The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is rushing the construction of public markets that will also showcase Moro design and symbols, the region’s spokesperson said Thursday.

Speaking for the BARMM, lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo said the regional government is putting up at least five markets “that are both functional and rooted in Moro culture and tradition,” to be called “Padian a Bangsamoro” (Bangsamoro market).

“For this year, we will implement five public markets. This is under the BLESS Program, which stands for Bangsamoro Local Economic Support Services,” said Sinarimbo, also BARMM’s interior and local government minister.

“To be very clear, this is not a mere infrastructure project,” he said in a statement. “The infrastructure is just a component of the program, which aims to develop and kick-start enterprise and economic activities in the local government units (LGUs) of the region.”

All LGUs in the region are qualified to avail of this regional project, Sinarimbo said.

He also advised LGUs to immediately undergo such processes as establishing an enterprise development office, passing the necessary ordinance to support this, exercising the corporate power of the LGU, developing the market code, and demonstrating its contribution to another program of the ministry, which is on revenue enhancement. (PNA)