Mindanao Review, Vol 4, Issue 4

MINDANAO The official publication of the Mindanao Development Authority

March to June 2018

Volume 4, Issue No. 4

REVIEW

MINDANAO’S TURN: Mindanao Development Authority led by its Chairman Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, supported by Mindanao affairs committee (MAC) chairperson Representative Maximo Rodriguez Jr., second district, Cagayan de Oro City advocates for an increase in the Mindanao budget allocation of up to PhP 1.35 trillion in order to facilitate the socio-economic growth in the island-region, during a session with the MAC and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) at the House of Representatives.

Inside Pages...

2

Draft Bangsamoro State Constitution Presented to President Duterte

3

4

MinDA, World Bank to Launch Mindanao Jobs Study

From Saving the Turtles to Saving the People

6 Mindanao Bags P800M Total Sales in International Expo

Multi-Agency Core Group formed to assess Mindanao Budget Share

A

technical working group that will review Mindanao’s allocation of the national budget for 2019 and onwards will be convening in Congress next week to come up realistic context of what Mindanao truly needs, budget-wise, a Mindanao solon says.

During a session with the Mindanao Affairs Committee and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) at the House of Representatives Tuesday, committee chairperson Representative Maximo Rodriguez Jr., second district, Cagayan de Oro City, noted that this group will meet at the sidelines of

Congress hearings starting next week.

“In order to address the pressing issue of poverty incidence, as well as map out the bigger picture of spurring inclusive socio-economic growth, it is high time that we conduct an in-depth analysis to identify which sectors of our budgeting needs immediate revisions so that we can meet this administration’s economic goals for Mindanao as indicated in the Dutertenomics framework,” Rep. Rodriguez said.

The Dutertenomics target looks at a 7-8% growth rate in Mindanao’s economy by 2022 but with the current

budget allocation rate of Mindanao, which currently stands at around 12% out of the national total, reaching this goal may pose a great challenge.

The committee will be composed of representatives from the Mindanao Affairs Committee, the DBM, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and its Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and other relevant government agencies.

Rodriguez also highlighted MinDA’s ongoing budget study as a jumpstart for identifying the extent of the...

Turn to page 7

Mindanao Review |

2

Draft Bangsamoro State Constitution presented to President Duterte

ATTY. DATU MICHAEL MASTURA, All-Moro Convention President presents the signed draft Bangsamoro Constitution to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

T

he All-Moro Convention (AMC), has recently submitted a Draft Constitution for a Bangsamoro State under a Federal Philippine Republic to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte last June 16, 2018 in Davao City. This is a part of the agency’s efforts to operationalize the Duterte administration’s vision for a systemic shift towards a Federal Parliamentary form of government in the Philippines.

Mindanao Development Authority, as the primary government body mandated to provide strategic direction and formulate an integrated development framework for Mindanao that is consistent with the peace and development initiatives of national government, MinDA has formed the AMC as an inclusive platform of convergence which assures the full engagement of the Bangsamoro community in the national discourse regarding Federalism. President Duterte has also given MinDA (through its Chairman, Secretary Datu Hj. Abul Khayr D. Alonto) the directive of convening the said group.

Michael Mastura along with a volunteer group of Bangsamoro professionals), presented the signed draft Bangsamoro State Constitution to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte last June16, 2018 in Davao City.

The said document will also be submitted to the Constitutional Convention for their consideration.

This is why MinDA, in solidarity with the Bangsamoro people, supports the call of the AMC and the ARMM Liga ng Barangay to urge Congress to empower President Duterte to convene a Constitutional Convention with the authority to appoint delegates to the Convention.

It should be noted that the draft Bangsamoro State Constitution is seen to build on the gains of the peace efforts in Mindanao by including salient inputs from the Bangsamoro sector.

