Atlas Mines to reopen this year - Arroyo

Like one of the wise men visiting the Holy Child Jesus at the manger, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who visited Toledo City during the Feast the Three Kings yesterday brought good news to the residents of the mining city - the reopening of the Atlas Mines.

The President was in Toledo City as guest of honor for the 46th Charter day celebration.

In her speech during the 46th Charter Day of Toledo City yesterday, Arroyo said that the year 2006 is full of good news because of the hardwork, discipline and support of the Filipinos to the government.

She said that before she flew to Cebu, she instructed the Department of Budget and Management to release half a billion pesos to subsidize the Philhealth enrolment for the poor.

According to her, she already instructed the DBM to allocate P35 billion for the education, health, housing, food, and public works for this year.

The President compared the state of the Philippines to "like a patient in intensive care" before, but now, it has big hope as the economy is doing well and the peso is strengthening against the dollar.

She also expressed optimism that the country would be free from all the problems that it is facing.

With the country slowly recovering from the economic slump, Arroyo said, more investors also expressed interest to invest here.

In the case of Atlas, she said that it is reopening this year with fresh investments of US$300 million while the government also strengthened its mineral development program for responsible mining.

When the mining operation in Toledo City was closed, many residents of Toledo lost their jobs, but the President said that they would eventually be back to work when the mining firm reopens this year.

In order to also help the industry, she encouraged local leaders and the residents to support the government's mineral development program to revive the mining industry and promote responsible mining.

Atlas has linked up with a British company for the rehabilitation and reopening of the mine this year. She said that investors from China and India had also expressed interest in Atlas, but Fred Ramos, the firm's owner chose to partner with the British company, said the President during the lunch and interaction with the media.

Environment Secretary Michael Defensor said that the people have nothing to fear because the government is stringently promoting responsible mining. He added that Toledo City will also benefit a lot from the reopening of Atlas because 60 percent of the taxes that would be collected from the firm will be paid to the local government.

Prior the media interaction and lunch, Arroyo led the ceremonial switch on of the seven millionth household that benefited from the rural electrification program of the national government.

Before she entered the Barba Sports Complex for the charter day program, Arroyo led the unveiling of the marker on Katipunan Street, which has been renamed Diosdado Macapagal Highway in honor of the late President Diosdado Macapagal, Arroyo's father.

She then checked the half-priced medicines sold at the Botica sa Barangay located outside the complex.

During the program, she also led the distribution of the 32 certificates of land ownership to the farmers from Toledo City and other municipalities and certificate of patents to farmers aside from handing the awards to outstanding Toledohanons and the distribution of health cards to 4,967 residents. - Wenna A. Berondo