A cross section of the electorate nationwide today hailed the decision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to run in the May 2004 elections, according to a random survey conducted by the Philippines News Agency shortly after she made the announcement in Pampanga, her home province.

"So what if she earlier announced that she would not run? Nothing is permanent in politics anyway," said newsman Vic Robin from General Santos City.

Robin said that the earlier statement of the President on not running should not be a basis in deciding the fate of Filipinos and this country, referring to the statement made by Mrs. Arroyo last Dec. 30, 2002 that she would not seek the presidency in May 2004.

Businessman Jaime Lim, 38, also from General Santos City, said that the President should be given time to finish many of her programs she has implemented during the past two and half years.

"She needs more time for these programs and measures to be fully completed," Lim said.

Lina Sumoy, 43, a cigarette vendor from the country's fish capital, said the people should give the President more time to prove her worth.

"The President must be given time to accomplish her job," Sumoy added.

A police officer who asked not to be named said a fresh mandate could once and for all put a stop to all doubts of her being in power.

"If she gets elected, it would stop speculations that she does not have the people's mandate," he said.

"It's okay. She is doing well," a tricylce driver also from General Santos City, said.

From Dagupan City, Vice Governor Oscar Lambino said he was sure the President would change her mind to seek a fresh mandate.

Lambino said he has no doubts that the President would heed the massive call of her party-mates nationwide to lead them to victory in the coming election.

He said he and Governor Victor Agbayani will head a delegation from Pangasinan to the Lakas-CMD national directorate meeting in Manila on Tuesday (October 7) to formally endorse the President’s candidacy.

At this early, Lambino said a formidable Lakas-CMD team would be a Gloria-Danding tandem but is not sure at this stage whether former ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco would be amenable to become the vice presidential bet.

However, Mayor Ramon Guico, Jr. of Binalonan, Pangasinan, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and second cousin of the President, said he believes Cojuangco would not run for President as many were hooting for his candidacy, but would instead support Mrs. Arroyo.

In Metro Manila, Dolores Borbe, a working student, said that as far as she is concerned, she could not see any fitting candidate for the upcoming elections than President Arroyo.

"If you look at the other presidential candidates, nobody comes close to the experience and credibility of the incumbent President. I believe she is still the best shot for the presidential race," Borbe said.

She said the Filipino people should not forget the programs implemented by the President, especially those that alleviate the condition of the poor.

Borbe was apprehensive that the reforms the President has initiated may go to waste if she would not run.

Luisito De Jesus, a stockbroker in Ortigas, Metro Manila, said that numerous personalities are now blaming the President for the downslide in the economy of the Philippine, yet they forgot that even in the term of former President Joseph Estrada, poverty was already prevalent.

"They are only saying that because of the forthcoming elections. They want to destroy the reputation of the President because they know that they cannot beat her in the elections. Of course, Gloria pa rin (still Gloria). She's an economist and I laud her for reconsidering her decision. She must have another term in the office," de Jesus said.

Agnes Celso, housewife and mother of two children, said that Mrs. Arroyo should seek a mandate because "it will be better for the country."

"The opposition is trying to find faults on her administration. She may not be the perfect President but she definitely out shadowed everybody in the presidential race. (Sen. Panfilo) Lacson can never beat her and her accomplishments," she said.

Random interviews also indicated that with eight months to go before the elections, many Metro Manila residents have remained undecided as to who they would vote in next year’s elections.

In Baguio City, Sam Bautista, free-lance photographer and sports writer, said the President enjoys the confidence of the people and hailed her decision to run.

"We need a President who is competent in economy and has good vision for the country's future economic development," he said.

Former city councilor Narciso Padilla, a stallwart party member of Lakas-CMD, believes that Filipino electorate should base their choice on leaders' qualifications "not on charisma or popularity."

"In the Philippines what we must nurture is matured political attitude. Let as do away with political patronage," he said.

Jojin Tamayo, executive secretary of Baguio Congressman Mauricio Domogana (Lakas-CMD), said elected leaders and candidates for elective offices must be subjected to the yardstick of performance.

"We are confident that Filipino electorate shall cast intelligent vote in the forthcoming elections," he said.

In Cebu, a cross-section of the Cebuano community gave varied reactions on the President’s decision to run next year.

"Why shouldn't she run? She has proven that she is worthy of the position of President. Would we like another actor to become President? God forbid," said Gabito Cantila, a retired soldier.

Most politicians in Cebu have earlier pledged their support to the President should she decide to run.

Among them are Cebu Governor Pablo Garcia and Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano.

"President Arroyo has started a lot of projects. She should have six more years as President so that she can finish what she have started," said Vic Felecia, a businessman.

But Bert Tamayo, a food attendant, wished all the luck for the President to win after she made a pledge not to run.

In Western Visayas, a bailiwick of the President, all five provincial governors gave their overwhelming support for Ms. Arroyo as the ruling Lakas-CMD standard-bearer in the May 2004 polls.

