The Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has established satellite offices, funded by the European Union (EU), in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi to bring the government closer to its constituents there.
Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua inaugurated the satellite branches along with Governors Mujiv Hataman of Basilan and Ysmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi and other officials in the island-provinces on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Ambassador Massimo Santoro of the European Union Delegation in the Philippines (EU Philippines) joined the inauguration rites for the OCM satellite offices, which were constructed under the EU-funded Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) program.
‘Distance should not be a hindrance. Government service must be felt fast, efficient, and direct,’ Macacua posted on Facebook Wednesday afternoon after inaugurating the facility in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
Macacua expressed the Bangsamoro government’s gratitude to the EU for its continued support of the region and the Bangsamoro peace process.
He also acknowledged the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for helping bring the regional government closer to the two island provinces.
‘This effort strengthens governance and ensures that development reaches our communities,’ Macacua said.
In a statement, EU Philippines said the OCM satellite offices were designed to bring government services closer to the people.
Built with the help of local workers-including a majority of women engineers-this new office stands as a long-term investment in faster, more accessible, and more inclusive governance, it said following the inauguration in Basilan.
Santoro also visited Maluso town to witness firsthand how the EU’s Bangsamoro Agri-Enterprise Programme (BAEP) is transforming lives across communities – from fish processing to rubber farming and coffee production.
The seat of the Bangsamoro government is in Cotabato City, located in mainland Mindanao.
Besides Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, the Bangsamoro region also comprises the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur, all in mainland Mindanao.
The BARMM was established in 2019 following the ratification of Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The creation of the Bangsamoro autonomous region is the centerpiece of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which was signed in 2014 by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after 17 years of peace negotiations.