January 11 2008

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Speech during the 107th Manilia Police District (MPD) Founding Anniversary Celebration
Manila Police Headquarters, United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila
January 11, 2008

MARAMING SALAMAT PNP DIRECTOR GENERAL SONNY RAZON, ‘MAMANG PULIS’, (APPLAUSE) NA NAAALALA KO SA UNANG PAGKAKATAON NA NAGKAKILALA KAMI, SIYA ANG WPD (WESTERN POLICE DISTRICT) CHIEF AT INIMBITA NIYA AKO DITO BILANG SENADOR PARA TINGNAN YUNG KANYANG FACILITIES. NAG-SHOOTING PA AKO PERO I MISSED THE MARK.

KAGALANG-GALANG NA PUNONG-LUNSOD NG MAYNILA NA DATI RING CHIEF NG WPD, MAYOR LIM; (APPLAUSE) ATING MGA MINAMAHAL AT IGINAGALANG NA MGA KINATAWAN NG KAMARA NG REPRESENTANTE, KUMAKATAWAN SA MAYNILA, NANDITO SI CONGRESSMAN AMADO BAGATSING AT NANDITO SI CONGRESSWOMAN GRACE BONOAN; BINABATI KO RIN ANG MGA POLICE OFFICIALS NG METRO MANILA NA PINAMUMUNUAN NI GENERAL GEARY BARIAS, SI RICHARD GERE. (LAUGHTER/APPLAUSE) NUNG CHRISTMAS PARTY NAMIN SA MALAKANYANG KUNG SIYA AY KUMANTA AY BIGAY NA BIGAY, MASIGASIG NA MASIGASIG. SABI KO ANG GALING, ANG GANDA NG RHYTHM NI GENERAL BARIAS. SABI NUNG IBA, KASI PARATING NASA PENINSULA. (LAUGHTER) KAYA SABI KO NAMAN AFTER MANILA PEN, MAY “K” NAMAN SIYANG SUMAYAW AT KUMANTA NANG GANOONG KASAYA. AT SIYEMPRE ANG ATING HOST, ANG ATING KASALUKUYANG HEAD NG MANILA POLICE DISTRICT, SI GENERAL BOYSIE ROSALES AT LAHAT NG MGA KAPULISAN NG DISTRITO (APPLAUSE).

YUNG ATING MGA AWARDEES, ILAN ANG MGA OUTSTANDING POLICE PERSONNEL AT ILAN NAMAN YUNG MGA OUTSTANDING MGA DONORS NATIN, YUNG HINDI LANG SI MAYOR LIM, KUNG DI NA RIN YUNG FEDERATION OF FILIPINO-CHINESE CHAMBER, YUNG FILIPINO CHINESE BUSINESS CLUB, YUNG PHILIPPINE-CHINESE GENERAL HOSPITAL AT SI DON EMILIO YAP NA NAGBIGAY NGAYON. NAKITA KO YUNG TSEKE NIYANG P500,000; (APPLAUSE) MGA KAIBIGAN; MGA TAGA-MAYNILA. KASI AKO TAGA-MAYNILA RIN DAHIL ANG MALAKANYANG, SAKOP NI BOYSIE ROSALES YON.

NASISIYAHAN AKONG MAKASAMA KAYONG LAHAT, MAKASAMA NATING LAHAT ANG MAGIGITING NA PULIS NG MAYNILA SA PAMUMUNO NI BOYSIE ROSALES MULI SA INYONG ANIBERSARYO BILANG MANILA POLICE DISTRICT.

NAALALA KO NAGPUNTA AKO DITO NUNG PANAHON NI PETE BULAONG, GAWA NANG SI PETE GALING SA AKIN. HE WAS THE HEAD, THE POLICE HEAD OF MY SECURITY FORCE AS VICE-PRESIDENT AND AS PRESIDENT, EH DI SIYEMPRE KARAPAT-DAPAT NAMAN PUMUNTA AKO SA KANYANG SELEBRASYON.

USUALLY, PAG MGA LOCAL OFFICER, PUPUNTA AKO, MINSAN, HINDI NA KO PUPUNTA MULI, PERO NAPAKA-IMPORTANTE ANG MANILA POLICE DISTRICT KAYA NARITO NA NAMAN AKO. (APPLAUSE) AT TALAGA NAMAN PARA MAKADAGDAG DIN SA PAGPAPASALAMAT SA MGA BINIGYAN NATIN NG PARANGAL. AT KASAMA SA MGA BINIGYAN NG PARANGAL IYONG INYONG MAGITING NA PUNO NG LUNGSOD NA DATING PUNO RIN NG WPD, SI MAYOR FRED LIM NA ISA RING PULIS NA TINITINGALA SA PAGLILINGKOD BILANG ALAGAD NG BATAS AT BILANG PINUNONG HALAL NG LUNGSOD.

