Secretary's Corner
HON.
VICTOR A. DOMINGO
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FORUM SPEECH
MANILA HOTEL
MARCH 16, 2010
YOUR EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT WILLIE CASTOR OF THE NACAP,
PRESIDENT ESPIRITU OF THE PCA, PRESIDENT OF THE CONSULTANTS RUDY
PEŇALOSA, TO THE CONTRACTORS, MY COLLEAGUES IN THE DPWH, FRIENDS,
VISITORS, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TASK HERE TODAY BECAUSE I
SUPPOSE TO PRESENT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR EXCELLENCY IN A
NINE-YEAR RULE AND I HOPE I SUPPOSE TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE BUT I
UNDERSTAND SHE TOLD US THAT I’D RATHER LISTEN TO THE MESSAGE OF
SECRETARY OF PUBLIC WORKS I HOPE I DO JUSTICE TO HER PERFORMANCE IN
THE 9 YEARS.
LET ME START MY BRIEFING STATEMENT WITH TODAY THAT WE
ARE HERE, THE ECONOMIES ARE VERY HEALTHY. WHEN THE PRESIDENT TOOK
OVER THE RATIO OF THE NATIONAL DEPTH TO GDP WAS 100%.
TODAY ITS 60% IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LIKE JAPAN,
IT HAS A RATIO OF 200%, THE UNITED STATES HAS A RATIO OF 100% AND
MOST OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE THAT INNOVATION.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS THAT
THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION IS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE IT HAS A ROOM TO
BORROW MORE MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER VITAL PROJECTS THAT
WILL FIGHT POVERTY AND INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE FILIPINO
PEOPLE. TODAY.
NEVER BEFORE HAS OUR INTEND RESERVES HAS REACHED 40
BILLION DOLLARS. THAT’S WHY OUR PHILIPPINE CURRENCY HAS STABILIZED
BECOMING STRONGER VIS-À-VIS THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR AND OTHER
CURRENCIES.
THAT’S WHY EXPORTERS ARE NOT HAPPY. THE OFWS ARE NOT
HAPPY. BUT OUR IMPORTERS ARE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW IMPORTING
OUR COMMODITIES AT A CHEAPER PRICE AND THEREFORE, MEANS LOWER COST
TO THE CONSOLES.
WE DO NOT HAVE A WAR. WE NEVER HAD A WAR DURING THAT
TIME WE ARE PURSUING PEACE TALKS. AND OF COURSE, GDP, WHEN SHE
TOOK OVER WAS SOMETHING LIKE OVER 60 BILLION. NOW, IT’S 160 BILLION
GDP. AND IN THE 2007 I HAVE TO LOOK FOR A YEAR IN WHICH WITH THE
HIGHER ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE BECAUSE THAT YEAR OUR ECONOMY HAD A
GROWTH RATE OF 7.3%. AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY THAT KIND OF GROWTH RATE
WAS NOT MAINTAINED BECAUSE OF CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND
WITH THE GLOBAL RECESSION BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE GREAT BIG TIME
FINANCERS IN THE WESTERN WORLD. AND ALL THE DEVELOP COUNTRIES
NEGATIVE GROWTH RATE EXCEPT THE PHILIPPINES, OF COURSE, DESPITE THE
GLOBAL RECESSION. THE PHILIPPINES GROWTH IS MORE THAN 3% IN 2008.
SO, NOW THAT WE’RE ABOUT TO END THIS ADMINISTRATION,
MAY I PRESENT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE DPWH. THE PRESIDENT WHEN SHE
TOOK OVER CAME OUT WITH THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS WHERE SHE
CAME OUT WITH SONA PROJECTS.
SO LET ME START WITH THE NORTHERN LUZON AGRI-QUADRANGULAR.
WE HAVE 3 PROJECTS IN NLAQ, THE HALSEMA HIGHWAY AND
STARTS WITH THE LA TRINIDAD VALLEY WHERE THE VEGETABLES ARE ROLLED
ALL THE WAY TO MOUNT DATA. AND FROM MOUNT DATA ALL THE WAY TO
BONTOC AND FROM BONTOC ALL THE WAY TO BANAUE. WE WERE THERE TO
INAUGURATE THE HALSEMA HIGHWAY AND PEOPLE OF HALSEMA WERE VERY, VERY
HAPPY BECAUSE IT TOOK A LOT OF HOURS TO REACH BAGUIO CITY. TOOK A
LOT OF HOURS TO VIEW THE BEAUTIFUL RICE TERRACES. NOW ITS ALL
CONCRETE TRAVEL TIME HAS BEEN TACK BY 50%. AND PEOPLE CAN SEND OUT
THEIR STUDENTS WHO SCHOOL IN UNIVERSITIES IN BAGUIO.
THE SECOND PROJECT IN THE NLAQ IS THE BONTOC-TABUK
TUGUEGARAO ROAD BY THE HALSEMA, COSTS A LOT OF BILLIONS - 3 POINT
BILLION PLUS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE TABUK TO THE BONTOC-TABUK
TUGUEGARAO ROAD INTERCONNECTING TWO REGIONS - THE CORDILLERA AND
REGION 2, SO THAT THE PRODUCE, THE RICE, THE CORN OF ISABELA AND
CAGAYAN CAN BE BROUGHT TO BAGUIO CITY WHERE THE POPULATION OF BAGUIO
CITY, AND VICE VERSA. THE VEGETABLES OF BAGUIO CITY CAN BE BROUGHT
DOWN TO LOW LANDS. AND OF COURSE THE PEOPLE OF ISABELA, NUEVA
VIZCAYA, AND TUGUEGARAO CAN SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO TOP SCHOOLS,
UNIVERSITIES IN BAGUIO CITY. THIS IS THE SECOND PROJECT OF THE
PRESIDENT.
