CATANAUAN, QUEZON—President Rodrigo Duterte’s most trusted aide, Christopher “Bong” Go, sought to assure farmers in the province of the fulfillment of Mr. Duterte’s promise to uplift their lives.
A new legislation, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act, is now ready for signing by the President, Go said in a speech before an assembly of coconut farmers and students here.
Under the measure, the P100-billion coco levy fund will form the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund, which shall be used exclusively for the benefit of coconut farmers and for the development of the coconut industry.
Go also vowed to open a Malasakit Center in the province, a one-stop shop offering free health services for the poor.
Research facilities
The government, according to Go, will build facilities for the Quezon Coconut Research and Extension Center, which will be a joint project of the provincial government of Quezon and the Philippine Coconut Authority.
Go, during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus of Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), said the government also was going full blast in its “Build, Build, Build” program in Quezon.
He pointed to the Quezon-Bicol Expressway, which started construction, Kaliwa Dam for irrigation and water supply, and the extension of the South Luzon Expressway as among Build, Build, Build projects for the province.
Rail system
The government, he added, was also planning to improve the country’s railroad system to bring people and goods from Southern Luzon to urban areas in Metro Manila.
Go said he would soon discuss with Quezon Gov. David Suarez plans to build more infrastructure and facilities inside SLSU and in the province.
More buildings can be expected for SLSU, he said.
SLSU is the premier higher education institution in Quezon province. —DELFIN T. MALLARI JR.