By Redempto Anda | Inquirer Southern Luzon | 8:40 am, Saturday, June 7th, 2014
PUERTO
PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—The United States will be scaling up its
assistance to Palawan to finance major infrastructure projects,
according to US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg.
“We
want to help Palawan develop economically,” Goldberg told the Inquirer
after meeting with provincial officials on Thursday, adding that this
would be done mainly through an ongoing program being managed by the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“We will help in infrastructure and all things that are needed to help
develop economic opportunities here. This is apart from the security
issue in the West Philippine Sea, which is also important, because so
much is at stake in keeping the sea lanes open,” he said.
The
United States said it is committed to increase the capacity of some
frontline units operating in the West Philippine Sea, including the
Philippine National Police Maritime Group that recently interdicted a
Chinese fishing vessel in the disputed Ayungin Shoal.
Some of the
projects, including the expansion of the US-supported Special Boat Unit
(SBU) that interdicted last month a Chinese fishing vessel in the
disputed Ayungin Shoal, would apply to Kalayaan Island, according to
plans presented by local officials to the United States.
Goldberg said they would add more boats to the elite SBU unit of the PNP Maritime Group.
“We
will provide additional patrol boats to SBU. Good things are going on
and we want to see it continued,” he said, following an inspection of
the SBU facility in Honda Bay, Puerto Princesa City.
Goldberg, however, stressed the United States has always promoted the peaceful resolution of issues in the disputed areas.
Goldberg
also noted that despite sweeping budget cuts on US development
assistance, they have been able to keep development funds to the
Philippines “in a good level.”
Goldberg explained the US
government, having signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and
supported the Philippines’ bid to resolve the territorial dispute with
China on the Spratlys issue within the framework of the United Nations,
sees its increased development support to Palawan as an adjunct to its
foreign policy stance.
Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez said the US
assistance would help develop the province’s tourism industry by
financing major infrastructure needs.
Source: http://business.inquirer.net/172395/us-to-fund-infrastructure-projects-in-palawan
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