CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)—“Kinahanglan nato tanan paningkamot ug tabang (We need all the effort and help), from government to private sector, individuals and institutions, to turn this crisis into an opportunity.”
Regional Development Council (RDC)-10 Chair Gov. Philip Tan urged residents and key players in the region to take part in the government’s efforts in reviving the economy with strict adherence to the minimum public health standards during the special Talakayan sa PIA, September 22.
Even if the regional economy contracted by 5.2 percent in 2020, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-10 Regional Director Mylah Faye Cariño said the region’s per capita output still emerged as the second highest among all the regions at P163,952, which is higher than the Philippines’ average at P161,137.
Noting such feats along with the growth in information and communications technology (ICT), financial services, and agriculture, NEDA-10 eyes a better northern Mindanao even with the current health crisis.
Fostering promising programs
To jumpstart growth and stimulate economic activities in rural areas, Cariño said the region established the Regional Government Center (RGC), which shall locate all regional line agencies/offices in one place. It is also seen as an integrated approach to good governance.
Also, RDC-10 created the Special Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Committee that shall work on empowerment of local industries, food security and agricultural productivity, housing, social welfare, health, employment and human resource development, and infrastructure development.
“In terms of project implementation, the Bagong Pag-Asa Organic Village, a BP2 pilot project located in Barangay Tacub, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte has already incurred a physical accomplishment of 71.32 percent as of 31 August 2021,” Cariño added.
As for steering socioeconomic development and facilitating improved local capacities along project planning and development, project appraisal, review and evaluation, and project fund sourcing, RDC-10 proposed the establishment of Northern Mindanao Project Development Assistance Center (PDAC)-10.
With an estimated project cost of P508,200 to be sourced from RDC-10 funds, PDAC-10 will be an inter-agency unit under the RDC-10 that will provide regulatory standards and technical advisory services as well as the key result areas to local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders in the region.
These and more programs on health, education, labor, peace and development, environment, governance, and other sectors have been prioritized by the various committees of RDC-10 to ensure that the region will steadily land its feet to a safer, resilient and booming community.
“Niining panahon sa labi na sa ka wala’y kasigurohan, magpadayon kita nga aduna’y paglaum nga malutas ta aning pandemya. Kami sa RDC-10 naglaum (In this time of uncertainty, we continue to hope that we will be free from this pandemic. We in the RDC-10 hope) that we will achieve a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable northern Mindanao,” Tan said. (RTP/PIA-10)
