regional development updates | vol 13 issue 2 | april-june 2015

GenSan’s Aerotropolis to position Region 12 as major Mindanao gateway

2 | Regional Development Updates | April - June 2015

Editor-in-ChiefRD ARTURO G. VALERO

Associate EditorARD NOEL E. QUIRATMAN

Contributing Editors JULIE ESPERANZA B. CHUNG

MARIA FELICIDAD R. GUERRERO ROSA D. LEMANA

MA. LULU E. VALENCIA JULIET G. BOLANDO

RDU Focal PersonsHELEN L. VESTAL

LALAINE M. SAJELANEDEN F. RIDAO

LIBERTY B. ARUMPACAPOLLO Y. MANLAWE

GWYNETH GRACE B. COLLADOJUDD NICHOL L. LEONAR

Photographer APOLLO Y. MANLAWE

Layout Artist APOLLO Y. MANLAWE

ContributorsPIA XIIDA XII

EDITORIAL BOARD

The Regional Development Updates (RDU) is published quarterly by the Regional Development Council (RDC) XII with editorial office at the National Economic and Development Authority Regional Office XII, 2nd and 3rd Floors, RML Building, Jose Abad Santos Street, Koronadal City, South Cotabato, with Telephone No.: (083) 520-0006, Fax: (083) 520-0007. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit the manuscript for reasons of space and clarity. RDU assumes no responsibility on unpublished and unsolicited materials.

HOW TO REACH US

Do you have questions, comments or suggestions? Send your letters with complete name and address to our editorial office mentioned above, or email us at [email protected] or [email protected].

CONTENTS


AFP’s 1002nd Brigade Spearheads Region XII Indigenous People Leaders’ Summit

Philippine Halal Laboratory expected to be completed in CY 2016

RSDC XII recommends more logistics support to address HIV cases in South Cotabato

Farmer group eyes revival of coffee industry in Tupi

Koronadal Hosts First International Folklore Festival

Our cover is the General Santos City International Airport, the center of the proposed Aerotropolis which will be surrounded by business parks, amusement parks, hotels, integrated food terminal, food processing and manufacturing establishments, and shopping malls, in the future.

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Volume 13 | Issue 2 | April - June 2015

RDC XII supports regional youth volunteerism program11

3 SNVMs of RDC XII take oath of office4

April - June 2015 | Regional Development Updates | 3

GenSan’s Aerotropolis.. page 4

KORONADAL City, South Cotabato – A top official from the Mindanao

Development Authority (MinDA) said the proposed General Santos City Airport Industrial Complex or Aerotropolis will position Region 12 as a major international gateway in Mindanao.

MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz said the Aerotropolis, a major infrastructure project being pushed under the Mindanao Development Corridors, will boost the competitiveness of Region 12, located in the South-Central Mindanao Development Corridor.

“The project will integrate the different points of entry in Region 12, particularly General Santos’ international airport, fishport complex, and Makar Wharf,” said Lopoz at the 50th

Regular Meeting of the Regional Development Council XII at Villa Amor Hotel, on June 25, 2015.

Region 12 is composed of the provinces of Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat, and the cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, General Santos, Kidapawan, and Cotabato.

The proposed Aerotropolis will develop some 200 hectares of property surrounding the General Santos airport to an integrated complex that will include business parks, amusement parks, hotels, integrated food terminal, food

processing and manufacturing activities, and shopping malls.

“General Santos City has the potential to be a hub for the consolidation of products and services due to its proximity to major economic centers of Mindanao and the BIMP-EAGA,” she added.

BIMP-EAGA stands for Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, an economic sub-grouping aimed to accelerate social and economic development of less developed areas in participating countries.

On top of the General Santos City Airport Industrial Complex, other projects being pushed under the Mindanao Development Corridors are the Mindanao

Railway System, the Davao South Marina and Industrial Park, the Davao International Airport Operations, Maintenance, and Development Project, the Davao City Sasa Port Modernization Project, and a number of major road projects connecting the South-Central Mindanao Corridor to other development corridors.

