March 18 2008

PGMA inaugurates Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga – As a vital component of her super regions strategy aimed at developing the country's provinces into new centers of tourism, business and industry, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated today the newly-constructed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) designed to serve as an economic backbone for growth areas north of Manila.

The President took an inaugural drive-through a portion of the SCTEX signalling the soft opening of the 94-kilometer highway that will provide better and faster access to the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales and the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

This soft opening, according to the President, covers the Subic-Clark portion of the SCTEX, which is some 50 kilometers long.

Built at a cost of P27 billion, of which P23.06 billion was funded through a loan grant from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) and the rest shouldered by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the SCTEX, which is a major component of the Luzon Urban Beltway, serves as a critical link to vital business corridors in Central Luzon such as the Subic seaport in Zambales and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Pampanga.

Other economic zones within Subic, Clark and Tarlac areas are also expected to benefit greatly with the opening of the SCTEX.

With its completion, SCTEX will now open up more job opportunities for residents in these areas as more industries and facilities are expected to put up businesses such as transportation, communications, banking and food services as well as labor-intensive and service-oriented industries.

To the business locators, the SCTEX enhances growth in commerce and industry in the region, spurs more opportunities for the import-export industries and attracts more players in medical tourism and call center services.

More importantly, the SCTEX ensures faster delivery of goods and services by cutting travel time to and from the centers of business because of excellent road condition. The previous one-and-a-half hours travel time from Clark to Subic now only takes 40 minutes, while the usual one hour needed to travel from Clark to Tarlac has been reduced to just 25 minutes.

In time for the Lenten break, the SCTEX will have a "Libreng Biyahe sa SCTEX Program" with the theme "Handog ni Pangulong Gloria, Libreng Biyahe sa SCTEX" for light vehicles from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. after today’s soft opening and from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from March 19 to 24.

The President enjoined all Filipinos to take advantage of the free toll at the SCTEX which, she said, will greatly ease travel expenses for family travelling up north.

"Biyahe na!," the President exclaimed after opening the toll-free expressway.

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No rice supply shortage -- PGMA

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga—“There’s no rice shortage, tuloy ang supply,” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared today.

The Philippines, she added, can very well meet the food requirements, particularly rice, of its people.

The President made the assurance to allay worries over a possible supply shortage of rice, the Filipinos’ main staple food.

Appropriately enough, the presidential declaration came during the opening of the P27-billion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), the “Food, Freight and Fun Highway” linking Northern Luzon and Mega Manila.

“Walang (rice) shortage. Tuloy-tuloy ang supply,” she said.

The President pointed out that with the opening of the SCTEx, the delivery of prime commodities, such as rice and vegetables and services between Manila and the food baskets of Northern Luzon would be greatly enhanced and expedited.

A National Food Authority (NFA) truck loaded with rice accompanied the President's convoy from Manila during the inaugural drive-thru of the new highway to "signal that the supply chain for rice can meet the demands (of the people)."

The President also "promoted" the SCTEx to potential users, saying the new highway provides an alternative route for Filipinos out to take a break during the Lenten holidays in Northern Luzon.

"The SCTEx is a Food, Freight and Fun highway," the President said, that will serve the movement of “people and products safe and fast to places where we work, live and play."

"It will funnel food to Mega Manila coming from the rice granaries of Cagayan Valley in the northeast or the Salad Bowl in the Cordilleras or the Fruit Basket that is Nueve Vizcaya," the President said.

The SCTEx, she added, will also provide the much needed overland route for the transport of export products crafted by Filipino producers and technicians from the manufacturing hubs in Clark, Bataan, Subic and Baguio onward to foreign destinations by air through Clark or by sea via Subic.”

The President said the SCTEx will also serve as the "artery that will deposit the vacationing working man, the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) on RnR, the foreign tourists to heritage sites in Ilocos, cool Baguio and sun, sea and surf of Subic and Zambales, Morong, Mariveles and Bagac in Bataan, the 100 islands in San Fabian, Pangasinan, San Juan in La Union and Baler in Aurora."

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PGMA’s week-long busy Holy Week is under way

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's thrust to close the classroom gap in the country moved another step forward today as she led the lowering of the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony of the P 4-million annex building of the Malasiqui Central Elementary School.

The President was assisted by Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino and Pangasinan Third District Rep. Rachel Arenas.

The activity was part of the first Serbisyo Caravan the President graced in this town as the different government agencies delivered to the poor people enhanced social services.

