Thursday, November 21, 2024

Tag: National Economic and Development Authority

NorMin 2023: New chapters, calls for justice

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Dec. 27, 2023) – Northern Mindanao will always have a story to tell every year. In 2023, the region did not disappoint, bringing in a considerable amount of national attention

In particular, Misamis Occidental province had more of that this year.

The aftermath of the December 2022 shear line floods compelled President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to visit the province and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental as well, in early January.

Marcos’ meetings with regional and local officials with Cabinet members have created long-term policies, especially in adding disaster-resilient infrastructure projects and social welfare programs.

Since then, the provincial government has rolled out cash assistance in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development for flood-affected residents.

Crime, deaths

Misamis Occidental also brought stories that call for justice – one being the death of community broadcaster Juan Jumalon, who was killed while livestreaming inside his house in Calamba town on Nov. 5.

His death prompted a series of condemnations from media groups, public officials, and even Marcos himself.

Suspects were identified, and murder charges were filed.

The incident led Gov. Henry Oaminal to direct the provincial police and the Police Regional Office (PRO-10) to arrest the culprits and revisit the investigation of other assassination attempts.

These included the Oct. 15 blast in Clarin which hit his convoy; the Oct. 23 shooting of Calamba Municipal engineer Jopson Baones; and Oct. 28 grenade-throwing incident at the house of Calamba Mayor Luisito Villanueva.

Almost a month after Jumalon’s murder, the province will again mourn the death of Riza Ramos Daniel, 49, who was killed in a blast inside the Mindanao State University-Main Campus gymnasium in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur on Dec. 3.

Daniel was the mother of El Dritz, who was also injured in the blast, both of Tangub City. El Dritz was a third-year Computer Studies student at MSU-Main. Daniel decided to work in Marawi City to be closer to her son.

MSU-Marawi incident

The incident in MSU-Main brought the provincial government of Lanao del Sur and the Marawi City government together to coordinate with the police and military.

Within the week, the Islamic State militants claimed the attack, followed by the arrest of suspects Kadapi Mimbesa and Arsani Membisa, who are said to have links with local terrorist group, Dawlah Islamiyah. Both had prior arrest warrants for murder and kidnapping charges.

Other than Daniel, the three other fatalities were students Janine Arenas and Junrey Barbante, and faculty member Evangeline Aromin. The blast also injured some 50 people.

Change of command, anti-insurgency

Meanwhile, this year saw major changes in the region’s military and police leadership.

Maj. Gen. Jose Ma. Cuerpo II replaced Maj. Gen. Wilbur Mamawag as the commander of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) in March. Brig. Gen. Ricardo Layug also replaced Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop as PRO-10 director in October.

As soon the two assumed office, they had their hands full in continuing the mandates of the national government in securing the peace and order situation in the region.

The 4ID under Cuerpo continued its operations against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, and even on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, troops under the 403rd Infantry Brigade killed 10 rebels in Bukidnon.

Cuerpo said the Army has maintained its position of allowing NPA rebels to surrender or face a military operation, wherever they may be in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions.

PRO-10 also accepted rebel surrenderers who brought in firearms and ammunition. Those who surrendered were assisted in the programs of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

On anti-drugs, Layug said the police has continued its anti-illegal drug campaign with a series of buy-busts in partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

With the introduction of “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, PRO-10 followed suit in promoting a holistic approach to addressing illegal drug issues.

Village polls

Layug and Cuerpo would again have their hands full in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) that were finally held on Oct. 30 after several years of delay.

Police and military troops were deployed to keep the peace.

While reports of vote buying by the local chapter of the National Citizens; Movement for Free Elections, and tensions among supporters in Nunungan, Lanao del Norte, both PRO-10 and 4ID reported a “generally peaceful” BSKE.

On election gun ban operations, PRO-10 reported that from August 28 to October 30, a total of 77 operations were launched that resulted in the arrest of 90 persons, confiscation of 55 firearms, 41 deadly weapons, 367 rounds of ammunition, and an explosive.

But in Lanao del Sur province, which is part of the Bangsamoro Region, the BSKE was marred with heated confrontations among political supporters, voting delays in precincts, and occasional violence that led to a death in the town of Butig.

