A TOTAL of 16 road projects have already been identified for Mindanao's infrastructure program that will help unlock the island's economic potential.
In her presentation during the Southern Mindanao Corridor Investment Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao last September 19, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) executive director Janet Lopoz said these infrastructure projects will stir the economy of Mindanao by opening up more parts of the island to business opportunities.
The projects identified are the upgrading of the Glan-Malita Road to all weather standards; upgrading of Kalamasig-Maasim road; construction of Mawab-Maragusan-Caraga road; upgrading of Columbio-Koronadal and Columbio-Matanao roads to all weather standards; road uprading (gravel to concrete) of Midsayap-Dulawan-Marbel Road (Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat); reconstruction of Lake Sebu-Maitum road to all weather standards; widening of Davao-Cagayan de Oro road; widening of Cotabato City-Allah-Marbel road (Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato); widening of Davao-Cotabato road; widening of Mati-Tagum-Davao- Digos-Gensan road; construction of Surallah-T'boli-San Jose road (General Santos City); road upgrading of Pinaring-Simsiman Road (Limbo, Sultan Kudarat to Manuangan, Pigcawayan); rehabilitation of Isulan-Bagumbayan-Sen. Ninoy Aquino-Kalamansig road; Little Baguo-Alabel road upgrading; widening of Butuan-Davao road; and the Samal Island Circumferential road.
Lopoz said the implementation of these projects is seen to boost the competitiveness of businesses in Mindanao.
She said logistics and infrastructure development is one of the major components in their Mindanao Development Corridor strategy, which is aimed at propeling the island-region's development.
Lopoz said based on their internal studies, poor infrastructure and logistics in Mindanao accounted for 40 percent to 62 percent of the cost structure businesses.
"Little by little, we are able to strategically position Mindanao by putting in the right infrastructure needed by the industries," she said.