Blueprint for progress: The evolution of the Bangsamoro Development Plans

A writer once said: "A comprehensive development plan is not just a document; it is a visionary blueprint for a brighter future." This was my perspective when I reviewed a hard copy of the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2023–2028, which the Commission on Population and Development in Region 12 gave me during my return visit to Cotabato City over two months ago. This 397-page document bolstered my optimism that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is headed toward the path of success.

Although comprehensive development plans provide a long-term vision and strategic framework, they are not written in stone. They are crafted to be flexible because we live in dynamic environments where many conditions can change rapidly. During implementation, there will be new information, technologies, promising and best practices, and feedback from stakeholders and people, which require the planners and implementers to make adjustments to stay relevant, efficient and effective. There are also unexpected events, such as natural disasters, pandemics, economic upheaval, political changes and, in the Bangsamoro, continuing security threats from extremists and other discontented factions, which require flexibility to quickly respond to these events.