UK ambassador urges BARMM gov’t to widen program on information drive within the region
COTABATO CITY (May 20, 2023) — UK Ambassador Laure Beaufils urged the government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to focus on widening its program for information and dissemination campaign within the region.
“Because there’s still a larger need for its constituency to be given prioritization in terms of information and education rather than focusing by bringing the information to the national level,” the lady diplomat said during the Mindanao Development Forum 2023 held in Acacia Hotel, Davao City on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Beaufils emphasized that there is a need for the regional government to serve its own people in terms of information.
She also shared her views on how their programs and projects that contributes to the improvement in the Bangsamoro and the important role of media in strengthening information and dissemination campaign.
Beaufils said that “supporting peace and development in the BARMM is a right thing to do and their experienced in UK peacebuilding is relevant to the peace process in Bangsamoro region.
She also cited her experience in handling their support on peace process, saying, “Just like what happened to the Netherlands peace process experiencing devolution between London and developed government of Scotland Wills and Northern Island which is very useful to engage by sharing of experiences and lessons as a two way of lesson learning process.”
Beaufils believes that the fundamental thing they hold in the peace process is having a strong institution and the key for functional democracy and for institution is to deliver inclusive growth and inclusive services where the BARMM under the transitional authority in particular to develop strong institution and building its own experience.
Prior to the media forum, Beaufils spent an hour for the round table discussion (RTD) with various media entities from Mindanao to hear their experiences in covering BARMM stories.
The RTD was aimed to see the situation of press freedom in the region and the challenges which the media people foresee in the 2025 elections.
Various media entities coming from Mindanao areas such as the MindaNews, Sulu and Marawi City of Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), the Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN) Inc. and Kutangbato News in Cotabato City, and other media outlet from Maguindanao, and Manila were present.
Beaufils further shared her views in terms of strengthening information dissemination campaign on what the BTA and the BARMM government are doing and how the implementation is being implemented.
The lady envoy cited the role of journalists in the Bangsamoro that is helping the BARMM in promoting development trough information dissemination.
Kath Moreno of UK Embassy, manager to the UK Programme together with her colleagues facilitated the activity. (Faydiyah Samanodi Akmad, BMN/BangsamoroToday)
