BARMM bullish as ADB pours $400M for ‘blue economy’ in Mindanao

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao gets $400M for its blue economy

DAVAO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is bullish on its marine-based industries after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) allotted $400 million (P22.32 billion at current rates) to support “blue economy” initiatives in Mindanao, Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua said.

ADB’s assistance is in line with efforts to develop the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) sub-economic grouping.

Macacua disclosed the ADB funding following their participation as part of the Philippine delegation in the 16th BIMP-Eaga meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 27.

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The high-level meeting was attended by heads of states of the BIMP-Eaga member-countries, namely Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines.

“For us, it will be beneficial for the coastal island-provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, as well as Sulu,” Macacua said.

While Sulu is no longer part of the BARMM, Macacua noted its potential, together with Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, in seaweed farming, fishing and island tourism, which are among the areas for development under the blue economy blueprint.

Improved livelihood

According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.”

BIMP-Eaga is a cooperation initiative established in 1994 to spur development in remote and less developed areas in the four participating Southeast Asian countries. In the Philippines, the BIMP-Eaga focus areas are the entire Mindanao and Palawan in Luzon.

In Mindanao, the Bangsamoro region has been positioning itself as a key player in BIMP-Eaga because of its proximity with the other member-states.

Macacua said the ADB funding to support the blue economy in Mindanao, particularly in the BARMM, would help boost livelihood opportunities, provide assistance to fisherfolk and seaweed farmers and attract more marine-based businesses in the region.

BARMM’s Tawi-Tawi province is the country’s top seaweeds producer.

According to the Philippine Rural Development Project’s (PRDP) data cited by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)’s seaweed industry roadmap for 2022 to 2026, Tawi-Tawi accounted for 62,911 hectares of seaweed farm production areas in the country, producing some 375,617 metric tons of seaweeds as of 2020, and contributing almost 26 percent to the country’s harvest of 1.47 million metric tons for the year.

Aside from seaweeds and other marine products, the Bangsamoro region has been working to develop its halal industry as its contribution to the Eaga.

The BARMM hosts the largest concentration of the minority Muslim population in the Philippines, a largely Catholic nation of 109 million people./mr