AND THE THIRD PROJECT OF THE PRESIDENT IN NLAQ IS THE
BALER-CASIGURAN ROAD. I WAS THERE IN CASIGURAN BALER AND IT COSTS A
LOT OF BILLIONS ALSO TO PUT UP THAT ROAD BECAUSE THERE WERE 16
BRIDGES ALONG THE WAY. THE LONGEST OF WHICH IS THAT BRIDGE IN
CASIGURAN MEASURING 720 METERS LONG. IF YOU HAVE A MAP OF CASIGURAN
BAY, THAT’S THE PLACE WHERE THE AURORA ECO-ZONE IS LOCATED. THE
FAVORITE PROJECT OF SENATOR ANGARA. HE IS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE HE WAS
ABLE TO CONVINCE THE PRESIDENT HER EXCELLENCY TO FUND THE PROJECT
BECAUSE IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OF CASIGURAN, IT JOTS
INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ITS A DEEP BAY WIDE BAY BUT THAT BAY IS
PROTECTED BY A LAND MASS SO THAT THE PACIFIC WAVES CAN NOT DESTROY
THE AIRPORT, THE SEAPORT, THAT WILL SOON BE PUT UP BY HER
EXCELLENCY. BECAUSE IT IS THE DREAM OF SENATOR ANGARA TO ATTRACT
INVESTORS MANUFACTURERS. AND THAT BAY IS SO WIDE AND SO PRISTINE
THAT YOU CAN EVEN GROW COMMERCIAL FISHING. LAPU-LAPU FOR EXAMPLE
BY A FISHING LESS SO I WAS THERE AND I HAVE BEEN ANECDOTED ABOUT
THAT BECAUSE THAT AURORA ZONE IS THE “CAEZAR ZONE” OF SENATOR ENRILE
WHERE BOTH CONCEPTUALIZED AT THE SAME TIME IN THE EARLY TIME OF CORY
AND FVR. AND FVR APPROVED THIS “CAEZAR ZONE” DESPITE THE FACT THAT
IT IS EXPOSED TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. AND THE LAST WEEK OF THE
ADMINISTRATION OF FVR, HE DISAPPROVED IT - THE AURORA ZONE. IT’S
THE PRESIDENT WHO SAW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AURORA ZONE. SHE
APPROVED IT AND I WAS TELLING JOKINGLY, THE PRESIDENT, “YOU KNOW,
MADAME PRESIDENT, SENATOR ANGARA IS STILL ANGRY WITH FVR BECAUSE HE
APPROVES CAEZAR. IT DOESN’T HAVE A GOOD BAY AND PROTECT. AND HE
JUST APPROVED IT 1 MINUTE BEFORE THE TERM HER TERM THE AURORA ECO
ZONE AND I TOLD SENATOR ANGARA YOU KNOW WHY SENATOR ANGARA TOLD ME
YOU KNOW VIC FVR APPROVED SENATOR ENRILE ZONE BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID
HE WAS AFRAID OF ENRILE. BECAUSE HE IS A MEMBER OF THE RAM -
REFORMED ARMED FORCES MOVEMENT. YOU ARE ALSO A MEMBER OF THE RAM
LIKE ME. BUT WE BELONG TO THE WRONG RAM BECAUSE OUR RAM IS RIGHT A
WAY MAMA.” SO THAT IS THE NLAQ AND ITS GOOD THAT THE PRESIDENTS
ECONOMISTS KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AURORA ECONOMIC ZONE.
NOW WE GO TO, WE’RE THROUGH WITH NLAQ. BY THE WAY
WITH ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS, MY PROVINCE OF ILOCOS NORTE WILL ALSO
BE BENEFITED IN TOURISM. WE’LL GO THERE BECAUSE ILOCOS NORTE HAS AN
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WE HAVE THE BORACAY AT THE NORTH IN THE
PLACE OF PAGUDPUD WHITE BEACH AND THE TOURISTS ALSO WOULD LIKE TO GO
TO FIND OUT HOW PEOPLE LIVE DURING THE SPANISH TIME. AND FROM NOW
IT’S ONLY ONE HOUR RIDE TO VIGAN. SO YOU CAN SEE OLD HOUSES DURING
SPANISH TIME. THE COBBLED ROAD AS IF YOU TRAVEL BACK TO TIME OF THE
19TH CENTURY THE 18TH CENTURY. AND SO, THAT’S
THE NLAQ.
