PBA partylist Rep. and recently designated as caretaker of 1st district of Sulu Jericho Nograles expressed his support to the proposal to develop the province of Tawi-Tawi into the next economic zone (ecozone).
One of the southernmost provinces in the country, Sulu is the neighboring province of Tawi-Tawi which would directly benefit upon the implementation of the project, Nograles told reporters on Friday at Waterfront Hotel Davao.
He said the primary issue faced by the local community of Sulu is the absence of decent livelihood apart from the lack of decent housing and education.
“If Tawi-Tawi will actually be developed into an ecozone, I think what they will focus is on agro-industrial, and also towards fisheries,” said Nograles,
This was also pointed out by Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) Chairperson Secretary Datu Hj. Abul Khayr Alonto in a previous interview where he said Tawi-Tawi possesses potentials in the aspects of agriculture as well as a rich aquamarine industry which could offer a lot of products for export such as seaweeds.
Nograles added Tawi-Tawi – Sulu corridor has a very rich marine biodiversity which can compete in the world when it comes to live fish trading.
“When you go to Hongkong, Hongkong has the biggest live fish trading to the tune of an annual USD1.7 trillion in live fish trading alone,” he said.
The representative added, as long as the project will not pose dangers against the environment and will prove to be sustainable, then he will support the project.
In the previous month, Alonto disclosed during a media forum that Tawi-Tawi is seen to replicate and even exceed Singapore in terms of development, particularly in the free port aspect.
The MinDa chief added that the development will be a comprehensive approach by establishing infrastructures and facilities that will address the livelihood and social needs of the citizens.
Alonto envisions that the TawiTawi free ecozone will surpass Singapore in terms of the number of ships serving neighboring regions in the trade and industry while the straights in Tawi-Tawi could be “the next Panama and Suez Canal without making a canal”.
The MinDa chief said that the project will be open for investors to invest on the shipyard that will be established on the island province to cater to the barter trade that will be re-implemented in the country under the Duterte administration.
Alonto also announced that the project will be in-time for the recent decision of the Sabah government to lift the banning of the Philippine Muslim traders to participate in the economic activities of the region.
Aside from the free port aspect, Alonto said that the islands of Tawi-Tawi has strong potentials for tourism industry of the country.
Masterplan
Alonto disclosed that the proposal was approved by the President in his recent appointment with the MinDa chief. He added that the agency is now working on the documents to start the development of the said area starting with its consultation with Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Head Charito Plaza.
He added that the agency had been quietly conducting planning and meeting with the president, potential investors and stakeholders on the projects and programs for Mindanao over the past few months and still continues to do so.
Alonto said that the government has been consulting the “greatest minds” in the country to craft the masterplan for the next few months.
According to Alonto, the developments will also cover the neighboring islands Sulu and Basilan where the MinDa chief has been negotiating with the local leaders.
“We are calling upon the good leaders of the island provinces. The government cannot do it alone,” said Alonto who added that the local leaders must strengthen the law enforcement as well as the cooperation of the community in their respective area to ensure the safety and security.
To jumpstart, Alonto said that connectivity projects such as the circumferential road in Mindanao with a budget of PhP60 million.
The MinDa chief who is also the Philippine Signing Minister and current chairman of Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) said that the connectivity in Mindanao which serves as the “gateway” of the Philippines to other BIMP-EAGA member states is one of the priorities pursued by the agency in the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025, the roadmap to achieve a resilient, inclusive, sustainable and economically competitive sub-region.