The Mindanao Development Corridors is a key spatial strategy of MinDA that will help pave the way for a connected and globally competitive Mindanao. Cited under Chapter 10 of the updated Philippine Development Plan, this strategy captures the Aquino govern‎ment’s accelerated infra development agenda for

by MinDA/Danilo E. Doguiles - PIA 12


MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz (center) with RDC XII Secretary Noel E. Quiratman and RDC XII Acting Chairperson Arturo G. Valero during the 50th Regular Meeting of RDC XII.


Mindanao.

“We need to interconnect Mindanao for it to be efficient,” said Lopoz while adding “the corridors strategy will accelerate development and ensure aligning of infrastructure projects in Mindanao to facilitate better economic activity and a much attractive investment climate.”

The Mindanao corridors will also help position the island-region as a single, integrated economy that is able to leverage and actively participate in the BIMP-EAGA and the rest of the world.

“In the past several years, Mindanao has been experiencing an economic growth of six to seven percent, but this increase must also translate into higher incomes and more jobs,” she said.

GenSan’s Aerotropolis.. from page 4

The corridors strategy will allow for the improvement of infrastructure, establishment of connectivity, and spur the development of growth clusters

Left - MGen Ariel B. Bernardo, (Ret.), Ph.D., Regional Director of NICA XII, Atty. Erlan P. Deluvio, OIC-Regional Director of CHR XII, and Joey L. Bogay, Regional Director of NCIP XII took their oath of office as new SNVMs of RDC XII.

within Mindanao, to achieve a balanced and inclusive growth among its regions.

“We need to improve further Mindanao’s connectivity and infrastructure in order for businesses to experience huge reduction of transaction costs and divert savings to expansion, which will provide employment to the region’s constituents,” she added.

Lopoz said one of the key components for a competitive region is having good connectivity that will allow a smooth flow of trade within and outside of the region.

“With the corridors strategy, we can expect Mindanao’s growth to go into full swing and at the same time boost its competitiveness in the global economic stage,” she said.

MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz said the Aerotropolis, a major infrastructure project being pushed under the Mindanao Development Corridors will boost the competitiveness of Region 12.

Three (3) Special Non-Voting Members (SNVM) of the

Regional Development Council (RDC) XII took their oath of office during the 50th Regular Meeting of the Council in Koronadal City on June 25, 2015.

MGen Ariel B. Bernardo, (Ret.), Regional Director of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)

XII and Atty. Erlan P. Deluvio, OIC-Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) XII were endorsed by the Macroeconomy, Development Administration and Finance Committee, while Joey L. Bogay, Regional Director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples XII was endorsed by the Regional Social Development Committee XII. The membership

of NICA and CHR as SNVMs was approved by RDC XII through Resolution No. 49, Series of 2015, while that of NCIP was approved through Resolution No. 86, Series of 2014.

Executive Order No. 325, Series of 1996, allows any government agency to become SNVM, subject to the endorsement of any of the RDC sectoral committees and with the concurrence of majority of the Council’s regular members.

3 SNVMs of RDC XII take oath of officeBy: Apollo Y. Manlawe, NEDA XII-DRD


“Empowering Our IP Leaders in Establishing Partnership for Peace, Development,

and Prosperity in Ancestral Domains/Indigenous Cultural Communities,” is the theme of the Indigenous People’s Summit spearheaded by the 1002nd

Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 13 May 2015 in General Santos City.

The summit was participated in by representatives from Regional Line Agencies (RLAs), including NEDA XII, Local Government Units (LGUs), members of the 1002nd Brigade of the AFP, and IP representatives of various denominations and areas in Region XII. It was graced by Congressperson Nancy A. Catamco of the 2nd District of Cotabato Province.

The activity aimed to provide participants an opportunity to understand the political structure

and concerns on ancestral domain and socio-economic development, including the strategy and tactics of the CPP/NPA/NDF in enticing the IPs to join them, and on the campaign plan of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EMC) to address these concerns.

