The travel advisory against Hong Kong and southern part of China is a defensive move in the national interest, and does not in any way put to doubt the valiant efforts of China to contain the disease.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today inaugurated the largest, fully-integrated, temperature-controlled logistics service provider in the country, IGLO Philippines, Inc., a joint venture by the food and beverage enterprise RFM Corporation and its Malaysia-based partner, IGLO International, Ltd., formed two years ago during the President’s state visit to Malaysia.

The inauguration, held at the Manggahan Industrial Light Park in Pasig City, marked the formal start of operations of IGLO Philippines that will increase the quality level of fresh, chilled and frozen food products that reach the consumer.

After unveiling the marker to inaugurate the new plant, the President put on a thermal jacket – as protection from the 27-degree (Celsius) temperature in the plant – and switched on the button to officially signal the start of operations of the cooling plant.

The President then made a tour of the plant, after which she viewed and sampled the different RFM products displayed in booths along the building’s foyer.

During a briefing, IGLO Philippines president Raymond de Graaf informed the President that the continuous cold-chain facility would enable Philippine growers and processors to preserve the quality of their products from the farm to the manufacturing plants up to delivery to the retail outlets.

"It will also minimize spoilage and nutrients loss in food products, and enable these to meet global quality standards for exports," he said.

RFM president and chief executive officer Jose Conception III, who also serves as chairman of IGLO Philippines, said the new plant features advanced material-handling technology and equipment, including fully-automated dock boards equipped with inflatable dock seals to maintain the desired temperature.

It’s going to be a long, virtually work-free Holy Week for Filipinos next week.

This, after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared Saturday, April 19, a special non-working day throughout the country in line with her holiday economics.

Saying Holy Week is one of the cherished traditions of Filipinos, the President, in Proclamation No. 354, stated that ‘the people must be given full and uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor,without prejudice to public interest.’

Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, acting on orders of the President, also stated in the proclamation that employes of the executive branch of government, including government-owned corporations, shall not be required to work on Wednesday, April 16 except for some who will be required to form part of a skeleton staff to deliver vital services.

Employers in the private sector except those providing banking, financial, health, security, and other vital services to the public are encouraged not to require their employes to work on Wednesday, April 16, according to the proclamation.

Since, Maundy Thursday falls on April 17 and Good Friday on April 18, this means that most employes will have an uninterrupted Holy Week vacation of five days up to April 20, Easter Sunday.

The head of a department, office, agency, instrumentality or government-owned or controlled corporation may, if required by the exigencies of public service, direct the employes of said department, office, agency, instrumentality or government-owned or controlled corporation to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on Wednesday, April 16.

Employes of the Bureau of Internal revenue, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Postal Corp. and other government departments that impose deadlines on the transacting public for payment of taxes, fees or fines and for compliance with reportorial and other requirements, shall be required to observe regular working hours and provide regular services on Wednesday.

Also asked to observe regular working hours are government employes providing police, security, fire protection, custodial, rescue, emergency, medical and other similar services.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople has warned Filipino women seeking jobs overseas not to fall prey to offers from illegal recruiters to work abroad in countries such as Cote d’ Ivoire or the Ivory Coast in Africa, South Korea, Cyprus and Nigeria.

Ople issued the warning in compliance with the instructions of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for all concerned government agencies to protect the interest of Filipino workers abroad.

Ople said human trafficking syndicates continue to recruit women from the Philippines to work as prostitutes abroad.

"We received a report from our post that a new batch of women are again proceeding to Cote d’ Ivoire via Bangkok or Singapore under the guise of tourists but eventually these women will be forced to work as prostitutes against their will," Ople said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has called on the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police as well as immigration and airport authorities to join hands in fighting these human trafficking syndicates.

The DFA had earlier repatriated several Filipino women from the Ivory Coast who complained of non-payment of wages, physical abuse, restricted access to communication, forced prostitution and lack of medical attention.

First it was Tindahan ni Gloria. Then came Gloria Labandera.

From basic commodities to rice and soap, the President never seems to run out of products to endorse. And she’s becoming quite good at it, judging by the latest one that carries both her name and photo on the label.

‘Mangga de Gloria,’ a creamy mango ice cream loaded with real mango chunks and rich mango ripple, became an instant hit when it was presented to her today by Selecta, a premier brand of Philippine ice cream.

The special ice cream flavor was presented to the President during her inauguration of the RFM IGLO’s Cold Storage Facility at the Manggahan Industrial Light Park in Pasig City.

Selecta has concocted this special ice cream flavor on the occasion of the President’s birthday last April 5.

This limited edition ice cream comes in half-gallon tin cans with a uniquely designed label featuring the photo of the President. It had a limited production run of a few hundred gallons and was distributed to the attendees of the inauguration.

Unfortunately, "Mangga de Gloria" will not be sold in the market.

A similar flavor available locally, "Chunky Mango," is a much sought after export product of Selecta Wall’s in the United States, Dubai, Guam, and Saipan, among others.

Selecta Wall is a joint venture between Unilever Philippines and RFM Corporation.

During the inauguration, the President who tasted the special ice cream, found the flavor wonderful.

