The government’s poverty alleviation program Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) will get a big push with the impending approval of a $100-million World Bank loan by the Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The KALAHI program is considered as a springboard for uplifting the lives of poor urban and rural folk throughout the country, empowering communities through enhanced participation in barangay governance.

Program implementation would fall under the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Rolando Tungpalan, NEDA assistant director-general for national development, said the KALAHI program -- to be carried out in six years starting 2002 -- embodied President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s poverty reduction goals.

However, the only component that needed firming up by the ICC was the multi-year budget cover for the program.

Tungpalan affirmed that the ICC would eventually give its nod, subject to the further determination of the budget cover.

"The budget requirement of the project may exceed the DSWD budget ceilings in future years," he said.

If the project’s budget requirement goes higher than the DSWD budget ceiling, the government runs the risk of sacrificing other projects in its ongoing portfolio for the KALAHI to meet its full budget cover.

"To avoid this, the ICC is now working on a corresponding annual budget requirement for the project that must be represented in the national government budget," Tungpalan said.

The KALAHI program will involve the people in the barangay in designing, implementing and managing poverty reduction activities.

It consists of five components: social preparation, mobilization and community organization; capacity building and technical support; seed fund for community development; implementation support; monitoring and evaluation, studies and advocacy.

Malacanang has assured the families affected by the multi-billion dollar San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project (SRMDP) in Pangasinan and Benguet of adequate compensation package, relocation sites and livelihood projects, saying that it is exerting all efforts to come up a "win-win" solution to the problem.

Undersecretary Rene Diaz, presidential assistant for North Luzon, said that "we do not have a plus-minus situation here where one group will benefit while the other group suffers."

"Our objective is to arrive at a win-win situation for all parties involved," Diaz said.

Diaz, along with officials of the SRMDP and the National Power Corporation (Napocor), recently conducted a dialogue with representatives of the families affected by the project, including those coming from the upland barangays of Dalupirip and Ampucao, in Itogon, Benguet who are opposed to the project.

He said that families not previously classified as part of those directly affected by the project would be properly compensated if they are forced to leave their homes as a result of the project.

According to Diaz, some 60,000 families, mostly from the farmlands in the lower parts of Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac, will directly benefit from the project through improved irrigation system.

Aside from the improved irrigation system, Diaz said, the project would also help solve the perennial flooding caused by the Agno River, which affects at least 16 towns in Pangasinan and Tarlac, causing losses in the millions of pesos due to lost harvests.

Diaz said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instructed him to address the concerns of all groups, whether they are lowlanders or highlanders, stressing that it is possible to provide for the welfare of one group without sacrificing the welfare of the other.

He said that the President has also made it clear that sustainable development is not a mere lip service but a statement of policy, adding that any development effort must take into consideration the environmental impact of a project.

"The key is not only to lessen the environmental costs, but to institute mechanisms wherein the project implementers will take an active role in preserving the environment," Diaz said.

According to Diaz, the San Roque dam offers a long-term solution to the siltation problems of the Agno River. He said that income derived from the project would be channeled to the Agno River Integrated Watershed Management Program and will be used to fund the reforestation along the river’s banks.

The SRMDP is a 200-meter high, l.2-kilometer embankment dam on the Agno River spanning the municipalities of San Manuel and San Nicolas, Pangasinan, with a reservoir of 12.8 square kilometers extending into the province of Benguet.

Presidential Security Group (PSG) Commander Col. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. today ensured the unit’s continued care and protection for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as he pledged the group’s support to the Chief Executive’s bid to bring the nation closer to a regime of lasting peace, justice and prosperity.

In a speech during the commemoration of the PSG’s 104^th founding anniversary, Esperon said the PSG recognized the President’s determination in winning the war against poverty, criminality and terrorism.

"We commit to be with you everywhere – even in former rebel camps and anytime as you work long hours for glorious ends. We pledge to you: Pangulo, Sagot ng Grupo (The President, Our Responsibility)," Esperon told the President, who graced the anniversary celebration at the PSG Grandstand, Malacaņang Park.

He noted that the PSG, since its birth on June 23, 1898, has committed itself to protect the President of the Philippines at all cost.

In 1986, the same commitment became the PSG pledge. Every PSG member has firmly vowed to perform his entrusted duty to protect the President to the best of his ability and with the highest sense of courage, valor and patriotism.

Esperon said a PSG member is ready to make the supreme sacrifice when it becomes necessary.

Beyond anything else, a PSG member’s commitment lies in the noble quest of living up to the genuine meaning of the profession of arms and serving the realization of the dreams and aspirations of the Filipino nation, he noted.

He added that the same pledge has become "the ultimate source of strength and grim determination" of a PSG member "when the going gets tough."

He stressed that from February to December last year, the PSG secured the President in 138 provincial sorties.

Within the first three months of 2002, the President had 121 provincial engagements, all of which were successfully covered by the PSG.

Besides this, the PSG was at the President’s side in an average of 1.3 engagements she made in Metro Manila.

"That we have come through brings us fulfillment and unqualified pride," Esperon said.

"Certainly, we believe that securing the President is to the well-being of the whole nation. And we can only thank all of you that are here today for the encouragement and guidance and the operational as well as the organizational support that you have extended to the PSG in order to sustain our operations," he added.