Resource persons and topics discussed during the activity were: a) Datu Edmund D. Pangilan, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR), who presented information about the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS); b) Col. Ronald C. Villanueva of the Philippine Army, who provided information on the tactics of the CPP/NPA/NDF and Campaign Plan of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EMCC); c) Bae Norma O. Rivera, who discussed the Concepts and Background of Ancestral Domains; and d) Fulong Dan B. Alim, Founding

Chairman of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance Movement (IPAM), who focused on the socio-economic development of the IPs.

Congressperson Nancy A. Catamco, being a Manobo, cited herself as an example of a member of the IPs who has risen from difficulties. She encouraged the IPs to take action to improve their lives and shared her belief that empowerment could be achieved through systematic consultations and comprehensive dialogues with the concerned entities. She also disclosed that they are planning to convene the four regions in Eastern Mindanao for a larger summit wherein issues could be generated and ultimately presented to the national level.

AFP’s 1002nd Brigade Spearheads Region XII Indigenous People Leaders’ SummitBy: Liberty B. Arumpac, NEDA XII-DRD

Col. Ronald C. Villanueva of the Philippine Army provided information on the tactics of the CPP/NPA/NDF and Campaign Plan of the Eastern Mindanao Command during the Region XII Indigenous People Leaders’ Summit on May 13, 2015 in General Santos City.


The Construction of the Philippine Halal Laboratory building in

Barangay Paraiso, Koronadal City is expected to be completed next year, provided all funds for the project are released on time. According to Regional Director Dr. Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XII, the facility will be used to train food manufacturers and build a pool of halal certifiers in the country.

The project which was started in 2009 is being implemented by phase. Phases I to V, which correspond to the structural component of the building are fully completed. Phase VI or the architectural component is substantially completed, while Phase VII or other related activities are on-going.

The project cost was estimated at Php75 Million in 2008. However, inflation over the years has rendered the said cost estimate inadequate, thus, a bigger amount is required to complete the structure. The project was awarded to Marble Construction.

Per information from DOST Assistant Regional Director Sammy Malawan, for CY 2015 only PhP4.5 Million out of the proposed budget of PhP14.36 Million was approved. For CY 2016, DOST proposed a budget of PhP45 Million for the completion of the project.

The Philippine Halal Laboratory Building and Training Center was endorsed by RDC XII as one of the region’s priority projects. It is included among the Kilos Abante Programs/Projects

Philippine Halal Laboratory expected to be completed in CY 2016By: Apollo Y. Manlawe, NEDA XII-DRD

under the Competitive Industry and Services Sector chapter of the updated SOCCSKSARGEN Regional Development Plan (RDP), 2013-2016.

The Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) XII visited the project on May 14, 2015 and witnessed the masonry and finishing works, and the installation of travertine stone (steel frame). The installation of travertine stone is part of the program of works under Phase VII.

The latest picture of the Philippline Halal Laboratory building in Barangay Paraiso, Koronadal City.

PROJECT MONITORING PROJECT MONITORING PROJECT MONITORING


Name of Project: Construction of Silway Bridge, Phase II along the General Santos City Circumferential Road, Northern Section

Location: General Santos City

Project Cost: PhP 110,000,000.00

Physical Target: Construction of a 180-linear meter pre-stressed concrete girder (PSCG) bridge, six (6) spans at 30 linear meters per span on steel H-Pile foundation and abutment protection.

Name of Project: Road Upgrading (Gravel to Concrete) along General Santos City Circumferential Road, Airport to Fishport Section, Km 1,673+000 to Km 1,676+290

Location: General Santos City


Physical Target: Road upgrading (gravel to concrete) with a total length of 3.29 Km and construction of 1.39 Km lined canal

Name of Project: Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of damaged paved national road including drainage along Digos-Makar Road, Km1628+290-Km1628+876; Km1628+482-Km1628+613

Location: Malungon, Sarangani Province


Physical Target: Two-lane PCCP; each lane has a length of 522 lm Implementation Status: The project is on-going with an overall accomplishment of 55%, over its 30% planned target for the period or a positive slippage of (+) 25% as of April 30, 2015.

Implementation Status: The project has attained a 55.89% work accomplishment as of May 7, 2015, but has incurred a negative (-) 21.04% slippage mainly due to Road Right-of-Way problem.

