President Arroyo in interview by Baguio City members of media

President Arroyo on Wednesday refused to talk about her plans once her term expires in 2010 amid moves to amend the charter supposedly meant to extend her stay in power.

President was asked what she intended to do once her term legally expires in an interview by members of local media in Baguio City, to which the President emphatically replied: "I don't want to talk about 2010. Politics is not in the foremost of my mind. Lets talk economics and not politics."

Instead the President wanted to talk about her so-called Resiliency Plan for the global financial crisis, which she said she already presented to businessmen in a briefing last October as a contingency plan for the crisis.

Part of this is a massive infrastructure program which includes among others the construction of the Halsema Highway in Benguet, which she said she expects to be done before the end of 2009, and the newly-inaugurated Ambuklao Dam Bypass Road.

Weather the storms
"Peace, progress, and prosperity" are the main wishes of President Arroyo for the Philippines in 2009, in her New Year's message to the country Wednesday.

"For 2009, first and foremost, I wish for peace, progress and prosperity for the people of the nation," she said in her message Wednesday.

"The year 2008 was tumultuous for the world due to the global economic recession that, thankfully, has not become a crisis in the Philippines. So I pray for greater peace and stability. I hope that we can all work together as a global community to weather these storms," the President said.

"Here at home, I hope that the efforts we are making to eliminate poverty and to improve the lives of our people will continue to bear fruit and that these efforts will pave the way to the creation of a more prosperous Philippines. Happy New Year!" she added.

The President shared this optimism with local Baguio residents who trooped to the Mansion House grounds for a gift giving event, where she gave them bags of rice, and cans of milk and other foods and to personally wish them a happy new year.

Aside from meeting and receiving gifts from the President herself, the residents from the city’s 128 barangays will have the added opportunity of getting inside the presidential Mansion that is celebrating its 100th year of existence this year.

Mrs. Arroyo and the rest of the First Family are in Baguio for their New Year vacation in Baguio City. They were joined by local officials.

Earlier Tuesday, the President led the unveiling of the twin centennial markers of the “Mansion House” at the main gate of the presidential summer residence here. The said house, the official residence of the President in the city, is celebrating its 100th year. With reports from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News