A development plan for the proposed Bangsamoro region in the Philippines' southern island of Mindanao has been completed despite a setback in the government's peace process with the country's largest Muslim rebel group, the Japan International Cooperation Agency said Wednesday.
JICA's Philippine office said the final report of Bangsamoro Development Plan 2, the crafting of which it led starting in 2013, was turned over Saturday to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its development arm, the Bangsamoro Development Agency, at the rebel group's main stronghold, Camp Darapanan, in Maguindanao province.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front forged a Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Philippine government in March 2014 after 17 years of negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the political and armed conflict that has stunted economic growth and affected people's lives.