BEING a good governor is not only about signing papers and holding meetings. This was stressed by outgoing Ilocos Norte Governor Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in defense from several criticisms wherein he was said to be an “absentee governor” during his nine-year term starting in 1998 and ending this year. “The accusation that I’m an absentee governor simply does not wash,” Marcos said explaining that he and his family has lived in Ilocos Norte since he became the governor and that his three children are studying here. Marcos also corrected the impression that his frequent travels abroad does not necessarily mean that he is an absentee governor as he claimed that these travels have been done to put Ilocos Norte into the limelight of progress. “As a governor, most importantly is to provide vision, go out and look outside of the province to look into possibilities and potentialities and bring them back to the province,” Marcos said. “If perhaps my style is different then let’s not talk about style. Let’s talk about achievements, let’s talk about performance. Let’s talk about the areas that are important to Ilocos Norte such as investment, education, health, human resources development, etc. All of these things have been attended to unlike in [the] previous administration that nothing has happened,” Marcos stated. “Let’s not look at it is done. Let’s look at what has been done,” Marcos added. Among the notable achievements Marcos claims include the influx of tourists coming to the province due to improved facilities and the development of eco-tourism sites, the first wind power farm in Southeast Asia located in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, investments in agriculture, health, education and sports, and the establishment of the Chinese consulate in the province, which Marcos believes would later bring in billions of investments from the Chinese government and businessmen. Leilanie G. Adriano
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