Arroyo expected to praise economic accomplishments during address

Manila: President Gloria Arroyo is expected to praise her administration's economic accomplishments when she delivers her 7th State of the Nation Address today.

According to a statement released by the presidential palace, Arroyo is set to highlight progress made by her administration in implementing priority infrastructure facilities throughout the country.

Billed as key components of the government's economic development and delivery of basic services programmes, these projects include road networks, airports, seaports and farm-to-market roads.

A document released by Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo included updates on major projects in the five Super Regions: North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, the Central Philippines; the Urban Beltway, Mindanao and the IT Corridor.

In her 2006 report to the nation, Arroyo unveiled her blueprint of the Super Regions economic plan, or Phase 3 of the Medium-Term Public Investment Programme.

The economic concept of the Super Regions programme underscored the need "to invest in the natural advantages and natural resources of a section of our nation so that when harnessed together, the major economic regions are larger than the sum of its parts," Arroyo said.

Modern nation

"It [Super Regions] is the blueprint of the only viable future. We must invest in the vital infrastructure that is the backbone of a modern nation," she added.

Several major infrastructure projects are entering the final stages of completion, including the Subic-Clark-Tarlac in northern Philippines, and several other major highways.

In the central Philippines, more roads are being built and improved to enhance tourism and the movement of people and goods in Panay Island, where the world famous Boracay is located.

Among the completed projects are the Jagna Port in Bohol, which links the Visayas and Mindanao.

Twenty-one other air terminals are scheduled to be completed before the President bows out of office in 2010, while three more would be operational by 2011.