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Mindanao has long been infamous for being the turbulent region of the Philippines. It has long been entrapped by numerous conflicts which keep it from consistently pursuing development. This is both unfortunate and ironic because it is immensely rich in natural resources, signifying boundless potential.
As the nation’s food basket, it lends itself very well to development in the agriculture and energy sectors. 89% of pineapples, 82% of bananas, and 74% of coffee, and 99% of rubber produced in the Philippines come from Mindanao. The island-region is also the source of 34% of the nation’s goats and 44% of its cattle.
This amounts to a myriad of opportunities for development outside the capital. Under the current administration, national, regional, and local governing bodies are taking significant steps to disentangle Mindanao from its intricate weave of conflict and poverty.
Their efforts include great strides in stimulating business, building much-needed infrastructure, diversifying energy, as well as, committing to preserving peace and pursuing sustainable development.
On Business
In a bid to empower farmers, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) supported the Mindanao Farmers Conference which gathered 3, 000 agrarian reform beneficiaries and farmer cooperatives from all over the region. The foremost aim of this federation is to ensure fair trade through the Mindanao Collective Trademark programme.
This is complemented by efforts from the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), which seeks to revive the Mindanao-North Sulawesi route. This should facilitate trade between the above mentioned countries. Reefer Pilipinas Express Line already traversed the Davao-Bitung route. The expanded route requires 3 days to reach Bitung, Indonesia from Davao; while the Manila-Bitung route will take 3-5 weeks.
The local government is also attempting to venture into ecotourism through its efforts to develop the Turtle Islands. It seeks to conserve Tawi-Tawi wildlife by giving the residents, who rely on harvesting and selling turtle eggs for a living, alternative livelihood opportunities. This involves capacity-building in the customer service and hospitality industries.
And finally, these culminated in the 2019 Davao Investment Conference which showcased investment opportunities accompanying the region’s economic growth: prospects in the tourism, infrastructure & real estate, information & communication technology, and Halal trade industries beckon.
On Infrastructure
Such business opportunities must be accompanied with improvements in infrastructure to facilitate mobility and trade. The first artefacts of these are the GenSan circumferential road and the Picong Freeport, Hajj Terminal, and Agro-Industrial Zone (PFAEZ).
The whole stretch of the circumferential road amounts to 19,633 metres with three sections: 1) Junction Digos-Makar Road in Katangawan-Upper Silway Section, 2) Upper Silway-Lower Apopong Section and, 3) Lower Apopong Section; all interconnected by the Silway and Apopong Bridges. So far, 876 metres have been completed which spans the Upper Silway Bridge.
The PFAEZ is intended to be a synergistic network in the Northern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Development Corridor. It aims to bring together local and international gateways for the food processing and manufacturing industries. This should promote faster movement of goods, especially amongst the nascent economies of Iligan, Pagadian, and Cotabato.
On Clean Energy
Mindanao is also intent on diversifying its energy resources. There are currently 284 renewable energy projects active in the region. One of them is the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Corporation’s solar power plant in Brgy. Indahag, the first and largest photovoltaic power resource in Mindanao.
MinDA and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are also leading the EU-funded renewable energy movement in Tawi-Tawi. While Mindanao possesses a lot of renewable energy sources and is often reported to have a supply excess, its provinces do not necessarily enjoy this supposed abundance. Household electrification rates in places like Tawi-Tawi are at less than 30%. This places the clean energy and maximising Mindanao’s natural resources at the top of the development agenda.
On Peace & Development
Of course, preserving peace becomes even more vital amidst the pursuit of development. The agreement between MinDA and the US government brings in $11.45M for the rehabilitation of Marawi and other conflict-ridden areas in Lanao del Sur. The projects to be supported are those focused on good governance and social cohesion. Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto also claimed that MinDA will continue to explore similar assistance programmes for other regions of Mindanao.
These are in keeping with President Duterte’s aim of making development more inclusive by expanding the government’s efforts to regions outside the Metro. Furthermore, they substantiate Secretary Alonto’s claims that Mindanao is quickly becoming the country’s most promising investment destination.