We have heard about it but we have yet to actually read the SWS survey results. If the rating of the President had indeed slipped, it could be explained. We understand that the survey was undertaken during the period March 10 to March 25. This period coincides with the height of the anti-war sentiment. There were a lot of anxieties about the war – the possible effect on the safety of our OFWs, the increase in the price of oil, the deterioration of peso vis-ā-vis the dollar, the possible shortage of prime commodities. Also there was a widespread belief that the war is generally rejected by the Iraqi people. All of these fears did not come to pass. Not a single OFW was killed, injured or displaced. The price of oil has gone done. After experiencing a brief period of speculative attack, the peso regained its true strength. The supply and price of rice and other basic commodities have remained stable. And now we can see that there is widespread spontaneous rejoicing in the streets of Baghdad and elsewhere in the world.

The decision of the President to cast our lot with the coalition by giving it our political and moral support was an unpopular but principled decision. She was fully aware of the political fallout but as a leader she was prepared to accept the consequence. Recent events clearly appear to vindicate the President’s decision.

Lord Mayor of London Aldeman Gavyn Arthur today expressed gratitude to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the Philippines’ support to the international coalition in the campaign to liberate Iraq.

The British official, who paid a courtesy call on the President this afternoon, also declared continued confidence on the Philippines.

"We do have confidence in the future of the Philippines and I hope that I would take back messages to the investors in the United Kingdom that like Shell, other institutions there can invest with confidence in your economy for the benefit of all," he said.

He noted that the City of London and the international investment community is deeply impressed with the Philippines, citing the number of projects in which British investors have made substantial investments.

Calling the Philippines an old friend as the United Kingdom set up its consulate in the country in 1844, the Lord Mayor said "we don’t believe in taking old friends for granted."

He also noted that Shell, a British oil firm, has invested a considerable amount in the Malampaya gas project off the waters of Palawan.

"It would not have invested in this country if it had not been confident in this country’s prosperity and future," he said.

In thanking the President’s and the Philippines’ support to the "coalition of the willing," the Lord Mayor noted that the television pictures all have seen in the last few days have made it all clear that "what we did was correct and was justified."

"I was able with due sincerity to thank her Excellency for that support which we in the United Kingdom so very much appreciate," he said.

"The pictures we’ve seen in the last few day have made it all obvious that what we’ve done was correct and was justified and the various countries who have the courage to stand together and assist the oppressed people of Iraq, I think, can congratulate themselves too," he added.

The Lord Mayor said he represents a city, which is deeply impressed by the advances made in the Philippines and "would like to progress with outsourcing as well."

The Lord Mayor said he hopes that his visit has been able to build on the considerable bonds of friendship between the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

During their meeting, the Lord Mayor and the President likewise discussed the humanitarian aid for Iraq.

He said indeed the Philippines should play a rightful role in providing humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, adding that the Philippines has never shirked from its international obligations.

The Lord Mayor said the President is "a very impressive lady." He said he congratulated the President for her personal vision of a liberalized, open outlook on the world.

Arthur is the 675^th Lord Mayor of the City of London. Aside from the usual municipal role, the Lord Mayor’s role has evolved to become the head of all the financial services gathered in the City of London and in the UK as a whole.

The Lord Mayor is accompanied during the three-day visit in the country by the Lord Mayoress Miss Carol Blackshaw and representatives of financial institutions based in the city of London.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will honor the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue of Manila Electric Company’s appeal for reconsideration on a refund order, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said today.

"The President said she would honor the final decision of the Supreme Court on the matter. And as Chief Executive, she will see to it that the decision is implemented to the letter," Bunye said in a briefing in Malacanang.

Bunye noted that the High Court is the final arbiter on matter of law. "And it is for us to honor this decision," he said.

Reports said the Supreme Court has junked with finality Meralco's appeal to reconsider its order to the power firm to refund an estimated P28 billion in excess charges to its consumers

The report said the decision stated that public utilities cannot be allowed to overcharge at the expense of the public and, worse, they cannot complain that they are not overcharging enough.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye today said that upon instructions of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane has assigned a five-man security force to the Rafanan family, whose four members were killed in an ambush in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, last March 31.

Bunye noted said that Ebdane likewise designated the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the PNP to assist in the investigation of the case.

The killing spared radioman and former provincial board member Efren Rafanan and his 24-year old daughter Renalyn, who were both wounded in the ambush.

The dead were Rafanan’s wife Evelyn, son Raffy and Brian and brother Dennis. Security aide Elgin de Ocampo was likewise killed.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today instructed the Philippine Consul General in Hong Kong to deploy more doctors in the consulate office to conduct regular medical check-up of all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to ensure that they are free from any symptoms of the dreaded severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) before they are given a permit to go back to the country for vacation.

The President issued the directive to Consul General Victoria "Vicky" Bataclan during her daily regular teleconference at the Presidential Briefing Room in Malacaņang this afternoon.

During the teleconference, Bataclan admitted to the President that the Philippine consulate in Hong Kong had encountered minor problems due to the lack of doctors to conduct medical check-up on Filipinos leaving Hong Kong to take a short vacation in the country.

Bataclan lauded the action of the President, saying that it would help a lot to attend to the inquiries of 50 to 80 OFWs a day voluntarily asking for health check-up and calling the consulate office asking for their advice on the SARS menace.

"That would be helpful, Madam President. Actually the assigned doctor (in the consulate office) is getting an average of 50-80 telephone calls daily from our OFWs here and they are asking for medical advice or any medical information that they could share on SARS," Bataclan told the President.

The Consul General also informed the President that the six OFWs affected by SARS are now in stable condition.

Bataclan said two of them have been discharged from the hospital and are about to return to their employer. Another one is also in the process of being discharged from the hospital anytime now, while still another is in the intensive care unit. Two other patients have been transferred to the regular ward.