Kenney - Peace and Development in Mindanao is our No.1 Priority

Kenney - Peace and Development in Mindanao is our No.1 Priority


Written by John Arnel C. Deleverio, on 03-06-2008 08:53

Views : 431

Favoured : None

Published in : The News, Events

Tags : kristie ann kenney, kenney, mindanao, usaid, gem, aurora, ramon magsaysay, amore, san miguel, alindahaw hotel, zamboanga del sur national high school



United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Ann Kenney in her visit to Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur on May 29, 2008, re-iterates that the outmost priority of the American government is to bring peace and development in Mindanao. When asked during a live interview in local radio station DXCA, why specifically in Mindanao, she answered, “Because Mindanao is the poorer part of the Philippines yet holds great promise.”

The purpose of the visit of the American ambassador here is to grace as Guest of Honor of the 1st Zamboanga del Sur Coastal Resource Management Summit and then formally turn-over projects recently instituted by the American government through the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) as assistance to the people of Zamboanga del Sur.



Ambassador Kenney during a distribution of booksIn her speeches and interviews with the local media during the entire duration of her visit, US Ambassador Kenney revealed that the American government, through the USAID and its partner agencies, has been extending help and grants to the people of the province of Zamboanga del Sur particularly in the aspects like economic upliftment, education, protection of the environment and natural resources and health care. But Ambassador Kenney emphasized that there are more assistance to come in the future especially in health care which will intensify from 2008 to 2012 and environment and natural resources protection which has an allotment of 10 million US dollars per year. The USAID’s Growth for Equity in Mindanao (GEM) is now on 3rd phase of implementation of its projects beginning this year, she added