Tuesday, June 24, 2008 [ www.manilatimes.net ]
VICE President Noli de Castro on Monday vowed to complete the priority projects of Region 4-B by 2010, saying he will use all his powers to bring development in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa).
De Castro, who was recently appointed by President Gloria Arroyo as the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD) for Region 4-B which covers the four provinces otherwise known as Mimaropa, said he will complete the priority projects and programs of the region on time.
But more importantly, he said, he accepted the CORD position for region 4-B because it covers Mindoro where he comes from. De Castro hails from Pola, Mindoro.
De Castro challenged the governors, mayors, government agencies and the private sector in the region to immediately get into serious business.
He said the regional development council concerned should not waste time if it wants to accomplish its priority projects and programs that include an airport as efforts to transform Mimaropa as one of the food baskets and tourism hubs of the country.
The CORD has been in place since the time of former President Cory Aquino as a mechanism between the regional and sub-regional levels of government and the national leadership to address problems in government operations. -- Sammy Martin
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