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| 06 JANUARY 2007 | ||
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| 06 JANUARY 2007 | ||
| Political noise during mid-term polls won't threaten economic gains -- PGMA |
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed assurance today that the political noise that goes with the mid-term elections would not be a threat to sustaining the economic gains her administration has achieved. In her brief message during the inauguration this morning of the P745.5-million Domalandan Bridge linking Dagupan City and Lingayen to the western part of Pangasinan, the President said her economic team is determined to work harder to meet the government’s macro economic targets for 2007. "We’re off to a good start. We’re confident 2007 will be the year it all comes together. More Filipinos are converging their talents and energies in moving the economy through greater heights. Even as we face the usual political noise attendant to mid-term elections, that won’t threaten at all the established growth curve of the economy," the President said. "Our team is resolved in sustaining our macro and micro targets. We are bent on reducing the number of families living below poverty line without being hampered by the political season," she added. The President stressed that her politics is "the welfare of the people" as she vowed that she would not be distracted "by the jabbing and shadow boxing of the other side" in her goal of improving the life of every Filipino by 2010. She said that during the first half of her term, the number of families living below poverty line went down to 24 percent from 28 percent in 2000. "Pababa ang kahirapan," the President said. Fighting poverty is the primary goal of the Arroyo administration as gleaned in its centerpiece program, the 10-point pro-poor agenda. In her New Year message in Baguio City on Jan. 1, the President stated that she sees 2007 as the year when the ordinary Filipino families will enjoy their share of the social payback of her tough policy reforms. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: On Economic growth |
We are off to a good start and we are confident that 2007 will be another banner year for Filipinos. There will be the usual political noise attendant to the mid-term elections, but nothing will distract this government from its established economic growth curve. President Arroyo and her team are bent on sustaining macro and micro economic targets, and further reducing the number of families living below the poverty line, and they do that through economic strength, good governance, service to the people. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: On 12th ASEAN Summit |
It is all system go for the ASEAN and East Asian summits and we look forward to a real moment of glory for the Philippines. ASEAN lies at the core of East Asia, a mega region inhabited by almost half of the world's population. Our hosting (the summits) establishes the country's key role in global peace, prosperity and trade. This opportunity comes only once in more than a decade. All patriotic Filipinos are called upon to work together, putting their best foot forward, in order to reap the confidence and goodwill that this opportunity brings. |
| PGMA: P745.5-M Domalandan Bridge one of social paybacks of improved economy |
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today the P745.5-million Domalandan Bridge here is just one of the many benefits the Filipino people are getting out of the tough economic reforms her administration implemented to rev up the economy. In her brief message during the inauguration of the 600- meter long Domalandan Bridge linking Lingayen and Dagupan City to the western towns of Pangasinans, the President said the benefits of an improved economy are beginning to trickle down to the grassroots as part of the social payback to the people. "This bridge (Domalandan Bridge) is for me just one of the social paybacks as a result of our efforts in improving our economy and putting our fiscal standing in order," the President said in the Pangasinan dialect. She said the improved economy has brought back the confidence of the international financial community on the Philippines and is now resulting to more investments and jobs for the Filipino people. The Chief Executive added that the Domalandan Bridge, which was completed ahead of the March 2007 schedule, is one of the major infrastructure projects for the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle super region. "You are lucky you have one of the major infrastructure projects of the mega regions. This is one of the longest bridges in the North Luzon super region…this is one of the infrastructure projects that would propel our country to achieving the First World status in the next two decades," the President said as she vowed to further strengthen the economy. The old Domalandan Bridge collapsed in August 1999, when three consecutive typhoons hit the province and caused massive floodings along the Limahong Channel. Nine days after President Arroyo took over the top post from former President Joseph Estrada in January 2001, she ordered the construction of a new bridge. It took five years for the bridge to be completed due to funding problems. The President promised during the celebration of Lingayen’s town fiesta in the first week of February last year that she would have the bridge completed in a year’s time. True to her words, and due to the availability of funds, the bridge was inaugurated today to give a more promising life for the people of western and central Pangasinan. The President noted that the opening of the bridge would further boost the tourism industry in the province. The bridge links Dagupan City and Lingayen to the western part of Pangasinan, particularly the towns of Labrador, Sual, Alaminos, Bani, Bolinao, Anda, Agno, Mabini, Burgos, Dasol, and Infanta. |
| PGMA leads gift distribution to urban poor families in Pasay |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo marked the celebration of the feast of the Epiphany today with the distribution of various Christmas gift packages to a number of urban poor families in Pasay City this afternoon. After attending an hour-long Epiphany Mass officiated by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cortez at the San Roque Parish Church on Cabrera St., Malibay, Pasay, the Chief Executive also led the distribution of Certificates of Lot award to the first 10 awardees of a Community Mortgage Program (CMP) in the area. The President likewise presented a check worth P843,980.20 to Josefina de Leon, the owner of the land which was subdivided among the 72 recipients of the CMP loan granted by the Social Housing Finance Corporation to the Hannibal Housing Association Inc. The check represented the CMP loan proceeds. The 72 recipient-awardees, who are members of the St. Hannibal Homeowners Association, are now actually occupying the lots located at Phase I, Barangay 156, Riverside, Aurora Blvd., Malibay, Pasay. Rizalina Rodriguez was the first to receive her Certificate of Lot award from the President. The Christmas gift distribution was held as part of the Arroyo administration’s "Serbisyo Muna" program spearheaded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Among the recipients of the gifts were children aged 7 to 10 years and senior citizens. The gifts included appliances, toys, clothes, tricycle, computer units, and school supplies. The President was assisted by Vice President Noli de Castro and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. She was also joined by Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo and several other Cabinet members such as Secretaries Cerge Remonde of the Presidential Management Staff, Jesli Lapus of Education, Francisco Duque III of Health, Estrella Alabastro of Science and Technology, Esperanza Cabral of DSWD, Arturo Brion of Labor and Employment, Margarito Teves of Finance, Roberto Pagdanganan of Philippine International Trading Corporation, Arthur Yap of Agriculture, Alberto Romulo of Foreign Affrairs, and Nasser Pangamdaman of Agrarian Reform. Pasay City government officials present during the occasion included acting Mayor Allan Panaligan and Vice Mayor Arvin Tolentino, along with Congresswoman Connie Dy and former Mayor Peewee Trinidad. The President proceeded to Pasay immediately after she inaugurated the P745.5 million Domalandan Bridge in Lingayen, Pangasinan. |
