JORDAN, Guimaras, Nov. 11 (PNA) — Provincial Governor Samuel Gumarin delivered his second State of the Nation address (SOPA) on Tuesday which boasted of the gains of the local tourism industry.
The governor also made mention of his administration’s opposition to the controversial Php 11.00 terminal fee, and peered into the province’s ongoing road expansion project.
The occasion was attended by more or less 300 people consisting of local government officials, provincial personalities and the media.
In his speech, an ebullient Gumarin spoke on the positive strides taken by the local tourism under his term albeit he gave no ball park estimates as to how much in terms of monetary income it has contributed to the provincial coffers.
The tiny province where the world-famous Boracay Island belongs, aims to corner a sizeable part of the market and is anchoring its development on the mango industry, and perhaps to an extent even on the majestic wind turbines dotting the island that have become a cynosure as local tourists and foreigners come to gawk at the giant windmills.
Concreting of the province’s road network traversing five municipalities is 67 percent finished, and the physician-turned politician hopes the road construction will come to completion, and would want to turn his attention to the development of the village roads should the electorate extends his governance by way of the May 2016 national elections.
As to the proposed Php 11.00 terminal fee which has earned the ire of Guimarasnons, the governor pledged to oppose it whatever it takes, saying talks between his government and Developer Double Dragon Properties to iron things out are continuing in the hope of finding a solution favouring the island-province. (PNA)