Zubiri nudges MinDA: Your mandate is to be ‘NEDA of Mindanao’

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday reminded the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) of its function to diligently oversee the major infrastructure programs in the region, like what the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is doing nationwide.

During the Senate budget hearing of MinDA's proposed P172-million budget, its chairperson Emmanuel Piñol presented the efforts and plans of the agency to boost agricultural productivity and address poverty in Mindanao.

But Zubiri interjected to make an important reminder about the mandate of MinDA by virtue of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Act of 2010.

"MinDA is starting to sound like the Mindanao Department of Agriculture because so far you've discussed about coconut, corn, coffee, rice," he said.

Zubiri, a co-author of the law that created MinDA, said the agency is supposed to be the "NEDA of Mindanao" and should be presenting flagship projects like the Mindanao airports, seaports, and railway system.

Piñol, a former Agriculture Secretary, said the region's development is crucially linked to agriculture.

"You have to understand that Mindanao's economy hinges mainly on agriculture and fisheries and since this is the foundation of our economy, I have always believed that building a strong agriculture, fisheries would lead to the production of products that would be loaded in the trains that we are intending to establish in Mindanao," he said.

Zubiri said he acknowledges this factor but underscored that this function can already be handled by the Department of Agriculture.

"Napakahalaga 'yung macro din... eventually you cannot veer away from your macroeconomic function in MinDa," the senator said.

"When we created MinDA, the idea was that you will coordinate with all the regions in the RDCs and then coordinate with the national government--DPWH, DOTr, all the major infrastructure programs of government for the share in Mindanao," he added.

Piñol, vowing that the agency will immediately submit reports on the progress of ongoing flagship projects in the region, assured that it has not been remiss in the function that Zubiri was referring to.

"We have not lost track of that function, Mr. Chairman. We are actually on top of that function but I thought that in the face of our efforts to recover from COVID-19, I thought that when we presented these very specific programs about our economic recovery in Mindanao, it would be appreciated by the Senate committee," Piñol said.

"I feel guilty, I was the one who actually tweaked our direction and focus in MinDA because you have to understand this, eight out of 10 poorest provinces in the Philippines are in Mindanao. We cannot lose sight of that fact," he added. "Anong ikakarga natin sa train kung walang produkto ang ating mga tao?"

Zubiri said he was a senator who also hails from Mindanao and that he just wanted to ensure that the region is not left behind. The senator requested Piñol to closely monitor the slice that Mindanao will get from the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget which he estimates to be around 11.8 percent.

"I'd like to see a detailed explanation on that, on the exact amount vis-a-vis our national government expenditure," he told Piñol.

Under the MinDA Act of 2010, the agency shall "promote, coordinate and facilitate the active and extensive participation of all sectors to effect the socioeconomic development of Mindanao." — BM, GMA News