Arroyo expected in Cebu today

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to make a major policy statement during her brief but hectic visit here today, according to Assistant Press Secretary Martin Crisostomo.

Arroyo is expected to arrive in Cebu at 11:30 a.m. to attend the grand opening of the Hilton Cebu Hotel and Resort Spa and the inauguration of the uprating projects of the National Transmission Commission. She is also expected to address the participants of the Sangguniang Kabataan Congress and have a dialog with local businessmen. To cap her stay in the province, she is expected to visit the bird sanctuary in Olango Island.

The SK Congress and the inauguration of the Transco projects were supposed to be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel but these were transferred to the Hilton Hotel, according to Crisostomo, because the President has to return to Manila immediately.

Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano, Media Affairs Secretary Cerge Remonde, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Environment Secretary Michael Defensor will be joining the Arroyo.

The President will lead the ribbon cutting at the Hilton, as well as the ceremonial switch-on of Transco's Leyte-Cebu Interconnection Uprating Project and Mactan-Cebu Interconnection Project.

The LCIUP and MCIP were launched by Arroyo in May this year and October last year. These projects are expected to increase the carrying capacity of Transco's submarine cables for ample supply of electricity for Cebu and the Visayas grid.

After the ceremonial switch-on, Arroyo will address the delegates of the SK Congress, the officials of the Hilton Hotel, Transco and local businessmen. Secretary Crisostomo said that this is where the President is to make her policy statement. He, however, said that they do not know what this statement is about.

The President will then have a private lunch with members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, then proceed to the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary to show that we are still bird-flu free despite the thousands of migratory birds that visit different areas in the country. Arroyo will then fly back to Manila at 3 p.m. - Wenna A. Berondo