It is also anchored on the agreements signed by national government with the Moro Fronts. Thus, the document provides an alternative for the Bangsamoro people to exercise of their right to self-determination within the After almost two years of multi-sectoral parameters of federalism. engagements across the country, the In the succeeding months, a similar AMC (led by TWG Chairman, former draft of the State Constitutions for the 1971 Constitutional Convention State of South Central Mindanao, the Delegate and Congressman Atty. Datu State of Northern Mindanao, the State

of Western Mindanao, the Bangsamoro State, and the State of Palawan will be submitted. Within those State Constitutions, the concerns and participation of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities will be properly addressed with equity, fairness, and justice.

A series of federalism roadshows is also expected to follow in order to ensure inclusive participation of all sectors in this herculean task of the systemic shift to a federal form of government..

The draft Bangsamoro State Constitution sees Federalism as the main strategic direction for Mindanao to unleash and maximize its economic potentials as well as reduce development gaps through meaningful autonomy and participatory governance. As the centerpiece of the President Duterte’s national agenda, MinDA, AMC, and the Bangsamoro people, fully supports the push for Federalism as a key to achieving longlasting peace in Mindanao and the country.

Mindanao Review |

3

MinDA, World Bank to launch Mindanao Jobs Study

MINDANAO TODAY, MINDANAO TOMORROW: Mara K. Warwick, World Bank Country Director for Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, presents the key findings of the Philippines Mindanao Jobs Report: Unlocking Mindanao’s Potentials study during its launching in Davao City.

Warwick underscored that unlocking Mindanao’s potentials could significantly drive the full progress of the country.

T

he Mindanao Development Authority and the World Bank are set to launch the Philippines Mindanao Jobs Report, which lays down the strategies for Mindanao Regional Development with the end goal of generating more jobs in the island-region.

This culminates the series of consultation and validation rounds conducted by World Bank and MinDA, in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress since 2015 among different sectors including government, business, labor, academe, civil society groups, and farmer associations.

MinDA through its flagship programs including the Mindanao Development Corridors, and the establishment of Mindanao Agri-Economic Ecozones and the Tawi-tawi Freeport Zone.

According to Lopoz, the MJR was first conceptualized after MinDA forged a partnership with the PBSP for the Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Framework.

“We believe that the MJR findings could strongly boost our argument and proposition why Mindanao needs to be given a higher and equitable budget that it rightfully deserves,” added Lopoz.

“As part of inclusive business strategy, we proposed a partnership with World Bank for the conduct of the MJR Study that will assess job-generation factors in the island-region and recommend strategic actions to create more and better jobs for Mindanawons,” Lopoz said.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno is slated to cap the launching with updates on national government’s programs for financing Mindanao’s growth and development. It will likewise include a signing of The report outlines a number of Memorandum of Understanding recommendations which reform between MinDA and PBSP signifying coalitions can consider to put its renewed and strengthened Mindanao on a path of inclusive growth partnership for pursuing inclusive and address the jobs challenge. business in Mindanao.

“This tells a new Mindanao story through the lens of jobs generation, which makes it as a living document of the ways forward to unlock the Mindanao’s potentials through raising farm productivity, improving logistics and connectivity, and developing key ports and other gateways,” said MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz.

Majority of the strategies identified in the report are also being carried out by

MinDA, PBSP, Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MinCODE), and the Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan Bank – Knowledge for Development Community (XU-KDC) served as the project team for the report.

Mindanao Review |

4

From Saving the Turtles to Saving the People The Emerging Potential of Tawi-Tawi’s Turtle

F

or most people, May 23 could be an ordinary day, a date off the calendar, or a mid-week dread. But for the almost 4,800 residents of Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi, May 23 is a day of celebration.

Adlaw Sin Payukan (roughly translates to “Day of the Pawikan/Sea Turtle”) is a twoyear old festival highlighting the various species of marine turtles inhabiting the six islands (Taganak, Baguan, Langaan, Boan, Lihiman, and Great Bakkungan) that make up the municipality.

“Since our town is known for its sea turtles, we need to make it memorable that is why we are doing this festival,” municipal mayor Berong Oliveros said in an interview.

