Monkayo is a first-class municipality with an annual income of P68,141,00.66 in 2016 including the collected tax revenues (i.e. community tax, real property tax, special education tax, business tax, and fine and penalties), and local business and service income. The share of the municipality from the internal revenue collections are P177,785,976.00, P203,048,146.00 and P223,895,243.00 in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Refer to Figure 26.
It has a primarily agriculture, mining and service-driven economy. The service sector is further broken down into wholesale and retail trade, consumer services, financial services, and social services.
Figure 26. Annual income and share from the internal revenue collections.
A. Agriculture
In terms of land use, Monkayo remains primarily an agricultural municipality. Of the municipality’s total land area of 69,289 hectares, 28.06 per cent or 19,444.30 hectares are utilized for various agricultural undertakings. As can be gleaned in Table 13, Monkayo’s major crops are coconut, rubber, banana, corn, rice, rubber, cacao and oil palm.
Coconut ranks number one in terms of the agricultural land area planted to a crop with 11.5% of the total land area. Corn and rice rank second and third, respectively. Legumes have the least percentage of occupied land area with 0.04%.
The lowland rice production area increases in 2014 as rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage infrastructure were partially in placed. Additionally, rubber, cacao and coconut has significantly increased upon the implementation various rehabilitation programs which is a combination of food security intervention and community-based livelihood activities.
Cavendish banana production shown a slowest growth since the devastation of typhoon Pablo and Fusarium wilt epidemic where these devastated farmlands were developed for other crops (i.e. corn, rubber, cacao and coconut) as banana growers are now hesitant to re-invest in the area due to concerns over another natural calamity and high investment cost. This important export product is now gaining traction as new investors started developing and expanding new areas for this crop.
Inland fishery accounts for 22.50 hectares of fishponds with 630 fisherfolks/operators growing tilapia, African hito, panggasius and carp averaging to 2,941.2 kgs/ha/year.
In support to agricultural activities in the municipality, the local government has established Municipal Hatchery, Municipal Livestock Upgrading Center, Municipal Nursery, Farmers Information and Technology Center, Goat and Chicken Multiplier Farm, Corn Seed Production. Also, there machinery and equipment owned privately and publicly. These include nine rice mills, five corn mills, 84 multi-purpose drying pavement, five Barangay Food Terminals, six flat-bed dryers, 35 warehouses, 30 rice threshers, five corn shellers, 26 mechanical dryers, four farm tractors, one cassava chipper, two cassava granulators and on-going construction of Municipal Trading Post.
There are 4,818 registered rice and corn farmers in the municipality, 2,605 farmworkers, 1,978 piggery and poultry growers.
According to the data provided by the Municipal Agriculturist, there are 4,949 heads of swine, 5 heads of cattle, and 14 heads of goat slaughtered for commercial and household consumption in 2015.
There are 7,521.2465 hectares covered by CARP with 4,778 farmer-beneficiaries within 20 barangays.
In 2015, agriculture generated an estimated 492.29 million pesos from food and feed crops, industrial and high value commercial crops, livestock, poultry and inland fishery.
The municipality will experience shortage on cereal products and meat against the local production in the next five years as there is a dramatic decrease of 15% on prime commodity production area due to crop change/shift and annual increase in population. Refer to Tables 14 and 15 for the annual food consumption and requirement in the municipality.
Table 14
Agriculture and Food Production in the Municipality
Table 15
Current and Projected Food Requirement for 2017-2022
B. Mining
- Mining and mineral processing are the major economic activities in the declared mineral reservation area.
- Also, ore extraction, ore processing, refining of gold metal with the use of blowtorch and gold trading are also key economic activities found in Mt. Diwata.
- A conservative estimate of those employed in the area is at 15,000 persons.
- There were 838 registered business establishments in 2011, including selling of consumer goods, service shops, food stores/restaurants. Other recreational businesses and transport service.
- There are 32 gold processing plants established and 81 ballmills and motormills operated in Mt. Diwata, Pasian, Olaycon and Upper-ulip.
- The mineral reservation is host to the Diwalwal gold vein systems which are surrounded by copper and gold resources lke Upper-ulip Copper-Gold Prospects from the northwest, Mibatas/Higanteng-bato Copper-Gold Prospects from the southwest, the Pag-asa/Paraiso Gold Prospects to the north, Simulao Gold Prospects from the east, and LetterV/Bermuda Gold Prospects from the south of the area. Refer to Figure 27.