"We, the Governors and leaders of the Provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras Iloilo, express our deep gratitude to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her decision to run for a full term as President of the Republic," they said.

The statement was signed by Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, Capiz Gov. Vicente Bermejo, Guimaras Gov. J.C. Rahman Nava, and Iloilo Gov. Neil Tupas.

They said they were fully aware of the difficult situation the President was in before reaching her decision.

"We commend the President for her resolve in placing the interest of the country above all else. We are deeply moved by the President's willingness to abide by the sentiment of the Filipino people in general and the people of Western Visayas in particular and submit herself to the will of the people," the statement said.

The past two years and a half saw the Macapagal-Arroyo administration firming up the foundation of a strong Republic and gaining headway toward national stability and progress. With the strong leadership of the President and her hands-on management of the affairs of the state, the administration has made it possible for the nation to move forward.

Addressing the seemingly endless problem of the underprivileged Filipinos, the President called for a comprehensive poverty alleviation program on housing, food security, health and education.

In her speech at the Convention of Senior Citizens of Pampanga held Saturday at the Expo Filipino Amphitheater where the President announced her decision to run in the 2004 elections, she said that she longed for a strong Republic "steeped in justice, unity and peace."

Tangible gains have already been achieved by the administration in its anti-poverty campaign since Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency in late 2001. Through the initiative of the President, the government made housing more affordable, particularly to the lower income groups by increasing the loan-to-collateral ratio and providing equity-free loans up to P500,000.

Shelter security in public lands were provided to 268,861 informal settlers and 125,934 households belonging to the bottom 30 percent of the income population were provided with housing/slum upgrading services.

On food security, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Program provided P33B in 2003, primarily for the irrigation, post-harvest facilities, credit and marketing assistance and other infrastructure. It was further enhanced with increased palay production, reaching 93 perecent self-sufficiency.

From January 2001 to June 2003, 432,028 hectares of public and private lands were distributed under the governments’ agrarian reform program. Eleven Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles covering 367,440 hectares were distributed.

To ensure the health of the Filipinos, essential drugs were made more accessible to the people by reducing the cost of 42 selected drugs by half under the "Gamot na Mabisa at Abot Kaya Program (GMA 50 Program) and making these available in 76 Department of Health hospitals.

As of May 2003, 1.39 million poor families or 6.97 million poor individuals were enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program.

Early in 2003, the administration contained the spread of the Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) through stringent quarantine measures and massive public information nationwide.

To improve the quality of education, the government restructured the Basic Education Curriculum to increase students’ contact time in English, Science and Math. A total of 564 school buildings were constructed from July 2001 to July 2003 in unserved barangays with 43 more to be completed, 90.2 million textbooks were procured for all public schools for priority subjects in Grades I to VI and High School years I-IV, of which 50.5 million have been delivered benefiting some 16.8 million students.

To gain considerable economic progress, the President adopted measures that spurred the gross domestic product to rise 4.5% in the first quarter 2003. Gross National Product went up to 5.6 % while inflation decelerated to 2.8 % in May 2003.

In transport, fares were kept stable in the last two years despite the fluctuating oil prices. The government also provided the public with efficient, reliable and cheaper inter-island transportation with the opening of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway across Luzon from the countryside to the urban areas and the establishment of a cost-efficient Road Roll-On/Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) Terminal System.

Advances in air transport were also achieved through the utilization of new technologies for air traffic and airspace systems and compliance with international standards with the construction of terminal buildings, improvement of runways and upgrading of stopways.

To facilitate the movement of commerce and trade, the government has built some 5,510 kilometers of national roads and 85,312 lineal meters of bridges throughout the country. In addition, 2,689 kilometers of farm-to-market roads were rehabilitated or constructed.

In the power and energy sector, 32,255 barangays were energized (88.7 percent of the total target up to 2006). The mandatory rate reduction of 30 centavos per kwh was implemented effective July 2001 billing period and purchased power cost adjustment of the National Power Corp. was reduced to 40 centavos per kwh which was passed on by electric utilities to customers effective June 2002 billing period.

In ensuring national security, the government increased deployment of military personnel in Mindanao, resulting in the reduced strength of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) by 52 percent, rescue and release of 150 Abu Sayyaf hostages, and confinement of ASG to remote areas in Basilan, Sulu and Zamboanga.

Operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army were intensified which decreased the communist terrorist movement’s strength by 22 percent from 11,930 in 2002 to 9,257 in 200.

The administration has pursued efforts to resume peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the communist rebels based on sincerity and justice. The government also commenced the Mindanao National Initiative Program which shall be implemented through a 10-point program. This also ensures the implementation of the Tripoli Agreement entered into by the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.

The administration intensified its anti-graft and corruption campaign. The Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) was created to investigate and conduct hearing of administrative cases and complaints against all presidential appointees in the Executive Department.

