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Wednesday, September 22, 2004
GEM's jobs generating projects in Minda hailed
JOBS Generation Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo, Jr. lauded and vowed to fully support the employment and livelihood generation projects of the Growth with Equity in Mindanao 2 (GEM 2) program.
"We note with great enthusiasm the high potential for success of GEM 2's agriculture based livelihood and job generation projects which are in line with our own initiatives. This will certainly help thousands of Mindanaoans realize their hopes for a better life," said Lorenzo.
He recently met with John C. Dalton, program manager of GEM 2 in Davao City, where initial talks were held to explore the possibility of closer cooperation between Gem and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Jobs Generation (OPAJG) especially in the area of livelihood projects.
He acknowledged Gem's vital role in speeding up economic growth in Mindanao, a mission which Lorenzo, himself a Mindanaoan, aspires to realize.
Among the various agriculture based livelihood projects of GEM is the development of the following industries: banana; pineapple; asparagus; sweet corn; hydroponic crops (salad crops and herbs); seaweeds; and high value aquaculture projects like abalone, grouper, blue-swimmer crab and sea cucumber.
GEM's various initiatives related to its targets of tripling Mindanao exports are expected to create more than 26,180 jobs by 2007.
This is a clear manifestation that Mindanao is truly the food basket of the Philippines.
As Jobs Generation chief, Lorenzo also sits as chair of Land Bank and Quedancor--two major sources of agricultural funding.
He has been in-charge in the creation of six to 10 million jobs by supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises; the development of 1 to 2 million hectares of agribusiness lands; and to triple the credit portfolios of Land Bank and Quedancor.
As of July 2004, almost 500,000 jobs all over the country have been generated from the credit programs of the Land Bank and Quedancor.
As of June 2004, the Land Bank had released P8.8 billion in loans to small farmers and fisher folk.
Quedancor, on the other hand, released P2.6 billion as of July 2004 in loans and assistance to 200,000 farmers, fishermen, retailers, millers and other entrepreneurs.
In Region XI alone, Land Bank had released P327.70 million that created 9,188 jobs, while Quedancor had released P24.42 million to 1,745 farmers, fishers, retailers, millers and other entrepreneurs.
"We will continue to mobilize resources to ensure that there will be continuous flow of credit to the countryside," Lorenzo said.
"This is the only way that we can sustain economic growth particularly in the agricultural sector, which has been performing exceptionally well during the past few years," he said.
(September 22, 2004 issue)
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