TOKYO (via PLDT). -- First Gentleman lawyer Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo has wholeheartedly accepted the appointment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as her special representative to the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

In an interview right after the announcement of the President during her meeting with the Filipino community, Arroyo said he is accepting the assignment.

"Siempre, tinatanggap natin dahil sa pagmamahal (Of course, I am accepting it because of love)," Arroyo said.

He said he would start working right away. In fact, he said he already met with Foreign Secretary Blas Ople and is set to start a series of meetings with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on the details of the work.

In January, Arroyo said he would proceed to Rome, Italy to meet with the local OFWs there. The Italian capital is host to a large number of OFWs.

"Bibigyan natin ng benefits at iba-iba pa (We will give them benefits and other things)," he said.

These benefits include medicare insurance, as well as reintegration and retraining of OFWs.

Pampanga Vice-Governor Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, who is here with his wife Angela said he knew his father could very well handle his new assignment.

"Meron naman siyang touch sa mga kababayan natin sa labas ng bansa. Talagang mahilig naman siyang makipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kababayan outside the country (My father has a special touch in relating with our fellow Filipinos abroad)," the vice governor said.

"Hindi pa man VIP ang nanay ko, ginagawa na niya itong sakripisyo ng walang sweldo (He is used to doing this even when my mother was not yet a very important person)," he added.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, said the First Gentleman will surely do his best to help our countrymen abroad.

"Tayo'y naniniwala na pag siya ang nangako (We believe that once he makes a commitment), he will really do his best to fulfill it," Bunye said.

Bunye added that there was no better person to represent the President to the OFWs than the First Gentleman.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Virgilio Angelo also said Arroyo is fit to represent the President.

"He can go around and he can inform the President on how to improve programs for the OFWs," Angelo said.

Angelo pointed out that Arroyo cannot impose on other government agencies as his job is mostly assistance work.

TOKYO (via PLDT). -- Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will now have an ultimate identification card to enable them to avail themselves of integrated government services.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that beginning January 2003, she would be launching the website of "Kabayanihan," whereby OFWs could apprise her on how to improve government services to them.

In her speech before the Filipino community at the Mariners Court Hotel here, the President said the E-Card could be used as credit card, an automated teller machine (ATM) card for Philippine commercial banks and even for duty-free shop discounts

"The E-card is the ultimate ID card of OFWs. With the E-Card, it will no longer be necessary for an OFW to fall in line at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to obtain an overseas employment certificate for the purpose of exemption from the travel tax and the airport terminal fee," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo said by that simply presenting the E-Card, the OFW can have immediate access to welfare services of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), POEA, processing requirements and even duty-free shop discounts.

"It can also be used as a credit card and as an ATM card for Philippine commercial banks," the President said.

TOKYO (via PLDT).-- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday expressed her personal grief over the death of journalist Jose L. Guevara.

She learned of Guevara's death as she arrived in Tokyo for her state visit to Japan.

The President extolled Guevara's distinguished career in journalism that extended for over half a century.

She said he was a close friend and supporter of her father, the late President Diosdao Macapagal.

"He was a writer of wit and good humor, but also wrote very serious columns about vital foreign policy and economic development issues," she added.

TOKYO (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced a new government program that would address the concerns of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Dubbed "Kabayanihan," the President explained that the new program would seek to install an integrated delivery of basic services to OFWs at worksites abroad and at home in the Philippines.

The President made the announcement during her meeting with the Filipino community in Japan Monday night at the Mariners Court Hotel.

Mrs. Arroyo also announced her appointment of First Gentleman lawyer Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo as her special representative to the OFWs.

According to the President, her husband would be assisted by an inter-agency team that would be headed by the Department of Foreign Employment (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Social Security System (SSS).

Under Kabayanihan, the OFWs will be able to avail themselves of the following services:

-- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration On-Site Welfare Services that would include expanded/voluntary membership.

-- DOLE/OWWA/Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Electronic Identification Card (E-Card) services.

-- Health maintenance services through the OWWA Medicare program wherein the OFW and members of the family will be entitled to benefits over and above those granted by PhilHealth.

-- Pag-IBIG Fund's Housing services wherein the DOLE and the Pag-IBIG fund have already signed a memorandum of agreement for the joint implementation of the Pag-IBIG Overseas Housing Program (POP).

-- The POP aims to expand Pag-IBIG membership among OFWs and provide them the opportunity to acquire their own homes at affordable means.

TOKYO (via PLDT). -- Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said there could not be a better person to represent President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Filipino Overseas Workers than First Gentleman lawyer Jose Migual "Mike" Arroyo.

