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Saturday, July 08, 2006
Arroyo seeks to stop Mindanao’s economic slump
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will form a multisectoral task force that would address the social and economic problems in Mindanao.
Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor said indicators showed that Mindanao’s gross domestic product, gross national product, hunger level, and the prices of commodities have “really deteriorated”.
“We really would be setting up some sort of a cooperation with regional offices including the presidential assistants to look into the problems of Mindanao,” Defensor said.
He said the price of rice in Mindanao, for one, is P22 per kilo when it should only be at P18. He said the task force should study how to prevent traders and middlemen from jacking up prices so much.
Defensor said Presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza, who is also Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) chairman, would be heading the group but he would not be able to handle all of the concerns that the President wants addressed.
He said the Cabinet is still looking for an “exact formula” to coordinate all the major departments that would address Mindanao’s concerns on agriculture, agrarian reform, public works, trade and the like. (JMR/Sunnex)
(July 8, 2006 issue)
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