.. |
| .. |
16 APRIL 2004 |
| Statement of the President: Re Iraq situation |
We want a "zero-casualty" goal for Filipino civilians and peacekeepers as tension continuously escalates in Iraq. All government agencies and the public should support this aim. We will stand by our international commitments and we will make sure our nationals are safe. I admire the courage of our peacekeepers and workers but they should take care, keep together and keep in close contact with the Iraq Team. |
| For lack of platforms, anti-GMA forces now resort to mudslinging, black propaganda |
The forces against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have no platforms, thus they resort to mudslinging and black propaganda, Malacaņang said today. "In the absence of a clear, specific platform and program, they are resorting to mudslinging. I feel this will backfire on them because the people want concrete programs and not character assassination," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said this morning in a radio interview. In contrast, the President has clearly spelled out her six-point program for the next six years, Bunye said. The President vowed to triple the loans for the self-employed and owners of small and medium business enterprises. She will build 3,000 new school buildings, provide more scholarships and provide each school with a computer. She will lower the cost of electricity and provide 1,500 barangays with electricity yearly. She will provide potable water for all 45,000 barangays. She will reduce by half the prices of commonly used medicines. She will create one million jobs a year. The business community liked it when the President enumerated these six targets when she addressed them in a general membership luncheon meeting at the Makati Business Club Wednesday because they are specific and measurable, Bunye stressed as he pointed out that the opposition groups come out only with very general and motherhood statements. Because they are to the point, there is no doubt that the President will be able to accomplish her targets, Bunye said. In the first year of her administration, the President built 550 new schools, and based on this track record, the building of 3,000 new schools over the next six years is no empty promise, Bunye said. The President has already reduced the cost of medicines, and one million jobs a year is easily achievable because of the number of small and medium business enterprises the government has set up, Bunye said. |
| P4-B mega dike to solve perennial flooding in CAMANAVA -- GMA |
MALABON, Metro Manila -- The ongoing construction of the P4-billion mega dike project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) zone is expected to solve the perennial flooding in the area, especially in Navotas and Malabon. During a "Pulong Bayan" and the distribution of Certificates of Entitlement to Lot Allotment (CELA) held at in the Plaza Rodriguez Amphitheater here Thursday night, the President and running mate Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro discussed the government’s action to solve the almost daily flooding of some parts of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela due to high tide. "In resolving the almost daily flooding in CAMANAVA, particularly in Navotas and Malabon areas, the construction of the P4-billion mega dike was started during my administration," said the President to the applause of some 8,000 people who trooped to the amphitheater to show their support for her bid in the May 10 elections. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Amado Bagatsing, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) president Angelico Salud and Malabon Officer-in-Charge Mark Allan Jay Yambao witnessed the awarding of CELAs and Community Mortgage Program Certificates of Awards (CMPCA) to some community organizations. The President handed to Rufino Guinte, president of the Samahan ng Pagkakaisa ng Dumpsite, Catmon Homeowners Association, Inc., a community mortgage certificate worth P8,406,340 for some 4,203.17 square meters. This will benefit a total of 159 informal settlers, each of whom will get 20 to 30 square meters homelot worth P52,870 each. The People’s Coalition for Housing Rights Homeowners Association, Inc., represented by its president Gregory Arada, also received 3,119.58 square meters worth P6,239,160. About a hundred members are expected to benefit from it. The President distributed CELAs to 419 beneficiaries in Flordeliz Village Homeowners Phase I (196) and II (223). Earlier, the President and Senator de Castro led in the distribution of CELAs and PhilHealth cards to some 4,000 indigent families at the Valenzuela Astrodome. Around 117 members of the Riverside–Ugong–Malaya Homeowners Association, Inc. in La Mesa Street, Ugong, Valenzuela were among the CELA beneficiaries. |
| GMA welcomes former opposition supporters to K-4 |
MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan - The mass exodus of opposition candidates and supporters to the administration’s Koalisyon ng Karanasan at Katapatan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) continues with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo swearing in today 700 volunteers for the GMA Movement. The President led the mass oath-taking of the Norzagaray Volunteers for GMA at the Hiyas Convention Center here this morning. In the oath-taking, the volunteers promised to lend their capabilities and talents for the success of the vision and the mission of the GMA Movement. They further dedicated their services to the country as a whole in their commitment to the Chief Executive. "Ito, bilang pagtanggap sa hamon ng kasalukuyang panahon na itaguyod ang ating dakilang bayan sa bagong yugto ng dakilang kasaysayan tungo sa isang matatag na Republika (This is in accepting the challenge of the present time to uphold our great country in the new chapter of history towards a strong Republic)," the volunteers swore. The President acknowledged their full support for her government and her presidential bid in the May 10 polls. She also extended her appreciation to Bulacan Governor Josie Dela Cruz, Congressman Willie Villarama, Congresswomen Lorna Silverio and Neneng Nicolas and Bulacan Vice Governor Rely Plamenco for their efforts in bringing the volunteers to the GMA Movement. Other officials present included Malolos Mayor Danny Domingo and Mrs. Gina de Venecia, wife of Speaker Jose De Venecia, Jr. "Kayong mga taga-Norzagaray, maraming salamat sa inyong tulong, Kailangan ko po ang tulong ninyo (Thank you people of Norzagaray for your help)," the President told the volunteers. She said that with their help it would be easier for her to explain her six-point program for the next six years which includes to triple the loans for the self-employed and owners of small and medium business enterprises; build 3,000 new school buildings, provide more scholarships and provide each school with a computer; lower the cost of electricity and provide 1,500 barangays with electricity yearly; provide potable water for all 45,000 barangays; reduce by half the prices of commonly used medicines and create one million jobs a year. Early this morning, the President promised to provide the 10,000 resident families of the town soon with a new water system that will bring them clean, potable water when she and her party inspected the water system at the North Hill Village in Barangay Tigbe, Norzagaray, Bulacan. She said she was able to get assistance from Germany thru the Asian Development Bank for the laying of water pipelines in Norzagaray. "Magdadala tayo ng malinis na tubig sa Norzagaray pati na rin sa buong bansa (We will bring clean water to Norzagaray and to the whole country)," she said. |
| Palace: Nothing but compassion for Erap |
Despite former President Joseph Estrada’s recent rhetoric against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Malacanang said today it has nothing but compassion for the deposed leader and would like to wish him the best on his birthday on Monday, particularly a speedy recovery from his knee ailment. But Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told a radio interview this morning that it would be impossible for Estrada to realize his birthday wish of having a new president on June 30. "It’s wishful thinking," Bunye said. "Pero palagay ko hindi matutupad ang kanyang birthday wish (His wish for a new President will not be realized)." Published reports quoted Estrada, who is in jail for plunder charges, as saying that his birthday wish is to see his bosom friend, opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr., win in next month’s presidential polls. Bunye said that with barely three weeks left in the campaign period, the President is pulling away, as shown by the latest Pulse Asia survey result where the President surged ahead by a statistically significant three-point lead over Poe after being locked in a tie in the previous surveys. A March 20-25 survey conducted by New York-based NOP World Asia Pacific (formerly Roper ASW Asia Pacific) among Metro Manila consumer-voters showed the President also leading over her rivals by 35 percent. This means two in every five consumer-voters in Metro Manila, which is traditionally an opposition bailiwick, would vote for the President if elections were held today. Surprisingly in the NOP survey, Poe was poor fourth, with 11.4 percent, having been overtaken by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who was second with 16.l percent and former Senator Raul Roco, third, with 12 percent. The Makati Business Club, also in a survey conducted among members in late January, gave the President a resounding 47 percent lead over her rivals, while Poe got zero. Compounding Poe’s woes is the reported internal squabbling in his camp and the recent exodus of erstwhile opposition stalwarts to the administration camp, citing organizational flaws in the opposition’s Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino. The President has been reaping the fruits of her untiring efforts to reach out to the people with an outpouring of support to her quest for a full six-year term, notably from local political leaders, including defectors from the floundering opposition parties KNP and the Alyansa ng Pag-asa. The bandwagon syndrome had already resulted in the clinching of the Bicol Region and the vote-rich provinces of Tarlac and Laguna, and of late, Mountain Province in Northern Luzon, which the President visited on Easter Sunday. The President has also received bipartisan support from leaders of vote-rich Cebu and Pangasinan provinces, as well as in most parts of Mindanao. |
