Sona: GMA's Ambitious Plans

In the longest ever recorded State of the Nation Address in Philippine history, president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo reveals her ambitious plans for the country in the next three years. The Sona last Monday at the Batasan Pambansa Complex, was focused on the developent of the countryside in order to boost the economic stability of the Philippines.

Harnessing the potentials of the "super regions-"of-the-Philippines: the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway, Central Philippines, Mindanao and the Cyber Corridor, was GMA's way of addressing the problems that the country is facing. Like former president Marcos, the Arroyo administration will be pushing for the development of infrastructures, increasing investors in the country and the mobilization and upgrading of production technology.

"In North Luzon, we will prioritize agribusiness investments. The agricultural and fisheries potential of the Cordilleras, Ilocandia, and Cagayan Valley can feed Luzon affordably. And nearness to North Asia holds the rich promise of agricultural exports and tourism." ,Arroyo explained.

The Metro Luzon Urban Beltway project is her vision to strengthen the local economy by building a continuous land and nautical highway for product transportation from region to region. Aside from economic gains, this project shall improve the fight against insurgency and rebel rule in barangays in the country.

Central Philippines will become a haven for tourism."The area sweeps across Palawan and Romblon, the Visayas and Bicol, plus the northern Mindanao islands of Camiguin, Siargao and Dapitan. Topbilled by Boracay, Cebu, Bohol and Palawan, it attracts more than half of the foreign tourists to the Philippines. ", Arroyo said.

The president is also eyeing agribusiness investments in Mindanao due to its "...fertile and largely typhoon-free [lands], exporting coconut products and high value crops, and from its waters come 40% of the country's fish catch.", she remarked.

On the otherhand, as an answer to greater ob opportunities, Arroyo presented the Cyber Corridor project. This aims to to open more call center agencies in the super regions fromBaguio to Cebu to Davao, to improve the telecommunications, technology and education of the country.

In order to put to effect the project of harnessing the potentials of the "super regions",
Arroyo calls for peace and unity among the Filipinos." We are a great people.We have scaled the heights of Mount Everest, dominated the Southeast Asian games, we have won international beauty titles, and of course punched our way to triumph in the boxing world.Together, we must take on the challenge of creating a new, peaceful, humane and competitive nation and prevail."

She also challenged her detractors saying "For those who want to pick up old fights, we're game... But what a waste of time. Why not join hands instead?"

After 166 rounds of applause, the president ended her Sona by thanking "all the true friends of the Filipino people". "Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart," she said.


Reference:
Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 25,2006 issue
http://www.gov.ph/sona/sonatext2006.asp