Bangsamoro ecozones backed
COTABATO CITY — Business groups and local leaders expressed support for the Bangsamoro government’s plan to establish new economic zones in the autonomous region and its 63 barangays in Cotabato province in Region 12.
On Sunday, the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) stressed the importance of creating “halal” trading hubs to boost commerce and trade in the region. In this context, “halal” refers to ethical and permissible business practices in Islam, governing transactions and food-related activities.
Three members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament, lawyers Paisalin P. Tago, Deputy Speaker Nabil A. Tan, and physician-ophthalmologist Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr., expressed readiness to draft regional laws supporting BEZA’s initiative.
Despite the previous challenges faced by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with a regional economic zone, Cotabato Gov. Emmylou T. Mendoza also advocated for economic zones in the 63 Bangsamoro barangays within her province.
Ms. Mendoza highlighted the collaboration among the provincial government, Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, police, and the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade to maintain order in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of BARMM. “Our airport in M’lang municipality, large enough to accommodate big commercial planes, is also expected to operate soon, and that is closer to most SGA barangays than the Cotabato City airport in Maguindanao del Norte province. Airports are needed for economic zones,” she said.
She underscored the potential benefits for trading centers in municipalities in her province, where investors could establish capital-intensive businesses. She also noted the upcoming operation of the Mlang municipality airport, closer to the SGA barangays, emphasizing the need for airports in economic zones. — John Felix M. Unson