Monday, March 26, 2007 Mindanao problems due to lack of development fund: legislator By Ulysses E. Israel
PROBLEMS of peace and order, insurgency and underdevelopment in Mindanao can be traced to the lack of development funds that should be poured in to finance infrastructure support facilities and to make government services accessible to Mindanaoans.
Senatorial candidate Chiz Escudero blamed the recurring problems of separatism, insurgency and terrorism to the National Government's bias against the people of Mindanao, considered to be the "food basket" of the country that continues to languish in widespread poverty.
He said the problems of peace and order and poverty in Mindanao can be traced to the meager resources being poured in by the National Government for development projects in the island of Mindanao.
If more funds would be funneled to the island, government services will be felt by more people as more roads, bridges, health centers, schools are built. Electricity and drinking water are also basic needs that should be provided, he said.
But when people feel they are neglected, dissatisfaction and rebellion can be expected to reign in the hearts of the people resulting to peace and order problem that further aggravates the situation as investors fear to come in and set up their businesses here, he added.
He said he will not make promises but vowed that he would work to increase the resources provided by the government to Mindanao.
He also proposed a three-pronged drive to weaken the well-entrenched corruption practices in the country.
The first, he said, is to minimize red tape, thus, making the tentacles of government bureaucracy less obtrusive to business operations. Less government intervention would mean less opportunities to commit corrupt practices.
The second measure is to make government transactions more transparent for people to see. Transparency, he said, will make it more difficult for corrupt public officials to engage in milking the business sector.
The third is to strengthen the justice system that should prosecute erring public servants and penalize them to deter others who would try to engage in the same practices.
