\"I am happy to visit your school because MMSU is an essential backdrop to any visit, to any review of accomplishments in the Ilocos Region,\" she remarked before thousands of students and university personnel gathered at the Teatro Ilocandia. The president said that MMSU is \"a vital element in the country’s agribusiness development.\"

Prior to PGMA’s talk, University President Miriam E. Pascua presented various government-funded projects on agriculture, fisheries, and natural resources development at MMSU.

To these, PGMA remarked, \"Congratulations to Apo Pascua and the whole MMSU for your leadership in agribusiness research and education in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle.\"

PGMA quickly added, \"I am very proud to say that our administration has a great deal to do with that leadership... The reason why MMSU is doing so much agribusiness research and education is that we prioritize agribusiness investment in North Luzon.\"

She then went on to congratulate the Ilocos Region for being No. 4 among the most progressive regions of the country. In a mix of English and Iluko, the Chief Executive, who traces her maternal roots to Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, said, \"Idi year 2000 nga awanak pay, your per capita income was 23,000 pesos. Itatta, it’s more than 30,000 pesos.\"

In her 20-minute talk punctuated by twenty six rounds of applause, the president detailed her administration’s accomplishments in human and physical infrastructure, saying, \"mangibati tayo iti legacy of hard work, a strong and stable economy, a renewed global engagement, major investments in health care and education, and major developments in physical infrastructure.\"

\"I can only pray that during these past nine years of our administration, we gave you the means to be able to dream your dreams, and the foundation on which you can make your dreams, for yourselves and for our country, come true,\" the president concluded.

Three agriculture graduates of MMSU received from PGMA financial support under the Technology Commercialization Program (TCP) of CHED. TCP aims for the massive promotion and commercialization of proven economically viable technologies developed by SUCs through its own graduates. Under the program, AFNR graduates, especially the unemployed, are given capital seed fund to start entrepreneurial projects. Jean Jose, Rei Ann Agcaoili, and Reveline Jose received assistance for their hog fattening projects.

Also recognized during the event were two Farmer Scientists who help facilitate technology transfer to more farmers in the community, Mrs. Edita Aguinaldo-Dacuycuy and Mrs. Teresita F. Allado.

Before proceeding to MMSU, President Arroyo inaugurated the Sarrat Bridge, which costs half a billion pesos. From Batac, the president took a helicopter ride to La Union and Pangasinan provinces to inaugurate other major infrastructure projects. Under PGMA’s watch, total infrastructure projects are estimated at Php 1-Trillion, with more roads and bridges constructed than in three previous administrations altogether.

The President was accompanied by Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, head of the Presidential Management Staff, and Public Works Secretary Victor Domingo, who are both Ilocanos. Esperon is from Pangasinan while Domingo is a native of Laoag City.

MMSU administration officials were relieved that PGMA’s visit turned out as successful and orderly as possible although the university was informed of PGMA’s visit only one day before the event.