NEWSFLASH
MEDIUM-TERM DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR MINDANAO
Malacanang, June 9, 2000 - The government has started drawing up a medium-term development plan for Mindanao following the visit of Cabinet members to two conflict-hit areas in the south Thursday.
Secretary Benjamin Diokno of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said he hopes to get needed inputs for the plan during the Cabinet visit.
"May mga myembro ng Kabinete na nagde-design ng tinatawag nating Medium Term Plan para sa Mindanao para naman mapakita natin, medyo ang usapan nafo-focus sa military aspect. Ang kailangan natin talaga ay magkaroon ng development sa Mindanao dahil yan ang sa tingin namin susi sa lasting peace sa Mindanao (Some members of the Cabinet are drawing up the plan. There is unnecessary focus on the military aspect of addressing the problem in Mindanao. What we need is development in Mindanao as the key to lasting peace in the region)," Diokno said.
Last Thursday, Diokno joined other Cabinet members in visiting the cities of General Santos and Cotabato to attend to the needs of residents affected by the Mindanao conflict.
He noted that President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada also ordered the Cabinet team to go to Mindanao to rush the implementation of ongoing development projects there.
According to Diokno, the President remains committed to developing the potentials of Mindanao and transforming it into the country’s next food basket.
Mr. Estrada, he added, has ordered the Cabinet to make a report on their findings during their mission. The President is scheduled to return this afternoon from Tokyo after attending the state funeral for former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and meeting with Japanese officials.
"Sabi ni Presidente, we’ll make a report. And then baka the next few days we’ll go there (The President wants us to make a report, then we might return there in the next few days)," he said.
Earlier, Diokno said the Cabinet aims to achieve three goals during the mercy mission the President ordered to two conflict-hit areas in Mindanao.
He likewise indicated that the mission is the first of what could be a series of visits to conflict-hit areas in Mindanao.
These three goals focus on development, instead of military action, in ending the conflict; accelerating the implementation of these projects; and designing a medium-term plan for Mindanao’s progress.
On top of this medium-term plan, the President has already poured billions of pesos in funding to realize his administration's goal of ending decades of official neglect of Mindanao.
In his visit to Mindanao last February 26 to March 2, the President unveiled P23.7 billion worth of farm productivity projects.
These are the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), the Upland Development Program (UDP), the DA-Support with Implementing Fast Transition (DA-SWIFT) and the Cotabato River Basin Integrated Grains Augmentation Support (Bigas) Project.
The projects are separately funded by the World Bank, the European Union, the Spanish government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).
Some P22 billion has been allotted for the MRDP, a World Bank-funded initiative that will serve as a catalyst in converting Mindanao's poorest communities into areas of progress and prosperity.
Its first phase covers five provinces with identified priority municipalities in Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Compostela Valley and Agusan del Sur. Its initial phase consists of farm-to-market roads and bridges in Cotabato amounting to P42.5 million and in Sultan Kudarat worth P37.6 million.
It will also involve irrigating thousands of hectares of farmland in Mindanao under the Communal Irrigation Scheme and the Communal Irrigation Program (CIP).
The UDP, a project jointly funded by the Philippines and the European Union, involves P1.6 billion and targets upland small farmers and tribal communities.
It will focus on increasing food production, implementing a sustainable resource management program, and raising the incomes of residents in Southern Mindanao's upland areas in Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao Del Sur, Sarangani and South Cotabato.
Several projects such as the construction of irrigation systems, vegetable and fruit tree production, erosion control, setting up of potable water systems, building farm-to-market roads, and production credit systems have been lined up under the program.
Recognizing the importance of peace and order in economic development, the DA is also implementing the P69.6 billion DA-SWIFT, which aims to provide alternative livelihood to rebel returnees.
This USAID-assisted program aims to promote the implementation of the peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) through several food security projects for the erstwhile rebels.
Originally a food security measure designed to help avert potential rice crises, the P19.2 million Cotabato Bigas program aims to increase rice productivity in North and South Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat by 20 to 30 percent. It is funded by the Spanish government.
The components of the program include irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, credit and financing, production support services and research. The reputation of Mindanao as the ‘Land of Promise’ has long been overused and abused by those who would rather harvest your votes than your produce." [TOP]
Gov't for all-out peace in Mindanao, Palace assures OIC The Philippine government reassured the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Friday that it continues to pursue efforts to bring genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao.
Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said this should allay concerns raised by the claims of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that the administration of President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada is gearing for an all-out war in the south.
"Walang sinasabing all-out war. Sinasabi natin basta kung tayo ay ginalaw, siyempre reresponde tayo. Yun lang. Walang all-out war sa Mindanao, and what we want is all-out peace. Yan ang importante sa atin talaga (We never said we are pursuing all-out war. We merely respond to acts of harassment by the MILF. We want all-out peace in Mindanao, and that is very important to us)," Zamora said in a radio interview.
He added that the Philippines would send a delegation to Kuala Lumpur later this month to present the government’s side on the matter. The OIC meets in Malaysia later this month.
The government may tap either Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) or National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre to present its side, he said.
"Ang isang positive development ay makakasalita tayo sa Kuala Lumpur. Since we are not a member country of OIC that in itself is a big step (This is a positive development that we will have a voice in Kuala Lumpur)," he noted.
But Zamora said the OIC appears receptive to the government’s stand, as articulated by Aguirre, who has been meeting with OIC members.
"They understand now the position of the Philippine government lalong lalo na sa sinasabi na kulang na kulang ang binibigay natin (The OIC members understand our position now)," he said.
According to reports, the OIC is allegedly planning to ask the Philippine government to stop military offensives against the MILF, and to abandon its all-out war policy in Mindanao.
Zamora said there is no need for such calls, as the government "technically" has a ceasefire with the MILF since 1997. He pointed out that it is the MILF which has been violating the truce.
"Di puwedeng tayo tatahimik na lang kung inaatake ang mga bayan natin, kung ina-ambush ang mga units natin, kung may extortion along our public highways, di puwede yon. Kaya ang ceasefire bakit hindi? Talaga tayong handang magkaroon ng ceasefire kaya lang kailangan ang ceasefire nirerespeto ng kabila. At para magawa yan, kailangan yung military might ng MILF huwag naman ganoon kalaki at ganoon kalakas (We cannot sit idly while the MILF harasses our people. We want a ceasefire but the other side has to respect that truce. And to maintain peace, we have to diminish the MILF’s military strength)," he said.
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