In an interview with Filipino reporters last night right after the President announced that she has appointed her husband as special representative to the OFWs before the local Filipino community gathering, Bunye said the First Gentleman would surely do his best to help our countrymen abroad.

"Tayo'y naniniwala na pag siya ang nangako (We believe that once he makes a commitment), he will really do his best to fulfill it," Bunye said.

Bunye noted that under the set-up, the First Gentleman would not be using government funds or impose on other government agencies.

"In fact, Atty. Arroyo would not be getting a salary for the task," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Virgilio Angelo said that with the new assignment, Arroyo "can go around and he can inform the President on how to improve programs for the OFWs."

Angelo emphasized that Arroyo could not impose on other government agencies as his job is mostly assistance work.

The President announced the appointment of her husband as her OFW special envoy during her meeting with the local Filipino community.

TOKYO (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Monday made a lot of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) here happy when she treated them to a night of an early Christmas party.

The Filipino community, which represents the 39 organizations duly registered with the Philippine Embassy, sang Filipino Christmas carols and swayed to traditional Filipino dances before the President and the presidential delegation.

In her remarks, the President thanked the OFWs for remitting the much-needed American dollars to the country.

"Last year, the OFWs remitted $6 billion. Thank you so much for your support," the President said.

The President noted that the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.1 percent in the first three quarters of this year and the Gross National Product (GNP) improved by five percent, powered by the recovery of industry and continued strengthening of services.

"The difference between our GDP and GNP is the contribution of our OFWs like you. Your increasing remittances have boosted consumption growth in the Philippines," she said.

The President noted that despite the global slowdown, the Philippine economy has delivered one of the highest growth rates in Asia.

The industry sector grew by 3.8 percent because exports grew by 5.9 percent and private construction is on the rebound, growing by 25 percent. Services grew by 5.1 percent because of the expansion of telecommunications, trade and private services, including tourism, whose October figures show a growth rate of 40 percent despite the bombing in Bali, Indonesia.

The President noted that the country's economic growth is surpassed only by the industrial giants China and Korea, and by Vietnam, which started from a much lower base.

"Our inflation is low at 2.7 percent. Rice for the masses is priced at P14 or P16 per kilo. Our interest rates are low, with the 91-day treasury bill steady at around five percent. These rates are at their lowest in 15 years," she said.

The President noted that her administration is taking steps to further strengthen macroeconomic fundamentals, saying the government could continue to be more vigilant in its efforts to reduce the budget deficit.

She said the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the new Anti-Smuggling Intelligence and Investigation Commission (ASIIC) would work to deliver on commitments.

"My message to tax cheats is clear. Whether you are big business or small, forget the accounting tricks. Just pay your taxes and duties, or see you in court," she said.

Noting that the OFWs are tax exempt, she enjoined them to urge their countrymen back home to pay the right taxes.

She also noted that her administration was sustaining a no-nonsense drive against corruption, insulating its procedures better from graft and putting graft busters in sensitive agencies.

She further noted that the peace and order situation has improved, with the latest police reports showing that kidnapping cases decreased by 35 percent.

"No President can build a strong republic single-handedly. I can do this well only if I can count on the support of the more than seven million Filipino overseas workers," Mrs. Arroyo said.

"You, the Filipinos in Japan, are part of the wellspring of support, the network of Filipinos all over the world that I am counting on," she said.

Among those who attended the gathering were Philippine Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon, Jr., Foreign Secretary Blas Ople, Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho, Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante Canlas, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, Presidential Management Staff Chief Silvestre Afable, Jr., Presidential Adviser Marita Magpili-Jimenez, OWWA Administrator Virgilio Angelo, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., Reps. Josephine Sato, Jacinto Paras, and Antonino Roman, Governors Tomas Joson, Jose Caballero and Adolph Edward Plaza, Vice-Governor Juan Miguel Arroyo, and Mayor Marino Morales

TOKYO (Via PLDT) – It may be wintry here in Tokyo, but it was a very warm meeting that ensued today between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Amidst pomp and pageantry, the Emperor and Empress received the President this morning, renewing the close ties they established 40 years ago.

The Imperial Couple marched through the gilded doors of Akasaka Palace, the state guesthouse, at around 9:20 in the morning and were met by the President and the First Gentleman, Atty. Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, at the Palace vestibule, exchanging pleasantries before proceeding to the terrace fronting the Palace's front court.

After the dignitaries had taken position at the court, the Philippine National Anthem was played, followed by the National Anthem of Japan.

