YES FOR BICOL AUTONoMy

Hi Guys! This is my oratorical piece that I'll be using on my monday. Corrections and suggestions will be highly appreciated. BTW, Bicol is one of the regions in the Philippines . The place is rich in natural resources. Manila is the capital of the Philippines. Now ,there's a Bicol Autonomy Movement which trying to set the bicolanos( people who live in bicol) from the imperialism of Manila. (Please help me make my piece better)

Yes for Bicol Autonomy!



Yes for Bicol Autonomy! Why? Because Under the present system we merely inhabit the place waiting for imperial manila’s decision to make a life us. Manila, on the other hand looks to it more as a source of water supply for the National Power Corporation and the National Irrigation Administration. But with the Bicol for Greater Autonomy gaining ground, I do not think it would be for long that the people living around or indeed elsewhere in the six provinces of the Bicol region will remain oblivious of what they can do to develop the natural resources as they see fit.

Those reasons urged me to stand before you because I believe that every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect his/her life and not subject to the will of another. We, bicolanos, are being discouraged to do so because we do not have the proprietary right on development. The collective analysis that for so long a time, the Bicol Region has been left out in the development and snail-paced progress being initiated by the National Government especially in this part of the country. Fact is, despite the region’s rich patrimony and natural resources, Bicol remains one of the poorest regions in the entire Philippines.

Those remain as questions that we hope to answer why Bicol is rich in natural resources, why is it so poor? As our lead convener Dante Jimenez said in an interview, Time again, it’s time make a change. We could cite Masbate “virtually sitting on a mountain of gold,” and yet from childhood, Masbatenos dream only of leaving their homes because there is no future for them here.

“Why is Masbate so poor? Again, We could say, it could be the present system. With high hopes, if Bicol Autonomy becomes a reality, Masbate and even the entire region will definitely be something much better than today” The Bicol region is rich in natural resources and manpower. With effective administration, utilization ,and distribution of our natural wealth, will boost the current regional economy.

Bicol’s impetus for greater autonomy departs from the reasons that mainly created ARMM and CAR. We are for Charter change that will free us from constraints of dependency on Imperial Manila. We are in a better position because we have the advantage of learning from the experiences of these two existing autonomous regions.

Moreover, Bicol for Greater Autonomy will be a good model for other regions because poverty in the region is one of the highest in the country. For example, in Cawayan, Masbate, it is at 72.5 percent, followed by other municipalities in Masbate such as San Pascual with 72 percent and Claveria with 69.6 percent. Our region is rich in natural resources.

The irony grates because Bicol is also home to 13 major fishing grounds that supplies fish markets as far as Metro Manila. It is one of highest producers of palay, abaca, corn and coconut. We have voluminous mineral reserves including gold, copper, silver, iron, phosphate rock, perlite, red clay, marble, guano and bentonite. Energy sources include geothermal like the Tiwi and Bacon-Manito geothermal plants that supplies the Luzon Power Grid.

The list of resources is almost endless. We have hydropower plants at Buhi, Camarines Sur, and in Guinlajon, Sorsogon; wind resources in Baleno, Masbate; Donsol and Matnog, Sorsogon; higher terrains in Virac, Catanduanes and some parts of Burias Island; potential ocean thermal energy in Camarines and Catanduanes provinces; coal reserves in Batan, Albay, Cantanduanes and Masbate; and downstream oil facilities/depot in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, and Masbate, Masbate, with a total storage capacity of 87.9 million barrels.

Although it can be said that there is poverty everywhere regardless of what kind of government, We, Bicolanos, are convinced that with greater autonomy, we can only blame themselves for being poor. Unlike today Bicol is poor because we have no say in developing our natural resources.

Therefore, we should support this movement which will utilize resources in such way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practice of the present system. Remember that to this end we practice agriculture which replenish the soil; move to energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural system.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you and good afternoon!