Local execs back Gibo's plans to perk up economic activities in the provinces

Lakas-Kampi CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. will work to spark economic activities in the provinces to raise the living standard in rural areas and bring to millions of Filipinos the benefits of modern life.

A day after eight governors of leading provinces announced support for Teodoro’s candidacy, Sarangani Gov. Rene Miguel “Migs” Dominguez said areas of the Visayas and Mindanao would directly benefit from the economic programs and projects under a Teodoro Administration.

Teodoro’s economic programs are meant to improve the business climate in the poorer regions by making them politically stable and relatively peaceful to attract local and foreign investors.

“People in the Visayas and Mindanao will no longer complain about feeling left out as second-class citizens in their own country, not having enjoyed the economic stability of Filipinos living in Metro Manila and other urban areas in Luzon,” said Dominguez, the Lakas-Kampi CMD national president.

Dominguez assured Filipinos in Luzon , where poverty is rampant in certain provinces, that they remain a major beneficiary of the national economic pie.

Explaining the need to develop the poorer regions, Dominguez cited the example of Maguindanao, one of the country’s poorest provinces.

“If we cut the vicious cycle of poverty-illiteracy-violence-and-terrorism there, we would not have to deal with a problem like the Ampatuans,” he said.

The hundreds of millions of pesos allocated annually for the police and army to keep peace there could bee spent for the building of a road network to make the place accessible to investors,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez said Teodoro’s deep concern for the poor provinces endeared him to the Visayas governors who pledged to support Teodoro’s candidacy “sink or swim.”

Those who recently signed a manifesto of support for Teodoro’s candidacy were Governors Gwen Garcia of Cebu, Sally Perez of Antique, Felipe Nava of Guimaras, Carlito Marguez of Aklan, Orlando Fua of Siquiqor, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Dominguez of Sarangani, Isidro Sayco of Negros Occidental and Erico Aumentado of Bohol.

Dominguez said many more Lakas-Kampi CMD stalwarts are sticking it out with Teodoro despite surveys showing him trailing the leaders.

The administration party’s machinery will deliver the votes for Teodoro, he said.He said that 70 percent of the electoral positions up for grabs in the May 2010 elections are winnable by the Lakas-Kampi candidates.

Gov. Aumentado shared this view, stressing that 80 to 90 percent of the officials seeking a new term in office in their province are members of Lakas-Kampi.“Lakas is the most dominant party in our province and our influence will soon be brought to bear in these coming elections,” he said.

As this developed, Dominguez shrugged off survey results where Teodoro continued to fare poorly.“We had a late start (in the political advertising race). We are hoping to correct this once the official campaign period starts this February,” the Sarangani governor stated.