DAVAO CITY — Known for its prudence in assisting development efforts across the globe, the World Bank (WB) expressed its “very satisfactory” rating on the implementation of socio-economic and infrastructure projects in the poverty-stricken communities of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

This developed after Iranian Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, in his courtesy call to ARMM acting Gov. Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong early this week assured his government’s assistance on the region’s requirements in education and medicines, and in fruits marketing abroad.

Ambassador Rouzbehani “promised to help ARMM in areas of education, cheaper medicines, and possible export of bananas and other fruits from the region, using the just-opened Polloc Freeport in Maguindanao,” ARMM Executive Secretary Naguib Sinarimbo said.

Officials of the ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP) and partner agencies took turns in welcoming positive appraisal of their implementation of foreign-funded development initiatives by the WB management during their five-day review meeting on related projects that started Monday in Davao City.

It was learned that the favorable rating is the reason why the WB approved recently a $30-million loan to the Philippine government to fund projects in the five-province and two-city autonomous region.

Mary Judd, WB task team leader for the Asia-Pacific, said the ARMM is “very lucky” because out of three projects proposed for additional funding by the bank, only the ASFP gained the nod last year of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board chaired then by former President Arroyo.

Judd, who graced the five-day review seminar-workshop in Davao City, hinted that the two other projects in other parts of the country may be reconsidered by the NEDA Board under the Aquino administration for endorsement to WB financing.