PGMA hails private-public housing in Laguna for Metro Manila's poor, disaster victims
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CALAUAN, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo thanked today the private sector and local government
here for complementing her relocation program for Metro Manilas’ homeless and disaster- affected families
with new housing sites free from pollution and congestion and which provides job and livelihood opportunities.
The Chief Executive visited this morning Calauan town where a model public-private housing project has been
set up for the marginalized sector.
On board a tour bus, she conducted a windshield inspection of the Southville-7 housing project of the National
Housing Authority (NHA) in joint partnership with the BayaniJuan sa Southville-7 township program of ABS-CBN
Foundation. The Foundation is headed by managing director and BayaniJuan president Gina Lopez.
The President was the guest of honor at the first anniversary celebration of BayaniJuan sa Southville-7 at the
Oscar M. Lopez Dayap Elementary School in Barangay Dayap.
In her speech, the President thanked Ms. Lopez, the local government of Calauan, Laguna and the private
donors for the Southville-7 which offered decent living for the homeless and disaster victims from Metro Manila.
Since 2001, the President said more than 800,000 families are now homeowners under the government’s
socialized housing and land tenure security program.
The President said an additional 300,000 low-cost housing units were built under her administration.
“So we have given more than a million families across the nation a chance to meet their goal of home
ownership,” the President said.
The President earlier contributed P30 million to the ABS-CBN and BayaniJuan Foundation for the rehabilitation
of 108 housing units and establishment of 100 solar street lamps in Southville-7. Also benefited by the funds
was the rehabilitation and clean-up of the Paco market reportedly a major cause of garbage and sewage
problems in the Pasig River.
During her visit, the President said she will try to provide more solar street lamps in Southville-7 to further
preserve the peace and security in the area.
Among the ongoing and proposed projects the President inspected include the proposed sites of the
BayaniJuan Livelihood Center, SM Foundation Health & Wellness Center, Lopez Group Training Center, Aboitiz
Livelihood Center, a wet and dry market, a materials recovery facility (MRF), a DSWD day-care center, a solar
power and a police station project in the area.
During the tour, Lopez told the President that some 4,600 families have been relocated to the BayaniJuan sa
Southville7 most of them from danger zones in Paco including those affected by Typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and
Santi last year in Metro Manila.
With the support coming from the government, non-government organizations and the private sector, the
families in Southville-7 were also provided livelihood opportunities and trainings by the Technology Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
With the help of the NHA, Lopez said the Oscar M. Lopez Dayap Elementary School was established and a high
school will also be put up in the area soon.
The President instructed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to provide families with vegetable seedlings and
composting facilities such as shredders for the Gulayan ng Masa in the area.
Other donors recognized here are San Miguel Corp. (SMC) which donated P21 million to the ABS-CBN
Foundation for the construction of 300 houses for relocated residents from the Estero de Paco in Manila.
The President personally checked the proposed market to be built thru the help of the private construction
company, the DMCI, and a playground donated by outsourcing leader Telus International Philippines.
The President arrived here with Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. and former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.
They were welcomed by thousands of residents led by Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro, Calauan Mayor
George Berris, Barangay Dayap Chairperson Roberto Ramilo, NHA General Manager Federico Laxa, and
officials from private donor institutions.
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PGMA inaugurates P59.4-M Dasmariñas Community Affairs Building in Cavite
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DASMARINAS CITY, Cavite -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo inaugurated the newly constructed Dasmarinas
Community Affairs Building during her visit here this morning.
Joining the President for the inaugural activities that included ribbon cutting and inspection of building facilities
were Press Secretary Crispulo Icban, Jr and local officials and staff led by Dasmarinas City mayor Jennifer
Barzaga and Cavite 2nd Dist. Rep. Elpidio Barzaga.
Built at a cost of P59.4-million, the DASCA is the city government's response to provide equal representation for
their constituents in need.
The DASCA is envisioned to redirect concern towards various sectors of society such as senior citizens, street
children, children with autism and persons with disabilities.
The three-storey DASCA is equipped with the best safety and ergonomic features that include elevators, access
ramps, a multi-purpose hall, a medical and dental center as well as a physical therapy center to bring greater
medical accessibility to Dasmarinas residents.
Government offices such as the City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Tourism Office, City
Environment and Natural Resources Office, Environmental Sanitation Unit and the City Disaster Coordinating
Council are also located within the DASCA premises to bring government service closer to the people of
Dasmarinas.
