The Asean SARS summit in Bangkok today is an effort to gather our collective materials and political resources for reasons to fight a dreaded disease. The meeting, hopefully, will bring better jobs in terms of the identification, containment and treatment cases, as it will carry a strong statement of position in the same way we took a common stand in the face of the Asean crisis in 1997 and the September 2001 tragedy in the United States.

By reaching across borders for common solutions, Asean is projecting a very strong message that we are prepared to close ranks with the world to fight this threat to the end.

Asean nations are already doing their best individually but, forging a common program will multiply our individual strengths and reduce our weaknesses.

I shall make a special appeal in behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Filipino workers spread across Asean. I shall seek protection within Asean, not only for the health and safety, but for the jobs, of Filipinos.

I shall appeal to my colleagues to ensure the best treatment is extended to our nationals who are suspected to be or actually afflicted by SARS, and that all possible accommodations be granted to guarantee the security of their jobs in the face of the regional economic slowdown.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left this morning for Bangkok to attend the emergency summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) aimed at forging a common stand in the fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that has hit a number of Asian countries.

The President and a lean delegation left at 7:15 a.m. from the Villamor Airbase on board a chartered Lear jet for the three-hour flight to Bangkok.

In her brief departure statement, the President said the Asean summit on SARS is an effort of the 10-nation grouping to gather its collective materials and political resources in the fight against the killer pneumonia.

"By reaching across borders for common solutions, Asean is projecting a strong message that we are prepared to close ranks with the world to fight this threat to the end," the President said.

The President said that Asean members are already doing their best individually but forging a common stand against the disease "will multiply our individual strengths and reduce our weaknesses.

Aside from the President, the summit will also be attended by the leaders of Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Singapore.

She said that hopefully, the one-day meeting in Bangkok would come up with a strong statement of position on SARS in the same way that the countries in the region made a collective stand during the Asean financial crisis in l997 and on the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.

According to the President, during the summit, she would also make a special appeal to the heads of other Asean members on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers spread across the region.

"I shall seek protection within Asean, not only for the health and safety, but for the jobs, of Filipinos," the President said.

She said that she would appeal to her colleagues in Asean to ensure the best treatment to Filipinos working in their countries who are suspected to be or actually afflicted with SARS "and that all possible accommodation be granted to guarantee the security of their jobs in the wake of the regional economic slowdown."

Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr. led government officials who sent off the President at the airport. Also on hand to send the President off were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya, Philippine National Police Director General Heremogenes Ebdane, Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon, flag-officer-in-command of the Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Nestor Santillan, and Philippine Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling.

Before boarding her plane, the President submitted herself to a thermal checkup at the Kalayaan Lounge of the Villamor Airbase as part of quarantine requirements for all departing passengers.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – The Philippines expects that the emergency summit meeting here of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) would result in a standardization of measures against the dreaded disease.

National Security Adviser J. Roilo Golez said in an interview that the government expects to share best practices, common policies and procedure to check the spread of the disease across the region.

"There would be exchange of information, especially exchange of experiences, and we will all learn from each other here, especially from countries which have been experiencing this problem in a more serious way," he said.

The atypical pneumonia has killed more than 300 people around the world and infected more than 5,000 people in 26 countries, mostly in Asia.

Golez noted that Asean members differ in the degree of SARS experience but still, they expect to share the experiences and learn more about common encounters.

"Most likely, the degree of the problem would vary. We have different concerns, different population density, different industrial system, mode of travel varies because some people tend to travel more. The others don’t have OFWs and this is the reason why our cases are different," Golez said.

Golez said, however, that the Philippines anticipates learning about contact tracing, the police action against SARS and other measures to curb the deadly virus.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – The Philippines goes hand in hand with its peers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attends today the emergency summit meeting here that would tackle the dreaded Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The President arrived here on board a special aircraft that landed at the Royal Thai Air Force headquarters around 9:30 a.m. here (10:30 a.m. in Manila).

Thailand Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan received her in brief ceremonies at the airport. Also on hand to welcome her also was Philippine Ambassador Sonia Brady.

Shortly after noon, the President joins the leaders of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia at the Vithes Samosorn wing of the Thailand Foreign Ministry for the special forum.

During the summit, the President is expected to inform the other leaders of the various measures imposed by the Philippine government to contain, prevent and restrict the spread of the killer disease.

Aside from the President, the leaders attending the meeting are Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Indonesian Prime Minister Megawati Soekarnoputri, Lao Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachith, Malaysian Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, Myanmar Prime Minister Than Shwe, Singapore Prime Minister Go Chok Tong, Vietnam Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and the host, Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

China’s Premier Wen Jia Bao would likewise be present for a separate Asean-China meeting. Aside from being badly afflicted by the deadly virus, China is widely believed to be the source of the SARS virus.

