Welcome Remarks at the World Bank Group
Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) Multistakeholder Consultation in Mindanao
by Dr. Perfecto Alibin
President, University of Southeastern Philippines
Davao City, Philippines, September 24, 9:00 a.m., USEP Social Hall
GREETINGS.
The University of Southeastern Philippines is honored to be chosen by the World Bank as a partner in organizing this consultation meeting on the World Bank Group’s Country Assistance Strategy for the period July 2009-June 2012. The World Bank is a partner of the University in the establishment of the Knowledge for Development Center which has become the hub of information sharing, research and dialogue on development issues and concerns.
Our coming here today is guided by the principal objective of this activity that is to facilitate a meaningful exchange of views on critical development challenges and to possibly come up with policy options and programs that may help address these challenges.
Also, our presence is an affirmation of our commitment as partners in the needed reforms that we desire – reforms that will lead to a more expeditious development of barangays, cities, regions, and a more peaceful Mindanao and the Philippines.
I know that we all understand the significance of this consultation meeting. This is significant not just to everyone in this hall, but also to our countrymen, especially to our fellow Mindanaoans.
What we will be discussing today, even in just a few hours matters, a lot for the next couple of years or so.
We appreciate the initiative of the World Bank Group in coming up with this consultation meeting. This means that the Bank believes that true development and progress that we all want in our land lie in our hands. Truly, it is us who can really see and feel where we are at this point in terms of development and progress and what are those factors that lead us to where we should be. We come from and represent different organizations - a mix of different orientations. That is why we have various experiences. These experiences will result into a wide range of perspectives and recommendations, and a meaningful exchange of views on critical development challenges in our country.
With these premises, I am certain that the result of this meeting will surely be a substantial input to the Bank’s focus and scope of assistance for our country for the next three years beginning July 2009.
As President of the University, I welcome all our partners, colleagues and friends from the national government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, peoples’ organizations, academe, trade unions and business sectors from the nearby provinces in Mindanao.
A pleasant day to all of us!
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