US tycoon makes a pitch for Arroyo

LEGAZPI CITY — US tycoon Loida Nicolas Lewis, who hails from Sorsogon City, urged Bicolanos to vote for President Arroyo.

Lewis, who ranks 15th among the 50 tycoons in the world, said Mrs. Arroyo needs another six years in office to continue her "performance-oriented" leadership.

"President Arroyo is going to continue what she has done before, which is to bring the Philippines up," Lewis said during a local television program hosted by St. Jude Parish Msgr. Honesto Moraleda last Monday.

"Our economy is the fastest in Asia — not counting China — and we have already raised our gross national product in 2003 to 4.4 percent," she added.

She urged her fellow Bicolanos to make the correct choice in the May 10 elections.

Lewis fears that if actor Fernando Poe Jr. wins the presidency, the country will hit the bottom.

"Kung tayo pupunta kay FPJ (If we will go for FPJ), we will be in number 69 in the family of nations before Bangladesh...Mabuti siyang artista, mabuti ang kalooban pero tingnan ninyo ang kakayahan (He is a good actor, a good person but look at his capabilities)," she said.

Lewis said that in the last three years under the Arroyo administration, many programs have been implemented such as the "Gloria" hybrid rice, which greatly increased farm yields. In 2003, she said the Philippines was able to produce 40 million metric tons of rice.

Lewis put up the Lewis College in Sorsogon City, which is managed by her sister-in-law, Edith Nicolas.

The school offers kindergarten, high school and college courses. She is also reportedly mulling putting up a school in this c