More than its turtles, Adlaw Sin Payukan also turns the attention to an ordeal that the Turtle Islands has been facing for decades now. By promoting the municipality as a viable tourism site, the festival hopes to shed light on the urgent need to establish alternative livelihood packages for the community - especially that internal and cross-border trade activities continue to persist.

A tradition that stood the test of time “Traditionally, egg harvesting [in the Turtle Islands] is a source of income,” Romy Trono, technical advisor for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Protected Area Management Board (DENR-PAMB) said. Since the 80s, Trono has worked with numerous government and private institutions in terms of turtle conservation efforts in the area.

In their interviews with the early folk of the island, Trono said that egg production volume has been extremely high in the Turtle Islands back then that harvesting activities, which usually start at around six in the morning lasts until late in the afternoon.

Although not practiced by the majority, statistics show that at least 37% of the community still turns to egg harvesting and trade for livelihood.

A “permitting system” was also implemented by the DENR in the early 80s, allowing

harvesting activities in five out of the six islands in the municipality. Baguan Island, which contributes to more than 50% of the eggs laid in the islands, is an exemption as it is considered as a “no-take zone”. In the scheme, 60% of the total area is allotted for harvesters that were granted permits while 30% are given to hatcheries for conservation purposes and the remaining 10% went to the now-defunct Turtle Foundation.

Reforms on marine turtle trade were then put in place when the National Integrated Protected Areas System and Philippine

Wildlife Acts were signed into law (in 1992 and 2001, respectively) - imposing a ban on any harvesting activities in the area, thus threatening the source of income of the select communities.

Ecotourism as alternative livelihood For the LGU, while it adheres to the policies of saving the turtles, it is also crucial to save the people.

“For the longest time, efforts on conservation have been species-based to a point that we have neglected the needs of the community,” Trono said.

Mindanao Review |

5

e: e Islands “In Australia for example, their experience with ecotourism shows that they are capable of earning enough while ensuring that the trajectory of the survivability of the turtles follows an upward trend,” he added.

However, Trono also emphasized that the ecotourism development plans need to be “serious and high-end.” According to him, this involves developing facilities in the municipality requires an intersectional approach - one that ranges from an indepth understanding of the turtles biology, waste management, climate change and adaptation, down to community engagement, among others.

In his research with non-profit organization Conservation International (CI), Trono cites that ecotourism development in the Turtle Islands can be segregated according to its strengths. Areas like Baguan Island can be made into “low volume-high value” nesting beaches with its high hatching rate while nearby islands such as Taganak can house more “high volume-low value” tourist facilities for other potential tourists.

Most importantly, tourists will be required to pay “conservation fees” that will be used as funding for conservation efforts. Trono noted that the CI ecotourism development plan projected earnings of at least PhP 12 million annually when such ecotourism services are in place.

The challenge ahead Transforming Turtle Islands into an ecotourism destination is not without some challenges; transport and connectivity topping the list.

Mayor Oliveros also shares this sentiment by saying that “livelihood will bring the people out of trade transactions since they will be assured of stable employment.”

This is why ecotourism is identified as a platform for the phase in - phase out strategy of the government for the Turtle Islands.

The DENR together with the Department of Tourism has already identified offshore livelihood opportunities for the community, which include capacity trainings on room servicing, catering, and tourist guidance for the local community.

Aside from its turtles, Gadot cites that the municipality’s beaches, rich biodiversity, and coastal and marine resources can also be tapped for their high ecotourism potential.

“Ecotourism provides livelihood opportunities to the people while ensuring that conservation efforts are not compromised,” DENR IX assistant regional Trono also believes that ecotourism is a director for technical services Ronald Gadot successful model for the “non-consumptive” said. use of the turtles.

From Manila or Davao, one needs to travel by air to Zamboanga followed by another flight to Tawi-Tawi. Local air carriers fly to Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi at least twice and once a day, respectively. Total travel time is approximately 2 and half hours.

To reach Taganak Island, passengers need to board the BRP Cebu (PS-28) corvette of the Philippine Navy from Bongao Port with a 16-hour travel time. They will then be ushered by a ferry to the island, which takes another least 30-45 minutes. Gadot adds that this route is eyed for regularization.

