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| 19 OCTOBER 2002 |
| GMA to make a strong pitch for RP's I.C.T. industry in brief stopover in Silicon Valley |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will make a strong pitch for the country’s information and communications technology (ICT) and electronic sectors during her brief stopover in California’s Silicon Valley after her official visit to Mexico to attend the leaders’ meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The President will leave October 24 to attend the 10th APEC Economic Leaders in Los Cabos, Mexico, which will be held from October 26-27. But on her way to Mexico and on her return trip, the President will be making stopovers in some cities in the United States as part of her economic diplomacy. On her way back, the President will make a brief visit to San Jose City, California, known the world over as the "Silicon Valley," home to the world’s biggest producers of ICT and electronic parts. In San Jose City, the President will meet with officials of American firms that already have substantial investments in the ICT and electronic sectors in the Philippines and ask them to invest more. The first activity of the President in San Jose City is a roundtable discussion with the members of the Semi-Conductor Association of America and the American Electronics Association. Fifty six percent of the country’s total exports consist of electronics, mostly semi-conductors and other electronic parts. "Majority of these players come from Silicon Valley. So, the intention is for the President to thank them and to invite more parts makers to come to the Philippines," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a briefing material. Among the officials the President would be meeting in San Jose City are those from the Sunpower Corporation, Solitron Global Services, ICT Group, Unical Corporation, and Chevron, whose local subsidiary is known as Texaco, or Caltex. The Sunpower Corporation would be producing in the Philippines Silicon chips or wafers that are used in the manufacture of high-efficiency airplanes. The Solitron Global Services, on the other hand, intends to put up more customer services, or ICT centers, in the Philippines. The ICT Group would also set up additional customer relation centers in the Philippines and plans to hire between 1,000 to 2,000 new workers in the country. The Unical Corporation, which is already here in the Philippines, under the Philippine Geothermal, Inc. is planning to expand their exploration operations in the country and officials of the firm would like to brief the President about their expansion program. Texaco, or Caltex, on the other hand, would like to put up their worldwide business outsourcing of facilities in the Philippines to service their accounting requirements in the Asia Pacific region. |
| Next year's P84.9 billion budget support for Mindanao to help solve its peace and order problem |
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has said that next year’s budgetary support to Mindanao, amounting to P84.9 billion, is based on two considerations, one is to tap the enormous productive potential of the area, and second, to resolve the peace and order problem in the island In a statement, the DBM said that poverty may not be the root of insurgency and terrorism, but where poverty thrives, terrorism could rear its ugly head. The DBM said that Mindanao has benefited from a higher per capita budget allocation over the years compared to Luzon and Visayas. "For 2003, we have identified at least P84.9 billion worth of programs and projects for Mindanao. This is imperative in the light of our efforts to counter the effects of insurgency and rebuild the area from the ravages of terrorism," the DBM said. Among the major projects to be funded by the Macapagal-Arroyo government in Mindanao in 2003 are the following:
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) alone will devote at least 31 percent of all its infrastructure projects next year to Mindanao, up from 27 percent this year, the DBM said. "I have also instructed all concerned agencies to realign their regional budgets based on development programs for each area or region and not make their own regional programs separate from area-based development plans. I take this as an important budget policy for 2003 to benefit development areas in Mindanao," DBM Secretary Emilia Boncodin said. |
| Statement of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo |
Fellow citizens of the Republic, A few troublemakers with limited capabilities are trying to bully 80 million Filipinos into living in fear and terror in their own homes and neighborhoods. They are being unwittingly aided by rumour mongers, and by the hysterical and those easily panicked from among us. Let us not allow ourselves to be cowed into submission by those who seek to terrorize us. Let our calm determination to pursue our normal lives overwhelm their malicious intent to disrupt. Let our alertness to suspicious activities thwart their evil ways. And let our trust and cooperation with the authorities be our shield to their attacks. Keep calm. Be alert. Trust and cooperate with the authorities. Our uniformed protectors are in full alert. They have already prevented some attacks from occurring, but the vigilance of our whole society is needed to fully protect ourselves from these secretive and determined extremists. Justice will be meted out to perpetrators of those bomb attacks that have not been prevented. Let us not allow terrorists to destroy our day. Let us live our lives normally under the protection of our authorities. Let this be our unified act of defiance against terrorism. Let us support the determined efforts of our law enforcers to root out this evil from among us. |
