‘Task Force’ in place for investment build-up
THE “Best Place to Invest” is the province’s marketing pitch to would be investors.
To help achieve this end, the Espino administration created a ‘task force’ to coordinate efforts among frontline agencies of the provincial government that business groups and establishments transact business with on a regular basis.
The Strategic Management Task Force, created under Executive Order No. 0075-2011 signed by Gov. Amado Espino Jr., will be responsible for the “efficient and effective implementation of development programs, objectives and priorities” that promote investment, employment and development of industries such tourism, agriculture, fisheries and establishment of support infrastructures.
Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan chairs the task force, with Board Member Ranjit Shahani as co-chair.
Shahani, speaking in a media forum last week, said among the priorities of the task force would be the bid of the province to host the Palarong Pambansa next year and the implementation of major projects such the long-proposed Pangasinan-Nueva Vizcaya shortcut road utilizing the Valleverde trail and Phase 3 of the Agno River flood control project.
Private sector participation will be tapped to pursue a toll road project through the Valleverde trail, passing through the boundary towns of San Nicolas in Pangasinan to Sta. Fe in Nueva Vizcaya.
Shahani said the toll road will be connected to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union expressway (TPLEX) which is lnked to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway (SCTEX), which is now under construction.
A Pangasinan-Nueva Vizcaya connection is seen to have major benefits to eastern Pangasinan.
The task force will pursue projects on agriculture under the public-private partnership program of the Aquino administration in eastern Pangasinan, tourism in central Pangasinan and light industries and tourism in western.
Also assigned to the task force is the monitoring of the construction of the seaport in Sual town and the airport in Alaminos City. (With report from DOS/PIA Pangasinan)
