Wednesday, April 25, 2007 ADB earmarks P259M for BIMP-Eaga development
THE Asian Development Bank has allotted some $5.4 million or roughly P259 million to speed up development in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga).
The allocated funds for this year will cover short term projects that aim to enhance transportation, connectivity, infrastructure, energy, environment and Information and Communications Technology in the sub-regional economic grouping.
Jacques Ferreira, ADB regional cooperation specialist, said the focus on BIMP-Eaga, particularly in connectivity aspect, is expected to make member countries become more competitive.
Connectivity in transportation and communication in within BIMP-Eaga has been "perceived as the most challenging in Asia because of the archipelagic nature of the region."
He represented the multilateral development finance institution during the 4th BIMP-Eaga Transport/Infrastructure and ICT Development Cluster Meeting last week in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. It was attended by about 100 delegates from the member countries.
Ferreira said that this year, the bank will extend $600,000 for custom inspection and quarantine services project in BIMP-Eaga.
The bank will also provide $2 million for road and energy projects and another $2 million for the marine ecosystem development in the Sulu-Sulawesi area, he added.
Sulu is in Mindanao and Sulawesi is in Indonesia.
Romeo Montenegro, Mindanao Economic and Development Council head for communications and media affairs, said that ADB has also extended $750,000 as regional technical assistance for various projects and programs in BIMP-Eaga this year.
He stressed the fund for the enhancement of subregional cooperation this year is in the form of a grant, and would augur well for Mindanao.
"On the Philippine side, Mindanao is the main player for the BIMP-Eaga economic cluster," he said.
But Montenegro did not give a specific amount that would go to Mindanao out of the ADB fund since the financial package straddles the whole subregion.
In a statement last week, Medco said that BIMP-Eaga leaders are mapping out flagship transport, infrastructure and ICT programs and projects to push the development of the economic grouping.
This year's cluster meeting is chaired by the government of Brunei Darussalam, headed by Ang Kian Guan, director of Transportation/Ministry of Communications.
Heads of delegation for the other countries include Heru Prasetyo of the Ministry of Indonesia for Indonesia, Principal Assistant Secretary Faisaluddin Jenon for Malaysia and Undersecretary Anneli Lontoc of the Department of Transportation and Communication for the Philippines.
"This event is very vital to our development since we are being drawncloser to the rest of the Eaga. Discussions on infrastructure,transport and ICT afford greater possibility of enhancing our physical connectivity across the sub-region," Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Cecil Bayron said in welcoming the delegates.
Highlights of the meeting include discussion on the outcomes of recently held BIMP-Eaga meetings, presentation of the Asian Development Bank's final report on the "Support to Strategize Regional Cooperation inSoutheast Asia: Roadmap for the Development of the Transport Sector in the BIMP-EAGA" and discussion on the preparations for the forthcoming 2nd Transport Ministers Meeting in Davao City as well as the 3rd BIMP-Eaga-Darwin Dialogue in Northern Territory, Australia. (BSS)
