Malacañang today said that the government is prepared for any contingency in the Middle East although it believes that the war, if ever, would be limited to Iraq and, therefore, there will be no massive evacuation of Filipino workers from the region.

In an interview this morning, National Security Adviser J. Roilo Golez said that in its meeting Tuesday, the National Security Council (NSC) agreed that the impending conflict in the Middle East would not be as grave as the Gulf War in l991.

"Ang tingin namin ay ito ay magiging mabilis at concentrated lamang sa may Iraq area. Kaya hindi masyadong maapektuhan iyong mga kababayan natin doon sa ibat-ibang lugar sa Middle East (What we foresee is a short war which would be concentrated in the Iraq area. That is why we don’t believe that our countrymen in the surrounding countries in the Middle East would be affected so much)," Golez said.

Golez recalled that in the l991 Gulf War, there were some 27,000 Filipino workers who have to be evacuated from Iraq and Kuwait. Now, there are only about a hundred Filipinos in Iraq that would be moved out in case of war, he added.

He also said that based on their assessment of the situation, it would be unlikely for the United States to attack Iraq this month or in November.

"But after November, we really don’t know what will happen," Golez added.

When asked what will be the stand of the Philippines in the event that the US would attack Iraq unilaterally or without the go-signal from the United Nations, Golez said that the NSC would meet again to discuss such development before coming up with the proper response.

A book entitled, "Culture and Terrorism," was launched yesterday in simple ceremonies at the New Executive Building in Malacañang.

Sponsored by Presidential Adviser on Culture Leticia Ramos Shahani, "Culture and Terrorism" is a compilation of lectures and papers delivered during a two-day round table discussion on the relationship between culture and terrorism.

The round table was attended by some of the country’s leading scholars and intellectuals that included Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, Dr. Prospero Covar, Congressman Nereus Acosta, Dr. Elena Mirano, Dr. Melba Maggay, Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Dr. Patricia Licuanan, Dr. Emily Marahombsar, Datu Michael Mastura, Col. Victor Corpuz and Ms. Narda Camacho.

In her remarks, Shahani underscored the importance of the book, saying that Filipinos must train their minds and hearts to prefer peace over violence.

She also expressed the view that in certain situations force will have to be met with force because in the long run the military and police solutions to solve crime and terrorism are inadequate.

During the roundtable, the panelists recognized the importance of culture – that is, beliefs, values and institutions of society -- in determining the prevalence of violence, conflict and terrorism in a community.

They also noted that indigenous pre-colonial Filipino culture was generally peaceful and non-violent because there was a balance between the basic needs and access to adequate resources during the early period of the country’s history.

The group recommended that all Filipinos should learn to respect the rights of other ethnic Filipinos and return to the original Filipino values of peace, non-violence and tolerance while at the same time adjusting to the modern world.

National Security Adviser J. Roilo Golez today said that the government is still willing to resume negotiations with the communists if they would stop their terroristic attacks against civilian targets.

In a radio interview, Golez said that formal talks with the foreign-based leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were called off last year after NPA cadres executed innocent civilians that included two congressmen and two mayors in the different parts of the country,

"Kaya yon ang dahilan kung bakit naudlot yong usapin. Ngayon ito na naman, mga civilian targets na naman and sinasalanta nila (That’s the reason why we have to scrap the talks. Now, they are at it again, targeting civilians)," Golez said.

Golez was referring to the NPA attack last Friday of the police station in Lopez, Quezon killing the police chief and another policeman.

On Monday, another band of NPA guerrillas attacked the outpost of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in barangay Sampaloc, San Rafael, Bulacan but this time they were repulsed by the police.

According to Golez, the CPP-NPA is now engaged in a series of attacks to show that it still has some strength and, secondly, this could be their bargaining chip before going back to the negotiating table with the government.

He said that the CPP-NPA has suffered serious losses as a result of the massive military and socio-economic offensive embarked by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

Golez said that from January to September this year alone, the NPA lost a total of 593 of its armed elements, 121 of them captured and 472 surrendered.

Compared to the same period last year, the CPP-NPA only lost some 420 guerrillas, indicating that they suffered a serious blow this year, Golez said.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said today that more and more Filipino returnees from Malaysia have rejoined their employers in Sabah after they were able to secure the necessary documents and working permits.

In a report, DOLE Regional Director Melencio Balanag, who is based in Zamboanga City, said that of the total deportees who arrived here during the past few days, about 14 percent have already been sent back to their employers in Sabah.

