JOEL P. MAPILES
Pampanga – Provincial Information Officer
CiITY OF SAN FERNANDO —- Governor Lilia G. Pineda said the provincial government is now working hard to keep Pampanga safe to all who wish to make the province their permanent or retirement home like the American people.
The governor made this assurance to US Consul General Michael Schimmel when the latter paid a courtesy call on her yesterday in the course of his visit to the province to look into the conditions of US veterans and hundreds of American people who had decided to spend their retirement years in the province.
Pineda said that one of the priorities of her administration is the maintenance of peace and order and the protection of all people – be it Filipinos or foreigners.
There is no cause for worry, the governor emphasized, because “we continue to implement measures to maintain a stable peace and order situation in the province by conducting regular dialogues with all concerned sectors”.
She added that “we see to it that like everyone else, their needs are attended to, whether it concerns their safety from possible crimes or from disaster situations”.
Knowing that the Philippines gets its share of calamities in the form of typhoons, floods and earthquakes, Schimmel asked about the government’s disaster readiness to which Pineda said “we have a plan against all kinds of potential disaster and this will be implemented to ensure the safety of all, foreigners or locals”.
Schimmel expressed his satisfaction with the governor’s reassuring words and at the same time declared “I look forward to the continuous cooperation and enhanced camaraderie between our two countries”.
He added that the US veterans must have seen something beautiful in the Philippines and worthy of their decision to reside in the country and “we are glad that the governor and officials concerned are doing their job in ensuring the veterans’ well being”.
Pineda also thanked the US government for the assistance that it has given the Philippines, particularly in the conduct of the Balikatan exercises by the US and Philippine troops. She particularly mentioned the participation of American soldiers in the building of schools and classrooms and in the medical and dental missions conducted in the various communities.
With Schimmel’s courtesy call and the governor’s assurances, both parties and the entities they represent can look forward to more productive areas of joint cooperation, the provincial information office declared. (Pampanga PIO)
