The Philippine government and the various non-governmental organizations (Ngos) in the United States will jointly launch a short-term intervention and long-term development program that will provide medical and social infrastructure to help the people of Sulu.

In a briefing held this morning in Malacaņang, Al Santoli, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC), informed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that the Development for Peace in Sulu (DPIS) is a partnership program aimed at helping restore peace and order in Sulu through means other than military action.

Aside from the President, those who attended the briefing were Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman and US Ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone.

The DPIS program is expected to kick off on Aug. 28, 2002 with the delivery of US$1 million worth of medicine and medical equipment per year for the next three years to Jolo hospitals.

The shipment will include antibiotics, pain relievers, cough and cold preparations, and other medicines.

AFPC officials said the specific objectives of the project are:

• the uplifting of social conditions of the people of Jolo through a medical aid component;

• to deny the terrorist and other criminal elements a breeding ground for terrorism; and,

• to showcase the medical aid program in Jolo as a pilot project which can be replicated in other conflict-stricken areas of the country.

Under its implementation concept, the DPIS’ socio-economic development program shall be initiated with the following phases:

1. initiate confidence-building activities in the target community;
2. harness existing initiatives of local government units and NGOs in the area to achieve convergence; and,
3. gradually address basic needs of the community such as potable water, electricity and sanitation.

AFPC officials noted that the program will also help in building up trust among the populace, the improvement of medical facilities and infrastructure in the community and the development of a self-reliant medical service.

Founded in 1982, AFPC is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing information to those who make or influence the foreign policy of the United States and to assist world leaders in strengthening democracies and market economies.

AFPC is widely recognized as a source of timely, insightful analysis on issues of foreign policy, and works closely with members of Congress, the Executive Branch and the policy-making community in the US.

The lead agencies for the DPIS program are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH) and the provincial government of Sulu.

On the other hand, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shall serve as the priming agency during the start-up of the program.

The way things are looking, kidnappings will be curbed not in one year but in just six months.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today gave this assessment to a group of Japanese executives led by Atsutoshi Nishida, president of Toshiba Digital Media Network Co., who made a courtesy call on her in Malacaņang.

"I gave the PNP (Philippine National Police) chief (Director General Hermogenes) Ebdane one year to eliminate kidnapping but I talked to him yesterday and he thinks it could be just six months," the President said.

The President noted the many arrests made by the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) and the Anti-Crime Task Force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ACTAFP) for the past several weeks.

Yesterday, Ebdane and Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Roy Cimatu scored another major success in the war against crime with the death of Pentagon Gang leader Faisal Marohombsar during an encounter in Magallanes, Cavite. The President motored to the area and personally congratulated the joint forces of PACER and ACTAFP, which were also able to recover a four-year old kidnap and her nanny.

The President likewise told the businessmen that she would continue to be "hands-on" in connection with government efforts to curb crime.

She acknowledged the importance of maintaining peace and order in enticing businessmen to invest in the country.

Nishida called on the President to personally inform her that Toshiba has decided to locate in the Philippines the manufacturing of its laptop computers, which are due to fill up a worldwide market.

Aside from Nishida, among those present during the courtesy call were Masaaki Mukushi, president of Toshiba Information Equipment Philippines Inc.; Hidejiro Shimomitsu, vice-president of Toshiba Digital Media Network; Junichi Iwata, Chief Production Executive of Toshiba; and Kazuo Maruyama, Executive Vice President of Toshiba.

The President earlier said that the police and the military have uncovered the truth behind the union of the Pentagon Gang and the Villaver-Fajardo Gang.

The President has been micro-managing the efforts against crime, going to various places around the country to personally present suspected criminals to media.

Last week, she went to Tayug, Pangasinan to personally congratulate the PNP officers of Region 1 (Ilocos) for the arrest of five suspected carnappers who were also charged with illegal possession of firearms and prohibited drugs.

A day earlier, she presented at the PNP headquarters in Quezon City Randy Raquino, the No. 1 most-wanted person in Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Nicomedes Gerilla, a member of the notorious Villaver Gang of kidnappers.

The President has also presented to media the members of the Bucala Kidnap-for-Ransom (KFR) Gang and a former policeman who led the Durano KFR group.

Despite the tight fiscal position of the national government, it will not renege in its obligation to pay state workers their salaries and annual Christmas bonus as well as the monthly pensions of Filipino veterans, Malacaņang said today.

In an interview, Budget and Management Secretary Emilia Boncodin said these are mandatory expenditures and are allocated in the yearly budget.

Boncodin also said that she did not believe that there is a need to declare the public sector deficit as "unmanageable" as feared by some sectors. "I don’t think I would like to recommend it," she said.

"Kailangan lang gumawa tayo ng paraan kung paano matutugunan iyong pinakaimportanteng pangangailangan (What is needed is that we should devise ways on how to meet the more important requirements)," Boncodin said.

