INTRODUCTION
Two days ago, as I opened “Palaro 95” in my home province of Pangasinan, I took note of the formulation of the Northwest Luzon Growth Quadrangle Master Plan which aims to transform various parts of the underdeveloped northern extremes of Luzon into attractive tourist destinations and agri-industrial centers of growth.

With today’s briefing by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) here in southeastern Philippines, we have clearly demonstrated how the entire breadth of our archipelago is in full swing towards our country’s industrialization.

At the rate we are going, I am confident more than ever that we will definitely “exceed 6.5 in ’95!”.
BIMP-EAGA ON THE MARCH
The entire Filipino nation, particularly those living in Mindanao, place much of their hopes on the full development of our portion of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) whose center is here in Davao City.

I am delighted that Mindanao’s two key development strategies are precisely geared towards this objective. The first strategy is to physically integrate through infrastructure projects the island’s 15 million people into a vigorous economic unit and an attractive consumer market. The second strategy is to strengthen Mindanao’s direct global trade and economic links through the East ASEAN sub-region of which Mindanao is a key component.

These strategies cannot but enhance the development of our regional growth centers in the southern Philippines. With the infrastructure support to our industrialization that you have in the pipeline, we can easily redouble the pace of our modernization efforts in the southern Philippines. I would be happy to see the completion of such projects that I mentioned in my “Ulat sa Bayan” on January 4th this year such as the Davao international airport expansion, the general santos city fishing port, and the Zamboanga city development area.

In addition, I expect more action in northern Mindanao and within the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
CREATION OF U.P. CAMPUSES IN MINDANAO
Mindanao’s potential for development is given a tremendous boost by Republic Act 7889 which I signed into law yesterday but which signing I will re-enact today for you to appreciate its impact.

I am referring to the law which establishes the university of the Philippines (UP) In Mindanao to be set up initially at the bureau of plant industry reservation at Bago Oshiro here in Davao city.

This Mindanao autonomous campus is aimed at providing quality education that will focus on science, technology and agriculture degree programs. Once the people of Mindanao are given access to a higher kind of quality education and training, we move one step closer into realizing the fame of Mindanao as the land of promise.

The university will also have a medical degree program which will adopt a community-relevant, step-ladder approach which should help control the exodus of Mindanao’s best and brightest students to Metro Manila or Cebu.

The university will also offer special scholarship programs for poor but deserving Muslims and other members of cultural communities.

Under the new law, p20 million of the government’s earnings from duty-free shops will be set aside for the university’s initial operating expenses. Next year’s national budget will include support for its additional requirements later on.
THE TAGO RIVER IRRIGATION SYSTEM
To sustain and improve the supply of various agricultural, livestock and other high-value farm-fresh products for local and export markets, we also inaugurate today the Tago River Irrigation System in Surigao del Sur.

With almost 10,000 hectares of projected irrigable area and attendant improvements such as the 240-kms. of service and access roads, this irrigation system was completed through the lending assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its inclusion among the priority projects of this administration.

This commitment from your government to provide these facilities to empower our people seek only two things in return: first, for the people of Surigao del Sur benefited by this irrigation system to maximize the improvement they can make on their lives; and two, to take good care of these facilities to make the benefits they now enjoy last through generations of their family.
CLOSING
With these developments and the initiatives that you reported today, we are surely advancing the progress and sustainable development not just of Mindanao but of the entire country, and the well-being not just of Mindanaoans but of each and every Filipino.

In closing, let me once more call on all sectors to contribute their share in accelerating the fulfillment of Mindanao’s promise. Let us encourage the private sector to do more as the prime mover within BIMP-EAGA. Let us continue exploring ways and means to further strengthen our existing environment for cooperation.

Pagtulungan nating isakatuparan ang matagal nang pangakong kaunlaran ng Mindanao. Nasa ating mga kamay ang pag-asa at sa ating pagsasama-sama, tutuparin natin ang pangakong ito. Kaya natin ito!

Mabuhay ang “Mindanao 2000!!!”

Mabuhay ang “Philippines 2000!!!”