President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expounded yesterday on the administration’s policy of mobilizing culture to improve moral standards in society and ultimately attaining the goal of winning the battle against poverty.

The President told art and culture experts and heads of government and non-government agencies gathered at the Culture and Arts Conference at the Pearl Manila Hotel in Ermita, that culture reflects and molds moral standards.

She said culture has its place in the four core beliefs of her administration – the second tenet on the improvement of moral standards in government and society in order to provide a strong foundation for good governance.

"We must insure that our culture is strong, vibrant and attractive," the President said.

The President said she would like to see the vision for a Filipino people inspired by its cultural and artistic life and heritage to improve moral standards in government.

"If we are to raise moral standards, first we must strengthen justice and the enforcement of law and order," she said, adding that this pertains to two levels.

At the level of principle, the President said, the administration must affirm its commitment to the principle that no one is above the law. On the other hand, the second level pertains to our sense that justice prevails and the rule of law works in our daily lives, she added.

The President said the second level "is a great challenge to us in today’s domestic and international environment which is challenged with crimes and terrorism all around."

"In this challenging environment characterizing the dawn of the 21^st century, we must mobilize culture to forge consensus on a just, lasting and honorable peace in our country," she declared.

In mobilizing culture to influence moral standards, the President said, "we must arrive at a national consensus on the principles to guide our search for peace."

In this connection, President Macapagal-Arroyo offered the following three-pronged principles for the Filipino people and the cultural community to consider.

"One principle is that our ultimate objective should be both peace and development. A second principle is that our framework must be based on constitutionality, national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the President said.

The third principle, she said, is that the Philippines "must recognize that our society is a multi-ethnic one which should be founded on social justice for all and the institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions."

"Christians and Muslims, Chinese and Spanish, Tagalog and Cebuano. These are but a few of the names to which the Filipino responds in a wondrous testimony to our rich and varied heritage as a nation," the President said.

The President expressed the belief that the Medium-Term Plan for Culture and the Arts of the Arroyo administration should revolve around the vision of institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions. "This should be the unifying vision for our Medium-Term Plan for Culture and the Arts," she said.

While many had expressed unease over an emerging mono-culture as a result of globalization, the President said, the fear was that the culture of developing nations will slowly be eradicated as the cultures of more advanced nations exercised their hegemony.

However, the President said, the reality is that "our culture could only be swamped by global forces if we do not take measures to preserve and defend it."

"To preserve and defend our culture needs planning and preparedness," she stressed.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led government officials in presenting the Gawad Gintong Kalabaw award of excellence to 100 Cavite graduates in celebration of the centenary year of the Cavite National High School.

The President, assisted by Education Secretary Raul Roco, Cavite Governor Erineo Maliksi and Rep. Plaridel Abaya of Cavite, personally handed over the awards to the 100 graduates in ceremonies held this morning at Malacaņang’s Heroes Hall.

One of the awardees is Elmer Abueg, the President’s former professor when she was taking up her Masteral Degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1972.

"Siya (referring to the President) ang pinakamagaling kong estudyante sa Ateneo (She was my best student in Ateneo de Manila University)," Abueg said as the President presented him the medallion of the Gawad Gintong Kalabaw.

Visibly elated, the President thanked Abueg for his remarks.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the presentation of Awards for Judicial Excellence to three outstanding Regional Trial Court judges, two outstanding Municipal Trial Court judges, two outstanding public prosecutors and one outstanding public attorney for, among other things, their contributions to law and jurisprudence and for having exhibited proven sense of justice and fairness.

The awards were traditionally presented at the Supreme Court, but this time they presentation was held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacaņang.

The awards were being given to personages in Philippine judiciary for excellent character, exemplary work, high ethics, and superior work standard.

The 2002 Awards for Judicial Excellence were given to the following:

• Outstanding Regional Trial Court Judges:

  1. Judge Clifton U. Ganay of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 31, Agoo, La Union who received the Chief Justice         Cayetano Arellano Award for Judicial Excellence;

2.  Diosdado Peralta of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 95 of Quezon City who was given the Chief Justice Ramon Avancena Award for Judicial Excellence; and

3. Judge Lucas Bersamin of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 96, Quezon City, who was awarded the Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Award for Judicial Excellence.

• Outstanding Municipal Trial Court Judges:

1. Judge Ma. Theresa Mendoza Arcega of the Metropolitan Trial Court, Poblacion, Bustos, Bulacan, who received the Justice Felicisimo Feria Award for Judicial Excellence; and

     2.  Judge Rafael Crescencio Tan, Jr. of the Municipal Trial Court of Sibulan, Negros Oriental who was presented             the Justice Alex Reyes Award for Judicial Excellence.

• Outstanding Public Prosecutors:

1. Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, State Prosecutor II of the Department of Justice who received the Senator Ambrosio Padilla Award for Judicial Excellence; and
2. Prosecutor Globert Justalero of the Office of the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor who was awarded the Senator Lorenzo Tanada Award for Judicial Excellence.

• Outstanding Public Attorney:

Lawyer Ma. Clarita Tabin of the Public Attorney’s Office of Baguio City who was presented the Justice Jose P. Laurel Award for Judicial Excellence.

In her message, the President encouraged judges, public prosecutors and public attorneys to strengthen their resolve toward a more effective administration of justice, which she

emphasized, is the hallmark of civilized society.

Each of the awardees received P50,000 in cash and a trophy.

The board of judges for this year’s awards was headed by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. as chairman with the following as members: Associate Justice Josue Bellosillo, Justice Ameurfina Herrera, Acting Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Cancio Garcia, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Regino Hermosisima, Jr., Lawyer Teofilo Pilando, Jr., national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and Lawyer Federico Alikpala, Jr, president of the Philippine Bar Association.

The board of trustees of the Foundation for Judicial Excellence include Justice Jose Feria, chairman and president; Lawyer Ricardo Romulo, corporate secretary; Lawyer Santiago Dumlao, Jr., corporate treasurer; Lawyer Ricardo Guevarra, trustee; Lawyer Luis Sison, trustee; Justice Ameurfina Herrera, trustee, and Lawyer Lilia de Lima, trustee.