PGMA's Speech during the Trade Investment Progress and Tourism

PGMA's Speech during the Trade Investment Progress and Tourism

Expo Pilipino, Clark, Pampanga (04 May 2002)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH RENE, AND THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO PRACTICE BEING A LECTURER AGAIN LATER ON.

KENG KEKA TANG A HOST NGENING ALDO GOVERNOR LITO LAPID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DACAL A SALAMAT KENG MAKA-HOST KENI NGENING ALDO.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO WELCOME TOGETHER WITH LITO THE OTHER GOVERNORS WHO ARE HERE TODAY WE HAVE GOVERNOR VIC ORTEGA FROM LA UNION; GOVERNOR VALERA FROM ABRA; AND WELCOME TO NORTH PHILIPPINES GOVERNOR RAMONCITO ONG FROM AURORA.

OUR HOST MAYOR. OUR HOST MAYORS BECAUSE CLARK STRADDLES ANGELES CITY AND MABALACAT SO WE HAVE MAYOR CARMELO LAZATIN AND MAYOR BOKING MORALES OF MABALACAT.

NANDITO BA SI OCA RODRIGUEZ? AYUN. OKAY. OCA YOU SHOULD BE HERE. CONGRESSMAN OCA RODRIGUEZ FROM, SIGURO DAHIL TIGA-SAN FERNANDO AT HINDI TIGA-MABALACAT PERO THANK YOU FOR BEING ... AFTER ALL THIS IS PART OF NORTH PHILIPPINES AND OCA, LATER ON, IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM TWO VERY, VERY BIG INAUGURATIONS.

AND THEN, WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE CABINET WHO ARE HERE TODAY LEONY MONTEMAYOR OF AGRICULTURE; DINKY SOLIMAN OF SOCIAL WELFARE; AND DANTE CANLAS OF NEDA; AND LETTY SHAHANI OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. ANGELES ALSO FOR HOSTING THIS AFFAIR SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES WILL KNOW THAT THIS VERY CENTER WHERE WE ARE IS GOING TO BECOME AGAIN A BUSTLING CENTER FOR CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, TOURISTIC ACTIVITIES.

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME HER EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR FROM INDIA, AMBASSADOR NABRAKASHAMA. SHE IS HERE BECAUSE SHE IS ACCOMPANYING OR SHE IS THE GUEST OF THE INDIAN CHAMBER WHO IS ALSO LOOKING AT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE. AND I WELCOME THE OTHER CHAMBERS WHO ARE ALSO PRESENT HERE TODAY.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BUSINESSMEN WHO GAVE THEIR TESTIMONIAL. FIRST OF ALL, MR. JAMES GO FROM JG SUMMIT, THANK YOU FOR RETURNING YOUR MONEY TO THE PHILIPPINES AND KRIS MONSOD, REPRESENTING OSCAR LOPEZ, THANK YOU FOR BUILDING THE ROAD BUT WE NEED TO MAKE MEGA MANILA A REALITY AMONG OTHER INVESTMENTS. AND CESAR QUIAMBAO, THE LOCAL BOY FROM BAYAMBANG, PANGASINAN WHO MADE GOOD; AND NOW AS I WAS TELLING THEM IS GIVING SUCH A BIG PART OF HIS INCOME BACK TO BAYAMBANG THAT WHAT HE HAS GIVEN TO BAYAMBANG I THINK IS BIGGER THAN THE IRA THAT BAYAMBANG HAS RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

I THANK MR. GEORGE CHUA CHAM, CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTH PHILIPPINE BUSINESS COUNCIL, FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.

AND WE HAVE HERE THE BIG NAMES OF TRADE AND COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WHICH I SHALL NOT MENTION BECAUSE I ALWAYS MENTION THEM ALL THE TIME IN METRO MANILA, ANYWAY.