On Thursday, Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho said that the fiscal deficit for the seven month period, from January to July, 2002, has already reached P133 billion, which is P3 billion more than the full-year target of P130 billion.

Boncodin said one way of controlling the further rise in the fiscal deficit is to step up revenue collections.

She said that the collection shortfall, particularly in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, was caused by two factors, the undervaluation of the value-added tax (VAT) by some big taxpayers and the diversion of tax collections to private accounts.

The worldwide chairman of the consumer products conglomerate Unilever today assured President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of continued confidence in the Philippines, saying the country offers a wide range of opportunities both as a market and source of excellent human resource for his company.

Unilever Worldwide Chairman Antony Burgmans, who paid a courtesy call on the President this morning, noted that the company is celebrating its 75^th year in the Philippines this year.

"We’ve never gone away. We’re here for the good and the bad times," Burgmans said.

He told the President that although business was hard sometimes in the past, most of the years are "happy years" and that the company has been achieving double-digit growth continuously.

Burgmans also expressed gratitude that the Filipino consumer has come to rely on Unilever products which, he said, continue to be competitive with the rest in its field.

Howard Belton, chairman and chief executive officer of Unilever Philippines who was also present during the call, noted that their plants in the country, aided by their partners here, are responsible for producing 50 million stick-on deodorants for the world’s deodorant market.

Belton noted that these products are big successes especially in Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The President said she is very grateful as she noted her administration’s continuing efforts to make the country competitive in the eyes of the foreign investor.

The President also thanked Burgmans for being a member of the International Board of Advisers, the group of business big shots who regularly give the country free advice on how to make the Philippines more competitive.

Unilever is the maker of home and personal care products.

The business has expanded more into foods, with the acquisition of Bestfoods in 2000 whose local company in the Philippines is the California Manufacturing Company.

At present, Unilever Philippines is expanding its business and aims to be a net exporter in the future.

Unilever is a multinational company that performs both in business and maintains corporate social responsibility in areas such as agriculture, fish conservation and clean water stewardship.

Unilever has been involved in the protection of fresh water resources such as the Pasig River, the La Mesa Watershed and Laguna de Bay.

During the call, Burgmans also gave the President a copy of "Laguna de Bay: The Living Lake," a coffee table book which Unilever sponsored.

The Department of Energy (DoE) will ask oil companies to explain why they have increased the price of their liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a socially sensitive product.

In an interview, Energy Secretary Vicente Perez said that he will direct the Oil Industry Administration Bureau to ask the oil companies, particularly Shell, to justify its increase of P8.80 per 11-kilogram tank of LPG.

Perez said that during the past one and a half year, the oil companies did not raise the price of LPG despite the increase in the price of crude oil.

"Gusto kong pag-aralan, ano ba ang justification at bakit kailangan silang magtaas ng presyo ngayon (I want to make a study, what is the justification and why do they have to increase the price now)," Perez said.

According to Perez, Shell has notified the DoE about three days ago that they would increase the price of their LPG by 80 centavos per kilogram.

Shell said that they have a contract with a foreign source that had expired and that they are now buying the product at a higher price.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today congratulated Craig R. Barret, president and chief executive officer of Intel Corporation, for his firm’s plans to expand their business in the Philippines and open the second Intel Computer Clubhouse in General Trias, Cavite.

"Congratulations and thank you. We are looking forward to your expansion of your business in the Philippines," the President said during her meeting with Barret this afternoon at Malacaņang’s Music Room.

The Intel head made a courtesy call on the President to personally inform her and invite her to the launching of their second Intel Computer Clubhouse located near the Governor Ferrer National High School in General Trias, Cavite.

Barret said the Computer Clubhouse is a program where youths aged 10 to 18 have access to technology equipment and mentors to develop technology and life skills that encourage self-confidence and foster creativity.

Barret also explained to President that one of the greatest benefits of an Intel Computer Clubhouse is seeing the excitement of young people using PCs (personal computers), peripherals and applications to create art, music and websites, while working together to solve problems.

"The youth in Cavite will learn to use technology by investigating it for themselves. The Computer Clubhouse also allow young people to see for themselves how exciting computing and the Internet can be and help develop the necessary technology skills for today’s competitive digital economy," Barret said.

The first Intel Computer Clubhouse in the Philippines opened last May 2002 at the Mater Dolorosa Parish in Makati City and approximately 300 young Filipinos have already used the facility.

After their conversation, the President proceeded to the Ceremonial Hall to lead the distribution of presidential citations and a P200,000 cash award each to the winners of Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) where four high school students from Manila Science High School and the Mindanao State University and a teacher from Iloilo won the major awards at Intel ISEF held in the United States last May.

