Villar Wants Bicol's Income to Grow Like NCR's, Other Progressive Regions

LEGAZPI CITY, March 28  -- Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar dreams big for Bikol Region where poverty incidence remains high despite a moderate 4.3 percent growth of its economy in 2008.

If he is elected president in the May polls, Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar said he wants the income of the whole Bikol Region to be at the level being enjoyed by the country's progressive regions, including the National Capital Region (NCR).

"I have so many plans to make for Bikol Region so that it's income can be compared, or even surpass, to Metro Manila," Villar said in a media interview during his two-day campaign leg here.

To achieve his goal for the five million Bikolanos, Villar said he will give priority on the coconut industry and the infrastructure projects, including the extension of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) up to Sorsogon City.

"Bikol Region has a lot of agricultural products, including copra, that need fast and effective way of transportation going to Manila and this SLEX extension is the best way to do it," Villar told the more than 100 local officials of Sorsogon during a caucus held at the jampacked auditorium of the Casiguran Central School.

"Coconut is the most neglected industry in agriculture. We need to revive this industry because it will provide livelihood and jobs to the people of Bikol," Villar said.

To provide more employment, Villar said he would also encourage more investors to put up companies in the region.

Villar also said he wants to extend the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) up to Laoag and La Union.

Edwin Hamor, who is seeking congressional seat under the NP ticket, thanked Villar for including Bikol Region as his top priority once the NP presidential candidate gets elected in the May 10 elections.

"The people of Bikol are tired of hearing promises but with the leadership and experiences that Senator Villar has shown in the past, we are hoping that we Bikolanos will finally achieve the true meaning of development if Mr. Villar will be elected," Hamor said.

Aside from the SLEX extension, Hamor suggested to Villar to include Bikol in the roll-on, roll-off (RORO) project.

"We want Bikol Region to be the center of commerce and this will help provide more livelihood and jobs for our people," Hamor said.

For two days, Villar and the NP ticket that also includes vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda wooed the voting populace of this region, holding market tours and motorcades in the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Sorsogon.

A grand rally spearheaded by Wowowee/Rockastar drew another huge crowd as Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao graced the activity for the first time.

With Villar, Pacquiao and television host Willie Revillame in attendance, more than 100,000 people coming from different provinces of Bikol Region trooped at the Camarines Sur Freedom Sports Complex.