BARMM interim chief minister Macacua says sustained peace is key to drawing investors

Abdulraof Macacua, interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said that if reelected his first priority would be sustaining peace, which he described as the condition investors look for before committing to the region, according to Mindanao Times.

Macacua spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the Mindanao Development Forum at Dusit Thani Hotel on Tuesday, October 27. "Without peace, the investors cannot easily come in," he said.

He credited the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the region's gains. He said the political track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro ended with the region's first parliamentary elections. The remaining part, the normalization track, is now being taken up by government and MILF negotiators. "I hope that after concluding this normalization track, peace is already assured," Macacua said.

The September 14 parliamentary elections chose 80 members. The transition period, which has been extended three times, ends on October 30, 2026. On that day the newly elected Members of Parliament take office and hold their inaugural session to elect a chief minister.

When asked about his plans for investment, Macacua referred questions to the region's economic team, the Bangsamoro Investments and Development Authority and the regional board of investments. He said a "better plan for the economy" would follow once the transition is over.

He did not say directly whether a coalition agreement among elected members would hold. He described a coalition as a form of unity that could be formed either before or after the vote. Forty-six elected members, Macacua among them, met at Seda Hotel in Davao City on October 14 to set up a coalition government. He would not say how many members back his bid for the top post.

In his forum speech, Macacua said the election of the region's own Parliament has strengthened its governance institutions. He said investor confidence depends on strong policies, reliable infrastructure, capable institutions and close cooperation between government and the private sector. He cited nearly ₱5 billion in investments drawn to the Bangsamoro over the past year in agriculture, fisheries, housing, logistics and other sectors.