GUIHULNGAN, Negros Oriental – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday (July 25) announced that she would infuse an additional P10 million for the further development of the Bulado Port here.

The President’s announcement was made during the unveiling of the marker of the Bulado Roll-On/Roll-Off Port Development Project in this municipality.

She cited the importance of the port which could serve as the central prime mover to economic development in the area and in the entire province of Negros Oriental.

The President flew here by helicopter after attending the second cityhood anniversary celebration of Tanjay.

Upon her arrival here, she was met by Rep. Jacinto Paras (First District, Negros Oriental), Guihulngan Mayor Ceasar Macalua and other local officials.

The Bulado Port, which was used by the Americans as a temporary docking area during World War II, has a natural depth and is located in a cove.

It was also used by a mining company as port of call to transport phosphate to other destinations.

The Region VII Roll-On/Roll-Off Development Project covers the construction of roll-on/roll-off landing and reinforced concrete piers at the Guihulngan Port here in Negros Oriental and the Tangil Port in Cebu.

DUMAGUETE CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night said that her administration is pushing an "aggressive natural population plan" in an effort to address the growing population in the country.

In an informal dinner meeting with local mediamen here, the President said that the target of her administration is to bring up the use of the natural method by 20 percent through an aggressive education plan for couples.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said that it is important to get in touch couples and educate them, "so that they may know essentially what might be good for them."

Dayrit said the natural method campaign would begin with the so-called "fertility awareness."

"It’s getting couple to understand the whole concept when they are fertile," Dayrit said.

According to surveys, Dayrit pointed out, only 13 percent of couples at any one time know when they are fertile.

"We are trying to balance it by increasing the campaign for natural and push for aggressive fertility awareness education and make all the other methods available as well," he said.

At present, Dayrit that said the contraceptive prevalence rate is 49 percent, where 30 percent use modern artificial methods that include condoms, pills, IUDs and injectables.

On the other hand, 18 percent are reportedly using the traditional method, which Dayrit said, "are not reliable."

"When you say reliable, you look at the failure rate, and the failure rate for pills is about one percent, for condom it is about five percent, and the natural method is between two and five percent," he said.

The traditional method includes withdrawal and rhythm, which are not even recommended by the experts.

"If you look at it from the point of view of reliable methods, only 30 percent use the reliable, which they call the modern contraceptive method," Dayrit said.

However, he stressed that if one will look at it from that perspective, 70 percent use unreliable methods or no methods at all.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led officials in burning part of some 20,000 fully-grown marijuana plants and seedlings uprooted in a 60-hectare plantation bounding Sarangani Province, Davao del Sur and South Cotabato.

"Ituloy ang laban sa krimen at bawal na gamut (On with the war against criminality and illegal drugs)," the President said in a brief statement during the burning of four stacks of some 5,000 fully-grown marijuana plants immediately upon her arrival here this morning.

The President lauded National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who early this week raided and destroyed the plantation located in the mountains of Malungon, Sarangani Province, Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, and parts of South Cotabato.

Among those who assisted the President in burning the illegal plants in the Philippine National Police (PNP) Camp Fermin Lira were Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Roy Cimatu, Philippine Air Force Chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor, Public Works and Highways Secretary Simeon Datumanong, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Fuentes and General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr.

An earlier report said Philippine Air Force personnel and militiamen backed up the NBI agents during the raid.

No one was arrested in the raid, but NBI district head Boye Mama said the plantation owner and his cohorts have been identified.

Bilaan tribesmen in the area said people from the lowland have been exploiting the locals into planting marijuana that the former buy later.

Investigators have been looking into reports that marijuana from Mindanao is being smuggled into Indonesia and other neighboring countries, which use the plant for medicinal purposes.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's tenacious campaign against kidnap and terror groups scored another victory with the neutralization of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) gang leader after a brief shootout in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat last Thursday (July 25) on the eve of the President's second visit here.

The President arrived at the General Santos Airport at about 9:00 this morning. Her first visit was last February 27 when she graced the city's foundation anniversary rites.

During her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, the President stressed: "Criminal syndicates will be treated as what they are, direct threats to national security."

A report from the Philippine National Police Central Mindanao Regional Special Operations Group named the KFR gang leader as Tungko Abdulrahman, alias Commander Tropical. Abdulrahman was tagged as the leader of the Abu Sufia KFR group that abducted a Korean national and a local businessman in February this year.

