‘Tarpaulin” Governance Ends! LGU ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE: MINDANAO GROWTH ENGINE

The era of “tarpaulin, gymnasium and waiting shed” governance by Local Government Units (LGU), where precious development funds are spent for non-essential projects, will soon be over in Mindanao .

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has started an advocacy which encourages Mindanao LGUs to exercise their corporate powers by engaging in Economic Enterprises which would create jobs for their constituents while earning revenues at the same time.

With the poor towns of Taraka, Lanao del Sur and Baungon, Bukidnon taking the lead, MinDA has introduced income generating projects aimed at boosting the economy of the areas.

Taraka, one of the towns in the periphery of Lake Lanao has availed of a P215-M loan from MinDA’s banking partner, the Development Bank of the Philippines, to build a Solar-Powered Water System and six Solar-Powered Irrigation System.

The Solar-Powered Water System, complete with filtration facilities, will serve the household water needs of about 25,000 residents.

The Solar-Powered Irrigation System will provide water to an estimated 600-hectares of fertile rice lands which had previously relied on rainwater.

Both projects will be placed under an Economic Enterprise Office which will operate as Taraka’s corporate agency and collect fees from the beneficiaries of both the water system and irrigation facilities.

The corn-producing town of Baungon, on the other hand, will establish a Corn Grains Storage Silo System complete with dryers to serve the needs of its corn farmers who had previously suffered from the lack of drying and storage facilities.

For drying and storing their corn produce while waiting for a good market price, the farmers will be charged a fee by the Baungon Economic Enterprise Office which will manage the project.

At least four provinces – Lanao del Sur, Davao del Norte, North Cotabato and Misamis Oriental – have expressed interest in participating in the MinDA Livestock Industry Development Program which will involve the establishment of Cattle Breeding and Fattening Facility.

Other Mindanao LGUs will later be included in the program to act as the “Domestic Development Investors” to prop up the local economy while at the same time ensuring sufficient food supply.

Tomorrow, the Municipal Council of M’lang will be briefed on the proposed P200-M hog breeding center to be established to produce piglets for fattening as the town eyes to cash in on the pork supply worldwide.

All of these projects will be funded by the LGUs through a low-interest loan from DBP and are designed to boost food production while at the same time earning revenues.

The Economic Enterprise Concept for Mindanao LGUs is expected to focus their resources on job-generating and income-earning projects which will also ensure food sufficiency.

Following the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas Petition which gives LGUs a bigger share of the national funds, the LGUs are expected to have enough funds to become the internal investors in their own localities.

This new thrust in fund utilization is expected to end age-old practice of spending government money on such projects as the posting of Tarpaulins during special occasions especially fiestas and in building waiting sheds and gymnasiums.

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

((Photos were taken by the MinDA Media Team. Others were downloaded from public websites.)