Implementation Status: Per DPWH report on the project accomplishment as of April 30, 2015, the project registered a 50.87% accomplishment, but has a slippage of negative (-) 11.40%. The slow progress of work was due to the frequent breakdown of equipment.

PROJECT MONITORING PROJECT MONITORING PROJECT MONITORING


PROJECT MONITORING Name of Project: Repair/Rehabilitation/Improvement of Cotabato-Marbel Road (Ambalgan Section) Station Limits: Km1739+000 – Km1739+658 with exceptions

Location: Sto. Niño, South Cotabato


Physical Target: 258 meter long x 3.05 meter wide x 28 cm thick PCCP both side of the existing road (expansion); 3.0 m wide x 60.0 m long loading/unloading bay at both sides of the

Name of Project: Construction of the Three-Storey NEDA XII Regional Office Building

Location: Regional Government Center, Brgy. Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City


Physical Target: Construction of a three-storey regional office building

Implementation Status: The project is on-going with an overall physical accomplishment of

Name of Project: Construction of Multi-Purpose Building, Covered Court at Malapatan National High School

Location: Malapatan, Sarangani Province


Physical Target: Construction of 1 unit covered court including electrical works and painting of the pedestal Implementation Status: The project is on-going with a total physical accomplishment of 18.00%, slightly ahead of schedule, with a slippage of positive (+) 2.23% as of April 30, 2015.

road; Construction of 60 meters slope protection structures at both sides of the road; Pavement markings (thermoplastic)

Implementation Status: The project is on-going with 95% accomplishment as of May 13, 2015 but has a negative (-) 5% slippage.

25.89% and positive (+) slippage of 5.52% as of May 14, 2015. It has a total disbursement of PhP 5,756,235.76 representing 15.00% of the contract amount as of 30 April 2015.


The Regional Social Development Committee (RSDC) XII has elevated

to the NEDA Board Social Development Committee, for support and/or appropriate action, the concern on the increasing cases of confirmed sexually-transmitted infection/human immunodeficiency virus (STI/HIV)-positive individuals in Region XII, particularly in South Cotabato.

According to Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, Jr., Provincial Health Officer of South Cotabato, the recorded cumulative figure for STI/HIV-positive individuals in the province, as of March 2015, totaled to 254 cases.

“Males having sex with other males is the predominant mode of transmission of the infections and few are caused by needle sharing among injecting drug users,” Dr. Aturdido said.

“One of the contributing factors to the rise in STI/HIV-AIDS detection rate in South Cotabato is the increasing

awareness of the people, especially those living with HIV-positive individuals, on the importance of early detection of the disease in order to facilitate earlier treatment also,” the IPHO official added.

Another good practice in the province is that, some of those detected HIV-positive individuals have come out in the open and become advocates of STI/HIV-AIDS prevention drive launched by IPHO-South Cotabato.

“As the IPHO continues in its detection drive or case finding phase for STI/HIV positive, it is expected that the number of recorded cases in the province will increase,” Dr. Aturdido further said.

Dr. Francisco Mateo, OIC-Assistant Director of DOH XII, has affirmed the increasing detection rate for STI/HIV positive in the entire region, although he was not able to provide the figure for the total number of recorded cases in the region due to incompleteness of data from other provinces and cities.

“It is true that more individuals are now subjecting themselves to free HIV-AIDS test being offered by the Department of Health and more HIV-positive individuals are coming out in the open and serving as advocates for HIV-AIDS awareness and

prevention drive being pursued by the Department,” Dr. Mateo shared.

According to Dr. Aturdido, to facilitate faster detection and earlier prevention of the infections, particularly HIV, to become full-blown AIDS, the IPHO needs financial and other logistics support specifically, for the establishment of a Treatment Hub, preferably with a separate building, in order to address the confidentiality issue of the matter.

“Additional manpower complement is also needed to facilitate better service delivery to patients,” the IPHO official further added.

Considering that preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that our country hoped to achieve by 2015, the RSDC XII raised the concerns of IPHO-South Cotabato to the National SDC, for support of DOH Central Office, the Department of Budget and Management and other concerned agencies at the national level.

