MILG-BARMM and JICA logos (Photo courtesy of Bangsamoro Information Office - BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MILG-BARMM) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have awarded the top five best entries for their “Bangsamoro Idea Challenge – A Call for Innovative Ideas” online competition.
The online awarding took place on September 17.
In a statement Saturday, MILG Management Services Director Fausiah Romancap-Abdula said the contest formed part of the region’s data collection survey aimed at addressing the needs and challenges faced by Bangsamoro communities.
The online contest proper, which ran from July 12 until August 2, attracted 41 entries from different individuals and organizations across the region.
After the contest proper, the innovative entries were carefully studied and pre-ranked from August 3 to September 15 by the Japan-based IC Net Ltd., JICA, and representatives of the different BARMM offices.
“The heads of each project virtually presented their innovative ideas and answered queries raised by the various BARMM ministries during the presentation of their programs,” Abdula said.
The five excellent ideas given recognition were the Garbage Recycle Project of Nurhanniesa M. Derico from Hope for Young Individual, Inc. – MILG Best Idea Award; the Bangsamoro Community Law of Ms. Kharsum H. Mohammad – JICA Best Idea Award; Floating Academy of Esmael U. Sema (Kaliyot B. Sali Peace Academy, Inc.) – MILG and JICA Awards; the Weaving Every Dream of Sama Dilaut in Tawi-Tawi led by Nur-mukin A. Usman of 3i – MILG Award; and the MFC: Battle against the Misinfodemic by Amalhayah M. Alikhan – JICA Award.
“We could help our people by coming up with great and new ideas, exploring and making a difference to provide basic services, and address issues that the region is facing right now,” Abdula said.
She added that the MILG remains confident that the innovative projects would be realized and implemented soon for the greater benefit of BARMM communities.
Meanwhile, Ryutaro Murotani, senior director of the Office for Peacebuilding, Governance and Peacebuilding Department of JICA, also acknowledged and reiterated the importance of ideas pitched by the proponents in addressing the needs of the region.
“In this situation (of the pandemic), we have many limitations so we need some innovative ideas so that we can overcome these challenges. We will continue to conduct this type of exercise so that we can have more ideas from varieties of people – including the youth, women, and other people in Mindanao,” Murotani said in a separate statement.
He said the JICA Study Team is working on the collected data to continue supporting the BARMM and formulate new projects for the region.
“I hope that this study will help us in identifying the challenges of the people in Bangsamoro and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, so we can support the full establishment of the BARMM government along with the peace and stability in Mindanao,” Murotani said.
The BARMM covers the cities of Cotabato, Marawi and Lamitan; the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; and the 63 villages in six towns of North Cotabato province. (PNA)
