|
|
PGMA Meets Task Force
Mindanao River Basin
January 14, 2009
 Her
Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met the
the Presidential Task Force on Mindanao River Basin
Rehabilitation and Development (TF MRBRD) on 14
January 2009, 11:00 AM held at the VIP Lounge of the
Philippine Air Force-Tactical Operations Group
(TOG), Camp Siongco, Awang, Municipality of Datu
Odin Sinsuat, Province of Maguindanao.
Joining TF MRBRD Chairperson, Cotabato Archbishop
Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, DD, during the meeting with
the President were the Vice-Chairpersons, ARMM
Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan and
Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) ARMM
Chairperson; Police Chief Superintendent Fidel A.
Cimatu Jr., Chairperson of RDCC XII; DPWH
Undersecretary for Mindanao Romeo S. Momo; DENR
Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Demetrio L.
Ignacio, Jr.; Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin G. Sema;
and, Mr. Solomon D. Badoy.
The President was accompanied by members of the
Cabinet, namely: Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza;
DSWD Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral; and,
Presidential Political Adviser, Secretary Gabriel S.
Claudio
The Task Force is tasked to coordinate the
implementation of the Rehabilitation and Long-Term
Development Plan for the Mindanao River Basin.
Substantive issues and concerns were addressed as
the President immediately responded to the various
requests by the Task Force.
One was the issuance of Executive Order (EO) 753-A
dated 05 January 2009, amending EO 753, series of
2008. EO 753-A harmonizes the provisions of EO 753
and EO 743 which created the Task Force on Cotabato
Flood Control (TF-CFC).
The President likewise instructed DPWH
Undersecretary Momo to act on the following:
• Fast track the immediate execution of contracts between parties
involved to facilitate the release of funds.
• Construction of the access road to and from Delta Bridge that the
City Government of Cotabato had proposed instead of
pursuing the original access road.
• Assigning a dredger that shall be based permanently to the
Mindanao River Basin instead of borrowing from other
regions, since dredging work has to be done
every year.
• Look into the funding of the comprehensive dredging of the Rio
Grande from the Bucana to Delta Bridge, covering a
distance of 7.6 kilometers, requiring an amount
of about P250 Million.
Providing technical support to the Task Force is the
NEDA Regional Office XII which acts as Interim Task
Force Secretariat. |