PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday launched the Luzon Urban Beltway (LUB) project, which is under the Super Region program that she highlighted in her State of the Nation Address (Sona).
Arroyo was accompanied by Vice President Noli de Castro and several Cabinet officials. They went to the University of Batangas (UB) as the kick off for her tour.
In her speech before hundreds of students, teachers, and faculties of UB, Arroyo boasted the national highways she has focused on developing to connect urban areas and have convenient venue for business sectors and travelers.
She cited through the newly-constructed highways like The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway or Calabarzon Expressway) and South Luzon Expressway- STAR; and the expanded highways like South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), C-5-North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and NLEX; travel time in the LUB Super Region has been reduced and traffic has been lessened.
Areas included in the LUB Super Region are: the southern part of Central Luzon, the entire Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and half of Mimaropa region, specifically the lands of Mindoro and Marinduque.
These provinces were included in the super region since they are said to be bases of the country's industry, manufacturing, trade and commerce.
Arroyo noted that the students have important roles in continuing and treasuring what she has started.
“We will continue to grow and prosper and the student should not stop to do what is best for the next generation…We have gone a long way and we will still have to go farther,” she said.
LUB is one of the Super Regions project created by the President in 2006 pursuant to Executive Order 561. Other four super regions are North Luzon Agribusiness Mindanao, Cyber Corridor, Tourism Central Philippines, and Agribusiness Mindanao.
After the launching ceremony, Arroyo proceeded to the Batangas Seaport and conducted inspection on the latest development inside the port.
This undertaking aimed at converting the Batangas Port into a major international container terminal.
This tour is part of the legacy campaign of Arroyo five months before she steps down from office on June 30.
Last month, she launched the tour of the Super Regions beginning with the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ) in Batac, Ilocos Norte and had recently wrapped-up her visit to the “next wave cities” of the Cyber Corridor last week in Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Davao. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)