PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, September 15, 2009

President Arroyo visits KALAHI project in Cotabato‏

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Sept. 15 – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Tuesday the Arakan town in North Cotabato, site of one of the biggest KALAHI-CIDSS projects in Mindanao.

The KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services) project, costing about P20 million, includes rural or farm-to-market roads, local water system, irrigation, and other community-driven development projects that aim to empower communities and reduce poverty. Also, the KALAHI-CIDSS project in Arakan town includes some components of social services, including education and health services, and institutional capacity building.

But Mrs. Arroyo’s visit to North Cotabato today was not her first this year.

She first visited the P28-million diversion road project in Barangay Malaang in Makilala, North Cotabato in March, and three months later, she visited the solid waste management project of the local government in this city.

The President cited the province’s vast potentials for economic development.
The province is site of one of the biggest rubber and banana plantations in Mindanao. It is also considered the rice granary of Central Mindanao.

To make Mindanao more feasible for investments and other business opportunities, President Arroyo said that 30 percent of the country’s infrastructure development projects go to the region.

She cited the ongoing construction of the President Rojas-Antipas-Arakan road project, part of the Arakan Valley Development Complex, which is set to be completed before December ends.

“Also, the construction of the rural airport in M’lang, a low-lying town located in the west portion of North Cotabato, and the development of sustainable and renewable energy to stabilize power supply in Mindanao," the President said during an interview with the media. "Malaki ang benefits natin sa mga infrastructure projects na ito [These infrastructure projects will greatly benefit us].”

Mrs. Arroyo said the KALAHI-CIDSS projects are implemented in at least 5,000 villages in 182 towns all over the country to strengthen community participation in local governance.

“This project aims to deliver social services. This is also a program for community development. I-o-organisa ang community at sila na ang pipili ng proyekto para sa kanila [The community will be organized and they will choose their own project],” the President said.

A certain Vilma, one of the many beneficiaries of the KALAHI-CIDSS in Barangay Doruluman in Arakan town, shared how the poor villagers were able to benefit from the project.

“Daku gud ang bulig sa amon nga mga pobre. Kay ang mga pobre man ang may katungod nga magpili sa proyekto nga maayo sa amon og dili ang local government (The project has helped the many poor villagers here. The poor were given the opportunity to choose the project that would make an impact on their lives and not the government),” said Vilma, who is married with three children.

The villagers select projects and prioritize them for funding.

The KALAHI-CIDSS has trained thousands of villagers in project planning, technical design, and financial management and procurement, thus building a cadre of future leaders at the local level.

After President Arroyo’s turnover and inspection of KALAHI-CIDSS projects in Arakan, she proceeded to Padada-Guihing River in Davao del Sur, which was completed last month.

The bridge, constructed with a budget of P240 million, would restore the traffic to the national highway linking Davao City and other cities in the Davao Region with General Santos City and other important cities in the growth region of South and Central Mindanao (Region 12) and Kidapawan City and Cotabato City in the Cotabato provinces.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Region 11 said that after the Padada Bridge inspection, President Arroyo proceeded to the Bago Oshiro campus of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao where she would lay the time capsule of the biotech complex that would rise at a 200-square-meter area on the campus.


PGMA’s visit in Turkey will solidify RP’s bid to OIC

One of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s main agenda in her Turkey visit on Wednesday is to solidify the country’s bid for an observer status with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) as she is expected to meet and update the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu on the progress in the Mindanao peace process.

President Arroyo will also take the opportunity to thank Turkey President Abdullah Gul for his nation’s support of the Philippines’ bid for an observer status in OIC, which is aimed at ending the separatist movement in Southern Philippines.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson for Economic Affairs Professor Gary Olivar said the Chief Executive’s visit to Turkey will be the highlight of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Turkey this year.

The President’s visit is expected to strengthen economic ties with Turkey, which is the 16th largest economy in the world and the 6th in Europe. Turkey is an emerging market for Philippine exports, alongside India, South Africa, Russia, and Ukraine.

The Turkey visit, Olivar added, is also a chance for President Arroyo to forward the welfare of an estimated 5,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

From Turkey, the President will proceed to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

The Chief Executive will deliver a keynote address before delegates attending “The Emerging Markets Summit” hosted by London-based news magazine “The Economist” slated to be held from September 17-18.

After London, Olivar noted President Arroyo will proceed to Saudi Arabia to meet with Filipino communities in Jeddah, Al Kobbar, and Dammam. She may also ask Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud to pardon Filipinos languishing in Saudi jails.

From Saudi Arabia, President Arroyo and her lean delegation will fly back to Manila.


One million more Pinoys employed in July

MANILA, Sep. 15 – The number of employed persons nationwide rose to 35.51 million in July this year, or about a million more than the 34.59 million posted a year ago.

Data released today by the National Statistics Office (NSO) show the services sector boosted the employment rate as it accounts for about 52 percent of employed persons in July this year, from 50.2 percent a year ago.

The sector includes workers in wholesale and retail trade; hotels and restaurants; transport, storage and communication; financial intermediation; real estate, renting and business activities; public administration; education; health and social work; community activities; private households and extra-territorial bodies.

The agriculture and industrial sectors correspondingly accounted for 33.6 percent and 14.8 percent of the country’s employed persons.

Agriculture’s employment share this year is lower than the 35 percent it posted a year ago.

The industrial sector’s employment share remained unchanged from last year, however.

Industrial workers are found in mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas and water as well as construction.


90 congressmen endorse Gibo

Ninety members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday signed a manifesto endorsing Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro Jr. as presidential candidate and administration bet during a breakfast meeting in Quezon City.

According to the organizers of the meeting, they are throwing their wholehearted support to Teodoro because they genuinely believed that he possesses the leadership, integrity, credibility, competence and capability to be the country’s next president.

Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, one of the leading organizers of the meeting, said that it is high time for the members of the House to have their voices heard as far as choosing the administration’s standard bearer is concerned.

Part of the manifesto signed by the lawmakers states that they “fully believe that he (Teodoro) is the leader who can most effectively carry out the vision, mission and ideology of the Party, best lead the nation in the coming years, who can reform and transform Philippine society and bring about lasting peace, justice and meaningful progress in our nation.”

“His youthful dynamism, exceptional administrative and political skills, uncommon honesty and integrity that is on top of an admirable humility make Gibo our overwhelming choice as standard bearer of the party,” Magsaysay added.

The manifesto came just as the administration party is close to wrapping up its process of choosing its standard bearer.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles did not sign the manifesto but his presence at the affair lent credence to this belief.

Meanwhile, Teodoro was very grateful to everyone who came to support his bid, which include members of the Partylist groups, governors and city mayors from across the nation.

He said that their support would be a big factor in improving his chances to become the party’s standard bearer.

“Your support is not a show of support to me but a show of support to the party,” he said at the gathering.

Should he be the “chosen one,” he said he would rigorously work for party unity because unity would lead them to victory.

“Our unity will make us a force to reckon with in the times to come and unity starts here,” Teodoro said.