The President made the appeal in her one-page Lenten message where she implored the people to reflect meaningfully upon the passion and death of Jesus Christ as they take time off from hectic work schedule and spend it with their families and loved ones in the provinces.
"Pag-isapan nating mabuti kung ano pa ang ating magagawa bilang pagsunod sa Kanyang utos at aral. Kailangan din nating pasanin ang ating sariling krus. Kailangan din nating magmalasakit at dumamay sa ating kapwa. Kailangan nating magalay bawat isa ng tulong para sa kapakanan ng bansa," she said.
Mrs. Arroyo said all she wanted was to finish what she has initiated, notably in putting a final end to the massive poverty in the country.
"Magtulungan tayo para sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ng ating bansa. Magkaisa tayo para sa maginhawang pamumuhay nating lahat. At tulad din ng Kanyang muling pagkabuhay, ang ating mga pagsisikap ay maghahatid sa atin ng isang magandang bukas," she added.
She placed the country’s seaports and airports on a 24-hour heightened alert to ensure safety.
"Our sea and airports are under 24-hour surveillance," she announced.
The President, however, remained confident that the government will win in the fight against local and international troublemakers.
Meanwhile, the President welcomed the Sandiganbayan’s decision granting her predecessor, former President Joseph Estrada, a three-day Lenten retreat at his resthouse which is just a few meters away from his detention cell in Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.
"We welcome the Sandiganbayan decision on the request for a Lenten break by former President Joseph Estrada. The granting of the three-day retreat reflects the true meaning of the Lenten season," she said in her official press statement.
Need for change
MOUNT SAMAT, Pilar, Bataan — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday underscored need for the Filipino people to change and think not only of their personal interests but also of the nation and their fellow men.
In her speech at the Dambana ng Kagitingan here as part of the celebration of the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), the President said the Filipinos’ enemy today is not foreign invaders but themselves.
"Ang kaaway natin ngayon ay hindi estranghero kung hindi ang kapwa Pilipino na ang hanap ay sariling interes, hindi pambansang malasakit (Our enemy today is not a foreigner but our fellow Filipinos who are only after their self-interests and not the interests of the nation)," the President said.
The President particularly cited Japan, saying that the country’s tormentor in World War 2 is now the major source of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and investments that have helped create jobs in the Philippines.
She appealed to the people to help her face the new challenges and the new threats to society.
"Tulungan ninyo ako sa aking ipinaglalaban na pagbabago, hindi lamang sa pagbabago ng lipunan o pamahalaan, kung hindi sa pagbabago ng sarili, ng sariling diwa, ng sariling puso, ng sariling kaluluwa (Help me in my fight for change, not only in changing society or government but also in changing one’s self, one’s spirit, one’s heart, one’s soul," the President said.
According to the President, the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9, which falls on Good Friday, makes the occasion all the more significant.
She exhorted all the World War 2 veterans and the new generation of Filipinos to help her, while commemorating the Lenten season and the Fall of Bataan, in forging ahead a new sense of unity.
"Iisa lamang ang ating bansa, iisa lamang ang ating kapalaran, iisa lamang ang ating hinaharap, uunlad tayo or lulugmok tayo nang sama-sama (We have only one nation, one fate, one future, and together we will either rise or fall)," the President said.
It is only fitting, the President said, that we should all give due recognition not only to those who have shed blood in the battlefields but also to those who have stadfastly worked for the betterment of their countrymen.
Faster processing ordered
PILAR, Bataan — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered yesterday the Philippine Veterans Administration Office (PVAO) to speed up the processing of pending applications for veterans’ benefits.
President Arroyo said that P40 billion has been set aside for pensions and benefits for some 260,000 veterans. She directed that the veterans list be cleaned up so that only genuine veterans would get pensions and benefits
The President issued the directive during the Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week at the Dambana ng Kagitingan in Mount Samat here.
The President said that the money set aside for Filipino veterans is actually P9 billion more than the P31 billion set aside by the previous administration. The increased outlay is designed to meet increases in benefits.
The President has raised old age pension rates, increased to 20,000 the number of veterans’ dependents who received educational benefits, extended burial assistance to 20,000, and hospital benefits to 4,000 aging veterans.
The free medical and dental missions undertaken by the PVAO also benefited another 20,000 veterans in the provinces. The President said that over 70 percent of the veterans’ pension are now received through direct bank remittances.
The President recalled that during her state visit to the United States last year, President George W. Bush gave medical equipment worth more than P50 million to the Philippine Veterans Hospital.
President Bush also signed two laws which raised to $40 million the health care benefits and other privileges of Filipino veterans living in the US.
In her speech at the shrine, the President extolled the Veterans Federation of the Philippines under the leadership of retired Col. Emmanuel de Ocampo and other veterans groups for strengthening their influence in the policy-making of her administration.
The Mount Samat ceremony was attended by the diplomatic corps headed by US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Joseph Mussomelli and his Japanese counterpart, Akio Egawa.
Aside from them, Bataan Gov. Leandro Roman, Bataan Rep. Antonino Roman, Bataan Vice Gov. Rogelio Roque, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Felicito Payumo also attended.
Cabinet members present included Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Press Secretary Milton Alingod.
Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia and the chiefs of the major AFP service commands were also in attendance.
