A shot in the arm for BARMM

Last week, the development agencies of the governments of Japan, South Korea and the United States forged an “unprecedented partnership” to pour as much as P1.6 billion ($29 million) over five years to advance universal health care in the fledgling Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

This is the first joint project of Japan International Cooperation Agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), and the United States Agency for International Development in health in the Asia-Pacific region and represents a big step toward securing long-term stability and prosperity for BARMM, which has languished in poverty because of years of armed conflict.

Indeed, BARMM, home to some five million Muslims, indigenous peoples and other ethnic groups across the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi, has one of the highest levels of infant and maternal mortality and the country and has one of the lowest life expectancies.

But with this partnership, the three agencies have committed to work with the local and national governments and other stakeholders to expand quality health-care services, improve access to essential medicines, facilities and equipment in the region that have seen more than its fair share of political and armed clashes and violent extremism.

Shared commitment

The commitment is on top of existing forms of assistance that the three giant aid agencies have provided and will continue to extend to BARMM in keeping with their shared commitment toward promoting lasting peace and social justice in the region.

“Together with our partners, we aim to promote a more resilient and efficient regional health-care system accessible to the community and the vulnerable groups within the region,” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya said at the signing ceremony last week.

This ardent desire to pursue BARMM’s continuing development was shared by Koica Vice President Kim Dong-ho and US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, who are determined to further reduce outsize poverty in BARMM.

While the numbers have dramatically dropped to 37.2 percent in 2021 from a high of 63 percent, the poverty level in the region is still more than double the national average of 15.5 percent in 2021.

According to the “Philippines Economic Update” released by the World Bank last June, further accelerating poverty reduction in the region will mean maintaining peace, supported by increasing farm profitability, diversifying income sources, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing access to basic social services such as health.

A work in progress

“Diminished conflict has empowered farmers and entrepreneurs to invest more in their ventures, resulting in increased incomes and generating more income opportunities for workers,” said World Bank Country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand Ndiamé Diop.

President Marcos himself assured the people of the national government’s commitment to ensuring peace and progress in BARMM, which is at the tail-end of its transition to a fully functioning autonomous region, with the first elections for its own parliament slated for 2025.

Now on its fifth year, the BARMM is the fruition of the aspiration for self-governance of the Moro people and was created following the 1996 and 2014 peace deals between the national government and two Moro revolutionary movements.

It remains a work in a progress and has to continue to deal with growing pains and big blows such as the Supreme Court decision declaring that Sulu is not part of BARMM, on grounds that Sulu rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro organic law in 2018 that replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during a 2019 plebiscite.

Land of promise

The BARMM government said it will appeal the high tribunal’s ruling, especially as Sulu has always been part of Muslim Mindanao and one of the strongest voices that called for autonomy.

BARMM is set to have its first parliamentary elections in May 2025, and if the decision holds then Sulu will not be participating in the elections, posing a considerable setback to the BARMM. “Sulu is very important in the BARMM. We cannot speak about the Bangsamoro identity, the Bangsamoro struggle, or the Bangsamoro narrative without starting in Sulu. So, the non-inclusion of Sulu is very important and weighs heavily on us,” BARMM spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun said.

BARMM will have to deal with this challenge if it were to pursue its aspirations as a self-governing body.

This latest infusion from the three development agencies, however, provides a shot in the arm and a sign of confidence. It also fans hope of the people that indeed, “every peso, dollar, won, and yen invested shall translate to tangible improvements in people’s health and quality of life”, as committed by BARMM Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding Jr.

This way, Mindanao, particularly BARMM, will not just be a land of promise, but finally, the land of fulfillment.