MAYON ALERT LEVEL LOWERED FROM 2 TO 1

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (March 5) — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has lowered on Tuesday (March 2) the alert level status of Mayon Volcano (13.2576ºN, 123.6856ºE) from Alert Level 2 to 1 indicating that hazardous eruption is no longer imminent.

Advisory of the Phivolcs has stated that recent monitoring on Mayon shows that the volcano has consistently manifested normal occurrences after the alert status was lowered to Alert Level 2 last 13 January 2010.

Scientists observed that Mayon Volcano’s condition is improving and probably heading towards normalcy.

Following the lowering of Mayon’s alert status, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) of Albay has shifted its disaster strategy from disaster response to risk reduction measure.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, PDCC chair, said the risk reduction strategy centers on the full relocation of households still living in the volcano’s 6- kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ).

As of February 28, some 1,179 families have been relocated out of the 1,842 within the 6-km PDZ. However, 141 of the 1,179 are houses needing repair to be livable so that they would not be compelled to return.

While 664 have to be relocated, of which 452 have already been provided with lots but no housing shelter support and 212 are completely with no house and lots.

Salceda further said that while the volcano’s abnormalities has laid low and rested since January 4, this year, Albay Public Safety Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), along with Albay Millenium Development Goal Office (AMDGO), essentially constituted relocation of thousands of households still living along the volcano’s danger zone threshold.

The province is set to release P6 million to the town of Camalig for relocation.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), a front liner agency under the PDCC, already conducted field validations to ascertain the requirements and the resource gaps.

AMDGO, on the other hand, has written the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) asking for assistance in the formulation of a long-term comprehensive strategy in addressing the disaster risks of Mayon, particularly in the context of other risks.

Salceda noted that UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer has expressed willingness to partner with the Provincial Government of Albay in the said undertaking as initial meeting is already being set. (MALoterte, PIA V/ with reports from Malanie Beler of BUCAL)

ALBAY PURSUES’ PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE MDG

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (March 5) — The Provincial government of Albay will continue to pursue anti-poverty programs to achieve the country's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

For the past four years, the provincial government has implemented various programs in consonance with the targets of the MDGs, with encouraging strides, particularly towards the attainment of targets on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowerment of women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability."

Albay Governor Joey S. Salceda stated that with support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through programs such as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K), and Food-for-School, among others, the provincial government is and will be able to achieve the MDGs.

4Ps, the country's conditional cash transfer program, has benefited poor families in Albay through monthly cash grants of as much as P1,400 to meet their health, nutrition and education needs.

The program has benefited some to 39,650 pregnant women with pre and post natal care services and provided immunization to children aged 0-5 years old.

On education, Albay is the first provincial government to establish an education department implementing Education Assistance for College Students enrolled in all community colleges and Bicol University local campuses, financial assistance for thesis writing as well as dissertations, education loan assistance.

The provincial government also provides incentives to Ten Outstanding Teachers, principals, students and local government units.

DSWD Regional Office in Bicol, meanwhile, is currently assessing the poorest municipalities which may qualify as beneficiaries for the expansion of the program.

KALAHI-CIDSS is a flagship project of the government which empowers the people, improves local governance, and alleviates poverty. From 2003 to 2009, the KALAHI-CIDSS project has funded community sub-projects benefiting households in the province.

"KALAHI-CIDSS is moving towards realizing the goal of eradicating poverty, promoting gender equality, empowering women and ensuring environmental sustainability," cites Salceda.

Likewise, some 273 clusters (organizations) have been extended capital assistance through the SEA-K amounting to P32.5 million. The SEA-K enables the poor to have access to credit, promote entrepreneurship, increase understanding on values of honest work, paying debts and social responsibility and increase family income.

The Food-for-School project, on the other hand, provides food subsidy to poor families with children in day care centers through one kilo of rice per day of actual attendance. This is a component of the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program.

From 2005-2009, the Albay Millennium Development Goal (AMDGO) formerly Albay Maybuhay May Hanapbuhay Office served children through food supplementation.

"Providing solution to poverty may take some time but all of these programs are designed to empower poor Albayano families so they will attain better quality of life,” Salceda said.

