Friday, 05 March 2010

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:

1.) government upgraded 35 national hospitals worth P500 million in 2007
2.) 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
3.)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. (PND)