Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay – Less than one year after their first engagement with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the three towns in the island of Olutanga – Olutanga, Talusan and Mabuhay – have forged an alliance to give them greater strength in pursuing peace and development in what used to be a kidnappers’ and pirates’ lair.
Yesterday, in the capital town of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, the mayors of the three towns – Arthur Ruste of Olutanga, Orlando Ramiso of Talusan and Dr. Lulu Caloñge of Mabuhay – attended a day-long technical Meeting to institutionalise the OLTAMA Development Alliance.
Facilitated by Zamboanga Sibugay Planning Officer Engr. Vivencio Ferrer, the technical meeting finalized the Memorandum of Agreement, the manual of operations and the result matrix data gaps to enhance the Olutanga Island Agri-Fishery Development Framework Plan.
The meeting was attended by members of Board Alliance Gov Wilter Palma and 1st District Cong Wilter Palma II, members of the Sangguniang Panalawigan, three (3) mayors, three (3) vice mayors, 102nd bde, PNP, Provincial Planning Development Office.
1st District Congressman Atty Wilter Palma, II committed the construction of the PMO Bldg a multi-purpose design worth PhP 20M, Circumferential Road, Balay Silangan (Formation Center).
MinDA Chairman Sec. Manny Piñol shared his knowledge and experiences as a former governor of Cotabato Province in organising and pulling resources of local government units for a more productive, food sufficient, safe, secure environment and uplift peoples lives from poverty.
He cited the alliance of six towns in Cotabato when he was Governor, the P-PALMA Alliance, where the LGUs worked together as one with the program winning the Galing Pook Award years later.
Another program with the same concept was the SAAD or Special Area for Agricultural Development which has been adopted as a National Program of the Department of Agriculture.
In yesterday’s technical meeting, the establishment of a Solar-Power Generation Plant was identified as among the priority projects of the alliance.
The weak power supply and intermittent brownouts in the island has prevented the operation of an ice plant in Talusan town which could have supported the fishing industry of Olutanga.
Also identified as a priority project yesterday was the fishing and aquaculture industry, especially the growing of Lapulapu or Grouper in fish cages which has huge potentials in the market.
MinDA technical team provided support and shepherd the alliance for what they are now as LGU Alliance where PLGU Sibugay is committed to contribute Php 1 million and the three MLGUs will share PhP300, 000 each that gives a total of 1.9 million operational budget for the PMO annually.
The target launching and MOA signing is scheduled between the dates of August 16-20, 2021.
The MinDA technical team was led by Dir. Joey Recimilla, Marlo Sullano, Oliver Legaspi, Rexell Decolongon with Area Management team-WM Carly Cerezo and Cecille La Plana and Randy Asdillo.
(Photos and news item were prepared by the MinDA Western Mindanao Area Managementy Office Staff.)
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