COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Senior Minister and concurrent Environment Minister Abrulraof Macacua delivered a special message during the 3rd Climate Smart and Disaster Resilient (CSDR) Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) International Conference last Nov. 23-25.
Macacua emphasized that the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) is duly bound to protect, conserve, and preserve the environment.
“Thus, we envision to have proactive policies and institution by 2025 for a climate-smart Bangsamoro, sustainable natural and energy resources, and a healthy environment implemented by empowered human resources guided by the principle of moral governance,” he said.
In order to achieve such vision by 2025, Macacua said that MENRE has already begun implementing various programs in support of its mandate, such as the massive greening program in the Bangsamoro called the Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program, electronic tracking and archiving of land records, applications and patents, and the creation of the first-ever Bangsamoro Energy Development Plan, among others.
Macacua, who is also a member of the Bangsamoro Parliament, authored a bill on Bangsamoro Sustainable Development Framework with “the ultimate objective of providing guiding principles to all interventions in the Bangsamoro.”
In his speech, the minister also congratulated Adat-Betad Incorporated, represented by Mr. Nasrudin Kusain, a Maguindanao-based non-governmental organization, which was selected to be the lone awardee of the very first CSDR Partner’s Award.
According to CSDR ASEAN Chairman Sci Dpl. Glenn Banaguas, Adat Betad sees “the perspective of initiating the context of projects in order to provide a genuine design over its mission and vision. It is geared to promote environmental protection and safeguard social development in Maguindanao.” (Bangsamoro Information Office)
