President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today belied claims by the opposition that she approved the contract for the rehabilitation of the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydroelectric plant just four days after she assumed the presidency in January 2001.

"It is not true," the President said, as she vehemently denied insinuations by the political opposition that a huge payoff was made in exchange for the approval of the contract.

Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said that it was most unfair for the political opposition to continue peddling this black propaganda and insinuating that administration officials benefited from the so-called anomalous transaction.

The fact is the Estrada administration had already signed the contract before President Arroyo assumed office, Bunye said.

Former President Estrada himself signed as a witness in that power agreement, something that no President, before or after him, has ever done.

All these loose talks about the alleged bribe are just aimed at eroding public confidence in the Arroyo administration, Bunye said.

The contract was signed by the state-owned National Power Corporation (Napocor) and the Argentina firm, Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima (IMPSA).

Opposition senators have charged that the Napocor-IMPSA contract was first offered but turned down by deposed President Joseph Estrada. It was reportedly approved by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration after an alleged payoff of $14 million.

MAGANDANG ARAW PO MGA MAHAL KONG KABABAYAN. 

Malugod kong ibinabalita sa inyo ang mga naging bunga ng katatapos kong State Visit sa Japan.

Walang duda na mahalaga ang kontribusyong pang-ekonomiya ng bansang Hapon para sa katatagan at katiwasayan ng Silangang Asya. Napatingkad pa ito ng mga bagong banta sa seguridad ng ating rehiyon. Ito ay sa dahilang ang paglaban sa terorismo ay pandaigdigan at hindi pang-iisang bansa lamang. Japan as an important development partner for the Philippines and ASEAN is crucial in the regional fight against poverty, which is the recruiting ground for terrorism.

Ang pagkakaroon ng malakas na ekonomiya at masiglang demokrasya ang pinakamabisang pangontra sa kahirapan at terorismo. Malaki ang maitutulong sa hangaring ito ng kooperasyon sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Hapon. Japan is our country's biggest provider of official development assistance and the second largest trading partner and source of investments. Kaya naman hinikayat natin ang Hapon na dagdagan pa ang kanilang tulong na pinansyal, gayundin ang puhunan o kapital, sa ating bansa.

Hindi naman tayo nabigo sapagka't tiniyak ng Japanese Government na bagama't nagbawas sila ng tulong sa ibang bansa sa ating rehiyon, tuloy pa rin ang ibinibigay nilang official development assistance sa Pilipinas.

Patunay nito ang dalawang aid packages na kanilang inaprubahan sa panahon ng aking pagdalaw.

Una rito ay ang Support Package for Peace and Stability in Mindanao na nagkakahalaga ng apat na bilyong yen o halos 1.72 billion pesos. Bukod sa pagpapakita ng aktibong pagtulong ng Hapon sa Mindanao, ito ay naghahangad rin na i-ahon sa matinding kahirapan at patibayin ang kapayapaan sa katimugan, lalung-lalo na sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, o ARMM, na lubhang naapektuhan ng kaguluhan kung kaya't naging mabagal ang pag-unlad. Ang nasabing tulong ay gagamitin sa tatlong priority areas: pagbuo at pagpapatupad ng mga angkop na palakad; pagpapahusay ng mga serbisyo publiko, agrikultura at imprastruktura; at, suporta sa direktang pagtulong sa pagkakaroon ng kapayapaan at paglaban sa terorismo.

Ang pangalawang aid package ay ang Special Loan for the Enhancement of Firefighting Capabilities in Metro Manila na nagkakahalaga ng 5.2 billion yen o 2.2 billion pesos. Ito ay gagamitin para sa pagpapatayo ng tatlumpung (30) bagong substations at upgrading ng 124 substations at 22 fire stations sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay sa kanila ng mga makabagong kagamitang pamatay-sunog.

Hindi matatawaran ang kahalagahan ng tulong na ito upang mabawasan ang pangambang masunugan ng mga naninirahan sa Kamaynilaan.

Bukod sa mga ito, hiniling ko rin sa pamahalaang Hapon na tanggalin na ang pagbabawal sa pagpasok ng mga Filipino health workers sa Japan, lalo na ang caregivers na mahigpit nilang kinakailangan. Nais ng ating pamahalaan na makilahok sa human resource market for caregivers sa Japan, kung saan inaasahang mabilis na darami ang mga matatandang nangangailangan ng pagkalinga. Sa isang banda, ang Pilipinas naman ay may nakababatang populasyon na nakahandang maghandog ng mahuhusay na tagapangalaga sa ibang dako ng mundo.

Sa isang pagtitipon naman, matindi kong hinimok ang mga Japanese businessmen na maglagak ng puhunan sa Pilipinas. Tiniyak ko sa kanila na magandang lugar pa rin ang ating bansa para sa kanilang negosyo.

Pinakamababa na rin ngayon ang bilang ng strikes ng manggagawang Pilipino sa loob ng dalawampung taon. At matatag at transparent din ang Pilipinas kung pagpapatupad ng batas ang pag-uusapan. Bumaba na rin ang ating presyo ng koryente nang mapagtibay ang Electric Power Industry Reform Act.

