The number of Filipinos availing themselves of cheaper rice and other food products, basic goods and medicine sold in Tindahan ni Gloria Labandera (TGL) rolling stores deployed nationwide is increasing.

This was noted in a series of weekly reports covering the period April 16 to May 15 which Secretary Angelito Sarmiento, Presidential Adviser on Agricultural Modernization, submitted to Malacaņang.

Sarmiento said TGL customers have grown to some 874,000 from May 8 to 15, an increase of about 121,000 customers from 753,000 customers per week in the preceding three weeks reported.

In Luzon, the number of customers reached 2.613 million during the four weeks in review. There were 161,648 and 359,284 TGL rolling stores patrons in the Visayas and Mindanao, respectively.

This showed that more consumers have come to realize the benefits of getting more and better value for their hard-earned money from TGL rolling stores, a program the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has carried out for the country’s poor.

Citing statistics from lead agency National Food Authority (NFA), Sarmiento added that TGL sales totaled some P530.119 million during the four-week period, or an average of about P132.53 million per week.

Sales totaling P428.9 million were posted in Luzon while sales amounting to P46.6 million and P54.6 million were registered in the Visayas and Mindanao during the same period in review.

The increasing number of customers and the growing sales have prompted the NFA to deploy more rolling stores, particularly in the countryside and in poor communities in urban centers.

As of May 15, a total of 693 TGL rolling stores have been operating in Luzon. About 350 of these were in the National Capital Region (NCR) serving areas designated by President Macapagal-Arroyo.

The areas included Del Pan in Tondo, Parola, Moriones, Commonwealth, the PUP in Sta. Mesa, Road 10, the National Government Center, North Triangle, Pleasant Hills, 9 de Pebrero, C-5 in Taguig, Maricaban, Malibay, Dagat-Dagatan and Manggahan.

There were also 58 rolling stores deployed to 97 barangays named as depressed areas and hotspots in the NCR. 

In the Visayas and Mindanao, the NFA has deployed 220 and 358 TGL rolling stores, respectively.

"Thanks to the Tindahan ni Gloria Labandera Rolling Stores, my family now eats better quality rice – and at a cheaper price, too."

"Dahil sa TGL rolling stores, nabibiyayaan ang pamilya ko ng bigas na hindi lamang mura ang halaga. Maganda pa ang kalidad at madaling mapuntahan. (Because of the TGL rolling stores, my family can now afford to buy rice that is not only less expensive but of good quality and is available anytime)," Martinez said.

The deployment of TGL rolling stores was part of the commitments made by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year.

The President earlier said that almost all of the targets she set out to accomplish were carried out on schedule or even ahead of schedule.

In her weekly radio program last Monday, the President informed the nation that there would be no letup in pursuing and accomplishing these targets.

Malacaņang today said that because of the separation of powers of the legislature and the executive, it would continue to keep its "institutional distance" from the ongoing developments in the Senate.

In his press briefing this afternoon, Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable, Jr. said an "institutional interference" by the presidency on the Senate would not be good for the country’s democratic system.

"The Senate is a very powerful institution composed of nationally-elected officials and it has its own rules by which it can repair these controversies," Afable said.

According to Afable, there have been suggestions for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to intervene but she has not done this because "this would create the impression of a weakened Senate."

The President, Afable said, is really preoccupied with a lot of work that has to do with the basic government reforms and in pushing her anti-poverty program, both in the urban and rural areas.

Afable said that the President does not have to engage in partisan activities since she has trust in the members of the coalition in the Senate to carry out the programs and reforms that she has introduced.

"The President is not the kind of leader who will spend her time or most of her time in partisan activity. When she wakes up in the morning, she takes off, she’s out in her work," Afable said.

Early today, the President traveled to Barangay Santa Juliana, in Capas, Tarlac, where she led government officials in a three-hour trek to the Mount Pinatubo crater as part of promoting the country’s tourist spots.

Malacaņang today said the reported abolition of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has not yet been officially discussed in the highest decision-making body of the government.

In a press briefing at Malacanang this afternoon, Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable, Jr. said there is "no basis for that worry because I have not seen this up at policy level yet."

Afable was reacting to reports that OWWA employees have expressed their apprehension over the reported merger of their office to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

He said that he has not seen the planned abolition of OWWA calendared in the agenda of the Cabinet.

Even as more Mindanao residents have urged government to prolong the stay of American troops in southern Philippines, Malacaņang has stressed that no option (on the joint RP-US Balikatan 02-1 military exercises) has yet been presented.

Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable, Jr. said in today’s media briefing, that several options were being mulled over the Balikatan.

Afable said that "under present arrangements, you can seek an extension (of the military exercises) in Basilan; you can seek an extension of training exercises elsewhere in the Philippines; and you can seek, not necessarily an extension, but the opening of another bilateral exercise."

He said that if the US government had either contemplated or discussed any of these moves, "there is a procedure by which these options can be considered."

"It will be suggested at the operational level and then decided all the way up to the political level," he added.

He said none of the options on the Balikatan was discussed during the recent visit of US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to the Philippines, particularly Basilan where the military exercises are being conducted.

"What was discussed during the meeting (between Wolfowitz and US and Philippine commanders on the ground) were more on strategic issues," he added.

Afable also said officials considered the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) as "important to our strategic relationship with the United States (in fighting terrorism in the Asian region) and important to our national security."

But certain controversies on the implementation of the MLSA have to be resolved at the proper military command and diplomatic levels of both countries.

If the Americans considered the MLSA urgent, then it would immediately be processed within the system.

"This urgency can always be expressed to the government through the proper channels and the process can be undertaken to resolve the issue," he said.

Afable likewise cited the gains Philippine soldiers have been getting from the ongoing Balikatan exercises.

"The continuous training of our troops by the American armed forces has benefited our troops. And I think these training exercises will really improve our long term capacity to fight terrorism," he said.

He noted the sentiments of the people of Basilan and said these "are an important political concern."

Lately, Basilan residents have appealed to Malacaņang to have the Balikatan extended in the province, where the notorious kidnap-for-ransom and terrorist group Abu Sayyaf had sown fear and terror.

STA. JULIANA, CAPAS, Tarlac -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today showed her sincerity to promote eco-tourism in the country by completing a rigorous two-and-a-half hour trek to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo.

The President arrived here at around 6:30 a.m. and was immediately ushered to the Department of Tourism (DOT) information center for a briefing on the rules and regulations about the trekking.

She came with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, son Dato, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon and other officials in the government and private sectors.

Shortly thereafter, the President and her party -- composed of some 150 trekkers -- boarded their separate 4x4 vehicles for an hour off-road drive on wide barren land that was devastated by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in June 1991.

From Sitio Dapili, the President and her party started the trek to the volcano’s crater.

She reached the crater to the applause of her party. Afterwards, a Mass for world peace officiated by Fr. Cris Cadiang was held at the crater area.

The President also administered the oath-taking rites of the Presidential Photojournalists Association led by Edwin Bacasmas of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Later, the President was feted with a salo-salo of rice wrapped in banana leaves with chicken adobo, salted eggs and tomato toppings.

She received a certificate of conquest from Secretary Gordon for completing the road trek to Mt. Pinatubo.

She also thanked a communications firm that donated two satellite phones for the use of the local tourism office to promote trekking on the volcano.