MinDA Accomplishment Report 2019

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About the

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is a government agency created through Republic Act 9996.

It is mandated to promote, coordinate, and facilitate the active and extensive participation of all sectors to effect socioeconomic development of Mindanao. It also acts as the Philippine Coordinating Office (PCOBE) for the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), ensuring the active participation of Mindanao and Palawan in the sub-regional economic cooperation.

VISION The vanguard institution that provides strategic leadership in pursuing a peaceful, integrated and globally competitive Mindanao and ensures that the benefits of its sustainable development are equitably shared and enjoyed by a culturallydiverse, empowered and united Mindanawons.

MISSION Our mission is to serve as Mindanao’s lead agency in coordinating and integrating development efforts that bring about accelerated socio-economic development of Mindanao. We shall carry out this mission through the active and extensive participation of all sectors in this development process.

We are committed to upholding standards for service excellence, good governance and inclusive leadership in achieving the aspirations and vision of all Mindanawons.

Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

Mindanao Development Authority Davao City, Philippines MinDA Accomplihsment Report 2019 | 2

INTRODUCTION The first three quarters of the Agency has been a challenging period. From operating under a re-enacted FY 2018 budget up to the end of April 2019, to the sudden death of former Secretary Datu HJ. Abul Khayr D. Alonto last 21 May 2019.

Atty. Nathaniel D. Dalumpines assumed office last 27 May 2019.

His directives were to continue the plans set by the former Secretary Alonto, but due to some circumstances, procurement activities were still frozen.

Three (3) months after the death of Secretary Datu Abul Khayr D. Alonto, President Rodrigo R. Duterte officially appointed former Agriculture Secretary, Emmanuel F. Piñol as MinDA Chairman.

Secretary Piñol took his oath of office 14 August 2019, with a fixed term of six (6) years thus ensuring sustainability of all initiatives beyond the term of the incumbent president.

With the new directives of Secretary Piñol, as additional programs, activities and projects (PAPs) of the former Chairman, the vision of a Mindanao where there is sustained peace and inclusive development becomes clearer and attainable.

WHAT’S INSIDE? Policy Formulation and Advocacy

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Project Development & Resource Mobilization

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Mindanao Governance and Institutional Support Programs

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Mindanao Investments Promotion Program

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BIMP-EAGA Programs

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Priority Thrusts and Programs

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POLICY FORMULATION AND ADVOCACY

Barter Trade: Why It Matters

Freedom from the complexities of the modern monetary systems. Issues on international trade such as foreign exchange crisis and adverse balance of payments do not exist in the barter system.

Barter Trade facilitates commodity flow and provides economic opportunities to island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and mainland Mindanao

Proximity to BIMPEAGA countries makes it strategic in terms of trade and commerce

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Trade

inDA facilitated the drafting of a Barter Trade Policy Study, including draft legal instruments in support to the issued Executive Order 64 Reviving Barter in Mindanao, and also created a Mindanao Barter Council (MBC).

The MBC is tasked to issue a comprehensive guideline on governing barter including identification of goods to be traded.

The study aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to the MBC as basis for policy and decision-making for the succeeding barter trade agreements and operations.

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A healthy Islamic financial system will facilitate the development of “sukuk” for Mindanao or known as Islamic bonds that are structured in such way that will generate returns to investors without infringing Shariah principles.

Finance

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nother milestone among the policies that MinDA has been supporting is the approval of Republic Act 11439 otherwise known as “An Act Providing for the Regulation and Organization of Islamic Banks” last August 22, 2019.

The legislative measure was a combined effort of the Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of various experts and stakeholders from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), AlAmanah Islamic Investment Bank (AIIB), National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the Office of the Solicitor General, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), and the Office of the Regional Governor of then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

MinDA had been strongly advocating for a strong Islamic financial system in Mindanao, particularly in the Bangsamoro areas. A healthy Islamic financial system will facilitate the development of sukuk for Mindanao or known as Islamic bonds that are structured in such way that will generate returns to investors without infringing Shariah principles.

Consequently, this also complements the agency’s efforts to push for the development of Mindanao’s Halal industry.

