ILOILO CITY - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led today the opening of the weeklong annual Dinagyang festival here after attending a concelebrated Mass at the San Jose Parish Church.

The President declared the start of the festivities immediately after she received the image of the Sto. Nino from Fr. Roy Margallo, parish priest of San Jose, following the Holy Mass.

"I now declare the Dinagyang competitions open," the President announced, signaling the start of the festival, as a colorful parade rolled from the church premises.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Government Mass Media Secretary Cerge Remonde and Ioilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas joined the President at the Holy Mass officiated by Fr. Margallo.

Dinagyang is an Ilonggo word for celebration or merry-making now associated with this city’s annual socio-cultural-religious festival. It is also an expression of religious worship and thanksgiving.

First celebrated by the Ilonggos to mark the conversion of the Negrito (Ati) tribes to Christianity, Dinagyang and its festive subtext was popularized by Ilonggo writer and radio broadcaster, the late Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario.

The Dinagyang festival started in 1968 when a replica of the image of Sr. Sto. Nino of Cebu City was brought by Fr. Sulpicio Ebderes to the San Jose parish church.

The President flew back to Manila after breakfast with church and local government officials.

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GUIMBAL, Iloilo – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the distribution yesterday of 100 sacks of iron-fortified rice to schoolchildren of 12 public schools here under the Bigas Para sa Mag-aaral at Pamilya" program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

"This is a special project for the hungry families of the Philippines," she said.

The administration has allocated P500 million under its special program to reduce the incidence of malnutrition and hunger among school children nationwide.

The Chief executive led the ceremonial distribution by handing out one kilogram of iron-fortified rice each to 24 pupils representing the 12 public schools in Guimbal in the first district of Iloilo province.

Every school day of the remaining three months of the school year, each pupil of the 12 public schools here will take home a kilogram of fortified rice under the government’s feeding program.

The recipients of the program are Guimbal Central Elementary School, Nanga Elementary School, Nalundan Elementary School, Cabasi Sta. Rosa Elementary School, Camangahan Elementary School, Particion Elementary School, P.G. Garin Elementary School, Nahapay Elementary School, Igcocolo Elementary School, Buluangan Elementary School, Blas and Maria Gerona Elementary School, and the Sipitan-Badiang Elementary School.

The rice distribution was held in the P11-million Guimbal Multi-Purpose Gym which the President earlier inaugurated.

Assisting the President were DepEd Secretary Fe Hidalgo, Guimbal Mayor Richard Garin, and 1st District Representative Janette Garin.

The Chief Executive arrived here at 1:45 p.m. from Concepcion town with Secretary Mike Defensor, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and 3rd District Rep. Arthur Defensor.

She was warmly welcomed by some 5,000 residents, pupils and local officials led by Mayor Garin, Rep. Garin, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Presidential Assistant and MEDCO Secretary Jesus Dureza, Presidential Assistant for Agriculture Oscar Garin, San Joaquin Mayor Ninfa Garin, Igbaras Mayor Jaime Esmeralda, Tubungan Mayor Victor Tabaquino, and Oton Mayor Carina Flores.

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GUIMBAL, Iloilo – To provide jobs and cheap medicines in the countryside, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led yesterday the awarding of Botika ng Bayan certificates of distributorship to seven municipalities in the first district of this province.

The distribution of distributorship certificates was held at the P11-million Guimbal Multi-Purpose Gymn which the President earlier inaugurated.

Assisting the President were Guimbal Mayor Richard Garin, and 1st District Representative Janette Garin.

The Chief Executives said medicines sold at Botika ng Bayan outlets are 50 percent cheaper than those being sold at commercial drugstores,

The Botika ng Bayan project seeks to provide affordable medicines to the poor, sick, and elderly people, particularly in far-flung and depressed areas of the country.

Mayor Garin said the operation of Botika ng Bayan would provide alternative livelihoods to some 400 barangay health workers (BHWs) in the first district of the province.

Instead of putting up Botica ng Bayan outlets, Mayor Garin said they will utilize the services of BHWs who will receive 20 percent commission from their total sales of the cheaper-priced medicines in their barangays.

The President arrived here 1:45 p.m. from Concepcion town with Secretary Mike Defensor, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and 3rd District Rep. Arthur Defensor.

