COTABATO CITY – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with funding from the United Nations Seoul Policy Centre (USPC), and in partnership with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) Forest Management Services (FMS) under the leadership of Director Abdul-Jalil S. Umngan, is implementing a Responsible Partnership Agreement (RPA) with the Integrated Resources Development for Tri-People Inc. (IRDT) to promote Sustainable Forestry through Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM).

Following a CBFM immersion in Binahon Agro-Forestry Farm in Bukidnon, participants from MILF community camps expressed a need for financial management and organizational development skills to sustain their CBFM initiatives. In response, a two-day Financial Management and Organizational Development Workshop was conducted on July 24-25, 2024, at Pagana Kutawato, Cotabato City.

The workshop, facilitated by IRDT, brought together officials and members of the Kayod Ka Bangsamoro Producer Cooperative (KKBPC) from Camp Suran (under Camp Badre) and Kadtabanga Ko Inged from Camp Abubakar, as well as representatives from MENRE Forest Management Services, PENREO Maguindanao – CENREO 1A, and the local government unit of Barira, Maguindanao del Norte.

This project aligns with the Kayud Ka Bangsamoro initiative of MENRE’s FMS-CBFM Division and supports the broader camp transformation component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which aims to convert MILF community camps into peaceful and productive economic zones.

By enhancing the capacity of MILF communities in financial management and organizational development, these groups can build strong foundations, achieve their goals, and contribute to the lasting impact of their community-based forest management project and the overall development of the Bangsamoro region.