ZAMBOANGA CITY—Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced that seven major infrastructure projects worth P18 billion under President Arroyo’s Mindanao super-region strategy are now ready for implementation.

Dureza, who is the development champion for Mindanao super-region, said the infrastructure projects include roads, bridges, irrigation with power generation, and a food complex, which he said have greater economic viability and with high impact on peace.

Dureza said the projects are meant to provide much-needed jobs and income sources, particularly for families in the conflict-affected and poor communities.  

“While standard economic measurements estimate positive dividends for these projects, their actual social and political benefits will simply outweigh the economic gains because of the beneficial impact on peace and security,” he said.

Topping the list of projects is the Kabulnan-II Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project located in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao, which involves the construction of 80-meter-high-zoned earthfill dam that would irrigate a 19,300-hectare service area, according to Dureza.

He said the project will provide supplemental irrigation requirements for 11,000 hectares in the existing Kabulnan-I irrigation system during dry season, and generate 110 megawatts of hydroelectric power to help stabilize power supply in the area.

An estimated 9,253 farming families are expected to benefit from this project, Dureza said.

Costing more than P12 billion, the Kabulnan-II Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project is the largest under the Mindanao super-region in terms of amount and is being proposed for funding through official development assistance (ODA) and under build-operate-transfer (BOT) or build-transfer (BT) schemes, Dureza said.

Next on the list is the P2.6-billion Panguil Bay Bridge Project to connect and significantly cut travel time to cross Tubod, Lanao del Norte, and Tangub, Misamis Occidental.

One of the priority projects cited by the President in her State of the Nation Address  last year, the Panguil Bay Bridge Project is proposed for funding through BOT and will be implemented from 2008 to 2011.

Dureza said that another proposed project is the Davao Food Exchange Complex, which would set up a distribution center for consolidating, processing, packaging and storing agricultural products in Mindanao.

The P1-billion Davao food complex project is proposed for financing through commercial loan, venture capital or ODA.

Dureza said the National Development Co., city government of Davao and the Department of Trade and Industry XI will join hands in the implementation of this project, which is slated for implementation from 2007 to 2012.

He said other projects on the list include the Saug River Multipurpose Project Phase I in New Corella in Davao del Norte; Sanga-Sanga-Lapid-Lapid-Saldang-Bato-Bato Road and Bridge Project in Tawi-Tawi; Surallah-Lake Sebu-Maitum Road Project in South Cotabato and Sarangani; and the Lower Sibuguey Valley Irrigation Project in Zamboanga Sibugay.

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ZAMBOANGA CITY—Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced that seven major infrastructure projects worth P18 billion under President Arroyo’s Mindanao super-region strategy are now ready for implementation.

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