President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the issuance of a new executive order that would speed up interconnection among telecommunications companies that would result in lower rates for consumers.

The President gave the directive during Thursday’s Cabinet meeting after noting that delays in interconnection among public telecommunication entities (PTEs) have resulted in high telecom charges.

She ordered Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino Cruz Jr. to draft the executive order amending Executive Order No. 59 issued by former President Fidel Ramos.

EO 59 prescribed the policy guidelines for compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers in order to create a universally accessible and full integrated nationwide telecommunications network and thereby encourage greater private sector investment in telecommunications.

The draft EO, which was presented to the President and the Cabinet members in Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, would enhance the existing policy on interconnection to ensure telecommunication services of PTEs can access the services as well as the subscribers of other PTEs at acceptable quality of service and at reasonable costs.

The new EO would emphasize the need to provide an effective and measurable time-frame to effect and implement interconnection between and among PTEs to facilitate the negotiations of interconnection agreements.

The EO would also stress the need to ensure that interconnection will not result in unfair and unreasonable pricing arrangements to the detriment of the consumers.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Simeon A. Datumanong has ordered agency field officials to carry out immediate maintenance work on national roads damaged by monsoon rains and typhoons "Gloria" and "Hambalos" that recently hit the country.

Datumanong also directed DPWH maintenance crews to use all available equipment to clear national roads from landslides, debris and fallen trees.

He also asked field officials to thoroughly assess damages to public infrastructure, particularly bridge sub-structures, school buildings and flood control structures.

Datumanong said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has directed the Department of Budget and Management  (DBM) to release P80 million in calamity funds to the DPWH for repairs of damaged infrastructure.

Prioritry, he said, would go to patching up potholes in Metro Manila, Manila North Road, Manila South Road and the Cagayan Valley Road, which for sometime was closed to all types of vehicles.

Meanwhile, the DPWH has vowed to extend technical help to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to solve the perennial flooding in the metropolis.

This followed the formal turn-over of all functions and responsibilities for flood control projects in Metro Manila from the DPWH to the MMDA, in accordance with the instruction of President Macapagal Arroyo.

Under a memorandum of agreement signed by Datumanong and MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, the MMDA would also assume the functions and responsibilities and relevant programs, projects, activities, personnel, funds, equipment, records, assets and liabilities subject to the provisions of existing relevant laws.

The DPWH has identified at least two major causes of flooding in Metro Manila, namely: the overflowing of the Pasig, San Juan, Marikina and Malabon-Tullahan rivers and streams during intense rain and the insufficiency of inland drainage facilities in coping with excessive local run-offs.

Flooding has been aggravated by the indiscriminate disposal of garbage and other solid materials into the rivers, esteros, drains, and waterways.

When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her State of the Nation Address (SONA) before the joint session of Congress on Monday, July 22, she will focus on three main issues, namely peace and order, graft and corruption, and the power situation.

In a radio interview this morning, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President would expound on her plans and programs for the incoming years.

Specifically, the Chief Executive would stress on the government’s all-out war against all forms of criminality, including smuggling, and corruption, Bunye said.

He said a big part of the President’s SONA would also focus on how to address the power rate problem. In recent months, the President had ordered a reduction on the controversial Purchased Power Cost Adjustment to ease consumer burdens.

He added that the SONA would be less in "nitty-gritties," but would be concentrated more on the fundamental issues that needed immediate solutions.

"The President will explain what she will do and basically, this is the declaration of war against all forms of criminality, all forms of anomalies, including smuggling," Bunye said.

Toward the end of her SONA speech, Bunye said the President would seek the support and cooperation of lawmakers on her priority bills that included the franchise law that would assure power users throughout the country of affordable electricity.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said her administration is committed to dismantle all organized criminal syndicates in our country, including those engaged in drug manufacture and drug trafficking.

The President reiterated her strong commitment after a surprise visit and inspection at the drug laboratory in Quezon City raided by the elements of National Capital Regional Police Office-Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group (NCRPO-MMDEG).

During the raid, the police confiscated at least P118 million worth of high grade shabu, chemicals and paraphernalia used in manufacturing the illegal drugs. The police also arrested seven Chinese nationals and three Filipinos inside a house in No. 75 Varsity Hills, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

In her brief remarks, the President personally congratulated Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Interior and Local Government Secretary Joey Lina, Jr., NCRPO Chief Edgardo Aglipay and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte for their successful drug bust.

