Manila – Philippine Presidential Palace spokepersons speaking from Malacanang say that the country’s law enforcement agencies and concerned government agencies are beefing up security preparations to ensure the safety and protection of all foreign and local officials who will attend the 45th Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Meeting which will take place on May 2-5 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
"Nagkaroon na po ng several coordination meetings between the agencies concerned with security measures," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
Around 3,000 policemen from the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) were tapped to handle the perimeter security at the airport and hotels where the delegates will be checked in, and at the PICC in Pasay City.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will open “courtesy lanes” for delegates.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said alternate truck routes could be utilized by trucks from May 2-5, from 4am to 9pm. This will be strictly implemented during the four-day ADB conference.
Finance ministers and central bank governors, representatives from international organizations, private sector, civil society, and global media are expected to attend the ADB’s annual meeting.
The Asian Development Bank which was established in 1966 and based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
Meanwhile, the Aquino administration’s national government anti poverty program the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has already extended assistance to over three million households as of March as it pursues its economic and social reforms aimed at alleviating the plight of impoverished families, a Palace official said on Friday.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that the number of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program household-beneficiaries already reached 3,029,374.
"As of March 21, 2012, meron na pong 3,029,374 households that are now enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program. About 97.56 percent po ‘yan noong target natin for 2012," Valte said.
"Out of the total households, meron pong 7,537,942 children aged between 0 (‘yung bagong panganak) hanggang 14 years old na covered po noong program. Kalahati ng mga households na ito ay mula sa Mindanao, while 33.96 percent ay galing sa Luzon at 22.78 percent mula sa Visayas," she said.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or the Conditional Cash Transfer program of the Aquino administration through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aims to immediately mitigate the burden of the poor families amid the global crisis.
Apart from the significant increases in school enrollment of poor children, the program improves the number of child immunization and prenatal medical care. The government expanded the coverage of the program to reach out to more poor families across the country.