WE GO TO CENTRAL. WHAT’S THE NEXT PRIDE OF
PHILIPPINES? THE URBAN BELTWAY. SO THE URBAN BELTWAY. WE HAVE THE
TARLAC-NUEVA ECIJA-AURORA DINGALAN PORT. SO THE EASTERN PART OF
LUZON, THE PACIFIC COAST, IS NOW CONNECTED TO THE CENTRAL PART. WE
CAN OPEN THE WIDE VALLEYS, IDLE VALLEYS OF THE PACIFIC COAST AND THE
PRODUCE, I’M SURE THERE WILL BE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY. INCREASE
IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY. BECAUSE THEY CAN NOW TRANSPORT THEIR
GOODS ALL THE WAY TO TARLAC. WE EVEN BEYOND TARLAC BECAUSE OF THE
SUBIC SEAPORTS WITH THE SCTEX. THEY CAN CHOOSE WHICH PORT. IF
IT’S A BULKY PRODUCT THEY CAN EXPORT BY SEA. IT’S A HIGH MORE VALUE
PRODUCT, THEY CAN EXPORT BY AIR. AND THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL PART OF
SCTEX THAT THE PRESIDENT BUILT. AND ALSO THE ACCESS ROAD IN PORAC.
BECAUSE WITH THE ACCESS ROAD IN PORAC, SHE MADE AVAILABLE IDEAL
LANDS OF PORAC TO MANUFACTURERS WHO WERE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY
TYPHOON ONDOY IN THE CAINTA AREA, IN THE MARIKINA AREA, IN THE PASIG
AREA, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO RELOCATE AND THIS IS THE IDEAL
PLACE BECAUSE OF THE HIGHWAYS, THE SCTEX, THE NLEX, THE SEAPORT AND
THE AIRPORT.
THE SECOND PROJECT IS THE MARIKINA-INFANTA ROAD.
AGAIN, THESE ARE BILLIONS - MARIKINA-INFANTA ROAD. THE PRESIDENT
WOULD LIKE TO DECONGEST THE METRO MANILA SO SHE DECIDED TO PUT A
ROAD ALL THE WAY TO INFANTA QUEZON, ALL THE WAY TO THE SIERRA
MADRES. SO THAT THE ACHIEVEMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT,
FOR HOUSING, FOR FACTORIES AND YET IT WAS VERY ACCESSIBLE TO METRO
MANILA.
SO LET’S GO TO C5 METRO MANILA EVEN AT 2:00 O’CLOCK
IN THE MORNING BECAUSE THIS IS THE FAVORITE SONA PROJECT OF THE
PRESIDENT. WAKING ME UP IN THE EARLY MORNING AND SAYS VIC WHAT’S
THE STATUS OF THIS NLEX, C5, THE PANGILINAN STRETCH, THE GOVERNMENT
SECTION? AND, I TOLD THE PRESIDENT, THIS IS UNSCHEDULED. AND I
TELL YOU WE WILL BE ABLE TO FINISH IT, THE GOVERNMENT PART WHICH HAS
AN UNDERPASS OF 500 METERS, WITH THE RELOCATION OF SQUATTERS
HOPEFULLY ON OR BEFORE YOUR BIRTHDAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ADVANCE ON APRIL 5!
BUT THE PANGILINAN STRETCH, IS A LITTLE BIT MORE
DIFFICULT BECAUSE WHEN I WENT THERE, FIRST TIME, IT WAS SO DEEP AND
SWAMPY, AND THE TECHNOLOGY OF BUILDING A BRIDGE IS THAT THEY HAVE TO
FILL UP EVERY 8 INCHES! AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE PISON AND ADD ANOTHER
8 INCHES, THAT’S 20 FEET. IN FACT, THE INTERSECTION OF NLEX IS
THREE TIMES AS MASSIVE AS BALINTAWAK SO WE CANNOT FINISH ON OR
BEFORE THE BIRTHDAY OF HER EXCELLENCY. BUT WE CAN FINISH IT BEFORE
THE EXPIRATION OF YOUR TERM MAYBE ON JUNE 15. PEOPLE CAN USE NLEX.
YOU CAN USE THE C5. MAYBE WE CAN TRY ON MAY 30. THE IMPORTANCE OF
THAT C5 CONNECTION IS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE EDSA IN GOING TO
NORTHERN LUZON OR BULACAN. IF YOU LIVE IN UP, CAPITOL SUBD.,
COMMONWEALTH AVE., CONGRESSIONAL AVE., LUZON AVE., VISAYAS AVE.,
MINDANAO AVE., QUIRINO AVE., YOU USE C5 EXTENTION AND YOU END UP IN
NLEX AT VALENZUELA, BULACAN. SO THAT WOULD DECONGEST EDSA, WHICH IS
HIGHLY CONGESTED. WE HAVE PROMOTED THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
SO THAT THEY ARE ALL HERE. WITH THE PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION OF
THE PRIVATE SECTORS WE HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE NOW BEING
CONSTRUCTED BEING IN THE PIPELINE BEING FACT TRACKED SO THAT WE CAN
PERFECT THE DOCUMENTATION EVEN BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM OF
THE PRESIDENT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, NOT SO LONG AGO ONE CONTRACTOR
HAS ALREADY SUBMITTED HIS INTENT TO PROVIDE A PROPOSAL OF AN
EXPRESSWAY FROM ROSARIO, LA UNION ALL THE WAY TO LAOAG CITY. AND
THE SAME CONTRACTOR HAS ALREADY SUBMITTED OF HIS PROPOSAL FOR AN
EXPRESSWAY FROM TARLAC ALL THE WAY TO CABANATUAN ALL THE WAY TO
TUGUEGARAO. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHEN ALL OF THIS CAN BE DONE?
TO COME UP EARLY MORNING AT 5.