The National SDC is one of the committees of the NEDA Board which meets semi-annually to deliberate and/or address social development issues that need support or action by the national line agencies.

RSDC XII recommends more logistics support to address HIV cases in South Cotabato

By: Eden F. Ridao, NEDA XII-DRD

Complete Project Monitoring Reports for the 2nd Quarter can be downloaded at RDC XII websiteh t t p : / / n r o 1 2 . n e d a . g o v. p h /rdc12/affiliate/regional-project-monitoring-committee/cy-2015-project-monitoring-reports/


Farmer group eyes revival of coffee industry in Tupi by: Danilo E. Doguiles-PIA XII with report from CULAguillon-DA XII RAFIS

TUPI, South Cotabato, June 2 (PIA) - A group of coffee growers here is

leading the revival of the town’s coffee industry.

In the 1960s, the town of Tupi was vastly planted to coffee and supplied tons of coffee beans to adjacent provinces and some areas in the Visayas.

During the heyday of Tupi’s coffee industry, almost every household had areas planted to Arabica and Robusta coffee. In those days, brewing of freshly-harvested coffee beans was a familiar scene.

However, in the 1980s, the price of coffee in the market suddenly dropped resulting to the decline of coffee production in the municipality. Farmers ceased to expand coffee plantations, while others cut fully matured and productive coffee trees and replaced by other commodities believed to offer better financial returns to the farmers families.

Trusting on the potential of coffee as a high value crop, the Tupi Coffee Growers’

Association Inc. (TUCOGAI), took initiatives to regain the former glory of the town’s coffee industry.

Marcos Gabat, president of TUCOGAI said, their initiative took a leap in 2013 when the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) granted the association P5 million worth of coffee processing plant complete with equipment including bean separator and automated roasting machine.

DA XII supported the formation of TUCOGAI because it could serve as a means for discussion and resolution of issues and concerns affecting the coffee sector.

“After DA’s interventions, we have become a vibrant association. Coffee growers who were not members are now eager to take part of TUCOGAI’s initiative. The help made us known throughout the region.”

“In the past, fellow coffee growers could hardly get seedlings, but through DA’s help,

we were able to plant 400 hectares more which benefited almost 200 coffee producers,” he added.

The assistance from DA-MRDP has also protected local coffee farmers from fluctuating prices since TUCOGAI buys its members’ coffee produce at a higher price – a minimum of P85 per kilogram compared to only P69/kg offered by commercial traders.

“DA’s provision of a coffee processing plant has also helped improve the quality of our products,” Gabat said, emphasizing further that they get better prices because of the quality of their products.

More significantly, Gabat noted, TUCOGAI has developed a coffee brand named Tufico, which is known to coffee drinkers and coffee suppliers.

Tufico has reached as far as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as “pasalubong” to friends and relatives working abroad. TUCOGAI’s coffee always receives favorable feedback for its new taste and aroma during trade fairs.

With the continuing assistance of DA XII, making coffee a major industry in Tupi municipality is not an impossible mission, Gabat said.


RDC XII supports regional youth volunteerism program

By: Helen L. Vestal, NEDA XII-DRD

The Regional Development Council of SOCCSKSARGEN Region

(RDC XII) is backing up a move to sustain youth volunteerism program in the area through its Resolution No. 91, Series of 2014. Region XII or SOCCSKSARGEN Region straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, as well as the cities of Koronadal, General Santos, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

During the 48th regular meeting of the RDC XII, Ret. Col. Celestino Desamito , a Special Non-Voting Member of the Council, pushed for the continuing adoption of volunteerism as a strategy for sustainable development through the implementation of the SOCCSKSARGEN Youth Volunteerism Program which was started around two (2) years ago involving elementary school pupils and high school students.

“This volunteerism program aims to develop the students of Region XII at all levels into a critical mass of responsible individuals with a strong commitment toward helping achieve growth and development of their respective communities,” Desamito explained.

“The program would also create a broad-based movement, especially involving individual

families and local communities with deep dedication and enthusiasm to work toward local and regional development through volunteerism,” he further stated.

