BARAS, Catanduanes—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assured local residents of this remote town that she would do whatever is possible and within her power to help them solve their problems, particularly in their power needs.

In her remarks during a visit to this town, which is celebrating its annual town fiesta, the President said because of the frequent power failure in the town, she has ordered the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to lease two generators to the municipality to solve their power problem.

The President told the town folk that her order for Napocor to bring the generators to this town was made a few days before her actual visit.

The generators, the President said, are now on their way to the town by land and would start operating on Tuesday, August 13.

"Ibabalita ko ang mga ginawa namin nitong mga nakaraang araw para ipaghanda itong ginhawa ninyo sa problema sa koryente (I would like to let you know what we have done during the past few days so that we can bring to you some good news about your power problem)," the President said to the cheers of the town folk.

The President said that she was glad to have visited the town because only by being here that she learned about the problems of the townspeople.

"Salamat nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon makapunta rito. Salamat na lamang at nalaman ko ang pinakamatinding problema ninyo. Iyan ang ating ginagawa (I am grateful for the opportunity to visit your town. I am grateful that I have learned about your problems. And that is what we are addressing now)," the President said.

Early in her speech, the President recalled that only her late father, President Diosdado Macapagal, has visited the town, which is noted for its abaca fiber and marine products.

BARAS, Catanduanes – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the allocation of some P3 million for the construction and improvement of farm-to-market roads in Catanduanes province.

In a speech before Baras officials and thousands of residents at the town plaza here, the President noted that Catanduanes, particularly the town of Baras, should get the necessary attention in so far as agricultural modernization was concerned.

She directed Bicol’s agriculture regional director Fe Di Laysa, this year’s outstanding agriculturist, to see to it that the farm-to-market roads are fast-tracked to complement other infrastructure supportive of agri-fishery development and trade in the area.

The Chief Executive flew here this morning to join the townsfolk in celebrating the Baras fiesta tomorrow (August 10) and to oversee the government’s programs in the area.

In her speech, she recalled that in her recent State of the Nation Address, she exhorted local officials to help the administration build a stronger republic; and Catanduanes, a small province with a small Internal Revenue Allotment, could use only P20 million for infrastructure.

"Kaya kailangan ko sila, hindi lamang sa imprastruktura na kailangan ay tulong-tulong tayo dahil kulang, ngunit para na ring matiyak ang seguridad at kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan laban sa krimilalidad at terorismo (I need the help of local officials, not only to build more infrastructure facilities here, but also to ensure that the people are secured and safe from the threats of criminality and terrorism)," she said.

The President noted local government efforts in boosting crop and fishery production in Baras and Catanduanes.

Baras is also known for its abaca fiber industry that has penetrated high fashion, particularly in sinamay shirt making.

"Ito ay naayon sa ating programa, iyong modernisasyon ng agrikultura at pangingisda (All these correspond to the national government’s agri-fishery modernization program)," the President said.

She added that programs on developing the area’s cottage industry and tourism potentials should also be undertaken to spur livelihood and more socio-economic opportunities for the people.

"Asahan ninyo na ang inyong mga proyekto na nasa ilalim nito ay bibigyan ko ng lubos na suporta (Be assured that all your projects falling under the agricultural modernization program will get my full support)," she said.

The President also announced the distribution of 100 packages to poor residents of Baras, her gift to them for tomorrow’s town fiesta.

She also handed out 1,068 health cards to beneficiaries in Catanduanes, as she congratulated Governor Leandro Verceles Jr. for taking all the effort to pay some P5 million for the health insurance coverage of his poor constituents.

She said she considered Catanduanes as number one per capita on health insurance coverage in the Bicol region and number two or three in the whole Philippines.

ANTIPOLO CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed the Philippine National Police to protect the poor from crimes, not just the rich and the influential, even as she took note of the difficulties law enforcers faced in the performance of their duties.

The President motored directly to the Cogeo Police Sub-station in Antipolo after a visit to Baras, Catanduanes this morning to commend the local police for their good work in protecting the poor communities in their jurisdiction and for their continued active response to the administration’s campaign against all forms of criminality.

She commended in particular the policemen who arrested one of three men who held up her manicurist, Anita Valderama, a few weeks ago of $500 and P3,000 in cash and assorted jewelry.

"I would like to commend the men for their good work, for their sacrifices, because in spite of the difficulties that they are facing, they have continued to arrest notorious holdup suspects and other criminals and prevent serious crimes from happening," President said in her brief remarks before the policemen and residents of Cogeo at the local police station.