Afterwards, the President will take the opportunity to hold a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

Among the government officials accompanying the President in the special summit on SARS are Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, National Security Adviser J. Roilo Golez, Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo, Ninoy Aquino International Airport General Manager Edgardo Manda and Presidential Management Staff Head Silvestre Afable, Jr., Dr. Gil Fernandez, a representative from the Philippine Medical Association, likewise accompanied the President during the trip.

Representatives from other organizations who are attending are Ong Keng Yong, Asean Secretary-General and David Heymann, executive director of Communicable Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The leaders and heads of organizations would later attend a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shinawatra at the same venue.

During the summit, the President will propose the creation of the Asean Health Emergency Fund which could be used in combating SARS that has already claimed lives in five of the 10 countries – Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

SARS has killed more than 300 people around the world and infected more than 5,000 people in 26 countries, mostly in Asia.

The President earlier said she would attend the summit to join other Asean leaders and World Health Organization officials in sharing best practices, common policies and procedures to check the spread of the disease across borders.

The President has expressed concern for the welfare of Filipinos overseas, saying she would try to find ways to safeguard the health of overseas Filipino workers and preserve their jobs.

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga – Angeles Mayor Carmelo Lazatin and Mabalacat Mayor Mariano Morales rolled out the red carpet Monday for officials of this year’s Balikatan here, saying the military exercise between American and Filipino soldiers would be a big boost to their constituency in the areas of socio-economic development and peace and order.

In separate courtesy calls made by Balikatan 03 co-directors Philippine Army Col. Ricardo Brillantes and United States Marine Col. Steven Hogg, the two local chief executives expressed confidence that the two-week exercise that was launched last Friday in Camp Aguinaldo and ends May 9 here would go a long way in helping the respective economies of their areas.

"We’re happy to have you here. You are more than welcome," said Morales, adding that with the support of the people involved in the Balikatan, peace and order will improve and, consequently, encourage business development in Mabalacat.

The economic benefits from the civil-military exercises translate into $7 million (approx. P350 million) in US funds, of which $2 million or P112 million has been allocated for humanitarian assistance, medical missions and other contractual expenses with Filipinos.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has backed the Balikatan in the past not only because of its military aspect but because of its socio-economic impact on the people.

Lazatin, on his part, said that except for a few activists expressing their opposition to the annual war games, the people in general welcome the Balikatan.

"No problem with Balikatan here in Angeles," Lazatin assured the officials who called on him, including Public Affairs Maj. Vic Batac and Capt. Burrell Parmer and Clark Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Allan Ballesteros. "Our people also need this exercise."

Officials of the annual combined joint exercise, which this year drew 1,200 American and 2,500 Filipino personnel, are confident the Balikatan will achieve its objective of improving the combined planning, combat readiness and inter-operability of the US and Philippine forces.

It will be conducted in two phases simultaneously.

Phase 1 is a Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) seminar/command post exercise that will drill the participants in crisis action planning and course of action at the operational level, with focus on peace enforcement operations.

Phase 2 is cross training, field training and humanitarian civil assistance exercises designed to improve US/AFP military civic action cooperation particularly in multiple medical, dental, veterinary and engineering civil assistance projects.

Hogg said the exercise will demonstrate the US resolve to support the Philippines against internal aggression consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two nations.

More than just the military training, Batac said the Balikatan hopes to achieve meaningful social dimension in the areas where it is operating, particularly in the five towns straddling Clark, in Nueva Ecija and Cavite.

"We will be having participants doing civic and humanitarian work apart from war exercises," he said.

The civil operations started Monday with a medical, dental and veterinary mission to the Banga Elementary School in Talisay, Cavite and today at the Wenceslao National High School in Laurel, Cavite.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – The proposal of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to have an emergency fund for the fight against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has gained momentum at the emergency summit on SARS here.

The President has repeatedly announced before heading to this Thai capital that she intended to propose during the one-day summit the creation of an Asean Health Emergency Fund.

The fund, she has said, could be used in combating SARS that has claimed lives in five of the 10 Asean countries-Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

During a pre-summit press conference here at the Vithes Samosorn wing of the Thailand Foreign Ministry here, Thailand Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai announced that Asean and China are considering the establishment of a fund for research into SARS.

"China has offered 10 million yuan, or 50 million baht ($1.2 million), for a special fund for study and research of the disease," Sathirathai said.

The President’s proposal was evidently picked up following a meeting between Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao.

Sathirathai said Thailand, meanwhile, is ready to pay $250,000 or 10 million baht.

Thai government spokesman Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the details were still being discussed and would be considered by leaders at this afternoon's summit.

"We don't know the total amount yet. It was just discussed here. The Asean side is working on it right now," he said, adding that participation in the fund would be voluntary.

The ten leaders of Asean countries are go into summit talks this afternoon before meeting with the Chinese Premier in the first gathering of Asian leaders on the crisis.

