ILOILO CITY — Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd L. Dino vowed to lobby for more infrastructure projects in the Western Visayas (Region 6) as well as ensure that those in the pipeline will push through.

“If you’re asking for more projects for the Visayas under the administration, yes definitely there is. But we are, of course going to push harder this time,” he told the Iloilo press on Monday, Oct. 23.

Mr. Dino was also scheduled to meet yesterday with Iloilo Governor Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. along with several Iloilo mayors to discuss local concerns.

Mr. Dino said he recognizes that the Visayas is currently behind Luzon and Mindanao in terms of big-ticket projects.

“Luzon is already well-fed. Mindanao is the priority because of the (security) threat. While the Visayas, we lack the attention. We are somehow hungry for projects,” he said during the press conference where he was accompanied by recently appointed Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Jane Javellana.

“Definitely the instruction of the President is, whatever project is needed by the Visayas, we will just write a letter and he will take care of the rest. Speaker (Pantaleon D.) Alvarez also promised to help and give attention to the region,” Mr. Dino said.

Among the projects he cited is the P280-million flood control project in Bacolod City, which needs an additional P80 million to be completed.

He also said that the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) is working to ensure the rollout of the major infrastructure projects in Western Visayas under the government’s Build, Build, Build program.

These include the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project in Capiz worth P19.3 billion and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Island Bridge Project with an estimated cost of P27.156 billion.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dino also announced the opening of the Malasakit Desk in government hospitals in Region 6 before the year ends.

Malasakit Desk, a one-stop shop for indigents seeking health care assistance, is an initiative of OPAV in collaboration with the Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). — Louine Hope U. Conserva

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