Recovery from coronavirus impact is top of mind for Mindanao听
叠测听Maya M. Padillo,听Correspondent听听
THE POSSIBILITY of President Rodrigo R. Duterte taking a historic first ride on the Mindanao train, one of the听big ticket听projects he listed in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), is slim.听听
The 102-kilometer first segment of the railway project, which would pass through Mr. Duterte鈥檚 hometown Davao City, was approved as early as June 2017 by the National Economic and Development Authority鈥檚听Investment Coordination Committee. It was set for a two-year construction starting 2018.听
But finalizing the track鈥檚 alignment and settling right of way, particularly in Davao City being the most urbanized area in the route, have proven to be the biggest hurdle to what could have been the jewel of the Duterte administration in Mindanao.听听
As things stand, the target completion of just the site听acquisition听for the China-funded project听is听on Dec. 2021, said Christense Denise Geonzon, public communications officer for the Mindanao Railway-Project Management Office, during a forum in late-March.听听
But local business leaders are not making a big fuss over such showpiece.听听
They still see the overall infrastructure program听鈥斕齱ith roads, irrigation systems, and renovated airports, among others听鈥斕齛s the biggest achievement of the Duterte government, along with the investor interest in Mindanao that he fostered.听听听
鈥淭here is more optimism now among the people of Mindanao of greater things to come but temporarily halted by the pandemic,鈥澨齈hilippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Governor Arturo M. Milan said.听
Vicente T. Lao, chairman of the Mindanao Business Council, said听he wants to see continued infrastructure development and enhanced policies to attract听more foreign investments in听the south as the country slowly tries to recover from the coronavirus crisis.听听听
鈥淚 hope he will be able to convince the next president of the Philippines to maintain the momentum for growth in Mindanao. He was able to improve the share of Mindanao in terms of the benefits it’s receiving from the national government,鈥澨齅r. Lao said.听听
In the last听State of the Nation Address听on July 26,听Mr. Milan said he hopes to hear the President听outline听concrete plans on听addressing the health crisis and听reopening the economy.听听
鈥淔or me, these are the two more pressing issues confronting us,鈥澨齅r. Milan听said.听
鈥淲hen I say COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and the re-opening of the economy, include financial assistance to those affected by the pandemic like听ayuda听(financial assistance) to micro, small, and medium enterprises, overseas Filipino workers, and those who lost their jobs,鈥澨齢e said.听
The youth, especially in restive parts of Mindanao where the pandemic鈥檚 disruption has further complicated efforts to address lingering peace and security issues, needs assurance and direction towards a better quality of life in the foreseeable future.听听
Kier S. Aventurado,听program听coordinator for听the European Union-funded听Extremely Together-Philippines听under the Kofi Annan Foundation that aims to prevent violent extremism, said economic recovery and education are key areas that the administration should focus on during its last year.听听
鈥淭he State of the Nation Address is a major occasion where the President has the eyes and ears of the nation all to himself,鈥澨齢e said,听鈥淲hat I want is for the President to tell us how he will get us out of this economic crisis, and address the issues of unemployment and education, especially among the youth.鈥澨鈥斕齱ith听Marifi听S. Jara听