On HIV and AIDS prevention, control, care and support, the provincial government’s policy is to strengthen its local response though an effective education, information and ensure available services in all rural health units with the provision of STI/HIV and AIDS commodities.

The provincial government in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH) Training on comprehensive Sexually Transmitted Infection case management and Manual Operating Procedure on Social Hygiene Clinic have been set starting next month. These program is part of the skills development among health personnel in the province providing care and treatment to clients with STI (sexually transmitted diseases).

Access of condom in all nigh establishments will also be implemented starting April this year. Beer houses, night clubs bars and other related entertainment establishments including hotels are encouraged to make condom available.

The Provincial Government of Albay hailed the efforts of non-government, civic, and even religious organizations for their efforts to achieve better health services to Albayanos specially those in the far flung areas.

“Albay seeks and needs the help of friends in its effort to achieve better health outcomes for our people. We can not do it alone. Thus, we continue to support these medical missions,” Salceda said.

In February the Medical Adventist co-sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Makati-Legazpi and Legazpi West and the Provincial Government of Albay have conducted surgical mission at the provincial hospital of Josefina Belmonte Duran District.

During the medical mission, 91 major surgeries and 163 minor surgeries were conducted.
Aside from various private organizations, the Albay Millennium Development Goal Office (AMDGO) in collaboration with different local government units (LGUs) is conducting monthly medical, dental missions and feeding program.

The health package program is being implemented by the provincial government in an identified barangays with high prevalence of malnourished children. (MDRama, PNA/PIA)

‘STEP JUAN’ REACHES SORSOGON; CHILDREN WITH CANCER PATIENT’S ADVOCACY ON

SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon (March 5) — After 52 days of long journey on foot, Tomas Leonor, 28, of San Pedro, Laguna has finally arrived to Sorsogon Wednesday (March 3) taking an overnight rest in Barangay Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon.

Sorsogon is his fourteenth and last province to get into following his 8-week walk for a cause he has dubbed as “Step Juan”.

Leonor, who was once a sickly child, now an avid mountaineer and a passionate artist, vowed to support the suffering young cancer victims by walking far to gather enough attention and support from the public to help the kids.

The “Step Juan” website: www.stepjuan.com explains that the project is a walking drive for the Children of Cancer Warriors Foundation, which he himself started, aiming to raise funds for the treatment of cancer afflicted children and promote child cancer awareness among the public.

“To fight cancer, we start with ‘Step Juan’. The first step is always very significant for it is the start of something, the start of my own journey towards helping the young Filipino cancer victims,” he states.

Leonor’s 1,294 kilometers walking expedition started from Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte on January 11, 2010 and to end in Matnog, Sorsogon on March 9, 2010 with 5-6 km/hr speed passing by 33 major cities and 150 towns.

From Cumadcad, Leonor will resume his walk today (March 5) going to this city and March 6 going to Casiguran town where he will take a day’s rest.

On March 7, he will again continue his journey going to Irosin town until he finally reaches the town of Matnog, the final destination of his Step Juan.

Meanwhile, volunteers from different sectors here are showing support to Leonor’s noble cause calling some others to join him on his way to Matnog and extend whatever assistance they could offer for the Cancer Warrior Foundation.

The Cancer Warriors Foundation is an organization that supports the needs of children afflicted with cancer. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

FARMERS, FISHER FOLKS REHABILITATE 1,921 HECTARES FOREST LANDS AND MANGROVE AREAS IN BICOL

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (March 5) – Some 1,921 hectares were planted with trees in the Bicol region last year under the Upland Development Program (UDP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DENR Bicol reported the trees were planted in UDP priority sites for development and management such as Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) projects, Protected Areas, Mangrove and Coastal Areas, and Watershed areas.

DENR Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada said the UDP was an initiative to create immediate additional income for upland households in support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Hunger Mitigation Program.

The UDP was implemented in the province of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon comprised of components, namely, 1) Reforestation; 2) Agroforestry and 3) Assisted Natural Regeneration/Enrichment Planting and Mangrove Reforestation.

