President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received with gladness the news of the release of the children of Negros Occidental Rep. Julio "Jules" Ledesma, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye today said.

In a radio interview, Bunye said the President is very thankful to the Lord that no harm was done on Christina Julieta Victoria, 10, and Julio Carlos V, 5.

Bunye said the President is likewise appreciative of the media’s cooperation in the tried and tested formula of not reporting on live or ongoing kidnapping cases.

"Ang ating Pangulo ay nagpapasalamat, unang-una sa ating Panginoon na ang panalangin ng marami na mailigtas yung anak ni Rep. Jules Ledesma ay nangyari ngayong umaga (Our President is grateful to God for heeding the prayers that the children be spared)," Bunye said.

Nagpapasalamat din ang ating Pangulo sa mga members ng media na nakinig sa kanyang pakiusap na pansamantala ay magkaroon muna ng maayos na pagre-report, i-tone down iyong pagre-report dito sa kidnapping incidents (The President is also thankful to the media for cooperating with the government in toning down their reports on kidnapping cases that are in progress)," Bunye said.

Bunye, however, stressed that the President is continuously working on strengthening government efforts against kidnapping and other forms of crime.

He said the kidnappings only strengthened the President’s resolve to fight criminality in all its forms.

He said the President is also enjoining the people to be actively involved in the administration’s fight against criminality.

"Nakikita natin iyong talagang kailangang-kailangan ang lubos na pagtutulungan ng ating mamamayan at ng ating awtoridad at para lalong mapalakas natin iyong ating kampanya laban sa mga ganitong uri ng aktibidad (There is no doubt that we need cooperation between the people and the authorities in order to strengthen the campaign against this kind of activities), Bunye said.

According to the police, the two children were released unharmed at the Makati Medical Center at around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Congressman Ledesma, in several interviews, thanked the President, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the safe release of his children.

The Philippines reaffirms its commitment to the global war against terrorism. We believe the world will never be secure unless terrorist lairs are exposed and destroyed, and terrorist supporters are brought to justice.

The Philippines has full confidence in the UN Security Council process. We believe the Council will act in accord with the imperatives of world peace and security and find the most expeditious way, the most effective way to serve these imperatives. We support the UN Security Council Resolutions on states aiding terrorism and the dismantling of weapons of mass destruction that are an overriding threat to humanity.

We join the United Nations in the most fervent wish for dialogue and peace, but we must say more in defense of our unique national interest.

We are victims of homegrown and regionally-based terrorism. The victims of terrorism cry out for justice. We have vowed to fight against terrorism at home and with our international allies until it is defeated.

The Philippines supports the case brought by the United States against Iraq before the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council should give these charges most urgent and serious consideration.

Consistent with our national interest and in accordance with our Constitution, the Philippines is prepared to extend political, security and humanitarian assistance to the United States in the pursuit of its most vital interests, which coincide with our own vital interests, to defeat terrorism.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered a suspension of the evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq as a result of new developments, adding that the situation in the Middle East would be evaluated by the Cabinet committee on internal security.

In an impromptu press conference in Malacaņang this afternoon following a Cabinet meeting, the President said the government is "interrupting" the evacuation as it takes a fresh look at international developments.

"So, while we are holding off the evacuation for one or two days, in two days we can have a definitive next course of action regarding the matter," the President said.

Last week, the President ordered the evacuation of some 118 Filipinos, including non-essential embassy personnel, from Iraq as "a precautionary measure."

The President said that former AFP chief, Gen. Roy Cimatu, is still the crisis manager on the Iraqi situation.

She also said that the Cabinet committee on internal security would be meeting this afternoon "and certainly the matter of Iraq is going to be the main subject."

Before the unscheduled press briefing, the President also read a prepared policy statement where she said that the Philippines "reaffirms its commitment to the global war against terrorism."

In the statement, the President said the Philippines has full confidence in the UN Security Council process.

"We believe the Council will act in accord with the imperatives of world peace and security and find the most expeditious way, the most effective way to serve these imperatives," the President said.

The President also said that the Philippines supports the case brought by the United States against Iraq before the Council. "The UN Security Council should give these charges most urgent and serious consideration," the President said.

The President’s policy statement was issued after Iraq, in a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, expressed it willingness to allow the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq without preconditions.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has started laying down the framework for an effective and sustained reintegration program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Lucita S. Lazo, DOLE undersecretary for the reintegration of returning migrant workers, said the program is aimed at helping returning OFWs bolster social stability for the national good.

