With numerous Filipino workers losing their jobs,
ANGARA BOOSTS EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that thousands of Filipino workers are expecting to lose their jobs due to the worldwide downturn brought by the global financial crisis.

"In the past months, we have heard many companies shutting down. Intel is one of them. Many of our Filipino workers will be retrenched, living their families helpless and their means of livelihood to nil. We need to do provide them with sufficient jobs in case this phenomenon thrives in the next few months," said Angara, who chairs Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Currencies and Institutions.

With this, Angara is pushing for the immediate passage of the Rural Generation Act which will convert one million hectares of idle and underutilized lands into modern productive agricultural resources.

"It is with great hopes that this Act will create one million rural jobs with annual farm incomes of at least P25,000 hectare," said Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

The Program is likewise expected to generate rural employment valued at P10.354 billion and private sector investments of P10.605 billion.

To further strengthen rural development, Angara is also pushing for the creation of the Quezon Canal Zone Authority, who will be tasked to negotiate with interested private investors.

The Authority will be responsible for the construction, operation, management and administration of the Quezon Canal and the Canal Zone from the Municipality of Atimonan to the Municipality of Unisan, both in the Province of Quezon.

"Quezon Canal will serve as a by-pass or short cut for ocean vessels coming from the eastern side of Luzon to Manila and the China Sea and also provide cheaper and faster transport of products from Luzon's eastern coastal towns to the metropolitan markets," he emphasized.

He added that this will increase the volume of inter-island shipping and trade between the coastal towns of Quezon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Batangas and Bicol region. Untapped regions on the north of Quezon and the marine resources of Lamon Bay, Polillo Strait and Tayabas Bay will also be open for development.

"I envision the Canal Zone as a major transshipment center to and from the US, Japan and ASEAN countries. It will boost the export potential of the region and stimulate the growth of tourist centers," he said.

Along with these two bills on rural development, Angara is also keen on the passage of bills that will benefit the Mindanao region. He filed the Mindanao Development Incentives Act and the bill establishing the Mindanao Railways Corporation.

The former will provide fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract private investors in Mindanao.

Among the fiscal incentives to be provided are duty free importation, 5% tax in lieu of all taxes except real property tax, tax credit of 200% of value of labor training expenses and 300% in the case of labor training expenses for Muslims and other ethnic minorities, tax credit of 200% of research and development expense, allowance to carry over net operating loss for 10 years, reimbursement of cost for feasibility studies in areas deemed in critical need of investments and interest assistance by line departments for all loans availed.

"With the Mindanao Development Incentives Act, we will expedite the development of the Mindanao region," Angara said.

Consequently, Angara is pushing for the establishment of the Mindanao Railways Corporation that will provide the railroad and transportation system needed in Mindanao.

"This will benefit the whole island and accelerate economic activity in the region," he added. The proposed railway will connect major urban centers and provincial capitals such as Davao City, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga City, Cotabato City, Marawi, Pagadian and Dipolog. "These centers are booming and the railway will certainly increase considerably the mobility of the population," he urged.

"With the improvement of the rural areas, we will create more jobs and drastically reduce rural poverty."