BINAN, Laguna -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated today United Laboratories’ (Unilab) newest manufacturing subsidiary – Amherst Laboratories Inc. – in simple ceremonies at the plant’s headquarters in Mamplasan, this town.

The President, who arrived here at exactly 10 a.m., was welcomed by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Health Undersecretary Margarita Galon, Unilab Chairman Jocelyn Campos Hess, Unilab President and CEO Carlos Ejercito, Unilab Vice Chairman Clinton Campos Hess, Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro and Biņan Mayor Hermis Perez.

The Chief Executive proceeded to unveil the inaugural marker formally opening the plant and its operations to the public. She was then given a tour of the plant’s facilities.

Nestor Felicio, Unilab vice president for strategic manufacturing and supply chain management, briefed the President on the various stages of manufacturing medicines, including dispensing, granulation, coating and packaging.

Felicio spent a good part of the tour describing to the President the state-of-the-art air filtration system the plant employs to ensure that its facilities are 100 percent or close to 100 percent dust and bacteria free.

He said that during the 15 minutes it took the President and her party to tour the plant’s facilities, the air within the building had "changed" or had undergone different stages of cleansing at least six times.

"This ensures that utmost care is taken by the company to provide the consumers with clean, high quality medicines," Felicio said.

Aside from the state-of-the-art air filtration system, anyone (employees and guests) who enters the highly restricted area are required to don all-white gowns and protective foot gear linings to further prevent any entry of unwanted dust and bacteria into the building.

After the tour, the President and her entourage were ushered to the Administration canteen where a short program was presented.

Amherst Laboratories, Inc. sits on a sprawling 35,000-square meter property that forms part of the Unilab Pharma Campus in Laguna. It is complete with new facilities that are at par with the world’s best, making it the most modern manufacturing plant for pharmaceutical and healthcare products in the country today.

At a cost of P1.7 billion, Amherst has a total building area of 24,000 sq. meters, with a 5,500-sq. meter single floor interstitial machine room, a 4,000-sq. meter warehouse for common materials and finished goods, a quality assurance laboratory, and a two-storey administration building that houses a multipurpose room, a training room, an employees cafeteria and locker amenities for employees and staff.

Started in March 2005 and completed one and a half years later in October 2006, Amherst produces mostly prescription medicines in tablet, capsule and powder form, as well as ointments and non-steroidal creams. Its projected annual capacity is more than one billion tablets a year.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hopes to reduce poverty incidence in the country to 18 percent at the end of her term in 2010, down from 28 percent when she assumed power in 2001.

In an interview with Manila Overseas Press Club chairman and Biznews Asia publisher Antonio Lopez in Malacanang this afternoon, the President backed up her optimism with the unprecedented economic surge under her administration.

"We have gained huge elbow room to bring more resources to bear upon vital basic services and infrastructure programs that will continue to lift the people from poverty, drive investments and jobs and consolidate the national network of excellence and enterprise," she said.

The program is anchored on the four core values of poverty eradication, that include addressing inequities that perpetuate disempowerment, marginalization and destitution.

The aim is to enable indigent and other vulnerable groups to realize their potentials and share in the benefits of development.

The President said that her vision goes beyond the year 2010 when the nation, she hopes, would join the ranks of First World countries.

"The declining debt of the country is a clear marker on the road to a balanced budget, durable confidence in the Philippines and the full social payback of economic reforms," she had earlier said in a statement.

The President attributed the economic surge to her primal focus on economic goal and full discipline to achieve this goal.

"I have goals and I really keep track of the compliance of these goals like reduction of fiscal deficit to reach a balance budget by year 2010," she said.

The President said she is focused at present on governance, unmindful of the distractions of the coming midterm elections. She, however, expressed hopes that the election would focus on the real issues.

"I have great hope that the Filipino voters would vote based on the candidate’s character and his or her position on issues rather than on prejudice," she said.

The President bared that a Saudi Arabian company intends to invest $150 million in constructing a resort in Bohol, and $7.5 million in a hotel establishment in Makati City.