A total of 638,875 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), or an average of 2,618 daily, were deployed abroad from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1, 2002, indicating that many Filipinos continue to choose to work overseas.

In a report to Malacanang, Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said that the deployment of documented Filipino workers abroad could reach one million this year due to global demand and preference for their services and skills.

Sto. Tomas stressed that the continued absorption of OFWs by foreign-based employers mirrored the global competitiveness of Filipino workers and the country's human resource edge.

Aside from their highly rated skills, reliability, and productivity, Filipinos are culturally adaptable and can clearly and fluently communicate in English, the accepted international language, Sto. Tomas said.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said of the 638,875 OFWs deployed overseas for the eight-month period 497,577 are land-based workers and 141,298 are seafarers.

The POEA said 309,538 of the 497,577 land-based workers were rehires, while the remainder, or 188,039, were newly hired OFWs.

Meanwhile, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that OFW remittances from the Americas have increased even after the September 11 tragedy.

OFW remittances from the Americas rose by 54.0 percent in the first four months of 2002 alone, reaching US$1.580 billion as against US$1.026 billion for the same period last year.

POEA Administrator Rosalinda D. Baldoz said OFW deployment to the European continent posted a 17 percent increase to 27,816 from January to June 2002 compared to 23,768 for the same period in 2001.

Finish all ongoing foreign-assisted road construction and rehabilitation projects in Mindanao within their loan periods.

This Public Works and Highways Secretary Simeon A. Datumanong stressed, as he ordered regional and district engineers to see to it that delays in project implementation are discouraged and avoided.

Datumanong noted that some contractors have been slipping on their contracted construction time.

He said delays in project completion would negatively affect the process of social and economic growth in the project area.

He added that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should help push a bustling economy in Mindanao, even as the agency should provide infrastructure support to programs on improving law and order, tourism, the delivery of basic services to the people, and others.

He had earlier ordered the termination of the contract to build the Bayugan-Awa-San Francisco (Prosperidad) Road Section. Its contractor, L.S. Sarmiento/Conception Basic/J&P Builders, incurred slippages.

In a recent inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Tabon-tabon-Sibagat-Bayugan section of the Surigao-Agusan-Davao Road, Datumanong directed Danilo Trajano, project director of the DPWH-Philippine Japan Highway Loan-Project Management Office, to ensure the on-time completion of the priority project.

He also instructed Trajano to guarantee the smooth implementation of the 23rd Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) loan-funded Mindanao Section Rehabilitation Projects, Phase II.

The package included the construction of the 22.9-kilometer Alegria-Santiago section, 69.7-kilometer San Francisco-Langkilaan section, and 63-kilometer Monkayo-Tagum section, all from Surigao del Norte to Davao del Norte.

Civil works by contractor China State Construction Engineering Corp. for the P477.041-million Alegria-Santiago section is due to start in November. The two other projects, worth P2.434 billion, are under the pre-construction stage and are scheduled for bidding in October.

Datumanong said projects being implemented in Western Mindanao included the Zamboanga City-Pagadian City road, Basilan circumferential road, Aurora-Monte Alegre-Molave road, Tukuran-Dobliston road, Liloy-Siocon-Zamboanga   or Zamboanga West road and the Iligan-Aurora road.

Projects in Northern Mindanao included the Tagoloan Parallel bridge along the Iligan City-Cagayan de Oro City-Butuan road and the Cagayan De Oro third bridge in Cagayan De Oro City; Camiguin circumferential road; Iligan-Bukidnon road; Gingoog Claveria-Villanueva road in Misamis Oriental; and the Lumbia-Talakag road linking Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

To be started in the same region is the construction of the Kapatagan-Dobliston road, Alabang-Sultan Gumander-Dobliston-Tukuran road, Tubod-Ganassi road and the Sta. Filomena-Ticalaan section of the Mindanao East-West lateral road.

In Southern Mindanao, DPWH pipeline projects are the roads connecting Davao to Agusan, Bukidnon, and Surigao; Davao coastal road, Peninsula coastal road, and the Davao City diversion road.

