No political agenda for One Visayas, says solon

MANILA. Some members of One Visayas flash the peace sign after the launching of the group on September 20, 2018. (Photo from Albee Benitez Facebook)
MANILA. Some members of One Visayas flash the peace sign after the launching of the group on September 20, 2018. (Photo from Albee Benitez Facebook)

NEGROS Occidental 3rd District Representative Alfredo “Albee” Benitez on Monday, September 24, said One Visayas does not have any political agenda, but will focus on achieving economic cooperation among elected officials from the three Visayas regions.

Benitez, who leads the powerful Visayan bloc at the House of Representatives, said the group is eyeing tourism development and the creation of a fiber optic highway that would link the three Visayas regions.

He said the group does not plan to coalesce with regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago or with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

“No. We have always pushed the concept of federalism because we would like to empower yung mga regional centers and we thought na, while waiting for the process of turning into federal states, we can combine our resources, work together, create economic cooperation among the Visayas regions, which are Regions 6, 7 and 8, and promote its economic development,” Benitez said in a press conference on Monday, September 24.

One Visayas was launched during a dinner meeting on September 20 at the Shangri-la Hotel at the Fort in Manila. Benitez said in a social media post that the group has 194 members. Among them are congressmen, governors, vice-governors, board members and city mayors from Central, Eastern and Western Visayas regions.

"There has been no discussion about the political agenda or political objectives that this group will undertake. So far it was really more on the economic cooperation,” Benitez said

Commitment

The officials present during the gathering signed a “One Vision, One Voice, One Visayas” pledge of commitment, which states for one, that they should enhance cooperation and strengthen partnership with the national government and private sector in furtherance of their vision for a progressive Visayas.

Asked if the One Visayas will be registered as a political party, Benitez said: “We have not discussed that. As I’ve said, although we have agreed to register it sa SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). We’re not pushing for Comelec (Commission on Elections) accreditation.”

He continued: “It is more really on joining forces for development. So hindi napag-usapan ang pulitika. Although lahat kami doon are elected officials, our primary concern is really the welfare of our areas.”

(We did not talk about politics. Although all the members are elected officials, our primary concern is really the welfare of our constituents.)

Benitez said One Visayas aims to encourage economic partners among Visayans so that they can enhance their economic situation.

“I think One Visayas will foster some sort of economic cooperation among our neighboring provinces and hopefully create trading partners,” he said.

"We can probably increase the investment opportunity in the area by creating linkages, by forming partnerships with Regions 6, 7 and 8,” he added. Region 6, 7 and 8 refer to Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.

Linkages

He said strengthening linkages among each other and with investors would be more efficient and allow them to attain a greater scale of marketability.

"For instance if we have a trade fair, tomorrow, the Negros Occidental will have a trade fair promoting all of their provincial products. What if this trade fair is done on the Visayas level. We have region 8 who would probably promote their products at the same venue. So it’s easier to market, it’s easier to present this kind of products coming from the region if we join our forces together," he added.

On the plan to create a digital highway, Benitez said: “Before we were just looking at roads to promote progress. Ngayon it's not just roads. We want to put our fiber optics on our digital highway to promote development and joining the whole resources."

He said the group also aims to promote tourism as he noted that 50 percent of tourists that visits the country flock to Visayas.

“For instance, we would like to promote tourism, 50 percent of all foreign tourist arrivals is in the Visayas Region. Unfortunately, we only get 21 percent of the infrastructure funding coming from the national government. So this is something that we would like to rectify," he said.

Asked if the One Visayas is a prelude to his candidacy for a national position, Benitez answered in the negative.

“Well I think I’ve been very clear on that, that come 2019 there will be no political or elected office for me and it is why I think this One Visayas is being formed, is devoid of political agenda because I, myself is not running,” said Benitez. (SunStar Philippines)

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