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-Chief
RD ARTURO G. VALERO
Associate Editor
ARD 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 Persons
HELEN L. VESTAL
LALAINE M. SAJELAN
EDEN F. RIDAO
LIBERTY B. ARUMPAC
APOLLO Y. MANLAWE
GWYNETH GRACE B. COLLADO
JUDD NICHOL L. LEONAR
Photographer
APOLLO Y. MANLAWE
Layout Artist
APOLLO Y. MANLAWE
Contributors
PIA XII
DA 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,
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reserves the right to edit the manuscript for
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CONTENTS
GenSan’s Aerotropolis to position Region 12
as major Mindanao gateway
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.
33
66
1010
1212
99
55
Volume 13 | Issue 2 | April - June 2015
RDC XII supports regional youth
volunteerism program
1111
3 SNVMs of RDC XII take oath of
office
44

April - June 2015 | Regional Development Updates | 3
GenSan’s Aerotropolis.. page 4
K
ORONADAL 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
GenSan’s Aerotropolis
to position Region 12 as major Mindanao gateway
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 office
By: 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’ Summit
By: 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.

T
he 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 2016
By: 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 MO

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.
ONITORING 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
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
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.

T
he 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 website
http://nro12.neda.gov.ph/
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
T
UPI, 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
T
he 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
K
oronadal 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

Regional Development Updates | Vol 13 Issue 2 | April-June 2015

Regional Development Updates | Vol 13 Issue 2 | April-June 2015

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