Rice, economy

The limited rice supply and increase in its prices prompted the national government to issue Executive Order 39, which put a ceiling on prices and provided assistance to affected farmers and small-scale retailers.

Bukidnon province, the region’s food basket, was also affected by drought that some had attributed to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon being experienced in the country.

However, according to the Department of Agriculture, the lean months between August and September would be offset by the fresh harvests that came in October.

And so it did, as the Philippine Statistics Authority Region 10 released its monthly inflation reports and regional economic status in the following month, showing a rosy picture of the regional economy. The National Economic and Development Authority-Region 10 forecasts a stable overall economy for 2023.

Based on the 2022 gross regional domestic product, NEDA-10 Director Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño said Northern Mindanao achieved a GRDP of 7.2 percent or PHP935 billion, compared to the 6.3 percent growth in the previous year, which was impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. (By Nef Luczon/PNA)

JICA ‘not ready yet’ to fund Mindanao Railway

Posted on by cmn

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 Nov)—A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) official said they are “not ready yet” to fund Mindanao Railway’s construction

“Actually, to be frank, we have a lot of projects in the entire Philippines, now because we are supporting the construction of the Manila subway and North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) and so on,” JICA Philippines’ Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto said in a press conference Friday last week.

“Comparing with preparedness, actually we do not have any background information about Mindanao railway so preparedness-wise we are not ready to consider the railway project,” he added.

Notably, the Philippine government stopped seeking funding assistance from China for the construction of the Mindanao Railway, the Department of Finance (DOF) told the Chinese Embassy in Manila last October.

DOF stated in a letter to Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian dated September 22, 2023, that the Philippines is “no longer inclined to pursue Chinese ODA financing for the Mindanao Railway Project Phase 1 Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment.”

The cause for the loan application’s withdrawal was not stated in the letter.

However, the JICA official said their “door is open” should the Philippine government be strongly interested in seeking funds from them for the construction of the Mindanao Railway.

“The door is open if the [Department of Transportation], [National Economic and Development Authority], and DOF may have a strong interest in discussing the possibility of this future [railway project continuation],” Sakamoto said.

Meanwhile, NEDA-Davao regional director Maria Lourdes Lim said the Mindanao railway project is seeking to look for other partners to continue the project.

“We have the Mindanao railway project, the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment, this is phase 1 of the railway project earlier, its current status is the right-of-way acquisition funded by the Philippine government,” Lim said.

The Mindanao Railway Project: Tagum-Davao-Digos, which is valued at P83 billion, is seen to reduce the travel time from Tagum City in Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur from three and a half hours to an hour and a half. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)

Statistical exhibit opens PSA’s 10th-anniversary celebration in NorMin

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To continue providing statistical services to the people in the region, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-10 kicked off its 10th anniversary celebration in Northern Mindanao with a statistical exhibit on September 5

With the theme “PSA@10: Providing Quality Service through Digital Transformation,” the celebration aims to foster and celebrate PSA’s achievements over the past decade. It also emphasizes the agency’s enhanced cooperation and partnerships with other government agencies and local government units.

As another year begins for PSA, Janith C. Aves, PSA-10 officer-in-charge, assured the public that PSA’s data dissemination and civil registration functions will be further enhanced with innovative approaches. It includes the integration of the latest technology into data-gathering procedures.

“PSA strives to implement strategies to improve using the latest state-of-the-art technologies to deliver quality output. It proves that PSA also embraces innovations to provide better quality services, not just to deliver its functions but to serve the Philippines by embracing the modern world,” she said.

Cagayan de Oro City Councilor lawyer James Judith said in a message that as society moves toward a data-driven culture, the role of PSA-10 has become increasingly vital to policy-making, similar to that of the National Economic and Development Authority.

As part of the celebration, PSA-10 offers a nine-day civil registration and PhilSys ID application services to complement the statistical exhibit to streamline the processing, reduce the usual processing time at the main office, and accommodate walk-in inquiries for added convenience to mallgoers.