NOONG SI MAYOR LIM AY NASA MANILA POLICE DISTRICT, NA WESTERN POLICE DISTRICT PA NOON, DI BA MAYOR, SIYA AY NAGKAROON NG PAGKAKATAON NA MAGLINGKOD SA PANGULO NG PILIPINAS, NA SIYA ANG AKING TATAY SI DATING PANGULONG DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL. AT NALAMAN KO ITO NUNG BINIGYAN SI MAYOR LIM NUNG SIYA AY UMUPO SA PWESTO BILANG MAYOR, BINIGYAN SIYA NG DINNER NG AKING MGA MAGULANG, PRESIDENT AND MRS. DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL NUNG UNANG PAG-UPO NIYA BILANG MAYOR AT PINAG-USAPAN NILA YUNG MGA PANAHONG YON AT ANG NANAY KO MAY IPINAKITA SA AKIN NA LITRATO NI MAYOR LIM NUNG SIYA AY NASA WESTERN POLICE DISTRICT. ITINANONG KO KANINA, “MAYOR, ANO YUNG LITRATONG YON? KAYO RAW YUNG NASA LITRATONG YON?” SABI NIYA “OO, KASAMA AKO KASI DOON SA POLICE FORCE NA NAG-AUGMENT DOON SA INAGURASYON NG IYONG AMA BILANG PANGULO NG PILIPINAS.” (APPLAUSE) KAYA NAPAKAGANDA ANG ATING MGA COINCIDENCES DITO.

AT KAYA TULOY MALAKI ANG AKING PAGSALIG SA KANIYANG ISANG SALITA NUNG NAGKITA TAYO SA ISANG FUNCTION DITO SA MAYNILA NA IPAGTATANGGOL NI MAYOR LIM ANG PANGULUHAN SA PANAHON NG INYONG LINGKOD AT SA KANYANG PANAHON. MARAMING SALAMAT MAYOR LIM. (APPLAUSE)

SI GENERAL BOYSIE ROSALES NAMAN, ITO AY KANYANG UNANG SELEBRASYON BILANG PINUNO NG MANILA POLICE DISTRICT AY TALAGANG DINESISYON KONG PUMUNTA RITO NUNG NAG-IMBITA SIYA DAHIL MATAGAL KO NA SIYANG SINUSUBAYBAYAN. MULA NOONG NAPAG-ALAMAN NATIN ANG KANIYANG MGA RECORD-BREAKING NA NAGAWA LABAN SA DROGA NOONG PANAHON NANG SIYA AY NASA QUEZON PA. IN FACT, DOON SA AKING STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS NOONG 2003, TINUKOY KO KASAMA NANG IBANG MGA KAHANGA-HANGANG MGA PERSONALIDAD NOON SI COLONEL BOYSIE ROSALES. SABI KO, KILABOT NG MGA DRUG LORDS, TUMANGGI SA SUHOL NA P35 MILLION PESOS. (APPLAUSE)

KAYA NAMAN NANG SI MAYOR LIM AY NAGING MAYOR MULI NGAYON AT SINABI NIYA TATANGGAPIN NIYA KUNG SINUMAN ANG ILALAGAY KONG CHIEF NG MPD, GAWA NANG SAKOP NG MPD ANG MALACANANG, PINILI KO SI GENERAL BOYSIE ROSALES. (APPLAUSE)

AND WITH YOUR RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCE, AT THAT TIME, THE BIGGEST DRUG-BUST HINDI BA? TAPOS NA-PRESO YUNG MGA NAHULI MONG MGA V.I.P., NOW I COUNT ON BOYSIE TO MOVE AGGRESSIVELY AGAINST DRUG SYNDICATES IN MANILA AND THE GANG WARS DISTURBING ITS NEIGHBORHOOD.

