Regional planners in Soccsksargen meet to improve Mindanao 2020 plan

KORONADAL CITY -- Development planners from the government and representatives of various sectors in Region XII met here recently to enhance the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan, envisioned to be Mindanao's development blueprint for the next 20 years.

CAGAYAN DE ORO. Key planners from Soccsksargen met to improve the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan, which is intended to become Mindanao's development blueprint for 20 years. (Contributed photo)

These themes include peace and security, governance, institutions and politics, economy and environment, human development and social cohesion, and enabling environment.

"I appreciate very much the involvement of planners in that roundtable discussion. The inputs were very material to the draft document," said Al Dataya, Planning Officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Soccsksargen.

Several rounds of Mindanao 2020 consultations with regional planners have been conducted in Pagadian, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon and Davao.

"I can now say that partly I own the plan because I have infused my ideas into it. There's no other way to claim that one has taken part in such a good activity if we have not shared what we had with the intention that good practices in one area may be applied to the whole island," said Abner Navarro, of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) of South Cotabato.

Throughout the workshop, the participants were reminded to "think Mindanao" despite the inevitable tendency to think of regional development strategies.

Dr. Cielito Habito, Mindanao 2020 team leader and former director-general of the National Economic Development Authority (Neda), said engaging the planners is critical to the development of the Mindanao 2020 plan, as with the participation of all the sectors, to ensure that the plan is "crafted by Mindanawons.”

"Through this participation, we can ensure a more holistic and substantially enriched Mindanao 2020," Habito said.

Habito also said that Mindanawons have been involved in formulating the plan in various platforms including a quick survey of around 400 respondents, focus group discussions (FGDs) among various stakeholders in Mindanao, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with noted leaders such as former president Fidel Ramos and Nur Misuari.

He also said that they made use of various Mindanao reports and results from various consultative groups such as Konsult Mindanaw.

Ella Antonio, Mindanao 2020 project coordinator, said they will present the draft plan to the incoming administration for review and promulgation.

Antonio and Habito are trustees of the Brain Trust Inc., a consulting group commissioned by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to facilitate the formulation of the Mindanao 2020 plan.

Ollie Dagala of MinDA said the Mindanao 2020 will become MinDA's blueprint in pursuing development imperatives for Mindanao. MinDA is the former Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) institutionalized as an agency through the Republic Act 9996 passed last February.

"I am glad to hear that MinDA intends to coordinate a 'science-based' database of information on the Mindanao environment and hopefully steer the policy discussion toward our common good," said Engr. Nael D. Cruspero, City Planning and Development Officer of General Santos City.

He also said that more periodic roundtable discussions with local government planners as well as city planning officers would be held since some issues are unique to the urban environment of Mindanao.

The Mindanao 2020 team is composed of noted Mindanao experts including Fr. Eliseo Mercado, former chair of the government's peace panel for the talks with MILF; Prof. Rudy Rodil, a noted Mindanao historian and former member of the government peace panel; Edtami Mansayagan, Commissioner for Central Mindanao of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); Samira Gutoc-Tomawis of the Young Moro Professionals Network Mindanao; and Fr. Alberto Alejo, project director of Konsult Mindanaw and the Mindanawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogue. (PR)

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