Aves also committed to much-improved and more efficient services and data dissemination forums in the coming years. (DCC/PIA-10)

Bukidnon’s commitment to NorMin’s Development: A roadmap to progress

Posted on by cmn

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon – The provincial government of Bukidnon, led by Governor Rogelio Neil P. Roque, has strongly affirmed its commitment and support for the Northern Mindanao Regional Development Plan (NMRDP) 2023-2028

It was reiterated during the NMRDP 2023-2028 Roadshow on September 5 at the Kaamulan Folk Arts Theater in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

In his message, Governor Roque emphasized the province’s determination to excel in governance and regional progress.

He urged all agencies to follow the “game plan” outlined in the NMRDP and work together as a united force to achieve the province’s goals and contribute to the broader ambitions of AmBisyon Natin 2040.

“Bukidnon is fully committed to following this game plan because we recognize its immense benefits for our province and the whole region. As an agricultural province, our goal extends beyond merely modernizing agriculture; we aspire to bring about a transformative change for our farmers,” Roque said.

The NMRDP 2023-2028 has identified several priority areas for development in Bukidnon. These include public health, education, the creation of livable communities, ensuring food security and proper nutrition, modernizing agriculture and agri-business, revitalizing industry, promoting trade and investments, improving transportation, enhancing water resources-related facilities, and addressing various social, economic, macro, and infrastructure sectors.

Dreaming big for Northern Mindanao 2040

Regional Director Myla Faye Aurora B. Cariño of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-10 and Vice Chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC-10) articulated the region’s vision for 2040.

She emphasized the goal of establishing Northern Mindanao as a center for inclusive growth, with a primary focus on enhancing major gateways, ensuring agricultural sustainability, and fostering industrial development, all while prioritizing the people’s welfare.

“We want Region 10 to be an international gateway, leading agricultural hub, and major industrial, tourism, and trade center in the Philippines,” Cariño said.

The NMRDP 2023-2028 serves as a roadmap for Northern Mindanao to regain its path to progress and continue reducing poverty and unemployment during the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. (BGE/PIA-10/Bukidnon)

NEDA secures P12.7-B development plan for NorMin airports

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The National Economic and Development Authority in Northern Mindanao (NEDA-10) will have a PHP12.7-billion budget for improving its airports, an official said last July 27

In a statement, NEDA-10 director Myla Faye Aurora Cariño said the approval of the amount would spur economic growth in the region, particularly in Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.

Currently, the region has three functioning airports, with one still under construction in Don Carlos town, Bukidnon province.

She said the expansion intends to handle a greater volume of domestic and international flights in the region for its transformation into a prominent e-commerce hub in Mindanao.

The budget for airport improvement forms part of the Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023–2028.

The RDP was presented at the Trade Facilitation Cluster of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area held in this city from July 25-26.

Local planners were also called upon to generate support for the RDP 2023–2028 Provincial and Highly Urbanized City Roadshows, which aims to promote the region’s comprehensive development agenda and engage stakeholders in the collaborative pursuit of sustainable and inclusive growth.

Misamis Oriental Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano (2nd District) already proposed a bill seeking to transform Laguindingan Airport into an international airport facility. (PNA)

Northern Mindanao crafts six-year plan to reduce high poverty incidence

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines — The gross regional domestic product of Northern Mindanao grew by 7.2% in 2022, indicating recovery from the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, residents of the region have yet to feel this improvement, according to an official from the state’s planning agency

