GENERAL SANTOS CITY — To further advance the cooperation between the National and BARMM governments, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) took part in the 6th meeting of the Joint Body for the Zones of Joint Cooperation (JBZJC) on September 9-10, in General Santos City.

The meeting gathered representatives from national agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), as well as their BARMM counterparts from MENRE, MOTC, MPW, and other regional offices.

The meeting’s discussion centered around the drafting of terms of cooperation, with each agency tasked with preparing and submitting its respective draft. The secretariat will then consolidate these drafts into a comprehensive document, serving as the foundation for future joint management efforts. Furthermore, Resolutions were passed to schedule follow-up meetings to refine the drafts, emphasizing MENRE’s pivotal role in guiding the process toward more effective joint governance.

These separate sessions aim to refine and finalize the terms of cooperation, ensuring alignment with each agency’s mandates and priorities. This iterative process is expected to pave the way for stronger partnerships and more effective governance within the Zones of Joint Cooperation.