SO LET ME START WITH PALAWAN. AND I DELIVERED A BRIEF
MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF PALAWAN AND TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS OF PALAWAN. AND I TOLD THEM YOU ARE LUCKY THAT THE
PRESIDENT KNOWS THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR PROVINCE AS THE NUMBER ONE
TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE WHOLE WORLD BECAUSE PALAWAN IS VERY
BEAUTIFUL. IT HAS THE FOREST. IT HAS MARINE RESOURCES, SUB-TERRANEAN
RIVERS, AND CORALS. SO YOU KNOW AT THE TIME THE PRESIDENT TOOK HER
PRESIDENCY, THERE WAS ONLY 100 KILOMETERS OF CONCRETE ROADS.
BY THE TIME THAT SHE HAS ENDED HER TERM, THERE WOULD
BE 380 KILOMETERS OF ROADS. MORE THAN THE OUTPUT OF ALL THE PAST
PRESIDENTS FROM THE TIME OF MANUEL QUEZON, TO THE TIME OF ROXAS, TO
TIME OF QUIRINO, TO THE TIME OF MAGSAYSAY, TO THE TIME OF CARLOS
GARCIA, TO THE TIME OF TONG DADONG MACAPAGAL, HER OWN FATHER, AND TO
THE TWENTY-YEAR RULE OF MARCOS UP TO THE TIME OF CORY TO THE TIME OF
ERAP. THEY WILL NEVER BREAK THE RECORD OF THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE
PALAWAN IS THE LONGEST PROVINCE. IT HAS 577 KM LONG OF ROADS LONGER
THAN THE MANILA-LAOAG, MY HOME TOWN, 485 KM LONGER THAN MANILA-LEGASPI
527 KM. BUT MAN IS AN ECONOMIST. MAN KNOWS THAT IT HAS TOURISM
POTENTIAL. SO POURED IN 8 BILLION OF THE SCARCE RESOURCES OF THE
GOVERNMENT SO THAT WE ATTRACT ALL THE TOURIST. WE GET THEIR DOLLARS
WE UPLIFT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE FILIPINO. THAT’S PALAWAN.
FROM EL NIDO TO BROOKE’S POINT TO RIO TUBA 577 KMS.
NEXT WHAT’S NEXT? LAOANG-LAPINIG-ARTECHE ROAD.
THAT’S WHERE I COME FROM IT’S A VERY DEPRESSED COUNTRY SO THE
PRESIDENT WANTS TO JOIN THE NORTHERN SAMAR AND EASTERN SAMAR. AND
NOW IT’S THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT THE TWO PROVINCES ARE
JOINED. AND THE PEOPLE ARE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE BEFORE THE CRABS,
____, THE LAPU-LAPU, THE LOBSTERS, THEY ARE DYING OF OLD AGE. NOW
THEY CAN BE HARVESTED AND SHIPPED TO TACLOBAN, TO BORONGAN, TO
GUIUAN, TO LAOANG. AND EVERYBODY IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT MADAM
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT BECAUSE THAT IS MY ADOPTIVE
REGION.
THE NEXT IS THE CEBU NORTH COASTAL ROAD. CEBU AS YOU
KNOW IS NOW HEAVILY CONGESTED. THE REAL ESTATE IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO, THE PRESIDENT THOUGHT OF BUILDING THE CANSAGA BRIDGE. IT IS THE
500 PLUS LONG METER BRIDGE COSTING ALMOST A MILLION. NOW TRAFFIC IS
EASED BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE NORTHERN PART OF CEBU IS NOW
CONNECTED TO THE MAINLAND SITE. MAKING THE LANDS OF NORTHERN CEBU,
CONSOLACION, LILOAN AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING SUBDIVISIONS FOR
RELOCATION SITES OF MANUFACTURERS AND THAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
CANSAGA BRIDGE.
NEXT IS THE AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE FROM MY REGION. A VERY
BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE SEMINAR
WORKSHOP. THEY DISCUSSED THE TECHNOLOGY USED IN BUILDING THE
AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE AND IN BUILDING THE DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL BRIDGE IN
BUTUAN. TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS THERE IN AGAS-AGAS MADAM PRESIDENT. I
ENTERED A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING WITH GOVERNOR MIAN MERCADO OF
SOUTHERN LEYTE AND THE DPWH. IT WAS GOVERNOR MIAN WHO WOULD LIKE TO
IMITATE THE STRATEGY OF CAMSUR GOVERNOR REY VILLAFUERTE WHEN HE DID
THE CAMSUR THING. BUT THIS TIME GOVERNOR MERCADO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE NATURAL FOREST IN AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE. HE HAD
ALREADY ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR
FOR A BUNGEE JUMPING, MADAM PRESIDENT, IN RAPELLING, IN SHIP LINED
IN A KILOMETER LONG THAT WILL ENABLE SOMEBODY TO CROSS OVER
AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE. AND AT THE SAME TIME WE WILL BUILD COTTAGES ON
TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THE WEEKENDS,
A NIGHT OR TWO ENJOY THE MOUNTAIN BRIDGE AND THE PANORAMIC VIEW THE
PANORAMIC OVERLOOKING THE MOUNTAIN BRIDGE, THAT’S AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE.
NEXT, THAT’S THE CALBIGA, FROM THE SAN JUANICO, THESE
IS A VITAL LINK BECAUSE IT CONNECTS MINDANAO TO LUZON. PEOPLE OF
MINDANAO TRAVEL BY LAND. THEY PASS THROUGH EASTERN VISAYAS, SAMAR.
