Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

MINDANAO AND MOUNTAIN PROVINCE 267

hearted and earnest approach, and whatever programme of
development there has been, has not been on a scale productive
of rapid and positive accomplishments.
An independent Philippines will have to give Mindanao
preferential attention. "Let well enough alone," which is
the sum-total of our accomplishments there so far, would
have to be discarded for something more in keeping with fruitful
statesmanship. Heretofore it was only when someone advocated
segregation, or when disorders occurred there, that all of us
would take notice and bestir ourselves, and think of Mindanao
and make grandiose plans for its advancement. Twice or
thrice now, our enthusiasm has been keyed up to the point
when we sent two or three legislative committees and created
one or two executive bodies, with the usual rendition of reports. The latest concoction is the so-called Coordinating
Board. It is the most recent child of our Mindanao fancy.
It is a magnificent scheme-on paper.- And, supposedly,
it could produce magical results if really there were activities
to coordinate. As things now are, however, there are no such
activities of a magnitude worthy of coordination. In order to
have such activities, funds are needed, plenty of funds. But
we have been an absolute and heartless miser when it comes
to funds for Mindanao. On the average we appropriate about
thirty thousand pesos a year for promoting migration to that
region, half a million for administrative salaries and expenses
and various insular aids, and about two hundred thousand
for roads, distributed among six provinces. Given the immensity of the territory, the question is: How could we, with two
hundred thirty thousand pesos a year, hasten the progress of
Mindanao so that it could keep pace with the progress of the
northern islands and provinces?
Here up nbrth we could afford to spend thirteen million
pesos for a single pier, five million for a legislative building,
and three million for a post office building. From Aparri
to Sorsogon, and everywhere in the Visayan islands, there
are beautiful first-class roads, asphalted driveways, imposing
public edifices. Evidences of general prosperity may be seen
whithersoever one may roam.