PGMA legacy project extends to far Tawi-Tawi
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PANGLIMA SUGALA, Tawi-Tawi – Even in this faraway province down south, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
is making sure her legacy projects would leave an indelible imprint among the local constituents.
On or before her term ends in June, locals here would see the realization of their dream linkage with the island
of Sanga-Sanga, where their provincial capital Bongao is located.
This, the Department of Public Works and Highways assured the President today as she inspected the status of
the Tawi-Tawi Road Bridge partnership Project (TTRBPP) that would link the province’s remote barangays and
boost socio-economic activity.
The P342-million legacy project in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, forms part of the President's
Bridges Program that aims to spur growth and progress in remote areas.
Once completed, the bridge will provide residents a better and much cheaper way to transport goods, services
and people in and around the province.
It will spur economic growth to this 3rd class province of 156,000 people as they will soon be provided with a
means to conduct business more effectively and efficiently.
DPWH Assistant Secretary Erwin Sadain, who heads the program, told the President that the agency had come
up with a revised work plan to overcome inevitable delays in construction and was certain the TRBPP would be
completed in three months time.
The scope of work needed to complete the TRBPP include the construction of three sectional bridges of varying
lengths and its respective approaches and road improvements from both sides of the bridge.
Phase I and Phase II of the project consists of the construction of 39.62 linear meters and 100.58 ln.m. bridges,
respectively on the Sanga-Sanga (Bongao) island side while Phase III consists of the construction of a 152.40
ln.m. bridge from the Lapid-Lapid side (mainland Tawi-Tawi).
After the DPWH briefing, the President was ushered to the nearby municipal hall where she met with local
officials led by Tawi-Tawi governor Sadikul Sahali.
Joining the President were Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzalez, DPWH Secretary Victor Domingo and
Agricultural Reform Secretary and CORD-ARMM Nasser Pangandaman.
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FDI growth remains at ideal 8% despite crisis –Olivar
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Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar today said growth in foreign direct investments (FDI), which is
measured more in actual dollars, reached nearly the ideal eight percent a year enough to sustain development
in the long term, since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed office nine years ago.
FDI last year also amounted to $1.9 billion, higher than the previous year’s $1.5 billion, indicating that investor
confidence in the Philippines remained high despite the global economic downturn which started in September
2008.
Olivar stressed these positive Philippine economic indicators as he reacted to media reports that the country
has been downgraded in a recent survey on corruption and how it relates to investors confidence.
The survey by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) ranked Indonesia as the most corrupt
country in Asia by the same investors who downgraded the Philippines from sixth to fourth.
During a Malacanang press briefing today, Olivar said foreign investors make their calculations based on a
whole set of objective and subjective factors, of which corruption is just one.
Olivar said, “very few (people) will expect Indonesia to lose investor interest as a result because of Indonesia’s
vast natural resources, its favored status in the eyes of an Indonesian-bred US president and, yes, the
reelection of a leader renowned for his anti-corruption commitment.”
“Indonesia will continue to be a hit among emerging markets,” Olivar stated.
“Compared to Indonesia, Philippine debt papers trade well as over 100 basis points premium, even better than
what is justified by our respective sovereign debt ratings,” Olivar noted.
Both Indonesia and the Philippines carry the same BB-rating from Standard and Poor’s.
Although this may reflect to some extent that the Philippines is less corrupt, Olivar said “positive news about the
Philippines’ infrastructure achievements, industrious and adaptable workforce, the stability of its politics and
culture, and a national leader who is aggressively working to claim our rightful share in the world,” are also
major factors.
He describes those who use the PERC survey to put off investors and put down the country as “charlatans who
don’t know what they are talking about; cynics and opportunists and people who don’t care what they’re talking
about.”
Earlier reports quoting Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said “the
Philippines continued to attract foreign investments in 2009 as investors recognized the relative strength of the
country’s underlying macroeconomic fundamentals, with inflation continuing to be low and falling within target,
the external payments position remaining favorable, and economic growth showing resilience amid the strength
in domestic demand.”
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PHILIPPINE SEAFOOD EXPORTERS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL SEAFOOD SHOW AT THE BOSTON
CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION CENTER
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A group of 13 Philippine seafood companies organized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be
participating in the International Boston Seafood Show at the Boston Conference and Exhibition Center from
March 14 to 16, 2010. The participating companies and their respective products are as follows:
New participating companies:
1. Universal Canning, Inc. - Canned seafoods (sardines/mackerel)
2. The Beach Farms & Trading Corp. - Dried fish/anchovies, carrageenan
3. D'Licious Food Products, Inc. - Bangus products (processed)
4. RDEX Food International Phils., Inc. - Milkfish (deboned plain, deboned marinated, whole)
5. Aimbest-de Leon Food Company - "Tuna Filipina" steak burger patties, all natural
6. CRD Herbal Products, inc. - Dried fish, fish oil product capsule
7. Mega Fishing Corp. - Bottled sardines
Those Who Participated Last Year:
8. Bluefin Seafood Exports - Frozen and cooked octopus, baby octopus, squid, cuttlefish, sardines
9. JBI Foodstuff Supplier - Fresh tuna loins
10. C'Est La Vie Food Phils., Inc. - Processed seafoods (tuna)
11. J.N. Mercado Seafood Supply - Tuna loins/tailless tuna
12. M.S. Seafood Supplier - Fresh chilled yellow fin tuna loins
13. Jarla Trading - Fresh chilled tuna loins, tailless tuna
Interested buyers are invited to visit the Philippine booth at location 2060E.
New Philippine products to be launched in the exhibit include anchovies, fish oil capsule, tuna Filipina all
natural steak burger patties, tuna hotdogs, canned carageenan, bottled sardines, canned seafoods, and dried
fish.
For inquiries, please email the Office of the Agriculture Attache in the Philippine Embassy, Washington DC at
philagri.wdc@gmail with Boston Seafood Show 2010 in subject line.
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