KASI LIKE SI TRISH , HINDI BA, NAGLILIBOT-LIBOT TAYO SA MGA BARANGAY AT MARAMING NAGSASABI NAIISTORBO SILA SA MGA DRUG ADDICTS AT SAKA YUNG MGA GANG WAR. SO YUN ANG ISANG AASAHAN NATIN NA MAITULOY NI BOYSIE YUNG KANYANG MAGANDANG TRABAHONG NAKITA NATIN SA QUEZON, DADALHIN NIYA DITO SA LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA.

THERE’S MUCH TO CELEBRATE TODAY, ESPECIALLY THE BIG DECREASE IN CRIMES IN THE PAST YEAR DITO SA MAYNILA AT DITO RIN SA BUONG BANSA DI BA? ANO, SONNY 40 PERCENT REDUCTION IN CRIMES. KAYA CONGRATULATIONS SA PULIS NG MAYNILA! CONGRATULATIONS SA PULIS NG METRO MANILA, CONGRATULATIONS SA PULIS NG BUONG PILIPINAS! (APPLAUSE) AT KANINA SINABI NUNG ATING ANNOUNCER YUNG MGA DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT BINIGYAN NG AWARD SI MAYOR LIM NGAYON. HINDI LAMANG DAHIL SIYA’Y ISANG OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS NA DATING CHIEF OF POLICE NYO DITO, KUNDI NA RIN BECAUSE THE CITY OF MANILA, THE GOVERNMENT DESPITE A REDUCED BUDGET HAS PROVIDED THE MPD WITH 60 NEW MOBILE CARS, TAPOS 20 GALING SA FEDERATION, TWO GALING SA FILIPINO-CHINESE BUSINESS CLUB. SO, MERON KAYONG 82 NA BAGONG PATROL CARS. (APPLAUSE)

ITINANONG KO KAY SONNY, “SONNY, MAGKANO BA YUNG GASTOS NG GASOLINA SA ISANG KOTSE?” SABI NIYA, “15 LITERS PER MONTH... PER DAY, PER DAY, I MEAN, OO. KAYA LANG WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SPEECHES, HINDI NA AKO NAKAPAG-ARITHMETIC. ANYWAY, PERO SABI NAMAN NI SONNY, PERO ANO NAMAN ...., ANG GINAGAWA NAMAN BINIBIGAY NATIN YUNG ANO... YUNG KOTSE TAPOS TUMUTULONG ANG LGU (LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT) SA GASOLINA. EH DITO OPPOSITE, ANG LGU ANG NAGBIBIGAY NG KOTSE KUNG TAYO ANG TUTULONG SA GASOLINA. OKAY. (APPLAUSE)

KASI MATAAS ANG KRUDO SA BUONG MUNDO NGAYON SO MEDYO TALAGANG MABIGAT ANG KARGA NG GASOLINA SA 82 NA BAGONG SASAKYAN. KAYA NUNG BINIGYAN SI EFREN GENUINO NG AWARD DAHIL CONSISTENT DONOR DAW SIYA SA MPD. SABI KO, “ EFREN, TUTAL NAGDO-DONATE KA NAMAN DITO SA MANILA POLICE DISTRICT SAGUTIN MO NA YUNG GASOLINA NG 82.” (APPLAUSE/LAUGHTER)

SALAMAT DIN SA PAMAHALAAN NG MAYNILA SA PAGHAHATID SA MGA PULIS NG LIMANGDAANG PISONG DAGDAG NA BUWANANG ALLOWANCE, TAPOS MERON PA YATANG LIBRENG PAARAL YUNG MGA ANAK. AT SAKA MERON PANG OO, AT SAKA HEALTH SERVICES, AT YUNG PABAHAY NAMAN DITO SA LIKOD, MERON PANG MALAKING LOTE AT ISANG MALAKING PROYEKTO NG ATING ‘KALINGA PULIS’ AY YUNG QUARTERING. ANG GANDA-GANDA NGA YUNG INI-NAUGURATE NATIN DOON SA BICUTAN PARA SA METRO MANILA POLICE. KAYA SABI KO KAY SONNY RAZON KANINA SIGURO MAGLAGAY TAYO NG QUARTERING DITO SA LIKOD. (APPLAUSE)