| GMA cites need to privatize NAPOCOR; eyes lowest power rate in Asia |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored today the importance of privatizing the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and the Transmission Corp. (Transco) to attain her vision of a stable power supply and the lowest electricity rate in Asia. The President issued the statement during an interview with the Masbate-based radio station DYME. The program host informed Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo that electricity rates in their province remained high despite the fact that the government-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) has written off a huge debt of the local power distributor Masbate Electric Cooperative (Maselco). Asked about her long-term solution to the country’s energy problems, the President replied that electrification of the 45,000 barangays nationwide is one of the six major priorities of her administration if given a new six-year mandate by the people in the May 10 elections. "Dadalhin natin ang kuryente sa lahat ng barangay ng Pilipinas at gagawin natin na pinakamababa sa buong rehiyon (We will bring electricity to all barangays nationwide and we will make it the cheapest in the region)," President Macapagal-Arroyo said. The President recalled that when she took over the presidency in January 2001, the Philippines had the second most expensive electricity in Asia. At present, the Philippines now ranks No. 6 in the list, she added. "Pero siyempre, hindi pa tayo kuntento diyan. Ang importante dito ay i-privatize natin iyong ating industriya dahil ang gobyerno ay dumadanak na ang dugo sa Napocor at sa Transco (But of course, we are not yet contented with that. What is important is to privatize our power industry because the government has been hemorrhaging on Napocor and Transco)," the President pointed out. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also emphasized the need for structural reforms in the energy sector through the construction of new power plants to cope with increasing demand. The President noted that the basic problem in Masbate is the inefficient transmission system of Maselco, hence its operations remain deficient despite the debt relief granted by NEA. The President also explained that Napocor spends P6 to generate one kilowatt hour of electricity in Masbate, but sells this at the subsidized rate of only P3.70 to Maselco. |
| GMA eyes wider access to funds for SMEs |
NORZAGARAY, Bulacan – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed here today to spur Filipino entrepreneurship by providing wider access to financial assistance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The President made the pledge during an interaction with residents of this town where she inspected her project to deliver potable water to the North Hill Village. "We will triple loans for entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises," the President said. She added that last year alone, her administration lent out P21 billion to SMEs compared to only P6 billion registered by the failed Estrada administration. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also called on her supporters to help disseminate information regarding the six top priorities of her administration if given a fresh mandate in the May 10 elections. "Kailangan ko po ang tulong ninyo para ipaliwanag ang anim na pinaka-importanteng punto sa aking plataporma (I need your help to explain the six most important points of my platform)," the President said. The Chief Executive, who is standard-bearer of the ruling Koalisyon ng Karanasan at Katapatan sa Kinabukasan (K-4), reiterated that creation of one million jobs every year remained her primary objective. Along this line, she underscored the significance of attracting more investments into the domestic market that would generate additional employment opportunities. The President cited Norzagaray’s cement industry as a potential attraction to investors. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo identified delivery of clean water to the people as the third major concern of her platform of government. "We will bring clean water to all barangays," she said, citing her "Patubig ni Gloria" project that has been bringing clean water to blighted communities in Metro Manila and the surburbs, including Northeast Village. The President revealed that a more permanent water project would be set up in Norzagaray with the assistance of the German government. The fourth priority of an extended Macapagal-Arroyo administration is electrification of all barangays nationwide, targetting 1,500 barangays every year. Corollary to this, the President said she intends to make power rates in the country the cheapest in Asia. Her fifth priority, President Macapagal-Arroyo said, is to institute reforms in the education system. This includes construction of 3,000 new school buildings across the country, granting scholarship to one child each of five million poor families, and providing a computer in each public school. The President’s sixth primary objective is to cut the cost of common medicines by 50 percent. "Six promises for the next six years. Help me bring this message to the people," the President told the Norzagaray residents. |
