President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today issued Proclamation No. 277, declaring October 31, which falls on Thursday, and November 2, a Saturday, as special non-working days throughout the country.

November 1 or All Saints Day, which is a nationwide special day, falls on Friday.

The President said she issued the proclamation "to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe the day with all its religious fervor, which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions of the country."

The President also said that she gave the order following the recommendation of Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon that the two days may be declared as special days without detriment to the interest of the public.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on the Filipino people to emulate the example shown by the residents of this city for being united in the aftermath of the two bombing incidents that killed seven people and injured more than a hundred.

The President arrived at the Edwin Andrews Air Base here at 10:00 a.m. to condole with the relatives of the victims and commiserate with the wounded who are still being treated in hospitals.

"Let us emulate the unity shown by the people of Zamboanga not just to address terroristic acts but also to prevent their occurrence not only in Zamboanga but all over the Philippines," the President said in her remarks after a closed-door briefing held at the base.

Immediately upon her arrival at the base, the President got a briefing on the bombing incidents from military and local officials led by Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Benjamin Defensor, newly- installed Southern Command chief, Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya, Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat and Zamboanga Congressman Celso Lobregat.

Also in the briefing were Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit and Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza.

On the recommendation of Mayor Lobregat, the President also ordered the military and the police to implement stricter measures in all ports and airports in the country, especially in checking incoming and outgoing foreigners.

The President then visited the bombing sites, the Shop-O-Rama on Governor Lim Avenue and the nearby Shoppers Central on Nunez Brillantes street. From the bombing sites, the President visited the injured, which included children, in a hospital.

She then proceeded to the Merced Memorial Homes where the victims are now laid and expressed her condolences to the relatives.

The President said that yesterday’s deadly bombing attacks "showed the dastardly manner by which criminal elements are truly destroying the lives of our people."

According to the President, the innocent victims of the latest bombing attacks in this city are both Muslims and Christians. Among the seven dead, three are Muslims and four Christians.

"This only shows that the terrorists are no longer singling out any group or organization but anybody who unfortunately happens to be at the area at the time of the attack," the President said.

The President said the terrorists want to send a message in carrying out their bombing attacks and that is to sow fear and anxiety among our people.

Before returning to Manila, the President also visited the nine wounded soldiers who are recuperating at the Camp Navarro Hospital at the Southcom headquarters.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will leave on October 24 for the Tenth APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Leaders’ Meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Along the way there and back, the President will be stopping over in Honolulu, Hawaii and key cities in California such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco to meet with key US officials and members of the local Filipino communities.

The President will be in Hawaii on October 24 and 25, where she will hold meetings with US Sen. Daniel Inouye and Admiral Thomas Fargo, Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Command.

Inouye is a good friend of the Philippines and a strong advocate of Philippines interests in the US legislature while Fargo’s Pacific Command works very closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines in activities under the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty.

The President will also meet with Filipino-American Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, who will show to the Chief Executive the new $15-million Filipino-American community center in Hawaii.

She will leave Hawaii on October 25 for Los Cabos.

In the summit meeting in Mexico, the President will push for the holding of a high-level meeting on maritime security in next year’s conference.

This is in order to address poverty, which is the breeding ground for the recruitment of terrorism and as the Philippines’ contribution to region-wide efforts to secure trade and as the lead shepherd in the APEC Transportation Working Group.

This Philippine initiative seeks to lay the groundwork for a burden-sharing scheme among the developed and developing economies in APEC from which the Philippines would benefit.

This initiative would include such items as port-to-port security, cargo handling, and customs procedures as well as consider sustainable development of marine resources.

Also, the President will take the opportunity to hold bilateral talks with her counterparts on the fringes of the APEC Leaders Meeting. Among these leaders would be Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Russian President Vladimir Putin and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The President will also be joining the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Aside from the bilateral and multilateral talks, the President will address the summit and other meetings of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), United States Chamber of Commerce and the United States-ASEAN Business Council.

On October 27, the President will proceed to San Diego, California for a brief visit and meet with the local Filipino community, Filipino war veterans and Filipino-American youth leaders.

The next day, the President will move on to San Jose for a roundtable discussion with the Chief Executive Officers of Semiconductor Industry Association member companies and of top Bay Area companies.

She will also have a one-on-one meeting with the CEOs of companies with incoming investment projects in the Philippines as well as with the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley program.

She will also visit the Intel headquarters while in San Jose.

On October 29, the President will be in San Francisco where she will have meetings with the leaders of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations as well as the local Filipino community.

Leaders of the local business community have remained optimistic that the economy could still grow as projected this year even in these difficult times.