Police Superintendent Willie Danggane, Region 12 police chief, said they have also taken in for questioning three people suspected to be Abdulrahman's men.

Danggane, also the director of the Sarangani Police Office, said they recovered from Abdulrahman a .45 caliber pistol, bullets and a cellular phone that listed phone numbers linking the Abu Sufia with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf.

Abdulrahman was said to have formed the Abu Sufia, a breakaway faction of the Pentagon KFR gang led by Tahir Alonto and Faisal Marohombsar. Danggane said Abdulrahman started the shootout. "This would have not happened to him had he given himself up peacefully."

The police were trying to effect an arrest warrant against Abdulrahman, who was facing formal charges in court for kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the abduction of Korean national Jae Kwoon Yon and local hotelier Carlos Belonio.

Danggane also headed the police group that nabbed suspected bombers Abdulbassit Usman and Muammar Esmael who were presented to President Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday.

Superintendent Efren Alcuizar, head of the Region 12 police Anti-Narcotics Unit, said they traced Abdulrahman's whereabouts following a tip-off.

Abdulrahman was also involved in supplying drugs to dealers here and in Sultan Kudarat.

MALUNGON, Sarangani Province -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today swore into office some 500 newly-elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang officials in simple mass oath-taking rites held at the Malungon Gymnasium.

The President exhorted the barangay and village youth officials to give their share in maintaining law and order in their respective areas.

She earlier made this call during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.

The President sought full civilian support to the government's all-out war against criminality and terrorism, which, she said, is needed to rid the country of poverty within the decade.

"I ask the newly-elected barangay captains to take an active role in this war, to be the frontliners in this fight in your communities," the President said.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) based in General Santos City said those who the President swore into office came from Sarangani’s seven towns.

The PIA said barangay and youth officials from this town came in full force. The barangay captains from the other towns represented their respective organizations in the ceremonies.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said she could not extend the tour of duty of Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Roy Cimatu "beyond the first extension because of military tradition."

In an interview following the burning of some 5,000 fully-grown marijuana plants at a grass clearing at the General Santos City Airport here, the President lauded Cimatu for his achievements.

She said Cimatu, on his second month in service as AFP Chief of Staff, ably "broke the back of the Abu Sayyaf," a notorious terrorist kidnap-for-ransom group in Mindanao.

That was the continuation of his work when he was still as a division commander, the President noted.

"Even if it is sad to say, I cannot extend him beyond the first extension because of military tradition," the President said.

But she said Cimatu's work as AFP Chief of Staff had been "very, very fruitful and memorable and historic."

MALUNGON, Sarangani Province -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today graced the 33rd foundation day anniversary celebrations in Malungon town, Sarangani Province where she sounded out anew her administration's call for a more vigorous campaign against terrorism, criminality and poverty.

In a speech delivered in fluent Cebuano at the Malungon gymnasium, the President cited the need to attain peace in the country as a means to achieve growth and progress.

But she said peace should be obtained through means that are constitutional, within territorial integrity and sovereignty and with due respect to the country's multi-ethnic characteristic.

She said that the future of "our strong Republic" depended so much on peace and stability in the homeland.

Echoing what she said in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, she said "let us build a strong Republic."

In her SONA, the President stressed that "at stake in this war (against terrorism, criminality and poverty) is the very life of society, the very possibility of basic rights and liberties, which have been under attack for too long."

"The right to work in peace is as basic as the right to life and liberty, and when both are in danger their preservation by all lawful means becomes not just a higher right but an overriding duty. And that duty I will discharge," she added.

The President also urged the officials and people of Malungon to keep up their spirit of cooperation and support to government efforts against criminal and terrorist elements.

The same exhortation was made before more than 500 newly-elected barangay officials in Sarangani Province who earlier took their oaths of office before the President.

The Chief Executive likewise called for measures to eliminate the threat of drug abuse and addiction in Malungon and other parts of Southern Philippines.

She cited the uprooting and seizure by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, elements of the Philippine Air Force and militiamen of some 20,000 fully-grown marijuana plants being cultivated by unscrupulous persons in a 60-hectare plantation along the boundaries of Sarangani Province, Davao del Sur and South Cotabato.

The President said Malungon should be considered as a vital part of the Davao-General Santos growth corridor, having a big agricultural land area and a big population with an 84.4 percent literacy rate.