KORONADAL CITY – The Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC) XII endorsed the Disaster Risk Reduction/ Climate Change Adaptation (DRR/CCA) enhanced Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP) 2020-2028 of South Cotabato to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province for adoption and subsequent endorsement to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). This was done during the Committee’s meeting on August 27, 2020 via video conference, through RLUC XII Resolution No. 6, series of 2020. RLUC XII Chairperson and NEDA XII Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos congratulated the Provincial Government and its planning team for the hard work and painstaking task of completing the long-term plan.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., Provincial Administrator Atty. Renette B. Bergado conveyed that the DRR-CCA-enhanced PDPFP 2020-2028 of the province embodies the hopes, aspirations, and shared dreams of its people to become a caring, resilient, ecologically balanced, highly responsive, functionally integrated, and equitably growing agro-industrial and tourism hub of the region by 2028.
Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Jennifer C. Bretana emphasized that the province’s development vision is consistent and aligned with the Sustainable Agro-Industrial Development Strategy (SAIDS) of the region particularly the Isulan-General Santos agro-industrial and tourism corridor.
“The province shall pursue decentralized concentration as its spatial development strategy and in pursuing this strategy, it would be supported by its development thrust of Sustainable Integrated Rural-Urban Development (SIRUD)” said PPDC Bretana.
She also stressed that the SIRUD shall bridge the gap between urban and rural areas in such a way that urban development promotes rural development and vice versa.
Moreover, PPDC Bretana mentioned that the province shall prioritize attracting investments and industries that would utilize the abundantly produced raw materials in the area. This strategy shall link the elements and create interface between the rural and urban areas in bringing the advantages of both urbanization and rural development.
“The urban-rural integration shall be supported by the provincial bypass and loop roads, in which some are already completed, on-going, and tabled for implementation”, she shared.
Also as presented in the plan, Koronadal City shall sustain its role of being the primary urban center, provincial capital, and regional center. The municipalities of Polomolok and Surallah are the identified major urban centers, while the municipalities of Tupi, Banga, and Tantangan are the minor urban centers. The municipality of Tboli is an intermediate growth center.
Furthermore, the municipalities of Sto. Nino and Norala are identified as emerging growth centers for agri-industrial development while the municipality of Lake Sebu is an emerging growth center for agri-industry and tourism development.
The plan has several unique features; one is the Concept Plan which serves as a guide to the investors and the government in allocating scarce resources as it shows the various growth clusters, economic specialization, and tourism beltways in the province.
Finally, the RLUC XII expanded TWG affirmed that the spatial and growth strategies embodied in the plan is consistent and aligned with the regional, sub-regional, national and international plans/agenda. It is also aligned and supportive of the commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals/Agenda 2030 and to the Philippines’ Long-term Vision: AmBisyon Natin 2040.
RLUC XII Chairperson Ramos extended her appreciation to all those involved in the review process and to the Committee members for keeping to its mandate, functions and responsibilities of reviewing the PDPFPs of the provinces in the region. (Gwyneth Grace B. Collado, NEDA XII-PFPD)