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Shift to a

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he shift to a federal System of government which is the biggest reform advocacy of the Duterte Administration also gained support from the local government units with no less than Department of Interior and Local government enjoining all provincial, city, and municipal leaders to encourage barangay councils to adopt a resolution to express full and active support to the systemic shift to federal system.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City and the Barangay Council of Callawa endorsed their respective resolutions, as well.

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The DILG created the Inter-Agency Task Force to disseminate awareness campaign on the Constitutional Reform Advocacy to improve the nation’s competitiveness through stronger Local Government Units towards federalism.

MinDA as part of the Inter-Agency Task Force was present in all of the provincial roadshows to raise awareness on the DILG’s Constitutional Reform towards Federalism, in Compostela Valley on November 5-6, Davao Oriental on November 7-8, Davao del Norte on November 26-27, Davao Occidental on November 28-29, and Davao del Sur on December 3-4.

500,000 square meters

Agro-Processing Facilities

Container Yards

PICONG FREEPORT

International Container Port

estimated size of the Picong Freeport with 70% area that can be developed. The freeport is envisioned to be the gateway and catalyst of economic activities in the North Western Central Mindanao.

400,000 square meters

PICONG HAJJ TERMINAL

Picong Freeport Hajj Terminal

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he proposed establishment of a Picong Freeport Hajj Terminal and Agro-Industrial Zone (PFAEZ) got the support of key local officials and regional government agencies from Northern Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), following the series of consultations conducted by MinDA. This was further strengthened by the local government resolution supporting the development.

The PFAEZ envisions an optimized logistics network within the Northern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Development Corridor which puts together in one location the international and domestic gateways, food processing, and manufacturing industries.

is the indicative area of for the Picong Agro-Industrial Economic Zone with a developable land of about 280,000 square meters. It shall be classified as an agriculture-based industrial economic zone and will focus on the processing of agricultural and aquamarine products.

300,000 square meters is the indicative area of for the Picong Hajj Terminal with 70% of it that can be developed.

The airport will serve as the gateway for Hajj Pilgrims of Mindanao and of the Philippines.

5,000 estimated Hajj Pilgrims come from Mindanao and spend around a total US$ 3 Million for transportation and accommodation in Metro Manila before flying to Saudi Arabia.

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Trans-Mindanao System Task Force

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ith the Trans-Mindanao High Speed Railway System as one of the flagship programs of MinDA since 2016, the agency provided inputs to the draft Executive Order creating the Mindanao Railways System Task Force to coordinate and accelerate the planning, project development and implementation of a Railway System Project in Mindanao.

The Economic Development Cluster of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) also favourably approved the Mindanao Budget study recommendations of MinDA, which includes the list of Mindanao Development Corridors (MinDC) catalytic programs endorsed to the Department of Budget and Management for funding consideration in the 2020 Government Appropriations Act.

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PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

Thirty percent of the proposed projects identified and prioritized through the MinDC Joint Planning and Programming have already been adopted with secured funding from the Department of Public Works and Highways including:

PhP 13,416.25 Billion Road Projects

PhP 17,213.01 Billion Flood Control Projects

In support to the Duterte Administration’s Build Build Build Initiatives, MinDA has conducted various project studies on Ridership for the establishment of future transportation demand analysis across major roads connecting various places in Mindanao, including passengers’ willingness to pay for the prospective fare, and freight OriginDestination Study to determine the pattern of cargo movement.

Business Cases for AgroEcozones Other project facilitation accomplished in 2019 include the endorsements NEDA and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ project entitled, “Technical support for the establishment of an Agricultural Economic Zone (AEZ) in Lanao del Sur. A total of 10 business cases for prospective Agro-Ecozones were completed, namely:

Zamboanga del Sur Ancestral Domain Sirawai-SibutuSitangkai-Basilan (SSSB) Nunungan Bukidnon

Metro Davao

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inDA also formally launched the Metro Davao Urban Masterplan (MDUP), along with the completion of its Executive Rounds. The agency was also instrumental in facilitating the approval of the Mindanao Little Tokyo Project. The MDUP was formally turned-over to the recipients LGUs last December 6, 2019 in a ceremony held in Davao City.