He said that today, another batch of 116 returnees left from Zamboanga City on board a commercial vessel to rejoin their former employers in Sabah. On Friday, another batch of returnees will leave for Sabah, Balanag said.

Balanag said that earlier, close to 700 returnees have been reunited with their employers in Malaysia.

"We are happy to be able to send back to Malaysia these people so that they can start earning their living again," Regional Director Renegold Macarulay of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said.

Macarulay said the latest batch of 116 repatriates were issued their complete travel documents, including their working permits, through the One-Stop-Shop Crisis Management Office for Sabah Returnees set up in Zamboanga City.

Balanag said that the DOLE is also assisting displaced returnees who do not have employers in Malaysia find jobs in Zamboanga City.

"We made references to different factories in the city. Some of them are already working as construction workers while others are in the canning factories," Balanag said.

Malacañang today said that the government has no intention of taking over the operations and management of the Termial 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from the Philippine International Air Terminals Co (PIATCO).

In a phone patch interview this afternoon from Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga, Press Secretary Ignacio "Toting" Bunye said that what President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is interested in is to review certain onerous provisions of the flawed contract with PIATCO.

"Ngayon kung sa kanila nanggaling itong signals na ito, palagay ko mas mapapabilis ma-normalize ang operations. (Now, if all these signals come from the PIATCO management, I believe its normal operations will be fast-tracked)," Bunye said.

Bunye said that even pending the review or the termination of the review of the various contract provisions, PIATCO operations could have a soft opening by December this year.

Asked on the Palace reaction on the separate investigation being conducted by the civil society group on the President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard project which could include some Malacañang officials, Bunye said the President’s position on the issue has been very clear.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today conferred the two highest awards in the civil service to 22 exceptional state workers in simple ceremonies held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang.

In her remarks during the awarding ceremonies, the President congratulated the 22 awardees for "consistently rendering their duties with the highest integrity, morality and decency."

"And those of you who are here today have passed that test. May you continue to serve as models and trailblazers for the rest of the bureaucracy, for the rest of the government," the President said.

The President also called on civil servants to focus on issues rather than on personalities. "Let us focus on commonalities rather than on controversies. Let us focus on a broad front of service rather than on parochial interests," she said.

It is important for government workers to set a good example to the people that they are serving, the President said.

"I am glad that among the criteria used in the selection of the awardees is simple living or simple lifestyle, because we must have a dignified lifestyle," the President said.

Twelve government employees, including a barangay tanod and a barangay captain, received the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award for outstanding work performance while 10 others, including a laborer, were conferred the Dangal ng Bayan Award for exemplary ethical behavior in public service.

Culminating the 102^nd anniversary celebration of the Philippine Civil Service, the conferment of these prestigious awards formed part of the government-wide Honor Awards Program administered by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) primarily aimed at recognizing the "remarkable contributions and achievements of public servants."

The CSC conducts an annual nationwide search for outstanding public officials and employees.

Each of the awardees received P100,000 cash and will be automatically promoted to the next higher position. The CSC said if no position is readily available, the awardees will instead be given a salary increase equivalent to the next higher position.

The Lingkod Bayan awardees also received a gold gilded medallion and a plaque with the citation of the President.

Awardees of the Dangal ng Bayan Award, on the other hand, were given trophies designed by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva.

This year’s committee on Lingkod Bayan Awards was composed of CSC Commissioner J. Waldemar Valmores; Undersecretary and Acting Chief of Presidential Protocol Cecilia Rebong; Philippine Jaycees National Senior Executive Vice President Ismael Penado; Lawyer Katrina Legarda; and Ateneo School of Government Dean Henedina Abad.

The committee on Dangal ng Bayan Award had CSC Chairman Karina Constatino-David and Acting Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio, Jr. as co-chairmen, with Commission on Audit Chairman Guillermo Carague, Dr. Bella Villanueva of the University of the Philippines, and Amelia Anonuevo of the National Housing Authority, as members.

One of this year’s recipients of the Lingkod Bayan Award is a Barangay Tanod Joaquin Morga of Barangay Telbang in Alaminos, Pangasinan. Morga was responsible from the conversion of the idle Bolo park into manmade fishponds which provided viable livelihood means to fisher folk in the barangay.

Chairman Aurelio Quilo of Barangay Guinicolalay in Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur was recognized for effectively sustaining peace and order, and causing the construction of several infrastructure projects in his barangay.

