Economic Enterprise to be felt by the indigents in 2007

Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Kalibo, Aklan- The much criticized establishment of the Economic Enterprise Development (EED) in the province will finally be felt by the indigents in the year 2007 after two years of creation according to the unified leadership of Aklan.

In a rare press conference held here, Aklan Congressman Florencio Miraflores, Governor Carlito Marquez and Vice Governor Ronquillo Tolentino said that they guaranteed Aklanons to expect bright economic gains next year because of the economic enterprise development.

"Through the EED, we project that we have covered 100 percent universal premiums of Philhealth for the 70,000 indigents in the province and the funds will be taken from the revenues generated by the EED," Miraflores said.

Miraflores said, he is confident that EED will become succesful because he foresee the EED similar to the Caticlan Terminal he established in 1990's and the funds were taken from the bonds flotation.

Based on the records of the Department of Finance, the Caticlan Jetty Port is the model of succesful bond flotation projects in the country and have been duplicated by several local government units.

The EED is being criticized because the indigents could not bear the fees of the provincial hospital after it was recently placed under the economic enterprise.

But Governor Carlito Marquez said that they are subsidizing the hospital operation since other component of the EED includes the Caticlan Jetty Port - a gateway to Boracay which are raking in P24 million yearly for the provincial budget.

"Aside from the the hospital and the jetty port, we are also planning to establish a pulp mill for our abaca programs in Aklan under the EED to let abaca farmers earn enough money for themselves," Marquez said.

Marquez bared that the Libacao town alone are generating P8 million revenues in abaca plantation each year. The said amount will reportedly be tripled if the provincial government have established a pulp mill based on the EED blue print.

Tolentino for his part said, the provincial board approved the creation of the EED not only because it will provide employment to at least 500 persons but also to earn revenue for the province which could be utilized to upgrade the economic standards of Aklan.

"According to the report of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Aklan is still 90 percent dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotment ther easons why we have to take actions for us not to depend on IRA allocations," Tolentino said.