ONGOING infrastructure and economic projects in the South-Central Mindanao corridor is seen to create more economic zones (ecozones) in Mindanao, a Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) official said.
Raymond Peter Esperat of Minda said in an interview last Thursday, October 18, during the Mindanao Energy Plan public consultations at The Royal Manadaya Hotel, Davao City that these infrastructure projects in the south-central corridor is just among of the many envisioned developments for Mindanao.
Other development corridors in Mindanao include Northern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao.
“We are also seeing that the creation of more economic zones will also help even strengthen the projects we have for Mindanao. Also with this, having more economic zones will help invite more possible investments in the region,” Esperat said.
Presently, there 34 operating Ecozones in Mindanao.
For south-central Mindanao development corridor, six projects are currently ongoing addressing developments on transportation, culture and heritage, road infrastructures, and seaports.
“For the TransMindanao HighSpeed Railway System Project, we are happy to tell that the construction will start by third quarter of next year,” Esperat said.
The railway system has a total of 18 segments with a total length of 2,277.56 kilometers (km) with a budget of P1.935 trillion.
Esperat said the phase one of the Mindanao Tourism Cultural Village Center in Davao City has already been completed. Though there’s still a need for funding and implementation for the second phase of the project.
“There are still continued roadworks in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, and Davao Occidental as part of DPWH’s project on Mindanao Road Network Missing Link,” Esperat said.
To control floods in the plains of central Mindanao, a river basin flood control project has been constructed.
Esperat added more hectares of land are still needed to build the General Santos City Aerotropolis which also aims at becoming a transshipment hub for commercial goods to be sold to domestic and international markets.
“The Polloc Freeport and Ecozone in Maguindanao will definitely help boost economic activities especially in the Muslim area,” Esperat said.