BETTER CONNECTION, MORE INVESTMENTS
A well connected Mindanao is seen to develop and create more economic opportunities
Interconnectivity through creating more railroads, bridges, airports and seaports are seen as foundations in attracting more investments and business developments in Mindanao, a government official said.
Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) policy, planning, and project development officer director Reyzaldy B. Tan said if business investors could easily locate their future businesses in Mindanao through an easy and efficient transportation then investments could easily be created in Mindanao, which can help create more jobs to Mindanawons.
Tan added that Minda is hopeful that with the construction of the P35.9billion Mindanao Railway project next year; this could entice more developments in Mindanao.
He also said if there are more roads which can serve as links to other provinces, then more places in Mindanao can be aided towards economic development and not just the big cities in the island.
Meanwhile, Tan said Minda continues to address the issue on connectivity through the Mindanao Development Corridor Strategy. These development corridors are grouped into four: Western Mindanao Development Corridor (WMDC), Northern Mindanao Development Corridor (NMDC), SouthCentral Mindanao Development Corridor (SCMDC), and Bangsamoro Development Corridor (BDC).
WMDC serves as the mariculture and trade cluster center as it serves to be the top producer of fishery-based products like seaweed.
NMDC as Mindanao’s domestic gateway markets to Luzon and Visayas, serves as business and industrial trade cluster center. It has a potential to become a logistics hub as it hosts the Laguindingan Airport and the Mindanao Integrated Container Terminal (MICT).
With the rich agriculture plains and productivity of southern Mindanao, SCMDC serves as the food basket cluster center while BDC covers development which will address concerns of development specific to the Bangsamoro community.