AND THEY HAVE REHABILITATED THE 1970 PAN PHILIPPINE HIGHWAY. IT’S
NOW SMOOTH, CONCRETE. AND THEN FROM SAN JUANICO BRIDGE ALL THE WAY
TO CALBAYOG, A DISTANCE OF 170 KMS. THE RIDE IS SMOOTH, THE
REMAINING PORTION IS THE CALBAYOG-MALAGA ROAD AND THE MALAGA ROAD TO
ALLEN ROAD WHICH WILL BE FINISHED A MONTH BEFORE THE END OF YOUR
TERM, MADAM PRESIDENT.
AND OF COURSE, THE NEW BACOLOD-SILAY, WHICH IS AN
APPROACH ROAD IT’S A NEW ROAD THAT WOULD COMPLEMENT THE MODERN
AIRPORT OF BACOLOD WHEREAS IF YOU PASS BY, IT IS A NARROW ROAD TO
DENSELY, POPULATED AREAS. IT’S A NEW ACCESS ROAD THAT WILL MAKE
TRAVELING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT VERY MUCH EASIER. IT’S ALMOST A
BILLION AGAIN.
THE BOHOL CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROAD. THANKS TO THE
PRESIDENT, HER BELIEF IN BOHOL AS A TOURISM DESTINATION IS PAID OFF
AND TOURISM IS NOT ONLY BOOMING. BECAUSE OF HER INVESTMENTS, SHE
HAS DRIVEN AWAY ALL THE NPA INSURGENCE IN BOHOL. IT’S FREE FROM
INSURGENCE. IT’S A BIG INDUSTRY. THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROAD ALLOWS
YOU TO GO ALL OVER BOHOL AND THERE’S A CROSS COUNTRY ROAD. SO IN
ADDITION THE PRESIDENT ALSO BUILT THE PANGLAO AIRPORT SO BOHOL BY
ITSELF IS NOW BECOMING A REPUBLIC - BOHOL REPUBLIC. IT HAS A
NATIONAL ANTHEM, TOO.
NEXT, THE PANAY ISLAND, PANDAN-LIBERTAD-ILOILO
CITY-SANTA BARBARA. WELL, THEY ARE REMOTE PLACES. BUT EVEN THE
PLACES ARE REMOTE, EVEN IF THE PROVINCES ARE SMALL, SMALL IN
POPULATION, SMALL IN BUDDING POPULATION. THE PRESIDENT SEES TO IT
THAT EACH PROVINCE HAS A PIECE OF THE PIE, A FRUIT OF HER WORK, THE
FRUITS OF HER ECONOMIC GAINS.
NEXT, PLEASE. THAT’S MASBATE. MASBATE IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT IS VITAL TO THE RORO NAUTICAL HIGHWAY OF THE PRESIDENT.
FROM THE BATANGAS PORT TO MASBATE YOU CAN TRAVEL TO TACLOBAN ALL THE
WAY TO CEBU ALL THE WAY TO LEGASPI. THAT’S HOW IMPORTANT MASBATE
IS. THE PRESIDENT HAS PUT UP A ROAD.
NEXT, PLEASE. I GO TO MINDANAO. THE BEAUTIFUL
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL BRIDGE IN BUTUAN. THE BRIDGE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
SO BEAUTIFUL. AND ENGINEERING MARVELS THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF
DISCUSSION IN TODAY’S SEMINAR WORKSHOP. IT’S A GIFT OF LOVE OF THE
PRESIDENT TO THE PEOPLE OF BUTUAN.
NEXT PLEASE. ZAMBOANGA WEST COAST ROAD. THE
PRESIDENT AND I MYSELF WENT THERE. IT’S THE PLACE WHERE THE ABU
SAYAFF USED TO RUN TO WHENEVER THEY MAKE THEIR CRIMES OUTSIDE OR IN
SULU OR BASILAN. THIS IS WHERE THE BONDAGE GOES. THIS IS WHERE THE
NPA’S GO TO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROAD. NOW WE HAVE THIS ROAD IN THE
WEST COAST PLUS THE ROAD TO DAKAK-DAPITAN. NOW WE’LL HAVE
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY. PEOPLE ARE VERY HAPPY. TOURISM WILL ALSO
BOOM BECAUSE DAKAK IS ALREADY VERY FAMOUS. PLUS THE FACT THAT
DAPITAN IS THE PLACE WHERE OUR NATIONAL HERO JOSE RIZAL RESIDED. I
MYSELF WOULD LIKE TO GO TO DAPITAN AND MAKE USE OF THE ROAD BUILT BY
THE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT.
