President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the groundbreaking of the new "LIKAS Housing Concept" at El Pueblo One, Kingspoint Subdivision in Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City, in line with her determination to make housing one of the main priorities of her administration.

LIKAS, which is the acronym for Lifestyle Integration of Well-Kept Affordable Shelter, addresses the housing needs of the urban working class to reduce the shelter shortage in Metro Manila.

The El Pueblo Likas Housing project is a joint undertaking of Phoenix Sun International and the National Housing Authority (NHA) with the support of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Pag-IBIG Fund and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

LIKAS housing features the "condormitel" style, the integrated concept of a condominium, dormitory and hotel. All units are fully furnished and are priced almost the same as flats or apartments located within the metropolitan area.

According to Grace Eleazar of the Phoenix Sun International Corporation, LIKAS housing is an innovative concept in medium-rise buildings.

"The design concept addresses many development issues like the preservation of the environment, density factor, unit design which will hone in the living habits of the prospective dwellers, maintenance, cultural, social and economic needs of the residents and varied amenities which are exclusive features of Likas housing," Eleazar said.

The President said that when she was senator and then vice president, she often visited urban poor communities. During the visit, she would often ask the urban poor what they wanted most out of life and the common answer was "pabahay" (housing).

Thus, when she became President, she decided to jumpstart the housing sector, which she believes is considered to have a multiplier effect that can revitalize the economy.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, the President lowered the time capsule. She was assisted by HUDCC Chairman Michael Defensor, NHA General Manager Edgardo Pamintuan, Presidential Adviser on Official Development Assistance Absorption Office Marita Jimenez, and Quezon City Major Feliciano Belmonte, among others.

Another P24 million worth of misdeclared agricultural products were seized today by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Anti-Smuggling Intelligence and Investigation Center (ASIIC) under retired Gen. Miguel G. Coronel at the South Harbor.

The misdeclared goods arrived from China last November 24, 2002 and were consigned to Gunion Enterprises, Magnificent Touch Company and Carl’s International Traders.

The apprehension is part of the continuing effort of the newly-created ASIIC to go after big-time smugglers as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ginion Enterprises declared the shipment consigned to it as garlic worth P12 million but was found out to be onions and assorted vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, celery and ginger.

Another shipment for Magnificent Touch, loaded in 10x40 containers, was declared as garlic and onion but had no import permit from the Department of Agriculture. The consignee, however, denied ownership of shipment and waived all rights and obligations thereon.

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo ordered the filing of appropriate charges against the consignees. A Warrant of Seizure and Detention for the shipments was issued by District Collector Reynaldo Nicolas of the Port of Manila.

The ASIIC was created under the Executive Order 155 dated Dec. 11, 2002 to investigate and interdict smuggling and other acts contrary to the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines committed.

The apprehending party was composed of members of the Presidential Security Group under Brig. Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr., head of Task Force Blue Collar of the ASIIC, Bureau of Customs and the Department of Agriculture.

Earlier, two 40-footer container vans loaded with rotten ginger and carrots from China were put under a condemnation status by Task Force Blue Collar at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

"It was a case of a misdeclared importation of fruits which turned out to be vegetables," Esperon said.

Malacaņang today said that it hopes Manila Congressman Mark Jimenez would leave for the United States on December 26, otherwise the extradition proceedings against him will have to proceed and he will be placed under custody.

In a briefing this afternoon, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that the government welcomes today’s announcement of Jimenez that he will, after all, honor his commitment to the court that he will voluntary depart for the US on Thursday after changing his position on the matter last Saturday.

"Let’s hope that this is really it, that he will leave as scheduled on December 26," Bunye said.

When asked what the government would do if Jimenez again backtracks on his promise, Bunye said that the normal procedure for extradition would have to be followed.

Bunye said that if Jimenez would not abide by the court order for him to leave on December 26, then he would have to be placed under custody by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) while his extradition case is being heard by the court.

The Cabinet Oversight Committee on International Security met today to work on the final peace agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as Malacaņang stressed that the government remains open to negotiations with the CPP-NPA.

In a press briefing in Malacaņang this afternoon, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said that the government has always been sincere in pursuing the peace process, and that it has always been open to peace negotiations.

"The lines have always been open and we are preparing for that time when the situation would be more conducive to the formal peace negotiations," Bunye said, stressing that the Cabinet Oversight Committee is now at the stage where the final peace agreement is being worked on.

The draft peace agreement was prepared by the government panel to the suspended peace negotiations with the foreign-based leaders of the CPP-NPA that has been submitted to the Cabinet Oversight Committee.

Bunye described the final draft agreement as very comprehensive, having been reviewed by the oversight committee line by line.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today awarded a total of P11 million in cash to athletes, coaches and trainers who brought honor and prestige to the country during the recent Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea.

Aside from the President, the awarding ceremonies, held at the Villamor Golf Club Social Hall, were attended by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Eric Buhain, Philippine Olympic Committee President Celso Dayrit and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairman Ephraim Genuino.

Gold medal winners at the Asian Games received P1 million while the silver and bronze medalists were awarded P500,000 and P100,000 each respectively.

Accepting the P1 million cash checks were Mai-Mai Cojuangco on behalf of gold medal winner Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski in equestrian’s (showjumping), bowlers Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno and Rowen Jay Bautista (men’s doubles) and 9-ball doubles billiards champions Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Antonio "Nikoy" Lining.

The silver medalists were bowlers Maria Liza del Rosario, Irene Garcia-Benitez, Liza Clutario, Josephine Canare and Maria Cecilia Yap (Women’s Five Players Team), Christian Jan Suarez, Constantin Chester King and Leonardo Rey Jr. (Men’s Trios), boxer Harry Tanamor (light flyweight 48 kg) and equestriennes Danielle Schulze Cojuangco, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Marie Antoinette Leviste and Maria Michelle Barrera (Team Show Jumping), wushu athlete Marvin Sicomen (Men’s San Shou 52 kg), Rexel Nganhayna (Men’s San Shou 56 kg).