Those who received presidential citation and cash awards were Richard Kristoffer Sanchez Manapat, Jeric Valles Macalintal and Allan Noriel Estrella. The three students of Manila Science High School won the first-prize award and $3,000 for their physics project.

Prem Villas Fortran Moso Rara of the Integrated Developmental School – Mindanao State University in Lanao del Norte, won the second prize and $1,500 for his microbiology project.

Dr. Josette Biyo of the Philippine Science High School in Iloilo was awarded the Intel Excellence in Teaching Award. The $20,000 teaching grant she received will enable Dr. Biyo to conduct intensive science research workshops. She also received $5,000 in cash and a high-performance computer.

Malacaņang today said the trip of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Italy, Spain and Denmark next month is part of the country’s diplomatic commitment and the forging of closer economic cooperation with the leading members of the European Community.

"If you’re fulfilling this as a part of international commitment then it is necessary because once you are invited and you accept, then this is in line with protocol to go ahead with the trip," Press Secretary Ignacio "Toting" Bunye told reporters during a press briefing in Malacanang.

Bunye said the trip, which will take the President to Italy, Spain and Denmark, is also part of the President’s economic diplomacy.

The President’s forthcoming trip is also an investment promotion opportunity aimed at widening the access of Philippine exports like food products, electronics, garments to the European market.

According to Bunye, the President will go to the Vatican upon the invitation of Pope John Paul II, while she will be visiting Spain on the invitation of King Juan Carlos.

While in Italy, the Chief Executive will relay the country’s prayers for the good health of the Pope so he can visit Manila again in January 2003 for the World Meeting of Families.

Since the President’s visit to Spain is in the nature of a state visit, it would mean less expense for the government because the host country will shoulder most of the expenses.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, the President will be joining other heads of state in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), a meeting aimed at forging closer economic cooperation among Asian and European countries.

Participants to the ASEM include the heads of state and government of 10 Asian nations (Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and 15 European nations ( Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom ) as well as the President of the European Commission.

The ASEM aims to provide an opportunity for leaders to exchange views on current regional and global issues. These discussions could serve as a basis for further cooperation on specific issues of mutual interest.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr. are expected to lead this year’s Alay Lakad Para sa Kabataan Day, slated on Sunday, September 1, 2002 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 168.

Government officials, civic leaders and business groups are also expected to grace this annual walk for a cause which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year.

The theme of this year’s Alay Lakad is "HAKBANG MAMAMAYAN! Kinabukasan ng Kabataan," urging the people to step forward and be counted in helping the out-of-school youth have a better future, according to Alay Lakad Foundation Inc. (ALFI) president Frank Evaristo.

The nationwide Alay Lakad is the signature fund-raising event of the Alay Lakad Foundation and involves various government agencies, the education sector, business establishments, local government units and socio-civic organizations.

Participants will walk some two to 10 kilometers as a symbol of solidarity towards the promotion of its key advocacy of enabling and empowering the out-of-school youth to become responsible and productive citizens. This year’s host civic organization is the Rotary International Districts 3810 and 3830, with the support of the Philippine Jaycees, the Lions Club International and the Kiwanis International.

As part of this year’s fund-raising campaign, Alay Lakad will be selling commemorative cover as approved by Postmaster General Nicasio Rodriguez of the Philippine Postal Corporation. This is a special customized letter envelope depicting the design of Alay Lakad that can be used for mailing letters or plain souvenir to commemorate the 30^th year anniversary of the Foundation.

Proceeds of this fund-raising campaign will benefit the country’s out-of-school youth through scholarship assistance, skills training and livelihood programs.

Malacaņang today brushed aside reports that notorious kidnap for ransom gang leader Faisal Marohombsar was killed in a rubout and not in a firefight with elements of the police and the military in Magallanes, Cavite last Sunday.

In his regular press briefing in Malacaņang, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that during the combined military and police rescue operations, one of the team members, T/Sgt. Willie Madayag, was wounded.

"You don’t have a rubout where one of your men is also shot," Bunye said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who went to Magallanes, Cavite to personally congratulate the rescue team, even inspected the injuries suffered by Madayag in his shoulder.

In a related development, Bunye also said that the Philippine government will not insist on its request for a copy of the video footage taken by US intelligence on the killing of Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya.

"We understand the reluctance of the US government to release the video footage for public viewing. So, we will not insist," Bunye said.

But Bunye said that based on the video footage, which was viewed by the President and corroborated by testimonies of several witnesses, Sabaya is dead.

While I firmly believe in the importance of personally carrying out the message of trade, investment and other opportunities in the Philippines to international audiences, as President, my priority is always where I am needed the most. Given the fact that some members of the Economic Team will be meeting with a number of heads of state in October at the APEC meeting in Mexico, I have decided to postpone my visit to Europe, originally planned for this coming month. I look forward to meeting our European friends at a later date.