KORONADAL CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has lauded and congratulated the local city government here for its P30-million forward looking computerization program under a build-operate-transfer scheme.

The President personally witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on the project by City Mayor Fortunato Miguel and Geodata president Alberto Morales here during the celebration of Koronadal’s 66th Founding anniversary as a principality of the old Cotabato province.

Morales said the computerization project was "four years in the making." He expressed hopes it would serve its purpose of closing the gap on the digital divide particularly in the countryside, a major item in President Arroyo’s 10-point pro-poor legacy agenda.

"I congratulate the City of Koronadal on its computerization program. With the program, I'm sure the revenue collection of the city would increase further," the President said in a brief message.

KORONADAL CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the release of another P500 million for health services.

In her message at Koronadal’s 66th Foundation Anniversary program here on Tuesday, the President said the amount would come from the P35-billion pump priming package for the economy her administration has recently launched for the first quarter of 2006.

"Thanks to the passage of revenue generating laws, we now have funds for basic services particularly health, food, education, infrastructure and housing," the President said.

Quality health services include the provision of half-priced medicines through the "Botika ng Barangay program," and the distribution of PhilHealth cards to poor families so they could avail of medical attention.

The President said she will meet Monday with Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan of the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) to thresh out the procurement and distribution of more subsidized medicines to be made available at half their normal commercial prices.

She added that the National Development Corporation (NDC) has plans to float P2 billion worth of bonds to generate more funds for the program.

KORONADAL CITY – Six residents of General Santos City will never forget January 10, 2006. It was the day President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo fulfilled their long cherished dream to have a house they can call their very own.

The President handed over yesterday in Koronadal City to the six brand new homeowners the keys to their respective units in the government's low-cost housing project at the Malesido Homes 111-A Subdivision in Purok Matatag in Gen. Santos City.

President Arroyo was in Koronadal Tuesday to grace its 66^th founding anniversary as a principality and distribute health and livelihood support benefits to local residents and farmers cooperatives in South Cotabato.

The new house owners are Bernadette Gagarin, Jomar Rencio, Shirley Morales, Jemarlin Flor, Larry Eiman and Joemel Tapang. They were beside themselves with joy after they received their home keys from no less than the President of the Republic.

Their new homes are among the 109 Pag-Ibig socialized housing units set aside as such at the 10-hectare subdivision developed by the Malesido Homes Developers, Inc.

Housing for homeless families is a major item in President Arroyo's 10-point pro-poor legacy agenda.

It is one of the five major priority concerns included in the P35-billion pump-priming package for the economy the Arroyo administration has recently launched for the first quarter of 2006.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo greeted and congratulated the people of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City on the 76th Foundation Day of their province today.

The President actually conveyed her greetings right upon arrival here yesterday afternoon from General Santos City after she earlier graced the 66^th founding anniversary of Koronadal City as a municipality of the old Cotabato province.

Her Presidential Lear Jet arrived at the Lumbia Airport here at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after which she proceeded to nearby Pryce Hotel where she took a couple of hours’ rest.

Aside from attending today’s traditional festival activities, President Arroyo will also lead the groundbreaking program for the Laguindingan Airport here.

Last night, the Chief Executive had dinner with Cagayan de Oro Bishop Jesus Tuguib at the latter’s residence. Together with them at the dinner were Msgr. Elmer Abacahin, Msgr. Rey Manuel Monsanto and the staff and employees of the CDO archdiocese.

She also met Misamis Oriental mayors at the Provincial Capitol here last night after which she participated in the awarding program for the province's search for Miss Rural Improvement Club (RIC) 2006 at the open air stage outside the capitol building.

There will be a common agenda for this meeting and it will be geared to national unity and the people’s welfare.

To the last man and woman, the administration party is united behind one Philippines.

Those anticipating a showdown will see instead a show of force behind economic takeoff, social reform and political change for a better future.

President Arroyo and former President Ramos are party stalwarts who will go with the enlightened consensus of the group.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today the release of P500 million to fast track the completion of the Laguindingan Airport Development Project (LADP) in Barangay Moog, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental.