“The idea of making this as a transport option coincides with the patrolling...

Turn to page 8

Mindanao Review |

6

Mindanao bags P800M total sales in international expo

D

AVAO CITY – The Mindanao exhibitors clinched an estimated total sales of Php 860 million during the 12th edition of International Food Expo (IFEX) held last May 25-28, 2018 at the World Trade Center, Pasay.

The amount includes both booked and retail sales of the 42 local exhibitors all over Mindanao, mostly Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), who participated in this year’s grand showcase of specialty food products in Asia.

Three proudly-Mindanawon products were also recognized by Katha Awards for food namely, Tree Life Coco Sugar as the best new product in food ingredients category; Baker’s Field Enterprises Coffee Bread Toast as the best new product in biscuits, bread and pastries category; and Ellyne’s pasalubong products Salmon cracklings and Tuna chicharon as the best new product in marine category.

The Mindanao Pavilion also won a special citation for best booth display.

Tagged as the “Food Basket of the Philippine”, Mindanao showcased its top agricultural and marine products from the six regions, as part of the initiatives to boost the island’s agribusiness sector.

Katha Awards serves as a trademark of excellence for products that satisfy criteria for global competitiveness.

Through the years, it continues to

inspire Filipinos to reinvent and innovate.

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry – Center for International Trade Expositions (DTI-CITEM), Department of Agriculture (DA) and its regional offices, has facilitated the participation of Mindanao-based food exhibitors.

Prior to the event, a series of roadshows were conducted by MinDA and CITEM in key areas such as, Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao, General Santos City and Dipolog, in order to campaign for participants who would like to venture on international exposition and strengthen their market presence and product innovation.

“Mindanao’s impressive participation to this year’s IFEX adds a positive remark on the Island’s economic stance. It

projects a vibrant and broad economic activities that results to job generation and improved livelihood for the MSMEs, local farmers and fishermen” said MinDA Chariman Secretary Datu Hj. Abul Khayr D. Alonto.

Meanwhile, Mindanao remains to be one of the major production hubs and suppliers of high value crops, marine products and other agricultural commodities of the Philippines and Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

“In MinDA, we are working on a longterm development goal that is geared towards achieving a dynamic and sustainable agriculture and agribusiness sectors that bring about progress and food security in the entire islandregion”, Alonto added while putting emphasis on Mindanao’s role as a world player in the agricultural export markets.

Mindanao Review |

7

Cont: Multi-Agency Core Group formed to assess Mindanao Budget Share ...necessary amendments.

MinDA Deputy Executive Director Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro noted that despite the increase of the budget for Mindanao as reported by the Department of Budget and Management, its ratio in relation to the overall national expenditure remains far from desired levels.

earlier report of 16%, which discounts the National Capital Region in the picture.

“This is why we are urging for DBM to assume a pro-Mindanao lens in terms of understanding how our national funding should be allocated and in pushing for a more inclusive growth in Mindanao,” Montenegro said.

With this, MinDA’s budget study looks at a projected PhP 1.35 trillion increase in budget that “Take the national budget for electrification as an example. Mindanao gets the equal amount of will be spread on a four-year period. Some of the budget with the other regions despite having the targeted industries in this amendment will cover lowest electrification rate across the country. We big-ticket infrastructure projects identified under need to look at the bigger gaps in Mindanao that the agency’s Mindanao Development Corridors can be addressed through strategic and equitable (MinDC) strategy, which includes Mindanao-wide budgetary allocation to ensure that development transport connectivity and logistics networks, industry development initiatives, SMEs, and is inclusive,” he added. ecotourism among others.

He added that Mindanao is only getting roughly 12% of the national budget compared to DBM’s The agency’s economic corridor strategy also sees

the inclusion of the Bangsamoro Development Corridor which aims at deploying viable infrastructure, logistics, and connectivity modes in order to re-integrate the areas of Lupa Sug, Maguindanao, and Ranaw to the growth centers of the island-region.

