VIRAC CATANDUANES – This tiny island province, equivalent to the size and population of any one of the four districts in Camarines Sur, may achieve a gigantic development leap within the next two years, thanks to a novel development strategy of Gov. Joseph Cua who has just begun his first term.
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Gov. Joseph Cua |
Unlike other local executives who consider infrastructure build-up as their topmost priority ostensibly because of the government money involved and the accompanying kickbacks from projects, Governor Cua, 45, is putting prime emphasis on the expansion and modernization of the island’s abaca industry because it can provide substantial income and employment opportunities to most of the province’s 250,000 population.
Hardly had he warmed his seat after winning as an independent candidate over Lakas stalwart Gov. Leandro Verceles, Jr. in the May 2007 election when Governor Cua promptly launched his Catanduanes Unlad Abakamasa (CUA) program.
Already producing 80% of the entire abaca output of the Bicol Region and concededly one of the top abaca producers in the whole country, Catanduanes each month has between 700,000 to one million kilos of quality abaca fiber worth between P40 to P50 million or about 600 million every year. But there is still much room for maximizing benefits from the abaca industry.
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A demo on mechanized stripping of abaca as what Gov. Cua wants all Catanduanes abaca farmers to adopt to maximize output. |
Governor Cua says more hectarage could be devoted to abaca, full mechanization of abaca stripping could be introduced and instead of exporting all production, part could be used in new and enlarged handicraft industries utilizing new designs and techniques.
Hand stripping yields only 10 kilos a day to an abaca farmer while up to 120 kilos are realized per person using stripping machines, he says.
“I know very well the A to Z of the abaca industry because my family business started with abaca,” Governor Cua, scion of the wealthy couple Fernando Cua and Asuncion Chua of San Andres, Catanduanes, emphasized.
From abaca, the family has so expanded that at present Governor Cua has become the Chief Executive Officer of the JC Cua Group of Companies. These include the RSL Bus Transport Corporation, Eastern Island Shipping Lines, Inc., Regina Shipping Lines, Inc., Virac Homes Resort and Realty Corporation, Powerzone Petroleum Products Corporation, Ocean Coast Shipping Corporation, Powerdrive Gear Motors, Inc., JC Cua Realty and Development Corporation, JC Cua Construction and Supply, Virac Gasoline Station, Island Gasoline Station and Manila Hemp Trading Corporation. He is tactfully using his business experience and acumen for the good of constituents.
Governor Cua is keen on putting up a shipbuilding and repair facility in a cove near Payo, Panganiban town in the northeastern side of the province facing the open Pacific Ocean where ocean-going vessels can be built and repaired.
Governor Cua said he had seen such facilities during his travels particularly in Japan and he is optimistic it would be very feasible and viable in Catanduanes. He is certain for instance, that foreign investments would pour in once he is able to firm up his shipbuilding plan and this would mean no financial burden to the provincial government.
The shipbuilding venture is also certain to provide vast employment opportunities for Catanduanes residents. “I subscribe to the principle that the best form of governance is that which can provide income and livelihood opportunities for the people,” Governor Cua says.
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| Gov. Cua with barangay residents after a typhoon. Catanduanes is in the typhoon belt but its people are unfazed by calamities. |
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“Borrowing funds for projects will always be a last resort for us,” the provincial executive pointed out. ‘For the present, Catanduanes is debt-free because my group in the previous Sangguniang Panlalawigan strongly opposed the plan of my predecessor to borrow P 350 million to finance the proposed hydroelectric project here,” he stressed.
He said the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative (FICELCO) is just the same simultaneously implementing several hydroelectric projects in the island province but with private investors funding the project instead of the provincial government worrying about the repayment scheme and the interest charges.
Governor Cua admits he is contemplating borrowing a relatively small sum of P30 million to upgrade the delivery of health services but if this is pushed through it would be easily payable from hospital revenues.
He says that the Eastern Bicol Medical Center, the provincial government hospital, generates about P20 million every year from Philhealth. But there is a need to increase its capacity from 100 to 150 beds and improve its facilities along with six other district hospitals. Such upgrading scheme is imperative considering the distance of Catanduanes to the mainland where better health services may be promptly availed of.
The island province is about three hours by ferryboat to Tabaco City, and this is the reason why Catanduanes officialdom, its clergy and residents have appealed to President Arroyo to hasten completion of the Caramoan coastal road. With the coastal road completed a ferry system could be established from Codon, San Andres to San Vicente, Caramoan which is just 30 minutes away. Catanduanes residents are reluctant to use the circuitous Caramoan Peninsula Road or the Gov. Felix A. Fuentebella Highway which is longer by over one hour over torturous mountain road. “We would rather use the existing ferry system to Albay than unnecessarily travel over the Caramoan mountain road,” Catanduanes residents said.
Governor Cua whose family owns the ferry services connecting the province has vowed to immediately provide ferry services between Codon and Caramoan once the coastal road is completed. It is presently in danger of being discontinued because of a puzzling directive from the DPWH central office that all funds for the coastal road be instead diverted to the mountain road.
Tourism development is another area of potential growth. Catanduanes has several beach resorts but its best potential is at Puraran, Baras which is considered one of the best surfing sites in the country and which is already being frequented by surfing enthusiasts mostly foreigners.
There is so much optimism among Catanduanes residents with Governor Cua at the helm because while he is an accomplished businessman he pursues development targets not to benefit himself but the people.
“If every Catandunganon has steady source of income and is able to feed his family, with shelter over their heads and able to send their children to school, then the government is able to do its job,” thus Governor Cua sums up his development vision.
Such agenda Governor Cua has laid out in a six-pronged development blueprint.
He summarizes his program thus:
a) Job generation, to provide opportunities for livelihood employment;
b) Organizational integrity and efficiency for good governance to promote efficiency and effectiveness in local government operation;
c) Social development to create a peaceful, orderly and wholesome living environment;
d) Environment management to establish sustainable development safeguards;
e) Power development to help bring about a stable and affordable energy supply for the province presently chained to bunker-fuel dependent power generator; and
f) Health care to institutionalize quality health care for all.
Governor Cua was mayor of San Andres from 2001 to 2004. In 2004 he ran for governor against Governor Verceles and lost by just around 500 votes after his electoral protest.
But in May, 2007 he polled a margin of over 6,000 votes over the same opponent.
A favorable political climate is working in his favor as he is in rapport with another Joseph, Congressman Joseph Santiago of the Lone District of Catanduanes and Virac Mayor Santos Zafe.
Born on August 4, 1963, Governor Cua finished Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the Philippine School for Business Administration.
He is married to Nancy Ong-Chua with whom he has six children: Josalie Elaine, Jay, Jeric, Joseph, Jr., Joshua and Regina.