The bronze medalists were golfers Heidi Chua, Carmelette Villaroman and Ria Denise Quiazon (women’s team), 8-ball singles winner Efren Reyes, bowler Liza Clutario (women’s singles), shooters Jethro Dionisio, Jaime Recio and Eric Ang (Men’s Trap Team), Jethro Dionisio (men’s trap individual), rowers Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova (Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls), karate winners Gretchen Malalad (women’s Kumite) and Cherli Tugday (Women’s individual kata), Taekwondo players Tshomlee Go (men’s flyweight 58 kg) Daleen Cordero (Women’s flyweight 51 kg) Veronica Domingo (women’s welterweight 67 kg) and Dindo Simpao (men’s middleweight 84 kg) and Sally Solis (women’s middleweight 72 kg), Wushu players Bobby Co (Men’s Taijiquan two events combined), Eduard Folayang (men’s San Shou 65 kg) and Arvin Ting (Men’s Changquan 3 events combined).

Aside from the athletes, the President also awarded cash incentives to coaches.

The three gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals hauled out of Busan was the best the Philippine delegation in the quadrennial games bagged in 16 years.

According to PSC Chairman Buhain, more than P70 million has been distributed to Filipino athletes through Republic Act 9064, or the Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act.

Buhain said the President has personally instructed him to give out the P11.5 million to the athletes as "the Christmas season is already here."

Buhain added that the cash bonuses underscore the President’s unwavering support to national athletes and sports in general.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today made a surprise visit to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to personally welcome and present special Christmas gifts to three lucky Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Kuwait, Riyadh and Hong Kong under the Pamaskong Handog sa OFWs 2002 program.

In simple rites held at NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City this afternoon, the President personally welcomed and thanked the OFWs from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Hong Kong in recognition of their valuable contribution to the country’s economy.

During the ceremony, the President awarded two checks totaling P50,000 each to the three OFWs, P25,000 from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the other P25,000 from Land Bank of the Philippines.

The three OFWs also got P50,000 worth of housing bonds from Pag-IBIG Funds, JVC components and bagful of groceries from the Duty Free Philippines.

The three recipient OFWs recipient of Pamaskong Handog were Ricardo Correa Villanueva of 143 Phase 2, Saging Street, CAA Compound, Las Pinas City, a marketing representative for 11 years in Amta Trading Establishment based in Riyadh, KSA; Violeta Viado Garcia of Karusukan, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, a household worker for six years of John Mackay Williamson based in Hong Kong; and Mariasol Demetria, an OFW in Kuwait.

Demetria was the luckiest among the three recipients of the Pamaskong Handog because after three years, she is finally reunited with her son, Khalib Ehab Eid. Circumstances forced her to be repatriated in 1999 leaving her two-month old child son under the custody of her husband, Mohammad Eid, an Egyptian national.

Unfortunately, Mohammad was deported to Egypt in March 2002. and their son was placed under the custody of a Kuwaiti social welfare institution.

Upon the instruction of the President, Philippine Ambassador in Kuwait Bayani Mangibin facilitated the reunion of the Mariasol and Khalib.

In their brief conversation, Mrs. Demetria told the President that her reunion with her daughter is the greatest gift that she received this Christmas.

Pamaskong Handog sa OFWs was started in by the OWWA, Department of Labor (DOLE), and Philippine Overseas Employees Administration (POEA) to give recognition to the OFWs for their socio-economic contributions to the country.

AKO, SAMPU NG AKING PAMILYA AY NAKIKI-ISA SA BUONG SAMBAYANANG KRISTIYANO SA PAGDIRIWANG SA KAPANGANAKAN NI HESUS.

ANG DAKILANG PAGSILANG NI HESUS AY ISANG SIMBOLO NG PAGKAKA-ISA AT KAPATIRAN, PAGPAPA-KUMBABA AT HIGIT SA LAHAT ISANG WAGAS NA PAG-IBIG SA SANGKATAUHAN.

KASING-KAHULUGAN DIN ITO NG ATING PAGHANGAD NG KAPATIRAN AT PAGKAKAISA NG ATING SAMBAYAN.

ANG MGA KATANGIANG ITO ANG DAPAT NA MAGSILBING INSPIRASYON UPANG SAMA-SAMA NATING LUTASIN ANG MGA PROBLEMANG ATING KINAKAHARAP AT MAITAGUYOD ANG ISANG MATATAG AT MAUNLAD NA BANSA.

PAG-IBIG ANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT NAGKATAWANG-TAO SI HESUS. PAG-IBIG SA ATING KAPWA ANG TUNAY NA DIWA NG PASKO. PAG-IBIG DIN ANG MAGSISILBING TALA NA SIYANG TATANGLAW SA ATING PAGTAHAK SA NAGKAKA-ISANG LANDAS TUNGO SA ATING GANAP NA PAG-UNLAD.

MANALIG TAYO SA KAKAYAHAN NG ISA’T-ISA AT MAGTULUNGAN UPANG MABIGYANG KATUPARAN ANG ATING MGA PANGARAP.

MANALANGIN TAYO NA MAGKAROON NG MUNDONG PUNO NG PAG-IBIG, KASAGANAHAN AT KAPAYAPAAN.

KATIWASAYAN, PAGMAMAHALAN AT PAGKAKAISA ANG NAPAPANAHONG MENSAHE NG KAPASKUHAN.

ATIN PONG ISABUHAY ANG TUNAY NA DIWA NG KAPANGANAKAN NI HESUS -- ANG PAG-IBIG SA SANGKATAUHAN.