Thereafter the President, wearing a camel overcoat, and Attorney Arroyo, in a dark suit, accompanied by their Majesties, walked down the steps to the terrace where the Imperial Couple introduced Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, Princess Sayako and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the President.

The Emperor and the Empress were in their formal morning attire – he in a dark pinstripe suit and she in a green and black dress.

After the presentation, the President was led to the dais by Philippine Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon, Jr.

At the dais, the President received the salute by the Honor Guard. Afterwards, she inspected the troops and saluted with a slight bow to the Philippine and Japanese flags.

The other Japanese dignitaries present during the formal ceremony were then introduced to the President by the Japanese protocol officers while their Majesties walked alongside.

The President the boarded the imperial car with the Emperor while Attorney Arroyo rode with Empress Michiko in the secondary imperial car.

The convoy proceeded to the Imperial Palace for the traditional state call on the Emperor and Empress.

In yet another formal ceremony, the Empress and Emperor viewed the decorations: the Philippine Legion of Honor, degree of Chief Commander, for the Emperor; the Order of Gabriela Silang for the Empress; the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Rajah for Prince Naruhito; the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum for the President; and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, Paulownia Flowers, for the First Gentleman.

An exchange of gifts and signed photographs followed.

The President, who is on a four-day state visit to Japan that started Monday, first met Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during the time of President Diosdado Macapagal when the royals visited the Philippines in 1962 as Crown Prince and Princess.

Aside from members of the Cabinet, daughter Evangeline Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo were with the President and Attorney Arroyo during the traditional call on the Imperial Couple.

In the evening, the Imperial Couple will host a state dinner in honor of the President and First Gentleman.

From the time of the then Crown Prince’s visit to the Philippines in 1962, the President has remained in close contact with the Royal Couple as she constantly met with them during her visits to Japan both on official and unofficial occasions.

The President related that during a trip arranged by Assumption School where she was a student, the Royal Couple honored her and her classmates and the Assumption nuns with their presence in a meeting.

She also recalled that the Royal Couple also met her and her mother, the late Evangelina Macaraeg Macapagal, when they visited Japan shortly after her father passed away.

TOKYO (Via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today stressed the need for the Philippines and Japan to act as "one force for regional security" to combat terrorism and other transnational threats to peace.

Addressing the joint session of the Japanese Diet House of Councilors, the President said the long history of cooperation between the two countries "is solid basis for further and more intense collaboration."

"We both must be ready to act and operate, where needed and when necessary, as one force for regional security," the President said.

"Apart from international terrorism, new transnational threats to peace, freedom and progress require our joint attention and action," the President said.

The President outlined the "fields for urgent cooperation" that Japan and the Philippines must immediately attend to, as part of joint efforts in addressing the "new transnational threats to freedom and progress."

Among them, the President said, are "the illicit trade in narcotics and weapons, trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, money laundering, and piracy in the high seas, as well as trans-boundary environmental threats."

The President recognized that "all countries in our region, especially those for whom freedom is a matter of national honor, are without a doubt determined to do more to cooperate to the stability, security and peace in East Asia."

But she admitted that "acting singly greatly limits their options for positive action."

For so long, the President said, Japan has been able to contribute so much to the restoration of peace and development in the region, stressing its pivotal role in the stabilization in Cambodia, in the transition to nationhood of East Timor, in promoting peaceful dialogue as the medium for settling the thorny issues in Korean Peninsula, and in many more arenas.

"The long history of cooperation between our two countries – as partners, as friends, as allies – is solid basis for further and more intense collaboration," she said.

The President also cited the common stand of Japan and the Philippines on the North Korea issue.

"The revelations about nuclear weapons development in the Korean Peninsula is a big issue to us. We oppose nuclear weapons proliferation and we will resist a nuclear arms race in East Asia," she said.

While she stated that "there is no immediate danger of hostilities in East Asia," the President said the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States and the bombings in Bali, Indonesia in October this year, "have taught us… we sometimes do not know where the enemy lurks, much less where or when it will next strike."

"When or how any of these fault lines will snap, no can tell for certain. All we can do is prepare and we can provide the safety vents to relieve the buildup of pressure and avoid sudden, massive explosion," she said.

TOKYO (via PLDT) – Leaders of Japan’s Parliament today cited President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s effort in curbing poverty and in fighting international terrorism in her country, stressing that such moves contribute to regional security.

Kurata Hiroyuki, president of the Chamber of Councilors, and Watanuki Tamisuke, speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, took turns in paying tribute to the President, as the latter addressed the joint session of the Diet.

