By Ninfa B Quirante

Tacloban City (16 October) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to grace the 58th Charter Day celebration of the City of Calbayog.

As early as four in the morning, the whole city has been alive with the influx of barangay officials, plain villagers, students and top government officials of the three provinces of Samar, the media and the general public.

City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento as the host has mobilized all sectors in his city including the church officials to put their acts togather to meet the Number One citizen in the country.

It was learned that PGMA was a frequent visitor in the city while she was still a senator and the Vice President then.

As President, her most recent visit was in March 2002 when she gave Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (TTMIST) five million pesos to complete its gymnasium. Today, as she visits TTMIST, she will address a group of Samarnons in the same venue she assisted to build.

AS Mayor Sarmiento puts it, her address will be a special SONA for the three provinces of Samar.

The President is expected to unveil nine big projects she co sponsored with the City Government of Calbayog and the Province of Samar.

Among these are Cagbayang Bridge for the Presidential Bridge Program; Sakay Na Program, a shuttle service for the high school students from remote villages, Transco Power Service Improvement, the Tindahan Natin and Botika sa Barangay implemented by some Overseas Filipino Workers and a Relocation site for informa settlers among others.

To also show the city government convergence project with the church, the Our Lady of Porzioncula Hospital will be unveiled. The hospital to be run by the Order of Franciscan Missionaries (OFM) is a hospital for the needy alloting some 40 beds for charity. The hospital was erected inside the compound of Christ the King College.