- On the average, the area yields 30 to 40 grams of gold per ton of ore. A medium to large-scale normal mining operation would generate around 54 tons per day which would yield around 1.62 to 2.16 kilograms of gold per day.
- As of first quarter of 2012, the average world price of gold is $1,689.951/oz. The average yield per operator can be translated to $96,570.16 to $128,760.16 gross income on a good day. This income is subject to the 15% government share and other mining operation expenses, royalties, taxes and fees for mining activities.
- In 2005, there were seven (7) Applications for Production Sharing Agreements (APSAs) and four (4) Exploration Permit Applications (EXPAs) within the Monkayo ancestral domain. As of 2015, no APSA or EXPA has been approved yet and there are additional EXPAs lodged with the MGB, which are in areas outside of Diwalwal. Refer to Table 16.
Figure 27. Mining tenements map.
Table 16
Existing Mineral Applications in Monkayo
C. Commerce and Trade
As of the last quarter of 2015 there are 2,907 registered business establishments which are engaged in wholesale, retail, banking and finance, services, real estate, rice and corn mill, agricultural enterprise (banana plantation, livestock and poultry production), manufacturing/processing, woodcraft and buy and sell that posted an average capital investment amounted to more or less P 240,000.00. Seventy percent (70%) of these establishments are located within Poblacion. Refer to Table 17.
There are 42,421 sq.m. of commercial business district and three banking institutions (i.e. ONB a Rural Bank of BDO, Davao de Oro Cooperative and Landbank of the Philippines).
Biggest number of proprietor are engaged in wholesaling, retailing, buy and sell and also agri-business, financing and mining industry.
Table 17
Comparative Number of Registered Establishment and Employment
D. Tourism
DMRA is considered as a prime tourist spot in Compostela Valley province. It has been identified as part of the attractions under province’s Bulawan Fetsival. Key potential tourism sites identified are the Mt. Diwata Ranges, Buenas Creek Inland Resort, Paraiso Falls and the tunnels in the area. However, infrastructure and tourism support facilities have yet to be established. The roads leading to the mineral reservation area needs to be improved as it is only accessible through the use of 4×4 vehicles or high-powered motorcycles.
Mine-Tunnel Trailing Guided Tour, Mt. Diwata – this mine-tunnel guided tour is existing but not as popular to tourists. This tourist destination is visited only for study and significant documentation.
Awao Waterfalls is an ideal getaway for those who love nature and adventure, getting to the falls’ gates is a journey loaded with tons of thrills itself. The place is accessible in Monkayo via San Jose can also be reached using Sta. Josefa town, in Agusan del Sur as entry point.
PJRB Inland Resort is boasting its reputation as one the most splendid resorts in the province. Recognized by the Municipal Tourism Council as local tourist destination, its warm and friendly atmosphere makes it a perfect destination for travelers who seek comfort and relaxation.
Tinago Inland Resort is found in Barangay Tubo-tubo, it is one of local tourist destinations in Monkayo, bonding moments of families usually happen in this inland resort which accessible by a 2-wheel or 4-wheel vehicles.
Combilan Cave at Casoon has been popular in the year 1998, its uniqueness is the presence of numerous formations of calcites. The prominent are the popularly known stalagmites and stalactites. The cave is multi-chambered and home to thousands of fruit bats. Combilan cave is considered to be one of the fruit bat sanctuaries in the Philippines. This tourist destination is for rehabilitation.
The tourists can also observe and buy jewelries hand-crafted by PWDs and local artisans which is their means of livelihood.
Promoting agro-tourism in the region is the Agro-Eco Tourism Center in Pasian that is operated and managed by the Compostela Valley Provincial Government.
The Tourism Industry in the municipality has not yet taken off. Necessary steps like Feasibility Studies preparation, skills training and manpower development program and even tapping technical consultants, and the private sector initiative have to be considered as vital ingredients to make the industry moving and be realized in a certain period.
The establishment of Bulawan Junction as a gateway to the province of Compostela Valley is a way of attracting tourist in the neighboring municipalities and regions. This facility will showcase the local craftsmanship in processing and making jewelries as the main product of the municipality.
Potential Tourist Destinations include: Sagay Waterfalls and Hot Spring in Salvacion, parks and plaza in Poblacion, Monkayo Botanical Garden in Maite Communal Forest, Paypayanon Falls and Mahayahay Falls in Baylo, Hot Spring in Upper Ulip, and Dumanog Falls and Magdagandang Falls in Pasian.
