COTABATO CITY (PIA) — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has launched a new social protection plan that aims to strengthen social safety nets in the region, benefiting over 4 million individuals.
Dubbed the Bangsamoro Social Protection Plan (BSPP), the initiative is a four-year plan that seeks to help struggling families, especially children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
The plan further aims to reduce poverty and improve access to basic social services such as financial assistance, healthcare, and livelihood programs.
The BSPP, which will cover the period 2024-2028, will be implemented by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), in partnership with the Australian Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
During the program launch, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim emphasized the importance of the plan in uplifting Bangsamoro communities.
“This BSPP aims to strengthen the social safety nets in the region by developing contextualized strategies that provide universal access to basic human rights privileges for all our constituents at different life stages, ultimately contributing to economic and social transformation as a whole,” he said.
MSSD explained that the plan’s goals are to improve the efficiency of cash assistance through digital payments, include more informal workers in social insurance, and help families who are affected by unplanned events like medical emergencies and disasters.
The Bangsamoro government will also work with local government units to ensure the plan is effectively implemented across the region.
Meanwhile, lawyer and MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie shared that the BSPP is a collective vision, rooted in resilience, inclusivity, and shared responsibility.
“It is a plan for the whole region. If you look at the hard copy of the plan, there is also an investment plan towards the end. We have identified all the stakeholders who will contribute to the achievement of the goals on which the plan is based,” she pointed out.
Further, Unicef Philippines Acting Representative Behzad Noubary underscored the plan’s role in protecting children from poverty, malnutrition, and lack of education.
“Through this initiative, the Bangsamoro government is taking a significant step toward ensuring that vulnerable families receive the support they need to build a better future,” he said.
The Bangsamoro government has stated that the plan is anchored primarily in regional and national frameworks, such as the second Bangsamoro Development Plan 2023–2028 and the Philippine Social Protection Plan 2023–2028, to ensure that it is aligned with the government’s strategic goals and priorities. (With reports from MSSD-BARMM)
