IPIL, Philippines – Officials from South Cotabato and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are laying the groundwork for stronger peace and development cooperation in communities straddling their borders.
On Thursday, August 7, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Leo Tereso Magno, South Cotabato disaster risk chief Rolly Doane Cuenca Aquino, and Bangsamoro police director Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman met on the sidelines of the Chief Minister’s Hour at the BARMM Government Center.
Peace, Development to Deepen Economic Ties
The brief but strategic huddle focused on aligning efforts in conflict-sensitive areas of Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte with South Cotabato’s economic and social initiatives.
South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., now in his third and final term, has been pushing to deepen economic ties with Moro communities, Aquino said. Tamayo is a staunch supporter of Malacañang’s peace agenda in Mindanao.
BARMM Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua, in his address during the event, reported the region’s gains since its 2019 creation and laid out upcoming pro-poor programs. The BARMM was born out of 22 years of negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which now shares governance with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under a still-developing regional bureaucracy.
Top national and local officials also attended the gathering, including Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo, Basilan Vice Governor Hadjiman Salliman, Lamitan City Mayor Roderick Furigay, Maguindanao del Norte Governor Tucao Mastura, Vice Governor Marshall Sinsuat, and Representative Dimple Mastura.
Why this matters
The meeting, while informal, comes at a crucial time. South Cotabato’s push for stronger ties with BARMM territories could help stabilize economic and security conditions in border municipalities—areas historically vulnerable to conflict spillovers, clan feuds, and lawless elements exploiting jurisdictional boundaries.
With the BARMM transition period extended until 2028, partnerships like this allow non-Bangsamoro provinces to directly align with the region’s development priorities without waiting for national mediation. It also builds a buffer of cooperation that could reduce tensions over resource access, governance overlaps, and competing political interests.
Observers note that Governor Tamayo’s support for peace engagement with Moro communities could give BARMM’s leadership a valuable political ally in Central Mindanao.
However, the success of such partnerships will hinge on whether commitments translate into concrete joint projects—particularly in infrastructure, disaster risk management, and livelihood programs that address both poverty and security concerns.
If sustained, this kind of sub-national diplomacy could serve as a model for other provinces sharing borders with BARMM, signaling that peacebuilding in Mindanao is not solely the job of the national government, but a shared responsibility of local leaders on both sides of the line.
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