Sa ulat kong ito, sana ay maunawaan ng ating mga kababayan ang kahalagahan ng aking State Visit sa Japan. Patuloy nating kinikilala na isang mahalagang bahagi ng ating political security ay nakasalalay sa economic contribution ng bansang Hapon bilang isang matibay at malakas na pinang-gagalingan ng aid, trade and investment.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Michael Defensor and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) to strengthen the campaign against squatting syndicates.

In a speech at a program commemorating the 16^th anniversary of the Urban Poor Solidarity Week at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City, the President ordered the HUDCC to help the urban poor, with the help of the PAO to toughen the fight against those who are destroying the housing program of the government for the urban poor. "Iyong mga nagaangkin ng lupang hindi naman nila pag-aari tapos kumukubra sa inyo ng paupa at iyong nagnanakaw sa maliit na kinikita at pinagpawisang naipon ng mga maralita (Those who usurp others’ land and subsequently lease this and rob the urban poor of their hard earned meager income)," the President said.

The President informed Chief Public Attorney Persida Rueda-Acosta that there are volunteer lawyers such as the CLASP, founded by former Vice President Salvador Laurel and Iloilo Congressman Raul Gonzales, who are willing to help the Public Attorney’s Office in defending the rights of the urban poor.

The President likewise disclosed that she has asked the help of former Commission on Elections Chairman Harriet Demetriou to uphold the rights of the "maralitang taga lungsod (urban poor)."

On the problem of demolition, the President said that there is now an improved and effective process, more than one year after she said that "there should be a moratorium in demolition in government projects."

"That’s a big work that should be brought to an end soon by Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor (PCUP) Chair Percival Chavez, with your help," the President said to her audience composed mostly of urban poor from Quezon City and neighboring Marikina and Pateros.

"I said then, we should not treat the urban poor as a mere problem but part of the solution," the President said.

"Bagama’t nagkakaisa tayo sa pagdiriwang na ito, hindi pa rin lubusan ang aking kasiyahan, Ito ay dahil sa kahirapang mangolekta ng buwis. At dahil sa kahirapan ng economiya sa buong mundo, humahabol pa rin tayo sa inyong pangangailangan (Though we are one in celebrating this occasion. I am unhappy because due to difficulties in tax collection and the global economic hardships, we could not satisfy all your needs)," the President said.

The President cited the many critics who, instead of helping the government, continue to criticize the government in its effort to fight poverty.

"But in spite of all of these, my determination is not diminished to do all I can to lighten the burden of the poor in the cities," she said.

The President asked them to help her find the solution to the long and thunderous cry of the "masa" – house and lot, social services and protection of the rights of the small citizens.

"We are continuously lending an ear to your concerns," the President said, stressing that if they are not being felt now, it is because the resources is not enough or the government is still finding the appropriate and effective solution.

"We are trying to find the solution to your problems for a better future, despite the difficulty being experienced not only in the Philippines but in the whole world," the President said.

The President, assisted by PCUP Chair Chavez, and National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Lead Convenor Teresita "Ging" Deles, awarded various checks from the different government agencies of government in charge of implementing programs and projects for the urban poor.

From Quedancor, the President, together with Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo, and Quedancor President Nelson Buenaflor, awarded checks for livelihood projects.

She also presented certificates of purchase commitment lines under the Cummunity Mortgage Program to Ang Aguardiente Christ Faith Homeowners Association of Novaliches, Quezon City (beneficiaries, 53 families) and the Ang Maliliit na Samahang Pagkakaisa Homeowners Association sa Tagpos, Binagonan, Rizal (48 families).

She also gave checks for payments to the owners of lands under the Community Mortgage Programs.

The Urban Poor Solidarity Week is a yearly activity observed nationwide every December 2-8 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 367.

Capping the 16^th Urban Poor Week are various activities lined up in an activity dubbed as "Pabahay at Hanapbuhay para sa Maralitang Taga-Lungsod.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assures the information and communication technology investors that her administration is now ready to certify the bill creating the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) as urgent in order to promote and implement the information technology services (ITS) and information technology enable services (ITES) in the country.

In her remarks to the business communication leaders during the 14^th Information Technology and E-Commerce Council (ITECC) meeting in Malacaņang, the President said that she would issue an administrative order to strengthen the information and communication technology (ICT) group within the Department of Communication and Transportation (DOTC).

The President admitted that the House of Representatives have already fulfilled most of its obligations under her legislative agenda except the Special Purpose Asset Vehicle (SPAV) and for the amendment of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), which are now in the bicameral conference committee.

"In the meantime because really I don’t want the SPAV and the AMLA bill to be delayed, we will issue administrative issuances to strengthen the ICT group within the DOTC because that’s the one which we envision to become the ICT Department", the President said.

The President noted that the SPAV and AMLA should be prioritized by both House of Representatives and the Senate because these two bills are also very important to the business community.

And once these two bills are passed, the DICT bill is the next important assignment of the lawmakers that they need to attend to, she said.

The Chief Executive also announced that she’d like to draft an executive order transferring the National Computer Center (NCC) to DOTC under the undersecretary for communication.

The President explained that her move to transfer the NCC to DoTC is the best way for Congress to understand the monetary importance of having an ICT Department in the country.