DATU BLAH T. SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte – Long known as the fishing capital of Maguindanao del Norte, this quiet seaside town is now drawing an unusual wave of attention: investors are coming, business groups are asking questions, and regional leaders are beginning to see it as a model of what peace can deliver in the Bangsamoro region.

Datu Blah Sinsuat (DBS), a town of fewer than 30,000 people along the Moro Gulf, is emerging as one of the most peaceful municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). And in a region where stability has often been fragile, that reputation is proving to be a powerful economic asset.

Peace as a selling point

At a recent meeting in Cotabato City, Bangsamoro Business Council chair and lawyer-entrepreneur Ronald Halid Dimacisil Torres said DBS is becoming a “magnet” for prospective investors from outside the province.

Torres, who also heads the multi-sector Regional Advisory Group of Police Regional Office–BAR, said the town’s stability is turning heads.

“Good peace and security is essential to creating a stable and attractive business environment in every town, city, and province – and Datu Blah Sinsuat has that,” Torres said.

Police Regional Office–BAR has repeatedly cited DBS as among the most peaceful towns in the two Maguindanao provinces — a distinction business groups say directly influences their risk assessments and investment decisions.

A town in transition

Despite high historical poverty levels and limited infrastructure, DBS’s socio-economic indicators show a community at an inflection point.

Fishing remains king — with an estimated 10 tons of daily catch, the town is among the region’s richest fishing grounds. But the local economy is slowly diversifying as its competitiveness improves.

The latest Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (2023) shows DBS performing well in Cost of Doing Business and Cost of Living, key factors for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Government financial data also shows local revenues rising, with the municipality reporting more than ₱238 million in total revenues in 2022.

The town also benefits from new infrastructure. The ₱106-million Matuber Bridge, completed in 2021, has cut travel time for coastal barangays and made it easier for traders and fishers to move goods.

For local leaders, these developments are signs that DBS is ready to scale up.

Leadership alignment boosts momentum

One major reason the town is thriving is political alignment — from the municipal level up to regional institutions.

Among the strongest champions of DBS is Bangsamoro Parliament member Ramon Piang, former mayor of Upi, who has been working closely with Mayor Raida Tomawis-Sinsuat, Vice Mayor Mikhaela Marsha Sinsuat, and Maguindanao del Norte Vice Governor Marshall Sinsuat.

Piang said sustained peace — built through cooperation between officials, security forces, and communities — is what gives DBS its edge.

Other Bangsamoro Parliament members, including lawyer Suharto Ambolodto and Health Minister Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., are also backing DBS through governance reforms, social services, and technical support.

Security forces in sync

DBS has largely been spared from the armed conflicts and violent incidents that have historically hampered development in several BARMM towns. Local police and military units maintain regular coordination with political leaders — a partnership that officials say has been crucial in preserving order.

A recently released photo from the LGU shows Vice Governor Sinsuat, MP Piang, and top security officials assessing the town’s peace and order situation — a subtle but powerful message that DBS intends to keep its stability intact.

The promise of a coastal investment hub

With peace holding steady, business groups say DBS is well-positioned to grow into a strategic coastal investment hub. Among the sectors being eyed:

• Fish processing and cold-chain facilities

• Small port and logistics development

• Coastal and community-based ecotourism

• Marine resource industries

• MSME expansion

These plans align with BARMM’s broader push for economic transformation — one that hinges heavily on stability.

A quiet town, a louder future

In a region long shaped by conflict and transition, the story of Datu Blah Sinsuat stands out: a once-sleepy fishing community quietly redefining its future through peace.

Investors are watching. Policymakers are paying attention. And residents are beginning to imagine possibilities beyond the shoreline.

DBS is still a small town — but for the first time in decades, its horizon looks bigger than the sea.

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John Unson and Antonio Manaytay

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