AND SO, IF I MAY, I HAD THE PODIUM TAKEN OUT, I HAD A WHITE BOARD PUT HERE BECAUSE RONNIE CONCEPCION SAYS, I DON'T INSPIRE ANYWAY WITH MY SPEECHES SO I WILL JUST BE MYSELF AND SHARE WITH YOU WHAT IS OUR VISION FOR NORTH LUZON SO THAT YOU CAN DECIDE AS BUSINESSMEN WHERE YOU BELONG. AND WE CAN, THEREFORE, MOVE FORWARD FROM HERE.

THEY HAVE A PLAN IN CENTRAL LUZON CALLED W CORRIDOR. BUT ACTUALLY THE NORTH LUZON, IS ONE BIG W. AND IF I MAY GO TO THAT, THIS IS WHAT I LOVE TO DO, BEING A TEACHER.

THAT'S W. HERE, THIS SIDE OF THE W IS TOURISM. THIS IS THE CHINA SEA; OVER HERE, WE HAVE PAGUDPUD. MY HUSBAND IS GOING TO SLEEP IN PAGUDPOD TONIGHT BECAUSE LIKE WHAT WE DO, WE PERSONALLY GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF GOING TO THE TOURIST SPOTS. PAGUDPOD'S SAND IS ABOUT AS GOOD AS THE SAND OF BORACAY. AND SO THIS IS A GREAT AREA FOR TOURISM.

AND WE HAVE HALF AN HOUR AWAY FROM PAGUDPOD, THE LAOAG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND SEVERAL TOURISM FACILITIES AROUND THE LAOAG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

IN A STUDY THAT WE HAD ON TOURISM DONE BY THE FAMED, PERHAPS THE NUMBER ONE CONSULTANT IN THE WORLD TODAY -- MCKINSEY AND ASSOCIATES -- HEADED, INCIDENTALLY BY A FILIPINO, JIM AYALA, WE ASKED THEM TO DO A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TOURISM.

ONE, THE PRINCIPLE OF TOURISM WE ARE FOLLOWING IS THE PRINCIPLE OF HUBS AND SPOKES. THE HUB IS WHERE IT'S NATURAL FOR TOURISTS TO GO AND THE SPOKES IS WHERE YOU BRING THEM OUT FOR THEIR EXTENSION TOURS. A HUB HAS TO HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THATÕS HOW THE TOURISTS COME. AND SO LAOAG IS A HUB FOR TOURISM.

AND WE ARE, ESPECIALLY, PROMOTING TOURISTS FROM CHINA BECAUSE THERE ARE 400 MILLION CHINESE WHO CAN AFFORD TO TRAVEL AND ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. AND THIS LAOAG IS ONLY ABOUT, WHAT, AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF AWAY FROM CANTON AND TWO HOURS AWAY FROM SHANGHAI. SO THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN.

AND WELL, WE HAVE THE HERITAGE VILLAGE IN VIGAN, AN HOUR AWAY FROM LAOAG AIRPORT. SO PEOPLE WILL STAY, THEY MAY STAY IN FORT ILOCANDIA OR THEY MAY STAY IN OTHER PLACES BUT THIS IS PART OF THE TOURS THAT THEY CAN MAKE. THE HERITAGE VILLAGE WHICH IS A CULTURAL TOURISM OF VIGAN.

AND THEN YOU HAVE LA UNION, PANGASINAN, ZAMBALES. PARDON THE PROPORTIONS, PANGASINAN IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST PROVINCE. BUT FROM LA UNION, PANGASINAN, ZAMBALES, WE HAVE A WHOLE STRETCH OF BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND OTHER RESORTS. AND THEREFORE, THEY CAN LAND THERE OR THEY CAN LAND HERE, THE TOURISTS CAN LAND HERE, THE BOTTOM OF THIS W HICH IS WHERE TOURISM AND INDUSTRY MEET.

THIS IS SUBIC AND LIMAY. SUBIC HAS BOTH INDUSTRY AND TOURISM; LIMAY IS HEAVY INDUSTRY.

