Parang, Maguindanao del Norte - The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is taking a proactive step towards strengthening peacebuilding efforts through enhanced communication systems. The Bangsamoro police and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC)-BARMM have established a collaborative framework to accelerate peacebuilding initiatives in the region.

Transportation and Communications Minister Paisalin Tago announced the agreement on Wednesday, February 12, following a meeting between officials from the Bangsamoro Telecommunications Commission (BTC) and the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).

 

The partnership aims to improve connectivity between police stations, as well as city and provincial police offices under PRO-BAR, and telecommunications facilities across the BARMM, which includes the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

 

The BTC and PRO-BAR will also work together to prevent the misuse of two-way radios and unauthorized telecommunications signal boosters by BARMM residents.

 

"This collaboration is a significant step towards enhancing security operations in the region,” said Tago. 

'We had a recent comprehensive brainstorming dialogue with PRO-BAR officials at their headquarters, outlining the parameters for our joint communications support program,”he said.

 

The program will be fully operationalized in the coming weeks to enhance security operations and support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in ensuring a safe and orderly election in May 2025.