THE First Regular Session of the 19th Congress adjourned last Saturday, 01 October 2022 and is right now in recess but it seems that there is no stopping Cotabato 3rd District Rep. Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño Santos as she continues meeting key officials to secure funding and support for the development of the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 (𝐂𝐌𝐀).

Two days after adjournment, Rep. Santos met with Senator Mark Villar to lobby and seek the Senate’s assistance on its development.

Her efforts, the lawmaker said, “shall contribute towards providing efficient access to the mobility of passengers, as well as the transportation of commodities in the Province of Cotabato and its nearby municipalities.”

Prior to this, particularly in late August 2022, Rep. Santos and Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza also had an audience with Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the same purpose.

She also visited Secretary Christina Frasco of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to lobby for possible funding and support for the CMA.

Driven by her desire for the CMA to come to fruition, Rep. Santos also secured a meeting with Undersecretary Roberto Cecilio Lim of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) last September 4, 2022.

For its part, the Provincial Government of Cotabato (PGC), under the leadership of Gov. Lala, also facilitated meetings and consultations with landowners in M’lang to provide assistance in the transfer of land titles which shall help expedite the development of the CMA.

The PGC also facilitated consultations with concerned stakeholders to seek their recommendations during the conceptualization workshop on the province’s presentation on the CMA for airline companies and possible investors.

These are just a few of the efforts that Team 𝐒erbisyo 𝐀t 𝐌alasakit (SAM) and Team Serbisyong Totoo (TST) have been exerting to ensure that the CMA will finally be able to take off. Rep. Santos and Gov. Lala continue to seek meetings with key stakeholders and officials to lobby for its development with similar motivation in mind — that this is 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐨.

In line with their continuous pursuit of economic development in the Province of Cotabato, Rep. Ma. Alana Samantha T. Santos, and Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza recently met, discussed, and identified key priority projects for the province with DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral.

The priority projects will be implemented throughout the six (6) municipalities of the 3rd District of Cotabato namely: Banisilan, Carmen, Kabacan, M’lang, Matalam, and Tulunan.

The district covers central and southern Cotabato bordering Maguindanao to the west and Lanao del Sur to the north.

Session in the 19th Congress will resume after All Soul’s Day and All Saints Day particularly on November 7, 2022, until December 16, 2022, recess for the Christmas Season break.