Economy of Pangasinan

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday cited the booming economy of Pangasinan as he vowed to further support the development of the province through various infrastructure.

"Makikita ito (pag-asenso) sa inyong mga industriya, kabilang na siyempre ang bangus at handicrafts," the President said in his meeting with local leaders and the community held at the CSI Stadia, CSI City Mall, in Barangay Lucao, here.

In 2012, domestic sales reached almost P135 million while export sales of milk fish or "bangus" was recorded at US$ 840,000.

"Kitang-kita rin po ang pag-angat ng handicraft industry ninyo. Noong 2011, 157 trabaho ang nalikha nito, na pumalo naman sa 1,033 trabaho noong 2012," he said.

In tourism, President Aquino noted the increasing number of tourist arrivals in Pangasinan -- from 1,020 in 2010 to more than 200,000 in 2011, an increase of 66.57 percent representing almost 40 percent tourist arrivals for the entire Region 1.

"Hindi po nagbabago ang estratehiya natin para maabot ang inyong potensyal -- ginagawa nating mas maaliwalas ang daloy ng inyong kalakalan at turismo, sa pamamagitan ng pamumuhunan sa taumbayan, at pagtatayo ng sapat na proyektong pang-imprastraktura," he said.

The President cited the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) Project that would construct more than 88 kilometers road connecting three provinces in Luzon.

"Kasalukuyan pong isinasakongkreto ang unang bahagi nito, habang hindi naman aabutin ng 2016 ang paglalatag ng ikatlo at huling bahagi ng proyekto," he said.

Once completed, President Aquino said, the usual three-and-a-half hours travel time from Tarlac City to Rosario, La Union would be reduced to just one hour.

"Ngayon pa lang tinatayang 20,000 motorista ang makikinabang dito kada araw," he said.

Another major infrastructure is the San Nicolas-Natividad-San Quintin-Umingan-Guimba Road, which is expected to be completed this month.

"Kung ano naman po ang haba ng pangalan ng kalsadang ito, iyon din naman sana ang igiginhawa ng mahigit 5,400 motoristang dadaan dito kada araw -- dahil mula isang oras, gagawin na lang po natin itong kalahating oras ang biyahe po nila," he said.

To support the agriculture sector of the province, President Aquino said some P10 million was allocated for the completion of the Poblacion-Quinaoayanan Farm-to-Market Road project, and the P360 million Macidem Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Bani that would irrigate around 600 hectares farm lands.

"Hindi pa po kasama rito ang 17 pa nating irrigation projects -- na pinaglaanan din ng mahigit P150 milyong piso -- na magdidilig naman ng serbisyo sa mahigit 2,100 na ektarya sa iba't iba pang munisipalidad ninyo," he said.

"Iyan po ang kalakaran sa tuwid na daan. Ang kaban ng bayan, ginagamit lamang sa mga inisyatibang may pakinabang sa mamamayan, at hindi napupunta sa bulsa ng mga maimpluwensiya't makapangyarihan," he noted.

But, the President said, he needs leaders allied with the administration to be able to continue to implement reforms for the province.

"Sa darating na eleksyon, mayroon kayong kapangyarihang itimon sa tamang direksyon ang ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng inyong boto," he stressed.

He cited incumbent Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza, who is running for governor of Pangasinan in May.

"Para Gobernador po, ang tiwala ko po'y buong-buo kay Nani Braganza. Di po tulad ng iba, hindi niya isusugal ang inyong kinabukasan. Wala sa bokabularyo niya ang paggamit ng lakas at dahas, para kumapit sa kapangyarihan, at ipagsapalaran ang pagkakataong umangat ang kabuhayan ng kanyang mga kababayan," he said.