Among those who attended the celebration were Defense Secretary Angelo T. Reyes, National Police Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Acting Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya, Air Force Chief Gen. Benjamin Defensor, Army Chief Lt. Gen. Dionisio Santiago, Acting Flag Officer in Command Pastor Ramos, Gen. Leo Alvez, Gen. Jose Calimlim, Deputy Executive Secretary Waldo Flores, Public Estates Authority Manager Ernest Villarreal, Philippine Ports Authority Manager Alfonso Cusi, Undersecretary Susana Vargas of the Office of the President and Evangeline Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo.

This year’s parade of PSG troops was highlighted with the demonstration of the unit’s capability in protecting the President and members of the First Family and the seat of government as well.

Fourteen PSG personnel including three civilian friends of the group received various medals and citations from the President.

The awardees included: (Military Merit Medal) Airman First Class Randy Demegello, Seaman 1 Antonio Tambal, Staff Sergeant Percival Perante and Police Officer 2 Richard Daguman; (Plaque of Merit) Captain Emil Cruz, Senior Inspector Lilian Castillo, Sergeant Gerardo Calar, Senior Police Officer 2 Bartolome Marigondon, Airwoman First Class Barby Cabanilla, Police Officer 2 Edeliza Egan and Carolina Bartolo; (Plaque of Recognition) Don Antonio Martel, Dr. Metodio Palaypay and Precy Asuncion.

For the past year, from June 2001 to date, the PSG effectively and efficiently performed a total of 739 local and foreign protective security operations, including providing protective details to visiting heads of state and ambassadors.

The PSG has also involved itself in environmental protection and conservation activities with the planting of 1,062 fruit and non-fruit bearing trees in Malacaņang Park.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called for the immediate delivery of social services and economic programs in conflict-affected areas following military operations.

The President stressed this during the first en banc meeting of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) at the State Dining Room in Malacaņang.

She said communities in conflict areas should right away benefit from the anti-poverty Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) program.

The KALAHI is a project under the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

"The people must feel that governance is at work (in their areas)," the President said.

The KALAHI program is considered as a springboard for uplifting the lives of poor urban and rural folk throughout the country.

It empowers communities through enhanced participation in barangay governance.

The program involves the people in the barangay in designing, implementing and managing poverty reduction activities.

It consists of five components: social preparation, mobilization and community organization; capacity building and technical support; seed fund for community development; implementation support; monitoring and evaluation, studies and advocacy.

Besides presiding over the NAPC meeting, the President officiated the oath of office of 11 new representatives from the basic sectors.

Sworn in were 11-year old Paul Bernard Sumaya of the Samahang Nagkakaisa ng mga Karapatan ng mga Bata sa Tondo; James Sian, PNRC; Richard Arceno, Bigay-Buhay Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Susanito Tesiorna, Informal Sector Coalition of the Philippines; Zoilo dela Cruz Jr., National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines; Fidel Rancio, Urban Land Reform Task Force; Marcelino dela Cruz, Federation of Senior Citizen Association of the Philippines; Rizalino Segundo, Samahan sa Cagayan Valley; Oscar Francisco, Philcos-Visayas; Jose Loreto Proclamos Jr., Misamis Occidental Federation of Coops; and Mary Lou Caharlan, Pilipina National.

They would assist government in creating policies and programs for the poor.

NAPC lead convenor Teresita Deles said the success of the President’s anti-poverty programs would lie in the cooperation and participation of the poor from the basic sectors.

Republic Act 8425 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act provided the policy framework by which basic sector participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making shall be pursued.

The law created the NAPC, a unified body tasked to oversee all government anti-poverty programs. It also institutionalized basic sector participation in the highest level of decision-making and governance.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today lauded the Presidential Security Group (PSG) for giving it their all in ensuring the safety of the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the First Family.

But the President said the PSG’s responsibilities have become broader in time, particularly after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

In her speech during the 104^th anniversary celebration of the unit at the PSG Grandstand in Malacanang Park, the President said that over and above the PSG’s duty to protect the President and the First Family, the group should also protect the nation.

"You have other additional duties to be assigned by the President given the exigencies of the moment, given the material conditions of the specific time in our history," she said.

Protecting the nation has become one of the critical tasks of the PSG, she noted, adding that this extra responsibility became a need to fight global terrorism.

In response to continuing challenges, the President said she has prompted PSG Commander Col. Hermogenes Esperon to send some of his senior officers to work on administration’s programs in various part of the country.

She said the PSG has successfully hurdled many challenges from the time of the arrest of Congressman Romeo Jalosjos, an extra assignment for then PSG Commander Gen. Jose Calimlim from President Fidel V. Ramos.

"I told (Col.) Jun (Esperon) – you have been a deputy of Gen. Calimlim, I think you have to revive that old machinery so you can do a special assignment for me. It was perfect because he happens to be the head of the special task force on Congressmen Jalosjos," she said.

The President said she sent Col. Delfin Bangit to Sorsogon to oversee the government’s anti-insurgency drive in the province.

"And the people there said ‘what a big signal that you sent the head of your Presidential Escort to Southern Luzon Command in order to oversee’ so to speak, as the representative of the President of the Philippines, the anti-insurgency drive," she said.

From that time, there have been seven successful anti-insurgency campaigns in Sorsogon.