"I have instructed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the National Development Corporation, represented here by Noel Kintanar, to allocate P500 million for the first quarter (2006) for our airport development project," the President said during groundbreaking ceremonies of the LADP.

The President said the amount will come from the P6 billion "soft" loans from South Korea as well as proceeds from the privatization of the Lumbia airport, one of two airports in the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC).

She added that of the P500 million, P350 million will be sourced from the 2005 savings of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) while the balance of P150 million will come from the 2005 savings of the DBM.

The President also instructed DOTC director for planning Agie Patdu to set aside P10 million from the savings of the DOTC for the relocation of the estimated 100 families affected by the LADP.

A 1991 study conducted by the consultancy firm Louis Berger International with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of several possible sites for a new airport in the CIC showed that Laguindingan met the criteria for "terrain and vicinity requirements" for "international status" airports.

According to Patdu, initially, the Laguindingan Airport will cater to domestic flights but provisions will be made to "convert" the air terminal to an international airport.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has vowed she would repay overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for their help in improving the country's economy.

''First of all, I would like to thank the OFWs for their remittances that helped strengthen our peso,'' the President said when she met OFW Merlinda Cunaning at the General Santos airport Tuesday.

Cunaning was rescued by the government from her employers in Kuwait whom she accused of maltreating her.

''We will extend support to them...we will help them in exchange for their heroism,'' the President said.

The government has dubbed the modern day heroes for the sacrifices they encounter while abroad to earn living and at the same time help improve the economy through their remittances.

Last year, the total dollar remittances of OFWs was estimated at $12.8 billion.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY– President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo distributed today livelihood, health and farm support projects, as well as Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) to appreciative residents of Misamis Oriental whom she joined in the celebration of the 76^th founding anniversary of their province.

The benefits distribution, designed to help ordinary Filipinos directly feel the country’s tangible economic gains, has added a significant dimension to this year’s commemoration of Misamis Oriental’s anniversary as a province.

A total of 3,500 Misamis Oriental farmers and their families received their CLOAs which vest in them virtual full ownership of the farmlands they till. The land documents were ceremonially awarded to the farmers’ representatives.

The President distributed to the residents of Libertad, Manticao and Kinoguitan towns "open-pollinated" corn seeds and fruit and tree seedlings so the local folks could start farm-based livelihood projects.

She also turned over P25,000 worth of medicines and funding assistance each for 68 barangays of the province to help them put up their own "Botika ng Barangay" or village drugstores.

She likewise released checks worth P150,000 to 60 participant-beneficiaries of her Self-Employment Assistance Micro Finance Project (SEAMFP) which is being administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Beneficiaries of the interest-free loan program are mostly women who undertake small livelihood ventures that earn additional income for their families.

President Arroyo also distributed 88,048 PhilHealth membership cards to as many residents here to enable them to avail of medical services and medicines at reduced prices.

She congratulated the people of Misamis Oriental on their foundation day and urged them to continue working hard for the continued progress of their province.

"Happy 76th Anniversary and may you continue the progress of the golden province of our country," she said.

After the awarding ceremonies, the President took a brief tour of the provincial capitol grounds where an agro-industrial fair is in progress.

Presidential Assistant on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio told members of the media this afternoon in Malacanang that Lakas-CMD leaders were looking forward to a productive discussion of the proposed constitutional amendments and the shift from presidential to parliamentary form of government.

"The national directorate will take up matters regarding Charter change. We will have a kick-off discussion on this subject," Claudio said.

Some members of the Lakas national directorate are also members of the Consultative Commission (ConCom).

"We also have members of the national directorate who are the chairmen and key members of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments such as chairman Tinex Jaraulla who will hopefully be able to brief the Lakas national directorate on the status of the joint resolution as well as moves to convene both chambers of Congress into a constituent assembly for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution," Claudio said.

He said leaders and members of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), who are members of the Lakas national directorate, will be asked to brief the body on proposed holding of a people’s initiative as an alternative method of proposing amendments to the Constitution.