The President said that the raid in Varsity Hills drug laboratory is the latest in a series of raids made by her administration in the war against drug pushers and drug dealers.

She said that the successful raid of PNP is the clear indication that the administration has the political will to fight against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

The President also said that under her leadership, the PNP has now more drug bust operations compared to the past administration.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has given the go-signal for the construction of the 5.12-kilometer extension of the existing 16.9-kilometer EDSA Mass Rail Transit (MRT) 3.

The $213.99-million rail project, to be financed and carried out by Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC), earlier passed the muster of the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development authority (NEDA).

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and ICC co-chairman Dante Canlas recommended the approval of the MRT 3 extension project to the President during the Cabinet meeting held Thursday in Malacaņang.

Canlas said the project would complete the rail transit loop by linking the Baclaran-Monumento Light Rail Transit Line 1 and the Taft-North Ave. MRT 3.

The interface would come when the MRT 3 extends from its depot site in North Ave. to Monumento, with the construction of three elevated stations at Roosevelt, Balintawak and Monumento, all along EDSA.

The extension project will be implemented under the Build-Transfer (BT) scheme under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law.

It supplements the MRT 3 Phase I solicited Build-Lease-Transfer agreement.

When adopted, the MRT 3 extension project may not need the solicitation of comparable competitive proposals and may provide to MRTC similar government support possibilities under the existing Phase I BOT agreement.

The project will involve civil works, system designs, communication system, automated fare collection system, escalators and elevators and closed-circuit television and others.

The government, under the build-lease-transfer (BLT) contract, is operating the MRT 3 on an 18-hour basis, six hours of which are peak hours.

The maximum capacity of a three-car train is about 1,182 passengers or 394 passengers per car.

The government has extended some P692.75 million in micro-finance credit to 312,472 women borrowers as of mid-July, surpassing the 300,000-beneficiary target set in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2001.

A report on the accomplished SONA targets presented in Thursday’s Cabinet meeting said the President was also successful in making microfinance a cornerstone in the fight against poverty nationwide.

The report said this success has brought the total of microfinance institutions registered with the People’s Credit and Finance Corp. (PCFC) to 198.

Loans released by PCFC to active conduits reached P1.128 billion serving 298,516 clients.

In providing funds for new women borrowers, 86.46 percent of the total borrowers got financing though government financial institutions (GFIs), such as the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Small Business and Guarantee and Finance Corp. and government-owned and controlled corporations like the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC), National Livelihood Support Fund (NLSF) and the PCFC.

Almost fourteen percent of the total borrowers acquired financing through PCFC conduits and affiliates, the report added.

Most of the women borrowers, numbering 57,485, came from Region 4; some 49,757 from Region 3; and 34,423 from Region 6.

In her SONA, the President promised to make micro-credit available to 300,000 new women borrowers every year.

"Bawat taon, dadagdagan natin ng tatlundaang libong maralitang kababaihan ang makikinabang sa paluwagan programa ng microfinance (Every year, we will include 300,000 new women borrowers in our microfinance credit schemes)," she said.

The President also pledged to make microfinance a foundation in the fight against poverty.

"Ang ibig sabihin nito ay maliliit na paluwagan para sa maliliit na negosyo (This means that microcredit will be made available to small businesses)," she said.

Aside from building new microfinance institutions, the government, through the BSP, issued licenses to three microfinance-oriented banks.

These were the Opportunity Microfinance Bank Inc., Micro Enterprise Bank and Bangko ng Masa with branches in Rizal province and in the cities of Davao, Makati, Pasig and Quezon.

The BSP is also evaluating four more bank applications to operate in Muntinlupa City; the provinces of Bukidnon and Catanduanes; and in Cainta, Rizal.

The government likewise prepared the Microfinance Development Framework and conducted a national microfinance conference and consultation with concerned agencies to identify needs of the microfinance industry and ensure that appropriate policies are in place.

It has also drafted the implementing rules and regulations of the Peoples Development Trust Fund, which shall finance capability building and institutional strengthening of microfinance institutions.

