Tuesday, July 1, 2008 [ philstar.com ]
BALER, Aurora – Sen. Edgardo Angara yesterday hailed President Arroyo, who defeated him in the 1998 vice presidential race, for being a growth catalyst in the province, a feat 10 other presidents before her failed to advance.
Speaking during the sixth anniversary of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, the senator from Baler virtually took a dig at past presidents for failing to take the cue from former Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon in triggering the growth and development of the province.
Angara recalled that when Quezon was still president, his close friends often asked him why he would not initiate the beautification and development of his own birthplace.
Angara said that Quezon would often tell them he left the task of developing his own province to the hands of his successors. He said several presidents had replaced Quezon yet no one prioritized the development of Aurora except President Arroyo.
“Sampu na po ang naging pangulo buhat ke Pangulong Quezon. Pero ito pong ating panauhing pandangal ang katangi-tanging tumulong sa Baler at sa buong Aurora (Ten presidents had come and gone since Quezon. But our guest of honor is the only one who helped Baler and the whole of Aurora),” he said, referring to Mrs. Arroyo as the crowd applauded.
Angara credited the President for signing into law RA 9490 creating the Aurora Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) and for funding support for the Pantabangan-Canili and the Baler-Casiguran Roads.
He said that because of Mrs. Arroyo’s support, the province will have a modern hospital and a branch of the University of the Philippines (UP) within the next couple of years.
President Arroyo, in a subsequent speech, returned the compliment by saying he (Angara) was her mentor when she was still a neophyte senator. – -Manny Galvez
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