President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the military to "forge on with greater fervor and tenacity" the all out campaign to finish off the notorious kidnap-for-ransom Abu Sayyaf Group in Mindanao.

In a press conference at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, the President said "the days of offensive operations (against the Abu Sayyaf) are unrelenting."

She cited the high spirits of the military as they intensively pursued the remnants of the bandit group along the boundary of Siraway and Sibuco towns in Zamboanga del Norte.

"Intensive military operations are ongoing in the area where the rescue took place yesterday," she said.

The President had a meeting with key AFP commanders who reported that seven soldiers and a paramilitaryman were wounded in a gallant fight against the bandit-terrorists.

"I pray for their recovery and I wish their families well," she said.

She gave tribute to the soldiers and all those who are continuing the fight against the Abu Sayyaf and terrorism.

"I would like to convey to the soldiers that I feel that they have done well and that they should carry on," she said.

During the meeting, the Chief Executive named Undersecretary Melchor Rosales, Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, as the civilian spokesperson on matters related to the operation against the Abu Sayyaf.

"(Rosales) will give regular briefings to the press," she added.

The President also reiterated her "deep sadness" over the demise of American missionary Martin Burnham and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap who were killed in fierce firefight between the military and the Abu Sayyaf Friday afternoon in Zamboanga del Norte.

Martin’s wife, Gracia, was later rescued by the military; but she sustained a gunshot wound in the right leg.

The Abu Sayyaf seized the vacationing Burnham couple on May 27 last year from the Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Yap was snatched on June 2, 2001 from the Lamitan hospital that was taken over by the bandits in a bid to have their wounded treated.

In the press conference, the President said she would visit Gracia Burnham today "to comfort her and to convey our condolences on the death of her husband."

The President also disclosed that United States President George W. Bush called her up.

"I expressed my sense of bereavement for the Burnham family and the American people. And President Bush also condoled with us on the death of Ediborah Yap and the many soldiers who have lost their lives during all this period that we have been fighting the Abu Sayyaf and rescuing the hostages," she said.

"President Bush assured us on the continuing help of the United States in pushing our operations forward," she added.

The President also made plans to visit the family of Yap in Basilan on Tuesday and to bring to them "the condolences of our people."

"Ediborah is the symbol of the plight of the poor doubly victimized by terrorism. We shall fight poverty and terrorism not only in Basilan, not only in the Sibuco, Siraway, Siocon and Baliguian complex in Zamboanga del Norte, an area as poor as Basilan where the rescue finally happened," she said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Friday night expressed her appreciation to the Filipino-Chinese community for helping her administration provide better services to and in uplifting the lives of the poor in Metro Manila and elsewhere in the country.

In a speech during the 1^st Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day celebration in Binondo, Manila, the President cited the initiatives of various Filipino-Chinese groups that supported government in addressing shortages in school buildings and educational facilities.

"Your plan to donate school buildings in various barangays and your book donation program for the poor in the countryside deserve our appreciation and acknowledgement," she said.

The President also cited the initiative of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) to gather together officials of over 100 different organizations involved in business brotherhood and firefighting.

"I am confident this will result in the unification and solidarity of the various groups in the Chinese community," she said.

The celebration of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day is in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 148, which the President issued last January.

She said the celebration also coincided with the first year anniversary of the signing of Republic Act 9139 or the Administrative Naturalization Act.

The President said she is hoping that the CFBCI would help propagate the law and invite many of the Chinese living in the Philippines for a long time to apply for Filipino citizenship.

The occasion also marked the naming of two bridges in Binondo, Manila as the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Bridge and the Manila-Beijing Friendship Bridge.

"May the two bridges serve as monuments to the enduring friendship and historical ties between the Chinese and Filipinos," she said.

The CFBCI spent some P1 million to repaint, refurbish and put up lights at the two bridges located north and south of Ongpin Street.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today acknowledged four Korean scientists who worked on a packaging bag that would extend the shelf life of Philippine Super Mangoes by weeks instead of days.

In simple rites at Malacaņang’s Reception Hall, the President awarded plaques of appreciation to Doctors Suki Kang, Dongman Kim and Hyung Woo Park of the Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) and Soon Woo Geun of Korea’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) earlier tapped the KFRI to develop technology that would effectively address the need to delay the ripening of Philippine Super Mangoes.

CITEM Executive Director Felicidad Tan-Co said the new zeolite-coated film bag called Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) would enable exporters to transport the mangoes to distant markets like the United States and Europe by sea freight.

Air freight would cost more than the products, Tan-Co said.

She noted that the breakthrough technology was good news for mango exporters, particularly after the United States government allowed the importation of Philippine mangoes into the country.

