CONGRESSMAN Antonio “Tony” Cerilles sees the passing of the Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) bill into law as a vehicle for the harmonization of peace and development efforts in Mindanao.
The MEDA bill was then House Bill 6958 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 3496. Under both bills, the MEDA will become a permanent agency that will integrate Mindanao's socio-economic development.
General provisions of the MEDA proposal seek to strengthen the existing Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) by converting it into a permanent MEDA.
Established in 1992 through EO 512, MEDCO operates as the only existing Mindanao-wide government mechanism that provides a coordinated and rationalized platform for program implementation and monitoring, investment promotion and policy advocacy for Mindanao.
In speaking of his commendations of the passage of the said law, Cerilles said that Mindanao at present will be able to unfold its full promise and thus catch up with the mainstream national in terms of development.
Cerilles, chair of the technical working group on MEDA bill, disclosed there were four versions of the bill—the one’s authored by Representatives Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, Simeon Datumanong of Maguindanao, Datu Pax Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat and the Cerilles version.
Cerilles said he and the other congressmen from Mindanao have been pushing for Mindanao’s potentials to be transformed into the country's front door to the East Asean region in terms of greater economic opportunities.
The MEDA will be headed by a chairman and the chairs of the different RDCs in Mindanao and will be presided by the undersecretary as head and over-all planner for development.
Cerilles recalled that during the administration of former president Joseph Estrada, the congressman represented Mindanao in the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board and there he saw the deficient connections from Mindanao to the national government.
“Usually, in the RDC, the appointed secretaries are the directors in the NEDA and their jobs involve only the submission of approved programs and projects from the RDC to Manila. Once submitted, and whether their boss will approve it or not, they have nothing to do with it,” Cerilles laments.
He further cited for example the previous administration’s lack of concern in Mindanao’s project developments, like the budget allocation for Mindanao, which, he said, is just somewhere between 10 to 15 percent.
“But under the newly approved law, MEDA will represent the entire Mindanao in the NEDA board and will see to it that all the priority projects for the island will be given attention and implemented,” the congressman explained.
Cerilles, who also authored Mindanao Railway System, said that Mindanao legislators are now calling for consideration with regards to project developments.
“We will never have any development without a strong political will and you can only see that when your political leaders demonstrate strong unity among themselves. In Zamboanga del Sur, we have political leaders who have political will,” he said.
Because of such political will, Zamboanga del Sur successfully transferred the regional center from Zamboanga to Pagadian and also, a budget of P300 million was allocated for the upgrading of Pagadian City Airport into an international standard, he added.
For his part, MEDCO chairman Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana Sr. lauded the passing of the MEDA law, saying its approval validates the lawmakers’ commitment to develop Mindanao and accelerate the region's inclusion in the mainstream of national body politic.
“The enactment of the MEDA Bill is seen to enhance the potential role of Mindanao as the bridge to all cultures in this country and in BIMP-EAGA as well as the linchpin of our country's security and national interest,” Leyretana said.
REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA
The MEDA bill was then House Bill 6958 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 3496. Under both bills, the MEDA will become a permanent agency that will integrate Mindanao's socio-economic development.
General provisions of the MEDA proposal seek to strengthen the existing Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) by converting it into a permanent MEDA.
Established in 1992 through EO 512, MEDCO operates as the only existing Mindanao-wide government mechanism that provides a coordinated and rationalized platform for program implementation and monitoring, investment promotion and policy advocacy for Mindanao.
In speaking of his commendations of the passage of the said law, Cerilles said that Mindanao at present will be able to unfold its full promise and thus catch up with the mainstream national in terms of development.
Cerilles, chair of the technical working group on MEDA bill, disclosed there were four versions of the bill—the one’s authored by Representatives Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, Simeon Datumanong of Maguindanao, Datu Pax Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat and the Cerilles version.
Cerilles said he and the other congressmen from Mindanao have been pushing for Mindanao’s potentials to be transformed into the country's front door to the East Asean region in terms of greater economic opportunities.
The MEDA will be headed by a chairman and the chairs of the different RDCs in Mindanao and will be presided by the undersecretary as head and over-all planner for development.
Cerilles recalled that during the administration of former president Joseph Estrada, the congressman represented Mindanao in the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board and there he saw the deficient connections from Mindanao to the national government.
“Usually, in the RDC, the appointed secretaries are the directors in the NEDA and their jobs involve only the submission of approved programs and projects from the RDC to Manila. Once submitted, and whether their boss will approve it or not, they have nothing to do with it,” Cerilles laments.
He further cited for example the previous administration’s lack of concern in Mindanao’s project developments, like the budget allocation for Mindanao, which, he said, is just somewhere between 10 to 15 percent.
“But under the newly approved law, MEDA will represent the entire Mindanao in the NEDA board and will see to it that all the priority projects for the island will be given attention and implemented,” the congressman explained.
Cerilles, who also authored Mindanao Railway System, said that Mindanao legislators are now calling for consideration with regards to project developments.
“We will never have any development without a strong political will and you can only see that when your political leaders demonstrate strong unity among themselves. In Zamboanga del Sur, we have political leaders who have political will,” he said.
Because of such political will, Zamboanga del Sur successfully transferred the regional center from Zamboanga to Pagadian and also, a budget of P300 million was allocated for the upgrading of Pagadian City Airport into an international standard, he added.
For his part, MEDCO chairman Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana Sr. lauded the passing of the MEDA law, saying its approval validates the lawmakers’ commitment to develop Mindanao and accelerate the region's inclusion in the mainstream of national body politic.
“The enactment of the MEDA Bill is seen to enhance the potential role of Mindanao as the bridge to all cultures in this country and in BIMP-EAGA as well as the linchpin of our country's security and national interest,” Leyretana said.
REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA