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| 07 NOVEMBER 2002 |
| GMA lauds Vietnam's hosting of AIPO, sees closer ties with Vietnam |
HANOI, Vietnam (Via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today lauded Chairman Nguyen Van An of the National Assembly of Vietnam for the successful hosting by the Vietnam government of the 23rd General Assembly of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) in September this year. The President, who met with Nguyen Van An at the Government House here yesterday afternoon, said the successful hosting by Vietnam of the AIPO signaled the beginning of his country’s capability to hold other international conferences in the years ahead. These include the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in 2004 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting in 2006. "We have similar viewpoints about realities in the region and in the world," she said as she touched on the Philippine government’s foreign policy. "We move together as Asean and we give importance to three active nations, namely, the United States, China, and Japan – countries with huge economic potentials," the President said. The President said the steadfastness of both the Philippines and Vietnam together with other Asean nations led to the signing of the Declaration of the Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. She expressed the hope that the two countries will "move together in this direction and in all our other initiatives as well." The chairman of Vietnam’s National Assembly, who warmly received President Macapagal-Arroyo, said her visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam "is a leap forward in our relations in the years ahead." He told the President that during the recent elections of Vietnam’s National Assembly, there was an increase of 27.31 percent of women parliamentarians elected. "Women in Vietnam played important roles in the past struggles to defend the country," Nguyen Van An said adding that today women play very important role in building the country. He told the President that he was delighted to see her because "this is the first time I met a woman-President." In closing, the Vietnamese official said the exchange of high-level visits between the Philippines and Vietnam "set the growing foundations to improve relations and enhance mutual understanding between the two countries." Among those who accompanied the President during her call on Nguyen Van An were Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople, Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Guillermo Wong, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, Presidential Management Staff Head Silvestre Afable, Jr. and DFA Undersecretary Lauro Baja, Jr. |
| Statement of the Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao on reports about coup plots |
Reports of coup plots in this country in this day and age have assumed the genre of UFO-and men-from-Mars sightings that have been played up in the 1950s and 60s American grocery-counter tabloids. Media reports of "coup plots" however gravely distort the image of our country in the world. Worse, they insult the integrity and loyalty of the overwhelming majority of our soldiers and policemen who again and again have proven their loyalty to their Commander-In-Chief, the President of the Philippine Republic, and to our Constitution. Officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have repeatedly expressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo their appreciation of her efforts to improve their and their family’s quality of life. Our soldiers who have been wounded and killed to uphold their duty to defend the Republic are our national heroes of today. President Macapagal-Arroyo early last year pushed with all her political resources for the passage of the bill, sponsored by Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. which granted pay increases to our military to put their salaries on the same level as policemen ordered by a 1999 law. The full implementation of the 1999 law for policemen’s salaries was undertaken on three steps within a span of three years, because of our country’s budget constraints. The law to increase the soldiers’ and officers’ pay will be implemented in just 15 months, which began October 1. We have received reports that a few disgruntled scalawags in the military are distorting this issue to invent reports of soldiers "low morale", leading to fabrications of "coup plots." They are only spitting upon the Republic’s image in the eyes of the world, and upon the integrity of our soldiers. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo deeply appreciates the patriotism and understanding of our soldiers that the pay increases, as in the case of policemen’s salaries cannot be fully implemented in one swoop, to ensure that such spikes in expenditures do not derail our budgetary program. The President has often emphasized to her officials that ways and means must be found to help our soldiers and their families achieved a comfortable life even with their net take-home pay set by law of as low as 4,000 pesos. As one way of achieving this, the President gave specific orders to Housing Secretary Mike Defensor to implement within six months the first phase of a massive housing program for our soldiers. Secretary Defensor on Wednesday had reported to Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo that these housing projects are on the way towards becoming reality in six months in 21 camps and military reservations all over the country. Among these are those to be built in a 20-hectare land in Camp Riego de Dios, Cavite, 30 has. In Camp Aquino, Tarlac; and 20 has. in Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City. |
| RP, Vietnam form bilateral commission to further strengthen economic ties |
HANOI, Vietnam (via PLDT) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has announced that the Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to form a joint bilateral commission to further strengthen the counter-trade between the two countries. The President made the announcement in her press conference held at the Melia Hanoi Hotel Wednesday night. The Chief Executive said that in order to achieve a counter-trade volume of $600 million per year, she and Vietnamese Prime Minister Tran Duc Luong have agreed to create a joint bilateral commission. The President explained that the joint bilateral commission will be chaired by the ministers of foreign affairs of both countries "so that they can operationalize the framework agreement for the next 25 years." She said that there will be no problem in the implementation of joint bilateral agreement since the two countries have many things to sell and buy from each other. "Only a narrow avenue, a sea, separates us, not an ocean but a narrow sea, and that’s the South China Sea. And although we did not know each other well for many years when we had different economic and political systems during the Cold War in the 21st century, in fact in the 1990s, we began to know each other and understand each other more and behave more like neighbors," she said. In working for the Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea, the President said that the Philippines and Vietnam are always working together, always pushing together, in the same policy direction. On the signing of sports agreement by both countries, the President said she expects a lot of benefits for both the Philippines and Vietnam, such as in training one another in areas where one country is an expert. The President wished good luck to Vietnam for its hosting next year Southeast Asian Games. To start the operational framework of the counter trade, the President said that the Philippines intends to buy more Vietnam rice. The President also clarified that the Philippines has a big advantage in the field of tourism, because despite of all the threats in South East Asia, between October last year to October this year, the country’s tourism grew by 40 percent. She said that her administration is now making sure that all the country’s beach resorts and other tourist spots are secure and safe. |
| GMA cites key role played by Vietnam in the forging of the South China Sea pact |
HANOI, Vietnam—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has cited the important role played by Vietnam in the forging of the Declaration of the Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. In a press conference held Wednesday night at the Melia Hanoi Hotel here, the President said Vietnam’s "unstinting cooperation" during the four years that the declaration was being negotiated paved the way for its adoption during the 8th Leaders’ Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The declaration, the President said, should give people in the region "peace of mind." "It is also important to the stability and progress of Asia, the South China Sea being a main artery in the regional and global trade," the President said. Aside from Vietnam and the Philippines, the string of islands, islets and atolls that straddle the South China Sea, are being claimed in part or wholly by China, Brunei Darussalam, Taiwan, and Malaysia. According to the President, negotiations for the adoption of the declaration started four years ago after the ASEAN promulgated the l998 Hanoi Plan of Action that called for a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea. Instead of being a potential flashpoint or area of conflict, the South China Sea will now be an avenue for shared prosperity since all claimants are now committed to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes through peaceful means without resorting to the threat or use of force, the President said. "But the most important principle is the principle of no occupation which is contained in the declaration," the President said. She said this principle means the claimant countries would not go to war against each other "but go to war against global terrorism." |
| Vietnam good place for RP investments, says GMA |
HANOI, Vietnam -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed confidence that with her visit to Vietnam bilateral trade arrangements, including investments, can be expanded between the Philippines and Vietnam. In a press conference held at the Melia Hanoi Hotel here Wednesday night, the President said the Philippines has always recognized Vietnam as a good place for investments, with the Philippines having big investments already in Vietnam. "We have a brewery here, we have pharmaceutical companies here, we have packaging companies here and we have a car manufacturing here," the President said enumerating the various investments of the Philippines in Vietnam. She said she is not aware of any developing country where the Philippines has a large investments except Vietnam. "We also buy rice from Vietnam so we have many sources of good bilateral arrangements and I hope that with my visit they can be expanded," the President said. With the signing of the sports agreement with Vietnam, the President also expressed the hope that both Vietnam and the Philippines will be able to benefit by helping one another, training one another in the areas where one is an expert. The President said that she discussed with the Vietnamese Prime Minister a counter-trade volume of about $600 million a year. As the Philippines is buying rice from Vietnam, Vietnam will also buy fertilizer and other products from the Philippines, the President said. To achieve this, the President said the Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to form a joint bilateral commission to be chaired by the ministers of foreign affairs of the two countries. |
| Foreign trips part of mission to create more jobs for Filipinos, says GMA |