AT DAHIL NAALALA KO THAT WAS DECEMBER AT NOON BINANGGIT KO MERON TAYONG ANO, MAGKANO, 11 BILLION PESOS NA SURPLUS AT THAT TIME. KAYA SABI KO, PINAPAHAYAG KO SA LAHAT NG MGA AHENSIYA, MERON TAYONG SURPLUS, TUTAL THE MARKET IS EXPECTING US TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET 2008 PA. SO ANO’NG GAGAWIN NATIN SA SURPLUS? DISCOUNTED NA YON NG MARKET. GASTUSIN NA LANG NATIN YON PARA SA IKABUBUTI NG ATING MGA MAMAMAYAN. KAYA PUMILA NA KAYO SA DBM (DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT), UNAHAN NA KAYO, MAKUHA NIYO ANG 11 BILLION PESOS NA YON. EWAN KO KUNG NAKAKUHA ANG PNP PERO DAPAT NAKAKUHA YON PARA DOON SA MGA QUARTERING NGA, OKAY. SO KASAMA NGAYON ANG LIKOD NG MPD SA NAKUHA NILA DOON SA BUDGET. (APPLAUSE)

AT DAHIL MAHAL ANG KRUDO SA BUONG MUNDO, I WOULD LIKE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF MPD TO HAVE AFFORDABLE FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES LIKE QUARTERING. WALA SI SECRETARY YAP DITO. SIYA AY... I MEAN SA ATING SELEBRASYON, TINATAWAGAN KO SIYA KANINANG UMAGA. PERO MADALI NAMANG KAUSAPIN SI SECRETARY YAP GAWA NG MERON NAMAN SIYANG BUDGET. KAYA AATASAN KO NA LANG SI SONNY RAZON NA MAKIPAG-USAP KAY SECRETARY ARTI YAP NA MAGTAYO RIN NG TINDAHAN NATIN DITO PARA MAGBENTA NG MURANG BIGAS AT NOODLES PARA SA PAMILYA NG ATING MGA PULIS. (APPLAUSE)

ON THE NATIONAL SCALE, WE’VE ALSO STARTED ADDRESSING SEVERAL CONCERNS OF THE PNP FOR BETTER LAW ENFORCEMENT AND A BETTER LIFE FOR OUR LAW ENFORCERS.

NOON PANG 2006, NUNG NAGKAPONDO ANG PAMAHALAAN SA BISA NG ATING MGA REPORMA SA BUWIS, AGAD NATING SINIMULAN ANG MABILISANG PAGDAGDAG AT PAGSASANAY. HINDI BA LABINLIMANG LIBONG BAGONG MGA PULIS ANG ATING NAKUHA NA SA LOOB NG TATLONG TAON?

AT BAGO PA MAN DAGDAG-PULIS, NAGKAROON NA KAYO NG DAGDAG-SAHOD. NAALALA NINYO YUNG ATING ADMINISTRASYON ANG NAGPAPANTAY NG INYONG SAHOD IPINANTAY SA SUWELDO NG MGA GURO.

AT NOONG DISYEMBRE TUMANGGAP KAYO NG PINAKAMALAKING PERFORMANCE BONUS PALAGAY KO SA KASAYSAYAN NINYO P7,000, (APPLAUSE) AT SONNY HINDI BA DUMOBLE ANG SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE? NAGING P180 MULA P90, YUNG HAZARD PAY DUMOBLE RIN NAGING P240 MULA P120.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THAT PEACE AND ORDER IS ALSO A RESULT OF A WIDENING HALO OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH GIVES CITIZENS MORE REASONS TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND RESPECT OUR INSTITUTIONS.

MAS MARAMI ANG NAGHIHIRAP, MAS MARAMI ANG MAGNANAKAW. KAYA MAS KONTING NAGHIHIRAP, MAS KONTING NAGNANAKAW.

OUR EFFORTS FOR PEACE AND ORDER SHOULD ALWAYS BE VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR ENDEAVORS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH TO ACHIEVE A BETTER LIFE FOR OUR PEOPLE.

AND CONVERSELY, MAS MAGANDA ANG KAPAYAPAAN, MAS MADALING MAGNEGOSYO. MAS PANGIT ANG KAPAYAPAAN, MAS MAHIRAP MAG-NEGOSYO. NAPAKA-INTERTWINED ANG KAPAYAPAAN AT ANG KAUNLARAN.

TODAY, THE PHILIPPINES IS ON A PATH TO PERMANENT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STABILITY. WE’VE CREATED SEVEN MILLION NEW JOBS IN SEVEN YEARS, KASAMA NA YUNG MGA TRABAHONG NAKUHA NG PULIS. WE’VE ACHIEVED 28 CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT EVEN OUR NEIGHBORS CANNOT SAY. THERE WERE TIMES DURING THESE 28 QUARTERS THAT... SINGAPORE FOR INSTANCE, EXPERIENCED NEGATIVE GROWTH AND MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND EVEN THE UNITED STATES, THERE WERE QUARTERS WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED NEGATIVE GROWTH.

