CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In her final State of the Region Address (SORA) as chairperson of the Regional Development Council of Northern Mindanao (RDC-X), Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo delivered a powerful and heartfelt report on the region’s transformation-highlighting robust economic growth, landmark infrastructure accomplishments and a deepened commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.
Addressing RDC-X members and guests during the 141st Full Council Meeting and later speaking before members of the media at the First Semester 2025 Socioeconomic Media Forum, Dimaporo announced that Northern Mindanao’s economy expanded by 6.0 percent in 2024, outpacing the national average.
She noted that the region’s gross regional domestic product breached the P1-trillion mark, positioning Northern Mindanao among the top six contributors to the national economy.
Per capita output also crossed the P200,000 mark, the third highest in the country, driven by strong performances in trade, manufacturing and
construction.
Beyond economic gains, Dimaporo highlighted key infrastructure milestones including the opening of the Panguil Bay bridge, now the longest sea-crossing bridge in Mindanao, along with the expansion of Laguindingan airport and the inauguration of the Balingoan port in Misamis Oriental.
She also reported ongoing and proposed projects such as the Bukidnon airport development, Cagayan de Oro coastal road, Iligan City coastal bypass road, major bypasses and diversion roads
and Phase 3 of the Mindanao Railway Project.
In the health sector, Dimaporo reported progress in maternal and newborn care, reduction of adolescent birth rates and the development of key facilities including the Cagayan de Oro Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious
Diseases and the proposed psychiatric facility in Initao, Misamis Oriental – the first of its kind in the region.
Still, she acknowledged ongoing challenges in hospital capacity and shortages in healthcare personnel.
On education, she presented a mixed picture: while functional literacy and teacher-to-learner ratios have improved, there remain serious concerns over declining senior high school performance and the shortage of over 10,000 classrooms.
She also spotlighted achievements in digital connectivity, electrification and innovation.
In 2024, the region successfully transferred 75 government-funded technologies to micro, small and medium enterprises and local government units, marking a sharp increase from previous years.
Region 10 also performed strongly in securing national innovation grants and awards.
The governor further shared that over P7.6 billion in new investments were generated in 2024, supported by efforts to revive the region’s steel industry and reestablish the Investment Assistance Center of Northern Mindanao.
She also reported strides in peace and order as well as the ongoing urban transformation through the proposed metropolitanization of Cagayan de Misamis.
In closing, Dimaporo called for vigilance, unity, and forward-thinking leadership.
“As I step back and make way for new leadership, I do so with the deepest gratitude and unshakable faith in the people of Northern Mindanao. We planted the seeds. We have built bridges – literal and figurative. And we have ignited a movement that no transition can slow,” she said.
The RDC-X is slated for reorganization in August 2025, in line with the start of the new term of the newly-elected local chief executives.
