BARMM Officials Visit Japan Anew To Promote Cooperation on Peace and Development in Bangsamoro
Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V (3rd from left), welcomes the BARMM delegation led by Minister Eduard Uy Guerra (2nd from left). Other officials in the picture were Vice Minister for Finance Ubaida Pacasem and Engineer Faisal Kusain.
After the successful visit of Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) last month, BARMM officials, led by Minister for Public Works Eduard Uy Guerra visited Japan on 1-7 March to provide updates to Japanese officials on the peace process in Bangsamoro and insights on possible areas of cooperation.
Minister Guerra (center) shares his insights with officials at Kanagawa Prefecture.
The delegation met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism; the domestic offices of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Tokyo, Kansai and Yokohama; University of Hyogo; and Kanagawa Prefecture. They exchanged ideas and experience on finance, taxation, disaster risk reduction, education, and local governance, among others.
Mr. Kunihiko Kawabata of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism, discusses the urban development readjustment plan implemented in Japan.
Minister Guerra (5th from left) with Deputy Director General Ken Odajima (5th from right) and other officials of JICA Tokyo.
The delegation with Dean Yoshiteru Murosaki and Professor Ryosuke Aota of the Graduate School of Disaster Resilience and Governance at the University of Hyogo
The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), or Republic Act No. 11054, provides for the establishment of an autonomous political entity known as Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, providing for administration and governance within the framework of the Philippine Constitution. After enactment of the law, voters in the region ratified the BOL through a plebiscite on 21 January 2019. BARMM will have fiscal autonomy and govern on issues like health, education, social services, public works and others, although the national government retains jurisdiction over foreign affairs and defense.
The Japanese Government has been a steadfast partner of the Philippines for development in Mindanao.
Mr. Yoshiaki Nagata of JICA Kansai explains the infographic board on donations to Japan during the Great East Earthquake in 2011.
