A key highlight of the roundtable was the presentation of the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) Report by Nassef Manabilang Adiong, Director of the Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) of the Bangsamoro Parliament, which identified the proposed Bangsamoro Economic Zone Act as a strategically important measure for accelerating BARMM’s investment promotion, industrial development, halal industry expansion, logistics modernization, employment generation, and regional economic integration. While affirming the bill’s strong legal and policy foundation under the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the CREATE MORE framework, the report recommended targeted amendments to further strengthen the measure’s legal defensibility, institutional accountability, fiscal sustainability, environmental stewardship, and operational effectiveness.
Among its key recommendations were clarifying BEZA’s relationship with national government agencies on matters involving customs, immigration, quarantine, banking, foreign exchange, ports, shipping, taxation, security, and international commitments through appropriate intergovernmental mechanisms. The report also advocated stronger governance safeguards, including annual tax expenditure and performance reporting, fiscal risk management, procurement transparency, conflict-of-interest policies, audited financial statements, and measurable indicators to monitor investments generated, jobs created, exports, incentives granted, labor compliance, environmental performance, and benefits to host communities.
Nassef Manabilang Adiong, PhD 
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