| (NAGA CITY, Camarines Sur) President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday night joined administration candidates here to ask the people’s support so that his reform agenda would continue in the province of Camarines Sur.Following his visit to Naga City last February to pitch for the administration bets, President Aquino returned to once again ask the support of Bicolanos.
In a speech before local leaders, the President reported his government’s accomplishments in the province, citing for instance Camarines Sur’s P17.93 billion budget for infrastructure projects, four times higher than the P4.57 billion allocated by the previous administration.
Of the amount, P229.3 million was spent on the Tigaon-Albay Boundary Road, which was completed in September 2014, he said, noting that the road project is part of the 18,000 kilometers of national roads completed by the government over six years.
The government has also improved the facilities of the Naga Airport and has constructed the San Vicente Port in Caramoan, the Sabang Port in San Jose, and the Garchitorena Port, he added.
The President also cited the flood control projects for the Naga River, for Dayangdang and Peñafrancia in Camaligan in Bula and Buhi, as well as the seawall in Calabanga.
The National Economic and Development Authority Board also approved in February 2015 the North-South Railway Project Southline from Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna to Legaspi, Albay, he said, adding that the government is also studying its extension to Matnog, Sorsogon.
He also mentioned the major strides the administration has made in terms of social welfare and protection, citing the 112,898 households in the province benefitting from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. The figure is part of the 4.6 million households nationwide receiving aid under the program.
The President further reported that 4,058 classrooms were built in Camarines Sur under his term, part of the 185,000 classrooms constructed or are being constructed across the country.
In health care, PhilHealth covers 1.7 million individuals in Camarines Sur, part of the 93 million covered across the country, he said, noting that the administration’s major achievements in the energy sector include the electrification of 495 sitios in the province.
Prior to his meeting with the local leaders, the President inaugurated a fish port and a cold storage facility in Calabanga, which he said could help boost economic activities that would eventually reduce poverty in the municipality. PND (as) |