In the same occasion, the President launched the Food-for-School Program for some 200 day-care pupils and pre-schoolers in a move to solve malnutrition among school children and lessen the incidence of drop-outs.

The four-classroom, two-storey building costs P4 million. The fund was drawn out from the P200-billion allocated for education in the 2008 national budget.

The Arroyo administration targets to construct 11,000 classrooms this year. Last year, some 10,000 classrooms were constructed.

The President, in her budget message, said that education ''takes a front seat in the 2008 budget'' as she stressed that quality education affords the next generation to be liberated from poverty and live a life of hope and prosperity.

Thus, building more classrooms would allow lesser number of pupils in one classroom, thereby making closer monitoring of each pupil easy, which means more quality early education for the children.

And, healthy little children can absorb more, thus the launching of the Food-for-School-Program aimed at solving the problem of malnutrition among pre-schoolers.

Under the program, day-care, pre-school and grade one pupils are given a ration of one kilo of rice every day they attend their classes.

The program is jointly implemented by the National Food Authority (NFA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Department of Health (DOH).

This town of central Pangasinan was the President's second stop on her way to Baguio City where she would be the guest of honor of the Philippine Military Academy's graduation rites and also spend the Holy Week in the summer capital with her family.

En route to Baguio City, the President presided over the soft opening of the North Luzon Expressway-Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), kicking off her week-long working Holy Week as she is scheduled to bring enhanced social justice to the grassroots in the provinces of Abra, La Union, Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya.

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PGMA brings fruits of economic gains to Pangasinan's poor

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan --- Thousands of residents of the five municipalities and two cities comprising central Pangasinan’s third district trooped early this morning to the Malasiqui Central Elementary School to avail themselves of enhanced government social services and livelihood assistance.

They came from Bayambang, Sta. Barbara, Malasiqui, Calasiao, Villasis, San Carlos City and Dagupan City and waited for several hours, seemingly unmindful of the scorching midday summer heat, for the arrival of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The President came here to personally lead the delivery of government social services, including medical, surgical and dental, to the poor in this province.

She also handed out scholarships and livelihood kits, distributed 70 Buntis kits, each containing vitamins, iron supplements and other items for pregnant women in a move to lessen the incidence of maternal mortality.

Maternal mortality is the only item among the eight United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that the Philippines has yet to satisfy.

A total of 175 young residents in the congressional district received Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholarship certificates during the President’s visit.

The President also distributed 25 Galing Mekaniko Ako and 25 Galing Masahista Ako kits as part of her administration’s livelihood for the poor program.

At the same time, she awarded some 3,000 PhilHealth cards to further widen the coverage of the government's pro-poor health insurance.

To ensure the availability of adequate food supply, as well as increase the income of farmers, the President distributed three farm tractors, 10 irrigation pumps and five power sprayers.

Rice and grocery packs were also distributed.

''Thank you for your support. I hope these will help ease your lives,'' the President told the Pangasinense as she vowed to ''serve you better.''

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Speech of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the 103rd Philippine Military Academy Graduation Rites
Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City
March 18, 2008

Congratulations to BAGHAWI Class of 2008.

Congratulations to your parents, wives, other family members and friends who shared your dreams and inspired and supported you.

Congratulations to the people of the Philippines who spent for your military education so that you will work for the common good. They are tired of the politics of division and despair. They want you to keep our nation safe, secure and moving forward.

Every Filipino wants a good job, food on the table, a sound education for their children. Dear parents, congratulations to you and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) for giving your children a sound education.

BAGHAWI Class of 2008, know the multi-faceted roles of a twenty-first century soldier: not just a combatant but a military professional, a manager, a partner in development. Your four-year stay in the Academy honed the skills you need to perform these roles.

PMA exposed you not only to military science but to other aspects of national life such as the actual experience of building the hopes of our fellow Filipinos through the Gawad Kalinga and distributing relief goods to the calamity stricken.

Innovations gave your class a sense of distinction The greatest paradigm shift in the military protocol, which is at the helm of those innovations, was the deviation of the class from Rank Has Its Privilege to Rank Has Its Responsibility.

Your classes focused on institutional building and shifted from personality-driven to institutional leadership.

You will be leaders of character.

You will be fine pillars of a strong economy and a strong military free from corruption.

We have placed mechanisms to fix the corruption that still plagues our nation, such as a Procurement Transparency Group, a partnership between government and civil society to make sure that biddings for projects will be above board. The group has members from the Makati Business Club and the Ateneo School of Government G-Watch, among others, and lately the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. At present, this group monitors 40 priority projects, including the petroleum, oil and lubricants procurement of the AFP.

