14/04/2011 (Manila Bulletin) – The government is intensifying efforts to boost the economic potentials of Mindanao. Private sector participation is being tapped to expand the island-region’s economy mostly driven by agriculture, fishery, and forestry. Mindanao produces and exports a wide variety of crops such as banana, pineapple, corn, coffee, coconut, durian, raw rubber, palm oil, cotton, cutflower, seaweed, and tuna. Its fascinating points of interest make it one of the preferred tourist destinations in Asia.

Several government programs and projects to develop Mindanao’s economy, as well as its social, cultural, and political life, are pursued through the assistance of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), in joint effort with the private sector, under the public-private partnership program.

This collaboration was recently boosted by the appointment to the MinDa Board of three representatives coming from business, academe, and non-government organization. The MinDA board is composed of the heads of the six Regional Development Councils in Mindanao.

MinDA was created under Republic Act 9996 signed on February 17, 2010, to integrate the peace and development efforts in the region. It assists Mindanao’s provinces and municipalities, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, in building a vibrant economy. It supports agri-business ventures and the construction of more road networks linking all ports to ease the inconvenience of transporting goods in and out of the island. MinDa also promotes the active participation of Mindanao and Palawan in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, for greater cooperation and to enhance the movement of goods and services in Southeast Asia.

The contribution of all sectors is sought to further explore Mindanao’s potentials. The national government’s mega dam project in Bukidnon is seen as a step to boost the region’s economic development in addressing the power problem. Educational institutions also play a key role in developing Mindanao. Other agencies support efforts to improve rural incomes and attain food security through agri-fishery, infrastructure, livelihood, and environmental projects.

Through MinDa’s participatory development approach, Mindanao’s civil society and other organizations are being harnessed into the development planning process to help the island-region catch up with the rest of the country.

Mindanao remains the land of promise because of its untapped resources and potentials that should be utilized for the island-region’s full development.