MindaNews / 29 July — The Bangsamoro Board of Investment (BBOI) has approved investments worth at least ₱4 billion, surpassing its target of ₱3 billion for 2025, with officials citing good governance and the stable peace and order condition for the increased investors’ confidence in the region.
Mohamad Omar Pasigan, BBOI chairperson, said the milestone was reached with the approval of two new investments in agriculture and real estate worth at least ₱800 million, which was deliberated by the agency’s board in Davao City on Monday, July 28.
“This is not just a win for the BBOI, but for the entire Bangsamoro. We thank our investors and stakeholders for their trust, and we remain committed to fulfilling this Amana (responsibility) entrusted to us—to build a more competitive, inclusive, and investor-friendly region for all,” Pasigan said in a statement.
He said the new investments are in the coconut industry in Maguindanao del Sur and mass housing in Maguindanao del Norte.
Pasigan added that these projects are expected to generate at least 230 jobs, directly contributing to economic inclusion and regional development.
Last April, the investments registered by the BBOI reached ₱3.2 billion, breaching their target.
Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua welcomed the development, saying that “this is a strong sign that the Bangsamoro region is now being seen as a viable and trusted investment destination.”
“With moral governance as our foundation, we are proving that peace and development can go hand in hand. This milestone is part of our economic jihad—a peaceful struggle to uplift the lives of our people through honest governance and sustainable progress,” Macacua was quoted as saying by the BBOI.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was established in January 2019 following the ratification of Republic Act 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM, popularly called the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
The creation of an autonomous Bangsamoro region is a major component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the final peace agreement signed by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014 after 17 years of peace negotiations.
Pasigan assured that the BBOI will continue to align its efforts with the Bangsamoro Development Plan in attracting strategic investments to the region.
He said that the agency wants to ensure that the economic progress is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative for the entire Bangsamoro community.
The BARMM comprises the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi, Lamitan and Cotabato.
The BBOI board members present during the deliberation for the approval of the new investments are Pasigan, Finance and Budget Minister Ubaida Pacasem (ex-officio), Trade and Investments Minister Abuamri Taddik (ex-officio), and BBOI regular Board of Governors Datu Habib Ambolodto and Manan Baraguir. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)