Cotabato-CarmenAlamada-Banisilan PICOP Ramain Valley Sulu Sultan Kudarat Davao del Norte

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Fund Proposals

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ollowing series of capacity building initiatives for the Mindanao LGUs to come up with viable climate resilience and disaster response projects to increase chances of accessing the People Survival Fund (PSF), 10 Local Government Units crafted their respective proposals with assistance of MinDA. Particularly, Zamboanga del Norte’s PSF project proposal was already endorsed to Department of Finance for consideration. Other PSF proposals awaiting necessary revisions prior to endorsement are the following:

Tagum City, Davao del Norte

Pagalungan, North Cotabato

Clarin, Misamis Occidental

Establishment of Tagum City Climate Smart Agri-Aqua Learning Resource Center

Sustainable, Manageable, Adaptive, and Resilient Technology for Aquaculture (SMART)

Climate Smart Coastal Resource Management in Lowlands

Impasug-ong, Bukidnon

Panabo City, Davao del Norte

Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte

Ecosystems and People: Increasing Resilience and Adaptive Capacity through Watershed Protection and Rehabitlitation, Livelihood, Capacity Development and Other Initiatives

Establishment of Technological Agriculture Facility with Agri-database for climate change resilient farmers and fisherfolk communities

Construction of Post-Harvest Facilities- Multi-purpose Drying Pavement, Mechanical Dryer, with Warehouse

Polomolok, South Cotabato

Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental

Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental

Maria Rosa Gulley Integrated Watershed Climate Smart Flashflood Control Project

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Climate Smart Watershed Management for Sustainable Development

BUPADA: A Ridge-to-Reef Development Approach

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MINDANAO GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

inDA generated support for its development initiatives from its partners and stakeholders across Mindanao.

While some of the initiatives are area-specific, but impacts are either inter-regional or Mindanao-wide.

Below are the resolutions, partnership agreements, endorsements finalized for 2019: 1.) Executive Order No. 003 Series of 2019 or “An Order Creating A City Advisory Power Development Council (CPDC) and a Technical Working Group (CPDP-TWG) For The Formulation Of The City Power Development Plan (CPDP) 20192030” - MinDA was designated as the Vice-Chairman of the CPDC which is tasked to oversee and ensure that the City Power Development Plan of Butuan City will be crafted, eventually, approved, implemented, and regularly monitored.

2.) MinDA facilitated the signing of the Partnership Agreement dated 13 February 2019 between United Nations Industrial Development Organization, MinDA, AIEC-ILAW, Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative, Inc. for the Project on Renewable Energy Technology to Increase Value-Added of Seaweeds in TawiTawi (RETS).

3.) Assisted Kaagap Multi-Purpose Cooperative (KAAGAPMUCO) to avail Loan Assistance from the Philippine Federation of Credit Cooperative (PFCC) amounting to Php 3Million Pesos for the continuance of their Integrated Coconut Processing program.

4.) Ordinance No. 136822019 or an ordinance providing for the promotion of environmental rehabilitation and conservation network, creating the ecological services and protection committee (ESPC), and for other purposes. - MinDA has provided technical assistance in the policy lobbying of the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) in Cagayan de Oro City, and this ordinance is a positive response to this effort.

5.) MinDA assisted in the crafting of Resolution No. 2019-004 Adopting and Endorsing the Integrated

Water Basin Management and Development Master Plan, and the Executive Order No. BC-500-2019, “An Act Strictly Implementing the Department of Agriculture Admin Order 04, Series of 2019, Reiterating The Food Safety and Veterinary Quarantine Procedures.

6.) The Zamboanga City Development Council (CDC) initiated Resolution No. 2019-006, or a “Resolution Requesting Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to create and Mindanao-wide Watershed Management Council to be chaired by MinDA and cochaired by DENR.” MinDA Accomplihsment Report 2019 | 11

Building a POVERTY, PRODUCTIVITY, PEACE: PRIORITY CONCERNS FOR MinDA Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” F. Piñol Chairman, Mindanao Development Authority Mindanao is an island of paradoxes.

