Duterte Assures to Pour More Help in Basilan

Lamitan City, Basilan – “Bilisan na natin ang pagbuhos ng tulong dito sa panahon ko (Let us fast track the pouring of help during my term).”

This was President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s statement during his visit in Basilan Monday for the “Tapatan ng Gobyerno at Mamamayan” in Lamitan City, Basilan.

“Yung mga kinakailangan ho ninyo ibibigay namin kaagad at ihabol namin kung ano yung kailangan nyo dito (We will strive to provide your needs and we will expedite your requests),” the President added as he referred to the fast rehabilitation of the coconut industry.

He said that the problem with government before (referring to agriculture) was that farmers were being asked to pay to avail or be given assistance.

“Mahal kayo ng Presidente ninyo kaya nandito ako. Sa gobyernong ito, may parte kayo sa pera ng gobyerno at aabot sa inyo (Your President loves you that’s why he is here. In this government, you have a share of its money and I’ll make sure you’ll partake of it),” he stressed.

He asked for enough time to allow his administration to bring more development in the southern part of the Philippines that was mostly neglected in the past years due to its distance from Manila. He promised to finish the problems of drugs, conflicts, corruption in society if given enough time.

While giving attention to the war on drugs and corruption, the President puts emphasis on the value of education and health.

“The most important thing is education. If you do not invest in the education of your children, even with paper and pencil, they won’t leave Basilan to venture to the outside world,” he said.

He promised to upgrade the hospitals in Basilan within this year so that Basileños would no longer have difficulty to go to Zamboanga for better medical attention and services.

He also mentioned the need to harness the energy potential of sea current of the Basilan Strait (between Basilan and Zamboanga) as alternative source of energy to solve the power crisis.

“Alam ko malaki ang pagkukulang ng gobyerno sa inyo. Pagalawin nyo ako kasi kung may away hindi tayo makapunta ng maayos dito (I know that the national government owed much to you [Basileños]. But let me move under a conflict-free condition and environment),” President Duterte appealed.

On the West Philippine Sea issue, he said that he will visit China to tell them to allow the Filipino fishermen to fish in the Scarborough Shoal while negotiating the next step to address the WPS issue. He said that last week, China has opened their doors for Philippines to export bananas and pineapple.

The President also revealed that whatever assistance he can forge with China during his pending visit, part of that will go to the upgrading of hospitals in Basilan.

He also promised the Moro people, to Nur Misuari, that there will be a federal government. If the establishment of this form of government is better for the people and is fast-tracked within 2 to 3 years, then he will resign to give way to the creation of the new government.

Earlier, Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol had a dialogue with the people and have endorsed and approved immediately some proposed projects for Basilan. (ALT/RVC/PIA9-Basilan)