For Central Mindanao, DPWH will pursue the Awang-Upi-Lebak-Kalamansig-Palimbang to South Cotabato road and Midsayap-Dulawan-Marbel road in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat; Libungan-Alamada-Guiling-Banisilan road, Dualing-New Panay-Midsayap road, Kabacan-Maramag road, Matalam-Lampayan-New Alimodian-Antipas road, and Paco-Kidapawan-President Roxas-Arakan Valley roads in North Cotabato.

Also up for implementation are the Dualing-Baliki-Silik road, Kidapawan-Magpet road, Kidapawan-Ilomavis road, and Kidapawan-Calunasan-M’lang road.

Road projects in the Caraga region include the Surigao-Davao coastal road, Agusan-Davao road, Bislig bridge, 2^nd Magsaysay bridge and Butuan bypass road, and the flood control component of the Lower Agusan Development Project.

In the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, the DPWH will complete the on-going Midsayap-Tacurong-Koronadal road in Maguindanao; start the construction of the Malabang-Sultan Gumander road in Lanao del Sur and the Awang-Upi-Palimbang road in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.

Also to be carried out are the Cotabato City by-pass road, Lanao del Sur section of the Cotabato-Pagadian-Zamboanga road, Lake Lanao circumferential road in Lanao del Sur, Sulu-Tran central road and other bridge program for Tawi-Tawi.

Datumanong had sought the help of Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin for an additional P1 billion for roads to modernize agriculture and industry in Mindanao and to raise to P8.154 billion the Mindanao allocation for 2003 or the equivalent percentage allocation of 30 percent of the total DPWH infrastructure program. 

Presidential Adviser on Culture Leticia Ramos Shahani is slated to attend the 3^rd Round Table of Ministers of Culture on "Intangible Heritage: A Mirror of Cultural Diversity" in Istanbul, Turkey from September 16 to 17.

Shahani had been invited by the Paris-based Unesco and the government of Turkey.

She said that she would work for the preservation and protection of the country’s intangible heritage during the meeting.

"This would give us a clearer sense of national identity which in turn can give us greater confidence to face the challenges of globalization," she said.

She clarified that intangible heritage referred to the language, music, dance, literature, games, mythology, customs, handicrafts, architecture and other arts of a cultural community. These are found in all countries, particularly in the developing world.

The Philippines, with more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups, is rich in its intangible heritage.

The country’s "Hudhud" was selected as one of 19 masterpieces selected during last year’s Unesco’s first proclamation of masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

The "Hudhud" is an epic consisting of 200 chants and 40 episodes clearly linked with the agricultural life in the Ifugao rice terraces.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured the nation that the government is doing all it can in order to safeguard the lives and interests of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East.

In her weekly radio program aired nationwide, the President said she has designated former AFP Chief of Staff Roy Cimatu as her special envoy to Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.

"Ito ay para tiyakin na ang inihanda nating contingency measures ay sapat upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga Pilipino sakaling matuloy ang kaguluhan doon (This is to ensure that we have enough contingency measures to attend to the needs of Filipinos in case there will be trouble in the area)," the President said.

These contingency measures, the President said, include the evacuation of Filipinos if this is necessary.

The President also allayed fears that there will be fuel shortage if the United States pushes through its attack on Iraq.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today renewed her call for support and cooperation from the Filipino people in order to confront the many problems that the country is facing.

In her weekly radio program aired nationwide, the President particularly asked for the people’s support in the fund campaign for the benefit of the thousands of Filipino returnees from Sabah.

The President said that the problems that "we are facing right now are diverse and seemingly difficult to understand."

"Pero and mahalaga ay nagkakaisa tayo sa paghanap ng solusyon para sa lahat ng ito (But what is important is that we are united in seeking solutions to these problems)," the President said.

She said that it is important for the people to get united and should cooperate with each other for the sake of our country and our countrymen "dahil walang magmalasakit sa atin kundi tayo-tayo rin (because no one would be more concerned for our welfare than ourselves)."

