries receive the services they really deserve”, said Engr. Nasser Sinarimbo, CFSI-based Project Coordinator.

Should there be any concern, we have to discuss it as gentlemen, he added as he addressed both BDA and CFSI colleagues in a gathering last week at the Center for Excellence and Humanitarian Service.

Meanwhile, Tawab Kararon, BDA Community Development Officer under MTF-RDP/2 and concurrent Regional Manager of RMO – Basilan reminded his colleagues on the importance of a meaningful assessment which can serve as guiding light towards the improvement of the concerned groups.

As what our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) told us: “We also need to take account of what we do and be guided thereby before somebody else makes an assessment of us”, Kararon stated.

Lucman Tandalong, also a CDO and concurrent RMO Davao – Regional Manager said that they are enlightened as a result of this activity which provides them learnings and guidance as they move along the path of developing the target communities.

Mohammad Saud Alon, BDA Rural Infrastructure Engineer II, expressed strong support to the team saying that ”we get the chance to reflect and act thru this reflection session” thus guided by those reflections generated, he added they will make it God willing through despite some challenges that may arise particularly on the technical engineering works. He attributed any success to ‘because we are working together’.

BDA and CFSI conduct regular partners’ meeting as well as reflection workshops at the end of every month for the MTF-RDP/2 to ensure that work schedules, project deliverables among others are within specified timeline as agreed.

Inspired by the current momentum in the peace process, and joining the rest of the Bangsamoro in the call for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), hundreds of volunteers of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) Regional Management Office Central Mindanao gathered on January 10, 2019 at Camp Darapanan Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao for the 2^nd General Assembly.

Values Transformation Training (VTT) for development catalysts of Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) in Daguma Province on March 10-12,2019 at Kangkong Islamic institute Inc. Brgy.Kangkong,Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat.

Facilitators were municipal and barangay political committee chairpersons led by Victor Mopak Prov.Chairman of Daguma Prov. under the Central Mindanao Region of BDA. 

Report by: Alex Balukol-BDA Central Mindanao

Studying abroad opens doors of learning and growing. The opportunity to learn at the international context, exposures and experiences, modern technology, and among others are some of good things to acquire for those who decided schooling outside country land.

Along with those benefits is the journey of growing personally and professionally that accompanied by life’s challenges; new environment, people, culture, food, weather, language, etc.

For the group of Bangsamoro scholars studying in Turkey, this reality is what pushed them to organize themselves into one towards unity.

“We formed our group and named it as Moro International Students Association (MISA) in July 2015 to unite Bangsamoro students abroad”, Ashrap Omar disclosed.

Ashrap is taking masters in education in Anadolu University in Eskişehir, Turkey.

Community-recipients of the Mindanao Trust Fund – Reconstruction and Development Project for Phase II (MTF-RDP/2), a project being implemented in line with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) are located in the six previously acknowledged camps of the MILF.

These are remote areas, hard to reach and accessible only by strong will and determination.

Recognizing this reality, implementing partners of the MTFRDP/2 like the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) agreed to provide support for easier transportation of the members of the Joint Task Force for Camps Transformation (JTFCT).

Members of the Task Force on Camp Transformation (TFCT) of the MILF recently acquired updates about the Bangsamoro Government (BARMM) on August 16, 2019 at the Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO) - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in Cotabato City.

Atty. Lanang Ali, Jr., majority floor leader of BARMM, welcomed the TFCT members and gave updates about the newly established government, which filled the minds of the visitors of key information that are relevant as they perform their roles in the facilitation and monitoring of projects related to the normalization process.

Dr. Zulkarnain Abas, of the Ministry of Health- BARMM also greeted the TFCT.

TFCT are one of the key partners for the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTFRDP/2), a program partnership agreement signed between the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and Community and Family Services International (CFSI).

They are the target partners specifically for the capacity and institutional building components of the project wherein they were capacitated for, among others, project development and management, community organizing and monitoring and evaluation of projects.

Rhadzni Taalim, project coordinator of BDA shared that the activity was intended to present the proposed priority list of projects for the six MILF major camps for BARMM consideration for the development planning and programming.

The said list are consolidated based on the workshop and series of consultation organized earlier for the TFCT, community and BIAF members at the ground level.

Ali O. Salik and Prof. Abhoud Syed Linga of the project board of the MTFRDP/2 provided the overall guidance during the activity.

Aside from the visit to and updating from BARMM, the gathering of the TFCT was also pursued for the reflection session aimed for looking back at the activities conducted in line with the overall implementation of the project.

MTFRDP/2 aims to improve access of targeted communities in the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao to basic socio-economic infrastructure and alternative learning system.

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 CAB.

MTFRDP/2 is supported by 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 Cooperation Agency for International Development (AECID) is also supporting the project through the Supporting Access to Basic Services and Building Institutional Capacity in Conflict-affected Communities Mindanao (MTFRDP/2-AECID).

Sustaining good relationship in workplace results to better output of tasks. It can promote healthy work environment. One research shows that workers are happier in their jobs when friendship is there with their colleagues. They find their jobs more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile and satisfying. Moreover, good relationship at work creates a common sense of purpose and the mentality that we are in it together.

In this same manner on giving value to its workforce that, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) is regularly organizing a weekly gathering for its management, staff and volunteers spearheaded by the agency’s Human Resource Development (HRD) Division.