DISCOVER BIMP-EAGA: DEVELOPMENTS AND WAYS FORWARD

Symposium and Networking Event in Celebration of the

30th Anniversary of DFA Mindanao and BIMP-EAGA

22 August 2024, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao

Draft Opening Message

Hon. Enrique A. Manalo

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao and Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno;

DFA Mindanao Officer-in-Charge Mr. Eric R. Aquino;

Mindanao Business Council President Mr. Vicente T. Lao;

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry BIMP-EAGA Committee Chairperson Ms. Joji Ilagan Bian;

European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Southern Mindanao Council Chairperson Mr. Antonio S. Peralta;

Esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen:

I am pleased to be with you today to open this Symposium and Networking Event to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of DFA Mindanao and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, or BIMP-EAGA.

The areas that now comprise BIMP-EAGA have a rich history of trade and cultural exchange going back centuries. Despite this history, in the early 1990’s, many of the remote, isolated provinces of this region, being far from their countries’ capitals and centers of commerce, were economically disadvantaged.

In 1992, then President Fidel V. Ramos recognized that reviving trade within these areas will spur growth and progress in what were these countries’ least developed regions, and provide easier access to economic opportunities. Two years later, in 1994, these four countries joined together to launch the BIMP-EAGA initiative.

DFA Mindanao – then called DFA South – was established in March 1994 primarily to promote economic diplomacy and the advancement of the East ASEAN Growth Area. This included working with national and local government officials in the pursuit of this mandate.

In 1997, the Asian financial crisis slowed down cooperation development in BIMP-EAGA. As the Southeast Asia’s economies weakened, governments focused their attention to national issues, especially those affecting their traditional financial and industrial centers. The following year, the El Niño and La Niña weather events had a devastating effect on BIMP-EAGA economies that were most dependent on agriculture, resulting in productivity losses and increasing incidence of poverty. Emerging peace and order problems linked to the growing widespread poverty in parts of BIMP-EAGA then influenced the leaders of the member countries to revitalize cooperation.

Reinforcing the Department’s increased focus on Mindanao, DFA South was renamed DFA Mindanao in 1999, and it has continued its work on promoting economic diplomacy and engagement with national and local government offices.

With the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), DFA Mindanao has also increased cooperation with the BARMM Government on matters pertaining to engagement with foreign governments and international organizations. In recognition of its increasing importance as the DFA’s policy office on the ground in Mindanao, the Department has implemented measures to strengthen DFA Mindanao through increasing its personnel complement and fiscal capabilities.

In closing, I hope this Symposium and Networking Event lead to more insight into the progress borne out of BIMP-EAGA cooperation through these 30 years and inspire its participants to take advantage of opportunities brought about by this initiative.

Congratulations to DFA Mindanao and BIMP-EAGA!

Thank you very much.

END