MASBATE CITY, Masbate (14 Dec) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has exposed before Bicol officials and community leaders about government projects in the Bicol region that were “long reported as completed” which, however, turned out to be non-existent.
President Arroyo bared the anomaly when she graced the final day of the two-day Bicol Local Peace and Security Assembly (LPSA) at a beach resort here, on Thursday, December 13.
“Projects are reported to be 100-percent completed… Wala pa pala,” the President said.
President Arroyo did not mention which projects she found to be non-existent but complained about the absence of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus in her Bicol visit.
“Wala na naman,” the President noted, adding that it was the second time that the Education secretary was not around.
President Arroyo while reiterating her findings on projects that “are long reported as completed na on paper, pero hindi pa pala…”, went on to laud Bicol officials for the preventive measures that they immediately set up when news came about a typhoon that was going to cross the Bicol region.
“Maganda ang paghahanda ninyo sa bagyo, your preventive measures,” said the President who joked that the preparations were so good that the typhoon “decided” to skirt the Bicol region.
President Arroyo then enumerated the infrastructure projects that she has been planning for the Bicol Peninsula, relating to the participants that Spain – where she went for a state visit last week – earns more from tourism than what Saudi Arabia earns from oil.
Among the projects the President enumerated are the international airport for Daraga, Albay; a small airport for Bulan, Sorsogon; and the rerouting of the RORO (roll-on, roll-off) from Cebu.
The President announced that she will be coming back for another meeting with the LPSA, even if only to check whether or not her directives are implemented at the local level.
Enthusing that Bicol has improved from the second to the fourth poorest region in the country because of “unprecedented infrastructure spending,” the President further committed to develop Donsol tourism in Sorsogon, Rodeo Masbateño in Masbate , and surfing in Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. (PIA-5 release)
