US reaffirms Mindanao peace and development support

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi — Reaffirming the commitment of the US government to provide full support to development and peace initiatives in Mindanao, high-ranking American officials visited several USAID project sites in the island-province of Tawi-Tawi.

Visiting the projects were Wendy Chamberlin, the chief administrator of all USAID Programs in Asia and the Near East, American Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, USAID/Philippine Director Michael Yates, and several other officials.

The group visited Bongao, the province’s capital, to inspect the site of the town’s port expansion project and to inaugurate a school-based internet literacy program.

The port project is being undertaken by the USAID-funded Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program under its Mid-Scale Infrastructure Program (MSIP) component. As proposed by the ARMM-Regional Port Management Authority, the expansion of Bongao Port’s docking area will enable it to accommodate larger vessels and provide Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) facilities.

Once completed, the port will be able to handle an additional 50 medium capacity vessels and approximately 10,000 passengers per month. The improvement in port services will also reduce passenger waiting time and vessel docking time.

"This project is expected to increase port productivity, contribute to the local economy, and help spur regional development," said Ricciardone.

The GEM MSIP program will implement 30 critically needed projects like port, road and bridge, mostly in the conflict-affected areas of Mindanao.

Also in Bongao, Ricciardone and Chamberlin launched the Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC), Program at the Marawi State University (MSU) Preparatory High School. The CLIC Program is an element of the GEM Program’s Education assistance effort. – GEM