Friday, January 26, 2007

Poverty Alleviation Is Faster If Aklan Is Peaceful - Gov. Marquez


Poverty can be alleviated if peace and order are maintained in Aklan.This was emphasized by Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez when he presided over the first Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting of the year 2007 held recently at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center, Buswang Old, Kalibo.
The meeting was the first one attended by the newly designated Aklan Police Provincial Office Director Benigno Durana. He replaced erthswhile Aklan police director William S. Macavinta.Gov. Marquez stressed that a good civilian relationship with police officers will bring about an improved quality of life of Aklanons.
"With maintained peace and order, investors will be enticed to come to Aklan and invest. When they invest, job opportunities will be opened, and hence, the quality of life of Aklanons will improve more."
Gov. Marquez said that investors in Boracay, Kalibo and New Washington are pouring hundreds of millions of pesos in Aklan benefiting more than 5,000 Aklanon workers. More is still coming."Tourism in Aklan is now an P8 billion industry, and any problem on peace and order in Aklan will drive investors away," Marquez added. He also commended the men and women of the Aklan PNP, DILG, Philippine Army and the Department of Justice for their good performance in making Aklan very peaceful the past year.
He however, advised the PNP to prepare its security measures and review the performance of police officers to make sure that its rules of engagement will not violate human rights.
"All of us has one mission — to protect lives and property and fight poverty," the governor said.Provincial Director Durana, for his part, said he is happy that the priority of the provincial government is Anti-Poverty, as they have the same vision as public servants.
"Our role as a police institution is to improve the quality of life of our people. If there is stable peace and order and safe public environment, investments and development will easily flourish in the province of Aklan, thus helping our people to have jobs and engage in more productive activities," Durana said.
Durana, who has roots in Capiz, grew up and studied in Iloilo City said, he is happy to be assigned in Aklan. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com

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