The Association of Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Inc. (APPMan, Inc.) today reaffirmed its commitment to support the program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide ordinary Filipinos, especially the poor, with quality but affordable medicines.

APPMan reaffirmed this commitment after the simple oathtaking ceremony of its officers and members led by its president, Ernesto Bravo of the St. Martin Pharma Lab, and executive vice president Ferjenel Biron of the Pharmawealth Lab. Inc. held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang.

The new APPMan officers took their oath of office before the President.

APPMan also said that they have been supporting the program of the President to cut by half the prices of medicines frequently being bought by the masses.

"We have been supporting this program of President Macapagal-Arroyo especially in the countryside," Bravo said.

Silently competing with the multinationals, especially in terms of affordability and quality, Bravo said that the APPMan, Inc., an association of all-Filipino pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, has been offering prices that are 50 percent lower than the popular brand sold by multinational firms.

Dr. Biron, on the other hand, said that it has been more than 20 years that APPMan has been offering medicines, especially antibiotics and other relevant lines, with half the price or even lesser than other brands sold by multinational companies.

"We just want to reaffirm that commitment to the President now that one of her programs is to reduce the price of medicines here in the Philippines," said Dr. Biron.

The APPMan members also expressed gladness when the President assured them that she would look into the current situation of the Filipino pharmaceutical manufacturing which has been doing its best to upgrade its manufacturing system, a requirement imposed by General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organization.

"Some of our members are already exporting their products to Asian countries and engaged in the development of herbal plants available in the Philippines," Dr. Biron said.

He said APPMan members have continued to operate their plants because of their commitment to serve, especially the less fortunate members of society.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today formally swore into office newly appointed Press Secretary Ignacio "Toting" Bunye in ceremonies in Malacanang.

Secretary Bunye officially started working as press secretary and presidential spokesman last Tuesday (July 16).

Accompanied by his wife, Dr., Miraflor Oca-Bunye, his three children, relatives and friends, Bunye took his oath at the Ceremonial Hall of the Palace.

Aside from being press secretary, Bunye will act as presidential spokesman until October when Rigoberto Tiglao will reassume the position.

Before he joined politics in l986, Bunye had been a reporter of DZMT, the radio station of the old Manila Times, and later as reporter of the Daily Star.

A lawyer by profession, Bunye has served in various executive positions at the Ayala group of companies, including as assistant vice president of the Ayala Investment and Development Corporation and the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

When former President Corazon Aquino took over power after the downfall of former President Ferdinand Marcos in l986, Bunye was designated officer-in-charge of the municipality of Muntinlupa.

He became the duly elected mayor of Muntinlupa from l988 to l995. As Muntinlupa mayor, Bunye served as chairman of the then Metropolitan Manila Authority in a concurrent capacity, from l991-1992.

In l995, Bunye was again reelected as mayor of Muntinlupa for his last three-year term. During his 12-year stewardship, Muntinlupa metamorphosed from a fifth-class municipality into a highly urbanized city.

Adopting proven corporate practices that he gained from working in the private sector, Bunye streamlined operations and cut red tape, thus making Muntinlupa City a business-friendly community which is what it is today.

Toward the end of his term as mayor, Bunye laid the foundation for the establishment of the Ospital ng Muntinlupa through the acquisition of a five-hectare lot within the Filinvest Corporate City, which is also the site of the future Civic Center Complex.

Barred by law to seek a fourth consecutive term as mayor, Bunye ran for Congress in l998 and became the first Congressman from the lone district of Muntinlupa City.

In Congress, Bunye continued to champion the cause of local governments, especially in providing them with greater fiscal autonomy.

Originally a member of the minority, Bunye became one of the fiscalizers of the 11^th Congress. But with the change of leadership toward the end of the 11^th Congress, he became the Senior Deputy Majority Floor Leader.

A valedictorian in his elementary and secondary education, Bunye finished both his AB in Political Science and Bachelor of Laws from the Ateneo de Manila. He had a Masters in Management from the Asian Institute of Management.

Bunye, who is a lifetime member of the National Press Club, has written a number of articles published in the Daily Star, including a four-part series entitled "War Vignettes," a first-person account of events immediately after the Tet Offensive in South Vietnam in l968.