“Poverty remains the biggest challenge,” said Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Northern Mindanao during the June 21 launch of the Northern Mindanao Regional Development Plan (NMRDP) for 2023-2028.
Cariño said Northern Mindanao had previously reduced poverty levels by 15 percentage points, and the six-year NMRDP aims to further reduce the poverty incidence among the population from 26.2% in 2021 to 15% by the end of 2028 and among families by 10%.
The 21-chapter NMRDP, developed through a series of consultations and focused group discussions among various stakeholders in the region, includes a list of 2,045 identified projects starting this year until 2028.
The objective is to increase Northern Mindanao’s ratio of hospital bed capacity to one bed per 1,000 patients by 2028 from the current one per 2,328
New ASF outbreak in Lanao del Norte threatens Northern Mindanao again
Agriculture officials say biosecurity measures have been set up around the green zone and adjoining barangays to monitor the spread of the virus
Death toll in Army, NPA clashes in Caraga, Northern Mindanao climbs to 7
The military says many of those killed in the separate encounters were women
She said these projects aim to stimulate economic activities, create jobs, and provide sources of livelihood, requiring over P3 trillion in public and private investments during the six years.
“The 2022 data is still incomplete until now; hence we used the 2021 figures,” said Cariño, who also serves as the vice-chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Northern Mindanao.
Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Dimaporo, the chairperson of the RDC, said the completion of the Panguil Bay Bridge project, connecting her province to Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, would facilitate the transport of goods, delivery of basic services, and movement of people.
Dimaporo said the development of Cagayan de Oro into a metropolis within the planning period would accelerate the region’s goal of becoming an international gateway in Mindanao by 2040.
The planned Metropolitan Cagayan de Oro aims to expand the region’s urban center to include 14 localities from the city’s nearby provinces.
The RDC-X aims to transform Northern Mindanao’s five provinces and nine cities into a “leading agricultural hub and major industrial, tourism, and trade center.”
NEDA Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos described the NMRDP as “meticulously crafted” and “aligned seamlessly” with the Philippine Development Plan for 2023 to 2028.
“This plan signifies not an end but rather the dawn of a crucial phase,” he told development council members.
He said strategies must be translated into tangible actions and continually evaluated while also addressing challenges such as inflationary pressures, climate change, and the spread of animal diseases. The region, he noted, has already become a major producer of livestock and poultry products.
Abad Santos acknowledged the region’s recovery from negative economic growth during the pandemic, placing it just behind the National Capital Region and the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that the region’s economy expanded by 7.2% last year, surpassing the 6.3% growth in 2021 and the 5.6% before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. This growth translated to an increase of P62.49 billion in the region’s gross domestic product.
The PSA-10 said a family of five requires an average of P11,920 per month to fulfill their basic food and non-food necessities in 2021, which corresponds to the poverty threshold in Northern Mindanao.
According to the report, the poverty incidence in the region was 26.2%, affecting approximately 1.72 million individuals that year.
During the first semester of 2021, Lanao del Norte showed the highest poverty incidence at 39.1%, affecting approximately 62,900 families. In contrast, Cagayan de Oro had the lowest poverty incidence of 11.6%, affecting around 22,600 families.
Although Bukidnon’s poverty incidence stood at 36.9%, it recorded the largest number of poor population and low-income families in the region. The province had 115,000 families or 605,500 individuals living in poverty, showed the PSA-X report. (Uriel Quilinquing/Rappler)

CAAP bids out Bukidnon Airport’s P1-B Phase 4

Posted on by cmn

MALAYBALAY CITY – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has updated the schedule of the bid submission and opening of the P1-billion Phase IV of the construction of the Bukidnon Airport, based on bid documents as of March 7, 2023

This 900-day phase of the Bukidnon Airport Development Project is expected to start on May 25, 2023, and to be completed on November 10, 2025.

CAAP set the new deadline for submission and opening of bids for the P970.3 million phase on March 30, 2023, according to the bid bulletin issued by Captain Edgardo G. Diaz, Chair, CAAP Bids, and Awards Committee.

The Bukidnon Airport, located in Barangay Maraymaray in Don Carlos, in the southern part of the province, is one of the flagship projects of the government in Northern Mindanao.

The phase covers the site preparation of the land side area; construction of access road and vehicular parking area; industrial lighting and exterior power distribution, nine-storey control tower building; two-story administration building; the communal toilet; waiting area; A and B ticketing booths – A (four units) and B (two units); 10,000-gallons steel water tank A and B; pump house A, B, and C; powerhouse; transform yard (two units); CSIS office building; cargo terminal building; rescue and firefighting facility; STP control room; guardhouse A & B; covered pathway, 13 Units; lifting station with 26 service manholes; water impounding system; and staff house building.

CAAP has reported about 8.26% actual accomplishment in the airport’s Phase 3 or the construction of passenger terminal building, runway strip, and runway Extension, among others as of a status report of February 28, 2023.

