Socio-economic development! MinDA Mission: Promote Peace, Productivity, Reduce Poverty

When I assumed office as Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority, I made a public statement that we cannot continue dreaming and planning about big projects while 8 of the region’s provinces are among the 10 poorest in the country.

“To have a railway project is a beautiful dream pero ano ang ikakarga natin sa train kung mahirap at walang produkto ang mga tao?,” was the statement I made on Aug. 13, 2019.

With a poverty incidence as high as 70% in at least two provinces, I felt that it would be the height of government insensitivity to be focusing on free ports and export processing zones while people wallowed in poverty.

I declared that henceforth, MinDA will give focus on planning, crafting and initiating projects which would promote productivity, reduce poverty, sustain the gains on peace building and, belatedly because of COVID 19, trigger economic recovery.

MinDA is deeply involved in promoting agriculture and fisheries because of the fact that these two sectors are the foundation of Mindanao’s economy.

To say that MinDA, by focusing on agriculture and fisheries promotions has become the DA of Mindanao, is to forget that we are also promoting tourism.

Last year, I formed a team of cameramen, videographer, translator and editor to start a program to promote Mindanao.

Using my own money to buy an editing laptop, we produced the Beauty and Bounty of Mindanao series which is now followed by millions on Facebook.

Should we also be called the Dept of Tourism of Mindanao?

We also promote environmental protection and conservation.

Should we also be called the DENR of Mindanao?

We also promote the well-being of the Tribal People of Mindanao, so should we also be called out for duplicating NCIP’s functions?

I know where this “DA of Mindanao” intrigue comes from. It comes from insecure people who believe na inaagawan namin sila ng papel.

Hey, listen to this: We are not getting any of your budget.

Besides, when Agriculture and Fisheries perform well, the credit will not go to MinDA but to the agency in charge.

Ano ang problema ninyo?

MinDA is not just a monitoring agency, not even accurately the NEDA of Mindanao because we do not have the powers of the national planning agency.

Also, I will not sit behind the desk looking at plans and drawings.

We reach out to people and agencies, we link up different LGUs with financing institutions, we initiate programs and projects all with an annual budget of P176-M!

How do we do the things we are doing right now with that measly sum?

We get funds for projects from foreign assistance and grants and, of course, diskarte and a lot of common sense.

Under my Chairmanship, MinDA will continue doing what it is doing now – ensure the socio-economic development of Mindanao so that we will reduce poverty, improve productivity, sustain the peace gains of the Duterte Administration and trigger economic recovery.

That is the path that this agency will go because that is our mandate.

#DontTalkToDriverBusInMotion!

#GovernanceIsAboutPeople!

(These photos show the level of poverty of many families in Mindanao. Taken by the MinDA Media Team.)