It is a rich and fertile land very seldom affected by climatic disturbances yet 8 of the 10 poorest provinces in the country are in Mindanao.

These islands are endowed with so much resources but productivity has been very low compared to its potentials.

This is the home of the Tri-People, all of whom declare peace as their ultimate dream and yet the development of the islands has been dragged down by decades of conflict.

Over the weekend, as I prepared for the new task given to me by President Rody Duterte, I reviewed the programs and accomplishments of the Mindanao Development Authority in relation to our dream of development these islands in the South. The plans and programs are admirable with grand projects and ambitious targets. The Mindanao Railway Project, the Tawi-tawi Free Port, the implementation of the Trading Program among our partners in the BIMP-EAGA and the operationalisation of the Barter Trade are among the major programs lined up for implementation.

The questions which beg for answers are: Where are we now? How far have we gone in implementing these grandiose plans? What keeps us from realising these dreams?

Taking a closer look at the much-ballyhooed MinDA Accomplihsment Report 2019 | 12

Davao-Bitung Trading to be served by a vessel capable of carrying cargoes back and forth which I understand is operating intermittently now, I realised what was absent in all of these grand plans. We tried to build a huge dream on very weak foundations.

Before the launching of the Davao-Bitung Shipping Route attended by no less than President Duterte and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia two years ago, I do not believe that there was a careful study on the sustainability of the project. I suspect that there was simply no in-depth evaluation on whether there was sufficient products to be traded. Taking the Davao-Bitung Shipping Route fiasco as an example of a poorly planned program, I now ask: If we build the Mindanao Railways, what goods would be transported to where?

Or, if we build the Tawi-tawi Free Port what do we offer our neighbours in the form of counter-trade; Or what goods do we barter in the Barter Trade Centre?

With these questions, I believe we should now realise that we can dream big but these dreams must be anchored on strong foundations.

So, today as we start a next chapter in the effort to lift up Mindanao and realise its full potentials, please allow me to take you back to the basic principle of building a house - let us build the posts first.

Let us go back to the basic.

First, we will start with a review of the composition of the Board of the Mindanao Development Authority, Political leaders abound in the Board, businessmen and members of the Academe, including Non-Government Oranizations, are well represented. There is something lacking and that is the representation from the very people who share these dreams with everybody else in these islands - the Bangsamoro and the Indigenous People. This is the reason why today, we see the presence of the traditional and tribal leaders of Mindanao in this gathering. We have to engage them for after all, they are the real stakeholders.

I am reminded of the story of the “Tower of Babel” in the Holy Book where people failed to build a tower simply because they spoke different languages and did not understand each other. Do we want to build a strong and prosperous Mindanao? Then, we have to speak one language and we have to understand each other.

Second, we have to focus on three basic concerns which stand in the way of Mindanao’s development: Peace, Productivity and the very high Poverty Level. After a long and agonising wait, President Duterte has finally forged an acceptable peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and has continued to reach out to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

How do we sustain this historical achievement?

Shortly after the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in Malacañang last year, I had the chance to shake hands and talk albeit briefly with former MILF Chairman and now Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim, Al Haj. I congratulated him for his steadfast struggle to give his people the peace agreement that they desired. But at the same time, I also gave him a fair warning that the more difficult task of delivering what his people dreamed of during their struggle was the hardest part. It is easy to wage a revolution. The difficult is to deliver the promise of a better life to people.

MinDA must now take an active role in

ensuring that the gains of peace would be felt by the people of Mindanao today and the next generation.

As the new “Point Person” of President Duterte to the BARMM, I am happy to report to the people that before I left the Department of Agriculture, the Agriculture Master Plan for the Bangsamoro Region was crafted by the stakeholders themselves. This proposed Agriculture Master Plan has been submitted to President Duterte and Chief Minister Ebrahim and ready for implementation.