CAAP awarded the P958.4 million project phase to Tokwing Construction Corp./Mamsar Construction and Industrial Corporation. The 540-day project started on September 10, 2022, and is due for completion on April 3, 2024, after a revision.

Contractor Jasa Builders completed the construction of the project’s P74.5 million Phase 2 on October 9, 2022, which CAAP inspectors checked on November 16, 2022.

CAAP has reported 48.25% actual accomplishment in the airport construction’s Phase 1, which was awarded to Eddmari Construction and Trading. As of February 28, 2023, this project phase is due for completion on April 20, 2023.

The CAAP project status report, however, showed a number of adjustments in project completion.

Based on the project profile, the Phase 1 project duration was increased from 330 to 440 calendar days due to an approved variation order. The completion was first extended from June 28, 2022, to October 15, 2022. The same duration was adjusted by another approved variation order to April 8, 2023, due to “unworkable/rainy days”. Another extension was given up to April 20, 2023, due again to unfavorable conditions and delayed payments of 1st progress billing.

Although declared complete and inspected as of November 2022, the CAAP status report also cited that the project’s Phase 2, on embankment works, was also extended due to “unworkable/rainy days”.

Based on the CAAP report, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has downloaded to CAAP a total of P2.816 billion from 2019 to 2022 to the four phases of the project, which is expected to be completed in 2026.

For Phase 1, the DOTr downloaded P200 million of its annual budget to CAAP with a memorandum of agreement approved on April 25, 2019. From the 2019 GAA (General Appropriations Act), DOTr downloaded an additional P430 million.

In Phase 2, the DOTr downloaded P136.8 million of its GAA to CAAP with a MOA signed on January 10, 2019.

In Phase 3, the DOTr downloaded a total of P1.05 billion to CAAP with a MOA approved on June 10, 2021.

Finally, for Phase 4, the DOTr downloaded a total of P1 billion to CAAP with a MOA approved also on June 10, 2021.

In November 2021, then-Senate Majority Leader Zubiri reported construction of the P2 billion (USD39.8 million) Bukidnon Airport project to be fully completed in 2026.

According to the Center for Aviation website, once operational the Bukidnon Airport is expected to accommodate aircraft including the ATR-72 and Bombardier Q400.

When the Bukidnon Airport was being conceptualized, Sen, Zubiri pushed for the project and has since supported its construction. In 2012, Senator Zubiri earmarked a portion of his Priority Development Assistance Fund to start the construction of the airport.

He said he has looked for additional sources from Official Development Assistance and other international aid agencies to fund the bigger portion of the project.

He added that an airport in the province is important as the Laguindingan International Airport is set to operate in 2012. Land travel from Bukidnon to the new airport has taken much longer.

In 2011, then President Benigno Simeon Aquino tasked the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to conduct a feasibility study for an airport “more central in Mindanao” so that distances to and from various areas will make more economic sense. Aquino had said that most Mindanao airports are located near the coast.

Initially, CAAP inspected three sites for the proposed airport, which were all considered “technically feasible”; the current site, another area in Cabangahan here in Malaybalay, and in Dabongdabong, Valencia City. (BukidnonNews.Net)

RPMES Training-Workshop sa Valencia nagmalampuson

Posted on by Omar Rashid Z. Abdullah

Nagmalampuson nga napahigayon pinaagi sa suporta sa National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 10 kauban ang City Planning and Development Office ang refresher training ug workshop sa Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES) sa dakbayan sa Valencia, niadtong Enero 23-24, 2023

Base sa pahibalo sa lokal nga panggamhanan, ang mga nisalmot sa maong training mao ang mga miyembro sa Local Project Monitoring Committee, punong barangay, ahensiya, ug department ug division heads sa syudad.

Tinguha sa maong training nga mapalapad ang mga pamaagi ug kapasidad sa matag buhatan ug implementing units sa pagmonitor ug pag-ebalwar sa mga nahimong proyekto ug programa sa lokalidad aron masiguro ang malamposon nga implementasyon niini. (Omar Rahid Z. Abdullah)