"Spoilage is a thing of the past. Exporters are worried about the short shelf life of mangoes. With the use of this bag, the mangoes could now be stored for 33 days instead of the usual seven days," she said.

Tan-Co explained that the packaging is specifically designed for the Philippine local carabao mango variety that has relatively thin skin.

"The fruits are simply enclosed in the plastic bag, packed in the standard export box and shipped under refrigerated conditions," she said.

The mangoes are stored at 10 degrees Celsius for 22 days with the MAP film and they ripen after seven to eight days at room temperature without MAP.

Their total shelf life can be extended to 33 days or more if the ripening takes place during cold conditions.

The development of the MAP film was a painstaking and laborious process.

Through CITEM’s initiation and coordination, KFRI and the Food Development Center (FDC) conducted joint experiments, funded by Korea’s Ministry of Science and Technology, from 1996 to 1998 before the zeolite-coated film was finally declared suitable for Philippine mangoes.

Carlito Soon of United Polyresin, the firm that would produce the packaging bag commercially, said the product could be used not only for mangoes, but also for vegetables, fruits and even cutflowers.

"Cutflower suppliers and florists would have more time to sell their blooms. Reduced overhead expenses would translate to lower prices for consumers," Soon said.

"It is expected to not only boost mango exports, but also help local farmers expand their markets and transport their produce at lower prices with little fear of spoilage," he added.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Friday night assured the Filipino-Chinese community of the government’s resolve in meeting the problem of kidnapping with more focus and counterforce.

Speaking before a gathering celebrating the 1^st Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day in Binondo, Manila, the President said she has been motivating the incoming leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to eliminate kidnapping cases in Metro Manila.

"We will improve the on-the-ground capability of the PNP. We will have a more disciplined processing of intelligence," the President said.

In explaining the government’s resolve against criminality, the President cited the agreement forged between the Philippines and the United Kingdom that would provide skills and capacity-building training for Filipino policemen to fight kidnapping and other organized crimes.

She added that a similar arrangement is being worked out with the Hong Kong police.

The President further acknowledged that the government’s poverty alleviation programs would not succeed if crime continued to threaten the well being of citizens.

She expressed her appreciation to officials and members of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) for doing their best to help government in crime prevention and control.

Aside from working closely with the National Anti-Crime Commission in addressing kidnapping, the CFBCI has also donated 30 patrol cars to the PNP in previous years, she noted.

This was on top of the Club’s determined efforts to establish tighter links between the government and the Filipino-Chinese businessmen, she added.

The Chief Executive also lauded the efforts of the Filipino-Chinese to rally Metro Manila against drugs with their recent launching of one of the biggest anti-drug rallies participated in by non-governmental organizations, students and youth groups in various Chinese schools.

The President thanked the CFBCI for supporting the government’s anti-terrorism drive and for donating P1 million for the families of soldiers killed in Mindanao.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today announced that the government would make available National Food Authority (NFA) rice at jeepney terminals to make the staple easily accessible to jeepney drivers.

The President made the announcement during the launching of the Driver’s License Renewal Mobile Kiosks at Malacaņang’s Heroes Hall.

In return, representatives of several jeepney and bus drivers groups said they would give senior citizens a P2 fare discount for the first five kilometers.

The discount is on top of the 20 percent reduction on succeeding kilometers provided by law for senior citizens.

The President expressed delight on the development.

The President, who broke bread with transport leaders, also witnessed the demonstration of a prototype of the license renewal facility.

She was joined by Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez, Land Transportation Office chief Roberto Lastimoso, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Dante Lantin and Office of Transportation Cooperatives chairman Jaime Domdom.

Several transport leaders, including those from operators’ and drivers’ associations, attended the occasion.

The President was presented a copy of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) of the different transport leaders and the Department of Transportation and Communication.

The MOA called for support to the President’s agenda of good governance.

The President also awarded the OKSnayan Citation to members of the transportation industry for their willingness to cooperate with the administration by not increasing their fares during the last rounds of oil price increases.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Friday night expressed satisfaction that the country’s economy ably pulled through difficulties in the last one and a half years despite the problem of terrorism in Southern Philippines.

In her speech during the 1^st Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day celebration in Binondo, Manila, the President attributed the economic gains to the support of the different private organizations including those of the large Filipino-Chinese community.

"While the economies of many of our neighbors and trading partners suffered declines last year, ours posted a 3.7-percent growth in gross national product (GNP)," she said.

This growth, according to her, was one of the highest output growths in East and Southeast Asia.

During the first quarter of this year, the Philippine GNP grew by 4.9 percent, the President noted.

She called on all sectors of society to set aside political differences and instead concentrate on common aspirations for peace, public order, good governance and national development.