An essential part of building a modern nation in these trying times is to have a military as strong and modern as the nation it serves. We have put our money where our rhetoric is. We have invested heavily in new and better equipment, more and better training and more cooperation with our allies in professionalizing our military.

We are investing in brand new helicopters, in watercraft, squad automatic weapons, mortars and military trucks, radio systems and force protection equipment. We are investing in the great Filipino soldier through better care and improved services. Maraming buhay na nasagip ang kagyat na saklolo at pagamot ng Forward Field Medical Support System. Pinopondohan din natin ang pag-upgrade ng mga ospital ng hukbo, gaya ng Camp Bautista Trauma Hospital sa Jolo, at hindi kukulangin sa isang bilyong pisong pabahay.

The 2008 budget allocates the amount of P12 billion for a 10% increase in the basic salary of civilian, military and uniformed personnel starting July.

We have set 2010 as the deadline to win the war against the insurgency. As of last year, we had succeeded in halving the number of active insurgents in 2001.

The way to win isn’t just through the barrel of a gun. Rather it begins with providing a person a job, food on the table and human dignity. Central to that success is to invest in the people – in education, healthcare, roads, bridges. We have allocated P1 billion in the 2008 Department of National Defense (DND) budget for this.

Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest, invest and invest. We have been doing that. We have the strongest economy in over 30 years as a result of the tough reforms we have made to break the cycle of despair which has kept our nation back.

Our strengthened economic fortunes come none too soon, for there are clouds on the economic horizon that we must guard against. Much remains to be done to lift up our poor.

I learned that the battlecry of the BAGHAWI Class 2008 is “BAGHAWI-Buo.” This emanated from the earlier cry “BAGHAWI – Not One Less.” Buo nating itaguyod ang mga pangarap ng bawat Pilipino. Not one less of the BAGHAWI Class 2008 shall stray from the time-tested virtue of the Philippine Military Academy – Courage, Loyalty, Integrity. Much will be expected of you.

I now pardon the outstanding punishments of the cadet corps of the PMA as may be prescribed by the Superintendent.

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PGMA to PMA class 2008 grads: ‘You will be fine pillars of a strong economy, strong military’

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – “You will be fine pillars of a strong economy and a strong military free from corruption.”

Thus exhorted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today the 220 graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Baghawi” (Bagong Halaw ng Lahi) Class of 2008.

The President who was the guest of honor and keynote speaker of the PMA’s 103rd commencement exercises, noted that the Class 2008 had “focused on institutional building, and shifted from personality-driven to institutional leadership.”

“You will be leaders of character,” the President said in her 15-minute speech to the Baghawi Class whose innovations “gave your class a sense of distinction.”

Among these innovations, she added, is “the greatest paradigm shift in the military protocol, which is at the helm of those innovations, was the deviaton of the class from Rank Has Its Privilege (RHIP) to Rank Has Its Responsibility (RHIR).”

The President started off by congratulating the family members of the graduating class “who shared your dreams and inspired and supported you.”

She also congratulated the “people of the Philippines who spent for your military education so that you will work for the common good.”

“They (the people) are tired of the politics of division and despair. They want you to keep our nation safe, secure and moving forward,” the President said.

“BAGHAWI Class of 2008, know the multi-faceted roles of a twenty-first century soldier: not just a combatant but a military professional, a manager, a partner in development.

“Your four-year stay in the Academy honed the skills you need to perform these roles. PMA exposed you not only to military science but to other aspects of national life such as the actual experience of building the hopes of our fellow Filipinos through the Gawad Kalinga and distributing relief goods to the calamity stricken,” she pointed out.

The President told the new graduates that her administration has undertaken strong measures against corruption. “We have placed mechanisms to fix the corruption that still plagues our nation, such as a Procurement Transparency Group, a partnership between government and civil society, to make sure that biddings for projects will be above board.”

She explained that the anti-corruption “group has members from the Makati Business Club and the Ateneo School of Government G-Watch, among others; and lately, the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.”

“At present, this group monitors 40 priority projects, including the petroleum, oil and lubricants procurement of the AFP,” she said.

Before the graduation proper, the President was welcomed by PMA Superintendent, Maj. Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig, who escorted her during the trooping of the line and the traditional 21-gun salute.

Also gracing the PMA graduation with the President were Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon, and the AFP service commanders.

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PGMA rattles off investments for strong and modern military

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – “Invest, invest, invest.”

