FOCUS ON USG-GRP DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP IN MINDANAO: GRP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MANILA 004846 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, S/CT, PM, INR/EAP, AND EAP/MTS USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5 SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY) JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) AID/W FOR ANE/EAA PHILIPPINE DESK OFFICER CALISTA DOWNEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS MCAP EAID EFIN PGOV RP SUBJECT: FOCUS ON USG-GRP DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP IN MINDANAO: GRP SECRETARY OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC PLANNING TRIP WITH USAID DIRECTOR SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Embassy Manila continues to engage actively in demonstrating substantial USG support for improved conditions for peace, security and development in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao. During a substantive two-day visit to Mindanao beginning on Thanksgiving Day, of GRP cabinet member, Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning, Romulo ¶L. Neri and USAID/Philippines Director Jon D. Lindborg, the U.S.-Philippines partnership for peace and development in Mindanao was reaffirmed with the GRP expressing a strong interest in replicating similar programs in Mindanao. Secretary Neri and Director Lindborg led a group of GRP and USAID officials and staff in visiting various projects jointly undertaken by the USG and the GRP and other development partners, where they were impressed by the gains of peace and accelerated economic growth in Mindanao. The party visited communities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other conflict-affected areas. The party also visited ARMM headquarters and the Office of the International Monitoring Team and met with media at the end of the visit. Secretary Neri commended the USG for "being very brave" in engaging SIPDIS in catalytic, high-impact and cost effective programs in Mindanao's conflict affected areas, and for setting a development agenda that is fully consistent with GRP priorities, while representing "value for money." End Summary. -------------- INFORMING GRP OVERSIGHT OF DONOR ASSISTANCE FOR INCREASED COLLABORATION -------------- ¶2. (U) From November 23-25, 2006, GRP Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning Romulo Neri and Mission Director Jon Lindborg and other GRP and USAID officials visited USAID-assisted programs in the cities of Davao, Kidapawan and Cotabato, and the provinces of North Cotabato and Maguindanao. Secretary Neri is also the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),the GRP agency 
mandated to exercise oversight of official development assistance to the Philippines. As the USG is the donor with the largest on the ground presence in Mindanao, USAID and NEDA had agreed in recent consultations that joint monitoring visits to Mindanao would be useful. This visit is the NEDA Director General's first to USAID assisted programs in Mindanao and only his second to Mindanao in ¶2006. The Party also visited ARMM headquarters for briefings on programs for health services delivery improvement, internally displaced persons and environmental governance. Also joining the GRP's party was a representative of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO),a GRP agency tasked to promote and coordinate the active participation of all sectors to effect the socio-economic development of Mindanao -------------- DAVAO CITY THANKSGIVING DINNER WITH LOCAL LEADERS -------------- ¶3. (U) Davao City local leaders from the business and education sectors exchanged views with Secretary Neri on trends and issues in their sectors. The leaders noted the increasing prospects for trade, especially with respect to niche markets for agricultural and other exports to China and issues in education sector, such as, declining enrolment in tertiary education and the deterioration in English proficiency. Secretary Neri noted that USAID has been very supportive of GRP's initiatives to increase the cadre of development workers in Mindanao, including those in the public sector bureaucracy, business managers, and development workers in the field. He noted the increasing atmosphere of peace and collaboration in the Muslim areas and the reduction in poverty in some of the poorest provinces. Still, some of the provinces in the ARMM have the worst performance in health and education indicators. Secretary Neri stated that a development model for high potential SIPDIS but very poor areas in Mindanao is needed, and this model should focus on improving productivity and capacity building. -------------- BRIEFING ON USAID'S GROWTH WITH EQUITY IN MINDANAO (GEM) PROGRAM -------------- MANILA 00004846 002 OF 004 ¶4. (U) On November 24th in Davao City, Secretary Neri was joined by Secretary Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan, Administrator of the Southern SIPDIS Philippines Development Authority, and Chairman Ali Sangki of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines at the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program office for a breakfast briefing on the GEM program. USAID's flagship activity in Mindanao since 1996, GEM is an umbrella program under which USAID is able to support a wide range of activities, including small infrastructure projects, livelihood assistance to former MNLF combatants, strengthening of business organizations, and opening international markets for Mindanao products -- all intended to contribute to peace and development in Mindanao. ¶5. (U) Secretary Neri noted that cost estimates for GEM's infrastructure projects seem much more reasonable than equivalent projects implemented by the GRP and asked for cost information to provide examples to the GRP's Department of Public Works and Highways. He also concurred with GEM's approach to economic development which veers away from traditional livelihood projects and focuses more on catalytic infrastructure such as post harvest facilities, food processing and packaging. He noted that GEM has correctly focused its business facilitation assistance on export markets of greatest opportunity. Sec. Neri expressed interest in knowing more about and promoting GEM assistance to fish cage technology. He also expressed interest in the occupational placement of the interns under the GEM Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim leaders, and in exploring USAID support for addressing land access issues under vestiges of a feudal system and development or review of the master plan for Liguasan Marsh. -------------- VISIT TO EDUCATION ACTIVITIES -------------- ¶6. (U) In Kidapawan City, Secretary Neri and Director Lindborg turned over a package of seven computers, internet connections and resource materials to the Manongol National High School. Through this USAID GEM activity, students establish email accounts, communicate with other students throughout the world and conduct research on various academic topics. Teachers enhance the students' learning experiences by augmenting classroom lessons with additional materials obtained from the internet. As of November 20, 2006, this program has assisted 455 schools