This affirms the results of a survey conducted by the Business World-Roper ASW Business Confidence Index that business confidence level in the Philippines in early October recovered from the previous month's gloomy position.

Makati Business Club Executive Director Guillermo Luz said that business confidence has recovered as economic indicators have been moving in positive trend with inflation down, foreign exchange stable, exports up and higher gross domestic product (GDP).

Luz, however, noted that during the past five days, several things happened locally and internationally and these could affect business confidence level.

He said that the Middle East problem, that is resulting in the continued rise of world oil prices, is aggravating the situation.

But the fluidity of a situation is not actually all negative and that if it is managed very well, then business confidence can swing to a very high level, Luz said.

Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Donald Dee said business condition has become difficult because of these domestic and external factors.

"These problems may weigh down business confidence. But, not at all times, because there is someone on top who will manage the economy well even in this very difficult situation," he said.

"During her first 18 months in office, there is no question on the performance of President Arroyo how well she managed the economy," he added.

Dee said despite domestic problems and the Middle East situation, the economy is still expected to post robust growth this year.

"We are not worried as long as overseas contract workers' remittances are there. Exports are also still doing well, though slowing down, because of uncertainty," Dee said.

According to Dee, sincere efforts of the government to contain the widening budget deficit will also help boost the economy.

Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said improved business confidence was a result of higher-than-expected economic growth in the second quarter.

GDP, the sum of the value added of agriculture, industry and services less net factor income from the rest of the world, grew 4.5 percent in the second quarter from 3.8 percent in the first quarter.

"This leads to a buoyant economic outlook for the Christmas season," he said.

Ortiz-Luis, who is also the president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, said one major factor driving up businessmen's confidence is the improved exports figure.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo flew today to this city, scene of two mall bombings that killed at least seven people and injured more than a hundred other innocent people, and called on all members of society to join hands with the law enforcement agencies and fight terrorism as one.

"Terrorism cannot survive for long in an unfriendly environment. Let us give terrorism that unfriendly environment. It is time to share in the action and passion," the President said.

The President, who had then just come from a briefing by military and police commanders on the bombings, visited the dead, condoled with their relatives, and viewed the sufferings of the wounded, including some children, said the two bombs that exploded in the city "should be a challenge for us, the whole country, to show that we can be one."

"The people of Zamboanga have shown us that they are one. If we are one, if we stay together, we will survive," she said in her opening statement during a press conference here.

"I want all the communities in the entire country to follow their example," the President said.

She said the bombings show that the people of Zamboanga care for the victims and are taking steps to prevent all terrorism.

The President then ordered law-enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to be stricter with regards to those entering Zamboanga City.

She ordered the Maritime Command and the Coast Guard to mobilize and inspect all incoming passengers in the port of Zamboanga.

She also ordered the Avsecom to strengthen security at the airport.

The President, at the same time, commended city officials, the AFP, the Philippine National Police and other agencies for working together for the immediate solution of the terrorism problem in the city.

She also commended the Area Coordinating Center as one of the most successful, expressing the hope that it can be replicated in other parts of the country.

The President also noted that even after the bombing, business is going on as usual in the city.

"When I went to the mall where the first bomb exploded and I asked the owner whether he was open for business, he said he was just waiting for me to finish my inspection and then he will open for business," the President said.

In carrying out their campaign t sow fear and anxiety among the people, the President said "the terrorists are no longer singling out any group or organization but anybody who will unfortunately be in the area that they want to destroy."

"They are challenging not only the AFP and the PNP," the President said. "They are threatening entire communities…They are testing the strength of our soul as a people."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed Adolfo Azcuna as the new associate justice of the Supreme Court, Press Undersecretary Roberto Capco today announced.

Capco noted that on Wednesday, October 16, the Judicial and Bar Council submitted the names of five nominees for the vacancy in the Supreme Court following the retirement of Justice Santiago Kapunan last August 12.

Aside from Azcuna, the nominees were Court of Appeals Justices Cancio Garcia, Delilah Vidallon Magtolis, Ruben Reyes and Court Administrator Presbitero Velasco Jr.

Azcuna placed first in the number of votes in the Supreme Court with 10 out of 14 votes. Meanwhile, he placed second in the number of votes in the JBC with 6 out of 7 votes.

Under the Constitution, any vacancy in the Supreme Court must be filled within 90 days. The deadline created by the retirement of Justice Kapunan will expire on November 10, 2002.

A professor at the Ateneo Law School, Azcuna placed fourth in the 1962 bar examinations with a grade of 86.6 percent.

He was a partner at the Azcuna Arroyo Chua Caedo Law Office.

He held the positions of chairman in the Philippine National Bank in 1991 and as director at the Development Bank of the Philippines in 1990.