Bicol postscript DUTERTE RUES GOV’T NEGLECT OF BICOL EXPRESS, POWER WOES

By Manny Pinol

A quick trip to the Bicol region on Monday left an almost indelible impression on Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte of how government has neglected a resource-rich area which is the second poorest region in the country.

“It is almost unbelievable that Bicol, which is just a few hours from Metro Manila, could remain to be one of the poorest regions in the country,” Duterte said yesterday as I asked him about his thoughts on his two-city swing in the region to continue his advocacy for Federalism.

Duterte said that there are two things which the national government must address in the Bicol region – the train services of the Philippine National Railways which used to be known as the Bicol Express and the very high cost of power in the region.

“It is an irony that a region which has two geothermal power plants would still be wanting of power,” Duterte said emphasizing that this problem is a perfect example of the inequity in the sharing of the national wealth under the present system of government.

The problem-plagued Philippine National Railways which has so far discontinued regular train operations from Metro Manila to Naga City in Camarines Sur, popularly known as the Bicol Express, has also stunted the growth of the region, Duterte said.

Dr. Rufo Llorin, a Naga City physician and a high school classmate of the late Jesse Robredo, the former DILG Secretary, also laments the absence of the train services to the region.

“When we were younger, the trains going to Manila would be laden with farm products including cattle, goats and even chicken,” he said.

Today, it takes about one day for cargo trucks to bring agricultural products to Metro Manila, Dr. Llorin said.

Taking note of this development anomaly, Duterte said the next President of the Philippines should consider the establishment of train services not only from the Bicol Region to Metro Manila but from as far north as Aparri, Cagayan to Metro Manila and the southernmost tip of the Bicol region to Metro Manila.

Power, he said, should be made available first to the areas producing them before this is given to the national grid for distribution to other parts of the country.

“Where is justice here when the producer of the power itself is short of power?,” he asked.

Duterte, who is being pushed by a huge group of Bicolanos to run for President, said government is missing a lot of opportunities by neglecting the Bicol region which could supply Metro Manila with food products.

“Sayang because Bicol is a very rich source of agricultural products but it is neglected,” Duterte said.