Mindanao secession to have social costs — NEDA

“The cost of doing business will also increase if they separate. So there are those kinds of considerations,” she said.

On Thursday, President Marcos said the call to separate Mindanao from the rest of the country was “doomed to fail, for it is anchored on false premises not to mention a sheer constitutional travesty.”

“I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao. This is a grave violation of the constitution,” the President said in his speech to mark Constitution Day.

Edillon acknowledged that while Mindanao has contributed 16 percent to the country’s gross domestic product and over 30 percent to the agricultural sector, the region needs technical assistance and development planning as it is home to some of the poorest areas in the country.

“There was neglect in the past. I think that has to be recognized as well. That’s one of the things we’re trying to catch up on – the long period of neglect in Mindanao. They were left behind and it shows in the poverty statistics,” she said.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte floated the idea to separate Mindanao from the Philippines through a signature-based process following his opposition to amending the 1987 Charter.

Duterte insisted there was nothing illegal with his proposal as secession does not mean going to war.

“[My proposal] is a legal process that will be brought to the United Nations [similar to that of] Timor Leste,” Duterte said.

For his part, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez appealed to Duterte and former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to stop any talk about separating Mindanao from the rest of the country.

“The former President, former speaker and their followers should stop any talk and any actual plan, if there is any, to secede Mindanao. President Marcos has categorically stated that he would not permit our national territory to be reduced ‘even by one square inch’ and would not allow ‘even an iota of suggestion of its breaking apart,’” he said.

“President Marcos is serious, and they should take his statements seriously,” Rodriguez added.

Rodriguez said talk of secession does not help Mindanao.

“It is counterproductive. It scares away investors. Most of our island – the Davao provinces in particular, the bailiwick of former President Duterte – is now economically progressive and peaceful, including the Bangsamoro area,” he added. — Charles Dantes & Maricel Cruz