The Negros Oriental Association-USA, a non-profit and charitable organization founded in 1991, recently celebrated its 20th year of championing the socio-economic interest and welfare of Negrenses, both in the United States and in the Philippines.
Around 250 guests from all over North America and Canada gathered on Nov. 13 at the Double-Tree Resort and Convention Center in Anaheim, California for a thanksgiving and to witness the induction of officers for 2011-2013.
NOA-USA President Manny Abellon and Board of Director Jaime Ponce de Leon also invited former Finance Secretary Gary Teves to grace the occasion as guest speaker. Teves, who was named 2009 Finance Minister of the Year for Asia by The Banker Magazine, discussed recent world economic developments and its implications on the Philipine economy and on Negros Oriental.
While economic developments in the US, China, Japan and Euro Zone generally remain unfavourable, Teves shared some suggestions on how to buck the downtrend. He recommended that the national and local governments increase their spending on food and job-creating and productivity-enhancing activities like infrastructure, health, and tourism. He also encouraged government financial institutions to lend more to micro- and small and medium enterprises to help spur the local economy.
“The government should have the revenues to support huge spending, and maintain manageable deficit and borrowings,” stressed Teves, who had also served three terms, from 1987 to 1998, as congressman of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental.
The private sector, in turn, can help by investing in what he called competitiveness-enhancing projects like power, telecommunications and infrastructure. He encouraged NOA-USA members–composed of engineers, lawyers, medical professionals, and businessmen–to invest in sectors that generate the most employment–such as Business Processing Outsourcing, eco/medical tourism, construction, SMEs and microfinance–in Negros Oriental.
In particular, he called for more support for agriculture and food to boost the production of staples such as rice and corn, as well as of vegetables, in the province. Suggested actions included subsidies for hybrid seeds, rehabilitation of irrigation systems, and the construction of more farm-to-market roads to reduce farmers’ transportation costs.
Guests were touched by a compliment from Teves, who recognized the role of overseas Filipinos and balikbayans in nation-building: “Let us continue to attain our own modest goals with a lot of zeal, dedication and love which which you have consistently shown over the years. Our individual and collective contributions will make a big difference in ensuring that our country will attain unprecedented higher and sustained economic growth and progress which will benefit a larger majority of our people, including the poor. And in the process, significantly reduce the level of poverty in our country.”
Also at the affair were Negros Oriental Board Member Atty. Edmund Dy, who served as the inducting officer, and Jack Raymond, chief of staff of Cong. Pryde Henry Teves of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental.
