Believing that business generally abhors filthy surroundings, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has launched “Metro Gwapo, Pook Na Bulok, Negosyo Hindi Papasok,” a two-pronged project to clean up and draw investors to key areas of the metropolis.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, the brains of the Metro Gwapo project, said the cleanup drive was in response to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s directive to spruce up Metro Manila.

But the cleanup drive is only a part of the whole package, he said. The bigger objective is to make the metropolis the country’s business showcase and hub of economic activity.

All things considered, a clean and hygienic environment is more likely to entice investors to put up businesses in than filthy surroundings, he added.

Fernando discussed the “Metro Gwapo” project on “The Cabinet Speaks,” a weekly TV program aired over Channel 4 and hosted by Press Undersecretary for Broadcast Martin Crisostomo.

“Metro Gwapo aims to make every family in Metro Manila proud of the place they live in. This requires proper use of the city we live in. Metro Gwapito in 2008 and Metro Gwapo in 2010. The project goes beyond sprucing up the place. More importantly, it is designed to improve the lives of the people in the area,” Fernando said.

Initially, the project covered Metro Manila’s so-called “Investors’ Corridor,” among them the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Manila Domestic Airport, Roxas Boulevard and Nagtahan. The project has since been expanded to cover major thoroughfares.

The project includes traffic management, relocation of sidewalk vendors and waterways dwellers, the identification of metro walks and bikeways, cleanup of rundown structures along major thoroughfares and painting them green, pink, yellow and blue.

Ornamental plants are also being planted along Metro roads.

During the TV program, Fernando issued an appeal to the public to cooperate with the MMDA to make the project a success. By 2010, he said, the “Double M“ would transition to “MG” for “Metro Gwapo.”

Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region (NCR), is composed of the cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Navotas, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, and San Juan, and the Municipality of Pateros.

An agency under the Office of the President, MMDA undertakes the planning, monitoring and coordination of projects in the area. In the process, it exercises regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metrowide services without infringing on the autonomy of the local government units in the area.

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In her keynote speech during the 21st anniversary celebration of St. Luke's Heart Institute in Quezon City this morning, the President said the regional specialty hospitals will be installed in key cities in the country to allow those "who cannot physically travel to Manila" a chance to be treated in their own area.

"We are expanding the menu of social payback offerings to initially include fast tracking the creation of regional heart, kidney and lung centers in key cities especially for those patients who cannot travel to Manila not only because they can't afford it but also because their medical condition will not allow them," the President said.

The regional heart, lung and kidney centers, according to her, will be piloted initially in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu, the Davao Medical Center in Davao, the Northern Mindanao Regional Center in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and the Bicol Regional Center in Legazpi City, Albay.

To expedite the implementation of the project, the President instructed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to increase "government equity coverage" with funds taken from savings realized by the country's lower payment for its debt equity.

She pointed out that the strengthening peso was brought about by the "new level of maturity and security" reached by the Philippine economy.

"Better fiscal health of the country results in health care closer to your home," the President said.

She added that with the newfound strength of the economy, the government has been able to put up 10,000 Botika ng Barangays (BnB) in various places around the country.

BnB, another pro-poor project of President Arroyo, offers commonly used, over-the-counter medicines at half the normal prices and has been viewed as a boon to Filipinos with ailments.

Aside from this, the President called on Congress to pass important legislation on bringing in cheaper medicines and in strengthening the Senior Citizens Law.

"I call on our Congress to pass legislation to bring cheaper medicines to our people. Also, I call on Congress to pass legislation to improve long term care for our senior citizens," she said.

The President expressed hope that the good doctors of St. Luke's would help craft the legislation for long term geriatric care as a public health service for the country.

She asked the doctors to advocate the promotion of healthy living as a way of lowering the causes of cardiovascular diseases, a leading cause of death among Filipinos.

"I hope the St. Luke's Heart Institute can also help us to be advocates in our families, work places, schools, civic organizations and all local and national constituencies to promote heart healthy lifestyles to help us make sure that all Filipinos are aware of the dangers of hypertension and obesity as well as other risk factors like smoking and physical inactivity," the President said.

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"Harm them and Hades will come to you,” the President said. Hades is the lord of the dead and ruler of the netherworld.

The President issued the stern warning during her keynote speech on the 21st anniversary celebration of the St. Luke's Heart Institute held at the institute's auditorium on the 14th Floor of the St. Luke’s Medical Center's Cathedral Heights Building in Quezon City.

The President said she recently sent a team of doctors from the V. Luna Medical Center to augment the field hospital in Zamboanga being used by members of the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom).

President Arroyo added that the medical mission will also conduct free clinics in the areas affected by the hostilities in Basilan -- Lamitan, Isabela and even Tipo-tipo.

"These medical professionals are on a mission of compassion. They will treat people whose lives you (terrorists) have worsened by your belligerence when the peace we have pursued would have allowed them to join the rest of the nation in productive pursuits," the President said.

Last July 10, 14 Marine soldiers where killed when suspected members of the Abu Sayaf Group ambushed the government troops in a woody portion in Tipo-Tipo. Ten of the Marines were beheaded.

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The authorization was contained in the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) the President presented to Mayor Aldrin San Pedro when she visited Muntinlupa City this morning.

Upon her arrival at the burned front portion of the City Hall, the President was given a briefing on the extent of the damage wrought by the blaze.

She was ushered later into the Sangguniang Panglunsod Session Hall at the nearby People's Center where she held a private meeting with city officials.

Accompanying the President during her visit were Vice President Noli de Castro, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Bayani Fernando.

A three-hour fire, which started at a house along Henares Street at the back of the Muntinlupa City Hall, razed the building except for the treasury and city assessor's offices.

After her meeting with the city officials, the President proceeded to Barangay Putatan, also in Muntinlupa, to meet and informally interact with officials and residents of the barangay.

During her visit, the President also awarded a Certificate to Operate a Tindahan Natin, and 100 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Scholarship vouchers to barangay Captain Danilo Teves.

The Tindahan Natin chain of convenience stores is a pro-poor, priority project of the President through the auspices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to enable the poor to have access to affordable basic food items such as rice, noodles, sugar and coffee.

The TESDA certificates, on the other hand, offer deserving students a chance to enroll in high-impact work courses such as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Solid Arc Welding, and Butchering.

After the awarding ceremonies, the President was ushered to the barangay office at the third floor of the barangay hall where she was briefed on various issues concerning the barangay.

Among the problems brought to her attention were the need to relocate families affected by an ongoing Philippine National Railways expansion project, lack of construction materials for families affected by a fire that broke out in Soldiers Hills, and lack of employment opportunities. Barangay officials also requested for patrol cars and communication equipment .

After the meeting, the President donned her jacket and brown hat and boarded her car on her way back to Malacanang.

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