Arroyo kicks off ‘cyber corridor’ tour in Pampanga

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday went to her home province of Pampanga to kick off a tour that aims to highlight her administration's achievements. President Arroyo was the guest speaker at the Angeles University Foundation (AUF) in Angeles City. She was a board member of the AUF when she was senator, but quit when she became vice president in fulfillment of constitutional requirements. The tour was dubbed “cyber corridor" tour as it highlights President Arroyo's legacy in terms of building digital infrastructure and encouraging the blossoming of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. According to Malacañang, the corridor comprises the ICT (information communication technology) "centers of excellence'' Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, and "next-wave cities'' Metro Laguna, Metro Cavite, Iloilo, Davao, Bacolod, Metro Pampanga, Metro Bulacan, Central Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro and Lipa. Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said the Cyber Corridor and the 10 cities, which are serviced by 10 international and 15 domestic airports, house 75,000 call centers and BPO companies. President Arroyo said with her administration’s incentives to IT companies, internet cost went down to only a single digit, and users have ballooned to 25 million. She said almost 4,000 public schools now have Internet access. President Arroyo, who took office in January 2001 replacing deposed President Joseph Estrada, will step down from office on June 30. She is, however, running for a congressional seat in the second district of Pampanga - a move unprecedented in Philippine political history. - KBK, GMANews.TV