More development projects up in North Cotabato as MinDA pushes Mindanao 2020

KIDAPAWAN CITY (PNA) -- More projects are up in North Cotabato as the implementation of various programs and projects in pursuit of the strategies under the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan or Mindanao 2020,” officials announced today.In a statement released today by the office of North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza, it said that Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Sec. Luwalhati R. Antonino revealed this during her meeting with the provincial governor. The Mindanao 2020 is designed to respond to the need for a better future for Mindanao and its people. The programs and projects are intended to develop many communities through infrastructure, tourism, business, livelihood and others which include agriculture,” Antonino said.The official also said that Mindanao 2020, which MinDA, spearheads since 2010 contains a blueprint of fora, workshops, focus group discussions, interviews, surveys and consult of writings in various forms, all aimed to strengthen support as well as commitment of many sectors to program implementations.Antonino presented to Mendoza and other provincial officials a power-point slide of the programs and projects MinDA has commenced in other provinces which now play important role in the economic development in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, South Cotabato and Sarangani.She also gave status report on the multi-million peso projects implemented by MinDA in Cotabato which include major roads and bridges (Davao-Cotabato road widening), secondary and local roads (Banisilan-Guiling-Alamada-Libungan road Kidapawan – Kalunasan, M’lang road Noah, Magpet – Doroluman, Arakan – Greenfield, President Roxas road Paco, Kidapawan-Pres. Roxas-Arakan Valley road and Dualing-Baliki-Silik, Pikit road) flood control and irrigation (Libungan flood control project, Malmar Irrigation Projects) and M’lang airport on-going development).MinDA projects in the province also include tourism roads (concreting of road leading to Asik-Asik falls in Dado, Alamada and road leading to Tausuvan falls in Bongolanon, Magpet) and Lake Agco development in Ilomavis, Kidapawan City. If there’s one thing that we need to develop more here in Cotabato, it’s the tourism industry,” Antonino noted during the provincial government’s radio program Serbisyong Totoo.” We know the predicament in some parts of the province as to peace and order and we need to work harder to overcome those with positive development in the tourism aspect of Cotabato,” she explained further.Antonino further discussed with the provincial officials other important matters such as the policies that bring impact to the development of Mindanao, investment opportunities on renewable energy and eco-tourism and Mindanao-wide security coordination.She noted the high potential of growing cacao in some parts of the province and the intention for Cotabato to become a leading cacao and cocoa supplier and discussed it with the local chief executives and the personnel of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG).Antonino stressed that with coordination and proper implementation of the stakeholders, Mindanao 2020 will connote a clear vision for the future, although difficult because of the context of the people’s long history of peculiar differences and challenges but is totally achievable.North Cotabato has been focusing on tourism development because the province hosts several tourist destinations. (PNA)CTB/NYP/EOF/RSM