“Mindanao is left behind again!"

Thus, rued Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez Friday, Aug. 26 during the first day of budget deliberations on the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023.

Rodriguez learned that P22 billion worth of appropriations have been slashed from his home region of Mindanao under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP). From a P650-billion allocation this year, Mindanao is only slated to have P628 billion next year.

"I am calling on all House members from our island to join us in working for the return of P22 billion to our constituents. That’s the least we can do, maintain the 2022 level, if we cannot increase it,” the veteran solon said.

He said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is from Bukidnon; Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel lll, who is from Cagayan de Oro; Senator Robin Padilla, a Muslim convert; and other senators should join their House counterparts in restoring Mindanao’s budget.

“Mindanao should get its fair share of national resources. Instead of reducing its funding in the national budget, the government should increase it,” he said.

Rodriguez pointed out that the country’s second largest island is entitled to additional funds “because based on the 2020 census, it had residents totaling 26.3 million, or 24 percent of the country’s population of 109.6 million".

Mindanao contributes 17 percent of the nation’s yearly total output of products and services, he said.

“If we reckon our island’s budgetary share on its economic contribution, it should be entitled to at least P895 billion,” he said.

Rodriguez suggested that Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) and the executive branch promote inclusive growth by dispersing development and pouring more resources in areas that are less developed or not developed at all.

Mindanao is where seven of the top 10 poorest provinces are located and requires affirmative action thru bigger budget allocations and more rural govertment services.

“If the government builds roads and other infrastructure in remote communities, people will go there and there will be more economic activities in these areas,” he said.