The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has officially affirmed the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) critical role in driving the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
This strategic alignment comes ahead of the upcoming Special BIMP-EAGA Leaders’ Summit, which the Philippines will host as part of the 48th ASEAN Summit.
During a high-level bilateral meeting with BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, MinDA Chairperson and Philippine Signing Minister for BIMP-EAGA, Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, underscored President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to position BARMM at the forefront of subregional cooperation.
“BARMM’s active participation in BIMP-EAGA reflects the administration’s commitment to ensure that regional integration translates into tangible opportunities for communities in Mindanao and across ASEAN,” Sec. Magno stated.
A central focus of the discussions was the Bangsamoro Economic Corridor Initiative, a joint effort to transform the region into a premier export gateway and a vital trade hub within the subregion. To realize this vision, both parties outlined a series of development priorities:
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Infrastructure & Logistics: Upgrading ports and enhancing maritime connectivity.
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Trade Facilitation: Streamlining Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, and Security (CIQS) procedures.
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Targeted Industries: Expanding fisheries and capitalizing on the rapidly growing global Halal market.
This collaborative approach was strongly backed by key cabinet members and regional leaders present at the meeting, including MinDA Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro, MOTC Minister Termize Masahud, BBOI Chairperson Mohamad Pasigan, and MTIT Minister Farserina Mohammad. Their collective presence underscored a unified, intergovernmental push to elevate BARMM’s economic standing.
The Philippines’ hosting of the upcoming ASEAN and BIMP-EAGA summits places the country in a prime leadership position to align the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2035 with the broader ASEAN Vision 2045.
Under the Marcos Administration, the focus remains on fostering competitive, resilient, and people-centered growth. By anchoring these international development agendas to BARMM’s local economic potential, the administration is ensuring that grassroots communities directly benefit from regional cooperation.
