Poverty alleviation possible if Aklan is peaceful: Gov. Marquez

from The Sun Star Iloilo

Poverty can be alleviated if peace and order is maintained in Aklan.

This was emphasized by Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez when he presided over the first Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting of the year held recently at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center.

The meeting was also the first one to be graced by newly designated Aklan Police Provincial Office Director Benigno Durana.

PD Durana replaced erthswhile Aklan PPO PD William Macavinta.

Gov. Marquez stressed that a good civilian relationship with police officers will bring about an improved quality of life of Aklanons. "With maintained peace and order, investors will be enticed to come to Aklan and invest. When they invest, job opportunities will be opened, and with these, the quality of life of Aklanons will improve more,"

Gov. Marquez said that investments in Boracay, Kalibo and New Washington are pouring hundreds of millions of pesos in Aklan benefiting more than 5,000 Aklanon workers and still counting.

"Tourism in Aklan is now an P8 billion industry, and any problem on peace and order in Aklan will drive investors away," Marquez added. Gov. Marquez also commended the men and women of the Aklan PNP, DILG, Philippine Army and the Department of Justice for their good performance in making Aklan very peaceful the past year.

He however, advised the PNP,to prepare its security measures and review the performance of police officers to make sure that its rules of engagement are not violating human rights.

"All of us has one mission - to protect lives and property and fight poverty," the governor said.

Provincial Director Durana, for his part, said he is happy that the priority of the provincial government is Anti-Poverty, as they have the same vision as public servants.

"Our role as a police institution is to improve the quality of life of our people. If there is stable peace and order and safe public environment, investments and development will easily flourish in the province of Aklan, thus helping our people to have jobs and engage in more productive activities," PD Durana said.

PD Durana, who has roots in Capiz and grew up and studied in

Iloilo City said, he is happy to be assigned in Aklan. (PIA)