Cordillera RDC official expresses support on PNoy's dev't goals and programs

Cordillera Regional Development Council Co-chair Dr. Virgilio Bautista attested to the country's development and the achievements under President Benigno S. Aquino III's 25 months in office.

According to Bautista, the President's State of the Nation Address yesterday was comprehensive with credible statistics and also gave a good idea of more developments to come as far as his vision of good governance,"Tuwid na daan," is concerned.

Bautista said the country's development and Tuwid na Daan governance is also being felt in the region.

"To cite some examples, I am happy to report that the Department of Public Works and Highways-CAR got a P3.3 billion budget for this year for road projects, and for 2013, it will double to P6.6 billion. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will also get a bigger share as far as regional allocation is concerned," Bautista said.

He also lauded the President's goal of having all primary and secondary national roads cemented all over the country by 2016, which would surely bring in economic development to the region. At present, only about 50 percent of the region's national roads are paved.

On education, Bautista said the President's goal of addressing the classroom and textbook shortage as well as increasing allocation of budget for the education sector, particularly the Department of Education and the state colleges and universities is a welcome development for the region, an educational center in the North.

Bautista reiterated Aquino's call for support for the government's programs as he said that through the people's support and cooperation, all visions, dreams, and projections of the President for the nation are achievable.

"Not all of us voted for the President, but I believe that if we continue to support his programs, all the goals and projections he stressed are achievable. We have a saying in management that good plans fail if the people do not support it, but even not so good plans could succeed if we all work together and make it work," Bautista said.

Bautista joined the NIIT-Baguio students, members of the local media, and a number of people from the community, in the public viewing of the President's 2012 SONA at the at the Philippine Information Agency regional office, Monday.

President Aquino, in his third SONA, reported the country's growth and development in his 25 months in office, which included improved economic stability which the international community had noted; great improvement in terms of good governance, poverty alleviation, universal health care – especially financial risk protection for the poor; infrastructure development; rural electrification; peace and order as well as reforms on the educational, agricultural, employment sectors; and human development especially on the special sector of society - the old and person with disabilities, among others.

He cited the indomitable and positive spirit of Filipinos as his inspiration in the first two years which, he said, were collectively the accomplishments of the Filipino people who put their thrust in his Tuwid na Daan'governance.

He also called for the people's continuing thrust and cooperation so all together we can bring our country to greater heights. - PIA — ARA