Pangasinan will be a major player in the development of the Ilocos Region as the agriculture-business capital of the Philippines by 2010, said an official of the National Economic Development (NEDA).

Medardo Panlilio, chief of Plan and Policy Formulation of NEDA Region 1, called on provincial officials to draw plans that will maximize the potentials of agricultural products from the province in order to achieve the 2010 vision.

He urged the local government officials here to team up with the private sector, including those outside the region, for the development and promotion of products, particularly under the one-town-one-product program.

The Ilocos Region is currently the top producer of peanut, mongo, garlic, tomato, tobacco, mango and eggplant.

It is second nationwide for onion, third in bangus(milkfish), fourth in palay, and sixth in corn.

Pangasinan is the largest province in the region, comprising more than 50% of the total population and land area.

Panlilio led a NEDA team in a visit to Dagupan City Tuesday for the Regional DevelopmentCouncil-1 City Development Briefing.

Aside from Dagupan, the forum was also attended by local officials from the three other cities in the province, namely: Urdaneta, San Carlos and Alaminos.

Panlilio told The PUNCH that other regions did not contest their claim to be the agri-business capital of the country.

“We might just as well follow our dream because we are number one in many commodities,” he said.

Region 1 is envisioned to be the Philippine’s northern springboard to growth through increased exports. #

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