Seamless rail travel in Metro now possible
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led a ground-breaking commuter train ride along the 39-kilometer
MRT-LRT loop project to introduce the riding public to interconnected travel around Metro Manila.
After leading the commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the February 1986 People Power Revolution at
EDSA, the President rode the elevated rail from the Santolan Station of the Metro Rail transit to the Trinoma
station and then followed the new route to Monumento. The P6.3 billion Trinoma-Monumento line which is now
nearing completion, closes the rail loop around Metro Manila.
From Monumento, the President continued the ride to Pasay City using the LRT 1 line and back to Santolan
aboard the MRT.
The President said the loop project fulfills one part of her 10-point agenda called the BEAT THE ODDS which
she said will be her legacy of accomplishments to the Filipino people.
Citing the significance of the MRT-LRT interconnecton, the President said the project “binds the metropolis as
never before so people can travel faster, cheaper and safer in any part of the metropolis to another.”
“This is the fastest, cheapest and safest mode of transportation for the ordinary Filipino,” she said. “This is
katas ng VAT(value added tax).”
Aboard the train coach LRTA general manager Mel Robles briefed the Presidential party, which included Vice
President Noli de Castro, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, and Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza,
on the loop project.
Mendoza said the “the loop project” will be opened to the commuting public on March 15 and by June, a single
ticket for the MRT and LRT will be introduced.
The whole loop is 39 kilometers long with 112 trains and 148 coaches.
The project involved the construction of a 5.71- kilometer elevated line seamlessly from Monumento Station of
Line 1 to North Avenue Station of Line 3.
The scope of work included civil and architectural works—construction of a viaduct and three new stations—
Balintawak, Roosevelt and the central station.
The Balintawak station will provide modal interchange for bus and jeepney services entering Metro Manila from
the north via the North Luzon Expressway.
The project also involved the construction of a P777-million Grand Central Terminal, which will connect the
existing MRT Line 3 to future lines such as MRT 7.
LRT Line 1 currently runs from Baclaran in Pasay City to Monumento in Caloocan City. Metro Rail Transit (MRT)
Line 3 runs from the intersection of Edsa and Taft Avenue in Pasay City up to the North Avenue in Quezon City.
Upon completion, the loop is expected to serve about 1.3 million passengers daily compared to 400,000 before
the Arroyo administration embarked on the project.
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Cebu confers order of Rajah Humabon on PGMA
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CEBU CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was conferred last night (Feb. 24) the Order of Rajah
Humabon award by the City Government here for her “immense contribution to the growth and economic
development” of the city.
Mayor Tomas Osmena conferred the award during the 73rd Cebu City Charter Day at the Sports Complex here.
The Order of Rajah Humabon is the highest award given by the city government under Ordinance No. 1502
approved on Feb. 23, 1994.
In her acceptance speech, the Chief Executive thanked the people of Cebu particularly the local leaders led by
Mayor Osmena.
“Thank you so much for the honor that you have given me, the highest honor that the city government can give.
And I’m grateful for that,” the President said.
“I think that it is a gesture of your support for me as you have always supported me. And I’d like to thank you not
only for tonight but for the way that you have been so kind to my family starting from my grandfather and my
mother many, many years ago,” she stressed.
The President emphasized that what gratifies her was that she “can feel that the people of Cebu also love me in
return. You have given me such great support -- for senator, for vice president and for president. And that is the
reason why I felt it was justified that I would break tradition and do my oath-taking as president right here in
Cebu city.
“And also I felt justified that in order to spread development around the country and not just concentrate
economic and political power in Manila, there should be another Malacanang somewhere else in our country.
And where else should that be but in the very important Queen City of the South, Cebu city,” she said.
According to the President, she was not mistaken in picking Cebu as the host of the ASEAN Summit in 2007
“because even after I attended many other summits, the heads of state would still continue to talk about their
wonderful event here in Cebu city and Cebu province.”
The President said that for practical reasons she decided to have a Malacanang sa Sugbo because “I felt that if I
am going to do governance for the people of the south, it is really easier for them to fly to Cebu to see me and
talk to me than to fly to Manila.”
The President noted that she goes to Cebu many times not just to do local events but to do national things and
national governance. “And that makes me visit Cebu even more often than when I have to do something here as
part of Cebu city’s events,” she said.
The President cited her most significant memory in Cebu during her administration – the inauguration of the
Cebu South Coastal Road in 2004.