It will also enhance the partnership among Local Government Units (LGUs), Regional Line Agencies (RLAs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Councils in Region XII and RDC XII in pursuing the region’s development goals and objectives through volunteerism.

According to Desamito, the program will now instill volunteerism among college students in the region starting June 2015. The students will come from the five (5) state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the region who are taking up the National Service Training Program (NSTP).

The participants shall undergo a modular training in their respective school campuses and an immersion in depressed barangays for an actual exposure to community living.

Aside from the SUCs, other institutions shall be tapped to assist in the program’s implementation, namely: TESDA, DepEd, CHED, DENR, DILG, PNP and the BSP Councils in Region XII. These institutions

shall provide assistance relative to their mandate. LGUs and and civil society organizations/non-government associations shall also take active part in the implementation of the program.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) shall be executed between and among these entities to properly execute the SYVP. Desamito as the SYPV overall coordinator shall provide the RDC XII with periodic updates on the program’s implementation.

NEDA XII shall provide technical secretariat support to the program, particularly in the preparation and signing of the MOU and in facilitating the presentation of reports on program implementation to RDC XII.

Ret. Col. Celestino Desamito , a Special Non-Voting Member of the Council, pushed for the continuing adoption of volunteerism as a strategy for sustainable development.


Koronadal Hosts First International Folklore Festival

Koronadal City, South Cotabato – Pyesta Kolon Datal: Koronadal

International Folklore Festival, which will be hosted by Koronadal City, will be the first of its kind not only in Region XII but throughout the country. This was announced by Mayor Peter B. Miguel during the meeting of the Regional Development Council XII on June 25, 2015.

“The event is the first international folkloric festival in the country spearheaded by the Council of International Organization of Folkloric Festival (CIOFF),” Mayor Miguel revealed.

The CIOFF is an official partner of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), accredited by the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Committee. Created in 1970, CIOFF safeguards, promotes, and diffuses traditional culture and folklore.

Mayor Miguel explained that CIOFF currently covers 89 countries composed of 68 national sections, 2 associate members and 19 corresponding members. “The folkloric festival is the COIFF annual celebration of traditional dance, music, songs and crafts all over the world, and this year we were selected as the host of the event,” Mayor Miguel said.

The 10-day event, scheduled

on August 9-18, 2015, will be participated in by 12 international contingents from Poland, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Indonesia, Turkey, Thailand, Armenia, India, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Russia, and Israel. The country’s 4 nationally-acclaimed performing dance companies, and Koronadal City’s very own Hinugyaw Cultural Dance Troupe will represent the country. This will be celebrated in a spectacular display of diverse cultural heritage and folk arts of all groups thru performances, exhibits, lectures and workshops.

Ambassadors and visitors from the participating countries are expected to come; thus, the event is an opportunity for the region to showcase its culture, people and products, and provide impressions that will define the region and the country’s identity. Mayor Miguel urged everyone to extend hospitality, courtesy and helpfulness. “A simple smile to our visitors will instill good impression of our region, in particular, and our country, in general.”

The international event will be preceded by another big event in South Cotabato. During the same RDC XII meeting, Ms. Jennifer C. Bretaña of

the Provincial Planning and Development Office of South Cotabato announced that the 16th annual T’nalak Festival will be held on July 9-18, 2015. It will be also a celebration of the province’s 49th founding anniversary. With the theme “Sharing our Best with the World,” the festival is a week-long celebration of South Cotabato’s rich culture and bounty.

From various sports events, colorful street dancing, exciting street parties and innovative trade expos, skills training and educational-related fora, the T’nalak Festival is the province’s biggest and most colorful annual celebration.

“The highlight of the celebration, which is named after the traditional cloth hand-woven by the Tboli tribe, is the T’nalak Festival Tri-People Grand Parade on the18th of July in Koronadal City,” Ms. Bretaña added.

The two forthcoming festivals are expected not only to boost tourism industry and the local economy, but also to open investment opportunities, particularly in this part of SOCCSKSARGEN region.

by: Helen L. Vestal, NEDA XII-DRD

regional development updates | vol 13 issue 2 | april-june 2015

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