"We hope to have about 50,000 OFW parents, sons, daughters and kin band together into OFW family or community clubs by December this year," Lazo said.

She said that nationwide, DOLE regional offices have begun the groundwork to organize at least 30 OFW family clubs in each region, prioritizing the areas considered as the largest sources of OFWs.

Lazo stressed that the effort requires interaction and cooperation by various sectors considering that there are some 7.41 million Filipinos who are either working or have settled overseas."

"We hope to engage or involve local governments in this undertaking," she said, adding that the DOLE has already linked up with some local government units (LGUs) whose constituents include OFW families, and would also work with non-government organizations (NGOs) helping OFWs.

Lazo indicated that the program would pursue a balanced approach, giving regard both to the many "circulatory" OFWs in the global labor market who only temporarily come home, and the retirees and permanent returnees who want to engage in small businesses, invest their earnings, upgrade their skills, or get employed locally.

The program would help reinforce the protection, morale, and welfare of OFW families all over the country, Lazo said.

Director Alex E. Maraan of the DOLE's National Capital Region (NCR) office indicated that advocacy work has already started in the country's premier region to meet the initial target of 30 OFW family circles this year.

Maraan said a DOLE-NCR team has initiated linkages with different barangays in cooperation with LGUs.

The DOLE's Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are expected to provide assistance and opportunities needed by OFWs and their families.

POEA statistics show that 60 percent of the Filipinos working abroad come from the NCR, Region 3 (Central Luzon), and Region 4 (Southern Tagalog)."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Cabinet today approved the draft basic principles to be contained in a Memorandum Order (MO) that will allow other sectors to participate in the 2003 rice importation.

According to Presidential Assistant on Agriculture Modernization Angelito Sarmiento, under the MO, the National Food Authority (NFA) will prioritize domestic palay procurement in beefing up its buffer stock. "So as much as possible, the buffer stock should be purchased from the Philippines," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said the NFA will also continue to make available the P16 per kilogram regular-milled rice in the market, especially for the poor. "On well-milled rice, we would let the market decide as instructed by the President," Sarmiento said.

He said that the government will still continue the present system of rice importation under the "Quantitative Restriction" regime as a protection for palay farmers.

The government will allow other sectors to participate in the importation of rice, but there will be no issuance of import permits, Sarmiento said.

"So the principle of first-come, first-served will be followed," he said.

Sarmiento said the government will impose a cap of 10,000 metric tons (MT) per importer to allow a greater number of participants and encourage competition.

In the implementation, Sarmiento suggested that there will be a single opening of letter of credit (LC) source, which is the Land Bank of the Philippines (LDP).

For the first quarter tranche volume, LCs will be opened with LBP on January 2-31, 2003. Farmers will be initially allowed the privilege of opening LCs for January 2-15, 2003. The unavailed balance shall be made available to other importers starting January 16 up to January 31, 2003. Arrival of importation is not later than March 31, 2003.

For the second quarter tranche volume, LCs shall be opened with LBP on April 1-30, 2003.

Farmers will be initially allowed the privilege of opening LCs for April 1-15, 2003.

The unavailed balance shall be made available to other importers starting April 16 up to April 30, 2003. The second quarter tranche will arrive not later than June 30, 2003.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today approved in principle the recommendation of the Department of Trade and Industry to prohibit the importation of used vehicles.

The President expressed approval during the presentation of Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II during the regular Cabinet meeting at Malacanang.

Roxas’ recommendation is to ban all types of used motor vehicles with the exceptions of special purpose vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances and vehicles of Filipino balikbayans.

Roxas said the DTI would draft the Memorandum Order that would simplify and clarify the rules and regulations for approval by the President.

According to Roxas, there were only 76,670 units of vehicles sold in the domestic vehicle industry in 2001 while 178, 285 units were registered at the Land Transportation Office that year.

Roxas said there are at least 52, 615 used vehicles unaccounted for.

Roxas noted that for the first four months of 2002, the number of vehicles that entered Subic Freeport was estimated at 15, 000 units.

Roxas noted that in ASEAN countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, used vehicles are generally not allowed to be imported.

He said the only exceptions are vehicles that are not locally produced, used reconditioned luxury vehicles or personal vehicles for returning citizens.