Three teachers graced this year’s honor roll for Lingkod Bayan award: Cesar Acebedo, an elementary grade teacher from Aparri, Cagayan for his highly innovative teaching approaches; Evelyn Caja, a special education teacher from Ramon Magsaysay High School in Manila; and Carmen Salazar, a master teacher of the Bacolod City SPED Center.

Postman Romeo Pontipedra of Cagayan de Oro City was also honored for his exceptional integrity in handling more than P7 million worth of money order forms and stamps without a single centavo short.

A nurse of the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko, Mountain Province, Elena Tampican, was also cited for her unequaled dedication and zeal in rendering health services regardless of her patients’ culture and social status, even giving priority to the poor, underprivileged and indigenous people of Mt. Province.

For his trailblazing researches on electricity that bore great national impact, Danilo Falgui also got Lingkod Bayan citation. Falgui, an assistant professor of Kalinga-Apayao State College, has the following notable projects: "Sitio Electrification Program" that greatly helped in bringing light into the homes of hundreds of Filipino families especially the poor in remote communities.

For being the brains behind the Environment Management Research and Center for Agricultural Resources and Extension Services which showcases a comprehensive and integrated farming system Edgar Ricamonte also got a Lingkod Bayan award. As president of Quirino State College in Diffun, Quirino, Ricamonte unwaveringly pursued the improvement of the college’s welfare and advanced the quality of education in the province.

Chancellor Alfredo Ramirez of the University of the Philippines-Manila is recognized for his dedication in alleviating the condition of public health care in the country. His remarkable contributions in this field included the establishment of the first Burn Unit at the Philippine General Hospital which significantly helped in the rehabilitation of burn patients and reduced mortality and morbidity rates.

From the judiciary, Judges Maria Cristina Cornejo and Clifton Ganay also received the Lingkod Bayan awards. Judge Cornejo presides over Regional Trial Court Branch 147 in Makati City and is cited for exemplifying the art of detaching natural bias in resolving cases by holding her judgment in abeyance until she was weighed the arguments raised by the parties.

Judge Ganay is an executive judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 31 in Agoo, La Union and was conferred the Lingkod Bayan award for his judicious resolution of cases, setting a national record of having only six pending cases at the end of 2001.

This year’s Dangal ng Bayan awardees include:

Antonio Fabre, who despite his physical handicap has effectively enforced the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995 in the entire province of Bohol. A lowly laborer from the Philippine Coconut Authority in Tagbilaran City, Fabre was also instrumental in the mass production of a certain kind of fungus that resulted in higher coconut productivity.

Jose Benedicto Bautista, a postmaster of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, for accommodating more mailers during lunch breaks and delivering mail for himself in place of absent letter carriers to prevent delay in postal services.

Niday Baybay of the Department of Labor and Employment in CARAGA who is recognized for her motivated efforts in pursuing illegal recruiters, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of 21 of them and saving some 200 would-be victims.

Ninie del Rosario, a master teacher in Sta. Ana Central Elementary School in Davao City, for developing science and technology instructional method which greatly eased student’s learning of vague concepts, providing her co-teachers as well with knowledge and training on improving science teaching methods.

Estelita Nario from the Bureau of Customs in Parañaque, Metro Manila for apprehending numerous individuals, both local and foreign residents, for all kinds of illegal acts including the smuggling of jewelry, Korean medicine and shabu.

Basilio Saking, a senior jail officer of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Baguio City, for his genuine concern to transform the Baguio City jail into an educational and reformatory institution.

Fely Tabieros, midwife of Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, for being an exemplary civil servant traveling through farmlands and hiking mountains just to attend to patients in distress.

Baguio City State Auditor Nadelline Orallo for her vigilance and diligence that led to significant audit findings and substantial audit disallowances amounting to million of pesos.

Linda Fadriquelan, a secondary school principal of the Mabini National High School in Corcuera, Romblom, for being instrumental in the zero drop-out of students for the past 10 school years.

Malacanang said today that the decision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to suspend the execution of some death convicts by lethal injection is to give Congress a chance to decide once and for all on what to do with the death penalty law.

In a phone patch interview from the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that there are resolutions filed in both houses of Congress asking for the abolition of the death penalty.

"The President has made the judgment call and let us just wait. I think that is also a signal for the members of Congress to really finalize whatever action they would like to make on this issue," Bunye said.

Bunye was reacting to comments attributed to Sen. Robert Barbers that the President suspended the implementation of the death penalty as a concession to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin and the CBCP have strongly urged the government to scrap the death penalty.

Bunye said that if the members of Congress would approve the abolition of the death penalty law, then all questions "would be moot and academic."