GMA, Noli set for weekend visit

President Gloria Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro are expected to be in Cebu this weekend to grace separate events.

Arroyo will give recognition to the 700 members of Lupon Tagapamayapa of Cebu City and will be the guest during the gathering of local government officials at the Cebu International Convention Center on Friday.

On the other hand, De Castro will be the keynote speaker at the Cebu City Urban Poor Congress at the St. Theresa’s College on Saturday.

Arroyo’s visit came more than a week after Senate star witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada visited Cebu, where he got a cold welcome from government and church officials.

Cebu is known as an “Arroyo country” and was believed to be instrumental in making her win the 2004 presidential elections by delivering at least one million votes for her. 

The Philippine Information Agency, however, said yesterday that it has not yet received any official advisory from Malacañang on President Arroyo’s visit to Cebu on Friday.

City administrator Francisco Fernandez said that Arroyo already confirmed that she would personally give the Galing Pook Award to Cebu City and give recognition to the Lupon Tagapamayapa (barangay peace volunteers) that was instrumental in the city’s winning the award.

But the giving of the award is merely ceremonial considering that the Galing Pook Awards was already held last February 28 in Malacañang.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña did not personally receive the award and instead sent Councilor Edgardo Labella to the awarding ceremonies.

Fernandez said that the ceremonial giving of the award will be held at 9 a.m. on March 28 at the White Gold House.

Osmeña has requested Arroyo to come and honor the Lupon members by her presence to “let them to know that they are the best that is why I want the President to come here and give the award to them.”

Osmeña had said that the credit should go to the more than 700 Lupon members who are instrumental in the city’s winning of the award.

The city won the “Galing Pook Award” award for its exemplary project, which is the strengthening the barangay justice system in the grassroots.

It is among the 10 winners of the award, which is given to local government units for their outstanding and trailblazing local governance programs.

Reports also said that Arroyo is also expected to grace the gathering of the Cebu municipal and city officials at the CICC.

In the afternoon, she will stand as principal sponsor at the wedding of the nephew of Presidential Assistance for the Visayas Felix Guanzon. - Wenna A. Berondo/LPM