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Investment Promotions and International Relations
MinDA promotes Mindanao through investment leads generated through investment forums resulting in investment projects with capital investments.
BIMP-EAGA coordination such as the Senior Official Meetings, Cluster Meetings, Halal Congress, EAGA desk are also venues of investment leads for Mindanao.
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IN FIGURES
13 investment leads that matured into feasibility studies and project value studies 5 private sector agreements that have graduated into actual commitments
46
million PhP sales of black, red, brown organic rice
MINDANAO INVESTMENTS. There are agreements among private sector investors that have graduated to possible commitments out from the investment facilitation initiatives of MinDA. The maturing investment potentials are noted with the preparation of feasibility studies, business plans or marketing /supply agreements.
Some of these investment leads include supply of natural crumb rubber involving the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Cotabato and Sunshine Rubbertech. An investment facilitation project for Davao Association USA (DAUSA) and the Filipino-American Community of Los Angeles to stage the MinDA Tienda in the early months of 2020, which event was put aside due to COVID-19 but would be revived when the pandemic is over.
The feasibility studies resulting from investment leads include the construction of 5 MW Palm oil biomass project, Productive Uses of Renewable Energy (PURE) in Mindanao’s agriculture sector, the communitybased and cooperative business model for mini-hydro and solar power plants in Mindanao, construction of 6 MW solar rooftop project for mega warehouse facility, Bangus Fingerling production project, and establishment of Mango MRL Laboratory Testing Facility.
Marketing agreements are also being discussed for the supply of premium highlands coffee to a Melbourne-based company, and supply of high-value vegetables and coconuts.
There are also five (5) private sector agreements that have graduated into actual commitments such as the supply of organic rice to local, national, and international markets; the Green Partnership linking Mindanao producers to caring consumers of Manila; the supply of fruit to markets in Luzon; the Bangus Fish Cage project in Mati, Davao Oriental, and the contract agreement for the supply of peanuts.
MinDA Tienda in Kidapawan MinDA Tienda in Baguio
MinDA TIENDA. The MinDA Tienda is a marketing program to access the Mindanao farmers’ and fishermen’s stable market to ensure profit and productivity. One unique feature of the MinDA Tienda is its ability to provide and ensure access of people to rolling markets during disasters to avoid the excessive price charges during calamities.
The marketing strategy aims to promote affordable food and facilitate availability through rolling outlets and online platforms. Farmers and fishermen can sell their produce directly, bringing down cost by trimming the value chain.
Completed MinDA Tienda:
MinDA Tienda in Kidapawan. In cooperation with the City Government of Kidapawan last August 14-16, 2020, more than 3,000 kilos of fresh and high value vegetables from IMTASULA Complex, Bukidnon were sold to consumers at a reasonable price. Particularly, the activity promoted the produce of Lantapan Vegetable Farmers Marketing Cooperative of the Municipality of Lantapan. This includes carrots, lettuce, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage. With the staging of the MinDA Tienda, the farmers were offered a better price of their vegetables from a very low Php2 a kilo, to Php15, saving the farmers from the predatory control and manipulation of the middlemen. MinDA Tienda Goes To Manila. Conducted last October 23-25 2020 in partnership with the City Government of Manila, this Tienda episode generated a total actual and committed Php 48 million sales. It featured more than fifty (50) Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), farmers and their products from the six (6) regions in Mindanao held at Kartilya ng Katipunan Park near City Hall of Manila. Some of the Mindanao products that locals sold and bought were the Davao Region’s durian, SOCCSKSARGEN’s lansones, mangosteen, and marang, BARMM’s marine products and traditional fabrics, Zamboanga’s canned sardines, and CARAGA’s squash pancit canton and tablea.
Aside from direct selling, the activity also generated investment and market links between and among Mindanao MSMEs and Luzon traders. For example, The Mindanao B’laan Multi-purpose Cooperative was able to showcase their products and was able to supply their farmer-members’ fruits to various markets in Luzon.
MinDA Tienda Goes to Baguio City and Cordillera Region. This episode was organized last November 14-15, 2020 in partnership with the City Government of Baguio. Mindanao products and fruits like Durian, Mangosteen, Pomelo, Mindanao Beef, Canned Chicken and Ready to Eat Meals in cans, handicraft items and dried fish were sold and displayed. The activity generated an actual sale of almost Php 1M.
BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF MINDANAO.
This initiative aims to boost the media presence of MinDA through the production of videos that feature the places that are hardly reached or known about yet possess the majestic beauty of nature and the abundance of nature’s harvest across Mindanao.
A total of 86 videos describe in detail the beauty of select places in Mindanao, including falls, lakes, vast plains, turtle sanctuaries, and the bounty of Mindanao fish, vegetables, fruits, rare trees, which are unknown to the greater public, especially outside Mindanao. Some of the videos have reached a million views indicating renewed interest in Mindanao and converting the age-old impression of Mindanao as an island in conflict to an island of much scenic beauty and endless bounty.
CORN GRAINS SILO STORAGE
PROJECT. Local Government Units in Mindanao participating in the Corn Grains Silo Storage (COGSS) will have access to a loan facility for operating capital from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) as facilitated by MinDA. The COGSS program was designed to develop the corn industry in Mindanao to establish a stable corn supply and shield the corn farmers from the price manipulators, thereby benefiting the corn farming families as well as the feed mills, the livestock, and poultry-raisers which are also dependent on corn and its products.
The Baungon Municipality of Bukidnon is the first LGU to implement the Program, while Misamis Oriental Province also manifested interest in implementing the same Program.
SORGHUM DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM. This program aims to provide additional grains material for livestock and poultry feeds in Mindanao. The Program envisions increasing productivity and restarting the economy badly hurt by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Various LGUs such as those in BARMM, Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Misamis Oriental received sorghum seeds to provide an alternative or complementary livelihood to the people of the said areas.
QUICK FACTS
videos produced under the Beauty and Bounty of Mindanao program with some videos reaching one million views on social media 86
Baungon, Bukidnon
is the pilot LGU to enrol in MinDA’s Corn Grains Silo Storage Program. Following them is the PLGU of Misamis Oriental.
are some of the LGUs that have received sorghum seeds as a part of MinDA’s Sorghum Development Program.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
As the Permanent Coordinating Office for the BIMP-EAGA, MinDA generated substantial interest among countries like Japan and South Korea to engage in the BIMP-EAGA leading to the agreement of conducting a virtual business investment forum with key Japanese and Korean investors, which is initially slated for the first quarter of 2021.
While conscious of the efforts to learn from partner countries on efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, MinDA facilitated the recovery policy measures for P-EAGA Sea Linkages such as the Omnibus Rules on the Issuance of Special Permit for the Temporary Utilization of Philippine-registered Domestic Ships to Operate in International Voyages (MARINA Memorandum Circular No. OS 2020-01) which is timely as-needed assistance to shipping operators amid the pandemic.
The said policy measure is also vital in the barter trade operations due to its coverage of traditional ships plying along the EAGA routes.
MinDA also assisted and encouraged Davao-based establishments to pursue Halal compliance leading to increasing accommodation of request for assistance for Halal accreditation and compliance of the various establishments in Davao Region. As a result, MinDA urged DOT (through its Davao Office) to develop Muslim Friendly Accommodation Accreditation Guidelines.
Moving forward in 2021, MinDA will continue to encourage other key cities in Mindanao to expand engagement in Halal.
