USAID expresses readiness to support initiatives of Gov. Alvarez for Palawan development

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 19): USAID expresses readiness to support initiatives of Gov. Alvarez for Palawan development

The provincial government of Palawan is elated over the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) assurance of support toward development initiatives of Governor Jose Alvarez.

Provincial information officer Gil Acosta said Tuesday the assurance of support was given by USAID Mission Director Gloria D. Steele in a visit to Puerto Princesa, Palawan on March 13 to 14.

Acosta quoted Steele as saying that the USAID is starting to reach out to other provinces and is willing to strike partnerships with those who are concerned with helping themselves.

She said that they “want to make sure that the US taxpayers’ money goes to good causes, and that they go to good people and to places deserving of the resources.”

For the past 20 years, USAID has been focusing on assisting Mindanao, but this time, it is looking at the potentials of other provinces and is now working with Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Batangas City, and Palawan.

For Palawan, the USAID will reportedly focus on development projects in energy, agriculture and tourism.

Recently, a USAID-funded project for hybrid renewable energy was inaugurated in Green Island in the municipality of Roxas, northern Palawan.

In the area of agriculture that will also spur livelihood opportunities, Acosta said the provincial government struck an agreement with Rocky Mountain Arabica Coffee Company for the development of a coffee plantation, and Kennemer Foods International for cacao plantation in Southern Palawan.

The target municipalities are Aborlan, Bataraza, Brooke’s Point, Quezon and Rizal.

Another area of partnership with USAID, he stated, is the Joint Energy Development Advisory Group (JEDAG), which aims to address the power shortage in Puerto Princesa and the province.

The provincial information officer said Alvarez thinks of the visit as the start of a new relationship with USAID.

“The provincial government of Palawan is in a catch-up mode to address poverty in the province,” Acosta quoted the governor as saying.

He added that in the last 15 years, government officials have not done enough to address poverty but in the next two and a half years of Alvarez’s current term, he assured the USAID officials that his administration will do its best to do what has not been done while hoping that whoever will take over next will continue what he has set out to do based on a 10-year program crafted by his administration.

Governor Alvarez said that the assistance of the USAID to Palawan can do much to awaken the people from a long slumber, reiterating that the province has been lagging behind by 30 years compared to provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao.

But endowed with the fire and fervor, something concrete can be done to address poverty and bring the Palaweños to the mainstream of society.

“The governor said that helping Palaweños overcome poverty is a fulfilling mission and with the support of the USAID, this will be a mission possible,” said Acosta.

Governor Alvarez is said to have told Steele that one of the strategies of his administration to address poverty is the development and strengthening of the tourism industry in northern Palawan, and the further development of the agricultural potentials of southern Palawan.

To go hand-in-hand, southern Palawan will supply the agricultural requirements of the tourism destinations from Puerto Princesa to northern Palawan.

Another key strategy is the cultural, tourism and economic linkages with Malaysia. Impressed with the 2 1/2 M tourist arrivals in Kota Kinabalu alone, the Palawan administration is optimistic that with the opening of air linkages between Palawan and Kota Kinabalu via MASWings that will soon have daily flights from its current thrice a week flights, this will bring in more tourists to the province.

The governor, Acosta related, also sees the emergence of employment opportunities for Palawan workforce in its neighbor. “There is now a shortage of manpower in Malaysia. By the third year of the governor’s term, we will have about 20,000 graduates, who are beneficiaries of our education program, who will be ready to take on jobs in Malaysia and also in the tourism destinations in northern Palawan,” he said.

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