THIS PORTION HERE, THEREFORE, IS INDUSTRY AND I.T. THAT'S WHY I THANK THE GOKONGWEI GROUP BECAUSE OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR ICT TO DEVELOP.

FURTHERMORE, THIS PORTION IS PART OF MEGA MANILA SO THERE'S A DOUBLE ROLE. SO THIS IS ALSO MEGA MANILA. WHAT IS THIS MEGA MANILA? THIS IS REALLY THE SUBIC-CLARK AREA. THIS IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS PART OF THE EXPANSION OF METRO MANILA -- WHICH IS CONGESTED -- AND THEY BECOME ONE ECONOMY. SO THIS BECOMES THE INTERFACE BETWEEN NORTH PHILIPPINES AND METRO MANILA.

THAT'S WHY THE ROAD THAT THE LOPEZES IS BUILDING IS OF ABSOLUTE IMPORTANCE BECAUSE IT WILL TRULY MAKE THIS PORTION PART OF MEGA MANILA. SO I SAY, THEREFORE THAT THIS ROAD FROM BALINTAWAK -- WHICH IS IMPROVING, ALL THE WAY UP TO WELL UP TO HERE, UP TO SOMEWHERE HERE WHICH IS STA. INES IS WHAT THEY ARE DEVELOPING; AND ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE THE CONTRIBUTION OF CESAR QUIAMBAO FROM BUENDIA TO BALINTAWAK, SO THE SKYWAY HERE. SO WHEN YOU HAVE BUENDIA, BALINTAWAK, STA. INES, WE CAN SEE HOW YOU GO FROM MAKATI TO SUBIC-CLARK -- IT BECOMES ONE BIG COSMOPOLITAN AREA.

AND THIS IS WHERE, IN THIS AREA, WHERE WE WILL HAVE THE INAUGURATION OF THE MALL OF ROBINSON. AND I THANK THEM BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT THEY BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY AT THE LOWEST EBB OF PAMPANGA'S ECONOMY RIGHT AFTER THE LAHAR OVERRAN THE PROVINCE OF PAMPANGA. BUT THEY HAD FORESIGHT, AND NOW THAT PROPERTY THAT THEY BOUGHT IS TERRIBLE VALUABLE FOR THEM AS WELL AS FOR THE PEOPLE OF NORTH LUZON.

SO, SUBIC-CLARK, OF COURSE, IS LIKE CALABARZON, THE GREAT GROWTH AREA OF OUR COUNTRY. AND IN CLARK, WE HAVE NOT ONLY INDUSTRY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE I.T. THAT'S WHY MANNY ANGELES IS PUTTING TOGETHER EVEN ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR I.T., INCLUDING THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT -- WE EVEN HAVE AN I.T. ACADEMY RIGHT HERE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE CLARK AIRPORT WHICH WILL SERVE, NOT REALLY NORTHERN LUZON, BUT IT CAN, BUT IT WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE OF METRO MANILA. IT IS THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT TO NAIA, WHICH HAS NO MORE ROOM FOR EXPANSION AFTER NAIA III.

AND WITH THIS ROAD NETWORK AND THERE WILL BE A RAIL NETWORK -- NORTH RAIL, WHICH I HAVE REVIVED, IT WAS ABOLISHED IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. I HAVE REVIVED IT, I HAVE REACTIVATED THE CORPORATION BECAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA TO HAVE AN AIRPORT HERE AND AN AIRPORT IN METRO MANILA, IT HAS TO BE LIKE ... AND HEATHROW; IT HAS TO BE LIKE LEONARDO DA VINCI AND FIUMICINO; IT HAS TO BE LIKE NATIONAL AIRPORT AND WASHINGTON DULLES; IT HAS TO BE LIKE KENNEDY AND LA GUARDIA. SO THEREFORE, THIS ROAD NETWORK MUST BE VERY EASY: YOU HAVE THE ROAD NETWORK AND YOUÕRE GONNA HAVE THE NORTH RAIL. AND WE ARE INVITING INVESTORS IN THE NORTH RAIL CORPORATION.

