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In his first state of the province address on March 31 at the province’s legislative hall here, Gov. Rodolfo Del Rosario said, “gone are the days when the projects of the provincial government were determined by political convenience.”
Del Rosario laid down his “holistic and comprehensive development framework” for the province dubbed as “RDR WHEELS”: roads and infrastructure; development of cooperatives; reforms in governance and peace and order; water and electricity; health, sanitation and social service; education, culture, sports and human development; economic development and environmental protection and rehabilitation; livelihood skills and development; and spiritual and moral recovery.
“My administration espouses a kind of development that does not overlook the interest and freedom of any group of people, especially the disadvantaged sector”, he said.
The province, he added, has allocated P2 million to assist 3,635 farmers who are cultivating a total of 18,695.68 hectares of rice fields. He estimated that the palm oil and rubber productions would generate 7,100 jobs in the next two years.
Del Rosario, whose family is a leader in the banana industry, said farmers earned a total of US$17 million from banana chips. He said his administration aims to attain an economic development that supports political and social stability, fosters tolerance and enhances opportunity for all.
He also assured barangay officials that each of them would receive at least P1 million worth of priority projects. (Alden Pantaleon/MindaNews)