Cotabato city: The South Korean government is committed to sustaining its support for peace and development initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as stated by Korea's ambassador to the Philippines, Lee Sang-hwa, during his official visit to Cotabato City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ambassador Lee made this commitment on June 1, while assessing Seoul's ongoing projects in the region. The Korean Embassy in Manila highlighted Korea's ongoing humanitarian assistance and its support for the progress of the Mindanao Peace Process, which encompasses efforts in decommissioning and socio-economic development. Lee expressed his hopes for a 'free, fair, peaceful, and orderly' conduct of the upcoming BARMM parliamentary elections scheduled for September.
The visit marked Ambassador Lee's first official trip to Cotabato City and reinforced Korea's dedication to the peace efforts within BARMM. During his visit, he met with BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and visited project sites backed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and UNICEF.
Korea's ongoing support includes various KOICA projects focusing on health, education, nutrition, child protection, and other essential services. These efforts aim to enhance the institutional capacity of BARMM ministries and local government units. Among the initiatives is the USD13-billion 'Building Resilience through Inclusive Governance and Healthcare Transformation in BARMM (BRIGHT-BARMM) project, set to benefit over 400,000 people from 2025 to 2030.
Additionally, Korea is funding a USD5.95 million initiative named 'Supporting Peace Building through Strengthening Essential Services for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents in BARMM (SPB-BARMM), which aims to expand health services access for vulnerable groups in Maguindanao and Cotabato City from 2023 to 2027. In 2025, Korea provided approximately 2,000 metric tons of rice assistance to the Philippines, with 384 metric tons specifically designated for BARMM.
Korea's regional support extends to climate resilience and sustainable development through the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