THE NORTH RAIL IS A SUBSIDIARY OF BCDA. BUT WE DONÕT WANT BCDA TO BE THE ... THEY ARE JUST THE CATALYST. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN THIS NORTH RAIL.

AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN BECAUSE EVEN AS WE'RE ARRANGING FOR THIS MEDIUM-TERM OR LONG-TERM PROJECT FOR THE FINANCING FOR THE RAILROAD, ALREADY, THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN IS WORKING ON THE RELOCATION -- THE HUMANITARIAN MANNER OF RELOCATING THE PEOPLE HERE. IT IS ALMOST A PAINLESS RELOCATION BECAUSE WE ARE DOING ADVANCE PLANNING AND THEN, JOSIE DE LA CRUZ ... AY I DIDNÕT SEE YOU EARLIER, NAHULI KA BA? AYUN PALA. TINGNAN MO PINUPURI KITA KAHIT AKALA KO WALA KA. OKAY. JOSIE IS DOING THE IDEAL RELOCATION -- AND SHE IS MOVING THE PEOPLE FROM HERE TO DO„A REMEDIOS TRINIDAD, BUT ITÕS DONE TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY. IN OTHER WORDS, SHE DID NOT CONSIDER THE SO-CALLED SQUATTERS OF THE BULACAN AS A PROBLEM, SHE CONSIDERED THEM AS PART OF THE SOLUTION. AND SHE IS PUTTING UP A WHOLE NEW COMMUNITY HERE, TOGETHER ALREADY WITH KOREAN AND AMERICAN INVESTORS. SO THE RELOCATION ALREADY INCLUDES THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME THAT'S WHY WE DON'T NEED TO FEAR INVESTING IN NORTH RAIL.

NOW, SUBIC-CLARK, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE ONE UNIT RATHER THAN TWO. LIKE CALABARZON IS ONE, SUBIC-CLARK WILL BE ONE. AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S GOING TO BE A SUBIC-CLARK ROAD PRIORITY PROJECT THAT WILL MAKE THEM LESS THAN AN HOUR DISTANT OF EACH OTHER. IN FACT, LAST YEAR, WHEN I WENT TO JAPAN, AND AT THAT TIME, JAPAN WAS REDUCING ITS ODA FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD BUT NOT REDUCING ITS ODA FOR THE PHILIPPINES, BUT THEY WANTED TO BE LOW PROFILE ABOUT WHAT WE WERE SIGNING ON ODA. SO THEY SAID, LET'S JUST SIGN THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR THE PHILIPPINES AS FAR AS JAPAN IS CONCERNED, LET'S JUST SIGN THE SUBIC-CLARK EXPRESSWAY. SO, THAT'S WHAT WE DID, THAT'S WHAT WE SIGNED.

THE SUBIC-CLARK EXPRESSWAY CONTAINS A SPUR TO TARLAC, TARLAC. WHY DID THE JAPANESE WANT A SPUR? I ASKED FOR THIS, AND THEY GAVE THIS AND THAT. BECAUSE THERE ARE JAPANESE INVESTMENTS IN LUISITA SO THEREFORE, THEY WANT THOSE JAPANESE INVESTORS, FROM WHOM THEY GET THEIR TAX MONEY, TO BE CONVENIENCE. SO IF RUFU COLAYCO IS HERE, WHERE IS HE? AND THERE WAS A POLICY ISSUE, I THINK RUFU IT'S VERY CLEAR: THE PURPOSE IS FOR THE SPUR TO GO UP TO LUISITA. OKAY

SO, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THIS W BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A THRIVING INDUSTRIAL CENTER HERE.

THEN YOU GO DOWN, AND THIS PORTION OF BULACAN, WHICH IS NEAR MEGA MANILA, IS INDUSTRIAL. YOU HAVE MEYCAUAYAN, YOU HAVE THE JEWELRY INDUSTRY IN MEYCAUAYAN. BUT IT GOES UP, AND NORTH BULACAN, AND THEN YOU HAVE NUEVA ECIJA, AND YOU HAVE AURORA, AND YOU HAVE CAGAYAN VALLEY.