The UDP over-all accomplishments in 2009 under the three major components were as follows: For upland reforestation, 724 hectares were planted – 208 hectares in Catanduanes, 355 hectares in Masbate and 161 hectares in Sorsogon.

For Assisted Natural Regeneration/Enrichment Planting and Mangrove reforestation, 473 hectares were planted – 104 hectares in Catanduanes, 177 hectares in Masbate, 82 hectares in Sorsogon, 15 hectares in Camarines Norte and 95 hectares in Camarines Sur.

Under the UDP scheme, 1,811 forest land dwellers, farmers, and fisherfolks undertook, by contract, upland development activities like planting of fruit-brearing forest tree species and agricultural/forest tree species and agricultural/cash crops in degraded portions of mangroves, coastal, watershed and protected areas in the region. (ASAray, DENR V/PIA)

PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING TORCHED IN MASBATE

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur (March 5) — A public school building was burned down by at least ten heavily-armed men on Monday (March 1) in Barangay Gaid of Dimasalang town in Masbate.

Colonel Alvin Tiamwatt, chief of Task Force Masbate, said that local residents were shocked to see the school building razed down by flames at around midnight.

Onlookers saw some of the armed men as they hurriedly departed from the crime scene while firing shots in the air.

Responding elements of the local police and the military found containers of gasoline believed to be used in starting the flames.

“This is another barbaric act committed by heartless people. Our children don’t have classrooms anymore,”lamented one resident who refused to be identified.

The school has three classrooms that can accommodate at least 248 schoolchildren said Enna Cabintoy, the school head teacher.

“With the destruction of the classroom, classes will be conducted in makeshift huts and under the shades of the trees,” she added.

Major Harold M Cabunoc, 9ID spokesperson, said that troops of TF Masbate, led by Colonel Alvin Tiamwatt and Masbate Provincial Police Office, under PSSupt. Eddie Benigay, visited the area to assess the security situation and conduct thorough investigation.

Major General Ruperto Pabustan, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, has already directed the Task Force Masbate to further investigate the burning incident in coordination with the local police. (Maj. HMCabunoc, PAO, 9ID PA/PIA)

CPP-NPA-NDF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES WORSEN

CAMP NAKAR , Lucena City (March 5) — Last February 25, 2010, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has issued an eight page advisory urging the New People’s Army (NPA) to desist from issuing permits to campaign (PTCs) to candidates wishing to seek support from voters in 128 remote areas in the country.

No less than the Chairperson herself, Leila M. de Lima has condemned such recurring practice and proposed a number of recommendations to address the issue.

De Lima, citing basic principles on human rights to electoral participation and to suffrage enshrined in various laws and human rights instruments, further emphasized in an advisory that the PTC is a form of extortion being perpetrated by the NPA and other non-state actors, and is repugnant in all possible ways to valued human rights principles and standards, not only of candidates and political parties, but of the individual voters as well.

The leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF has remained evasive in taking full responsibility for the human rights abuses committed by their group. It has continued to turn blind and deaf to the shocking and inhumane acts of its members. Victims of their violent acts in the past continue to seek justice and indemnification.

The rampant human rights abuses committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF since its inception up to the present lend credence to their being branded as a foreign terrorist organization by a number of members of the international community, particularly the European Union and the United States.

With their inability to advance their armed struggle against successive Philippine governments, the CPP-NPA-NDF resorted to violent tactics which led to human rights abuses against the populace especially those in the countryside. These acts of violence which involve extra-judicial killings, robbery, and arson among others were intended to sow fear and intimidation among the rural folks in order to forcibly gain their support.

The aforesaid human rights abuses have been closely monitored and documented by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), with the end in view of filing appropriate charges against them when the evidence warrants. It further aims to make the CPP-NPA-NDF liable for their serious misdeeds and make them realize that they cannot always hide their crimes under the pretext of being a revolutionary movement. It also seeks to stress that the victims, whose rights and dignity have been infringed should have the opportunity to seek redress and compensation for the plight that they suffered.

