DAVAO CITY – Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario is planning to revive the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) under the administration of president-apparent Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

In an interview, Del Rosario said it’s about time that DIDP be revived under the new administration so as to entice more investments and development in the Davao region.

DIDP is a development strategy anchored on the concerted effort to pursue an integrated and effective development by mustering the various strengths and resources of the local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Gulf area.

It was first created in 1994, and was fully supported under the administration of President Joseph Estrada who provided a P200 million budget for the group.

By far, the DIDP is the only longest existing aggrupation of local government units in the country today, whereby the member-LGUs religiously pay their annual contribution to a common fund to shoulder the cost of running and managing the program.

Del Rosario said he is hoping that under the Aquino administration, DIDP would be reactivated and supported with funding from Malacanang to pursue programs on food production, economic enterprise, and in making Davao City a tourism center.

It was learned that funding for DIDP slowly declined during the Arroyo administration for unknown reasons.

The governor said once DIDP is revived, and with the completion of the multi-billion-peso Bukidnon-Davao road, they expect more investments and more projects to pour into the region.

One of the major programs of DIDP is the Integrated Food Security Program which served as the blueprint for strengthening agriindustrialization in the DIDP area.