LINGAYEN–Pangasinan is the country’s top billionaire province under the 2008 Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) distribution.

With a share of P1.36 billion, the province is getting the biggest IRA amount, followed closely by Cebu and Negros Occidental, with P1.33 billion P1.33 billion, respectively.

Provincial administrator Rafael Baraan, told regional directors of the different line agencies that they must take this opportunity to awaken this “sleeping giant”.

Baraan, echoing the lament of Governor Amado Espino Jr., said it is sad that “most, if not all, of the 13 provinces belonging to the billionaire’s club are more progressive than Pangasinan”.

The other members of the billionaire club are Bulacan, Quezon, Isabela, Palawan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Iloilo and Leyte.

Baraan said that despite Pangasinan having one of the richest natural resources in the country and it is considered the food basket of Region 1, has the highest incidence of poverty in the Ilocos region.

Among families, the province has a poverty incidence of 25.8% compared with the region’s 24% while among the population, the indicator is 31.7% against the region’s 30.2%.

Espino earlier pointed out that while two major power plants, the Sual coal-fired power plant and the San Roque hydro power plant which have a combined generating capacity of 1,545 megawatts, are located in the province, “we don’t have big industries operating in the province to provide jobs and livelihood opportunities for our people, including the growing number of unemployed college and vocational graduates that we produce every year”.

Espino said while he is not blaming anyone for the “missed opportunities” he wants the line agency heads to act and create an environment ripe for investments.

Nine priority programs have been identified by the provincial government including the development of pro-duct display and pasalubong centers, warehouses and cold storage, processing plants, economic/industrial zones, fish landing facilities, deep sea fishing boat repair services, commercial seaport, Lingayen Gulf cruise via San Fabian town and the upgrading of Lingayen Airport.#

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