Data from the CHR regarding human rights abuses committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF from January 2001 up to July 2009, is quite appalling. Out of the 417 cases filed with the CHR involving the CPP-NPA-NDF, 308 involved murder/homicide/execution. Next in line in the type of cases (102 incidents) are complaints of arson, robbery, threats, forced recruitment, coercion and physical injuries. The data further indicates that the victims of these atrocities are varied, ranging from public officials, farmers, fishermen, laborers, students and even minors. Incidentally, among those who were subject of complaints for direct involvement in carrying out human rights violations include the top leaders of the CPP-NPA-NDF namely; Jose Maria Sison, Luis Jalandoni, Rogelio Rosal, Tirso Alcantara and Mario Hontiveros.

A breakdown of the violent incidents perpetrated by the CPP-NPA-NDF would show that the most number of human rights violations happened in Region XI (Davao region) with 124 incidents, followed by Region V (Bicol) with 84, Region VI (Western Visayas) with 65, Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) with 47, Region IV (CALABARZON) with 40, Region III (Central Luzon) with 22, and lastly, Region VII (Central Visayas ) with 11. The figures only reflect occurrences which were filed by the victims themselves or their survivors or were taken cognizance by the Commission motu propio. Sorely missing are incidents that did not come to the attention of the CHR due to the failure of the victims or their survivors to file complaints out of fear of reprisal.

The aforementioned cases are just those that have been committed in the past ten years. It does not include those perpetrated in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s where thousands of innocent civilians were victimized. Two infamous classic examples of CPP-NPA-NDF atrocity are the Plaza Miranda Bombing and the Digos Massacre.

The “Plaza Miranda Bombing” happened during the Liberal Party Rally at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo on August 21, 1971. A grenade was hurled at the stage by a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF upon orders of Sison in order to create a chaotic situation which he presumed would trigger massive uprising.

The so called “Digos Massacre” took place inside a church in Digos Davao del Sur on June 23, 2010 which saw the CPP-NPA-NDF group shooting at innocent members of the community for not being supportive to their so called cause. The massacre left 39 people dead, most of them children.

Also, in the 80’s the NPAs summarily killed more than 3,000 of their comrades for allegedly spying for the government. (AGVillamin, CRG, CRS, AFP/PIA)

GOV’T GIVES P10.9 M WORTH OF AID TO EL NINO-HIT FARMERS

MANILA (March 5) — The Arroyo government has so far distributed P10.9 million-worth of assistance and provided emergency employment to North Luzon farmers battered by the latest onslaught of El Niño.

At the same time, President Gloria Arroyo also instructed the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to impose a moratorium on the payment by farmers of 150 kilos of palay per hectare as irrigation fees, Secretary Bernie Fondevilla of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Fondevilla said the President also ordered the restructuring of loans and interest payments incurred by El Niño-hit farmers as well as moratorium on penalties from government financial institutions such as the Land Bank of the Philippines .

President Arroyo recently named Fondevilla as successor to Secretary Arthur Yap, who is running unopposed in this year’s polls for a seat in the House of Representatives for the 3rd district of Bohol. Fondevilla was formerly DA undersecretary and Yap ’s chief of staff.

The P10.9 million-worth of aid, Fondevilla said, were in the form of certificates of allocation for 426 irrigation pumps to be distributed to farmers in the El-Niño hit province of Cagayan .

President Arroyo personally presented the certificates to Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio and other municipal mayors of the province during a recent tour of the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ) Super Region.

NLAQ, whose development champion was former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, covers the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Regions I (Ilocos), II (Cagayan Valley), and portions of Region III (Central Luzon), particularly the northern parts of the four (4) provinces of Aurora (north of Baler), Tarlac (north of Tarlac City ), Nueva Ecija (north of Cabanatuan City ), and Zambales (north of Subic ).

Fondevilla said the 426 irrigation pumps are part of the 1,363 units worth P35.6 million being distributed by the DA as part of its El Niño mitigation package for farmers.

He said the President had announced that farmers whose crops were damaged by the dry spell will be employed in desilting rivers and other water tributaries and in repairing irrigation systems and farm-to-market roads (FMRs).

