PGMA visits Legazpi City, 2 Albay towns
Manila (1 October) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Legazpi City and the towns of Polangui and Camalig in Albay to check on the progress of government projects in these areas.
From the Legaspi City Airport, the President motored to Polangui to ground break the rehabilitation of the town’s water system in Barangay Napo. The rehabilitation of Polangui Water System costs P140.7 million.
Scope of work includes upgrading of the two existing reservoirs, installation of a 24,148 meter pipeline, power line extension, installation of 5,000 service connections, improvement of the treatment facility and the existing Higiban spring intake, and construction of a pumping station.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda presented to the President one bus load of paramedic volunteers who will help in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of typhoon Ondoy in Rizal province.
In Camalig town, the President presented 240 certificates of ownership to Core Shelter residents at the resettlement site in Barangay Tagaytay in celebration of the Core Shelter’s 30,000th Milestone.
The 145,185 square meter Tagaytay resettlement site accommodates 840 families relocated from the 16 barangays near the slopes of Mayon Volcano. Each family occupies a house built on an 80 square meter lot. From Camalig, the President proceeded to Barangay Puro for the inauguration of the Puro Seawall Project Phase I and Phase II.
The P47, 498,500.00 Puro Seawall Phase I project was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The project covers the construction of 240 linear meters of seawall and 240 linear meters of road to include a walkway and/or jogging cum bicycle lane, and is envisioned to be the “Roxas Boulevard” of Legazpi City.
The project links the newly opened Victory-Dapdap- Puro-Lamba Road to the Embarcadero, a tourism commercial/ recreational destination and to downtown Legazpi. (PIA-MMIO)
Volunteers pour in for ‘Oplan Sagip Bayan’
According to Cookie Aydinan, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief of staff and overseer of the relief operations, a total of 3,000 relief packs were brought to Ever Gotesco in Quezon City, 1,000 packs to Taguig, 700 bags to the Tanay evacuation center, 500 bags to Montalban, and 600 bags to Taytay. About 1,000 bags were distributed in Malacanang.
Each bag consisted of food items such as rice, sardines, noodles and non-food items like clothes, towels, and blankets.
“It is unfortunate that misguided elements are spreading in the internet the canard that the volunteers are being paid,” said Aydinan. “It is not only untrue, it is unfair, unjust and cruel to the volunteers.”
Volunteers were mostly government officials and employees of PMS, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of the President (OP), and Office of the Press Secretary (OPS). Volunteers also came from schools such as Far Eastern University (FEU), Centro Escolar University (CEU) University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, San Beda College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), San Sebastian College, Philippine Normal University (PNU) and Juan Nolasco High School.
Joining the volunteers were presidential daughter Evangeline Lourdes Arroyo-Bernas, presidential daughter-in- law Maria Victoria Manotok-Arroyo and her daughter Ebie, and the two daughters of Pampanga congressman and presidential son Juan Miguel Arroyo, Mikaela and Monique. Members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) ladies club, the spouses association of PSG officers and enlisted personnel, also went to Malacañang to help in the relief operation.
President Arroyo dropped by the relief center in the evening and personally thanked the volunteers. She was accompanied by PMS head Hermogenes Esperon.
“Oplan Sagip Bayan” is open 24 hours every day and will remain operation for as long as necessary. (PIA-MMIO)
NFA Cagayan Valley assures public of sufficient rice supply
Ruben Reside, NFA regional director said the region has more than sufficient rice stocks that will last up to the 1st quarter next year.
He said the remaining rice supply is expected to be doubled with the provision of another batch of stocks early next year.
Reside bared the report during the agency’s 37th founding anniversary at the NFA warehouse in barangay Magsaysay here which was attended by grains businessmen in the province.
“We have to continue our role to provide sufficient grains supply for our family and for our community,” Reside said.
NFA’s National Grains Industry Week here also featured a thanksgiving mass, tree planting among grains businessmen and members of the media, induction of grains industry officers, fellowship and fun games. (PIA NVizcaya)
