LEGAZPI CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced here on Friday that the Bicol region is no longer second to the poorest region in the country today which is the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

I want to congratulate Bicol. It has already graduated from being one of the poorest regions in the country,” she said during a press conference held at Legazpi City Airport lounge.

Rep. Joey Salceda (3rd district, Albay) who was with the President explained that under the Arroyo administration, the poverty threshold has been reduced from 5 to 6 percent in 2000 to 4.3 percent today. “That’s the single dramatic reduction in poverty in any region,” the Albay lawmaker pointed out.

On the clamor of Bicolanos to be given preferential power rates because it is host to two geothermal plants, President Arroyo replied that only the royalties from this natural wealth could be used to lower cost of electricity in Albay. But no preferential rates, she reiterated.

Salceda added to explain that Bicol can’t ask for any preferential rates because the Tiwi Geothermal Plant produces only 35 megawatts out of the 8,600 MW needed by the Luzon Grid. “We contribute less than one-tenth of one percent to the Luzon Grid,” Salceda said.

The President revealed that the country has been divided into four economic areas: Northern Luzon and Mindanao for agribusiness; Central Luzon to Southern Tagalog for industrial development; Central Philippines, Bicol, Visayas and Northern Islands of Mindanao for tourism. However, she failed to identify the fourth area.

Meanwhile, in the same press conference, PNP chief Director Gen. Arturo C. Lomibao presented to the President and to the media Clarito Arizabal Jr., 38, alias Boy Zapanta, the suspected gunman in the killing of radio commentator Rowell Endrinal, alias “Mr. Guwapo,” near his house on Feb. 11, 2004.

Lomibao said the arrest of Arizabal in Barangay Arimbay, Legazpi City last Thursday was the result of more that one year of manhunt operation for the killers of the hardhitting broadcaster.

For the arrest of Arizabal, the PNP chief commended the operatives of Task Force Newsman, headed by Senior Supt. Pedro Tango, former provincial director of Albay, and Chief Supt. Victor Boco, Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 chief and the participation of the community.

He said Arizabal, who carries a P150,000 reward for his arrest, has been convicted of robbery-homicide in Masbate in 1994.

In an interview with some newsmen, Arizabal allegedly admitted that he is a hired killer but he denied any participation in the Edrinal killing.

Asked what the local media could expect from her administration to solve the killings of media practitioners, like John Villanueva Jr., former vice mayor of Camalig, Albay and a radio broadcaster, and broadcaster Claire Domingo, the president replied what the government had set aside P5 million media fund: P2 million of which will be used as rewards leading to the solution or arrest of media killers, another P2 million for the Witness Protection Program, and P1 million for the upgrading of PNP facilities.

When she was asked if her war against jueteng is only temporary, the President said she has a livelihood program for displaced jueteng bet collectors. She also asked Gen. Lomibao to explain the serious campaign against jueteng.

“Ma’am, I already gave the ultimatum to my commanders. According to report I gathered , as of noontime yesterday, Luzon is jueteng free. However, this has to be validated with the cooperation of our civilian friends, and the community because we don’t know what’s happening on the ground,” Lomibao reported.

He said he had also sought the help of the parish priests or religious leaders and the local government executives to help in the fight against jeuteng.

“If we find out that our commanders are not complying with our directives, they’ll be summarily relieved,” Lomibao said.

After the press conference, the President and her party motored to the new Legazpi City Public Market for the ribbon-cutting and inauguration.

She was also scheduled to visit the Misibis Resort in Cagraray Island, Bacacay, Albay and to Pantao, Libon to inaugurate Pantao Port. In the afternoon, the President was scheduled to fly to Pili, Camarines Sur to visit the Kaogma Festival and to address the 14th Southern Luzon Area Business Conference to be held at the Convention Center, Pili, Camarines Sur.