Even before I could assume as the new MinDA Secretary, several foreign governments and at least two private groups have offered their support for the development of the Bangsamoro Region. The governments of Italy and Turkey have manifested their interest to join me in Mindanao while an Israeli group is willing to provide funding for the establishment of Solar-Powered Irrigation Projects-cum-Rural Water Supply Systems in the remote villages of Mindanao. The Dubai-based Russian company which earlier offered a fertilizer loaning program to the DA would now like to work directly with local government units.

From the lessons learned in the failed Davao-Bitung Shipping project, we all must exert efforts to increase productivity in Mindanao. We must increase agricultural production and establish more fish cages, livestock and dairy, solar power irrigation and fertilizer loaning. Two of the biggest concerns that I would like to address right away is the plummeting price of paddy rice produced by our farmers because of the entry of imported rice and the very low price of coconut products.

There is a huge market abroad for Mindanao’s premium rice in the neighboring southern nations, among which are Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Island Nations. Next month, I will organise a trade mission to the PNG and the other island nations with the purpose of opening up markets, although small, for our products like premium rice, pork, chicken and vegetables.

For our coconut farmers, I have asked legal experts to study if the BARMM, given its vast autonomous powers, could pass a measure allowing the

export of matured coconuts. Initially, lawyers said it could be done so I intend to meet with Chief Minister Murad this week to work on the prospect of BARMM becoming the exporter of green and matured coconuts.

The big dream to develop Mindanao and encourage more investments will never come true if we have the needed infrastructure. More roads leading to the production areas and fish ports must be constructed. To sustain the expected fast-paced development, Mindanao must build more sustainable and renewable power generation facilities.

Most of all, we have to address the chronic poverty in the islands and come up with doable and practical programs and projects to address poverty. Lanao del Sur, for example, is an enigma to me. How can a province so rich with resources have the highest poverty incidence in the country. What about the 7 other provinces who are also in the ignominious club of the poorest provinces in the country? We need to know the reasons behind the high incidence of poverty in these areas.

Our target is to lift up these provinces so that at the end of my six year term as the MinDA Chairman, there will be no Mindanao province in the list of the poorest provinces of the country. We will work closely with the local government units of Mindanao to achieve all these objectives. We have six years to do all of these.

I am sure that if we get our acts together, we will succeed.

For so long, Mindanao has been known as the country’s Backdoor. It should no longer be and it must not be. We will no longer be the backdoor.

Mindanao will be the Front Cover of a new book on the story of a group of people who embraced peace, understanding and unity to build a prosperous homeland for themselves and their children.

Delivered last August 19, 2019 during Sec. Emmanuel Piñol’s assumption of the MinDA Chairmanship in Davao City.

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MINDANAO INVESTMENT PROMOTIONS PROGRAM

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Partnership with Packwell Co. Ltd.

Packwell Co. Ltd signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Anflocor Industrial Estate and the Contract was signed 24 April 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.

This is one of the 37 investment leads previously facilitated

by MinDA. Packwell specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling of paper packaging containers.

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2 MinDA Fruits Festival

MinDA for the first time also embarked on an inter-island trading, through the MinDA Fruit Festival, which so far reached cities of Baguio and Lingayen.

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Trade Mission to Papua New Guinea

Upon the assumption of Secretary PiĂąol, MinDA staged a business Mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for Potential Exportation of Organic Premium Rice from Mindanao to Overseas Market, which was further sealed with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between MinDA and the Central Province Government of Papua New Guinea. The country is a niche market for goodeating quality rice as the country imports about 400,000 MT of rice annually from Australia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Programs Revival of Davao – Manado Air Connectivity

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aruda Indonesia Airlines revived the Davao (PH) – Manado (IND) air linkage last 27 September 2019. As one of the major achievements of MinDA in the BIMP-EAGA sub-regional cooperation, the said airline has commenced operating with ATR 72-600 that can accommodate 70 passengers.

This new direct flight is seen to increase tourist arrivals and trade opportunities between the two BIMP-EAGA focus areas. MinDA is preparing various trade, tourism, and educational missions starting January 2020 to support the sustainability of the said route.

