UM Appointed at MinDA Board

Author

Ronnie V. Amorado
July 17, 2024

First MinDA Board Meeting on June 27, 2024 at the MinDA Office in Davao City. Sec. Magno seated in front (3rd from right), together with the members of the Board. Representing Dr. Torres and UM for this meeting is Dr. Ronnie V. Amorado (standing 2nd row, 3rd from right), SVP for Academic Affairs.

The University of Mindanao, through the President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Guillermo P. Torres, Jr., has been appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, through the Executive Secretary, Hon. Lucas P. Bersamin, as a Member of the Board of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) for a term of duty of six years, from 2024-2030.

UM shall sit in the MinDa Board to represent the Academic Sector, bringing the voice of schools and universities in Mindanao through the MinDA. As the sole representative of the academic sector, UM shall now aggressively engage the other sectors with academic institutions, both private and public, including state colleges and universities.

Established by RA 9996 or otherwise known as the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010, MinDA is the sole government agency that brings together all socio-economic and development issues and recommend policy reforms for executive and legislative action. Its main mandate is to facilitate, coordinate, and advocate trade and economic development programs that benefit the Mindanao island. It is also the official Philippine representative and signing authority for the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) with the primary member-countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Letter of Appointment from the Office of the President appointing Dr. Torres Jr. as a member of the Board of Directors of MinDA for the Mindanao Academic Sector.

With UM now representing the academe in the MinDA board, the sector is now in a better position to advocate for government-industry-academe collaboration, with such issues and programs on internships, practicum, student and faculty exchange, and research and development among others, to bring to the table as very important component in economic development in the island. With the BIMP-EAGA, UM shall also promote for the establishment of the EAGA University Consortium, with schools and universities in the four countries to convene and become active in the EAGA movement.

The MinDA Board is composed of all the incumbent governors in Mindanao, the representatives of Congress (Senate and Lower House), BARMM, NEDA, other Mindanao-related government agencies, business sector, industry sector, and the academe. Together with Dr. Torres, the other newly appointed member of the Board is Ms. Joji Ilagan-Bian who is representing the business sector. Bian is also the president of the Joji Ilagan International School and the Stockbridge Americal School Davao.

The currently appointed MinDA chair is Sec. Leo Tereso Magno, who is also the concurrent Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao.