Mati cited for agriculture development

By Lualhati Perez

MANILA, Philippines - Mati City, provincial capital of Davao Oriental, was recently awarded by President Aquino as the best performing local government unit in implementing an agricultural development project under the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program.

The city received a P2.5-million grant from DA-MRDP to improve its productivity in agricultural produce such as coconut, banana and corn.

Mati is regarded as a “coconut city” because of the 26,386 hectares of coconut plantations, one of the biggest in the country.

The city envisions itself as one of the centers of the coconut industry with the implementation of an integrated coconut farming system that will include virgin coconut oil, coco sugar and coco coir.

The city is a major producer in Mindanao of dessicated coconut, coconut coir and geotextile which is widely used in road projects to control soil erosion.

Since being declared a component city in 2007, Mati has racked up numerous citations from national government agencies for its quest for excellence in the various fields of governance.

Among them is the Seal of Good Housekeeping in 2011 from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for its faithful compliance with the public disclosure policy of finance documents.

It was also given the Seal of Excellence by the Civil Service Commission in 2010 during the national search for the best local government units in implementing customer satisfaction. It was also named the Best Rural Police Station by the Philippine National Police in 2010.

Mati Mayor Michelle Denise Rabat said that its affirmation as a city by the Supreme Court in 2011 bodes well for the delivery of basic social services because of its increased internal revenue allotment amounting to P492.7 million in 2012, the second biggest in the region.

Rabat said among the key projects included in the city’s P1.7-billion budget this year is the construction of a sanitary landfill, a water system, a public library, a double A slaughterhouse, a public cemetery, a juvenile center and road improvements.

She also noted the city government’s subsidy program which pays for the miscellaneous fees in public elementary and secondary schools, thereby arresting the high dropout rate. The city also has 250 college scholars with an annual allocation of P40,000 per student.

Known for its long stretch of fine sand beach, idyllic islands and marine sanctuaries, Mati is acknowledged as the tourist capital of Davao Oriental, and recognized as one of the last frontiers in Mindanao.

Mati has a land area of 791 square kilometers and a population of 126,000.  

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