The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has deployed seven social workers and six medical doctors to various countries to provide basic medical and counseling services and assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In her meetings with OFWs during her foreign trips, the President assured the country’s "modern-day heroes" that her administration would work to provide them with more assistance and welfare in their work sites abroad.

"The deployment of these doctors and social workers demonstrates the Macapagal-Arroyo administration's concrete and continuing efforts to protect and enhance the safety and welfare of our overseas Filipino workers," DOLE Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said.

Sto. Tomas also said that since the deployment is basically funded through the congressional initiative allocation (CIA) of Sen. John H. Osmeņa, this shows convergence and unity of purpose between the executive and legislative branches of government.

In a report to Malacanang, Sto. Tomas said the deployment of the social workers and medical doctors was made under the Overseas Comprehensive Social Services Package for OFWs (OCSSP), a collaborative effort of DOLE, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

She said that under the terms of reference of the OCSSP, DOLE will identify the overseas posts where the medical doctors and social workers would be deployed and their respective dates of assumption.

The social workers were Dulfie Shalim, whose assumption in Singapore took effect August 31; Cynthia Barriga, Hong Kong, September 2; Fatima Abobakar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, September 5; Marlene Kahano, Kuwait, September 10; Gina Gonzales, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, September 14; Delia Pamani, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 29; and Ma. Theresa Rico, whose assumption in Taichung took effect on October 1.

The medical doctors who have been deployed were Ray Suanding, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 12; Ignacia Fajardo, Hong Kong, October 15; Candido Alam, Kuwait, October 17; Regina Melodia, Korea, October 17; Ramon Moreno, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 18; and Marietta Ann Balbas, Singapore, October 21.

Sto. Tomas said that DOLE’s International Labor Affairs Service is still in the process of facilitating the travel requirements of two more medical doctors, namely, Ricardo Audan, to be posted in Bahrain on October 29, and Nestor Aviles, to be deployed to Abu Dhabi on November 4.

Part of the responsibilities of the medical doctors will be to plan and manage the daily health care requirements of OFWs, undertake worksite and jail visitation if allowed by the host country, and participate in the periodic dialogue with workers.

SAN FRANCISCO, California—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed her thanks to US President George W. Bush for his support not only in the Philippines’ fight against terrorism but also in her government’s advocacy for more benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.

In an interview with top editors of the San Francisco Chronicle, the President said that during her meeting with Bush on the sidelines of the recently concluded 10^th Economic Leaders’ Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Los Cabos, Mexico, Bush accepted her proposition about the link between the war against terrorism and the war against poverty.

"President Bush has been a very good friend of the Philippines and I appreciated the fact that he recognizes the partnership between the US and the Philippines," the President told the Chronicle.

The President said that the Bush has given his support to the Philippines’ war against terrorism "in the manner that we want it to be given."

According to the President, Bush also admired her consistent stand and commitment to wipe out terrorism in the Philippines.

"He thinks it is a good example for other leaders to follow," the President said about her meeting with Bush.

The President also appreciated the fact that when she asked for the help of the US leader in providing more assistance to Filipino veterans, Bush graciously obliged, resulting in the passage of a bill at the US House of Representatives expanding benefits for the Filipino war veterans.

The bill, with San Diego Congressman Bob Filmer as its principal author, would provide health care compensation and burial benefits for Filipino war veterans in the amount of $65 million.

SAN FRANCISCO, California – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said she would convey her sentiments to the Philippine Congress to rename the absentee voting bill to overseas voting bill.

Speaking at a gathering of Filipino Americans here dubbed as "the Fil-Am Community Salutes the President," the President said she will also convey to Congress their recommendation on how the final versions should be and as soon as they reconcile their final versions, she will sign it into within 24 hours.

The President expressed elation that after so many attempts by so many administrations before her to pass a bill on "overseas voting," it is only during her administration that it has passed third and final reading in both houses of Congress.

"The most important thing is we get a bill out, because we have waited for so long and for the first time, it has reached this far," the President said.

The President also lauded the initiative of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NFFAA), headed by Loida Nicolas Lewis and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for filing a petition for injunction to stop the enforcement of the US requirement for the federalized job of airport screeners.

"We agree that experience matters in securing airports and planes in the United States," the President said.

The President said that although this is an internal matter, she will take it up with Ambassador Adelbert del Rosario to make known the Philippine government’s sentiments to the appropriate US official.

At the start of her speech, the President expressed her gratitude to San Francisco Mayor Willy Brown for presenting her the key to the city.

She also acknowledged two other city mayors, both Filipino city mayors, Henry Manayan of Melphitas City in Silicon Valley and Mike Guingona of Daly City.

"We are very proud of them," she said stressing that Manayan is on his last term as mayor of Melphitas,

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains confident that the Philippines will regain its stable rating from Standard and Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Services.

Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said in a telephone interview from San Francisco that the President respects the S&P observation but believes the ratings firm overlooked the country’s macroeconomic indicators.

The Press Secretary quoted the President as saying: "We have a high regard for Standard and Poor’s but Standard and Poor’s may have taken into account only one macroeconomic indicator and probably did not take into account our significant gains like highest growth rate in Southeast Asia and third largest growth rate in Asia, our low inflation rate regime and fiscal discipline."

