Entrepreneurial Farmer

By Ambrosio R. Villorente

10 Doable Points

A reader has reacted to this column of last issue which reads as follows:
Hello,
I think it is a duty of the Aklan press to ask the candidates (maybe limit it to governor and representative) to have a 10 point doables if they win the election. The doables should SMART (Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound meaning it can be achieved in 3 years). These 10 doables should then be posted in all public places for voters to read. It should also be discussed in the media so that voters in Aklan will know about it.
With the doables, the voters can evaluate the candidates as to:
1. How the candidates understand the needs of the province?
2. Who has the right skills and tools to respond to those needs?
3. The proper experience and resources to answer those needs; and
4. Who are just blueskying the voters and do not know any better?
Let us help our candidates and our voters (get) away from the usual political rhetoric which does not result into anything meaningful to understand how the candidates will affect our people when the candidates win.

The 10 doables will serve as a road map for the winning candidates and be a guide for the voters to evaluate him or her come next election in 2010."

A copy of your comments is sent to Ms. Melrose S. Lunn, Tibyog Media Coordinator for their possible action.

IBAJAY GRAIN CENTER

A reader e-mailed EF commenting on the Grain Center in Laguinbanua, Ibajay. According to him, "that grain center has been constructed at the time when Congressman Joeben T. Miraflores was governor of Aklan. But until today, that grain center is not operational.
If that facility is functional, it will greatly help the farmers reduce grain processing cost, increase the grain quality which is very good for the consumers."

EF has been asking Governor Carlito S. Marquez about this grain center project. I got favorable answers, but his answers are not yet operationalized until this writing. I brought the grain center project three times to Governor Marquez, yet it still remains just a project.

You are right "agriculture is the twin project with tourism", of the United Leadership of Aklan but agriculture just means a slogan still to the leaders in the capitol, Kalibo.

Ibajay Grain Center is a multi million pesos project designed to modernize agriculture. But has that grain center became a factor in the grains production program? You are right when you say: "Ibajay Grain Center is a decoration, a way to waste people’s money, time and effort."
One main responsible office in the construction of the Ibajay Grain Center is the Department of Agriculture (DA) as it provided the millions of pesos cash for the project. DA has neglected its duty to monitor the project until its full completion and made operational.

BANGA BAGSAKAN CENTER

Former Congressman Billie V. Calizo has allocated P3 million out of her countrywide development fund for the Banga Bagsakan Center. The center construction was finished three years ago but until today, it is still a "bagsakan" without any operation, therefore still useless.
The center is constructed on about one hectare of land owned by Aklan State University situated just at the outskirt of Poblacion, Banga along the road going to Balete.

This project is intended to serve all the farmers and fisherfolks as a convergence place between them on the one hand to sell their goods and the consumers on the other to buy goods. But until today, the Banga Bagsakan Center remains useless and becoming a monument of government waste, inefficiency and neglect not only of the servant leaders but also the constituents.

I asked Governor Marquez about this for two times at two different places. I got no answer, but a sweet smile. So I just felt good. /MP