Pointing out that “an essential part of building a modern nation in these trying times is to have a military as strong and modern as the nation it serves,” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regaled today the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2008 with the Arroyo administration’s investments to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“We have put our money where our rhetoric is. We have invested heavily in new and better equipment, more and better training and more cooperation with our allies in professionalizing our military,” the President said.

“We are investing in brand new helicopters, in watercraft, squad automatic weapons, mortars and military trucks radio systems and force protection equipment.

“We are investing in the great Filipino soldier through better care and improved services. Maraming buhay na nasagip ang kagyat na saklolo at pagamot ng Forward Field Medical Support System.”

“Pinopondohan din natin ang pag-upgrade ng mga ospital ng hukbo, gaya ng Camp Bautista Trauma Hospital sa Jolo, at hindi kukulangin sa isang bilyong pisong pabahay,” the President continued.

President Arroyo also recalled that P12 billion has been allocated in the 2008 budget “for a 10-percent increase in the basic salary of civilian, military and uniformed personnel starting July”; and P1 billion included in the Department of National Defense (DND) budget for investments in the people.

“The way to win isn’t just through the barrel of a gun. Rather it begins with providing a person a job, food on the table and human dignity. Central to that success is to invest in the people – in education, healthcare, roads, bridges. We have allocated P1 billion in the 2008 DND budget for this.”

Reiterating her commitment to win the war against insurgency by 2010, the President enthused that in line with this, “as of last year, we had succeeded in halving the number of active insurgents in 2001.”

“Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest, invest and invest. We have been doing that.

“We have the strongest economy in over 30 years as a result of the tough reforms we have made to break the cycle of despair which has kept our nation back.

“Our strengthened economic fortunes come none too soon, for there are clouds on the economic horizon that we must guard against. Much remains to be done to lift up our poor,” the President said.

The President then enjoined the Baghawi Class of 2008, thus: “Buo nating itaguyod ang mga pangarap ng bawat Pilipino. Not one less of the BAGHAWI Class 2008 shall stray from the time-tested virtue of the Philippine Military Academy – Courage, Loyalty, Integrity. Much will be expected of you.”

In making the above exhortation, the President let it be known to the class that “I learned that the battlecry of the BAGHAWI Class 2008 is ‘BAGHAWI-Buo’ (which) emanated from the earlier cry ‘BAGHAWI – Not One Less.’”

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PGMA to PMA “BAGHAWI” class of 2008: the people are tired of the politics of division and despair

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – The people of the Philippines are tired of the politics of division and despair.

Thus stressed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Baghawi” Class of 2008 during its commencement exercises this afternoon.

The President could not have had a more receptive audience as this PMA class had seen several innovations for the improvement of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP) -- including the welcome “deviation” from “Rank Has Its Privilege (RHIP)” to “Rank Has Its Responsibility (RHIR)” as the protocol of the upperclassmen who now lead, instead of rule, the Corps.

The President pointed out early on to the prevailing politics of division and despair that her critics have been unrelentlessly resorting to, and advised the latest addition to the Long Grey Line to “work for the common good.”

“Congratulations to BAGHAWI Class of 2008. Congratulations to your parents… other family members and friends who shared your dreams and inspired and supported you. Congratulations to the people of the Philippines who spent for your military education so that you will work for the common good.

“They are tired of the politics of division and despair. They want you to keep our nation safe, secure and moving forward.”

“Every Filipino wants a good job, food on the table, a sound education for their children,” pointed out President Arroyo as she congratulated the graduates’ parents and the PMA “for giving your children a sound education.”

“BAGHAWI Class of 2008, know the multi-faceted roles of a twenty-first century soldier: not just a combatant but a military professional, a manager, a partner in development. Your four-year stay in the Academy honed the skills you need to perform these roles,” the President enthused.

She noted that the latest entrants to the Officer Corps of the AFP have been exposed by the academy “not only to military science but to other aspects of national life…” and that such “innovations gave your class a sense of distinction...”

The President assured the class and their family members who trooped here from all over the archipelago for their much-awaited graduation, thus:

“Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest, invest and invest. We have been doing that. We have the strongest economy in over 30 years as a result of the tough reforms we have made to break the cycle of despair which has kept our nation back.”

“Our strengthened economic fortunes come none too soon, for there are clouds on the economic horizon that we must guard against. Much remains to be done to lift up our poor,” stressed the President as she uplifted the morale of the remaining cadets by pardoning all their outstanding punishments “as may be prescribed by the Superintendent.”

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18 MARCH 2008		.