The directorate meeting is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

The Lakas national directorate is the highest policy making and coordinating body of the Lakas-CMD, the administration party.

Among its officials are President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as chairman, former President Fidel V. Ramos, chairman emeritus; and House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., Lakas president.

Other national officers expected to attend the party caucus are the Lakas secretary general, the party’s senior deputy secretary general, regional chairmen, and other Lakas members, who are heads of their respective leagues of local government units; Cabinet members, who are Lakas members; Lakas senators who are automatically members of the national directorate, and Lakas congressmen who hold high positions in the House of Representatives.

Claudio said that aside from political issues, the caucus will also take up other matters, including the economy and the forthcoming interfaith dialogue that the party is sponsoring.

"We wish to let you know that this coming January 27-29, the Lakas-CMD Party, in collaboration with the CDI (Christian Democrat International), will be sponsoring and holding an historic, global interfaith dialogue involving seven Asian countries, including the Philippines," he said.

The first-ever dialogue of its kind to be held in Asia, the interfaith gathering will signal the creation of "hopefully, the first Asian regional party," he added.

Also to be discussed are "ways on how the party can help maximize prospects and opportunities for a national economic takeoff for our country," Claudio said.

On the other hand, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said the Lakas-CMD national directorate meeting is geared towards forging national unity and advancing the welfare of the people.

"Those anticipating a showdown will see instead a show of force behind economic takeoff, social reform and political change for a better future," Bunye said in a statement.

He said both the President and former President Ramos would likely go with the consensus of the Lakas.

"All issues will be resolved democratically and transparently and we expect the voice of the majority to prevail," Bunye said.

In this afternoon’s press briefing, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that a meeting between the President and former President Ramos could likely take place to clear various issues before the Lakas directorate meeting on Saturday.

If it takes place, the Arroyo-Ramos meeting will have something to do with the preparations for the Lakas directorate caucus on Jan. 14, and the Council of State meeting on Jan. 24, Ermita said.

Malacanang assured today the government has ample supply of affordable food like rice and noodles, especially for the Filipino low-income earners.

National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Gregorio Tan made the assurance in the regular weekly news briefing of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita at the Kalayaan Briefing Room of Malacanang.

The NFA has been tasked by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to implement part of her 10-point legacy agenda aimed at alleviating the plight of the poor by making sure that there is ample food supply at affordable prices.

"We would like to assure you that there is ample supply of food. In the case of rice, the NFA will be proactive in making sure that rice will be there, properly positioned even before the lean months," Tan said.

The NFA administrator said the President had earlier ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), NFA, and the local government units (LGUs) to set up stalls in all provinces and municipalities that would sell affordable well-milled rice, noodles and other basic commodities to the low-income earners.

Last Jan. 5, the President launched the Tindahang Pinoy convenience store in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City, a project that seeks to make available and accessible to poor families living in slum areas rice and other basic food items at subsidized prices.

Tan said the pilot project will be replicated in other poor communities in Metro Manila and the regions after three months’ observation and evaluation

"What we intend to ensure here is that people will have access to the P18 a kilo well-milled rice compared to the commercial P23-24. So that discount of the NFA rice to commercial rice is anywhere from P6-P4. We feel that this saving is going to be tremendous, especially for low-income earners," Tan explained.

CEBU CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will be here Thursday to deliver basic services to poor Cebuanos to make them feel and appreciate the fruits of an improving economy.

The President is expected to arrive here at 9:30 a.m. She will first inspect a Botika sa Barangay or village drugstore in Barangay Ermita, one of the most depressed areas in this city, before she proceeds on to her hectic schedule for the day.

She is also expected to visit the Renal Center of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center here where she will interact with some kidney patients, including five who have had kidney transplants.

She will then distribute some 3,000 PhilHealth cards to residents of 27 barangays of Mandaue City and present awards to two nursing graduates of the Don Vicente Gullas Medical Center situated in the same area.

The two graduates--Democrito Mendoza III and Heidi Jayme--placed 8th and 9^th, respectively, during the December 2005 Nursing Board exams.