Marcos admin courts UN support for Bangsamoro peace process

The Philippine government is seeking to ramp up international technical and financial support for the Bangsamoro peace process following a series of high-level meetings between executive officials and United Nations agencies.

Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. led a delegation this week for briefings with the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the U.N. and various international partners.

The talks focused on mobilizing resources for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the landmark peace deal that established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Lagdameo said the meeting sought to identify practical entry points for deeper engagement with the U.N. system and member states.

He noted that international partnerships are critical to accelerating the peace process under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The New York mission follows a domestic coordination meeting held March 5 at Malacañang Palace, where officials mapped out the Camps Transformation Plan.

This initiative is a core pillar of the normalization program, which aims to transition former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front into civilian life.

The government has set a timeline to complete socio-economic interventions in six recognized MILF camps between 2026 and 2028.

Key components of the plan involve infrastructure development within former conflict zones, socio-economic assistance for decommissioned combatants and their families, and community reintegration programs to stabilize the region's economy.

Lagdameo, whose office coordinates the president’s peace agenda, emphasized that consolidating baseline data is the immediate priority to ensure no communities are left behind in the transition.

Government officials stated that stronger coordination among national agencies remains essential to accelerate the implementation of development programs.

The Office of the Special Assistant to the President continues to oversee the convergence of these agencies to ensure that the transition from a decade-long conflict to a stable autonomous region remains on track for its 2028 targets.