Noy says he hopes to find his Lucy, too

ISABEL, Leyte, Philippines – President Aquino once again made fun of his love life, or the lack of it, and said he was hoping to be as lucky as actor Richard Gomez and find a wife like Ormoc City Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez who hails from this province.

The President was here yesterday for the ceremonial switch-on of the Sitio Electrification Program of Region 8 and said in the Visayan dialect that there were more beautiful women in Leyte now than when he came here during the 2010 campaign.

He said Vice Gov. Mimiette Bagulay and Torres-Gomez were two of those with the “M” characteristics in Filipino: “Maganda (beautiful), mabait (kind), matalino (intelligent), masipag rin (also industrious), matulungin (helpful).”

“If they cook well, I have yet to taste a sample,” he said, adding that if Gomez found his luck in Leyte, he would go here perhaps every other week.

As regards Gov. Jericho Petilla, the President said he was an effective ally and also an industrious, intelligent, diligent and principled official and someone he might “recruit” in the near future.

In his speech, Aquino highlighted the importance of energizing remote areas in the country to spur development.

He said the government should not neglect this program as many are still in need of electricity.

The Department of Energy and the National Electrification Administration are working together in carrying out the electrification project.

Under the Sitio Electrification Program, the government had energized 2,395 sitios from October 2011 to July this year, the President said.

The government hopes to bring power to 4,487 sitios before the year ends, he added.

In Region 8, the President reported that his administration was able to connect 192 sitios to the grid.

Another 184 sitios will be added this October, he said, as he expressed his gratitude to local leaders in Leyte, the Leyte Electric Cooperative, and the local communities for the success of the program.

The President, however, said some sitios could not be energized in an instant, particularly those that were too far or too small to be connected to the main grid.

But he promised to do everything so they, too, could enjoy the benefits of having electricity.

Among those present during the ceremonial switch-on were Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Sen. Teofisto Guingona and presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

Aquino said the government has made a huge investment to build major infrastructure in Leyte to further develop its tourism and agriculture sectors.

He acknowledged Leyte’s potential in producing coconut water and its tourism sector.

To ensure the influx of more tourists in Leyte, the government allotted P2.6 billion starting 2011 to 2012 to develop major infrastructure such as roads, bridges and airports, Aquino said.

The President said among the projects in the pipeline are the Albuera-Burauen road project, construction of the Balagnon bridge, and rehabilitation of the Tacloban and Maasin airports, which could start in December.