COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro lawmakers have refiled a measure which seeks to recognize and incentivize top-performing higher education institutions (HEIs) that offer agriculture, forestry, and natural resources programs in the region.

PB No. 28, also known as, “Bangsamoro Agricultural Education Incentive Act,” covers all colleges and universities in the region administered and regulated by the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education.

Under the said measure, a Bangsamoro Agricultural Education Competitiveness program will be established to recognize and incentivize performing HEIs and AFNR degree programs in the Bangsamoro region.

A scoring and ranking system will also be instituted to rate the performance of the qualified HEIs and rank the top five performing schools.

Incentives such as faculty and research grants; repairing research laboratories, classrooms, centers, and other facilities to be used for academic purposes; agricultural machinery and technology; community outreach or extension services for agri-fisheries; and development projects in support of the environment, climate change adaptation, and halal food industry will only be given to the top five HEIs that have complied with the criteria.

To ensure the proper implementation of the program, the proposed bill plans to form the Bangsamoro Agricultural Educational Council to serve as a policy-making and advisory body.

The council will be composed of: MBHTE; Office of the Bangsamoro Director-General for Higher Education; Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform; Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy; Finance, and Budget and Management; Labor and Employment; Trade, Investments, and Tourism; Science and Technology; and Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority.

Proposed legislative measure was principally authored by MPs Laisa Alamia, Mohammad Yacob, Mohagher Iqbal, and Lanang Ali Jr., and was co-authored by MPs Rasol Mitmug Jr., Suharto Ambolodto, Rasul Ismael, Baintan Ampatuan, Amilbahar Mawallil, Don Mustapha Loong, Abdullah Gayak, and Omar Yasser Sema. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)