"Be that as it may," the President added, "I believe we can make it back to stable. I am confident we can do it."

Meanwhile, Malacanang learned that Moody’s Investors Service said it was maintaining its stable credit outlook for the Philippines.

Exports have recovered, the official foreign exchange reserves are still high and workers inflows continue, Moody’s said.

Meanwhile, Secretary Bunye believes that in the recent visit of the President to Silicon Valley, there are very positive notes that investment from that part of the globe will soon pour into the country.

SAN FRANCISCO, California – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today underscored the important role of the United States and other developed nations in helping developing nations like the Philippines in their efforts to win the war against terrorism and poverty.

In an interview with top editors of the San Francisco Chronicle, the President cited three measures that the United States and other developed countries must undertake.

"For one, they should help the poorest of the poor all over the world because there are poor all over the world who live on less than a dollar a day," she said.

The President stressed that these poorest of the poor "are the most fertile grounds for the recruits of terrorism."

"Then number two, they must open up their doors to the products of the developing countries," the President said.

According to the President, while developed nations preached to developing countries the blessings of liberalization, they actually practice protectionism.

In this connection, she stressed the need for developed nations to "open their doors if they are going to preach liberalization."

"Third, they should invest more in developing countries," the President said, adding that what developing countries need are not handouts but investments in people because this will be "investments in the fight against terrorism."

As far as aid is concerned, the President said it is also the obligation of the developing countries to use their resources responsively.

"So, the developed countries must also help the developing countries build the capability towards transparency of mobilization of resources," she explained.

She also said that her administration supports the United States in the case brought to the United Nations against Iraq.

Malacaņang today said the visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the Silicon Valley firms in California produced positive results as she convinced business leaders and executives in the world’s information technology capital to put their business and pour in more investments in the Philippines.

In a telephone interview from San Francisco with Malacanang reporters in Manila this afternoon, Press Secretary Ignacio "Toting" Bunye revealed that one of the chief executive officers of Silicon Valley, Richard Swanson, president of Sunpower Corporation, promised to establish a solar cell manufacturing company in the country.

Bunye said the assurance of Swanson to make a $200-million investment in the Philippines is the result of his meeting with the President last Monday (Tuesday in Manila).

He also said Swanson and his firm are rushing the paperwork needed for the approval of the Philippine investment plan.

Bunye said the solar cell manufacturing company will be fully operational before 2004 and would provide employment to Filipinos.

"(The) expected job generation (in the solar cell manufacturing company) is 1,400 jobs in four years," Bunye said.

"This is the first solar cell manufacturer. It will produce clean electricity because its comes from the sun," he added.

Aside from Sunpower Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor Corp. also informed the President of its plans to put up a silicon wafer fabrication plant in the Philippines.

Cypress, a company that specializes in high-volume manufacturing of silicon cells at very low cost, is a major partner of Sunpower, a premier manufacturer of ultra high-efficiency silicon solar cells.

SAN FRANCISCO, California – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was informed by Consul General Delia Menez-Rosal here of the formal launching of the Adopt-A-Barangay Coalition (ABC) at the Philippine Community Development Forum of the First Global Filipino Community Networking Convention held in this city last August 31, 2002.

Welcoming the President at a Filipino gathering here, Ambassador Menez-Rosal said that an alliance was established by a core group of concerned dedicated Filipinos in the Bay Area, as well as US and Manila-based foundations, such as Ayala Foundation, LBC Foundation and Philippine Children’s Fund to implement a "holistic approach" in mitigating poverty in the Philippines.

"The end objective of this coalition is to help our ‘Kababayan’ and to uplift the socio-economic conditions in the Philippines through the provision of health, nutrition, education and livelihood in the Philippines, as well as medical missions, food banks, scholarships, values orientation to the vocational training," Menez-Rozal said.

An MOU was signed by the members of the core group and participants of the community development forum.

The launching, which was also attended by Senate President Frankllin Drilon, Congressman Augusto Syjuco and Ambassador Albert del Rosario, was highlighted by a candle-lighting ceremony.

Before her speech at the Filipino community here, the President met with the officers of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NAFFAA) lead by Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis

The NAFFAA is a private non-profit, non-partisan, organization established in 1997 to promote the welfare and well-being of all Filipinos and Filipino-Americans throughout the United States.

The officers of the NAFFAA told the President said that their primary objectives include the following:

• promoting active participation of Filipino-Americans in civic and national affairs and in all other aspects of mainstream America;

• promoting awareness of Filipino-American contributions to social economic, cultural and political life in the United States; and

Malacanang has strongly condemned the shooting Tuesday of Tineg, (Abra) Mayor Clarence Benwaren inside a Catholic Church in Calauan, Laguna.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao told Malacanang reporters that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had ordered Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. to immediately resolve the killing of Mayor Benwaren.

The mayor was felled by an assassin’s bullet inside the San Isidro Labrador Church in Calauan while standing as a sponsor at a wedding.

Tiglao said the President wanted Lina not only to apprehend the remaining gunmen but also the mastermind of the crime.

Members of the Calauan police were able to kill one of the gunmen in the ensuing firefight but the other suspects managed to escape.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has control and supervision over the Philippine National Police (PNP).