BAGUIO CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night assured the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) community that she would not abolish the country’s premier military institution as she believes and respect the PMAers as "soldiers of the people."

"I have come here, first of all, to affirm you that I will not abolish the PMA," she said during the dinner with members of the cadet corps at the PMA mess hall in Fort Del Pilar, this city.

Some 1,500 people attended the dinner to include the 988 cadets, all tactical officers, 150 soldiers, media people, and all the PMA faculty members including Arlene, the wife of Lt. Sr. Gr. Antonio Trillanes IV.

After the July 27 Oakwood incident, she said there were so many negative things said about the PMA, particularly those in the extreme who called for its abolition. She said some had called the cadets spoiled, lost dreamers, and the "mistah culture" has bred corruption and cover-ups as well as blind loyalties to the wrong causes.

"I do not believe that our cadets or young officers are spoiled, I don’t believe that they are empty dreamers or wayward idealists. I respect you as soldiers of the people," she said.

The President said she came here to have a heart to heart talk with the PMA community, adding that she would appreciate it much if they could dispel any preconceived thoughts that she is an "arrogant President."

"I know I can be contentious and perhaps even overbearing sometimes, but we all have our strengths and weaknesses, our failings and frailties, anxieties and fears," she said.

She said God gave us a great gift -- the power to communicate and to understand each other.

"And as long as we are earnest and sincere and geared towards a common mission, as long as we agree to listen to each other and to respect each other’s diverse beliefs and opinions, there is nothing in this world that can destroy those great ideals we hold so dear – the nation and the flag," she said.

The President arrived at the administration building here 7:00 p.m. Friday accompanied by Presidential Assistant Luis "Chavit" Singson, Sec. Silvestre Afable, and Press Secretary Milton Alingod.

She was welcomed during ramp honors by PMA Superintendent Maj. Gen. Edilberto Adan, PMA Asst. Supt. Commodore Franklin Mangonon, Cadet Corps Commandant Brig. Gen. Cardoso Luna, Col. Tadeo Claravall, dean of the corps of professors; NOLCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, CO of the 5th Infantry Division; and PNP-CAR Director Chief Supt. Victor Luga.

Also welcoming the President were the PMA department heads and other officers, selected enlisted personnel, and the civilian employees. Before the dinner, Gen. Adan also briefed the President on the reforms being instituted in the country’s premier military institution.

BAGUIO CITY – Cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) last night expressed their full support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s efforts to institute reforms in the society to improve the lives of every Filipino.

"Madam President, allow me to express the cadet corps’ full support to your administration, that we are strongly behind you in your efforts to reform the society in improving the lives of the Filipino people," said brigade commander Capt. Gerald Philip Escalante during their dinner with the President at Fort Del Pilar here.

He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is an "advocate of good governance" and they (men in uniform) adhere to their mandate to uphold the Constitution and defend the democratic ideals and the way of life of the Filipino people "towards the realization of our dream of a strong Republic."

The President advised the cadets to stick to the Code of Honor and Chain of Command and not to listen to self-serving leaders who exploit their ideals then abandon them in the aftermath of a controversy or conflict.

She said she is aware that many cadets sympathized with those who went to Oakwood last July 27.

"It takes great courage for any young officer to stand up and speak aloud about his frustrations, maybe even greater courage than what is needed to face the enemy in combat," she said.

But she said the method used by the young mutineers is wrong and unacceptable.

"Is this the way we really want to change our nation?" she asked. "Are we aware of the consequences of doing away with the Constitution and establishing a revolutionary regime backed by force rather than law? Are we prepared to undertake reforms by dictatorship rather than democratic rule?"

She said she did not come here to "demonize" the officers and soldiers who went to Oakwood, but they did wrong and every soldier must take justifiable punishment as part of his duty.

"But whatever you think of the rightness of their cause, I ask you to reexamine your oath, to dig deep into your conscience, to recall the values and principles our forbears fought for," she said.

She said the dominant PMA values – Duty, Honor, Country – guided those who detected and prevented the power grab.

"The perversion of these values drove the power-grabbers. The government’s success was due to the PMA ethic of professional military service. The PMA did not fail the mutineers. The mutineers were the ones who failed the PMA’s tradition," she said.

BAGUIO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said last night the big cleanup has begun as she has ordered the setting up of a task force that would conduct procurement reforms in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"I have set up a task force for procurement reforms.

