By Rene V. Carbayas
DAVAO CITY – Cultural workers,
educators, and artists of Mindanao have pushed for the strengthening of
cultural, arts and heritage agenda in Mindanao 2020.
From the output of the recently concluded integration
workshop of the different Mindanao-based sub-commission members of the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) here, Carly Sereso of the Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA) thanked the NCCA for brining to MinDA’s attention
the agenda of the cultural artisits and workers and he admitted that MinDA and
the Mindanao 2020 plans lack the very “soul” of Mindanao in direct reference to
culture, arts, and heritage.
MinDA said the present plan is largely focused
on security, social, and economic development.
MinDA is Mindanao’s lead agency in
coordinating and integrating development efforts to bring about accelerated
socio-economic development in the area by encouraging the active and extensive
participation of all sectors in the development process.
“We consider very important our socio-cultural
aspect because if we try to look at the development aspect is purely economic,
knowing that there diverse cultures in Mindanao,” Sereso said.
MinDA further said that there are four areas
of intervention to incorporate culture, arts, and heritage agenda in Mindanao
2020: 1) study the roadmap in the light of the Philippine Development Plan and
that of Mindanao and endorse it to partner agencies and institutions, 2)
identify aspects in the roadmap for implementation in the MinDA level, 3)
identify resources and partners for development opportunities and collaboration
of MinDA and NCCA and other partner agencies, and 4) identification of gaps for
culture and arts future planning and programming by NCCA and other agencies or
with MinDA.
Fr. Albert Alejo of the NCCA Sub-Committee on
Literary Arts said that MinDA should distinct itself from NEDA (National
Economic Development Authority) and challenged MinDA to be a culture-based
body.
“MinDA could exist and be distinct as a body
if it is very familiar with the soul and culture of Mindanao, otherwise we
contend with having NEDA,” Fr. Alejo said, challenging MinDA to embrace the
culture of Mindanao.
Cultural workers, artists, and educators from
the different parts of Mindanao met at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City last
April 21 to revisit the plans that each sub-committees have prepared in
previous meetings and consolidate them to become a one Mindanao plan that will
serve as the roadmap of Mindanao Culture, Arts, and Heritage Indicative Action
Plan: Period 2016-2017.
“This is not a program planning. We are
planning for results. We are planning for impact outcomes,” workshop
facilitator Nestor T. Horfilla stressed, hoping to
make the consolidated plan be more implementable.
In her opening remarks, Marichu G. Tellano,
Chief of NCCA Plan/Policy Formulation and Programming Division, said that the
meeting was in response to the clamor that while each committees meet and
create programs and activities respectively, there was no opportunity to
get-to-know one another and more importantly to harmonize the plans and
programs so these may have greater impact to the communities NCCA is serving.
In her message, NCCA Executive Director
Adelina M. Suemith said that NCCA has been engaging lots of sectors in
consultation activities in order to improve its services to the people and saw
the need to find new ways in planning and sharing of resources in view of the
challenges posed by the Aquino Administration.
“In this way, the NCCA empowers the regions to
dream for themselves and achieve these dreams at their level. NCCA hopes to see
an improved sense of identity among the diverse peoples of Mindanao,” she said.