Misamis Uno
Mike Banos
July 13, 2006
Mindanao Economic Development Council Chair Romy Serra was in town recently to inspire participants at the recent launch of the 5th ICT Congress Cagayan de Oro will be hosting this coming September.
One of the salient points of his talk was his exhortation to all present to support Mindanao-One, his moniker for the crusade to unite Mindanaoans as One People for growth with equity, for just and lasting peace in Mindanao.
I was fascinated by the term and thought how appropriate a similar one could be used to gather the dissimilar peoples of Northern Mindanao and unite them in one dream, one vision and one goal for Region 10.
To start with, I believe many share my sentiment that the region needs a more inspiring name than Region 10 or Northern Mindanao. Seven years ago, the Region Ten Tourism Council passed a resolution to rename Northern Mindanao as Misamis region, similar to how Region 13 is more commonly known as the Caraga Region. Misamis was the former name of the present Region 10 (well, almost all of it) .
The council's initiative was based on the paper submitted by my good friend Nono Montalvan entitled "Resurgence of Identity: The Heritage of Misamis, 1818-1945" tracing the Misamis region's rich cultural and historical heritage from the times of the Himologan settlement at the Huluga caves site dating back to the Late Neolithic Age down to contemporary history in World War II when Cagayan de Misamis (as Cagayan de Oro was then known) and Bukidnon became rallying points for the underground resistance against the Japanese invaders.
Nono's paper tells us how the Misamis region had its beginnings during the early 1800s when the Spanish government decided to pacify Mindanao. The island was made into one province with Zamboanga as its capital and divided into three politico-military districts: the Primero Distrito de Zamboanga, Segundo Distrito de Misamis and Tercio Distrito de Surigao.
The largest of the three was the Segundo Distrito de Misamis which includes present day Zamboanga del Norte, the Lanao and Misamis provinces, Camiguin, Bukidnon, and the northern portions of Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Now, how does Misamis Uno (kay Bisaya man ta diri) sound to you?
Besides uniting our people in the region into one, it could also be taken by our Misamis-nons (I just placed this hyphen, or glottal stop, as Nono calls it, to wake up our friend Elson who detests our use of this device as un-aesthetic, o matud pa, dili maayong porma!) as an inspiration to make Misamis the best region in Mindanao (for starters).
Not that it already is the best performing region in Mindanao. Even our friends from further down south have acknowledged that for the moment, Misamis is Numero Uno! But I digress and am taking forever to get to my point.
For starters, if it was just up to me, I'd use Misamis Uno to have our airports and sea ports operating as an independent system instead of moving as autonomous, separate units not totally aware of what the others in Mindanao are doing and oftentimes moving in contravening directions to the detriment of all Mindanaoans.
For instance, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has been advocating with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Phividec Industrial Authority (PIA) for the longest time to "rationalize" the Cagayan de Oro Base Port (managed by PPA at Bgy Macabalan) and the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT, managed by PIA) which are just 25 kms away from each other by land and 8 kms by sea, as ONE integrated port system for Northern Mindanao.
NEDA says operating as one would make both more efficient in their operations, ensure viability of investments, maximize government's scarce financial resources and provide clear opportunities for private sector participation in port development.
As envisioned by NEDA, the two ports will compete as ONE system with ports outside the system. Though both are operated by different GOCCs, the national government can assign specific tasks for each port in order for the system to work. The RDC, MEDCO and NEDA will make sure that the PIA and PPA will comply with the roles assigned to them. From a government perspective, it is unhealthy to see the PIA catering to passenger ships and RORO vessels directly competing with PPA.
Planned projects for both ports should complement each other, rather than duplicate functions or compete to avoid dissipating scarce public funds.
While it is true as PPA contends that market forces would ultimately decide where the cargoes would be discharged or a vessel would call, the availability of infrastructure facilities and specialized port services will affect the decision of the shipper or shipping company. Inasmuch as the government for the most part decides the construction of port infrastructure, future port development should suit to its role in the integrated port system.
Both ports must be components of an efficient Northern Mindanao port system that meets the projected market demand in the area as well as its captured hinterlands. Port developments in the rest of the Mindanao principal ports should take into consideration the port system in Northern Mindanao. Operational and management arrangements should lead to greater efficiency in services throughout the Northern Mindanao port system.
In his paper, "Analysis of MCTP and CDO Ports" (Making Northern Mindanao truly the Mindanao Gateway and An Investment for Mindanao Food Security) Engr. Manuel "Jam" Jamonir, infrastructure specialist with the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program, has recommended the adoption of a win-win proposition to pursue the MCTP-2 project with the adoption of the integrated port system in Northern Mindanao.
Since the PPA budget process is outside the Government Appropriations Act, the Mindanao community has little say and is literally at the mercy of PPA for port development except for the PIA's efforts and initiative to develop the Phividec Industrial Estate's port infrastructure.
Because of Government's limited financial resources; therefore, any available funds should be spent wisely. Private sector participation is also encouraged when feasible and appropriate to make up for the lack of government investments without necessarily increasing the transaction cost.
For Mindanao to truly become the country's food basket, our leaders have to undertake strong and smart lobbying and focused advocacy to fund our priority projects. If Mindanao cannot ship its food efficiently and the cost of transporting Mindanao products remains high, raising agricultural products becomes an exercise in futility.
A rationalized MCT and Cagayan de Oro Port development is a vital element to achieve the role of Northern Mindanao as Mindanao's gateway to the rest of the country and to realize our development goal of becoming the country's food basket.