The President also announced that today, all the television networks in Metro Manila would conduct a telethon, entitled "Pagbabalik Tulong," the proceeds of which would go to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to fund the various activities for the Filipino returnees from Sabah.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today stressed on the expansion and the strengthening of the domestic market to spur further economic growth.

In her message aired this morning over radio nationwide, the President said the goal could be attained through the development and empowerment of small and medium enterprises (SME).

"This domestic market is what we must try to expand and strengthen at ito ay sa pamamagitan ng ating mga (and this would be done through) SMEs," she said.

She said the government would convince banks to open more credit windows for SMEs "kaysa ipautang ito sa (instead of loaning out money to) less productive sectors tulad ng (like) luxury properties at mga pabrikang may (and factories with) excess capacity."

She noted the SME’s capability to effectively circulate capital and increase domestic consumption, but stressed that the SMEs needed plenty of capital.

The President also disclosed that the government has begun implementing its "One Town, One Product, One Million Pesos for SME Loan" program.

She said local government units are being identified to avail themselves of the program, which proved to be an effective global economic formula, particularly in developing nations.

Earlier, the President disclosed that she would look into the loaning portfolio for SMEs and where the loans are being made to "make sure that every town has at least P1 million of SME loans."

In her regular luncheon with the Malacaņang Press Corps last Wednesday, she said she launched the strategy early this month in a visit to Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur.

Lakewood would get the P1-million loan with a four-year payback term for fruit production. She said nine other Zamboanga del Sur towns would get the loan for the production of hybrid rice seeds.

"The PSF (Presidential Social Fund) has money in the Landbank for lending out," she added.

In Laguna, the President picked Cabuyao to receive the P1-million loan for a SME involved in the recycling of soft packs of Nestle Philippines into construction materials.

She said the money would come from the Small Business Guarantee Fund with counterparts from Nestle and Laguna Rep. Joaquin Chipeco, Jr.

Still in Laguna, she ordered regional officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to identify SMEs involved in autoparts supply in Sta. Rosa, where multinational car-making plants are located, to get the loan.

She also hinted at the grant of a similar loan to an electronics SME in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to help raise the local value added of Amkor Technology Philippines, a semi-conductor producer, "which suffered last year because of the decline in the market for computers and chips."

The President had given P1-million each to the town of Monkayo in Compostela Valley for a SME into gold jewelry production and to Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. of General Santos City for a SME into tuna production.

In Davao del Norte, she was informed by Governor Rodolfo del Rosario that many SMEs in various towns of the province produced picnic bags and other products from cogon grass.

"They have the market and they have the technology," she said.

Davao Oriental Governor Ma. Elena Palma Gil also told the President that SMEs in the coastal towns of the province produced agar-agar marketed in Cebu.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the government would "encourage the private sector to jumpstart the housing sector" as it would urge "banks to fund developers on their own."

The President stressed on her administration’s focus on housing during a radio message aired nationwide this morning.

She said housing had been listed as one of the priority programs of the government in the next six months.

"Ang housing industry ay isa sa pinakamalakas na magbigay ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan at nagpapasigla ng ekonomiya (The housing industry is one of the strongest sectors that can create more jobs and perk up the economy)," she added.

She noted the private sector’s small role in the housing industry. "Kaya’t ito ay ating palalakihin (We shall strengthen it)," she said.

The President also took note of the various transport infrastructure the government has been putting up to decongest pedestrian and vehicle traffic in Metro Manila.

This should convince developers to put up housing projects outside of Metro Manila, particularly in transport links leading to Clark in the North and Batangas in the South.

Earlier, the President said she would ask the country’s top Chinese businessmen, or taipans, to help the government in its mass housing program.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged the Filipino youth to help government in its anti-crime drive, as she launched the 117 Youth Patrol at the Camp Crame parade grounds.

In a short message before boy and girl scouts participating in a 117 emergency response drill, the President said the youth could contribute much in efforts of the law enforcers maintain peace and order in the country.

The President arrived in Camp Crame fresh from Malacanang where she witnessed the signing of an Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police (PNP) joint standing operating procedure on disclosing reports on rascals in uniform.

