Thursday, June 21, 2007 Radaza, Lapu officials to take oath before President Arroyo today
ELEVEN Lapu-Lapu City officials, led by reelected Mayor Arturo Radaza, will take their oath of office before President Arroyo at the MIP Lounge of Mactan Cebu International Airport today.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Chief Executive Director Cerge Remonde said 12 Eastern Samar officials, led by reelected Gov. Ben Evardone will also take their oath of office with the Lapu-Lapu City officials at 11 a.m.
Fayette Riñen of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 7 said that Malacañang does not see any legal impediments for Arroyo to officiate Radaza’s oathtaking because while he is under suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas due to the decorative lamp posts case, he got a fresh mandate from the people of Lapu-Lapu City.
The oath-taking will also be held amid protests by Radaza’s opponent’s camp on his proclamation.
Welcome
The president is expected to arrive at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base at 9:45 a.m. and will go to Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa to speak before the 2nd Annual Philippine Investment Conference.
She will be welcomed by Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia; Ana Sharp, president of the Asia Pacific Euromoney Conferences; Department of Finance Secretary Margarito Teves; and Shangri-la general manager Timothy Wright.
Teves will introduce Arroyo to the conference participants.
After her speech, Arroyo will have a brief private meeting with Deutsche Bank vice president Chris Burnham.
Riñen said Arroyo will stay in Cebu for only two hours because she will proceed to Vigan, Ilocos Sur at noon to attend the birthday of defeated senatorial candidate and close ally Chavit Singson.
Remonde said that after a late lunch at Singson’s residence, Arroyo will officiate the oath-taking of reelected Ilocos Sur officials before having another private meeting.
She will visit a multi-line processing plant and will have an informal interaction with farmers/irrigators.
The conference, which is considered one of the important events in the Philippines, will last until tomorrow.
It is also considered as the highest profile investment conference for the Philippines and Cebu in 2007 and is aimed to bring together leading Philippine corporations, political leaders and key international and domestic investors.
The conference will also provide a platform for top policy-makers and financiers to demonstrate to the global markets the business, trade and investment opportunities now available in the country.
In its website, Euromoney stated that the key sectors to be addressed will include banking, consumer goods, information technology, infrastructure, mining, power and energy, real estate, and telecommunications. (EOB)
