BARMM steps-up monitoring, evaluation system efforts

 BPDA Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali (in pink polo shirt), UNDP-Pintig Lab Project Coordinator Jeffrey Pilapil (in blue polo shirt), BPDA Deputy Director General Engr. Amil Abubacar (leftmost), and Camelia N. de Vera-Dacanay (rightmost) unveil the Bangsamoro Development Tracker (BDT) during its official launch on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at BPDA Conference Hall, Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City. (Photo courtesy of Lovella L. Lastimosa)

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is improving the region’s monitoring and evaluation system as it officially launched on Thursday, July 22, the Bangsamoro Development Tracker (BDT).

Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, director general of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), said BDT is an interactive dashboard of the 1st Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2020-2022 in a virtual and engaging manner.

“It was technically developed with set of tools to make the data submission easier for ministries, offices, and agencies and integrate it as part of BARMM’s strategic operation,” he said.

Ali added that the dashboard will feature updated macroeconomic trends, updates on the 1st BDP, and speed up consolidation of reports. It also aims to scale up monitoring and evaluation system of the various programs, projects, and activities of the ministries, offices, and agencies (MOA) in the region.

The development of the dashboard, as well as its launch, were spearheaded by BPDA’s Macro-economic Planning Division in cooperation with the UNDP.

Ali stressed on BPDA’s efforts in performing its mandate as the technical secretariat and executive arm of the Bangsamoro Government.

“Specifically, we aim to speed up the process of the consolidation of reports and would like to resort to online tracking, monitoring, and reporting,” he said.

In his message, BARMM Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin K. Pendatun encouraged all the MOA workers to efficiently utilize this new platform towards achieving a strong databank management system in the BARMM.

“Let’s make the most out of this platform. It will help us surely in delivering, making the work, making the operations of our ministries efficient in coming up with more responsive programs, and to be more consistent really in the moral governance being advanced by this regional government,” he stressed. 

He also lauded the joint efforts of the BPDA and the UNDP for this initiative as support to the continuing efforts for the digitization of the Bangsamoro Government, which will also improve the communication among MOAs amidst the ongoing pandemic crisis.

Meanwhile, UNDP’s Senior Policy Advisor Yemesrach Workie and Philippine Statistics Authority’s Civil Registration and Administrative Support Division Chief Engr. Akan G. Tula delivered their messages of support to BARMM’s move to innovate and integrate technology into its operations.

Other attendees during the launching ceremony include representatives from various BARMM ministries, and officials and staff from Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangangailangan, Kapayapaan sa Pamayanan, and Marawi Rehabilitation Program-Project Management Office. (LOVELLA L. LASTIMOSA, BPDA-BARMM, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)