Neglected Bicolanos

Year after year, the Bicol region (Region 5) is at the bottom, together with ARMM, of the Neda ranking poorest or most underdeveloped region of the country.

This is due to the clear neglect or low priority that the region has been accorded by GMA, probably because she lost badly to Raul Roco and FPJ in 2004.

Proof of this:

1. The PNR or railroad service has not been restored while P800 million has been given to the short North rail project that will restore the PNR service to Malolos and San Fernando, Pampanga.

2. The South road is still in bad shape, compared to the cemented highway from Manila to Laoag, from Manila to Baguio. Twenty-seven billion pesos has been spent for SCTex expressway from Subic to Tarlac and the P800 billion extension from Tarlac to San Fernando, La Union has been awarded. The roads around Mindanao and around Cebu and Negros have been improved. Many barangays in Bicol are still not connected by roads.

3. The Naga, Legaspi, Masbate and Virac airports have not been extended and have no instrument landing facilities. Many times the flights to Naga are canceled. There is no PAL service to Masbate. To the contrary, P6 billion has been spent for the Silay International Airport, P5 billion for the new Iloilo Airport. P4.4 billion has been allocated for the new Panglao, Bohol airport. GMA just inaugurated the extension of the Poro Point, La Union airport.

4. Usually ravaged by typhoons and eruption of the Mayon, Isarog and other volcanoes, there has been no improvement in the relief and rehabilitation of victims. Long proposed but not implemented is the construction of permanent evacuation centers with warehouses for stocking relief goods. One bad result of this, is that many schools are used as evacuation centers resulting in the suspension of classes for weeks even months.

Relief goods have been routinely diverted and stolen. There are not enough Coast Guard facilities in the region.

5. The Bicol River Basin project has not been given new funds, resulting in flooding in Bato, Baao, Bula and other Camarines Sur towns causing damage to crops and farmers.

6. The NPA insurgency in Bicol is raging from Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay to Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. Billions have been spent to quell the Muslim insurgency. As many as 16 battalions have been sent to Mindanao. The anti-insurgency effort in Bicol is minimal. The NPAs routinely burn buses, blast cell sites and ambush uncooperative local officials in the Bicol area.

7. Illegal drugs, illegal logging, illegal mining and illegal gambling is a fact of life in Bicol. Recall that at the Senate hearing on jueteng, the testimony by Sandra Cam and company centered on the Bicol area. Recall the full ad of enraged leaders led by Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi against the PNP regional director in Bicol. Recall the protests of Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes against illegal mining.

8. Tourism in the Bicol area is still underdeveloped despite the great attraction of the Mayon Volcano and the new wakeboarding at Caramoan, Camarines Sur. The poor air service is a big factor here. There should be a secondary airport like Caticlan built near Caramoan. Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella told us there are several sites available for a new airport to provide access to the Caramoan area.

9. Lake Buhi and Lake Bato have been hit by fish kills.

10. There is still a shortage of school rooms aggravated by typhoon damage. Funds released to build schools destroyed by Typhoon “Reming” were misused.

The sad plight of the Bicol area raises the necessary question: What are the four Bicolano Senators Joker Arroyo, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan and Jamby Madrigal doing? This was the lament of senior Bicolano broadcaster Sonia Leaño. Add to that: What are presidential son Rep. Dato Arroyo, DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. and Kampi president Rep. Luis Villafuerte doing? They were too busy pushing Cha-cha!

Field day. PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa finally admitted that criminals are having a field day in the country because of the proliferation of unregistered firearms which he estimated to be one million.

A UN office on Drugs and Crime study placed us at No. 10 in the list of countries with the most cases of gun-related homicides. So what are you doing about it General Verzosa?

Last Monday, Regino Lopez and daughter, Jennifer, were shot deead with M-16s inside their house in San Pascual, Batangas by persons who represented themselves as NBI agents. –Amb. Ernesto Maceda, Daily Tribune