Envisioning a Mindanao Miracle: Rapid growth based on vision and values

WIKIPEDIA

The Philippines and Mindanao are in a historic milestone, commemorating the victorious repulsion European occupation in 1521 by the first Philippine national hero, Lapu-Lapu. Now, the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law holds promise to end the 500-year war, the longest running in the world.

The necessity to think boldly with political will and urgency is at hand — to transform the promise of a Mindanao Miracle into reality. The successful rehabilitation of societies devastated by war has had many examples in the last 70 years, like the rapid turnaround of Japan and Germany, and recent development of China, South Korea, Colombia, South Africa, and Singapore.

A Mindanao Miracle envisions “10x Growth” for its 26 million inhabitants, achievingwithin our lifetime an economic status that can be comparable to that of Malaysia or a Taiwan.

Strategy

The common and determining factor in societal transformation and economic recovery is the resilience, hard work, ethical values, and discipline of the people and its leaders. After World War II, the Marshall Plan, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank helped in this process, eased by the backdrop of relative global peace. But the bedrock foundation lay within the vision and values of the population, in the search for a better life that is free from crime, corruption, and poverty.

First, a broad consensus for a Mindanao Miracle, of political will and historic legacy, among the Mindanao population is key. The roles of the National Government, the Regional and Local Governments, BARMM- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the legacy of Sultan Tomas Pastor-Cabili Jr. with the federation of Sultanates must be established:

1. Government

Executive Functional Departments & Geographic Units: National, Regional, Provincial, City, Municipality, District, Barangay, Purok.

Legislative: Congress, Senate. Judiciary

BARMM- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

1. Civil society

Business. Education. Non Government Organizations, NGOs. Associations.

Media: Traditional and Non-Traditional. Artists, Sports, and Opinion Leaders. Families.

III. Religious Society

Catholic, Muslim, INK, Christian, others

1. International Relations

BIMP-EAGA, ASEAN, EU, OIC, UN. US, China, Taiwan, Israel, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, others. WB, ADB, AIIB, others

FIRST – Action Steps:

1. SONA, State Of Nation Address. Designing the framework for the next 1,000 days. Mindanao Miracle pronouncement and national vision.
2. National Summit on Values for Nation Building. A multisectoral consultation that will arrive at action-point resolutions.
3. Mindanao Miracle: 10x Growth Grounded on Vision and Values. This is a subtitle and concurrent conference in the National Summit. Sultan Tomas Pastor-Cabili Jr. would be the Convenor. The Federation of Sultanates, The Way To Happiness Foundation, Mindanao State University, MSU, and the Southeast Asian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SAICCI are possible Convenors.
4. Alignment of BARMM provisional government, with the Sultanates.
5. Reactivate EO 314, Commission on Values-Formation, Vision and Happiness, CVEH.
6. Organize/rename the Mindanao Miracle Comprehensive Development Authority. Use the Malaysia-Singapore and Taiwan models of rapid development. Mindanao is the bedrock of the Philippines as the 24th largest global economy by 2030.

SECOND, a 1,000-Day Jumpstart

When a broad understanding and growing broad consensus is established; immediate actions need to be felt and create hope that is felt by the poorest of the poor, specifically in the BARMM Region:

1. VAT reprieve in the identified poorest provinces and Barangays.
2. PPP – TESDA Training Linkage: target 1 million certification graduates from poorest of the poor and former rebels.
3. Agriculture & Small Business Mindanao Miracle Mini Loans
4. Bangon Marawi Rebuilding
5. Launch of Local & Foreign Aid Funded BEZA Enclaves, Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority, in the former conflict areas; secured by the AFP.
6. Launch First Phase of Mindanao Build-Build-Build: Rail-Harbor-Airport Infrastructure Projects.
7. Recognition and Presidential-Sultan Award System of exemplary: MINDANAO MIRACLE: 10x Growth Grounded on Vision and Values. Implement annually at the National, Mindanao, Regional, Provincial, City, Barangay levels.
8. Design, budget, and launch the 10x Mindanao Miracle Education Master Plan with DepEd, CHED, and the Mindanao State University System.
9. Meet Primary Level 100% education penetration.
10. Ramp up nutrition and basic health services.
11. 100% electricity penetration in all key barangays and municipalities.
12. Develop 1,000-day tax incentives for small business and entrepreneurial start up and capital formation/loans.
13. Develop Sustainable Water, Energy, and Waste Management Plan.

THIRD: 2022-2030 Education & Infrastructure Catch-Up

1. Operationalize First Phase and launch Second Phase of Mindanao Build-Build-Build! Plan for MM High Speed Trains.
2. Meet Secondary Level education penetration.
3. Operationalize the tertiary MM Education Master Plan: initial target of 2 million student increase from 2019 entrants. Significantly raise the Mindanao Human Development Index.
4. Operationalize the ICT – Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure that serves every school and Barangay, 100% Mindanao broadband penetration.
5. Launch Sustainable Agri Tourism enclaves.
6. Operationalize Organic and High-Value Crops with Cooperative and Corporatized Agriculture.
7. Significantly raise the Mindanao Poverty Index to be at par with Luzon by 2025, if not at par with Metro Manila.
8. Significantly raise the Mindanao index on GNH, Gross National Happiness.

Jorge “Jerry” Perez de Tagle, based in the US and the Philippines, is the author for three books and co-author of another three books; is a change management consultant for the private and public sector. He taught at Syracuse University, New York and has his PhD in Social Change, Honoris Causa, and is a PhD Candidate in Organization Development. He was one of the 10 Outstanding Entrepreneurs in 2009 and is now the National Chairman of The Way To Happiness Philippines Foundation, and is the Vice President for Global Outreach with the US Federation of Philippine American Chamber of Commerce.