MINDANAO Development Authority (Minda) Chairman Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto pushed for the development of economic corridors within Southeast Asia as a means to promote inclusive growth in the region.
"Minda advocated for the economic corridor approach as a strategy in encouraging development in the same vein that the identified corridors within our sub-regions are prioritized," Alonto said in his message during the 4th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Trade Fair 2018 on July 19 to 21, 2018 at the Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Thailand.
Alonto said during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Business and Investments Summit in Laos, Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte emphasized the importance of economic corridors in stimulating growth across the Asean economic community.
Through the economic corridors approoach, he said Minda has identified a number of catalytic projects focusing on infrastructure and industry development that are aimed to encourage economic activities in the Philippine-Eaga region.
"At the forefront of these efforts is the establishment of the TransMindanao High-Speed Railway System, ensuring our transportation system become significant drivers in developing our communities," Alonto said.
He added shipping and air routes are also being planned to be launched to increase the connectivity in the sub-region.
"We have proven to our neighboring Asean countries that connectivity and linkages among the IMT-GT and BIMP-Eaga communities continue to grow more resilient," Alonto said.
The three-day IMT-GT and BIMP-Eaga Trade Fair features booths from at least 200 exhibitors across all member countries, business matching opportunities, technical learning sessions, as well as agricultural and Halal expositions.
"Along with this year’s theme 'The Future of Agricultural Product Innovation and Environment', we at the Mindanao Development Authority continue to pursue initiatives to position Mindanao and Palawan as key players in the economic landscape within and beyond the said groupings while ensuring our agricultural and environmental integrity," Alonto said.