Joule Artemson D. Visabella
April 13, 2011, 12:00 am
Aquino (commonly known as P-Noy) addressed the concerns with candid humor but emphasized stern determination to find solutions. Among the issues presented were Mindanao’s agriculture and food security, its environmental protection and the banning of casinos in Cagayan de Oro City.
The concerns raised in the forum also included Mindanao’s lack of monetary funding from the government. Mindanao, according to recent studies, has been burdened by a weak Agrarian Reform Law coupled with minimal budget allocation for the construction of farms and market roads. This has, in turn, immobilized the crusade for self-sufficiency in terms of agricultural resources.
The tourism factor of the region has hit its gray area due to the slow process of degradation from toxic chemicals sprayed in plantations. The presence of flush mining methods has also endangered the people residing in the vicinity. Cagayan de Oro’s District 2 congressman Rufus Rodriguez’s battle for the mining ban policy was requested for a guaranteed moratorium.
The Pilgrim Christian College, as the host school, also had her Pledge of Commitment to abide by Cagayan de Oro’s Statement of Solidarity.
The forum was hosted by outgoing XU-Central Student Government president Ernesto B. Neri. Members of the University’s Research and Social Outreach cluster and the Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO) were also among the forum speakers and participants.
