KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has asked members of the Cabinet to pay attention to the island region as its steady economic growth indicate that it would help the entire economy reach the level of growth the government has targeted for this year.

“Mindanao has been consistent even during the Global Financial Crisis. And I think that the one carrying the ball is Mindanao because of agriculture,” MinDA chairperson Secretary Luwalhati R. Antonino said. According to Antonino, the Philippines only grew by 1.1 percent during the financial crisis. (Mick Basa)

Rural market

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – The “Barangay Bagsakan” that the Department of Agriculture (DA) initially established in 63 strategically located villages in Western Mindanao has benefited many farmers, fisherfolk, and rural market goers in the region.

Ferdinand D. Gamorot, regional Agribusiness and Management Division chief, describes a Barangay Bagsakan as an accessible farm produce depot and distribution center that serves as a community trading post, which showcases locally produced farm and marine products to help increase incomes of farmers and fishermen, at the same time minimizing market goers’ transportation expenses in going to the poblacion market. (Tony Pe. Rimando)

OPAPP event

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) announced the launch Saturday of the National Peace Consciousness Month 2011, with a series of activities meant to drum-up and broaden support for the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

OPAPP said the celebration starts with a kick-off event entitled “Grand Hariraya Puasa,” enlivening this year’s theme “Sa Kapayapaan, May Kaunlaran. Maki-isa, Maki-PEACEta!" to be held at the University of the Philippines’ Bahay ng Alumni, in Diliman, Quezon City. (Francis Wakefield)

IDP assistance

COTABATO CITY (PNA) – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has turned over P35 million worth of financial assistance for the North Cotabato provincial government to be used to assist the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the province.

MinDA chairperson Secretary Luwalhati Antonino personally handed over the check during the province’s recent 97th foundation anniversary celebration. “The funds will be used for health services and other services for the internally displaced persons in the 2008 armed conflict,” North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza said. Recipients of the assistance are the towns of Pikit, Aleosan, Midsayap, and Libungan.

Coin circulation

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) here urged the public to help re-circulate the Philippine coins in the P10, P5, P1, 25-centavo, and five-centavo denominators to “shun” coin shortage. BSP Zamboanga branch head Melodino S. Patiño said “we are issuing enough coins.

We want to appeal to the public to help us re-circulate these coins.” He said some coins are kept hidden in piggy banks, at homes, or thrown in waste cans, thus the public looses the chance for its recirculation. Patiño said there are issues on coin shortage but “it’s not that bad.”