in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and other conflict-affected areas, benefiting more than 400,000 students and about 12,000 teachers. Secretary Neri remarked that the project is needed in an environment that is increasingly knowledge based, and that it is important for attaining progress and greater productivity. He also saw opportunities in linking this activity with the best teachers in the country and in its replication using Chinese ODA which is supporting similar initiatives. ¶7. (U) In Midsayap, North Cotabato, the party turned over math and science kits and learning materials to a community learning center and visited an out-of-school youth training and an on-the-job training site under USAID's Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills (EQuALLS) Program and implemented by the Save the Children Federation (SCF). The community learning center provides basic and alternative education and assistance in youth productivity and introduced its current batch of graduates scheduled for certification. A 25-year old graduate of the program gave a testimony indicating that dropping out of school is not an excuse for not learning and expressed her increased optimism in moving on. -------------- TURN OVER OF RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND SMALL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS -------------- ¶8. (U) In Pagalungan, Maguindanao province, the party participated in a symbolic turnover of an energized village to the province, visited an electrified household and installed a marker commemorating the electrification of 1,140 households in the province. These are achievements of USAID's Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program. Residents of the electrified household thanked USAID for making possible a number of night-time productive activities, such as studying for school. MANILA 00004846 003 OF 004 ¶9. (U) In Midsayap, the party formally turned over the Midsayap Trading Center to the village (Barangay Poblacion 5) and the Municipal Government of Midsayap. Secretary Neri commended USAID for having well prioritized and selected projects which are relatively inexpensive and have high impact. He suggested that other donors which have more resources for infrastructure might follow the USAID model. Under the GEM Program, USAID is financing the construction of 815 "barangay infrastructure projects" and up to 40 "regional impact projects" in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other conflict-affected communities. -------------- COTABATO CITY DINNER WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS -------------- ¶10. (U) Participants exchanged views and updates on peace and development issues. Cotabato City Mayor Sema talked about education as his priority concern and a community center that USAID will support. Bangsamoro Development Agency Executive Director, Dr. Danda Juanday, indicated his agency's engagement with World Bank support in capacity building in six pilot areas in preparation for the Peace Agreement and expressed optimism that the agreement will come through. ¶11. (U) Secretary Neri responded to a number of questions pertaining to NEDA's role in planning activities related to the peace process, the need to improve ARMM capacity to generate its own resources and manage its own development programs, that ARMM and the GRP more appropriately should address education infrastructure finance issues rather than rely on donors, and that deterioration in the quality of education can be partially arrested through telecommunications. Secretary Neri again commended USAID for having "very good, SIPDIS community based interventions." -------------- NOVEMBER 25TH BRIEFING AT ARMM HEADQUARTERS ON DEVELOPMENT ISSUES -------------- ¶12. (U) On health services, Secretary Neri observed the dismal state of the ARMM health situation and upon learning that the ARMM budget was quite low, immediately called by mobile telephone the Secretary of Budget and Management, with a request to double the ARMM health budget. He also remarked that resources for family planning might be better channeled to the ARMM. ¶13. (U) On environmental governance, Secretary Neri advised increasing focus on reforestation through species where the incentive is not to cut the trees down, such as fruit trees and rubber. Also noted was the need to clarify property rights in public land which has no forest cover. -------------- BRIEFING AT INTERNATIONAL MONITORING TEAM HQ -------------- ¶14. (U) The IMT, composed of Malaysia, Brunei, and Libya, has been operating in Mindanao since October 2004, after the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the ceasefire agreement in July 2003. The members of the IMT, in conjunction with the joint GRP - MILF Committee have visited various areas throughout Central Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, and the province of Basilan in order to monitor the progress of the peace talks, rehabilitation efforts, and economic development in the MILF conflict affected areas. They also evaluated reported "violations" of existing ceasefire agreements. With a membership of about 60 people, the IMT's headquarters is located in Cotabato City, while each of its five Team Sites is located in the cities of Cotabato, Iligan, Zamboanga, General Santos, and Davao. The IMT's jurisdiction covers 14 of Mindanao's 21 provinces. Recently, the Government of Japan joined the IMT, dispatching an expert who would focus on socio-economic monitoring and take an active role in the formulation and implementation of an economic development plan for the area. Director Lindborg pledged continued USG collaboration with the IMT. -------------- MEETING WITH MEDIA IN COTABATO CITY -------------- MANILA 00004846 004 OF 004 ¶15. (U) In a final meeting with local media in Cotabato City, Secretary Neri and Director Lindborg highlighted the opportunities SIPDIS for development throughout Mindanao with an improving environment for peace and security. Director Lindborg noted the USG's substantial commitment to Mindanao with a range of diplomatic, defense and development cooperation activities, as well as frequent visits of senior USG officials, including the most recent visit of Ambassador Kenney on Thanksgiving Day and DCM Jones party's meetings with MILF leadership the week before. -------------- COMMENTS -------------- ¶16. (SBU) As the principal GRP counterpart for USAID's enabling agreements for assistance to the Philippines, it is important to strengthen the relationship with NEDA and its Director General, who is also one of President Arroyo's senior economic advisers. The trip appears to have left a lasting favorable impression on Secretary Neri on how the USG works in close partnership with the SIPDIS GRP and how the USG is using defense, diplomacy and development instruments to transform the environment for peace and development in Mindanao. He publicly acknowledged the USG's niche in the development assistance community as well as its catalytic role in helping promote sustainable development, and would like to specifically replicate USAID approaches among the broader donor community, as well as, the development programs implemented by the national government and the local governments. KENNEY