CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Aquino administration is planning to construct more roads to speed up economic development in Mindanao, government officials disclosed Saturday.
Aside from constructing more roads, the government is also considering the construction of a mega dam in Pulangi River in Bukidnon as a “big contribution” to Mindanao’s economic development as it would address the power demand of big sectors, especially the power producers and retailers.
Earlier this year, Mindanao experienced up to 12 hours of power outages daily due to the drying up of its hydropower sources as a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Mindanao draws more than 50 percent of its power from hydro sources such as the Agus plants in Lake Lanao, and the Pulangui River in Bukidnon.
The Aquino administration has plans of developing the country’s energy sector through the Department of Energy (DoE), which is tasked to make further studies on how to address the power crisis in the southern island.
Newly installed chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Lualhati Antonino made these government projection during the three-day 2010 Mindanao Business Conference (2010 MinBizCom) here which ended on Saturday.
The plans of the government will boost economic development in Mindanao, Antonino said.
The new MinDA chair said the Aquino administration is giving more attention to Mindanao to make it a booming region in the country.
On Thursday, President Aquino made a Mindanao swing, particularly in Southern Mindanao region and meet Mindanao’s business community leaders there and switched-on the newly built Sibulan Hydropower Plant in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
“The government intends to establish more road networks that would link all ports in the island,” stressed Antonino.
The MinDA chair said construction of more roads in agricultural food producing provinces will address the inconvenience of transporting goods in and out of Mindanao.
On the other hand, Antonino said the Aquino administration is also focusing on continuing peace efforts in Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines.
The MinDA chair said peace negotiations would be given due attention by the Aquino administration through initiating programs that would improve the quality of life for Mindanaoans.
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