Message at the Economic Sectoral Refinement Workshop on the Formulation of the Second Bangsamoro Development Plan, 2023-2028

By Mr Khalid Hassan, Director, ILO Country Office for the Philippines at the Economic Sectoral Refinement Workshop on the Formulation of the Second Bangsamoro Development Plan, 2023-2028, 18 July 2022, Cotabato City, Philippines

Statement | Cotabato City, Philippines | 18 July 2022
Asalamu Alaykum!
  • To our partners and advocates for peace and development in the Bangsamoro
  • Director Ismail Guiamel of MAFAR
  • Ms Rohanisah Rashid and Director Melanie Indar of BPDA
  • Representatives of key government agencies in BARMM,
  • Our ILO, FAO and other UN Colleagues
  • Distinguished guests,
  • Ladies and gentlemen,
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!


The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as lead agencies coordinating inputs of the United Nations (UN) to the Economic Development Committee are happy to join you today.

The Economic Development Committee’s (EDCom) Sectoral Refinement Workshop on the Formulation of the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP), 2023-2028 is crucial.

The pursuit for peace in the Bangsamoro is multi- dimensional, and the communities in the region have high hopes for sustainable development. This requires collaboration and coordination of multiple stakeholders.

Republic Act No. 11054 An Act Providing for the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro offers a framework for peace and development that promotes the effective use of natural resources and protects the environment. It also takes full employment, human development, and social justice into account.

The ILO and the UN Charter recognize the importance of social justice and human rights to economic and social progress. Respecting treaties, ILO Conventions, and other sources of international law, including human rights, is part of achieving social justice.

Decent work is a goal and a pathway to prosperity, equality, sustainable development, and lasting peace.

Decent work goes beyond job creation. It is about quality of employment. It promotes freely chosen employment, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue, ensuring human-centred and participatory processes, ensuring no one is left behind.

Decent work as a framework for full employment based on social justice contributes to peace, social cohesion, and transitional justice in BARMM.

When pursuing development, we must consider the future of work - technology, climate change, demographics and globalization. While we value science and rapid technological advancement, including the fourth industrial revolution, we are concerned about people and society’s inability to adapt. We are disturbed about unequal access to benefits of progress. These developments and drivers of change must be addressed.

The ILO, FAO and other UN agencies are pleased to be partners with BARMM in the formulation of the second Bangsamoro Development Plan. This plan will address multidimensional aspects of peace and development, ensuring no one is left behind.

It is in line with the UN’s Socio Economic and Peace Building Framework under the Peace Pillar outcome. This outcome fosters inclusive and accountable governance, decent employment generation and essential services of health, education, security, justice, protection, and recovery systems reach the most vulnerable in Mindanao, resulting in socially cohesive and resilient communities.

Let me close by congratulating the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, who lead the Economic Development Committee’s (EDCom) Sectoral Refinement Workshop over the next two days.

We count on you to create a roadmap to achieve peace and development that is human-centered and anchored on social justice.

The UN stands ready to support BARMM and we wish you success in your endeavours.

Sukran! Wassalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.