| GMA awards certificates, cash to health workers, towns in anti-measles campaign |
GUIGUINTO, Bulacan - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the awarding of certificates and cash incentives to the four outstanding towns and barangay health workers of this province as part of its measles elimination campaign. More than a thousand barangay health workers participated in the campaign also dubbed as "Ligtas-Tigdas." The President led the awarding rites. She was assisted by Senator Francis Pangilinan, Bulacan Governor JosieDela Cruz, Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, Congressman Willie Villarama, Bulacan Vice Governor Aurelio PLamenco, Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz and Regional Health Director Ethelyn Nieto. The town awardees were District 1 of the municipality of Bulacan represented by its Mayor Anacleto Meneses and municipal health officer Dr. Elisa Villanueva; District 2 from the municipality of Pandi represented by Mayor Oliver Andres and municipal health officer Dr. Imelda Atal; District 3 of Angat represented by Mayor Leonardo De Leon and health officer Dr. Guillermo Bartolome; and District 4 of Obando represented by municipal health officer Onesmo Joaquin. The outstanding town awardees along with their outstanding barangay health workers will receive P500,000 worth of construction materials and P100,000 cash incentives donated by the Bulacan provincial government. The President, in her short message, hailed the barangay health workers (BHW) for being role models in eliminating the killer measles disease. "Ang gagaling ng mga BHW at ako ay natutuwa sa inyong pag-appreciate, sa inyong malasakit at nawa'y magkaroon kayo ng mas magandang buhay (The BHW are all good and I appreciate your concern)," she told the BHWs at the Provincial Engineer’s Office Covered Court here. She said the BHWs should be given priority in registering with the Philippine Health Insurance (Philhealth) since they are the ones who provide the fast health care delivery system in the country. She instructed Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit to give importance to the BHWs in the issuance of PhilHealth cards. |
| GMA orders creation of task force to go after "kotong" cops |
MALOLOS CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed the Department of Transportation and Communicaiton to create a task force that will go after unscrupulous policemen preying on hapless jeepney drivers. The President issued the order to Transportation and Communication Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya during a multi-sectoral dialogue at the provincial capitol’s gym here attended by some 500 Bulakenos supporting her candidacy for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections. Jun Pereda, president of the Bulacan Alliance of Transport Associations (BATAS), read a list of grievances to the President. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo vowed to take immediate steps to address their concerns, among them the so-called "kotong cops" or mulcting policemen. Pereda also cited their clamor for fare hikes, as well as problems with sanctions for traffic violations. Reacting to Pereda’s concerns, the President instructed the regional DOTC officials to immediately address the jeepney sector’s complaints. The President also assured the mass transport industry stakeholders that there would be regular consultations spearheaded by the regional transportation officials tentatively scheduled to start on Tuesday next week. As part of good governance, President Macapagal-Arroyo gave assurances that her administration would vigorously pursue socio-economic upliftment amid a peaceful and orderly environment. The President thanked leaders of the other sectors, notably commerce and industry, agriculture and fisheries, overseas Filipino workers and the senior citizens, for attending the meeting. She hailed the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for their $8-billion remittances which has propped up the national economy. During the interaction, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo elaborated on her six-point platform of government if given a fresh six-year mandate. The President told the members of the Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by Pedrito Calalang as chairman, that she intends to triple the loans for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). "Mahigit P21 bilyon ang napautang sa mga SMEs, gagawin natin itong triple sa susunod na anim na taon para makatulong lalo sa inyong maliliit na negosyante (We have already loaned out over P21 billion to SMEs. We will triple that over the next six years to speed up the growth of the small businessmen," the President said. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also vowed to strengthen the senior citizens sector by increasing their benefits. Other sectoral leaders present included Hector de los Santos, chairman of the Municipal Agricultural and Fisheries Council of Malolos; OFW representative Eric Raul, and Ranulfo David, representing the senior citizens. |
