By Cai U. Ordinario
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) are teaming up to speed up Mindanao’s GDP growth to an average of 7.4 percent annually in the medium term.
This level of economic expansion could eclipse the growth of Metro Manila, which currently accounts for a third of the country’s annual growth. It is also expected to create an additional 550,000 jobs for the region by 2022.
This will be done through the implementation of the proposed Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2, or the Medium- to Long-Term Development Plan.
“Through the BDP 2, we look forward to continue working closely with the Philippine government, stakeholders and other development partners in realizing balanced and equitable development for all the people of Mindanao,” Jica Chief Representative Noriaki Niwa said.
The BDP 2, one of the components of Jica’s Comprehensive Capacity Development Project for the Bangsamoro, will guide the development of the proposed Bangsamoro area and other regions in Mindanao.
The plan also includes 26 anchor projects that will be implemented until 2022. These projects were derived from the 16 programs in the BDP 2.
The 16 programs of the BDP 2 are encapsulated in the development areas of broad-based inclusive growth, pump-priming, alternative socio-economy and enhanced resources-management initiatives to ensure inclusive development in Bangsamoro.
The list of projects identified as anchor projects include support for agricultural cooperatives; road rehabilitation and upgrading; ports and airport improvement; Greater Cotabato City urban infrastructure; communal irrigation; economic corridor development; economic zones; and abaca, coco coir and sugar industrial cluster development.
The list also includes agri-based projects (goat farming, mixed field crops); seed production center; halal industry promotion; open market; cold-chain facilities; community-based forest and coastal management; mini hydropower development; and Mindanao river basin integrated watershed and flood-management projects, among others.
Jica added that consultations with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Government, Mindanao Development Authority and existing government setup of the ARMM would help ensure effective and sustainable implementation of development projects.
Last year former Economic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio M. Balisacan and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Philippines Country Director Richard Bolt said growth and investment in Mindanao are bound to increase because of the Bangsamoro basic law.
Balisacan said Mindanao could maximize its potential as a major economic growth driver for the Philippines. He even said Mindanao can easily grow faster than Metro Manila if this potential is reached.
ADB Philippines Country Specialist Joven Balbosa also explained that, currently, Mindanao contributes about 17 percent of the country’s GDP. However, this is bound to increase if areas in Southern Mindanao will increase their contribution.
Balbosa explained that Northern Mindanao areas, such as Davao and General Santos, already contribute significantly to economic growth due to the tuna, banana and pineapple industries.
However, with the peace agreement, this will ensure that Southern Mindanao will also open up and unleash increased food and mineral resources. It will also open the gates for the Philippines to take full advantage of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Eastern Asean Growth Area.
Japan is a strategic development partner of the Philippines. Japan, through Jica, has been supporting the peace and development process in the region since 2002 via assistance to the ARMM Social Fund for Peace and Development. Since then, Japan’s total official development assistance to Mindanao has reached ¥15.1 billion, or P7.55 billion.
Jica is Japan’s comprehensive development institution, which handles technical cooperation, official development assistance loans and investment, and grant aid, as well as cooperation volunteers and disaster-relief programs.
It is one of the world’s largest bilateral aid agencies, with its volume of cooperation amounting to about $15.6 billion for Japan fiscal year 2014 and a worldwide network of almost 100 overseas offices.
1 comment
Thank God for JICA, because the national government seems to be soooooo engrossed with over-developing the already-crowded and polluted NCR…