POE BATS FOR MINDANAO DEVELOPMENT

IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY--Top presidential contender Sen. Grace Poe said giving Mindanao a bigger share of the national budget would help arrest insurgency in the region, whose economic growth has been marred by hostilities between the government and various groups.

In a visit to Zamboanga on the fourth week of the campaign, Poe reiterated her administration's promise to allot 30 percent of the national budget for Mindanao to fuel development and assist neglected provinces.

"Ang ugat ng kaguluhan lalo na sa Mindanao ay kahirapan. Hangga't hindi natin nasosolusyunan ang kahirapan, hindi magkakaroon ng ganap na kapayapaan sa Pilipinas," Poe said during a visit to the Universidad de Zamboanga.

In an earlier press conference in Ipil, she said giving Mindanao a bigger budget would pave the way for the construction of the necessary infrastructure to connect interior towns to city centers and facilitate trade of agricultural goods.

"Kaya nga ang sabi namin, ang development ay susi. Sapagkat kung meron talagang pangkabuhayan ang ating mga kababayan, mas lalo silang malalayo sa ganyang uri ng mga aktibidad," Poe said, referring to the recruitment of rebels among the rural poor.

"Ang ibig sabihin nito, dagdag kalsada, dagdag tulay at 'pag merong mga mas madaling mapupuntahang lugar, mas mababa ang insurgency problem, mas madali nating makakalakal ang ating mga produkto," Poe said.

Poe also cited the need to support and enable local farmers to carry out their livelihood.

"May mga lugar halimbawa na kung saan may mga pataniman ito na merong konting gulo sa mga lugar na iyon. Walang proteksyon, kaya yung iba hindi na nila tinutuloy ang kanilang plantasyon. Importante rin na magkaroon ng tulong sa peace and order situation para yung mga lugar na ganito ay napo-protektahan," she said.

Poe urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to help farmers improve their production and market their goods.

"Importante rin na talagang mag-usap-usap ang DTI at ang DA para yung ating mga kooperatiba ay mas mapalakas, mas maganda ang presyo ng pagbenta ng ating mga produkto at mapaparating sa mga mas maraming gustong bumili," the senator said.

To achieve lasting peace in the region, Poe reiterated her call for an inclusive dialogue with all groups and alliances. She said her "Gobyernong may Puso" will make sure that no one gets left behind during the peace process.

Poe went around Zamboanga with her running mate Sen. Francis Escudero, who tops the vice-presidential preference surveys. They will be joined by the senatorial candidates under their coalition, Partido Galing at Puso, for a political rally in Zamboanga City late afternoon.