AND IN THE LAST THREE QUARTERS OF 2007 FOR WHICH WE HAVE HAD OUR ACCOUNTING COMPLETED, OUR ECONOMY ROSE 7.1 PERCENT AND THIS IS THE FASTEST GROWTH IN MORE THAN A DECADE, IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. ACCORDING TO THE GRAND THORNTON SURVEY: BUSINESS AND INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IS ON THE RISE. AND OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PESO HAS APPRECIATED MORE THAN 15 PERCENT SINCE 2006, YAN AY ISANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT NAKAKA-SURPLUS TAYO, GAWA NG INTERES NA BINABAYAD NATIN AY LUMILIIT IN PESO TERMS, GAWA NG MGA KINAKAILANGANG I-IMPORT NATIN NA MGA GAMIT AY LUMILIIT DIN IN PESO TERMS, SO NAGKAKAROON TAYO NG SAVINGS AT YUN ANG NAILALAGAY SA INYONG MGA PABAHAY PATI YUNG MGA TINDAHAN NATIN.

AND THEREFORE THE PHILIPPINE CURRENCY IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST PERFORMING CURRENCIES, NGAYON NGA ANG PROBLEMA NATIN HINDI KUNG PAPAANO IPAGTANGGOL ANG PISO KUNDI KUNG PAPAANO NGA MEDYO BAGALAN ANG PAGLAKAS NG PISO. MAS MAGANDANG PROBLEMA NAMAN YON KESA DOON SA BALIGTAD. PERO BAHALA NA ANG GINAGAMIT NATIN PARA BAGALAN ANG PAGTAAS NG PISO, INIIWASAN NA NATIN ANG FOREIGN LOANS.

HALIMBAWA KAHAPON, NAGPUNTA AKO DOON SA CAGAYAN DE ORO, NAG-GROUNDBREAKING DOON SA BAGONG AIRPORT, YUN BUDGET AY HIRAM SA KOREA. PERO YUNG GANUN KASING LAKING AIRPORT NA ILALAGAY SA BOHOL, SA PANGLAO AY HINDI NA FOREIN LOAN, LOCAL MONEY NA LANG. ANG HIHIRAMAN NG DOTC (DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS) AY ANG DBP(DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES).

KASI KUNG UMUUTANG TAYO NG FOREIGN LOAN, DI SIYEMPRE PAG IPINAPAUTANG SA ATIN, PAPASOK ANG DOLLAR. EH DI NAGPAPALAKAS NAMAN NG PISO. SO WE ARE AVOIDING THAT. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ARE PREPAYING OUR FOREIGN LOANS. SO KAHIT HINDI PA DUE AND DEMANDABLE, BASTA HINDI TAYO MAGBABAYAD NG MALAKING PENALTY FOR PRE-PAYMENT AY BINABAYARAN NATIN. SO BAHAGI DOON SA 11.7 BILLION SURPLUS NA NAKITA NATIN NOONG NOVEMBER AY GINAGAMIT NATIN PARA PAGBAYAD NG FOREIGN LOANS. PARA KUNG BABAYARAN NATIN ANG FOREIGN LOANS, LALABAS ANG DOLLAR , SO MABABAWASAN DIN ANG... MABABAGALAN DIN ANG PAGBILIS NG PISO. PERO GAYA NANG SABI KO, MAS MAGANDANG PROBLEMA YON KESA SA PROBLEMANG TUMATAAS NANG TUMATAAS ANG PALIT NG PISO.

