Gov’t agencies should realign budget for Mindanao projects

DAVAO CITY – National government agencies must realign their respective budgets to be able to fund the 12 identified “catalytic projects” in Mindanao that would prepare the island for the eventual shift to a federal form of government, according to Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) public relations head Dr. Adrian Tamayo.

Tamayo said in an interview that MinDA chair Datu Abu Khayr Alonto has envisioned that the 12 projects would catapult Mindanao to a better economic status with lower poverty incidence.

“The projects will ensure that Mindanao exhibits features of federalismready institutions, infrastructures and environment,” he said.

The proposed “catalytic projects” are the 2,135-km Trans-Mindanao High Speed Railway System (TMHSRS) worth R753.5 billion; Marawi rehabilitation for livelihood and business development, land resource management, and social services that would need R16 billion; R42 billion for the establishment of Agro-Economic Zones in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Agusan del Sur, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan; and R15 billion for the TawiTawi Integrated Development Project/ Ecozone;

The others are the R 25-billion Picong FreePort and Ecozone in Picong, Lanao del Sur; R39.2 billion for the Mindanao River Basin Integrated Flood Control Projects; R300 million for the proposed Mindanao Executive Leadership Academy in Maramag, Bukidnon; R75 billion for the MinDC Interregional Connectivity Projects comprising roads and bridges; R100 million for Tourism Assistance Center in 20 strategic areas in Mindanao; P9.8 billion for New Zamboanga Airport in Mercedes, Zamboanga City; and P100 million for Polloc Freeport and Ecozone in Polloc, Maguindanao; and R9.8 billion for General Santos Aerotropolis that is still recommended for a feasibility study.

MinDA estimated the budget needed to implement all these big-ticket projects at R1.3 trillion.

But Tamayo clarified to the government’s economic cluster that the budget will not have to be given to Mindanao all at once because MinDA proposed that the projects should be implemented over a four-year period before President Rodrigo R Duterte steps down from office in 2022.

Tamayo said the different stakeholders including local government units were consulted on the selection of those projects.