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Sunday, December 12, 2004
Bimp-Eaga: Back on track
THE Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga), a cross-border cooperative scheme, which aims to increase trade, investments and tourism in a specific sub-region including areas bordering the four countries, is a key tool for economic growth, according to Secretary Jesus Dureza.
Medco acts as the official and permanent coordinating office of the growth region.
The entry of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as Eaga's economic advisor has enabled Eaga to re-assess its strengths and weaknesses and adopt strategies that will make it more competitive in the global arena.
Dureza explains that the Bimp-Eaga has now adopted a "cluster approach" which will capitalize and draw on each country's strengths.
Another positive development for the Bimp-Eaga is the decision of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) to make the Bimp-Eaga the "test bed" for the implementation of Asean economic framework agreements.
"The Asean now recognizes the Eaga as an important component that is closer to the ground," he points out.
Dureza admits that peace and security remains a major EAGA concern, but is hopeful that member-countries will develop "creative ways" to meet the problem and continue their economic engagements.
Support from Mindanao partners
The Usaid-funded Growth With Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program is among the many donor organizations that fully support Medco's elevation to cabinet status.
"The recognition by the President that Medco deserves a seat in the cabinet shows how important the agency is to the formulation of programs that treat Mindanao as an integrated, geographic entity," according to John Dalton, Manager of the GEM Program which is implemented in partnership with Medco.
GEM commenced in 1995 following the signing of the peace accord between the Philippine Government and the MNLF.
Its main objectives are to consolidate peace and promote sustainable development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) and other conflict-affected areas in the island.
"We are fortunate that Medco and GEM's priorities are closely aligned. All of GEM's initiatives are clearly within the 10-point agenda of the President," Dalton says.
For Dalton, work in Mindanao with Medco demonstrates the importance of improving the economic competitiveness of communities and therefore the quality of life in the troubled region.
"You need to find a way to create livelihood opportunities for people in a conflict situation. Their expectations are high that when they finally lay down their arms, they will have something that can give them hope for the future," Dalton says.
Other donors agree. For example, a 10-member delegation from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) met with Secretary Dureza to discuss potential areas of investment for future Swedish development assistance.
Other donors and investors are also re-engaging with Mindanao in anticipation of peace and the economic benefits that will stem from it.
Private sector as engine of growth
Dureza believes that for Mindanao to achieve its full economic potential, the private sector must take the lead in advocating for policy reforms, generating investments, and creating jobs.
"The private sector is the economy's real engine of growth. Government is only here to provide the necessary infrastructure, the basic enabling environment," he explains.
According to Dureza, "the government establishes the needed sea and air linkages to facilitate the freer movement of people, goods and services. But in the long run, it will be the private sector who will sustain these routes through volumes and additional investments."
He cites the Mindanao Business Congress (Minbizcon) as among the key institutional mechanisms that allows the government to solicit inputs from the private sector.
These meetings are crucial as they help government formulate its development priorities based on what the private sector needs.
"Government's primary role is to establish a conducive business climate where trade and investment can flourish. The less you intervene with market forces, the better it will be for the economy," Dureza concludes. (GEM)
(December 12, 2004 issue)
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