CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (PIA) - The Mindanao Strategic Development Framework (MSDF) for the years 2010-2020 was launched recently in this city. Region 10 office of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA 10) Director Leon M. Dacanay, Jr. welcomed some 100 participants representing the six regions in Mindanao including Regional Development Council (RDC) officials, representatives of government line agencies, private sector/non-government organizations, and the media. Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga was keynote speaker. The MSDF defines the Mindanao agenda for 2010 to 2020 to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty on the island. It will serve as a guide in the preparation of development plans for Mindanao regions. Crafted by the Mindanao NEDA regional offices and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Planning and Development Office, it has been endorsed by the Mindanao Regional Development Councils and the Regional Economic Development and Planning Board of the ARMM. The preparation of the framework document was spearheaded by the NEDA Regional Development Office (NEDA-RDO) headed by Assistant Director General Marcelina E. Bacani. It envisions a peaceful and socially inclusive Mindanao with strong, sustainable, competitive, ICT-driven, agro-industrial and resource-based economy responsive to local and global opportunities. This vision will be pursued under five themes - sustainable resource-based industrialization, growth with social equity, efficient logistic support, peace building, and good governance and strong partnership. Mindanao's abundant physical and human resources will be harnessed in promoting sustainable agriculture and agri-based industries to ensure food security, tourism, and mineral development. Effective and efficient delivery of basic services such as education, health, and nutrition will be ensured. There will be more jobs in socio-economic activities. Improved and efficient transportation and telecommunication facilities and secured energy supplies will leverage investments.
While peace projects will be pushed. Good governance, broad people participation, and strong public-private partnership will be promoted. Paderanga, in his keynote speech, emphasized that the government must especially focus interventions on the marginalized and vulnerable sectors and accelerate work on providing for the energy needs of Mindanao. As this developed, he thanked the guests for their support and ended with the note ''I hope to count on this as down payment for the hard work we are going to do later on