The signing strengthened the President’s resolve to fight criminality, enhance the image of the military and the police and build a strong republic, as expounded in her July 22 State of the Nation Address.

She said Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina invited her to see for herself quick responses from youthful volunteers against crime.

She said the youth should call 117 if they witnessed a crime happening, or if they heard something and had good reasons to believe a crime is being committed or about to be committed.

She pointed out that since the telephone hotline 177 had been established, many criminal cases have been solved "very quickly."

It enabled law enforcement agencies and public assistance groups to respond to emergency calls from any part of the country.

Hotline 117 is a centrally managed and secured telephone central monitoring station provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and operated by qualified well-trained personnel from the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and private telecommunications firm PLDT.

Telephones used by the emergency hotline 117 are equipped with the caller ID system to prevent prank calls and ensure quick confirmation and response to emergency calls.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to tap and help mobilize local government units (LGU) nationwide to enhance the government’s tax collection.

The President made this call during the first revenue performance command conference at the Premier Guest House in Malacaņang.

During the briefing, the President directed officials of the BIR and other concerned agencies to find out if they could further simplify the process of tax payments and the registration of business permits with the LGUs.

BIR Commissioner Guillermo Parayno said the government intended to dispense with other requirements in applying for business permits in various localities.

Parayno said those in the underground economy continued to fear coming out into the open economy.

He said they do not want to go through the tedious process of getting a business permit, a form of taxation, and they wonder why they have to brandish a Social Security System and/or a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority card to get the license.

"It really intimidates people," he told reporters after the conference.

He added that the coordination with the LGUs was not something new since there existed agreements between the Department of Finance, the LGUs and the Executive Department on working together to push better tax collections.

But he stressed that the agreements needed to be implemented soonest.

Parayno said the BIR had been sending letters to some 600 companies found to have under-declared their tax payments.

The letter, he said, would send the message that the BIR had the system and method to determine the correct payment of taxes.

On the other hand, Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho suggested that the LGUs should also supply the BIR with a list of taxpayers in their respective areas to help the bureau collect proper taxes.

During the conference, Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin told the President and other officials that the LGUs have expressed willingness to cooperate in easing the process of business registration and tax payments.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today convened the first revenue performance command conference in an effort to achieve the government’s revised targets on tax collections.

In a meeting at the Premier Guest House in Malacanang, the President would call regular command conferences on revenue collection to assess the work of various tax collecting agencies, particularly the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

She said the command conference would establish a base line against which the future performance of the agencies concerned would be measured.

"We should be very strict about evaluating performance," she said.

Among those who attended the command conference were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho, Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin, Socio Economic Planning Secretary Dante Canlas, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, BOC Commissioner Antonio Bernardo, BIR Commissioner Guillermo Parayno, and the district collectors and revenue collectors in various regions of the country.

Bernardo said it was appropriate that the President had found time to talk to those in the field directly involved in revenue collections.

He said the command conference on revenue performance supported the BOC’s effort to focus on their target collection.

"That’s what we’re doing now. We are really micro-managing the revenue collections because we believe that this is a very important mandate of the bureau," Bernardo told reporters after the conference.

In his report, Bernardo noted that in the first eight months of this year, the BOC was still P11.9 billion below its target revenue collection.

However, he noted that for the first three months of the year, the average monthly collection of the BOC was P6.9 billion but increased to P8.7 billion in the succeeding three months.

The total year-end outlook for the BOC, he said, is P99.8 billion against its original target of P115 billion.

Bernardo cited several factors for the shortfall, to include foreign exchange, and deferred payments of importation from various government agencies such as the National Food Authority (NFA), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

"We feel that about P100 billion is a more realistic emerging scenario for the end of the year rather than P115 billion," he said.

For his part, Parayno said the BIR has been implementing the Reconciliation of Listing for Enforcement (RELIEF) program aimed to correct discrepancies in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) declaration of taxpaying companies.

By next week, Parayno said the BIR would send some 600 letters to various companies to demand immediate payment of taxes associated with under-declared sales for the year 2001.