AND OUR STOCK MARKET HAS REACHED HISTORIC HEIGHTS. I HOPE THAT IT WILL MAKE OUR CHINESE BUSINESSMEN EVEN MORE GENEROUS IN CONTRIBUTING TO OUR POLICE ENFORCEMENT.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR GENERATION, OUR BUDGET IS UNDER CONTROL, IN A GENERATION KAYA NAKAKAPAGPILA PARA SA KALINGA. WE’RE LOWERING OUR DEFICIT. IN FACT, SUPPOSED TO BE ANG BALANCED BUDGET NATIN AY 2010. PERO SABI NG ATING MGA ECONOMIC MANAGERS. HINDI KAYA NG 2008. ABA, KUNG NAG-SURPLUS TAYO NG NOVEMBER 2007 AT KUNG HINDI NAKIPAG-PILA LAHAT NG ATING MGA AHENSIYA DAHIL KULANG ANG PAPERWORK AY BAKA GULATIN TAYO NI GARY TEVES PAGLABAS NG FIGURES NG 2007, BAKA MASABI NIYA NA 2007 PA LANG AY NAG-BUDGET BALANCED NA TAYO. PERO HINDI KO HINIHINTAY YON. PERO KUNG MANGYARI, SALAMAT. KASI GAYA NANG SABI KO, TUTAL ANG PALENGKE, HINIHINTAY PA NAMAN THIS YEAR, SO KUNG MAGAGAMIT NATIN SA TAONG-BAYAN, SA PULIS, SA KALINGA, EH MAS GUSTO KO YON. GANUNPAMAN, MAGKAROON NG BALANCED BUDGET O HINDI FOR 2007, WHAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT WE ARE RAISING UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNTS OF REVENUE.

SO INAASAHAN KO NA PATULOY ANG ATING PAGKAKAISA TUNGO SA HIGIT NA LIGTAS, TUNGO SA MAPAYAPA, TUNGO SA MAS MAUNLAD NA SAMBAYANAN LALUNG-LALO NA YUNG ATING PREMIER CITY NG ATING BANSA, WALANG IBA KUNG HINDI ANG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AGAIN! AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! (APPLAUSE)

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PGMA cites PNP for 40 percent drop of crime rate natiionwide

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo congratulated today the entire Philippine National Police (PNP) for the 40 percent drop in the crime rate nationwide last year as reported to her by PNP chief Avelino Razon.

The President, who graced the 107th founding anniversary of the Manila Police District (MPD) at its headquarters along United Nations Ave. in Manila this morning, said there’s “much to celebrate today, especially the big decrease in crimes in the past year” not only in Manila but nationwide.

“Congratulations to the Manila police and congratulations to the police throughout the country,” she added.

The President also thanked Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim for the 60 new vehicles that the city government donated recently to the MPD, formerly the Western Police District (WPD).

Lim, a former senator and former WPD chief, was the lone “special awardee” at today’s MPD founding anniversary celebration.

The President also thanked Lim for his commitment to protect her presidency in the face of renewed destabilization moves last year.

“Malaki ang aking pagsalig sa kanyang isang salita nung nagkita tayo sa isang function dito sa Maynila, na ipagtatanggol ni Mayor Lim ang panguluhan sa panahon ng inyong lingkod at sa kanyang panahon,” the President stressed.

The MPD has a total of 82 new vehicles, 22 of which were donated by the various Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce.

The President also ordered Razon to include the MPD in the PNP’s housing program, with the proposed units for MPD members to be built behind its main headquarters on UN Ave.

She urged MPD head Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales to continue his campaign against illegal drugs and warring gangs in the city.

Rosales, who gained fame through his successful campaign against illegal drugs as provincial PNP chief in Quezon province, is celebrating his first year as MPD head.

The President recalled that in her 2003 State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA), she paid a special tribute to Rosales for turning down a P35-million bribe from drug syndicates operating in Quezon.

“Now I count on Boysie (Rosales) to move aggressively against drug syndicates in Manila, and the gang wars disturbing the neighborhood,” the President said.

Wearing a knee-length black dress and black pumps, the President led the awarding ceremony for Mayor Lim, 15 MPD personnel, and six “Kaibigan ng MPD.”

Also present during the ceremonies were Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, a former PNP chief and former secretary of National Defense; National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Geary Barias, Manila Reps. Amado Bagatsing and Grace Bonoan, and Manila Bulletin chair Emilio Yap who donated P500,000 to the MPD.

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PGMA inaugruates P24-M East Avenue Medical Center renovation project

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated today several newly-renovated units of the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) in Quezon City to provide better quality healthcare to indigent patients of this government tertiary hospital.

The President led the ribbon cutting and unveiling this afternoon of the marker of the trauma and eye center of the 650-bed hospital.

Assisting the President were Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza, EAMC Director Dr. Roland Cortez, EAMC chief of staff Dr. Ma. Victoria Abesamis and EAMC chief of clinics Dr. Florentino Doble.

Following the inaugural rites, the President toured the renovated facilities that include the Trauma and Eye Center, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Acute Stroke Unit, Gastroenterology Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Medicine and Surgery Wards, Department of Laboratoriesand the Medical Records Office.

