THE 33RD Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Senior Officials and Ministers Meeting opened on Nov. 12 at Dusit Thani Davao, with a flurry of cross-border initiatives, from renegotiated flight corridors to satellite-backed digital tools for small businesses.
Undersecretary Janel Lopoz, Mindanao Development Authority executive director and meeting chair, told members of the media that “there will be a lot of projects and activities going on all over the sub-region.”
A Philippines-Indonesia task force will soon study the revival and expansion of the Davao-Manado air linkage, now made easier by the ASEAN Enhanced Transport Framework Agreement approved in October. The pact removes limits on point-to-point destinations and passenger pick-ups.
“We can perhaps pick up passengers from Cebu and Davao, then fly to Manado and Bali, and then onwards as well,” Lopoz said.
Other priority infrastructure projects include upgrades at Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos airports, with parallel initiatives in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The long-term goal: a “seamless, borderless intermodal transport network” for trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Lopoz also divulged that the ICT working group showcased private-sector partnerships that deliver AI-enhanced applications and earth-observation technology to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Several companies have signed agreements to provide satellite access for business analytics across the sub-region.
BIMP delegates also agreed to form a Halal Task Force to deepen private-sector collaboration. Tourism discussions focused on multi-country circuits that bundle cultural, agricultural, and community-based ecotourism sites not just in Mindanao and Palawan, but also in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
On Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, and Security (CIQS), members are committed to harmonized procedures for point-to-point trade within BIMP-EAGA.
For the week ahead, Thursday’s BIMP-EAGA Investment Conference will pitch bankable projects to private investors. A media gathering will follow to cascade updates to grassroots communities.
A dedicated Chief Ministers, Governors, and Local Government Forum will underscore the role of local units in creating an enabling environment for sub-regional projects.
The senior officials and ministers meeting continues through the week, with formal outcomes expected before the closing session.