SO THIS PORTION HERE IS AGRICULTURE. NUEVA ECIJA IS THE CENTER OF THE MODERNIZATION OF THE RICE INDUSTRY -- NUEVA ECIJA AND ISABELA. AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A CENTER OF HYBRID RICE DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY. SO RICE IS GONNA BE COMING FROM NUEVA ECIJA AND ISABELA AND WE HAVE RICE MILLS IN BULACAN AS WELL.

THEN WE HAVE AURORA. YOU KNOW, IF AURORA STAYS IN REGION IV, NOTHING WILL EVER HAPPEN TO AURORA. THERE IS NO INTEREST IN CALABARZON TO DEVELOP AURORA. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PORT, THEY HAVE BATANGAS PORT; AND IF THEY WANNA GO TO THE PACIFIC, THEY WANT INFANTA REAL. IT IS REGION III THAT WANTS AURORA TO BE WITH THEM. IT IS SYMBIOTIC. WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE DINGALAN, AND DINGALAN PORT CAN BECOME THE EGRESS OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE PRODUCED IN NUEVA ECIJA, IN CAGAYAN VALLEY FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ... BECAUSE THIS IS WHY THESE AREAS ARE NOT EXPORT-ORIENTED -- THEY DON'T HAVE A PORT. THAT'S WHY THEY NEED A PORT, AND THAT NATURAL PORT IS DINGALAN.

SO WE INVITE INVESTORS TO LOOK AT DINGALAN AS A PORT. THEREFORE, I ASKED DANTE CANLAS, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE MEDIUM-TERM PLAN FOR THE REGION, THEY SHOULD INCLUDE DINGALAN PORT AS PART OF THE PLAN OF REGION III. SO WELCOME TO REGION III.

GOING UP, WE HAVE THE SIERRA MADRE HERE -- VERY, VERY THIN. WE HAVE A VERY THIN COASTAL AREA HERE, AND WE CANNOT BUILD A ROAD IN BETWEEN BECAUSE THAT'S VIRGIN FOREST. SO THEREFORE, THIS ECONOMY MUST FACE THE OUTSIDE WORLD RATHER THAN THE INSIDE WORLD. THAT'S REALLY WHY WE NEED A PORT HERE, AND THIS SHOULD BE FISHERIES. HOW TO MODERNIZE THE FISHERIES OF PALANAN, DIVILACAN, DINAPIGUE, DILASAG, ALL THE WAY UP TO BALER. SO THAT WILL BE, LEONY, THE MODERNIZATION OF THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH LUZON.

HERE, WE ENTER THE CAGAYAN ECONOMIC ZONE. BUT MANY OF THE INDUSTRIES HERE ARE AGRO-INDUSTRY. FOR INSTANCE, SAAN SI REGGIE URIARTE? HINDI BA, REGGIE, WHAT YOU'RE DEVELOPING HERE IS AGRO-INDUSTRY BECAUSE THIS IS AGRICULTURAL. AND JAMES GO TALKED ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT HERE -- THEY HAVE THE CAGAYAN SUGAR REFINERY CORPORATION -- SO WE THANK THEM FOR BEING OUR INVESTOR HERE.

SO WE HAVE ALSO, HERE IN ISABELA AS WELL, IN CAGAYAN VALLEY, CASSAVA. AND WE HAVE RICO FAJARDO REPRESENTING SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION, BECAUSE SAN MIGUEL AND THE OTHER MILLS CAN ABSORB EVEN ONE MILLION HECTARES-WORTH OF CASSAVA PRODUCTION. SO THAT'S VIRTUALLY AN UNLIMITED DEMAND CONSIDERING THE SUPPLY.

AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER ... AH YEAH KAMOTE, KAMOTE IS BEING GROWN HERE BUT FOR EXPORTS, AND SEVERAL OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROMOTED BY MY FORMER DTI COLLEAGUES WHOM I ASKED TO LEAVE LIKE THE NEW HEAD OF THE CAGAYAN ECONOMIC ZONE IS JO HIPOLITO, WHO WAS MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE AS DTI REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF REGION II AND I NEEDED TO MAKE CAGAYAN ECONOMIC ZONE WORK. IT USED TO BE POLITICAL IN COMPOSITION. AND I TOLD JOHNNY ENRILE AND CHAVIT SINGSON, I'M NOT GOING TO PUT ANY OF YOUR RECOMMENDEES AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I'LL PUT A PROFESSIONAL THERE. HOWEVER, I MADE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS WIDE-RANGING AS POSSIBLE TO REPRESENT THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL, BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT INTERESTS. AND LAST THAT I CAME FROM CAGAYAN VALLEY, THE OTHER NIGHT, AND GOVERNOR LARA OF CAGAYAN WAS TELLING ME, OF CAGAYAN, HOW AMAZED HE WAS THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD WAS SO EVEN ACROSS DIFFERENT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTEREST. BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK: LET EVERYBODY BE REPRESENTED IN THE BOARD, BUT LET IT BE RUN BY A PROFESSIONAL MANAGER. SO THAT IS AGRICULTURE.

AND I WANT THAT THIS AGRICULTURE IN CAGAYAN REVOLVE AROUND THE GREAT CAGAYAN RIVER. CAGAYAN RIVER IS THE MIGHTIEST RIVER IN THE COUNTRY. BUT I DON'T WANT A BIG DAM BECAUSE WE STILL HAVEN'T WORKED OUT ALL THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF SAN ROQUE AND CASECNAN, I DON'T WANT TO BEGIN ANOTHER HEADACHE. I WANT TO GO SMALL. I THINK FOR IRRIGATION ITÕS GOOD TO HAVE A MIX BUT ON THE MIX WE ALREADY HAVE THE BIG DAMS, NOW LET'S GO FOR THE SMALL ONE. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL. SO, IF WE WERE TO INVEST MONEY IN A BIG DAM, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT BE? SO I HAVE ASKED LEONY MONTEMAYOR TO GIVE ABOUT 30 MILLION-WORTH OF WATER PUMPS, WATER IMPOUNDING PROJECTS, COMMUNAL IRRIGATION FUNDING TO REVOLVE ALL AROUND THE CAGAYAN RIVER. AND THAT WILL HAVE A QUICKER GESTATION PERIOD, IT WILL PREPARE US QUICKER FOR EL NINO WHICH IS GOING TO BE COMING, THEY SAY, IN OCTOBER.

THEN WE HAVE BATANES, SABI NI CESAR CANLAS MARAMING ONIONS SA BAYAMBANG. ONIONS. MAAWA KA NAMAN SA BATANES, ONIONS DIN ANG KANILANG MAIN PRODUCT. GARLIC. ONIONS DITO PALA NUEVA ECIJA. OKAY. GARLIC. WE GOT TO HELP BATANES SELL ITS GARLIC. THERE'S NO PORT, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND THEN THEY SUFFER FROM THE SMUGGLED GARLIC THAT COMES IN. BUT BATANES IS ALSO ... ACTUALLY, BATANES IS REALLY SOMEWHERE HERE SO BATANES IS REALLY PART OF THE TOURISM PORTION BECAUSE BATANES IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PROVINCES IN THE COUNTRY.

AND IN THE MIDDLE, BUT MORE TOWARDS HERE, IS THE CORDILLERAS. AND FOR THE CORDILLERAS, IT IS ALSO TOURISM. NATURALLY, WE HAVE BAGUIO THATÕS WHY IT BELONGS TO THIS PART OF THE W BECAUSE YOU REACH IT FROM LA UNION. SO IT'S REALLY PART OF THE LA UNION OF THIS ECONOMY.

