MINDANAO’S BEST OF 2009

As the year is about to close, I would like to highlight the significant events in Mindanao which brought “ good tidings “ to the island.

MEDA Bill
The Senate has recently approved the bill creating the Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) as the permanent agency that will integrate the island's socio-economic development. The previous passage of the bill at the House of Representatives heralds a longed-for development after efforts in pushing for the creation of a Mindanao development agency has been delayed for more than five decades. Previous advocacies for the creation of the first Mindanao Development Authority (MDA) dates back to 1960.

Senate Bill 3496 or the MEDA Bill is seen to integrate and harmonize peace and development efforts in Mindanao. It has also been pushed in view of the need for Mindanao to catch up with the mainstream national development. This “unfulfilled promise” will transform Mindanao from being a backdoor to becoming the county's frontdoor to greater opportunities, particularly in the East ASEAN region.

Without the necessary socio-economic, infrastructure and policy support which can be hastened by having a permanent development mechanism, Mindanao will not prosper. Given its vast potentials and strategic geographical location, Mindanao can now continue to thrive towards the fulfillment of the visions for its people. It's time!

North-South Mindanao Expressway
Mindanao logistics and infrastructure industry as well as some international players like foreign shipping industries, pushed a main corridor that would enable greater mobility of goods and people from the Northern to Southern Mindanao link.

The idea would be like the Davao-Cagayan expressway which would connect Northern and Southern Mindanao, two big economic centers in the region, that will propel Mindanao’s socio-economic development.

The said proposal was presented to the government during the first Mindanao Logistics Conference with the theme: “Southern-Northern Mindanao Logictics Corridor: Key to Fast Track its Economic Development.” last November 25 to 26 in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

Mindanao is yet to have an integrated logistics and transportation plan. The plan should figure significantly with the recent infrastructure boost in Mindanao, wherein major infrastructure were recently built like the Mindanao Container Terminal, along with the expansion of seaports and airports, and improvement of national roads.

“It is high time for Mindanao to have something like a logistics corridor given that infrastructure development in Mindanao is being fast tracked, and most especially since MEDCo is now currently formulating the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan,” said Usec. Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo).





Zamboanga-Sandakan Route
With the continuing confidence in the potentials of trade, tourism and investment in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), the carrier Zest Air is now plying the Zamboanga-Sandakan, Malaysia route three times a week. After suspending operations April 2008 (then as Asian Spirit), the 56-seater MA60 modern ark aircraft resumed its first flight in November of this year.

MOA signed to fast track Cotabato -ARMM Joint CIQS Task Force initiatives
Usec. Virgilio Leyretana, Chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) led the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, Security (CIQS) equipment support turnover and MOA signing ceremony last October 19 at the Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City. The turnover and establishment of the CIQS task force are part of the BIMP-EAGA Support Team (BEST) on CIQS Project's initiatives to improve port security, facilities, and promote trade and investments in Mindanao.

Mr. Pedro Quiñones, Joint CIQS TF chairman said that the formalization of the task force through the signing of the MoA is a big leap forward towards modernization and sophistication in deterring terrorism in their respective areas of operation.

“Given the support and concern of our political and economic leaders in the Cotabato and ARMM we are assured, more than ever, to hold on together with them leading the way to peace and progress”. Quiñones said.

Included in the MoA are their agreements on the sharing of responsibilities for CIQS-related undertakings such as hosting and shouldering related expenses for the conduct of meetings and other similar activities.

To date, the task force has completed 11 training activities to improve coordination and partnership between and among the members of the CIQS group as well as further build their capacity to respond to key issues and concerns such as the necessity of securing ports and improving facilities.

Through the BEST on CIQS Project, a budget was allocated for the purchase of priority equipment that the task force members identified as necessary for service delivery and improvement of port operations.
Around Php500,000 worth of radio bases, handheld radios, metal detectors, UV lights magnifying glasses, megaphones, digital cameras, as well as a laptop and LCD projector were turned .
Mindanao techvoc sector crafts roadmap for 2010-2015
Amid the emerging realities and challenges facing the country's human resource, a five-year roadmap for Mindanao's technical and vocational sector was recently launched to serve as a blueprint and guide to enhancing competitiveness, viability and sustainability of the island's tech-voc industry.

The Mindanao Technical Vocational Education and Training (MinTVET) Roadmap for 2010-2015 is a five-year roadmap developed by the MinTVET sector through the support of the Philippines-Australia Human Resource Development Facility (PAHRDF), in cooperation with its stakeholders and partners.

The PAHRDF is a five-year, Php 2.3 billion (A$60 million) initiative of the Australian government through AusAID. The facility aims to assist national and local government agencies, academic institutions and private organizations in addressing key organizational needs. It also enables them to provide better services and institutional management through short and long-term human resource development programs.

The MinTVET roadmap targets workers in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and in the agri-fishery sector as new training segments and focuses on improving the marketability or acceptability of graduates based on hiring requirements of increasingly discriminating traditional job markets.

The roadmap is the first of its kind in establishing a positioning strategy to ensure the long-term survival and viability of private Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) in Mindanao. It is also geared towards developing techno-preneurs as well as encourage industries to open their doors and businesses to accept TVET graduates for areas of work that would require certain levels and skills.

The MinTVET Association noted Mindanao's vast human resource as an important factor in the region's continuous progress and expressed its support for the creation of the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework plan.

The outputs of the roadmap will be incorporated into the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan currently being formulated by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) as an updated framework plan shall guide peace and development efforts in the island-region for the next 10 years.

Happy New Year ! May peace always reign in Mindanao !



(Joji Ilagan Bian is a strong and respected advocate for the development of the region. She is Chair of Joji Ilagan Foundation ( www.jojiilagancareercenter.com) ; President , Phil. Call Centers Alliance and Mindanao Tech Voc Schools Association; Mindanao Rep, Export Development Council. Email comments jojibian2@yahoo.com)