So far, the PAGC has been able to conduct random lifestyle checks on government officials with the rank of director and above which resulted in the filing of an administrative case against one government official and a fact-finding investigation against four others; resolved 575 cases filed against presidential appointees of which 32 cases had punitive recommendations and 26 motu propio cases with nine recommendations.

Various measures to address red tape and corruption were instituted that include: acquisition of goods and services through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management which serves as the central portal for government procurement opportunities and information; reduction of signatures and processing time of various clearances, licenses and permits, even reducing signatories by half in a number of agencies; and consolidation of procurement rules and regulations in the government electric procurement system to enhance transparency in government procurement of supplies and materials.

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson’s efforts to tarnish the image of her administration have failed.

In a press briefing held at the Centennial Expo Filipino here, the President said that all Senator Lacson did was revive old issues against her and the First Gentleman, Jose Miguel Arroyo.

The President said "all these allegations by Lacson regarding the San Francisco properties are a rehash of charges, which have been referred by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to the Ombudsman."

"These charges were investigated and dismissed as baseless allegations. These issues were already raised before I was President," she said.

The President said that her administration rules by transparency and due process.

"I have opted to adopt a hands-off policy on the Pidal account controversy, confident that truth and justice will prevail in the end. Senator Lacson even went to the extent of presenting manufactured evidence," the President said.

The Senate investigation of the Pidal account controversy has been conducted in full transparency and the people know who has been engaged in deception, she said.

The President also said that she expects more black propaganda coming from her detractors after she has declared that she has decided to postpone her retirement and run in the May 2004 elections.

She said that she is offering herself as a leader with experience and vision to change society, achieve economic growth and eliminate poverty.

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today formally announced that she will run in the May 2004 elections.

In a speech before a mixed crowd of more than 50,000 at the Expo Filipino Amphitheater here, the President said: "I will offer myself as the leader with the experience and vision necessary to change society, to achieve economic development and eliminate poverty."

"Tatakbo ako sa pagka Pangulo sa eleksyon ng Mayo 2004," (I will run in the May 2004 elections, the President said to the thunderous applause of the crowd.

The occasion was the Convention of Senior Citizens of Pampanga. It was also attended by officials of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association (CREBA) and local officials of the home province of the President.

Among those on the stage with the President when she made her landmark decision were Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., Senator Robert Barbers, Quezon City Mayor and Lakas-CMD President Feliciano Belmonte, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando and all the Cabinet members.

Upon her arrival at the amphitheater, the President was met by a loud and prolonged chant of "GMA, GMA, GMA" by the enthusiastic crowd.

The President explained that she has to reconsider her decision made last year not to run because of too much politics.

She said that when she announced last Dec. 30, 2002 her desire not to seek election for the presidency in 2004, she "wanted to pass the torch. I wanted to earn my personal peace from the riveting pressure of presidential work. But most of all, I wanted to give our people relief from the unabated politicking."

For a while, the President said, the strategy worked as the "enemies laid down their disruptive swords of politicking."

She observed that during the first six months of the year the country achieved 4.8 per cent GNP growth, which is one of the highest in the region.

"In so short a time we accomplished one of the most massive housing programs undertaken by any administration. We won victories in pinning down corrupt high-ranking officials, some of them on the basis of unprecedented lifestyle checks," the President said.

The government also scored heavily on its war against illegal drug trade as well as significant gains in the peaceful resolution of the Muslim insurgency in Mindanao.

She also cited the elimination of red tape to make sure crucial infrastructure are built.

"We began meaningful debate on changes in the Constitution, particularly on the parliamentary and federal form of government," the President added.

But all the achievements made by the government in a short time were dampened by the renewed attacks by "our enemies (who) prefer to sow disunity so that they can wrest power from the people," the President said.

With the successful imposition of the various programs of the government, the President noted that "our enemies once again resorted to their Machiavellian schemes in Oakwood and in the hit-and-run exposes," referring to the military mutiny in July and the unfounded allegations hurled against the First Family.

The President said that in the more than two years in Malacanang, she has gained the experience "necessary to understand what we need to do in order to change society in a way that leads to economic development and the elimination of poverty."

"Thus I have deferred my retirement," the President said.

In making her decision to run next year, the President said "I might have invoked the prodding of my party…the clamor of the people…the support of many."

"But in the same way that I made a decision last December 30 by myself, today I make known that I reached the decision also by my own discernment. I am not motivated to run because I was thrust, shoved, urged or pressed," the President said.

"Nakikita ko ang pangangailangan ng mas higit pang sakripisyo at gagampanan ko ito (I see the need for more sacrifices and I am willing to undergo it," the President added.

She stressed that she is seeking a fresh mandate of the people because she is confident that the experience that she has gained will enable her to make a difference and enable the people to pin their hopes and aspirations with her.

"I am confident that together we will win our future," the President said.

She said some people asked her why she changed her mind. "What matters more is that I changed my mind because there is a higher cause…to change society in a way that flourishes our future…Taking up the call laid before me exacts more courage, more sacrifice, more obedience to God and our people."