Senator Loren Legarda is running for representative of the lone district of Antique, my province.
Loren, who comes from Gella family from Pandan is offering her experience and expertise for the province. It’s my fervent hope that my province mates appreciate Loren and vote for her.
In her 18 years as senator, Loren has never been involved in graft and corruption. She has undertaken not so popular causes like protection of environment and promotion of arts and culture.
Her priority for Antique, however, which is seen as “the poor sister” in the island of Panay composed of Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Capiz is to beat poverty.
“It is unacceptable that our province is blessed with so much natural resources from the mountains and the seas, yet it is the poorest in the region. We should not allow our people to live in poverty,” she said.
One way to do it, said the senator is to develop its tourism potential. “Antique is a treasure trove of natural wonders. It is known as the province where the mountains meet the sea because it is such. It is home to the cleanest rivers, verdant peaks, magnificent beaches and caves, all of which are cared for by Antiqueños,” said Legarda.
Antique is home to the Bugang River in Pandan, one of the cleanest inland bodies of water in the country; the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park and the Sibalom Natural Park, which are both protected areas; the historic Malandog River in Hamtic where the ten Bornean datus first landed when they arrived in the island of Panay during the 13th century; and the rice terraces in San Remigio that are well kept by the Iraynon-Bukidnon indigenous community.
These are only a few of the many other tourist destinations in the province.
Loren has been supporting local micro enterprises like the Bagtason Loomweavers Association in Bugasong, the Malabor Abaca- Piña Weavers Association in Tibiao, and the Sto. Rosario Multi-purpose Cooperative in Pandan.
She said with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Antique products can be brought to Manila through the National Arts and Crafts Fair. In partnership with the Department of Tourism, tourists can visit Antique during festivals.
“Local food and products are always part of the experience when visiting a province that is why we help our local industries that produce Antique’s best products such as tablea, muscovado sugar, handwoven patadyong, handmade clay pots, and handicrafts made of nito, buri, bariw, abaca and bamboo,” she said.
Legarda knows the importance of being proud of one’s heritage. This is the same program that the late Evelio Javier tried to develop among Antiqueños, whose regard of themselves have been severely affected by the reputation of being the source of “sacadas” or sugarcane workers for the haciendas in Negros.
The preservation of Antiqueño heritage will be given in Legarda’s program for the province as she has already been doing that as senator.
Legarda, together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), has been supporting the School of Living Tradition (SLT) of the Pantad Ati Indigenous Community in Sitio Pantad, Igcalawagan, Tobias Fornier. This SLT teaches the Ati Language, nito and buri weaving, and the Meroy Kareñosa dance to the youth of the community. This SLT is featured in the book,Everyday Culture: Our Schools of Living Traditions, one of Legarda’s book projects on culture that features facets of the country’s cultural heritage that have become part of everyday living.
Legarda has also partnered with NCCA for Antique’s hosting of the 2019 Pista ng Komedya after discovering that her home province upholds the important komedya tradition, made evident by the presence of several komedya troupes in different municipalities, such as in San Jose, Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong and Sibalom.
Among Legarda’s other projects for heritage promotion and environmental protection are: the renovation of the Old Capitol building to be repurposed into a textile gallery and museum; the restoration of the Gella-Azurin heritage house, which is the only remaining bahay na bato in Antique; the installation of the first Bantayog-Wika in the country, the Kinaray-a Language Marker; the construction of the Pandan Arboretum and Eco-Park; the Malandog River Rehabilitation and Development Project; and the Sibalom Natural Park Conservation and for Ecotourism Development.
Legarda said “I want my kasimanwas not only to dream again of a progressive Antique but also to see that dream become a reality.”
loren legarda is no different from the traditional politicians that infest our landscape, a political butterfly who finds every opportunity to advance her personal career and interests. this article says she has never been involved in graft and corruption. how about the recent issue of the 2019 national budget where, if memory serves, she allowed as chairman of senate committee on appropriations those insertions deemed illegal? how about the rumored residential unit she owns in new york city, and another rumored house in forbes park makati? antiqueños should think hard if she deserves to serve again in government.