THE Duque family in Dagupan, thru its eldest son, has come out in full support of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo saying Mrs. Arroyo is the best president the country ever produced.

Dr. Salvador Duque, chancellor of the Dagupan-based Lyceum Northwestern University said what five past presidents of the country had done in 45 years, Mrs. Arroyo had accomplished in just three years.

The eldest in the Duque family of Pangasinan, that includes Health Secretary Francisco Duque II, said five past presidents of the country built 82 kilometers of roads in a span of 45 years, whereas President Arroyo made the 86-kilometer Subic Clark Expressway in a span of only three years.

Mrs. Arroyo inaugurated the Subic-Clark Expressway before flying by helicopter to Malasiqui, Pangasinan on March 18 enroute to Baguio later in the afternoon where she addressed the graduation of the Philippine Military Academy.

Duque said the original expressway from Caloocan to Malolos, Bulacan was put up by then President Diosdado Macapagal in 1965, which was continued and provided with a viaduct by then President Ferdinand Marcos.

The third leg is the right lane of the highway up to Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga which was done during the administration of former President Corazon Aquino and the fourth leg is the left land of the highway done during the administration of President Fidel Ramos.

Duque did not mention if the short-lived administration of then President Joseph Estrada contributed anything to the North Expressway.

“Imagine, 82 kilometers of roads in 45 years while President Arroyo had done 86 kilometers of roads in only three years,” Duque, founding president of the Metro Dagupan City Reconstruction Development Fund Foundation.

In the area of education, Mrs. Arroyo according to Duque, has the most number of partial scholars under the extended service contract that provides government subsidy to poor students.

He said in Region 1, there are about 59,000 partial scholars in Regions 2 and 3 evenly distributed.