PGMA first president to open Masskara Festival

Bacolod City (1 October) -- For the first time in 29 years after Bacolod City's Masskara Festival was born in the 80s at a time of tragedy and slump of sugar industry, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the first president to open the festival.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia in his welcome remarks said that the presence of the President to open the festival validates further the essence of the event to the people of Bacolod.

President Arroyo used to attend the festival with the first family before she even entered politics as the First Gentleman who came from a landed family in Isabela town, in Negros Occidental and was then part of the sugar industry.

The President, who is fully aware of the situation of the sugar industry, said that the sugar production is doing well in plantations that are run well. However, the President is also aware that there are new problems arising in the industry and so she had a closed door meeting with the industry leaders to discuss these concerns.

A P278-million fund from the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or ACEF was allocated by the President in 2001 for the comprehensive plans to save the sugar industry then.

Food stability, including sugar, food security are the major priorities of the government.

"The government is averting the effect of global economic slowdown brought about by the global economic situation. This is a global phenomenon. These forces are causing real difficulties to countries around the world and the government is working hard on all front to manage inflationary pressures, provide a safety net to those hit hardest by these global development and deliver the growth that will continue to generate jobs and tax revenues needed to invest in the nature's future," the President said in her speech referring to the hard times the country is experiencing.

But, the President said that although the situation has been stable, we will not be complacent and we will continue to monitor the global situation and we are working to strengthen our banking system, improve fiscal health, encourage investment to sustain economic growth momentum and insulate economy from volatility in world market.

In Bacolod City, economic diversification is the backbone to bring back progress in the central Philippines. Bacolod is also included to benefit from the infrastructure development in the Cyber Corridor for ICT, callcenters and outsourcing.

The President cited that Bacolod will become even more a tourism destination, even more a call center destination since it is succeeding in putting a stop to ideological nonsense and criminal acts of the communist rebels.

"Against the gale force winds of global economy, we remain bullish on Bacolod. We remain optimistic about your future. Masskara are faces of hopes and smiles and they will hopefully reflect the real faces of the people of Bacolod," President Arroyo said with pride as she declared the 29th Masskara Festival open.

source:pia