She was warmly welcomed by some 5,000 residents, pupils and local officials led by Mayor Garin, Rep. Garin, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Presidential Assistant and MEDCO Secretary Jesus Dureza, Presidential Assistant for Agriculture Oscar Garin, San Joaquin Mayor Ninfa Garin, Igbaras Mayor Jaime Esmeralda, Tubungan Mayor Victor Tabaquino, and Oton Mayor Carina Flores.

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GUIMBAL, Iloilo – Plans are afoot to extend the Panay Railway System (PRS) from Caticlan, Aklan to this fourth class municipality to make it convenient for visitors to world famous Boracay to also visit this "business friendly, and greenest and cleanest" town in Western Visayas.

Speaking in the local dialect, President Gloria Mapacalagal-Arroyo said here yesterday that for "tourists in Boracay to reach Guimbal, we need to construct a railroad from Caticlan to the town of Guimbal."

She announced the plan to extend the PRS to this town at the P11-million Guimbal Multi-Purpose Gymnasium which she earlier inaugurated.

The President said the opening up of important travel routes to spur tourism and development in the country, including the rehabilitation and establishment of railway systems, is contained the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).

Having won the award as the most business friendly town and cleanest and greenest municipality in Western Visayas is an added plus for Guimba’s bid to become an important tourist destination.

"So let us all work together to attain that goal," she said.

Hopefully, the rehabilitation of the PRS between Iloilo and Roxas City in Capiz could start this year following Congress’ enactment last year of the National Railways Act.

Built by the Americans, the Panay railways ceased operations more than 15 years ago due to heavy financial losses.

First District Representative Janette Garin has appealed to the President to extend the PRS line to Guimbal in the rehabilitation plan of the railway system. This town is strategically located in the central part of southern Iloilo.

Another key to the development of tourism in Iloilo’s first district is the proposed construction of the Guimbal Port, which will make travel in this part of the province a lot more convenient and cheaper.

The bidding for the P20 million port will soon be announced, the President said.

Once the port facility is in place, travelers from the first district of Iloilo to Negros Occidental will no longer experience the hassle of passing through Iloilo City, some 40 minutes away from Guimbal.

Garin said the port, which could be operational by the middle of next year, is an "old dream" of the people here.

She also thanked the President for the P17-million Tubunga water system in Iloilo, and the allocation of P4 million for the repair of the farm-to-market road in the town of Oton.

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ILOILO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said last night that the government will pursue the privatization of the Mandurriao Iloilo Airport here to generate funds for major development projects in Iloilo and the whole Panay Island.

"To make sure that we are able to have the funds for the budget cover, and to pay the loans and for all the other developments here in Iloilo City, and the approach to the airport, and to make Panay truly a tourism destination, easy to travel, I have instructed that we privatize the Mandurriao Iloilo Airport," the President said.

She said funds raised through the privatization of the air terminal will be used to finance tourism-related development projects in Iloilo City, as well as the other parts of Iloilo province, and the whole Panay Island.

The Chief Executive made the announcement during the dinner with local government officials and businessmen led by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas at at the Tatoy’s Manokan convention hall.

During a visit here in April 2005, the President directed the Department of Finance (DOF) to begin the process of privatizing the Iloilo Airport in Mandurriao.

She said the proceeds of the privatization would be used to pay the P6.2-billion loan from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for the construction of the new Iloilo International Airport in the Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan area.

The President said part of the proceeds of the airport privatization would be used to finance the construction of a first-class highway interconnecting the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, and Antique up to Caticlan, Aklan the gateway to the world-famous tourism destination -- Boracay Island.

At the dinner, the President said she is happy to know that construction of the Iloilo City flood control project, one of the most important flagship projects in Iloilo, would commence in March.

"Some of the most important flagship projects in Iloilo, the flood control project almost disappeared from the ODA (Official Development Assistance package). I am happy to hear from Jerry (Mayor Trenas) that in March it’s (flood control project) going to start on the ground. So, we can start working on that. Because the flood control is going to start in March, now we can work on the next one, which is the privatization of the airport," she said.

The President also thanked the city council and local business community for their continuing support for her administration.

"Thank you for this petition expressing support, trust and confidence in my administration. To the officials of Iloilo City and the business community of Iloilo City, thank you very much for your support," she said.

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