Hiroyuki said it was "profoundly meaningful" for Japan and its Parliament to have interacted with President Macapagal-Arroyo, saying her address before the joint session would help further strengthen the diplomatic ties between their two countries.

He noted "deep admiration" to President Macapagal-Arroyo for her anti-terrorism measures and policies in ensuring the national security of the Philippines.

Tamisuke, for his part, cited the progress made by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration in its fight against terrorism, noting that this "contributes to regional stability."

He supported President Macapagal-Arroyo’s call for a strong partnership between Japan and the Philippines in the fight against terrorism and other threats to regional peace.

In her address during the joint session, the President stressed the need for the Philippines and Japan to act as "one force for regional security," and heighten their cooperation in combating international terrorism and other transnational threats to peace.

She cited the long history of cooperation between the two countries as the "solid basis for further and more intense collaboration."

TOKYO – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Blas F. Ople today dubbed the proposal of Australian Prime Minister John Howard on UN charter change to allow Australian troops to hunt terrorists in Southeast Asia as "hasty, exuberant and almost bizarre."

Ople said Howard’s idea would overturn the founding principle of the United Nations itself which is based on the equal sovereignty of all nations big or small.

"This proposal has no ghost of a chance to be suported in the UN General Assembly," the foreign secretary said.

Ople added, however, that the Philippines is open to a bilateral agreement with Australia which will stress cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.  This agreement can consider joint training but not joint operations of security personnel.

Secretary Ople said he was assured by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer that the Australian Embassy in Makati would continue to render essential services from the ambassador’s residence and from a hotel room in Makati.  The embassy will resume full operation in a few days.

Ople called on the Australian government to stop exacerbating the issue over its embassy in the Philippines with "more provocative statements at highest levels."

He said that in threatening to send Australian troops to Southeast Asia without being asked, the Australian government may also be opening itself to the charge of harboring hegemonic ambitions in the region.

TOKYO (via PLDT) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged Japanese companies engaged in information and communications technology (ICT) to set up businesses in the Philippines as she formally opened the ICT seminar at the Akasaka twin towers here.

In her speech at the "e-Services Philippines: IT Exhibition and Interactive Business Investment Seminar," the President said Japan and the Philippines should jointly develop their prospects in the ICT sector.

"Our economies' respective strength complement each other very well. Japan's leadership in various technological fields can be adequately supported by the Philippines' large pool of quality human resources with high IT literacy rate," the President said.

She noted that technology of Japan, backed up by the high IT literacy rate of Filipinos, could "boost our joint prospects and take them to unchartered heights."

"In this regard, we wish to further intensify our mutual initiatives in e-services," she said, as she outlined possible areas for cooperation between the Philippines and Japan.

Among them, she said, is the "acceleration of the promotion of Japanese investments and outsourcing projects involving IT and IT-enabled services.

She also said the two countries could work together for the "intensification of the conduct of training programs related to ICT innovation and technology advancement, workers skill upgrading and product management."

At the same time, the President stressed the need for the two countries to continue and expand "the existing certification program" to allow Filipino workers to meet Japanese standards.

TOKYO—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today stressed the need for the support of Japan and other economic groupings in the region for the Philippine economy to grow.

In her speech before the joint session of the Japanese Diet, the President said that development is an enormous task and that in this globalized world, it is practically impossible to go it alone.

"Fortress economies wither, closed economies die. That is the reason why, since the EDSA Revolution that reinstalled democracy in my country in l986, successive administrations have pursued a continuous path of engaging with the world," the President said.

The President said that aside from Japan, the Philippines also needs the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and East Asia to sustain its economic growth.

According to the President, the continuing challenge in the region is to build, through joint efforts, the capacity to prevent the recurrence of economic shocks like the one that hit the region in l997.

In Southeast Asia, the President said, the countries are girding for the full implementation of the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).

She said that barely a month ago, Asean and China signed a framework for the establishment of the Asean-China free trade area while Asean and Japan agreed on the framework for the establishment of a comprehensive economic partnership.

The President said that the emergence of China as a market economy is integral to the further growth and development of East Asia, adding that the Philippines regards it as a catalyst for more rapid expansion and greater stability in Asia.

But for now and in the foreseeable future, the President said, Asean’s need for Japan and its continued cooperation "is far more essential."

The President said that the revival of the Japanese economy and the resumption of its traditional role as a growth engine are of utmost importance to the Philippines, to East Asia, and to the world.