DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The American government through its United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allots $127.7-million for major projects in Southern Philippines under an agreement it sealed lately with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
 
The bilateral assistance agreement was signed by USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg, USAID Philippines Mission Director Gloria Steele, and MinDA Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino in affirmation of the foreign institution’s implementation of more development initiatives in Mindanao.
 
“This bilateral signing comes at an opportune time as we all gear up for an accelerated implementation of major peace and development initiatives in Mindanao,” Antonino said.
 
Antonino stressed that the $127.7 cumulative allocation will bankroll various enhanced activities for the Mindanao Peace and Development Program (MPAD) covering the six conflict-affected areas of Cotabato City, Isabela City, Zamboanga City, Marawi City, Jolo (Sulu), and Southern Basilan.
 
MPAD, a grant assistance of USAID under the oversight of MinDA, seeks to spur economic growth in target areas through the expansion of their economic opportunities, infrastructure development, improvement in governance and social services, a MinDA statement said.
 
MinDA said other bilateral agreements were also signed between the Department of Health and the USAID providing more fund allocations for the implementation of universal health care and family health programs. (Ali G. Macabalang)