Justice Cecilia Muņoz-Palma’s memory will forever be enshrined in the annals of Filipina heroism and service.

The courage she had shown in the country’s dark years will remain an inspiration to every Filipino woman who strives to make a difference and to prove that greatness can be achieved with unbending principle and wisdom.

Not only the peso but the whole economy is off to a flying start on the back of growing domestic and international confidence. But we all know this would be meaningless if the poor cannot realize their rightful share of the dividends of growth.

That is why we have launched a mighty program to pump prime the economy in the advent of the new year, delivering a momentum of social relief, investments and jobs behind the delivery of affordable staple food, housing, public works, health and education—to carry optimism and confidence forward.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed her deep sorrow today on the death of former Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muņoz-Palma, saying her "memory will forever be enshrined in the annals of Filipina heroism and service."

Palma, the first woman justice of the High Court, passed away yesterday at the St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City due to acute respiratory failure. She was 92.

"The courage she (Palma) had shown in the country’s dark years will remain an inspiration to every Filipino woman who strives to make a difference and to prove that greatness can be achieved with unbending principle and wisdom," the President said in a statement.

"My family joins all the Filipino people in the prayers for her eternal peace in the hands of God," she added.

The late associate justice headed the 1986 Constitutional Commission that wrote the present Constitution.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines in 1933, Palma topped the Bar examinations after finishing law at the same university four years later.

She served as SC associate justice for five years from Oct. 29, 1973 until Nov. 22, 1978.

CALAPAN CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) today to fast track the rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities in Oriental Mindoro destroyed by the massive flooding that hit the province last month.

The President issued the directive during an inspection this morning of portions of the 1.3-kilometer Bucayao Dike destroyed by rampaging flood waters from the Bucayao River which overflowed at the height of the heavy rainfalls that battered Oriental Mindoro.

Before her helicopter landed in Calapan City, the President conducted an aerial inspection of the Bucayao River, the breached Bucayao Dike and the surrounding farmlands to assess the extent of the damage wrought by the floods on agricultural crops and infrastructure facilities in the city and the neighboring municipalities.

Upon her arrival here, she was briefed by Oriental Mindoro Governor Arnan Panaligan on the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts being conducted by the local government units (LGUs) of the province and national government agencies through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

After her inspection of the damaged dike, the President directed Regional Director Alfredo Tolentino of the DPWH-MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) to speed up the bidding of the project to pave the way for the reconstruction of the damaged structure at the earliest time possible.

She also asked the DPWH to complete the re-channeling of Bucayao River before the onset of the rainy season here, which starts in July, to prevent the recurrence of the massive flooding in Calapan City, Baco, Naujan, Victoria, and San Teodoro.

Before she motored back to the Jose J. Leido Jr. Memorial National High School, where her helicopter landed, the President observed the ongoing sandbagging operation at the site of the temporary dike.

The temporary dike was set up jointly by the DPWH and the provincial government to prevent flash floods from inundating the nearby areas in the event the Bucayao River overflows its bank again.

The President told residents here that upon her instruction, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released to the DPWH an additional P.5 million to mitigate flooding and environmental disaster in the province.

She had earlier approved the release of P66 million to start the rehabilitation and construction of all affected infrastructure facilities in the region. The allocation is now with DPWH-MIMAROPA.

During the briefing, the President instructed the NDCC administrator, retired Gen. Glenn Rabonza, to come up with a master plan for the infrastructure facilities and environmental projects, giving special attention to the flooding pattern in the area.

Stressing that the gains of the nation must be felt by ordinary Filipinos, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today the government has launched a mighty program to pump prime the economy in the advent of the new year.

The program, according to her, will deliver a momentum of social relief, investments and jobs beyond the delivery of affordable staple food, housing, public works, health and education "to carry optimism and confidence forward."

"Not only the peso but the whole economy is off to a flying start on the back of growing domestic and international confidence," she said in a statement.

But the Chief Executive said this would be meaningless "if the poor cannot realize their rightful share of the dividends of growth."

"The gains of the nation must be felt by ordinary Filipinos who have sacrificed beside us in bearing the burden of fiscal stability and discipline, casting off the distraction of political turmoil and keeping their energies focused upon the hardy chores of nation-building," she said.

"The runway is clear and the takeoff is at hand," she added.

In a roundtable discussion with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Budget Secretary Romulo Neri, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Donald Dee in Malacanang yesterday, the President expressed elation that the peso has hit the P52.80 to the dollar mark, the highest in nearly three years.

"This is a result of not only the remittances of our overseas Filipino workers but also the tax reforms initiated by the government," she said.

According to the President, the lower budget deficit of the government has boosted confidence in the economy and made investors take a second look at the country.

"This is the chance for us to strengthen this renewed confidence and show them that we will not back off from the needed reforms and instead unite to move the country forward," she said in the vernacular.

CALAPAN CITY – Oriental Mindoro Governor Arnan Panaligan expressed the gratitude of his constituents to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the speedy response and assistance extended by the national government to the flood-ravaged province.

"I want to use this opportunity to thank President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the quick response of the national government agencies during calamity. Until now, when the rehabilitation of the flood-hit areas is under way, the national government is still with us at hindi nila tayo iniwanan," Panaligan said.

Panaligan also thanked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the relief assistance it extended to the affected families, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Coordinating Council (OCD-NDCC), for their role in the search and rescue operations, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its rehabilitation efforts.

In welcoming the President to Calapan City -- her second visit here in less than three weeks -- Panaligan reported to her the extent of damage caused by the flash floods, and the progress of the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province.

The Chief Executive made an unscheduled visit here on Dec. 7, a day after flash floods hit Calapan City, Baco, Victoria, Naujan and San Teodoro. Learning of the flooding in Calapan City while she was visiting Roxas City, the President flew here to personally supervise the search and rescue operations being conducted by the provincial/city government and NDCC.