In his visit to Bais City last Wednesday, PNoy twice diverted from his prepared speech to express admiration to the beauty of Bais City Mayor Karen Villanueva, who, like the President, is single, during his visit to Negros Oriental to inaugurate the P265 million-worth Mercado de Bais last September 7.
“Kaniadtong kampanya kahinumdum mo nga ni ingon ko daghan diay gwapa diri sa Bais… Mas ni daghan ang mga gwapa diri sa inyo labi na gyud si Mayor Karen.” (During my campaign I remembered saying that there are many beautiful women in Bais. But now there are more beautiful women especially Mayor Karen.)
The presidential compliment caused quite a stir among the people who witnessed the inauguration of the two-storey 11,000 sq. meter Mercado de Bais, a public market with a cold storage facility; ice maker, underground Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP); a function room, a dining room, a transient room, and a child minding area.
Bais City Mayor Karen Villanueva said that the complex is the first in the region to have sophisticated facilities.
After the inauguration, the President proceeded to Dumaguete City for the groundbreaking of the LinkSy I.T. Park at Barangay Bantayan where he was also advised by Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, in his welcome remarks, to look around and admire the beautiful women of Dumaguete. “Who knows, perhaps the future First Lady of the Philippines will come from Dumaguete?” Sagarbarria said .
The LinkSy I.T. Park would be an IT facility located in a 11,164 square meter lot will soon see three buildings with a total floor area of 14,666 sq.m. which will be for both commercial and IT purposes.
Danford Sy, general manager of the July Development Corporation, which owns the Link Sy IT Park, said the project is seen to open business development in the less commercialized northern part of Dumaguete. The park is projected to generate 4500 jobs or P40M every month into the Dumaguete economy when finished in 2012.
President Aquino said he is optimistic that the growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Industry will allow more Filipinos to find decent jobs in the country rather than looking for work in other countries.
Working abroad, the President said, should be a choice–not a decision that is forced upon Filipinos in order to feed their families.
The President said the Information Technology industry earned USD 8.9 million in 2010 alone and this is expected to hit USD 11 million in 2011.
The BPOs are expected to have a total workforce of 40,000 this year and this number could further grow with the expansion of the industry, he said.
The President then proceeded to the National Convention Center as the last part of his visit in Negros Oriental to report his administration’s achievements and thank Negros Oriental for the support during the 2010 elections.
With the President were Transportation and Communication Secretary Manuel A. Roxas III, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Agriculture Secretary Prospero Alcala, President of Clark Development Corporation Felipe Antonio Remollo, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes, among others. (Reul John Lumawag and Kaiza Jay Abaincia/SU Masscom)
