Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Secretary Leo Tereso Magno and Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes Brown reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation under the BIMP–EAGA framework during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the Special BIMP–EAGA Leaders’ Summit, where Australia participated as a valued development partner of the subregional bloc.
Discussions centered on revitalizing the long-standing partnership between Mindanao and Australia’s Northern Territory while exploring broader avenues for collaboration with Australia across key development sectors.
Magno, who also serves as the Philippine Signing Minister for BIMP–EAGA, highlighted the strong potential of translating the partnership into more concrete and impactful initiatives. Priority areas identified include trade and investment, education and technical-vocational training, tourism, agriculture, connectivity, health, and people-to-people exchanges.
“These areas of cooperation are highly relevant to Mindanao’s development priorities, particularly in advancing inclusive growth, sustainability, and economic opportunities in BARMM and other border areas,” Magno said.
The renewed momentum aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s broader agenda of deepening subregional cooperation, strengthening international partnerships, and advancing inclusive development in Mindanao. During the Special BIMP–EAGA Summit, the President also recognized MinDA’s efforts in expanding its network of development partners to further accelerate the region’s growth.
“This is the kind of whole-of-partnership approach that we believe holds equal promise at the subregional level, and we encourage our BIMP–EAGA partners to consider how we might collectively broaden our cooperation with development partners as we pursue bolder targets in the next decade,” President Marcos Jr. said.
Ambassador Brown, meanwhile, reaffirmed Australia’s continuing commitment to supporting development initiatives in Mindanao, particularly in BARMM, and expressed optimism over expanding future collaboration under the BIMP–EAGA framework. He also conveyed plans to bring the matter to Canberra for further discussions on potential areas of enhanced cooperation.
Also present during the meeting were MinDA Executive Director Usec. Janet Lopoz and Deputy Executive Director Asec. Romeo Montenegro.
The meeting underscores the growing recognition of Mindanao and the broader BIMP–EAGA subregion as a strategic platform for regional cooperation, economic connectivity, and sustainable development between ASEAN and Australia.