"We should not tolerate pocket of lawlessness in our poorer community. We must make sure that ordinary people have the mantle of law enforcement and law protection just like the more affluent areas. And this is another mandate I have placed upon the shoulders of the PNP leadership," the President added.

The President said she was aware of the difficulties faced by the police who have to operate and perform their duties under heavy constraints, particularly in terms of mobility and lack of communication facilities.

She said she also learned the problems of the police in the area after her manicurist informed her that she was victimized by holdup men in the area a month ago.

One of the holdup suspects, Tomas Fuller y Santos, 16, a member of the Ipit Taxi Gang and resident of Sto. Domingo, Quezon City, has been arrested. He is now under the custody of the Central Police District while his two other companions are now being hunted by the police.

The police reported to the President that Fuller was arrested three days ago in Quezon City after successful follow-up operations against the Ipit Taxi Gang.

"The plight of my manicurist has reflected the plight of ordinary people victimized by criminals. I sympathize with her just as I am deeply concerned about people losing their hard-earned money to muggers," the President said.

"We must protect the poor from crimes, not just the rich and the influential," the President said as she ordered Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane to improve and provide new facilities to the Cogeo Police Sub-Station.

The President announced that Ebdane would provide radio communications facilities and cellular phones to the Cogeo police while Antipolo City Mayor Angelito Gatlabayan also promised to provide telephone lines for them.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, putting the record straight, said today that the media interpretation that Kimberly Clark, a multinational corporation, has moved out of the Philippines, is incorrect.

In his regular press briefing, Bunye clarified that what President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo referred to in her recent State of the Nation Address when she said "Kaya tuloy ang Kimberly Clark ay dinala ang kanyang Asia operations sa Thailand imbes na sa Pilipinas" were Kimberly-Clark’s new projects.

The Press Secretary said that instead of setting up new projects in the Philippines, they opted for Thailand, site of the headquarters of Kimberly-Clark’s Asia operations.

"So clearly walang kuryente na nangyari (So, clearly there was no blooper)," Bunye said.

Giving the correct interpretation, Bunye said that Kimberly Clark is a huge international organization with operations in 42 countries.

It has operations in the Philippines as well as in various parts of Southeast Asia and of the world, Bunye said.

With regional hub in Bangkok, Bunye said that as a giant corporation Kimberly Clark continues to seek avenues for expansion.

"The President did not say that Kimberly Clark Philippines moved out of the Philippines, what the President meant in her SONA was that in view of recent developments, such as perceived faulty justice system, the regional headquarters decided to divert expansion projects to Thailand," Bunye explained.

Bunye said the President was not fed any wrong information and she is fully aware of what the real situation is as far as the Philippine plant of Kimberly Clark in San Pedro, Laguna is concerned.

Malacaņang said today that the government is prepared for any contingency evacuation of overseas Filipino workers from Iraq in case the United States pushes through with its plan to launch a military offensive against the Saddam Hussein regime in Baghdad.

In his regular press briefing, Press Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that at present there are only about 117 OFWs in Baghdad.

Bunye said that in the past, the Philippine government was able to handle the evacuation of even greater number of Filipinos during several international crises in Iraq.

The first time, Bunye said, the government evacuated some 40,000 Filipinos from Iraq and there were no major problems encountered.

During the term of President George Bush, the current US President’s father, some 25,000 Filipinos were also evacuated from Iraq over a period of few weeks and there were also no problems, Bunye said.

"So, I don’t think any major problem would arise if there is going to be an evacuation now," Bunye said.

Malacaņang today said that the Philippine government will file a motion for reconsideration of the decision of the Canadian court denying the government’s request for the extradition to the Philippines of Rodolfo Pacificador, one of the accused in the l986 assassination of former Antique Governor Evelio Javier.

In his regular press briefing, Press Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the government would have to avail itself of the appeals process in the Canadian justice system.

He said that the Philippine government has 60 days to appeal the decision of the Ontario Court of Appeals on the extradition case.

On the reported side comments of the Canadian court about the so-called slow justice in the Philippines, Bunye said this is now being addressed by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

"The Philippine government under the leadership of President Macapagal-Arroyo is doing something about it. The President’s focus now is on how to streamline operations and also to streamline the bureaucracy," Bunye said.

The extradition proceedings against the young Pacificador began in August 1991, nine months after the Philippines and Canada signed an extradition treaty on Nov. 12, 1990.

Pacificador, son of former Antique Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, is among the principal accused in the celebrated Javier assassination case.

Bunye also discounted the need for filing a diplomatic protest over the Canadian court’s ruling on the Pacificador case.