“I think that was one of the great events of my presidency and the times that I have spent here in Cebu city. And I
congratulate you for all of the progress to the city of Cebu from time immemorial up to today. Indeed Cebu
continues to be the Queen City of the South. And I congratulate not only the officials but also the business
community because you have made such a successful economy here in Cebu city. Congratulations to all of
you,” she said.
In order to spread development away from an inequitable concentration in Metro Manila, the President stressed
that her administration has created the Super Regions, based on competitive economic advantages.
“We have the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, we have the Urban Luzon Beltway, we have the
Agribusiness Mindanao, we have the Cyber Corridor, and we have the Tourism Central Philippines. Cebu city is
a Queen City of two of those super regions, the Cyber Corridor and the Central Philippines Tourism, she said.
The President said that the last time she was in Cebu, “one of the things that we did was to celebrate because
Cebu City has been named by the BPO industry as the world’s number one emerging BPO destination.”
She expressed elation over Cebu city’s importance in the BPO industry aside from the importance of Cebu in
tourism.
“So indeed Cebu city is an excellent example that progress of Cebu is something that we can all be proud of not
only here in Cebu city but also in the Philippines. And therefore for such a successful, driving, ever improving,
ever growing, ever more successful city, the more I am more honored that you have given me the highest honor
that you can give,” the President concluded.
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PGMA leads BIR’s bread and buttter large taxpayers campaign
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the annual Large Taxpayers Service (LTS) campaign of the Bureau
of Internal Revenue (BIR) at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, to raise awareness of the
importance of paying taxes correctly and on time to finance government’s programs.
This was the first time the President attended the annual LTS campaign since its inception in 1999. Last year, it
accounted for 62 percent of BIR’s total collection.
BIR’s target collection this year is P830 billion, which is more than half of the revenues needed to fund the P1.54
trillion national budget.
The President also led the awarding of membership to the Billionaires’ Club of the country’s four largest
taxpayers: Manila Electric Corp. (Meralco) and Nestle Phils. Inc. for the regular group and San Miguel Corp.
(SMC) and Holcim Phils Inc. under the excise group.
The Billionaire’s Club is a special group within LTS’ 1,370 corporate accounts whose tax payments increased
by more than P1 billion, or by at least 20 percent during the year.
Assisting the President during the event were Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and BIR Commissioner Joel
Tan-Torres.
Torres reported to the President that the BIR exceeded its collection target for December 2009 and January
2010 by 13 percent and 18 percent, respectively. In December, the BIR collected P68.2 billion compared to its
target of P60 billion. Last month, the BIR preliminary data showed collections at P63.3 billion, higher than its
P56 billion target.
Torres said the BIR’s major’s thrust for this year is to strengthen its the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program,
and enhance public service through the “Handog Maglingkod Program” which will be launched next month.
Torres then presented to the President her “Legacy Scroll”, which symbolizes the BIR’s total tax collection
amounting to P5.1 trillion during the President’s nine years in office.
Meanwhile, Teves said the early launching of the BIR’s LTS campaign gives taxpayers more time to pay their
taxes.
“Paying the right taxes is our contribution to nation building,” Teves said.
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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY COMMEMORATES THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1986 EDSA
PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION
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25 FEBRUARY 2010, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Embassy of the Philippines commemorated the 24th
Anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution today with a flag raising ceremony led by Philippine
Ambassador to the United States Willy C. Gaa. A quintet of officers, Minister and Consul Ariel Penaranda, First
Secretary and Consul Arlene Magno, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Angelito Nayan, Third Secretary and Vice
Consul Robert Borje and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Corina Apostol delivered a choral rendition of the
Philippine National Anthem. A short video presentation highlighting the memorable events of the peaceful
revolution that led to the restoration of democracy in the Philippines was likewise featured.
In his remarks, Ambassador Gaa said, “from all walks of life and from many political persuasions, Filipinos
were drawn together to Epifanio delos Santos Avenue to say with conviction – as individuals and as a nation -
‘NO and Never again to authoritarianism and dictatorship.’ That message resonated around the globe. And the
events that followed are now a lasting legacy of the Filipino people to all freedom-loving peoples of the world.”
“Today I say, let us transform that brief shining moment in 1986 into a lasting beacon that guides us all in our
actions as we work for a Philippines that is truly free, peaceful, prosperous and progressive.” END.
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