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12July
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FDA to Establish Service Facility in BARMM
- Jul 12, 2025
- Taher G. Solaiman
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The agreement, signed during a symbolic rite at the Bangsamoro Government Center in the city marks a crucial step towards making essential FDA services more accessible to the diverse communities of BARMM, which include Muslim, Christian, and non-Moro indigenous populations.
Currently, the FDA, an agency under the Department of Health (DoH) responsible for regulating drugs, health products, food supplements, and processed chemicals for agricultural and household use, maintains functions and powers that are not devolved to the regional government of BARMM. This new facility will bridge that gap, bringing the FDA's regulatory capabilities closer to the people it serves.
The MoA was formally signed by Paolo S. Teston, Director-General of the FDA, and Bangsamoro Health Minister Kadil M. Sinolinding Jr., alongside Jeihan Jein M. Gulo, chief of the Bangsamoro Health Ministry's legal and legislative office.
Witnessing the crafting of the MoA were Health Undersecretary Abdullah B. Dumama Jr. from the DoH central office, Christian Lei M. Saquilabon, DoH Assistant Secretary representing the department’s regulation facility development cluster, and Abdulhalik M. Kasim, regional assistant secretary in the Ministry of Health-BARMM.
In separate statements to reporters, Sinolinding, Dumama (a former regional director of DoH-12), and Teston all emphasized the immense benefits the new FDA office will bring to the region.
"Potential clients do not have to go to the office of the FDA in Metro Manila anymore for their transactions," Sinolinding highlighted, underscoring the improved convenience for businesses and individuals seeking FDA approvals and services.
The BARMM encompasses the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi, as well as the cities of Lamitan, Marawi, and Cotabato, where its regional government operations center is located. (Note: While Lanao del Norte was mentioned in the original statement, it is important to clarify that Lanao del Norte did not ultimately join BARMM in the plebiscite, although some of its municipalities voted for inclusion.)
Dumama further added that the establishment of an FDA office in BARMM is expected to significantly boost the health programs spearheaded by the Bangsamoro government, currently led by interim Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua, who also plays a key role in the region's 80-seat regional parliament. This localized presence of the FDA is anticipated to streamline regulatory processes and foster a healthier and safer environment for all residents of the Bangsamoro region.
Time in Cotabato
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