Deputy Speaker Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema shares how grateful is the BTA Parliament to the assistance extended by the European Union (EU) through the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) programme. (ZSDiolanan, Publication and Media Relations Division, BTA Parliament)
COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament in partnership with the European Union (EU) funded “Support to Bangsamoro Transition” (SUBATRA) programme is set to conduct a two-day “inception workshop”, from February 25-26, 2021 to be held at Robinsons Hall, Mall of AlNor, this city.
SUBATRA programme provides technical assistance for capacity building of executive and legislative branches of the BTA during its transition and further Bangsamoro Government after its transition. The specific objective is the establishment of an enabling democratic governance environment for a smooth implementation of the transition in Bangsamoro.
Deputy Speaker Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema said the purpose of SUBATRA programme is primarily to support the transition from the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to the newly established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“The BARMM government really needs support from all sectors and we are thankful that the EU has responded to the call,” Sema said.
Sema said the programme has two purposes. First is the ‘Purpose’ 1 with the aim to enhance capacity of the BTA’s executive branch to efficiently handle the transition through improved capacity of the executive branch superstructure to plan, impulse and monitor transitional policies as well as enhanced capacity of the administrative machinery, especially key governance ministries, and to implement policies and deliver basic social services.
“Purpose 2, on the other hand, where I am the focal person, shall enhance the capacity of the Bangsamoro Parliament to exercise its law making, oversight and representation functions,” Sema stressed.
Furthermore, Sema said the inception workshop seeks to attain the following: introduce the participants to the project, familiarizing them with its purpose and objectives and informing them of its design features and assumptions; present the baselines established and appropriate targets for Purpose 2 under the SUBATRA programme; present the draft Inception Report under Purpose 2 under the SUBATRA programme; to provide a platform and a sound basis for a wider consultative process of the SUBATRA 2021 Annual Work Plan (under Purpose 2); and identify any gaps in the project’s scope and enhance the project with additional experiences and perspectives from the respective participants.
In addition, the workshop will strive to result in the following outcomes for the collective benefit of the participants, other stakeholders, and the SUBATRA project: it would lead to a common understanding of the baseline under Purpose 2, the project’s goals and objectives, the targets, and an agreement on the strategies that should be undertaken to successfully meet these goals and objectives; it would facilitate experience sharing and the dissemination of best experiences that could be meaningfully integrated into the project; and gain insights on the views and comments on the draft Inception Report and the first-year work plan.
In this regard, Sema said they are very much thankful to the EU for its assistance to the Bangsamoro transition.
“We are thankful that EU somehow has leveled up their support to the transition even shelling out funds for this program and committed to support us until the regular Bangsamoro government is established,” Sema emphasized. (GALao, Publication and Media Relations Division, BTA Parliament)