| GMA issues 10-point plan to counter terrorists threat |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today issued a ten point police-community anti-terrorism plan to address terrorist threats around the country. The President issued the plan during the meeting of the Presidential Oversight Committee on Internal Security, this morning in Malacaņang, which was attended by local executives of Metro Manila. First and foremost, the plan calls for the immediate convening of all peace and order councils (POCs) in the provinces, cities, municipalities and also the convening of the barangay peace and order committees This is to put in place and activate the local officials’ respective anti-terrorism sub-committees to address the terrorist threats. The plan also calls for the adoption of anti-terrorism public safety plan by the POCs of all provinces, cities and municipalities and by the barangay peace and order committees. The public safety plan would provide law enforcement authorities reporting and feedback mechanisms necessary to ensure regular monitoring of unusual and suspicious movements of inhabitants in their respective localities. Third, the President also called for the convening of the barangay assemblies all over the country for the purpose of educating their constituents on how to deal and cope with terrorist threats in their respective barangays. Fourth, all barangay tanods in the country would conduct daily regular "rondas" and searches in public places within their respective area of jurisdiction in accordance with law. Fifth, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies should intensify their intelligence work aimed at speeding up the identification of the terrorist groups. Sixth, the AFP, PNP and other law enforcement agencies should conduct a speedy investigation, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators responsible for the recent bombing incidents. Seventh, the police and other law enforcement agencies should review and update their respective public safety and security plans in public and private installations and establishment such as shopping malls, markets, supermarkets, schools, public parks and plazas, theaters and amusements places, bus and jeepney terminals, parking spaces, bus and jeepney stops, factories and public buildings and the like. Eight, the citizenry should be more vigilant and assist in the anti-terrorist campaign by immediately reporting to the authorities suspicious persons, unattended baggage and other materials. Ninth, owners, proprietors and administrators of establishments should review and update their safety and security plan by including the conduct of thorough and regular searches of persons as well as baggage and personal belongings of customers in the entrances of their respective establishments. Tenth, all non-governmental organizations, church groups, civic organizations and other sectoral organizations in the localities must help and assist their respective local government officials and their local peace and order councils and committees in the overall effort against terrorist threats by actively participating in the education campaign on how the citizenry can cope and deal with terrorist threats. |
| Gov't to employ 'Oplan Kapkap' and 'Police Marshal System' to address terrorist threats |
As part of government efforts to address terrorist threats, the government will be enforcing "Oplan Kapkap," and the "Police Marshal" system, Press Undersecretary Roberto Capco said today. In a briefing in Malacanang, Capco said the police under ‘Oplan Kapkap’ will undertake random check and searches on bus and jeepney passengers, even people in malls and other public places. Capco said under the Police Marshal System, uniformed policemen will board public conveyances to check on passengers and the over-all situation. "Our intention here is to increase police visibility. We want the public to see that the police force is doing their job protecting the people," Capco said. Capco also said the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be giving additional police cars and motorcycles to cities and towns in Metro Manila. There’s also a plan to deploy in Metro Manila for the meantime some 1, 700 police trainees currently training in the Philippine National Police Academy. "This is to ensure that we can secure as many public places as possible," Capco said. Capco also said that local executives will be the over-all in-charge in addressing terrorist threats and acts of terrorism in their localities. "This is part of our incident management strategy whereby local executives take full charge," he said. According to Capco, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando said that Metro Manila mayors have assured the President of preparedness in handling these contingencies. "The mayors would be on top of such situations, the police being now under their full control," he said. |