HANOI, Vietnam–President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said her recent trips to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico, the 8th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Conference in Cambodia, and to Vietnam for a two-day state visit were all done as part of her mission to create jobs in the Philippines and to build on the regional and global cooperation in a war against terrorism. The President attended the APEC Summit from October 26 to 27, the ASEAN Summit from November 4 and 5. From the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, she proceeded to Vietnam for a state visit. In both the APEC and ASEAN meetings, the President stood pat on her stand that the eradication of terrorism hinges on the success in fighting poverty. In a press conference held at the Melia Hanoi Hotel here Wednesday night, the President said "whether the issue is the defense of the nation’s sovereignty or fighting global terrorism, at the end of the day, it is always about the economy and improving the lives of our citizens." The President noted that the Philippines had a particular competitive advantage in terms of skills and human resource, making the service sectors, like information and technology industry, a good pool for employment locally and offshore. However, job creation, the President implied, hinges on a secure world economy. "We support the principle of secure trade since developing countries cannot as yet pay the cost of all the detailed components of secure trade. We have proposed, and many developed countries agreed, capacity building in terms of training and acquisition of new technology be extended to developing economies to enable us to comply with rigid timetables and prosperity," the President said. The President acknowledged that there is a need to strengthen cooperation among nations in the global fight against terrorism. "But just as we’re taking security measures to prevent terrorist acts, we should also address the poverty and hopelessness that provide recruits for terrorism," she said. "The gap between developed and developing economies has not really narrowed and even with our own developing economy we have to be constantly mindful of the effects of the steps we take on small communities and small enterprises," the President pointed out. The President stressed that "just as we search out and destroy terrorism we must search out and destroy the terror of poverty." "There is evil in being hungry just as evil in being a destructive terrorist. We must work together as a family of nations to alleviate both," the President said. The President pointed out that to secure world economy there is a need to expand deterrent measures to include port security, travel documents, air cargo security and others. "We support measures on a secure trade and movement of goods from port of origin to port of destination in the same manner that we support measures will deter movement of terrorists across borders," she said. |
| GMA to lead nation in National Day of Prayer and Fasting |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead the country in celebrating the annual National Day of Prayer and Fasting (NDPF) to rally the nation to overcome challenges and adversities through prayer and action on Saturday November 9, 2002. The theme of this year’s NDPF is "We Shall Overcome." It is also the title of a well known civil rights and Church song. The national program, an Inter-Faith Prayer Rally, will be held in Boni Avenue corner San Joaquin Street, Barangay Plain View, Mandaluyong City from 3 to 4 p.m. and will be broadcast live. There will be similar activities in all provincial, city, and town centers initiated by local governments and religious leaders. This year’s celebration is pursuant to Proclamation No 47, declaring the second Saturday of November as National Day of Prayer and Fasting (NDPF). The NDPF is the day government sets aside for the nation to come together in fasting and prayer for the intentions of the nation. Instead of the traditional mammoth prayer rally at the Luneta Park, this year’s national prayer event will be simultaneously held in six locations: two in Luzon, two in Visayas, and two in Mindanao. The nation’s top government officials will lead the six prayer rallies. In Mandaluyong City, Mayor Ben-Hur Abalos, Congressman Neptali Gonzales II, Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal L. Sin and other religious leaders will pray for "National Renewal, the Poor, Penance, and Devotion." Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. will be at the Dr. Torres Memorial Hospital in Lamitan, Basilan to pray for "Protection Against Violence and Terror and the Development of Mindanao." Senate President Franklin Drilon will be in Sea Front, Iloilo City to pray for "Moral Renewal and for Families and the Youth." In Igorot Park in Baguio City, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. will pray for "Environmental Protection and the Preservation of Cultural Traditions." Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide will be in the provincial capitol in Cebu City to pray for "Justice, Good Governance and for Livelihood and Sharing of Economic Gains." Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Parouk Hussin will also pray for "Peace, Unity and Global Understanding’" at Camp Duma Sinsuat, formerly Camp Abubakar. President Macapagal-Arroyo will then cap the prayer rally by leading the nation in the "National Prayer for Peace, Progress" in Mandaluyong City. The National Day of Prayer and Fasting national program will be broadcast live on television networks NBN 4, RPN 9, IBC 13, ANC 21 and over the radio stations of MBC-DZRH, RMN-DZXL, and the Bureau of Broadcasts. |
| GMA back from highly successful trip to Cambodia, Hanoi |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived this afternoon from a highly successful trip in Cambodia, where she attended the Eighth Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit and Vietnam. The President arrived on board a chartered Philippine Airlines flight at around 1:25 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. She was accorded foyer honors and was welcomed by Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Presidential Adviser on Education Mona Valisno, Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao and Foreign Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin. Presidential daughter Evangeline Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo was also on hand to welcome the President. In her statement distributed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, the President said her visit to