President Arroyo further said that the moratorium on the payment of irrigation fees will last till the El Niño problem exists, he said.

Farmers will also be updated on the use of science and technology to support agribusiness and mitigate the impact of harsh weather conditions like El Niño, he said.

Prior to his new Cabinet posting, Fondevilla already chaired the Presidential task force dealing with the latest El Niño onslaught, and this panel has earmarked an initial P882.18 million for the accelerated implementation of mitigation measures for farmers and fisherfolk in 14 provinces in Luzon and the Visayas.

The slew of mitigation measures range from cloud seeding to the provision of shallow tube wells (STWs) and open source pump irrigation systems to close monitoring of a possible drought-triggered outbreak of pests and diseases.

The DA’s regional field units (RFUs) in the El Niño-hit regions have drawn up with local government units (LGUs) their respective master lists of affected farmers eligible for food aid under the Emergency Food Assistance Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Separate master lists have also been prepared by RFUs and LGUs for farmer-victims qualified to enroll in skills training programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) or for possible emergency employment for the construction or repair of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) and irrigation facilities.

The 14 affected provinces are Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Northern Luzon; Bulacan and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon; Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon in the MIMAROPA area or Region 4-B; Masbate in Bicol; and Antique, Guimaras and Negros Occidental in Western Visayas and some areas in Mindanao. (DA/PIA)

DA TO IMPLEMENT 5 MEASURES FOR COMPETITIVE, PROFITABLE FARMING

MANILA (March 5) — President Gloria Arroyo has put a premium on five imperatives, include continuous infrastructure investments, to make farming more profitable and globally competitive while at the same time strengthening the resiliency of Philippine agriculture and fisheries amid the serious threats posed by climate change and increasing global trade liberalization.

Secretary Bernie Fondevilla of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said these measures likewise aim to make the farm and fisheries sector more profitable for small farmers plus fisherfolk and agribusiness entrepreneurs alike so the government could not only raise rural incomes but drive investments on the supply side as well.

Fondevilla, who was chosen by President Arroyo this week to replace Secretary Arthur Yap, identified these five imperatives as:

o continuous investments in infrastructure as well as in equipment that heighten productivity;
o implementation of a postharvest program that provides dryers chillers and ports to minimize post-production losses for farmers and fisherfolk;
o strengthening of guarantee funds to extend loans and insurance for food production to farmers and fishers;
o assistance for the dissemination and availability of information and training for new and sustainable technologies and practices; and
o institution of policy reforms to promote sustainable agriculture are the measures carried out by the DA to keep Philippine agriculture resilient.

Yap is running unopposed in this year’s elections for a seat in the House of Representatives for the 3rd district of Bohol.

At current prices, Philippine agriculture grossed P1.2 trillion in 2009, representing a 2.18% increase from the 2008 level, Fondevilla said.

“The primary aim of government policies and programs in the agriculture sector is to make farm and fisheries producers profitable and competitive,” Fondevilla said before economists and members of the business community during the Yearend Philippine Economic Briefing held recently at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City .

“Profitability and competitiveness drive investments on the supply side and enables welfare enhancement, inclusive of food security, of producers through livelihood security,” Fondevilla, who was DA undersecretary and Yap ’s chief of staff prior to his new Cabinet posting, said.

He noted that the challenges constantly facing Philippine agriculture come from the biophysical environment, which has been exacerbated by climate change; and the economic environment, as shown by recent food and input price spikes in the face of the headlong march by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to further trade liberalization.

The areas of interventions that the Department has put in place to meet these challenges are spelled out, he said, in President Arroyo’s agriculture development agenda dubbed FIELDS, which stands for Fertilizers, Irrigation and other infrastructure, Extension, Loans, Dryers and Seeds.

“FIELDS is grounded on a steadfast commitment to food security, competitive and free trade, sustainable agriculture, and profitable farm and fishery endeavor,” Fondevilla said.

He pointed out that despite the challenges facing Philippine agriculture, the increasingly pronounced rebound of the world economy from the most recent financial crisis presents opportunities for the sector in terms of investments and international and domestic demand growth.