NEXT, PLEASE. THE SURIGAO-DAVAO COASTAL ROAD. WE
HAVE THE WEST COAST MA’AM BUILT A ROAD A VERY LONG ROAD FACING THE
PACIFIC OCEAN. AND THE LAST 20 KMS. ARE NEW ROADS CARVED OUT OF
MOUNTAIN. YOU CAN SEE SURIGAO DEL NORTE AND THE NORTH IS CONNECTED
TO SURIGAO DEL SUR AND ALL THE WAY TO DAVAO ORIENTAL. THIS CONNECTS
TWO REGIONS. CARAGA REGION AND REGION ELEVEN. AND THE PEOPLE ARE
VERY HAPPY. THEY ARE NOW BUILDING THEIR FISHPONDS ALONG THEIR LOTS
OF MANGROVES. AND THEY ARE NOW MAXIMIZING THEIR PRODUCTION SO THAT
THEY HELP IN THE PRODUCTIVITY. THEY CAN SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO
SCHOOL IN THE URBAN CENTERS ALONG THAT ROAD. AND I THINK THAT IS
FUNDED BY YOUR EVAT, MADAM PRESIDENT. BY EVAT, SEE. SO THE EVAT IS
REALLY THE LINK SPHINX OF HER EXPANSION PROGRAM. SHE DID IT EVEN
THOUGH SHE HAS BECOME UNPOPULAR BECAUSE IT WAS NEEDED FOR THE
ECONOMY.
NEXT, THE CENTRAL MINDANAO ROAD. WE HAVE THE WEST
COAST MINDANAO. WE HAVE THE EAST COAST MINDANAO. WE HAVE THE
CENTRAL MINDANAO ROAD. YOU KNOW THAT THAT AREA IS VERY POOR. I
TRAVELLED MANY TIMES THERE AND I WAS TENSED IN TRAVELLING BECAUSE I
PASS THROUGH SHARIFF AGUAK. YOU KNOW WHERE SHARIFF AGUAK IS?
THAT’S THE DOMAIN OF THE AMPATUANS. THERE IS NO PROGRESS THERE AS I
CAN SEE. BUT WITH THESE ROADS. BUT WHEN SOME WILL BE COMPLETED IN
THREE-PHASED, I’M SURE THAT THERE WILL BE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY
INCREASE BECAUSE I’VE OBSERVED THAT THE LANDS ARE VERY WIDE AND
FERTILE AND I HOPE THAT THESE ROADS WILL BRING PROSPERITY SO THAT
POLITICS WILL NOT BE MAIN BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE OF MAGUINDANAO AND
SULTAN KUDARAT. IT’S BILLIONS AGAIN.
NEXT, PLEASE. DINAGAT ISLAND ROAD NETWORK. I’M
UNFORTUNATE THAT’S ONE OF THE FEW PROJECTS THAT I HAVE NOT GONE TO
BUT THAT ROAD NETWORK WILL PROVIDE THE TRANSPORT FOR THE RICH
MINERAL DEPOSITS OF DINAGAT ISLAND. DINAGAT ISLAND IS AN ISLAND OF
COURSE, BUT IT IS VERY RICH IN MINERAL DEPOSITS. AND THE ROAD THAT
WAS BUILT BY THE PRESIDENT. IT WILL BE USED TO TRANSPORT THESE
MINERAL DEPOSITS THAT WILL EARN US FOREIGN EXCHANGE.
NEXT, PLEASE. ILIGAN CITY CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROAD. I
WAS TELLING IN MY BRIEF MESSAGES OF THE PEOPLE OF MINDANAO. YOU
KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT’S PUTTING IN BILLIONS, 19 BILLIONS OF PESOS
IN MINDANAO EXACTLY. IT WAS THE BIGGEST EQUAL TO THE CENTRAL
PHILIPPINES OF 19 BILLION BECAUSE MA’AM IS A CHILD OF MINDANAO. SHE
GREW UP IN ILIGAN CITY AND HER MATERNAL GRANDFATHER, THE LATE ENGR.
MACARAEG. THAT’S WHY SHE LOVES MINDANAO. AND I HOPE THAT YOU
GRADUATE FROM A LAND OF PROMISE TO ATTAIN YOUR POTENTIAL BECAUSE YOU
ARE SO RICH IN RESOURCES. YOU HAVE WIDE LANDS, AGRICULTURAL LANDS.
VERY FERTILE. AND YOU ARE UNAFFECTED BY TYPHOONS. YOU ARE TYPHOON
FREE. THAT’S WHY THE PRESIDENT IS POURING ALL OF THESE
INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT YOU CAN HELP FEED THE PEOPLE OF THE
PHILIPPINES WHO WILL SOON BUILD 100 MILLION INTO THE WORK OF 2012.
NEXT, PLEASE. AGAIN AS I HAVE SAID EVEN THOUGH
THAT’S A SMALL AREA AND MA’AM POURED IN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS BECAUSE
SHE BELIEVES THAT NOT ONLY BIG PROVINCES. BUT ALSO SMALL PROVINCES
UNHEARD OF SHOULD HAVE THE PIECE OF THE PIE.
NEXT, PLEASE. THE KAPULONG-VALENCIA-BUKIDNON ROAD.
THAT WILL CONNECT BUKIDNON ALL THE WAY TO DAVAO CONNECTING TWO
PROVINCES REGION 10 AND REGION 11. IF WE OPEN UP THE WIDE VALLEYS
THERE FOR CATTLE RANCING, FOR PINEAPPLE FARMING, BANANA PLANTATION,
WE’LL INCREASE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY.
NEXT, PLEASE. THAT’S THE END OF THE THREE MAJOR
HIGHWAYS.