THEN YOU HAVE THE RICE TERRACES, BUT THEY'RE REALLY SOMEWHERE MY MAP IS ALREADY OUT OF PROPORTION BUT THEYÕRE REALLY SOMEWHERE HERE NEAR NUEVA ECIJA AND NUEVA VIZCAYA. SO THE RICE TERRACES, BUT THATÕS TILL PART OF TOURISM.

IN KALINGA, YOU HAVE WHITE WATER RAFTING. IF YOU WANNA GO THERE, YOU MAKE LITO CAMACHO YOUR TOURIST GUIDE BECAUSE HEÕS GONE WHITE WATER RAFTING THERE WITH HIS FAMILY AND IT'S REALLY WORLD CLASS. AND IF THERE ARE FACILITIES THERE ... FOREIGNERS GO THERE. AND IF THERE ARE JUST HALFWAY DECENT FACILITIES THERE, THE WHITE WATER RAFTING COMMUNITY WILL BE WILLING TO PAY 500 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS A NIGHT FOR A PACKAGE. THAT'S REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUINITY.

SO, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO ENVISION FOR NORTH LUZON. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE. WHEN I SAY TOURISM, FOR INSTANCE, I DON'T MEAN THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PUT UP THE TOURISM AREAS -- I DON'T MEAN THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PUT UP THE TOURISM RESORTS, IT'S THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT WILL PUT UP THE TOURISM RESORTS. THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IS TO PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT THERE'S ALREADY AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THERE'S ALREADY A GOOD ROAD NETWORK, SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE AND THE MARKETING IS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL HELP DO. AND WE HAVE MONA LOPEZ HERE WHO USED TO BE THE USEC FOR TOURISM AND I'M GLAD THAT SHE'S WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR ON THE NORTH LUZON TOURISM COUNCIL.

AND FOR AGRICULTURE, IT IS THE FARMERS WHO WILL PLANT BUT THE KEY THERE IS THE AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION FUND OF WHICH WE HAVE MADE AVAILABLE 26 BILLION IN THE PAST YEAR AND WE DON'T INTEND TO BE ANY STINGIER THIS YEAR; AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, I'VE TOLD YOU THE RAILROAD, THE AIRPORT, THE ROADS, THE ROAD NETWORK.

SO I BELIEVE THAT, HAVING THEREFORE, AS YOU CAN SEE, A COHERENT VISION, I SUPPOSE THAT YOU WILL NOT JOIN THOSE WHO SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO DIRECTION BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE I DECIDED TO GIVE AN IMPROMPTU, EXTEMPORANEOUS LECTURE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS WHAT IT'S DOING.

SOME OF THESE AREAS NEED TO HAVE FLIGHTS -- LAOAG TO BAGUIO, LAOAG TO BAGABAG AIRPORT TO GO TO THE RICE TERRACES. IT'S OUR JOB TO PUT UP THE AIRPORT, BUT YOU CAN DO B-O-T AS WELL. BUT IT'S YOUR JOB TO PUT UP THE FLIGHTS. AND AS PART OF OUR NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TOURISM -- IDENTIFYING THE SPOKES AND THE HUBS AND WHAT WE WILL MARKET -- WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE TOURISM INCENTIVES WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE AIRLINES GOING FROM HUB TO SPOKE SO IT WILL BE EASY FOR OUR TOURISTS TO GO THERE.

SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMING ON SHORT NOTICE. BUT I THINK IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE COULD GET TOGETHER, GET OUR VISION TOGETHER. I HOPE YOU AGREE WITH THIS VISION.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, IT'S BEEN WELL STUDIED. SOME OF THEM, THE STUDY STARTED WAY BACK WHEN I WAS STILL UNDERSECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY. SO, IT HAS BEEN A STUDY DONE FOR THE LAST ... SINCE '89 TO 2002, ITÕS BEEN IN THE WOODWORKS FOR 13 YEARS. SO, NOW, WE HAVE TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS TO CARRY OUT THE EARLIER PART OF THE STUDY.

SO, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND LET'S GO NORTH PHILIPPINES.

THANK YOU.

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