That, is Misamis Uno in action.
INDNJC -
One of the salient points of his talk was his exhortation to all present to support Mindanao-One, his moniker for the crusade to unite Mindanaoans as One People for growth with equity, for just and lasting peace in Mindanao.
I was fascinated by the term and thought how appropriate a similar one could be used to gather the dissimilar peoples of Northern Mindanao and unite them in one dream, one vision and one goal for Region 10.
To start with, I believe many share my sentiment that the region needs a more inspiring name than Region 10 or Northern Mindanao. Seven years ago, the Region Ten Tourism Council passed a resolution to rename Northern Mindanao as Misamis region, similar to how Region 13 is more commonly known as the Caraga Region. Misamis was the former name of the present Region 10 (well, almost all of it) .
The council's initiative was based on the paper submitted by my good friend Nono Montalvan entitled "Resurgence of Identity: The Heritage of Misamis, 1818-1945" tracing the Misamis region's rich cultural and historical heritage from the times of the Himologan settlement at the Huluga caves site dating back to the Late Neolithic Age down to contemporary history in World War II when Cagayan de Misamis (as Cagayan de Oro was then known) and Bukidnon became rallying points for the underground resistance against the Japanese invaders.
Nono's paper tells us how the Misamis region had its beginnings during the early 1800s when the Spanish government decided to pacify Mindanao. The island was made into one province with Zamboanga as its capital and divided into three politico-military districts: the Primero Distrito de Zamboanga, Segundo Distrito de Misamis and Tercio Distrito de Surigao.
The largest of the three was the Segundo Distrito de Misamis which includes present day Zamboanga del Norte, the Lanao and Misamis provinces, Camiguin, Bukidnon, and the northern portions of Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Now, how does Misamis Uno (kay Bisaya man ta diri) sound to you?
Besides uniting our people in the region into one, it could also be taken by our Misamis-nons (I just placed this hyphen, or glottal stop, as Nono calls it, to wake up our friend Elson who detests our use of this device as un-aesthetic, o matud pa, dili maayong porma!) as an inspiration to make Misamis the best region in Mindanao (for starters).
Not that it already is the best performing region in Mindanao. Even our friends from further down south have acknowledged that for the moment, Misamis is Numero Uno! But I digress and am taking forever to get to my point.
For starters, if it was just up to me, I'd use Misamis Uno to have our airports and sea ports operating as an independent system instead of moving as autonomous, separate units not totally aware of what the others in Mindanao are doing and oftentimes moving in contravening directions to the detriment of all Mindanaoans.
For instance, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has been advocating with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Phividec Industrial Authority (PIA) for the longest time to "rationalize" the Cagayan de Oro Base Port (managed by PPA at Bgy Macabalan) and the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT, managed by PIA) which are just 25 kms away from each other by land and 8 kms by sea, as ONE integrated port system for Northern Mindanao.
NEDA says operating as one would make both more efficient in their operations, ensure viability of investments, maximize government's scarce financial resources and provide clear opportunities for private sector participation in port development.
As envisioned by NEDA, the two ports will compete as ONE system with ports outside the system. Though both are operated by different GOCCs, the national government can assign specific tasks for each port in order for the system to work. The RDC, MEDCO and NEDA will make sure that the PIA and PPA will comply with the roles assigned to them. From a government perspective, it is unhealthy to see the PIA catering to passenger ships and RORO vessels directly competing with PPA.
Planned projects for both ports should complement each other, rather than duplicate functions or compete to avoid dissipating scarce public funds.
While it is true as PPA contends that market forces would ultimately decide where the cargoes would be discharged or a vessel would call, the availability of infrastructure facilities and specialized port services will affect the decision of the shipper or shipping company. Inasmuch as the government for the most part decides the construction of port infrastructure, future port development should suit to its role in the integrated port system.
Both ports must be components of an efficient Northern Mindanao port system that meets the projected market demand in the area as well as its captured hinterlands. Port developments in the rest of the Mindanao principal ports should take into consideration the port system in Northern Mindanao. Operational and management arrangements should lead to greater efficiency in services throughout the Northern Mindanao port system.
In his paper, "Analysis of MCTP and CDO Ports" (Making Northern Mindanao truly the Mindanao Gateway and An Investment for Mindanao Food Security) Engr. Manuel "Jam" Jamonir, infrastructure specialist with the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program, has recommended the adoption of a win-win proposition to pursue the MCTP-2 project with the adoption of the integrated port system in Northern Mindanao.
Since the PPA budget process is outside the Government Appropriations Act, the Mindanao community has little say and is literally at the mercy of PPA for port development except for the PIA's efforts and initiative to develop the Phividec Industrial Estate's port infrastructure.
Because of Government's limited financial resources; therefore, any available funds should be spent wisely. Private sector participation is also encouraged when feasible and appropriate to make up for the lack of government investments without necessarily increasing the transaction cost.
For Mindanao to truly become the country's food basket, our leaders have to undertake strong and smart lobbying and focused advocacy to fund our priority projects. If Mindanao cannot ship its food efficiently and the cost of transporting Mindanao products remains high, raising agricultural products becomes an exercise in futility.
A rationalized MCT and Cagayan de Oro Port development is a vital element to achieve the role of Northern Mindanao as Mindanao's gateway to the rest of the country and to realize our development goal of becoming the country's food basket.
That, is Misamis Uno in action.
INDNJC -
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