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PGMA inaugurates projects, distributes rice in Guimbal town

Iloilo City (31 January 2006) -- In her recent visit to Guimbal, a southern town of this province, President Arroyo inaugurated projects, distributed iron-fortified rice and awarded Botika ng Bayan certificates of endorsements to beneficiaries which are part of her administration's thrust to provide basic services such as affordable medicines and food as well as to spur domestic tourism.

The President was warmly welcomed by residents, town and barangay officials led by Guimbal Mayor Richard Garin, Congresswoman Janette Garin, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Education Secretary Fe Hidalgo, Presidential Assistant and MEDCO Secretary Jesus Dureza and Presidential Adviser Oscar Garin.

She then led the ribbon cutting of the town's newly - constructed Police/Tourist Information Center, Senior Citizen's Building and the P 11-million Guimbal Gymnasium.

Assisted by Education Secretary Fe Hidalgo, Congresswoman Janette Garin and Mayor Richard Garin, President Arroyo had the symbolic distribution of the 100 sacks of iron-fortified rice under the "Bigas Para sa Mag-aaral at Pamilya" program of the Department of Education (DepEd) by handing out one kilogram of iron-fortified rice to pupil representatives of the 12 public elementary schools in Guimbal.

President Arroyo, assisted by Congresswoman Garin and Mayor Garin, also awarded Botika Ng Bayan certificates of endorsements to the representatives of the seven municipalities in the first district of Iloilo comprising the municipalities of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Tubungan, Miag-ao, Igbaras and San Joaquin.

Before the President's arrival, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales assisted by other government officials led the ribbon cutting of the Botika ng Bayan.

President Arroyo said that she was informed that the medicines that will be sold at the Botika ng Bayan in Guimbal is less than 50 percent of prevailing market price because Congresswoman Garin has directly tapped pharmaceutical companies. The Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) who were given the task to implement this program will receive 20 percent of the total sales of the cheaper medicines as an incentive.

In her speech, President Arroyo said the completion of the proposed construction of the Guimbal Port will make travel from the first district of Iloilo to Negros Occidental easier without having to go to Iloilo City which is 29 kilometers away.

Congresswoman Garin said the bidding of the Guimbal port will be made soon and this is expected to be operational by middle of next year.

Further, President Arroyo announced the plan to construct a railroad from Caticlan, Malay, Aklan to Guimbal so that visitors from the famous tourist destination Boracay Island can also visit this municipality, one of the best tourist destinations in the province.

"Daku nga proyekto, dugay ang preparasyon but we have to start sometime", President Arroyo said in local dialect. She also told the audience that as reflected in the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) the thrust for Central Philippines where Visayas is included is tourism. Having this direction, President Arroyo said that the "most business friendly town" and the "cleanest and greenest" municipality in Western Visayas like Guimbal will become one of the important tourist destinations in the country.

Congresswoman Garin said that while at the Guimbal National High School the President noticed the school's big population and was concerned about the classroom facilities for the students. The President then directed her to allocate P400,000 for the school. She also mentioned that President Arroyo allocated P11 million for the water system of the municipality of Tubungan and another P10 million for the same project in Igbaras while for the repair of the farm to market road in Oton town she allocated P4 million. (PIA)

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