ANGARA LAUDS SAMARS PEACE TALKS WITH THE NDF

SAMAR -- Senator Edgardo J. Angara today expressed full support to the initiative of the three Samar provinces to forge a regional peace pact with the National Democratic Front (NDF) leadership in the area, which, if realized, would be an immense boost to the economic development of the three provinces.

Angara, chairman of the senate committee on the peace process, said that such regional initiative should be supported by national leaders and emulated by the other regions with insurgency problems.

The regional initiative was made possible with the formation of the Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Democracy or SIPPaD, which has representatives from the governments of Western Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Angara said that the regional peace accords are ideal since they are negotiated away from the national limelight and with little distraction from the forces and parties that might try to intervene in such vital process.

In terms of economic support, Angara said that the national government can prioritize its investments by focusing on three areas:

1. Improve the infrastructure network of the three provinces

2. Support the modernization of the coconut industry

3. Lure investors into the Eastern Visayas region through preferential terms

Angara said the coconut sector, once modernized, can easily rebound due to the current global focus on finding alternative fuels to fossil oil. Bio-diesel which is produced from coconut oil is an accepted additive to diesel, he added.

Even the coconut husk is now the main material for the export-oriented coconut coir which is in huge demand in China and other countries that use to control soil erosion in flood control projects.

Angara said that the infrastructure network in the three Samar provinces should be modernized to speed up the movement of cargo and people and link the depressed towns with the urban and progressive centers.

The three governors of the area have complained about inadequate infrastructure investment there.

Angara said the investment attraction laws have to be reviewed and adjusted to fit the specific needs of the Samar provinces.