Tacloban City—The Tingog party-list group will work toward the creation of the Eastern Visayas Development Authority, a government corporation mandated to spearhead investment promotion and implement economic development strategies in the region.
Philip Jude Acidre, Tingog second nominee, said this is proof of their commitment to empower the local government units in Eastern Visayas.
“With EVDA, we can ensure that our investment priorities and promotion strategies are in sync with our development needs and our regional strengths such as our geographical location, our skilled human resources, and our immense tourism potentials,” said Acidre.
“For example, a foreign investor interested in investing in Eastern Visayas need not to go to all the local government units in the regions or to a disinterested national government agency. He doesn’t even have to be in Tacloban. But through EVDA, one can get the right and concise information and support that he or she needs,” added Acidre.
According to Acidre, there is a need for the people of Eastern Visayas to “build our confidence in the future.”
“Empowering the regional countryside is the cause behind Tingog. It may not happen overnight, but Tingog is committed to see this goal realized—motivated by a collective mandate of ‘thinking national, but acting regional,’” Acidre said.
He maintained that the people who live in the regional countryside can no longer remain as voiceless spectators as national policies are crafted and implemented.
“We need to become full and active stakeholders of our own destiny, and equal and valued partners in nation-building. That is why we continue to aspire, we continue to inspire others to action, knowing that the future that we hope for will be realized only if we work together to make it happen,” Acidre said.
“We cannot expect others to take on that challenge for us. We need to break away from our self-imposed limitations, from this mindset of limitedness—into this vision of greatness,” he added.
Tingog believes the region can be great, Acidre said.
“In the last five years, we have talked so much about the resilience of our people, about how our people have survived despite the devastation left by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). But the time to survive is over. Now is the moment to thrive – to create the opportunities and make real the possibilities – for every community, for every family, for every child,” the nominee said.
