MinDA establishes public-private partnership facilitation desk
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno shared with the Caraga Regional Development Council (RDC) the public-private partnership (PPP) facilitation desk that works directly with RDCs and local government units to package regional priorities into bankable propositions.
During the said full council meeting held in Butuan City on March 24, the secretary underscored the pivotal role of the PPP in accelerating regional development as it serves as a bridge connecting priorities to private capital and international partners.
This initiative ensures that projects identified by RDCs, such as Caraga’s 30 implementation-ready programs ranging from farm-to-market roads to eco-zone development, can be elevated into the national PPP pipeline.
“PPPs are not merely about engagement but about structuring viable financing and implementation solutions for urgent public goods and services,” Sec. Magno said.
He underscored that government funds will never be enough to meet all of Mindanao’s needs. “However, with PPPs, it allows us to mobilize private capital to deliver priority projects faster and more efficiently.”
“Our work with RDCs ensures that PPP is not just a concept but a concrete tool for delivering projects that matter most to our communities,” he added. “By consolidating regional priorities, RDCs give Mindanao a collective voice in budget advocacy and investment promotion.”
MinDA’s PPP program is fully aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s national priorities. PPP has been identified as one of the cornerstones of the Marcos administration’s infrastructure modernization agenda, ensuring that flagship projects like the Mindanao railway and regional airports are delivered on time.
The New PPP Code (RA 11966) empowers LGUs to propose and implement their own PPP projects, strengthening RDCs’ role in shaping local development. Moreover, President Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand eco-zones and connectivity corridors complements MinDA’s PPP-driven strategy, positioning Mindanao as a competitive investment hub in Southeast Asia.
The PPP strategy also supplements MinDA’s broader Building a Better Mindanao Program, which integrates infrastructure connectivity, eco-zone expansion with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), water security initiatives, and investment promotion.
Together, these efforts ensure that Mindanao benefits not only from increased national budget allocations, which reached P4.067 trillion in just four years under the Marcos Jr. administration, but also from a growing pipeline of private and international financing. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands with a report from MinDA)
