The 2017-2019 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) List in the Investment Priorities Plan
Following are the Priority Investment Areas:
| A. | EXPORT ACTIVITIES |
|---|---|
| 1. | Export Trader and Service Exporters; |
| 2. | Support Activities for Exporters. |
| B. | AGRICULTURE, AGRIBUSINESS, AQUACULTURE and FISHERY |
| 1. | Agriculture and Agribusiness: This covers all types of agricultural production, farming, plantation, processing or manufacturing, as long as, the land or the agricultural production, plantation, processing or manufacturing is based in ARMM. It includes value-chain, value-adding, logistical and supply chain agribusiness activities based in or involving ARMM agricultural products or the farmers of the region, such as silo storage and drying facilities. |
| 2. | Aquaculture and Fishery: This covers the aquamarine industry; inland water resources; seaweeds; fishing; fish pond including other marine, inland and brackish water farming, such as abalone farms, shrimp farming or crab fattening; the establishment of hatcheries or breeding of fingerlings and processing of such marine and inland water resources. |
| C. | BASIC INDUSTRIES |
| 1. | This covers the production of pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics; traditional or herbal medicines and related activities such as bio-prospecting; textile or garments; water supply and treatment; ice plant or refrigeration; traditional craft like boat building; production of inorganic and organic fertilizer; all types of heavy industries, such as the steel industry, petrochemical industry, ship-building, ship breaking, ship repair and servicing; dredging for industrial purposes and landfill; cement production and concrete aggregates. |
| D. | INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES |
| 1. | This covers strategic infrastructure projects such as railways, bridges, tollways, flood control and support industries like sand and gravel, batching plant and pre-mixing of cements; air, land and water transportation; telecommunications to include the construction and operation of international gateway facilities both satellite-linked or linked by terrestrial and submarine cables for internet connectivity, so long as these are based in ARMM and are holding ARMM franchise, or servicing ARMM areas including to and from ARMM in order to increase inter-connectivity and support regional or national integration. |
| E. | INDUSTRIAL SERVICE FACILITIES |
| 1. | This covers industrial centers or industrial estates to include testing and quality control laboratories; manpower training and demonstration centers; vocational and technical skills services and facilities; call centers and Information Technology related enterprises such as business process outsourcing; tool and dye shops and similar facilities; metal casting and metal working; furniture and fixtures; ceramics and tile-making; petrochemical complex and industrial gases. |
| F. | ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES |
| 1. | This covers engineering products; electronics and telecommunication products; and fabrication of construction materials including pre-fabricated construction materials using new technologies (e.g. 3D printing) or indigenously sourced materials. |
| G. | LOGISTICS |
| 1. | This covers the logistics, supply chain and logistics network industry; shipping, hauling and trucking; cargo shippers and forwarders; bulk carrier; warehousing and depots; storage; and other logistics facilities principally based in ARMM including transshipment hubs and services using ARMM ports, airports or located near its special economic zones. This also contemplates the ports industry and allied industry in the ARMM and ancillary services, such as arrastre and stevedoring, because the ARMM needs to attract more port industry players. |
| H. | BIMP – EAGA RELATED INVESTMENT ENTERPRISES |
| 1. | This covers enterprises using the BIMP-EAGA framework on trade and investments and who are located or have their base of operations in the BIMP-EAGA namely, Brunei; Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia; Maluku, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya in Indonesia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines, who shall invest and engage in economic activity in the ARMM including traditional cross-border trade and the age-old barter trading to encourage the formalization of peripheral shadow economies. |
| I. | TOURISM |
| 1. | This covers the establishment of tourism-related facilities and attractions; tourism-related services; hotel and restaurants catering to ARMM tourists; Halal-based tourism; tourist accommodation facilities; tourist transport facilities and development of retirement villages, which shall include health or medical facilities and other amenities. |
| J. | HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES AND FACILITIES |
| 1. | The ARMM has some of the lowest indicators in the country regarding health and education as reflected in the Human Development Index. For this purpose, there is a need for incentives to be given to investors in the health and educational sectors such as putting-up of private hospitals, medical clinics, wellness centers, primary education,secondary education, tertiary education (colleges, universities and vocational-technical schools) and ancillary or support services such as teacher training centers. |
| K. | HALAL INDUSTRY |
| 1. | The 2004-2010 MTPDP envisioned that ARMM shall be the production and processing center for the Halal industry. ARMM being the only Muslim region in the country has a comparative advantage in the Halal industry since majority of Halal consumers are in the region. Any Halal related business enterprises that obtain the necessary Halal certification or is operating under Islamic (Shariah) law principles shall be covered. Halal refers to the permissible products and services under Islamic Law. |
| L. | BANKING, NON-BANK FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES |
| 1. | Aside from conventional banking and finance, microfinance and cooperative financing, this includes Islamic banking and finance; and Islamic microfinance and pawnshop operations, since the ARMM is the most unbanked region in the country and there is a need for financial inclusivity in accordance with the provisions of the Organic Act (Sec. 7, Art. IX, R.A. No. 9054). This also includes remittance centers to cater to remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers. Guidelines for this purpose may be issued by the RBOI after consultation with the relevant stakeholders and institutions engaged in financial access and financial inclusivity programs and activities. |
| M. | ENERGY |
| 1. | More energy investments are needed in the ARMM considering that the household electrification rate in the ARMM is the most dismal in the country with only 34% as compared with the national rate of 74%. This covers energy investments in upstream and downstream industries such as power generation, transmission and distribution. Off-grid and Small Power Utilities Group or SPUG areas shall be prioritized for investments and giving of incentives considering that these are stranded markets for electricity. It covers not only energy but also ancillary services and in the context of ARMM, this means the construction of substations and transmission and distribution towers considering that there are also frequent power outages due to disruption of such facilities from man-made and natural disaster causes. |