the two countries immensely contributed to the Philippine economy and national security. "They are important to the well-being of our people and the alleviation of poverty through more investments and jobs," the President said. The President noted that in Hanoi, she and Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong agreed to step up bilateral trade to $500 million to $600 million within the next five years following the signing of a comprehensive Framework of Cooperation for the next 25 years. The two countries, she further noted, would immediately work on a countertrade arrangement wherein the Philippines will increase fertilizer exports to that country in exchange for rice imports from Vietnam. This proposal is part of the first item to be tackled by the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission which will meet soon, the President said. The President also said the two countries agreed to work for the upgrading of the newly signed Asean Declaration on the South China Sea to a Code of Conduct that would be more binding and more detailed. "From the point of view of our national interest, this is the most important document produced during the eight Asean Summit," she said. According to the President, the Philippines and Vietnam have consistently advocated common positions on the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea following the launching of multilateral negotiations on the issue after Asean’s Hanoi Plan of Action in 1998. Vietnam has also agreed to favorably consider signing into the Trilateral Agreement on Terrorism entered into by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia last July, and shortly thereafter by Cambodia. Thailand also signed in the course of the Asean summit. The President said overall regional security against terrorism would improve greatly if the six nations sharing common seas were part of the accord. She was referring to the claimants to parts or the whole of the Spratly group of island. The claimants include the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Brunei Darussalam and Taiwan. The President also noted that during the summit, Asean also entered into a tourism agreement, considering that tourist arrivals in the Philippines increased by 40 percent in October compared to the same period last year. "My trip to Phnom Penh and Hanoi integrated very well with the same economic and security goals in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and in my trade mission to Silicon Valley in California last week," the President said. During her trip to the APEC, United States President George W. Bush unveiled the Enterprise-Asean Initiative, which aims to open up bilateral free trade agreement between the U.S. and Asean, the President said. After the arrival ceremonies at the NAIA, the President went straight to the Makati Medical Center, where her daughter-in-law, Angela Montenegro Arroyo, gave birth to a healthy daughter last November 4. At the hospital suite, the President doted on Mikaela Gloria Arroyo her first granddaughter, holding her attentively. The President said first and foremost, she felt happy with the arrival of her Mikaela Gloria. When asked by reporters if she wants her first grandchild to follow her footsteps, the President said, "I hope she grows up to be a good servant of the Lord." "I want her to be what God wants her to be," she added. With the President at the hospital were Angela Montenegro Arroyo, her mother Rosario Montenegro and members of both Montenegro and Arroyo families. |
| GMA to host dinner for participants in int'l meet |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be the guest of honor at a dinner in honor of the participants in the two-day International Conference on International Terrorism and Tourism Recovery tomorrow. National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said that senior officials from several countries—including the other nine members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and China—will converge at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati to discuss the fight against international terrorism and salvaging Asia’s battered tourist industry. According to Golez, the meeting will seek to identify "doable projects" and discuss the experience of participating countries in fighting terrorism. President Macapagal-Arroyo first proposed the meeting during this week’s Asean summit conference in Phnom Penh. According to Golez, the first day of the "International Conference on International Terrorism and Tourism Recovery" would discuss the fallout of the bombings in Indonesia and the Philippines on the region’s tourism industry. He said the terrorism problem would take center stage on the final day, Saturday. |
| GMA says talks with NDF may continue but only if reds renounce terrorism |
HANOI, Nov. 7 (PNA) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said her administration is still willing to formally go back to the negotiating table with communist rebels, but only if they renounce terrorism. The President stressed this in a durian party she hosted last night for members of the delegation accompanying her on her state visit to Vietnam. The President's pronouncement came after the government successfully secured the support of the European Union in declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) as a foreign terrorist group. The declaration was necessary to stop the flow of financial aid to the NPA that has allowed the group to engage in what the administration has declared as terrorist attacks against civilian establishments and individuals. "The peace talks will not resume unless they renounce terrorism," the President said in an interview with Manila-based reporters here. The President stayed here overnight after a three-day stay in Cambodia where she attended the eight summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The President assured that her administration remains committed to arriving at a peace agreement with the communist rebels. Security and defense officials have stated that the government has not closed the door on communist rebels willing to talk peace. |
