The recent release of the 2025 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) and GRDP growth rates shows that the growth rates of five out of six Mindanao regions surpassed the country's 4.4 percent Gross Domestic Product growth rate in 2025.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicated that the Caraga Region clocked 5.7 percent, the Davao Region at 5.15 percent, BARMM at 5.0 percent, with Northern Mindanao and Soccsksargen at 4.9 percent and 4.8 percent respectively. Only the Zamboanga Peninsula’s growth rate fell below the country’s GDP growth rate with 2.6 percent

That more regions surpassed national GDP is an improvement from 2024, where only three Mindanao regional economies surpassed the national gross domestic product growth rate of 5.7 percent.

What does this mean for Mindanao and the country? Let’s see.

First, we must note that this economic performance in 2025 came despite many challenges faced in that year, such as the flood control controversies and its impact on public spending and investor confidence. Such an outcome and the said context therefore begs us to ask more questions and examine certain elements that make the island’s economy tick.

Secondly, the 2025 GRDP performance should encourage policy makers, academic institutions and key local governments within Mindanao must study Mindanao’s factors for this growth and see how they can broaden this growth.

One area that must be studied is the performance of Mindanao’s Agriculture Fishery and Forestry (AFF) sector. When compared with those of Luzon and the Visayas, Mindanao's AFF sectors have greater potential due to the available land and lower typhoon frequency. This makes it a low hanging fruit to boost Mindanao’s economy further.

Mindanao’s AFF strength lies in it being the seat of export agriculture due to its export of coconut products, as well as fresh bananas and pineapples, both of which make us among the top five producers of such commodities in the world.

This export push encourages the use of effective technologies and scale, elements make production competitive.

If we are to apply the same approaches to other commodities, I will not be surprised that we can also be world class producers of said items and contribute much to the local economy, particularly in the area of food sufficiency. This makes Mindanao’s position as our food basket, and an agriculture production powerhouse for the country.

Further study will be needed so that such technologies can be developed in other commodity sectors to boost production.

Work will be needed to overcome key constraints, which include the high cost of transport and the possible hike in fertilizer prices owing to the middle east conflict. Mindanao's AFF and food production potential can be realized if transport costs to Luzon and the Visayas are lowered and fertilizers and other key inputs are available and affordable.

Other policies that can encourage better and more sustained and robust rural income for agribusiness enterprises and farms and their employees over time. These policies and the programs these will provide can sustain the island's growth.

What this can mean is that the agricultural production potential of Mindanao can employ or provide livelihoods to a larger percentage of the regional populace are creating higher incomes for the region. How this income is generated and how this can drive even higher incomes for a broader segment of rural residents must be studied.