Support to the Davao – General Santos – Bitung Sea Linkage

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nother milestone for Mindanao this year is the resumption of the Mindanao-North Sulawesi sea connectivity launched last 30 April 2017. MinDA spearheaded inter-agency coordination meetings leading to the soft-sailing of Reefer Express Line Filipinas Incorporated, which is currently serving the Davao-Bitung shipping route, with extended links to Labuan, Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

As the Philippine Coordinating Office for BIMP-EAGA, MinDA is working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs for the proposed convening of the security sectors of the four-member countries, in response to the President’s call for enhanced maritime security cooperation during the 13th BIMP-EAGA Leaders’ Summit last 23 June 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.

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TAWI-TAWI ECOZONE

MinDA Chairman High Level Meeting with Sabah Chief Minister

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ecretary Emmanuel Piñol met Sabah Chief Minister YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie Bin Apdal to discuss trade and other economic cooperation initiatives last 22 November 2019 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

MAGUINDANAO ECOZONE

They discussed in the meeting potential export of Mindanao mangoes and Cavendish banana to Kota Kinabalu.

Chief Minister Apdal also informed the Philippine delegation about the increased demand of quality food for the estimated 4-million tourists who come to Kota Kinabalu every year.

Priority Infrastructure Projects (PIPs)

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ey projects crucial for Mindanao were adopted under the BIMPEAGA Priority Infrastructure Projects including the Tawi-Tawi Special Economic and Freeport Zone, NorthWestern Central Mindanao (NWCM) AgroIndustrial Freeport Zones (AEZs), and the Agroeconomic Zones (AEZs) in Mindanao.

2019 Senior Officials and Ministerial Meetings

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alaysia hosted this year’s BIMPEAGA Senior Officials and Ministerial Meetings and Other Related Meetings (SOM/MM) on 21 – 24 November 2019 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Ministers, Senior Officials, development partners’ representatives, and members of different Clusters and Working Groups all over sub-region convened to present 2019 milestones on EAGA priority projects and programs.

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Philippine Signing Minister and MinDA Chairman Emmanuel Piñol proposed new EAGA initiatives for the approval of the BIMP-EAGA Leaders. The proposal include utilization of digital platform to support BIMP-EAGA markets, enhancement of palm oil industry, and promotion of sports and cultural-related initiatives such as Musica Malayan (song competition) and football games to enhance people-to-people connectivity, among others.

2nd BUDAYAW Festival of Cultures and the Arts

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eventy five (75) Mindanao delegates represented the Philippines during the 2nd BIMPEAGA BUDAYAW Festival of Culture and the Arts last 19-23 November 2019 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Facilitated by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as the Country Head of Delegation, MinDA and the Department of Tourism (DOT), more than four hundred (400) cultural masters and artists from the membercountries gathered to celebrate the colourful heritage and relive the cultural diversity of the sub-region.

It strengthened appreciation and understanding of the importance of preserving and promoting the culture and arts of BIMP-EAGA, as well as how such initiative offers a beautiful and powerful platform of people-to-people connectivity.

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in the

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e USA

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indanao Development Authority Sec. Manny Pinol and Davao Del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib visited Houston, Texas And Los Angeles, California to promote Mindanao products and opportunities.

In Houston, Texas two (2) agribusiness companies Scott Seeds Company and Warner Seeds forged partnership with MinDA and Davao del Norte for agribusiness ventures in Mindanao.

The Scott Seeds Co. supports the implementation of the Mindanao Sorghum Development Program through its 25-metric ton of donated states which will be planted in some pilot areas in Davao Del Norte particularly Talaingod, and areas affected by fusarium disease, and in the provinces of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

In LA, the MinDA delegation visited Seafood City Headquarters in Pomona California, one of the largest Filipino owned-company importing Filipino products and selling these at their 28 supermarkets in USA and Canada

greatly for Fil-Am Communities.

There is a demand and huge potentials for Philippine food and nutritional products sourced from Mindanao to the US export market.