THE NAUTICAL HIGHWAYS IS THE PROJECT OF THE
PRESIDENT. OF COURSE, ALL THE PAST PRESIDENTS ARE COGNIZANT OF THE
FACT THAT WE ARE AN ARCHIPELAGO. THAT WE ARE 7,100 ISLANDS. BUT
THERE IS ONLY ONE PRESIDENT WHO DID THE RIGHT THING BY
INTERCONNECTING THE ISLANDS THROUGH NAUTICAL HIGHWAYS. SO WE HAVE
THE WESTERN NAUTICAL HIGHWAY, CENTRAL NAUTICAL HIGHWAY AND EASTERN
NAUTICAL HIGHWAYS. BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER TO TRANSFER COMMODITIES BY
BOAT THAN BY LAND ESPECIALLY THAT THE PRICE OF THE GASOLINE OF P50
PER LITER NOW. SO THE PRESIDENT WAS ABLE TO ANTICIPATE ALL OF THESE
LONG BEFORE THE PRICES OF GASOLINE ESCALATED SHE LAID THE FOUNDATION
FOR NAUTICAL HIGHWAY SO THAT WE HAVE CHEAPER PRICE OF TRANSPORT PER
UNIT OF COMMODITY. PALAKPAKAN NATIN!
NEXT, PLEASE. THE MAJOR FLOOD CONTROLS.
LET ME START BY SAYING THAT WHEN I TOOK OVER, THE
PRESIDENT MANDATED ME TO COME UP WITH A FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAM FOR
METRO MANILA AND THE CALABARZON BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED SA ONDOY.
EVEN UP TO NOW SOME OF MY RELATIVES IN CAINTA AND MARIKINA CANNOT
SLEEP AT NIGHT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE TYPHOON SIGNALS. SO LET ME
DISCUSS BRIEFLY WHAT WE HAVE PREPARED AS A MASTER FLOOD CONTROL
PROGRAM FOR METRO MANILA AND CALABARZON SO THAT WE CAN TACKLE THE
FLOODS LIKE ONDOY. THE RAVELING, CASCADING WATERS.
YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM THERE WITH A FLOOD LIKE ONDOY
YOU HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE FLOOD WATERS COMING FROM THE SIERRA
MOUNTAINS JOINED BY THE WATERS COMING FROM THE MONTALBAN MOUNTAINS
AND THE SAN MATEO MOUNTAINS ALL CASCADING TOWARDS METRO MANILA AT A
RATE OF 4,500 CU. M. PER SECOND AND WORST PART IS MANY PARTS OF
METRO MANILA ARE BELOW SEA LEVEL. AND THE WORST PART IS THE ONLY
DISCHARGE OF THIS 4,500 CU. M. PER SECOND IS THE PASIG RIVER AND THE
PASIG RIVER CAN ONLY DISCHARGE 500 CU. METERS OF WATER PER SECOND
DURING LOW TIDE. DURING HIGH TIDE THE SEA WATER COMES BACK AND
REINFORCES THE FLOOD WATERS.
SO WE SAT DOWN TOGETHER, WITH MY FLOOD EXPERTS USEC
BONOAN, PHILIP MEÑEZ ALL OF THESE FLOOD EXPERTS AND WE CAME OUT WITH
A SOLUTION TO THAT. WE ARE GOING TO PUT UP AN UPPER MARIKINA DAM
THAT WILL CAPTURE UP TO ONE HUNDRED MILLION CUBIC METERS OF WATER.
SO WE HAVE THE CASCADING FLOOD WATERS FOR SIX HOURS. SIX HOURS IS
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT’S NEEDED TO FILL UP THE MARIKINA DAM.
IF WE HAVE AN ONDOY THAT IS TWICE AS LONG THAT IS
TWELVE HOURS THE EXCESS FLOOD WATERS WILL BE CAPTURED BY THE LAGUNA
DE BAY WHERE WE ARE GOING TO PUT ROAD DIKES. THE ROAD DIKES WILL BE
A FOUR-LANE ROAD THAT WILL TAP UP THE EXCESS WATER AND DURING LOW
TIDE; WE WILL RELEASE THE FLOOD WATERS. DURING HIGH TIDE, YOU CLOSE
THE FLOOD GATES. TO INCREASE THE DISCHARGE FLOW OF THE PASIG RIVER,
WE CONSTRUCT RIVETMENTS THAT WILL DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE DISCHARGE
RATE TO 500 TO 1500 CUBIC METERS.
ARCHITECT PALAFOX IS WORKING ON THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
PLAN BECAUSE THE ROAD DIKES WILL BE CONSTRUCTED WHERE THE WATER IS
AND THAT WILL ENABLE US TO RECLAIM 24,000 HECTARES OF LAND, PRIME
LAND. AND ACCORDING TO ARCHITECT PALAFOX, THE CONSERVATIVE VALUE OF
A PER SQUARE METER OF RECLAIMED LAND IS 5,000 SQUARE METERS.
SO IF YOU RECLAIM 24,000 HECTARES YOU ARE TALKING OFF
1.2 TRILLION REAL ESTATE TO BE SOLD, TO BE DEVELOPED AND SOLD. THE
REAL ESTATE ALONE AT 3% OF 1.2 TRILLION IS 3.6 BILLION - A YEAR
INCREASE IN THE LOCAL TAXES OF LGUs.
