CALAMBA, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated here today the first satellite factory of the Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Incorporated.

Construction of the parts manufacturing plant started only in October but it immediately went into operation to fill up the large demand for automotive parts in the United States, Japan and Europe.

The President, who was welcomed at the new plant by Yazaki-Torres president and general manager Feliciano Torres and Yazaki Corp. vice chairman Toshihiro Suzuki, unveiled a marker located at the First Satellite factory main entrance.

Accompanying the President were Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro, Calamba City Mayor Severino Lajara and Laguna Rep. Joaquin Chipeco (2^nd district).

Among those who likewise attended the unveiling ceremonies were Yazaki-Torres Director Nora Torres, Japan Embassy Deputy Minister Akio Egawa, Southern Luzon Commander Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko and Philippine National Police Director General Enrique Galang.

Yazaki-Torres executives gave the President a tour of the plant.

Afterwards, the President joined the executives and other guests for brunch at the factory’s cafeteria.

Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc., is the biggest producer of wiring harness in the Philippines.

It has remained to be the highest exporter in the Philippine automotive industry over the last 14 years, generating exports of $170 million annually, with net foreign exchange earnings of $90 million annually.

Employing 5,725 personnel, Yazaki-Torres generates revenue of P7 billion annually and ranks no. 87 in Top 7000 corporations listed for the year 2000.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today conferred Presidential awards of distinction to outstanding international employers of overseas Filipino workers and seafarers as well as outstanding international maritime associations and ship executives.

In ceremonies held in Malacaņang, the President awarded the First International Employers Awards to outstanding employers who have distinguished themselves as pioneers and leaders on overseas employment, having hired Filipino workers continuously, some of them for three decades up to the present.

"These employers have consistently manifested their preference for Filipino workers in their global operations," Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas pointed out, adding that these employers have continuously shown their utmost care and concern for Filipino workers by providing them exemplary benefits and welfare services and career advances opportunities.

"This is proof that overseas employment can still be a haven for our countrymen," Sto. Tomas said.

The President, assisted by Secretary Sto. Tomas and DOLE Undersecretary Manuel Imson, conferred the Presidential Awards of Distinction on the following outstanding land-based international employers: Boscalis Westminister; Chicago Bridge and Iron Corporation of USA; Dubai Duty Free; Emirate (Dubai National Air Travel Agency); Global Sta. Fe; Hyatt Regency (USA), represented by its General Manager Farid Schoucair; JGC Corporation of Japan; Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia; Petroleum Development of Oman; Qatar Petroleum; Saipem Global; Saudi Arabian Catering; Saudi Arabian Oil Company; Saudi Basic Industries Corporation; and Tan Holding Corporation of CNMI.

The Presidential Award of Distinction was also presented to AP Moller Shipping Group of Companies, Columbia Shipmanagement Limited, Herg Fleet Services, Holland America Line Westours, Inc., K Line, Mitsui Osk Line, NYK Line, Nissho Shipping Co., Ltd., Schulte Group, Stolt Nielsen Transportation Group, Teekay Shipping Limited, Tidewater Marine and Ugland Marine Services.

The President also awarded the following outstanding maritime organizations: Japanese Shipowners Association, Seamen’s Employment Center of Japan, International Mariners Management Association of Japan, Norwegian Shipowners Association, Norwegian Maritime Unions.

The following Outstanding Shipping Executives were also given the Presidential Distinction Award: Captain Masaaki Kobayashi of Unitra Maritime Co. Ltd; and Kenichi Iwakawa of Vermillion Overseas Management and New Century Overseas Management.

The President created, through Proclamation No. 270 dated October 15, 2002, the annual International Employers Awards and an international employers awards committee to administer the conferment of the awards.

The DOLE Secretary chaired the committee, whose members include the administrators of the DOLE’s Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), and a duly-designated representative of land-based industry associations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has warned government officials, including members of the Cabinet, that she would not wait for their courtesy resignations and would dismiss them if they failed to perform well for the benefit of the people.

"I can assure you, I’m not going to wait on courtesy (resignation) if someone in my government isn’t working out for the benefit of the nation," the President bluntly said in her address Thursday night before the 2002 General Alumni Homecoming of the College of Law of the University of the Philippines held at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City.

The President said she chose those she wants to be in her Cabinet. "I can add or subtract Cabinet members when I need to, based on performance," she said.

The President’s remarks came on the heels of reports about a Cabinet revamp as well as calls for the Cabinet members to file their courtesy resignations.

In her speech, the President also reiterated her government’s resolve to rid the bureaucracy of corruption, saying that this is the same resolve that the government is having in the fight against criminality.

She said that her hands-on involvement in the war against crime has in no way deprived suspects of their right to free and fair trial but does put them and others like them on notice that they cannot hide if they break the law.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has said that her two-year-old administration is making significant inroads in solving peace and order challenges.

In her keynote speech during the University of the Philippines Law Alumni Association (UPLAA) homecoming last night at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City, the President said that when she took over the government in January 2001, kidnapping and organized crime were the main concern.

The President said peace and order was rated then as among the top three concerns in surveys.

She said that in the November survey, fighting terrorist groups and fighting kidnap-for-ransom syndicates rate among the top five issues "where the government is assessed to be doing a good job."

"This administration is tackling the issue of peace and order on many fronts. We have developed a formula that’s working. We’ve become tougher on crime," the President said.

"I make no apologies for being tough on crime and criminals and terrorism and terrorists. Our people deserve no less than to feel absolutely safe to live, work, and raise a family. I will do everything in my power to improve the situation and will continue to do so," she said.

According to the President, the government looks at the drug problem as a source of the peace and order challenge, saying that a Special Drug Enforcement Agency has been set up to address this.

The President has also instructed Philippine National Police Director General Hermogenes Ebdane to focus on kidnapping and weeding out misfits from the police.

"We have stepped up intelligence coordination. We have a hot line, telephone number 117. And related to this, community mobilization has been very effective in locating criminal fugitives," she added.

The President noted that the Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission Secretariat "supplements the work of the enforcement institutions."

"Now, we have inter-agency coordination mainly through stronger police work. The result is reduction in the crime rate," she said.

In order to preserve the growth and success the government achieved in this field, the President said her administration is professionalizing the police and fighting the root cause of criminality by focusing on poverty reduction and sustainable economic development.

The President announced that the government has a higher budget to "provide higher pay to the police and soldiers, who, under this new budget ,will earn as much as the teachers currently do."

She also mentioned the increased educational requirements of the police, adding that they now have to have a college degree to enter the force.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that as long as she is the Chief Executive, she will act for the interest of the country and cannot be swayed by power politics.

This was the assurance made by the President during her speech at the 2002 General Alumni Homecoming of the University of the Philippines College of Law held at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City last night.

"I shall not be swayed by populist politics nor by power play. I shall not please the poor by tearing down the rich nor please the rich by ignoring the poor, because there is nothing more important to me than the future of this country," the President said.

The President also spelled out the administration’s actions on the decision of the Supreme Court on the refund to Meralco customers.

She reiterated her administration’s policy to see to it that the decision of the Supreme Court regarding Meralco’s obligation to its customers will be implemented.

"We do believe that this decision, whatever it is, can be manageable. And if indeed the final decision is a refund, it is my duty to see to it that one way or another, you, the consumers, will get your refund," she added.

The President said it is her duty as President "to serve the public interest" in order to ensure that there will be no power crisis that could result from the financial problems of Meralco.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that nobody could question what the President is doing because all the programs in her administration are geared towards serving the majority of the people.