DAVAO CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority has expressed full support to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fourth State-of-the-Nation-address, describing it as more than a national report but a “resounding call for reform, vigilance, and action.”
MinDA Chairperson Secretary Leo Tereso Magno welcomed the President’s vision for a “Bagong Pilipinas,” highlighting purposeful governance, meaningful infrastructure, and development that reach even the farthest barangays.
“President Marcos’s reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to agriculture, infrastructure, fiscal integrity, and anti-corruption aligns seamlessly with MinDA’s strategic goals,” Magno said, adding that these are urgent and necessary steps toward fairness in Mindanao.
Magno commended the administration’s emphasis on agricultural modernization, noting the distribution of over 37,000 farm machines and the establishment of more than 100 rice processing facilities.
These efforts, he said, have led to a P2 per kilogram drop in palay production costs, a significant win for farmers striving for profitability. “Mechanization is no longer a pipe dream for rural communities,” he added.
The MinDA chairman lauded the construction of 2,050 kilometers of farm-to-market roads and new bridges, which he said are “unlocking markets and revitalizing local economies,” particularly in agricultural provinces across Mindanao.
On land reform, Magno cited the cancellation of P12.62 billion in agrarian debt and the issuance of over 200,000 land titles and Certificate of Land Ownership Award as transformative for farmer-beneficiaries, many of who are in Mindanao.
Magno commended the zero-balance billing program now implemented in at least 26 public hospitals across Mindanao. He said for many families, walking out of a hospital with no added cost or debt is not just a policy. It is dignity.
He echoed Marcos’ strong stance against corruption in infrastructure, particularly flood control projects. He said MinDA will actively assist in validating these projects to ensure accountability and end years of “ghost or substandard infrastructure” that have exacerbated disaster risks in the region.
“Infrastructure must serve the people, not political interests,” Magno said, backing the Build Better More Program and pushing for projects that align with MinDA’s “Building a Better Mindanao” advocacy.
Magno backed Marcos’ challenge for Congress to pass a national budget reflective of the administration’s priorities on fiscal governance. While acknowledging that a reenacted budget is not ideal, he said it may be necessary to prevent corruption and ensure fiscal discipline.
“We join President Marcos in asserting that the national budget must work for the people, not for politics,” he said.
Magno said the President’s message reinvigorated MinDA’s commitment to championing Mindanao’s development agenda through stronger coordination with local government units, the private sector, and the national government.