Hospital officials thanked the President for the renovation of the EAMC, saying this would greatly benefit the ever increasing number of patients who are mostly poor.

The P24-million renovation of the hospital started in August last year with funding coming from the Office of the President.

The hospital caters to an average of 300 indigent patients daily, 54 percent of whom are trauma (surgery) patients.

Recently, the EAMC has been incorporated with the four other specialty hospitals under the Philippine Center for Specialized Health Care.

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PGMA orders GSIS to allow individual updating of accounts by public school teachers

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged today the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to allow the individual updating of members’ accounts to prevent additional surcharges for loans due to the delay in both the remittance and the subsequent posting of loan payments.

President Arroyo voiced her directive to GSIS General Manager Winston Garcia when she presided this morning over the informal inter-action between the GSIS leadership and board members of the Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA) and the Teachers Dignity Coalition at the Araullo High School in Manila.

The President proceeded to the said school for the inter-action after she attended the Manila Police District’s 107th founding anniversary held at its headquarters nearby.

Present in the Araullo inter-action were Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Rep. Amado Bagatsing, other Manila officials, Manila police officials, and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus who recalled that it was the Arroyo administration that paid for the 1996-1997 unpaid GSIS premiums of the teachers.

“You have to look into it individually…” the President told the GSIS when the teachers reported that some loans have ballooned because the Department of Education (DepEd) would not deduct from their salaries for lack of any billing from the GSIS.

“Someone has to handle the individual updating,” the President said, noting that teachers alone number some 545,000 or one-third of the entire GSIS membership.

Garcia revealed that to date, DepEd has so far submitted only some 70 percent of the teachers’ service records; but that a joint DepEd-GSIS Service Record Updating Project hopes to complete the updating of records of DepEd teachers by the middle of February this year.

A joint GSIS-DepEd report estimated that 96 percent of DepEd-encoded data would have been submitted to the GSIS for uploading on or before Feb. 15, 2008.

As of Dec. 10, 2007, some 494,448 service records (SRs) – or 96 percent of the total number of DepEd-employed teachers -- have been encoded in 204 encoding centers.

Of these, some 362,586 (70 percent) have been submitted to the GSIS for uploading, with 325,653 (63 percent) undergoing “pre-process” at GSIS.

As of yearend, already successfully uploaded into the GSIS mainframe were 166,913 SRs (33 percent).

In closing, President Arroyo advised that both the GSIS and the DepEd should find ways to solve the remittance/posting delay problems and such other problems with the end in view of benefiting its members, and to lengthen the actuarial life of the GSIS.

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A balanced 2007 budget? Thanks if it happens -- PGMA

Last year’s figures are not yet in, but President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today Finance Secretary Margarito Teves may yet pull a surprise by coming up with a balanced budget in 2007, three years ahead of earlier government projections.

While hedging her bet on a balanced 2007 budget, saying she is not exactly banking on it, “pero kung mangyayari, salamat.”

Optimism that the country is on its way to balancing the budget a lot earlier than 2010, the original target, has been buoyed by the continuing growth of the economy, steady increase of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), increased revenue collections and the strong rise of the peso against the US dollar.

Taking advantage of the strong peso, the government is prepaying its foreign loans even before they become due and demandable to avoid penalties on delayed repayments.

“And for the first time in our generation, our budget is under control,” the President said in her address during the 107th Founding Anniversary of the Manila Police District (MPD) this morning at the MPD Headquarters along United Nations Ave. in Ermita.

She added that whether or not the government posted a balanced budget last year, “what we can say is that we are raising unprecedented amounts of revenue.”

The budget could be in the black for the first time as the country is on the path of a sustained economic growth and public deficit is narrowing down.

The economy grew 7.1 percent in the first three quarters of 2007, business confidence soared, the stock market was on a bull run and the peso continued to strengthen against the greenback.

Also in November, the National Government posted an P11-billion budget surplus.

With the rosy economic indicators, it is likely that the President’s economic managers could forecast a balanced 2007 budget.

Sometime last year, economic planners of the administration advanced the target date of balancing the budget to 2008, or two years ahead of earlier projections.

The President said, however, that if the deficit was not overcome last year, still the P11 billion surplus would be mobilized for socio-economic programs, especially projects intended to uplift the lives of the poor.

“If we could use that (surplus) for the people, I’d prefer it that way,” she said.

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11 JANUARY 2008		.