Creation of more Bangsamoro economic zones welcomed

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Business groups and local executives support the planned setting up by the Bangsamoro government of additional economic zones in the autonomous region and in its 63 barangays in Cotabato province in Region 12.

The Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) had earlier announced that the creation of new economic zones, as “halal” trading hubs, is essential in boosting commerce and trade in the six provinces and three cities in the region.

Halal, in context, means “permitted” in Islam, a standard for clean, or honest kind of businesses and dealings among merchants, clients and trading partners and as a basis for food production, handling and preparation.

Three members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament, the lawyers Paisalin Pangandaman Tago, who is the region’s concurrent transportation and communications minister, Deputy Speaker Nabil Alfad Tan and the physician-ophthalmologist Kadil Monera Sinolinding Jr. said in separate statements on Sunday that they are ready to help draft regional laws in support of BEZA’s plan to set up more economic zones in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

"We are glad with the plan of the Bangsamoro government to soon establish more economic zones around.  We are not in the Bangsamoro region's territory but our business communities will benefit from that," said Mayor Rolly Sacdalan of Midsayap, Cotabato, a businessman who is a member of influential business blocs in the province.

The defunct 27-year Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that got replaced with a more administratively empowered BARMM in 2019 had established a regional economic zone at the Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte but has not fully taken off due to security issues and poor management.

“We also want the BARMM to set up an economic zone for the 63 Bangsamoro barangays in our province,” Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Talino Mendoza said on Sunday.

BARMM has 63 barangays in different towns in Cotabato province, which is under Region 12. 

Mendoza said the Cotabato provincial government, the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the police and units of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division are together maintaining law and order in the surroundings of the 63 barangays grouped as BARMM’s Special Geographic Area.

“The trading centers in the municipalities under Cotabato province where these SGA barangays are located will benefit a lot if there is an economic zone in any of these areas where investors from outside can put up capital intensive business,” Mendoza said.