“I want people to start moving out from poverty and we shall have to direct them on that,” said Gonzales in an interview over RMN’s radio program El Voz del Pueblo. If elected as Congressman this May 14 election, Gonzales said he will consider appropriating fifty percent of the P 70 million countryside development fund (CDF) that each congressman gets per year for infrastructure projects of the 37 barangays in District 1. Some barangays who don’t need roads may go for other infrastructure projects.

“But we will see to it that there will be no misplaced priorities in the implementation of the projects,” Gonzales said as he noticed that some infra projects of other politicians are not the actual needs of the people in the barangays. The former president of Western Mindanao State University said about 10 percent of the CDF can also be shared to promote cooperativism and so the different cooperatives may avail of the congressional assistance either in terms of grants or loans.

Gonzales said another 10 percent of the CDF can be appropriated for his “one-industry per barangay” program that will give livelihood and income for people in the barangays. He said his other congressional plans include making representation and networking with the national government to finance some projects of the city that need immediate attention.

Gonzales said among the biggest concerns of Zamboanga City that really need bigger fundings are the drainage system in the urban center and the water system in most parts of District 1.

“We don’t have to use local resources to address these concerns. It’s a matter of approaching the national government and ask them to work on these projects for us,” said Gonzales as also vowed that his congressional plans would not only depend on the CDF but other sources where he could worked on.

It is recalled that Dr. Gonzales was able to expand WMSU and bring in more donations and other resources because of his networking skills with foreign and national agencies. “Actually, that’s the essence of the work of a Congressman to act as his city’s representative,” Gonzales added. (BB)