Products with huge potential in the US are organic premium rice, young coconut water, bananas they mentioned the Golden Saba of Davao has large demand, Bangus, pompano fish, coffee, cacao, coconut based products such as coco milk or cream, grated coconut, coco sugar, purple yum, Lato seaweeds, fruits such as mango, durian, jackfruit, mangosteen, malunggay, turmeric even banana leaves are in demand, also nutritional products in powder form, among others.

MinDA will continue to link up with the US companies to increase Mindanao exports volume to the global market. The Philippine Consulate Consulate General Offices in Houston and LA had been instrumental in the success of the trade delegation, especially the support extended by Philippine Agri Attache in the US Dr. Josielyn Javellana and Trade AttachĂŠ Eric Elnar.

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inDA Secretary Emmanuel Pińol led the Mindanao delegation during the North Sulawesi - Mindanao Trade Mission and Business Networking Session held in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, October 28 to November 1, 2019.

Composed of more than forty (40) participants from private sectors and government agencies, the delegation conducted market potential scanning, institution-to-institution meetings, and partnership discussions with North Sulawesi government officials and business community, to strengthen and sustain socio-economic opportunities between these EAGA focus areas.

Held in the biggest shopping center in the city, different products including fresh and processed fruits, food items, and fashion and home accessories, among others are being sold and displayed for locales.

Likewise, as part of the 4-day mission a Products Display Exhibit was mounted by MinDA, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-11 and the Philippine Consulate in Manado at the Manado Town Square (MANTOS) Mall, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The exhibit was aimed at providing the people of Manado the taste of Mindanao products.

The trade and business mission aimed to bring new partnerships between Mindanao and North Sulawesi in the areas of agribusiness, food and product processing, hotel accommodation, construction, and educational exchanges, and is expected to boost travel and tourism between the two areas in support to the newly-revived Davao-Manado air connectivity.

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to sustain fruit festival

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avao City - In a bid to sustain the gains of the first and second MinDA Fruit Festival in Baguio City, MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Mayor Benjamin Magalong officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to sustain the fruits festival in Baguio.

The MOU signing held last September 27 in the city formally establishes the trading link for products of Mindanao and Cordillera.

MinDA Chief Piñol mentioned, “We are concretizing our agreement with the City government of Baguio. In exchange of our fruits in Mindanao, we will buy strawberries and other high value vegetables from them,” Piñol said.

Mayor Magalong, in a statement said that “an agreement between Baguio LGU and MinDA will formalize the barter trade of Mindanao and Cordillera to provide markets for the products of the two regions at much cheaper price”.

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peaking before the members of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), Secretary Piñol urged local executives to replicate the trading deal.

“This will provide Mindanao farmers sustainable markets for their produce and allow their constituents buy fruits at prices lower than the prevailing market price”, he said.

“If you are interested, you can link with MinDA. We will work as the facilitator of this LGU to LGU engagement. Through this direct link, we can eliminate the middlemen who ups the price and leaves no profit for the farmers” Piñol added after he noted some LGUs signifying willingness to host MinDA fruit festival in their respective areas.

Piñol also explained that Mindanao’s problem is its weak positioning of its food.

“We do not have scarce food here. In fact, there are regions that produce commodities in excess of what they need. But due to lack of logistics, transport and access to markets, they could not sell it”, he said.

MinDA also made formal arrangements with airlines for regular cargo allocation at special freight rates; this reduces travel time and maintains quality of the perishable fruits.

The MinDA fruit festival is one of the major thrusts of MinDA which aims to encourage increased agricultural productivity and address poverty in the island-region.

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Priority Thrusts

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he initiative was implemented during fruit season in Mindanao last October 2019 where producers have significant surplus of fruits for local consumption. The fruit festival paved the way for market access of Mindanao farmers in Luzon and Visayas, created livelihood for the fruit vendors in the host cities, and opportunity for local consumers to buy Mindanao fruits at lower prices.

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The first leg was hosted by Baguio City on August 24-25, followed by Lingayen, Pangasinan on September 7-9. The project aims to link the Mindanao fruit farmers with producers and consumers in Luzon and Visayas. Fruit festivals after initial staging of MinDA are now handled by the farmers and vendors themselves.

