Interior and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas on Wednesday told
local officials and residents of Dinagat Islands that the
socio-economic development of the province remains a priority of the
national government.
"Lifting the lives of our poorest people is one of the priority goals
of our government," Roxas said after he and Transportation and
Communication secretary Jun Abaya distributed 77 "multicab" units to
different barangays and LGUs under the program "Bangon Dinagat, Para
sa Bag-ong Kaugmaon." Abaya also distributed ceremonially checks for
five barangay ports.
Roxas said that since President Aquino assumed office in June 2010, it
has been the long-standing policy of the national government to "bring
the government closer to the people."
According to Roxas, the 77 units of multicabs distributed to all
barangays of Dinagat Island is to bring national government closer to
the people through delivery basic services.
In his speech before Dinagat Island residents, one of the barometers
to measure the country's progress under the President's leadership is
to see the number of people living under the poverty line go down in a
province historically poor compared to the national average. Dinagat
Islands is among the 14 poorest provinces in the country.
He said that the country's economic surge should lift all boats,
emphasizing, "magiging ganap lamang ang pag-asenso ng Pilipinas kung
kaakibat nito ang pag-unlad ng Dinagat Islands."
"Walang ibig sabihin ang pamumuno ninuman kung walang laman ang tiyan
ng mamamayan. [Leadership is nothing with empty stomach.] Hindi
masasabing maunlad ang bansang Pilipinas, kapag hindi maunlad ang
Dinagat Islands. [No one can tell that Philippines is prosperous if
Dinagat Islands remains poor,]" Roxas pointed out.
"In our vision of national development, no province, no locality,
should be left behind; and for economic growth to be meaningful, it
must embrace all Filipinos. We've made modest progress towards this
goal," Roxas further explained.
He said the turnover of the 77 multicab units signals the beginning of
a more vigorous cooperation between the LGUs in the province and the
national government agencies to spur socio-economic development.
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