This move is likewise seen to correspond with the administration’s thrust towards the shift to a federal form of government by ensuring that the proposed Federal states in the Mindanao are maximized to their full potential.

The systemic shift to federal form of government had been pushed by MinDA Chair Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto in recent public fora as a viable transition to the kind of governance where Mindanao would be able to have greater opportunity to chart its own destiny.

Cont: From Saving the Turtles to Saving the People ...activities regularly conducted by the Navy,” he said.

A more accessible route though sees passengers traveling from Manila to Kota Kinabalu via plane followed by speedboat rides to Sandakan then to Taganak which clocks at around 4-5 hours travel time.

In its bid to promote the potentials of the Turtle Islands and Tawi-Tawi in general, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) advocates for a Tawi-Tawi Integrated Seaport and Ecozone (TISEZ) as one of its priority catalytic projects to position the province as a competitive economic and tourism player in local and international markets.

Some of the initiatives identified under TISEZ include the development a shipyard in the Sibutu Passage as a bypass route for carriers from the Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and an international transhipment port as well as commercial and industrial zones in Bongao, among others. As the Philippine coordinating agency of the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA, MinDA has also participated in environmental impact studies for the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA) with Sabah.

“This plan looks at improving our existing connectivity channels and developing additional infrastructure in order to bring in investments,

PHOT SYNTHESIS

which will hopefully result to more employment opportunities for the community inside and outside of Turtle Islands,” MinDA Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto said.

Alonto who also sits as the Philippine Signing Minister for BIMP-EAGA also noted that turtle conservation in Tawi-tawi is one of the priorities under the sub-region’s environment pillar, which aims to come up with a framework for intra-EAGA cooperation in the integrated protection and management of natural resources and biodiversity in its priority areas.

The TISEZ is also anchored on the Mindanao Development Corridors, the agency’s spatial strategy which aims to connect growth centers across Mindanao through the deployment of viable connectivity and infrastructure facilities. The said strategy also sees the inclusion of the Bangsamoro Development Corridor, which the TISEZ initiative is a part of.

“A healthy ecosystem provides us food security, stable climate, protection against storm surges, clean water and air, recreation, tourism, and even attend to some of our people’s spiritual needs. Our leaders should put that into consideration,” DENR’s Trono said.

He hopes that the time will come when Adlaw Sin Payukan becomes a day not just for the turtles, but most importantly for its people.

Mindanao Development Authority representatives join the rest of the BIMPEAGA delegates for a capacity-building workshop on Biomass Energy organized by the BIMP-EAGA Power and Energy Infrastructure Cluster (PEIC) headed by the Department of Energy, Philippines. In Mindanao, the provinces of Davao del Sur, Bukidnon, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Davao City were cited for their high indicative capacity for biomass power generation sourced primarily from agricultural wastes. The workshop is a side event to the 6th BIMP-EAGA PEIC Meeting.

PARTNERSHIP FOR A RESILIENT MINDANAO. MinDA Chairman Secretary Datu Hj. Abul Khayr D. Alonto gives United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director to the Philippines Lawrence Hardy II a copy of the Draft Bangsamoro State Constitution (BSC) during the latter’s visit to the MinDA office last June 25, 2018. The proposed BSC is a part of MinDA’s initiatives in operationalizing the Duterte administration’s vision of an immediate and systemic shift to a Federal Parliamentary form of government. It was also presented to President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2018 Eid’l Fitr celebration.

Publisher Sec. Datu Hj Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto Editorial Board Usec. Janet M. Lopoz, CESO I Asec. Romeo M. Montenegro Dir. Reyzaldy B. Tan Editor-in-Chief Adrian M. Tamayo

Old Davao Aiport Building, Old Airport Road, Sasa, Davao City, Philippines | (082) 221-7195 www.minda.gov.ph

Editorial Staff Rose Marie F. Baguio Fritz E. Flores Feonna Marielle G. Lagmay Kathy Mar S. Mateo Iris Mae F. Quizo