We owe it to the people to be given the opportunity to hear out the socio-economic and political agenda of the candidates and not just be fed a plate of noise and slander every day.

It is therefore unfortunate that the opposition was a no show in the forum of the people. On the other hand, by its participation, Team Unity showed that the Team and the administration have a clear plan to grow the economy, fight poverty and enforce the rule of law. 

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led today the groundbreaking of Toyota Autoparts Philippines’ (TAP) R-type transmission plant, part of the company’s fresh P5.6-billion expansion investment in the Philippines for its production and export of manual transmissions.

TAP, the global production and supply hub of manual transmissions for Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), will build a new structure within the Toyota Special Economic Zone’s 82-hectare manufacturing plant in Barangay Pulong Sta. Cruz here.

During the rites, the President lowered the time capsule signaling the start of the construction of the plant.

Assisting her were Akira Okabe, senior managing director of TMC; Yasuro Takeuchi, president of TAP Inc.; and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ryuichiro Yamazaki.

Also present in the ceremony were Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Director-General Augusto Syjuco of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro, Sta. Rosa City Mayor Jose Catindig Jr. and other top officials of TAP and TMC.

The construction of the P5.6-billion (12.4 billion Japanese Yen) R-Type transmission production plant and line will start tomorrow (March 16) and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31 next year.

In his welcome remarks, Takeuchi told the President that since the company produced its first G-type transmission in August 1992, Toyota has been able to attain good results and expand their business due to the cooperation of the highly skilled Filipino team members.

Toyota’s new expansion program, according to Takeuchi, would need over 300 fresh workers who will be fielded in the 14,000-square meter production plant and line.

"TAP is an industry leader in quality in manual transmissions and is an important contributor to fulfilling our global goals. We have decided to increase our investment in this crucial hub of our production strategy, and we have decided to increase our commitment to the growth potential of the Philippines," Okabe said. .

The Arroyo government's top priority programs have been vindicated by the opposition platform, which also calls for countryside jobs and infrastructure, lower cost of living, and more vigorous tax collection.

The GO (Genuine Opposition) plan also borrows major thrusts of the government for increased education and health spending, enhanced programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), renewable energy development and climate change countermeasures.

Under "8 Gains by '08" strategy also espoused by the administration's TEAM Unity senatorial slate, the government shall build on six years of solid gains in fiscal management to further accelerate nationwide infrastructure development, education and health advances, as well as microfinance, food and antigraft initiatives absent in the opposition plan.

Thanks to higher tax revenues, both infrastructure and social services spendings are budgeted to rise by more than P30 billion each this year. Total public works outlays till 2010 is targeted to exceed P1.7 trillion or 4.45% of GDP -- more than twice past levels and most of it in the regions.

We are redoubling efforts to protect and assist OFWs, including the rescue and return of Filipinos caught in perilous situations. Over 400 were repatriated from various forms of detention in 2005, an effort that continues with the recent hostage recovery in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, food, livelihood, low-cost stores and PhilHealth insurance programs continue, despite the opposition's efforts to curtail budget funds to the detriment of needy families and communities. Microfinance lending aims to benefit an additional one million Filipinos this year.

As our tax effort generates even more resources for priority programs now also advocated by the opposition, the Arroyo Administration looks forward to another resounding mandate for our congressional and local government leaders to continue and expand our winning initiatives for the nation.

Malacanang welcomed today survey results showing an improved satisfaction rating for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying that finally the people are recognizing the good the government is doing for them.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said the administration’s own internal polls confirm the same trend of increased optimism and hope flowing from an improved economy "whose benefits are beginning to be felt at the level of the average household."

"It has been a long road for President Arroyo who has paid political capital from the tough decisions she made in the interest of the people. The initial pains of fiscal discipline have now been transformed into gains for Juan de la Cruz," he said.

The Social weather Stations (SWS) reported in its latest survey conducted Feb. 24-27 that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received a net satisfaction rating of –4 (39 percent satisfied minus 43 percent dissatisfied), her best score since October 2004 when her two-and-a-half-year series of negative ratings began at –6.

The President’s net satisfaction rating even tumbled to lows ranging from –25 to –33 in 2005. In September and November last year, she made –11 and –13 respectively.

. It was during these periods that the President paid the price of implementing tough fiscal and other economic reforms, the initial gains of which are now starting to be enjoyed by the people through better healthcare, education, infrastructure, more jobs, and other essential services.

Bunye pointed out that the country’s march to progress is real and inevitable. And with the public’s increasing support, he said, the President remains committed in her resolve to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

In her speech keynoting PCIERD's 25^th anniversary celebration held at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) Auditorium at the University of the Philippines campus in Quezon City, the President said that through the "linking" functions of PCIERD, science and technology (S and T) programs, once fully implemented, can spur further economic growth.

At the start of the President's administration, particularly during her very first State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) in 2001, she had bannered the importance of technology as a means to spur economic growth.

The President also said that aside from the above-mentioned programs, she has directed the Department of Budget and Management to release P200 million and P500 million for the development of doctoral and masteral scholarships in science and engineering and the building of a science complex at the UP campus, respectively.

"On the part of the public sector, among the things we have done in order to increase and make more efficacious the spending on S and T, I announce that I have authorized the DBM to release P200 million for masteral and doctoral level scholarships in science and engineering. This is in addition to having put in the 2006 supplemental budget the amount of P500 million to build a science complex in UP Diliman," the President said.

"Through hard-fought economic reform battles, the Philippine economy has finally broken loose of its lethargic economic legacy. New revenues, better collections and a crackdown on tax cheats along with fiscal discipline have put the Philippines on a track to permanent economic growth and stability. For the first time in a long time, the budget is under control; we are lowering our deficit and raising unprecedented amounts of revenue. And I do not want to go back to the days of large deficit spending," the President said.

 She enjoined everyone to commit to invest on the gains brought about by the renewed resiliency and growth of the economy.