GMA kicks off six-day Mindanao trip today

President Arroyo is bringing the government directly to Mindanao today, kicking off a six-day trip that will take her to as many provinces in an effort to help the region realize its full potential.

In a departure from tradition, the President will lead the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 105th Independence Day celebration on Thursday at the General Santos City Hall, instead of Kawit, Cavite.

On the eve of her Mindanao trip, the President issued an official statement to underscore the objective of bringing the Office of the President to Mindanao.

"Mindanao will never realize its full potential unless government is brought back in the center of the people’s lives, and unless the region’s future is fully integrated into the future of the entire nation," she said.

The President vowed that she will "make sure that our strategic directions are on track, and being applied in a manner that could bring the earliest peace and the most development for the poor."

Upon her arrival in Manila on May 25 from a successful state visit to the United States, the President wanted to move up her previously scheduled trips to Mindanao to last week. This move was aborted due to the onslaught of typhoon "Chedeng."

Mrs. Arroyo decided to stick to the original schedule for her Mindanao trip, which will be from June 10 to 17. This comes after her return from trips to South Korea and Japan Friday night.

"Coming from Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo in the past few weeks, Mindanao is the logical point of action and reform," she said.

On these three foreign trips, the President was able to secure more official development assistance (ODAs) for government projects in Mindanao. The bulk of the funding comes from the United States Aid for International Development for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

"The recent months have brought into focus the inextricable link between foreign and domestic issues, between security and economic issues. The convergence of these issues is seen in Mindanao, where we are in the thick of the fight against terrorism and poverty, utilizing the full range of externally sourced and domestic resources," she said.

While holding office in Mindanao for the next six days, Mrs. Arroyo and her Cabinet officials will ensure the implementation of the P5.5 billion Mindanao National Initiative or "Mindanao Natin" program for this year, according to Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye.

He said that aside from the P5.5 billion provided for the program, there is also $1.3 billion in ODAs to finance priority projects in ARMM.

"This is a very ambitious project for the development of Mindanao and there is a big budget allocated for this for the local funding and peso counterparts for the foreign funding," Bunye said.

He added that the Mindanao Natin program will be implemented within the next 12 to 14 months in more than 5,000 barangays in ARMM, and Regions 9 and 12.

Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo’s scheduled trip to Mindanao is very important, since it aims to ensure the implementation of infrastructure, livelihood and other development programs in Mindanao.

"She has set one day each for the six regions so she could personally supervise the implementation of Mindanao Natin," he said.

The first leg of the President’s Mindanao trip is Davao City, where she will convene her Cabinet today at the Marco Polo Hotel and later meet with local government executives and business leaders.

She will then fly to Sarangani to inaugurate a new bridge, hold a press conference at the General Santos City fishport complex and lead the graduation rites for a batch of barangay tanod trained in anti-terrorism measures. She will also meet with local officials in General Santos.