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Impact of PGMA’s economic reforms will still be felt years after – business leaders
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The country’s business leaders today said the full benefits of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s economic
and social reforms will continue to be felt in years to come.
“While we are already reaping the benefits of the President’s economic and social reforms at this time, the full
result will be felt by generations to come,” said Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president
Francis Chua.
Chua said the President’s economic and social reforms were made “even at the expense of political capital,”
but which preserved and sustained jobs and attained industrial peace, while businesses and investments
continued to grow despite the global crisis.
The President was the guest of honor and speaker at today’s closing of the two-day 31st National Conference of
Employers (NCE) conducted by the Employer’s Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) at the Manila Hotel.
Dr. Alfonso Uy, president of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc
(FFCCCII), said these reforms helped Philippine business cope with and overcome difficulties during the global
crisis.
Uy said the peso is strong, exports are up for the fourth straight month, foreign investments are up, and the
tourism industry is booming.
In her speech, the President thanked business leaders for their support since 2001 when she assumed the
presidency, particularly in her reforms to pump prime the economy and make the Philippines more globally
competitive.
With the full support of the local business industry, the President said the Philippines attained a record 37
consecutive quarters of growth while creating nine million new jobs during her administration.
To date, the President said business and investments continue to grow while the country achieved an improved
credit rating, having an acceptable debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio at a time when other countries
agreed that it is not yet time for an exit strategy from the global crisis policies.
The President said both the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) have also
exceeded their targets for the first quarter of this year, while self-rated poverty this year stood at 43 percent, the
lowest in 23 years.
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Employers-labor harmony ensures economic growth--PGMA
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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today lauded the country’s employers and labor sectors for keeping
industrial peace that helped ensure national economic growth.
Speaking at the closing day of the National Conference of Employers at the Manila Hotel, the President said
harmony between employers and labor has kept the number of labor strike at an “all-time low” despite that
Philippine labor laws that are considered the most democratic in Asia.
“A major source of our economic strength is our harmonious industrial relations system. The number of strikes
in the country is at an all-time low, low even if our labor law is one of Asia’s most democratic. This is because
you, our employers and you our labor leaders are able to communicate with one another in a professional and
open manner without resorting to bluster and threats. You have agreed that the fastest way to resolve
differences is over the negotiating table, not through messy strikes and lockouts,“ she told the employers’
gathering, which included the nation’s top corporations and business organizations.
With government in the tripartite partnership, the President said the nation was able to deal with the global
economic crises in a collective and non-partisan way.
“I cite the leadership and constructive role of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) in all these
dialogues,” she said.
The President said a result of the tripartite partnership was keeping “millions of jobs intact and creating even
more along the way even during the global crisis.”
With 37 consecutive quarters of growth posted by the country, the President said nine millions jobs were created
for which, she said the employers’ sector should be praised.
Citing once more the impact of her aggressive economic reforms, she said decisions, especially in the public
financial sector, were made even at the expense of her being unpopular.
The President cited her championing of the expanded value added tax (EVAT) as an unpopular decision, which
turned over to be very beneficial. “We were able to turn around the dire financial situation we inherited from the
past,” she said, adding the tax measure provided much of the government investments in infrastructure,
information technology and resources for basic social services.
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DFA IMPLEMENTS APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR PASSPORT APPLICATIONS
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The Philippine Embassy wishes to announce that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is now implementing
an appointment system for applications of both new and renewal of passports made with the Office of Consular
Affairs (OCA) in Manila. OCA recently relocated to its new site at the Aseana Business Park, on the corner of
Bradco Street and Macapagal Avenue in Paranaque City.
To schedule an appointment, applicants are requested to log in at www.passport.com.ph or by calling 737-
1000. They may also call 831-8971, 551-4437, 551-4402, 834-4424, 836-7760, 836-7748, 836-7750 or 834-
4835 for queries and more details. Other contact information is also posted at www.dfa.gov.ph.
The relevant passport fees in the Philippines are as follows:
Regular Processing – 20 days
Php 950.00
Express Processing – 10 days
Php 1,200.00
Lost Passport (Additional Fee)
Php 200.00
Applicants are also reminded that there is no need to submit a photo as it will be taken by the machines during
the enrolment and data capturing process. Everyone is advised to be at the OCA at least thirty (30) minutes
before their scheduled appointment. Applications filed without an appointment will not be entertained. END.
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