“The Philippines ’ population and the steady growth of the middle class in the region is a strong base for agriculture and food products which can provide a steady source of growth both domestically as well as for export market,” Fondevilla said.

These areas of opportunities include food production, distribution and other logistics support activities, which also include green technology in agriculture, he noted.

Green technology, Fondevilla explained, covers organic foods and the production of sustainable and renewable feedstocks for fuel and energy.

Fondevilla pointed out that the Philippines is now the preferred investment destination in Asia based on rising private investments in agriculture mainly for biofuel feedstock.

The Biofuels Act in the country and the rising awareness for the need to shift to clean fuel sources has provided the necessary stimulus for the development of the biofuel feedstock industry, he said.

Companies such as BENLINC, PNOC-AFC (Zambales, Bukidnon, General Santos, Bohol, and Cebu), Bioenergy Farms, Eco Global Bio Oil, CURCAS Energy Australia, Highlands Dev’t Corp, DK Biofuels, KIBIO, GMC, Abundant Biofuels Corp, Herminio Teves Group, GFI, Cavite Biofuel Production Inc., FUELS Inc., Roxol Bioenergy, Basic Energy, First Pampanga Biofuels Corp., Alsons Power, Isabela Alcogas Corp., Southern Bukidnon Bioenergy are investing in biofuels in the Philippines while 17 global bioenergy investors are also here in the country.

Other investment prospects in the country’s farm and fisheries sector include poultry and livestock production where the Philippines enjoys a distinct advantage because of its avian-flu free status and its reputation as relatively free of the foot-and-mouth disease.

Investors can also explore the area of seed production, Fondevilla noted. Beidahuang China, for instance, has signed an agreement to invest in seed production in the country. (DA/PIA)

PLANAS CALLS PGMA ‘INFRASTRUCTURE ICON’

MANILA (March 5) — Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Charito Planas today described President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo an “infrastructure icon” for spearheading an aggressive infrastructure program that, among others, has built a total 48,585 kilometers of national roads since 2001 compared to only 34,326 kms of three previous administrations.

The Arroyo administration also built a staggering 300,048.44 lineal meters of national bridges compared to 274,747 lineal meters by previous administrations, Planas said.

Planas said the completed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), the ongoing North Luzon Expressway (NLEx)-C5-South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) link projects, and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway “exemplify the President’s infrastructure achievements, which are building blocks of closing the ground infrastructure loop.”

Transport systems like the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 and Line 1 Extension, which now link with the Metro Rail Transit, and the RORO (roll on roll off), which the President conceived, are all testaments of her resolve to connect the country’s island, Planas added.

“These infrastructure improvements have effectively increased travel and communication among the different parts of the country and have contributed to positive economic growth, tourism, and a greater sense of national pride,” Planas said.

Planas showed the campaign ads of opposition presidential bet Benigno Aquino III, showing a “mere barangay road and puericulture center as the only benefits that the Arroyo administration gave the people” with the balance of funds having been “lost to corruption.”

“All the presidential and vice presidential bets have been showing what they have done or what they have gone through in their lives except for this one, which tries to discredit the accomplishments of the President,” Planas told reporters.

Planas said the President is devoting the rest of her term going around the country, checking the completion of her projects and finding out the status of ongoing projects to ensure their smooth turn over to her successor.

On the government hospital upgrading project under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health, Planas said:

government upgraded 35 national hospitals worth P500 million in 2007;
upgraded 193 health facilities, including 34 basic emergency obstetric newborn care facilities, six specialty centers, and 153 hospitals worth P1.3 billion in 2008; and
upgraded 256 health facilities comprising of 120 basic emergency obstetric newborn care, 133 hospitals, and three specialized health service centers in 2009.

As a result of these projects, Planas said life expectancy has improved; infant and child mortality rates have gone down; and maternal mortality has lessened.

Similarly, the Arroyo administration put up the unique Botika ng Barangays program, which, as of Jan.14, 2010 totaled 14,465 nationwide. These offer up to 40 essential drugs and medicines and allow savings of up to 60 percent compared to leading brands of medicines, Planas said. (PIA V Release)