LOBOC, Bohol, Philippines—President Macapagal-Arroyo's visit here gave prominence to the oath-taking of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap who was sworn in as a member of Lakas-Kampi-CMD Tuesday.

Ms. Arroyo was in Bohol Tuesday morning until early afternoon for a Cabinet meeting held at the Loboc's Children Palace from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Cabinet meeting, which was closed to the media, tackled disaster preparedness and ongoing relief operations.

After the Cabinet meeting, Lakas-Kampi president and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita administered the oath-taking of Yap that was witnessed by President Arroyo, presidential hopeful and outgoing Defense chief Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, several municipal mayors and hundreds of barangay officials from different towns in the province at the jampacked Loboc gymnasium.

Yap, who celebrated his 44th birthday Tuesday, also declared his intention to run for the 3rd congressional district of Bohol.

The Agriculture secretary, whose wife Carol Gaw hails from Bohol, registered as a voter in the town of Loboc early this year.

Yap and a Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwart, former three-term congressman Eladio Jala, are both eyeing to be the party's congressional bet for Bohol's 3rd district. Jala's son, Adam Relson, is the incumbent representative of the district.

Jala was the only Lakas-Kampi local official who did not witness the oath-taking of Yap as two other Bohol solons Edgar Chatto (1st district) and Roberto Cajes (2nd district) also welcomed Yap 's entry into the party.

In an interview Tuesday, Jala admitted that 10 of the 19 mayors in the Third District have allied with Yap.

Jala claimed that seven mayors were with him but he admitted they might shift their allegiance to Yap once the latter gets official party backing.

"My chance of getting party nomination is seriously threatened if you are to consider the inclination and presence of President Arroyo today (Yap's birthday and oath-taking)," Jala pointed out.

Yap has been cautious in issuing statements regarding his congressional bid but he has been distributing millions of pesos in Department of Agriculture funds to Bohol municipalities, especially in the 3rd district.

Ms Arroyo and Cabinet secretaries left the province for Cebu City immediately after Yap took his oath as member of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Meanwhile, the President re-enacted the signing of two important laws for Cebu at the Most Important Person (MIP) lounge in Mactan Cebu International Airport shortly after she arrived here at about 3 p.m.

Ms. Arroyo re-enacted the signing of the Republic Act 9726 also known as an Act separating the city of Lapu-Lapu from the 6th Legislative district of the province of Cebu to constitute the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City.

She also signed again the RA 9744, or an Act converting the Cebu State college of Science and Technology (CSCST) System in the city of Cebu and all its satellite campuses located in Cebu province into a state university to be known as the Cebu Technological University.

Local officials led by Cebu. Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu congressmen, city and barangay officials also attended the re-enactment of the signing of the two laws.

The President returned to Manila before 4 p.m.