The Regional Development Council of Region X followed up on a slew of key measures to strengthen the infrastructure connectivity of the region and improve its competitiveness during the 107th RDC-X Full Council meeting held 16 February 2016 in Cagayan de Oro City.
RDC-10 Co-Chair & NEDA RD Leon Dacanay Jr. presides over the 107th Full Council Meeting held 16 Feb 2016 at Pryce Plaza, Cagayan de Oro City. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
Among them, the proposed investment programming session for the Iligan-Bukidnon Agribusiness and Ecotourism Development Zone scheduled not later than the end of March 2016; endorsing to the Office of the President the proposed port delineation of the Port of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental for the issuance of an executive order declaring and delineating the port of Laguindingan as port zone under the administrative jurisdiction of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA); endorsing to the Department of Public Works and Highways regional office X (DPWH-X) the proposed access road project leading to the port of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental; and, endorsing to the NEDA Central Office for technical and funding support the preparation of the proposed Northern Mindanao Regional Transport Master Plan.
“The Iligan-Bukidnon Agribusiness and Ecotourism Development Zone investment programming session is a support for the imminent completion of the Bukidnon-Iligan Road which will open direct trade and investments between the two areas,” said Architect Gil Balondo, Iligan City Planning and Development Coordinator, in the sidelines of the full council meeting.
Iligan-Bukidnon Road
The Iligan-Bukidnon Road is a section of the proposed 397.85 km-Mindanao East-West Lateral Road, totaling a length of 185.27 kms. The Iligan section traverses the barangays of Sta. Filomena, San Roque, Bonbonon, Digkilaan and Rogongon. At Bukidnon side it connects to Aglayan junction at Sayre Highway, Malaybalay City passing Tikilaan of Talakag and Lantapan.
“This road will cut travel time between the two destinations by at least one hour for private vehicles and two hours for public utility vehicles,” Balondo said. “But the benefits will redound to people even beyond these points like Davao, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga regions and as far as Negros Island Region thru the RoRo at Dipolog-Dapitan passing the proposed Panguil Bay Bridge for whom this project would result in tremendous saving in travel time and costs.”
A section of the Iligan-Bukidnon road taken in 2009
Meantime, it was learned that the local government units of Misamis Oriental, Laguindingan and Alubijid had already submitted to RDC-10 their resolutions in support of the proposed Laguindingan port zone delineation.
Ayala Corporation has similarly expressed its support by indicating its willingness to donate the required land area for the seaport and access road. RDC-10 secretariat has already commented on the draft deed of donation through the PMED staff and PPA PMO-Misamis Oriental/CDO.
DPWH-10 still has to conduct a parcellary survey of the approximately 491,745 square meters or 50 hectares needed for the project as requested by PPA PMO-Misamis Oriental/CDO since the technical description is needed by Ayala Corp. to finalize its Deed of Donation.
DENR-10 is also slated to conduct an actual ground survey of the project area to ensure the proposed port would not adversely affect the ecosystems (corals and seagrass) within the area.
As an adjunct to the proposed Laguindingan port, DPWH-10 has already conducted a parcellary survey and identified affected improvements for the proposed port access road. Assessment of the affected improvements including houses and trees would be completed by March 15, 2016 with the technical description to be forwarded to Ayala Corp. for the finalization of the Deed of Donation to DPWH-X.
A section of the Iligan-Bukidnon road taken 2009
Not the least, the resolution asking NEDA Central Office for technical and funding support for the proposed Northern Mindanao Regional Transport Master Plan has been forwarded to the NEDA Infrastructure staff and is now being reviewed for possible Official Development Assistance (ODA) support.
Resolutions approved during the 107th Full Council meeting presided by RDC-X Co-Chair and NEDA-X RD Leon M. Dacanay Jr. included the Regional Policy and Procedural Guidelines in the Preparation of the FY 2017 Budget Proposals of Agency Regional Offices and other Government Agencies; Creation of the Indigenous People’s Technical Working Group (IP-TWG) under the Regional Land Use Committee –X (RLUC-X); support for Memorandum Circular No. 87, s. 2015, “Directing All the National Government Agencies and Instrumentalities, including Government Owned or Controlled Corporations to submit an Inventory of Their Respective Idle Lands, and Creating an Inter-Agency Task Force to identify lands and sites for socialized housing; approval and support for the Activity Plan of Private Sector Organization (PSO) and Selection of RDC-X PSRs for Term 2016-2019; and support for the participation of the RDC-X PSO representatives to the 7th RDC PSR National Convention on April 26-29, 2016 in Legazpi City.
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