T

he MinDA Tienda was introduced in the hardest hit quakeaffected areas in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato after a series of earthquakes occurred in Mindanao last October 2019.

It was primarily conceptualized to address the inordinate increase of prices in disaster-stricken areas, which left the affected victims difficulty to buy goods for daily needs.

The initiative was funded by private organizations where farmers, fishermen, and other traders sold their products at reasonable prices.

MinDA Tienda

The first implementation of this project was organized in partnership with Local Government of Makilala last 6-7 November 2019. The second leg was conducted with Local Government Unit of Bansalan in partnership with NCCC subsidiaries such as Supermarket, Department Store, and Hardwaremaxx last 14-16 November 2019.

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T TADECO-Provincial Government of Davao del Norte

he Mindanao Development Authority facilitated the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Tagum Agricultural Development Corporation, Inc. (TADECO) and the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte last 22 October 2019 in MinDA Office, Davao City ending the 19-month road rift involving the three contested roads inside the Davao Penal Farm.

The signing was participated in by Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, TADECO Vice President Zeuss Vadil and Benhur Pantaleon representing BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag, was witnessed by MinDA Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol, Provincial Administrator Josie Jean Rabanos, Industrial-ANFLO Group President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo, and Jacob Castro of Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

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The MOA highlighted the bio-security and road access, particularly the re-opening of provincial roads for residents and workers to traverse the roads at the junctions of Balagunan, Bugtong Lubi and Tanglaw, all of Sto. Tomas town, without sacrificing the biosecurity protocols as tire dip and foot bath.

Secretary PiĂąol intervened per instruction of President Rodrigo and Senator Bong Go to come up with a win-win solution on the road rift.

W

ith the Secretary of Interior and Local Government, DBP President Emmanuel Herbosa and MinDA Secretary Emmanuel F. PiĂąol formally launched the Mindanao Water Supply Program in Davao City. The objective of the program is to bring potable water to remote Mindanao villages, and also improve agricultural productivity through irrigation system.

Launching of Mindanao Water Supply Program

As a headstart, a Chinese company, the Hangzhou Yatai Hydro Equipment Completing Co., Ltd., would soon install their solarpowered irrigation system prototype to Barangay New Panay, Tulunan and Barangay Bulakanon, Makilala. These two communities were selected as recipients of the said donations since they were the highly devastated areas during the recent earthquake in North Cotabato.

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Mindanao Premium and Organic Rice Advocacy

T

o provide alternative farming options for Mindanao farmers and to take advantage of the growing global demand for organic rice, MinDA has initiated advocacy to promote organic rice farming and certification.

In partnership with various Local Government Units and Control Union, a third party organic rice international accrediting body, approximately two hundred (200) farmers benefitted of the said information and awareness drives from municipalities of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay, Molave in Zamboanga del Sur, as well cities of Kidapawan in North Cotabato and Valencia in Bukidnon.

A marketing deal was forged for export of unlimited volume of white, brown, black rice and the exotic Adlai rice to United States, between Subanen farmers of Zamboanga del Sur and a US-based marketing firm represented by Mr. Andrew Bolougne last 22 September 2019. This allows American consumers to have access to Mindanao’s organic rice.

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M

Hogs Development Advocacy

inDA organized the 1st Mindanao Hog Raisers Forum last 18 September in Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City. The activity is in response to the concerns of various hog raisers in the livestock production industry regarding the threat of entry of the African Swine Flu (ASF) in Mindanao.

The forum served as a platform for all the stakeholders to agree on efforts to prevent ASF’s possible entry into the Southern Philippines through the establishment of strict quarantine protocols and the involvement of the stakeholders, the local government units and the communities.

In partnership with Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, and Food and Drug Administration, MinDA has conducted series of consultation dialogues and information drive in different regions of Mindanao.

Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, and General Santos City were the initial recipient areas of the conduct of the advocacy campaigns from November to December 2019.

Approximately 600 participants benefitted from the activities.

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Mindanao Development Authority Old Davao Airport Terminal Old Davao Airport Road, Km. 9, Sasa, Davao City, Philippines minda.gov.ph

info@minda.gov.ph

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