DAVAO CITY — Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, the new chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), visited the agency on Thursday afternoon to submit his documents. However, his predecessor, Maria Belen Acosta, who was also in the building, failed to meet her successor.
Clad in his usual short-sleeved white barong, Magno arrived at around 1:32 PM with his oath of office, assumption of office, and appointment letter, which he submitted to the Human Resource and Administrative officers of MinDA.
“Anytime I have been trying to reach out to Secretary Mabel since Friday until this morning, but I understand that she may be attending to personal matters, and we have not been able to meet. However, I had to come to MinDA because we have an oath of office. I am committed to doing everything I can, to the best of my abilities, in the role given to me. Technically, we have started to work at MinDA. This ‘Land of Promise’ will further develop under President Marcos Jr.’s term. I wish and hope for all of us Mindanaoans to achieve the goal of a progressed and developed Mindanao,” Magno said when asked if he was ready to meet Acosta.
Employees of MinDA, who have been divided due to alleged favoritism, were surprised when Magno arrived. Their eyes showed confusion as Acosta still refused to step down, despite a two-page letter from the Palace on Wednesday stating that Acosta was fired “due to loss of trust and confidence.”
The letter from Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin clearly explained why Acosta was dismissed, but Acosta clung to power, invoking a six-year term of office as stipulated in Republic Act 9996.
Seeing the divided team, Magno said, “We will try our best. Hopefully, we can come together. We are from Mindanao, and we must stand together for a common goal and walk in one direction. Let’s work together and forget the factions inside.”
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After meeting with the employees at MinDA, Secretary Magno proceeded to the airport. There, he met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Secretary Anton Lagdameo.
The meeting underscored the importance of his new role and highlighted the administration’s commitment to the development of Mindanao. Magno’s engagement with the highest levels of government signals a focused effort towards achieving the goal of a progressive and unified Mindanao.
