No letup in loans, grants to Mindanao, says World Bank

The World Bank will continue to support Mindanao with loans and grants despite the pullout of official development assistance by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) following the poll-related violence in Maguindanao that left 57 persons dead. Bert Hofman, World Bank country director for the Philippines, told reporters on Wednesday there was no move from the Washington-based lender to halt its financial support for Mindanao. "We haven't thought about it. We are committed to development and peace-building in Maguindanao," Hofman said. He admitted, however, that the bank had issued travel restrictions to its staff for some areas in Mindanao. The World Bank is financing the second phase of the $123.65-million Mindanao rural development project and the $58.8-million Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) social fund project. The second phase of the rural development program seeks to provide better livelihood opportunities to targeted communities and set up a decentralized system for agriculture and fisheries. Meanwhile, the ARMM social fund aims to extend social services and livelihood to as many as 600 barangays in the region. Other major donors to the resource-rich but poverty-ridden island include the Australian Agency for International Development, Canadian International Development Agency and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. From 2001 to last year, USAID has given $345 million worth of official development assistance to Mindanao, mainly for programs supporting peace and development on the island. It also trains former combatants and helps expand trade and marketing networks for entrepreneurs. The group also trains local officials in 1,000 villages in alternative dispute settlement. — Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV