Barely a decade ago, Bongao was an underdeveloped municipality despite it being the political and economic capital of Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost province of the Philippines.
Back then, life was difficult and miserable. Economic and social development was slow; prices of basic goods and commodities high -- and the government was desperate for funds to remedy social and environmental problems. Infrastructure too was very poor and private business was hesitant to invest for precisely these reasons.