SO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE MEMBERS OF THE
CONSORTIUM, THE ONE THAT IS BUILDING THE TARLAC PANGASINAN
EXPRESSWAY HAS ALREADY STARTED THE PAPER WORK. HE IS INTERESTED IN
GIVING US AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL. IT IS TAXED-BASED WITH NEDA AND
THEY WOULD LIKE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT TO PUT UP THESE MEGA
PROJECTS UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO AND THEY
WILL DISCUSS THESE BEFORE THE TV, THE RADIO, NEWSPAPERS SO THAT THE
PEOPLE OF CAINTA, MARIKINA AND PASIG WILL HAVE PEACE OF MIND THAT
THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOW AN ANSWER NOT ONLY TO ONDOY BUT TWICE OR
THRICE MORE FEROCIOUS THAN ONDOY WE CAN HANDLE THE FLOOD WATERS.
THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT FOR GIVING ME THE GO SIGNAL..
WE ALSO HAVE THE FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAM FOR REGION 3,
THE REGION OF THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE WHEN THERE IS A STORM, THE
MASSIVE RAINS COMING FROM THE PINATUBO MOUNTAIN RANGES AND THE
ARAYAT MOUNTAIN CREATE EIGHT RIVERS THAT CASCADE TOWARD PAMPANGA
BECAUSE IT HAS THE LOWEST ELEVATION AMONG THE PROVINCES.
THESE SAME WATER SPREADS TO THE ADJACENT SIX
PROVINCES - OF BATAAN, ZAMBALES, TARLAC, BULACAN, AND NUEVA ECIJA.
THAT’S WHY THE PRESIDENT HAS A FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAM IN BILLIONS
BECAUSE WE ARE AIMING TO TRAP THE WATER THROUGH A BIG CANAL
DIVERTING TO THE PASIG POTRERO RIVER DOWN TO THE MANILA BAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAM IN THE PROVINCE
OF ILOCOS NORTE IN LAOAG. MA’AM HAS SPENT BILLIONS THERE BECAUSE IF
YOU’LL HAVE TO PROTECT, THE ADJACENT TOWNS OF SARAT, SAN NICOLAS,
BACARRA. I THANK YOU FOR THAT MADAM PRESIDENT.
AND IN ILOILO BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUFFERED A
DEVASTATING FLOOD, THE PRESIDENT FUNDED BILLIONS TO THE FLOOD
CONTROL IN ILOILO. DO YOU HAVE SLIDES THERE TO SHOW THAT ILOILO HAS
BIG CANALS? THERE THAT’S THE ILOILO CANALS. THAT WILL DIVERT THE
WATER ALL THE WAY TO THE SEA.
AND WE ARE ALSO IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR A FLOOD
CONTROL FOR THE CAGAYAN RIVER BECAUSE THE CAGAYAN RIVER, THE BIGGEST
RIVER IN THE COUNTRY, IS HIGHLY SILTED. Its FLOODS ALL THE RICE
FIELDS, CORN FIELDS IN THE POBLACION. WE ARE ALSO PLANNING THE
FLOOD CONTROL IN THE RIO GRANDE IN COTABATO BECAUSE IT IS ALSO
HIGHLY SILTED.
SO THESE ARE THE NATIONAL INITIATIVES OF HER
EXCELLENCY.
THESE ARE THE FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAMS OF THE
PRESIDENT. SO THIS IS THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF HER EXCELLENCY.
I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE SO MALIGNED HER
EXCELLENCY DESPITE THE FACT OF ALL HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IN TERMS OF
ROADS, THE PRESIDENT CONSTRUCTED, ALL THROUGH HER NINE YEARS, 47,
772 KILOMETERS OF ROADS.
HER COMBINED OUTPUT OF LATE PAST PRESIDENTS FROM CORY
AQUINO 7 YEARS, SIX YEARS OF FVR, AND TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF ERAP,
14 AND A HALF YEARS. THEY HAVE ONLY CONSTRUCTED REHABILITATED 34,000
KILOMETERS OF ROADS. MA’AM’S OUTPUT IS 14,000 MORE KILOMETERS AND
THAT IS TRUE IN BRIDGES. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE GRAPH.
SHE EXITED THE COMBINED OUTPUT OF THE THREE PAST
PRESIDENTS BY 14,000 LINEAL METERS. I’VE KNOWS THE PRESIDENT SINCE
OUR DTI DAYS.
I’M USED TO BELIEVE THAT THE MOST HARD-WORKING
EXECUTIVE THAT I HAVE KNOWN IN MY LIFE IN MY 68 SUMMER YEARS IS
UNDERSECRETARY MY BOSS CEFERINO COLLOSCO, WHO IS ALSO KNOWN BY THE
CONTRACTORS, WHO LATER ON BECAME THE SECRETARY FOR THE DOST. HE IS
CALLED MR. PRODUCTIVITY. HE IS VERY HARD WORKING. WE USED TO WORK
UP TO MIDNIGHT. BUT COMPARED TO SEC. COLLOSCO, WITH DUE RESPECT TO
SEC. COLLOSCO, MY BOSS, TO THE PRESIDENT, WORK ETHICS SEC. COLLOSCO,
APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE BIT LAZY.
NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEDGE
TO ADDRESS YOU. I HAVE THE PROVISION, THE FIRST TIME THAT I ADDRESS
THE BIG CROWD COSMOPOLITAN CROWD. AND I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO DELIVER
TO THE PRESIDENT AND MY BRIEFING IN MY MESSAGE IS GOING TO END WITH
A SIXTY SECOND DOCUMENTARY CALLED “SA TOTOO LANG”. SA TOTOO LANG!
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