The leaders aim to lay down a regional framework to combat the spread of SARS.

The President has said the Asean summit on SARS is an effort of the 10-nation Asean to gather its collective materials and political resources in the fight against the killer pneumonia.

"By reaching across borders for common solutions, Asean is projecting a strong message that we are prepared to close ranks with the world to fight this threat to the end," she said.

Aside from this, the President said she would seek protection within Asean, not only for the health and safety, but for the jobs, of Filipinos.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) stressed the need for proper information about the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) as lack of it fear of the mysterious disease and may cause greater damage for all.

Emerging from the three-hour summit at the Vithes Samosorn wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here, the President told Filipino reporters that the very important message given during the summit is the need for proper information about SARS.

"The fear of SARS is the one that seems to be more destructive than SARS itself," the President said.

She said the leaders noted that the countries which contracted SARS after all the measures were taken did not experience widespread outbreaks anymore, "and that includes the Philippines."

"Whereas the ones who had outbreaks also have started to slow down on the outbreaks. It’s really the fear that is most important and the fear can be overcome by better information," she added.

The President said the leaders agreed that World Health Organization would be a leading figure in providing the proper information to all to avoid confusion.

She noted the summit dwelled on discussions on how to address the killer disease. She said the meeting did not discuss if such country is SARS-free or not. "We did not talk about classifications like that."

"The point that’s being stressed is about information and prevention. Even if there’s no known cure, there is a way of preventing it from spreading and that is the most important thing," she said.

The President attended the emergency summit of the ASEAN aimed at forging a common stand in the fight against SARS that has hit a number of Asian countries.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today announced that the Philippines will host a meeting on May 15 of airport authorities, highlighting measures being taken by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to fight the dreaded Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The President made the announcement while stressing that the Asean leaders have agreed in principle to adopt standard quarantine procedures as an effective measure against the killer virus.

"The principle of having common quarantine procedures was adopted. In fact the Philippines will host the airport authorities meeting on May 15," she said in an interview with Filipino reporters here.

The President is attending the one-day summit meeting here of Asean leaders to address the SARS crisis. The disease has killed at least 321 worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization, the killer virus has also infected over 5,000 individuals.

The issue of having common quarantine procedures came following the success of Vietnam, according to the World Health Organization, of containing the deadly virus.

Vietnam became the first country to be removed from WHO's list of "affected areas" for SARS. The decision came after careful monitoring of the situation in Vietnam, where there had been no new reported cases of SARS for 20 days and no cases of spread to other countries.

One of the Philippines’ expectations from the emergency summit meeting is the possible standardization of measures against the dreaded disease.

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s proposal to set up an Asean Health Emergency Fund for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been fully adopted by the leaders of the 10-member Association on Southeast Asian Nations during their one-day emergency summit meeting here.

In an interview with Filipino reporters in between meetings at the Vithes Samosorn wing of the Thailand Foreign Ministry here, the President said that her proposal has been adopted and this will be noted in the leaders’ forum.

The President explained that according to research undertaken by Filipino foreign officials, there are existing resources that would be able to sustain the special fund for SARS.

According to these officials, there is an existing billion dollars from the Asean Foundation that could be used in this effort. The Asean Foundation is also used to fund efforts against the HIV/AIDS.

"Hindi kailangan mag-pledge kasi sinabi ko na nag-research tayo. Talagang meron na yang fund na yan and it’s about a billion dollars (I informed them that there was no need to make pledges as there is about $1 billion available)," the President said.

The President said that under the emergency health fund, a panel of experts would determine the guidelines on how to use the available resources properly.

"Usually, if you’re going to go by tradition, it’s by proposals, levels of project preparedness, like any other ODA (overseas development assistance), any other multilateral fund," she said.

The President announced before heading to this Thai capital that she intended to propose during the one-day summit the creation of an Asean Health Emergency Fund.

The fund, she has said, could be used in combating SARS that has claimed lives in five of the 10 Asean countries – Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. 

During a pre-summit press conference at the Vithes Samosorn wing of the Thailand Foreign Ministry here, Thailand Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai announced that Asean and China are considering the establishment of a fund for research on SARS.

"China has offered 10 million yuan, or 50 million baht ($1.2 million), for a special fund for study and research of the disease," Sathirathai said.

The President’s proposal was evidently picked up following a meeting between Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao.

Sathirathai said Thailand is ready to put up $250,000 or 10 million baht.

The President has said the Asean summit on SARS is an effort of the 10-nation Asean to gather its collective materials and political resources in the fight against the killer pneumonia.

"By reaching across borders for common solutions, Asean is projecting a strong message that we are prepared to close ranks with the world to fight this threat to the end," she said.

Aside from this, the President said she would seek protection within Asean, not only for the health and safety, but for the jobs, of Filipinos.