We are selecting officers for the task force known for their integrity and incorruptibility. We are setting up a fastidious selection and screening process to box out unscrupulous contractors. We will modernize the system so that discretion can be scaled down and accountability increased," she said in her speech during dinner with cadet corps of the Philippine Military Academy in Fort Del Pilar here.

This week, pending financial review, she said she has ordered the suspension of all military infrastructure projects except the building of barangay roads and schoolhouses, core shelter projects in the war-torn areas, detention centers, and hospital improvement.

She said she has also instructed the task force to take a closer look at the operations of military financial institutions, and institute more effective controls in the use of petroleum products and munitions, with the end in view of moving more logistics to the field.

"We are putting a stop to the practice of conversion," she said.

"We shall set up a system by which critical requirements needed at a moment’s notice will be supported under effective controls. Henceforth, all contingency funds of the major services will be subject to full audit," she added.

She said the task force would concentrate on areas that need immediate attention.

"The task cannot be done overnight but we are breaking ground. That effort to rebuild the Armed Forces starts here where you, the hope of the uniform, are reared and nurtured," she said.

She told the cadets that she expects them to uphold the highest standards of integrity, courage and loyalty.

BAGUIO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night said the allegations hurled by Senator Panfilo Lacson against First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo is purely a private matter and has nothing to do with the issues of governance being attended to by the Presidency.

"There is an insidious attempt to sideswipe the Presidency because nobody has so far dug up anything that can put my office in a bad light," she said during dinner with the members of the cadet corps at the mess hall of the Philippine Military Academy in Fort Del Pilar here.

She said the controversy has nothing to do with her work as Chief Executive.

Adding that she does not interfere with her husband’s private business and does not allow him to interfere with the affairs of the State.

"My husband is not a ward of the Palace and if charges are filed against him, which we hope will be done, he will mount his legal defenses independently," she said.

She said the First Gentleman, nor any member of the First Family, does not enjoy a mantle of political protection.

Magandang araw sa inyong lahat.

Lima na namang mataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan mula sa DPWH at Bureau of Customs ang sinampahan ng kaso dahil sa kanilang mga kayamanang kahina-hinala ang pinagmulan. Ilang linggo pa lamang ang nakaraan, ilang mataas na opisyal din mula sa BIR at Customs ang ating kinasuhan dahil na rin sa kahina-hinalang kayamanan.

Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, ilang libong opisyal at kawani mula sa ibat-ibang ahensya ng ating pamahalaan ay nasasakdal ngayon sa mga tanggapang may hurisdiksyon sa kanilang mga indibidwal na usapin.

Bilyong-bilyong piso ang nawawala sa kaban ng bayan taon-taon dahil sa corruption, kaya hindi lamang dapat maparusahan ang mga nagnanakaw na ito. Kailangan ding mabawi ang kanilang ninakaw.

Good governance has come of age in our country because of the sustained and diligent application of law and due process. We fight corruption in the same degree that we’re fighting terrorism and poverty. All the departments of government are gathering around this effort fully supported by the private sector. It can’t be done overnight, but we must have the political will and perseverance to follow through.

Nakalulungkot lamang isipin na sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, may mga nagpipilit pa ding sirain ang ating pagsisikap na linisin ang pamahalaan, Kabilang dito ang pagsira sa Unang Pamilya, upang bumaba ang kredibilidad ng Pangulo.

Makatwirang iginiit ng aking asawa na dalhin ang alegasyon kontra sa kanya sa korte. Ang Pangulo ay lubos na sang-ayon dito upang ipamulat sa sambayanan ang pagkakaiba sa pagitan ng usapin sa mga pribadong bintang sa aking asawa at sa mga isyu ng pamamahala sa pinaguukulan ng pansin ng panguluhan.

Sinadya kong huwag madamay sa kontrobersyang ito, dahil wala naman itong kinalaman sa aking trabaho bilang Punong Ehekutibo. Bahala na ang aking asawang magtanggol sa kanyang sarili. Ako, hindi nakikialam sa personal niyang gawain dahil hindi ko pinapayagang makialam siya sa pagpapatakbo ng pamahalaan.

Ito ay maliwanag na tangkang siraan ang panguluhan sa mata ng taong bayan. Dahil hanggang sa ngayon ay walang anumang nahuhukay na makasisira sa integridad ng tanggapan ng Pangulo. Gayunpaman, ang aking asawa ay hindi magnanasa sa pagkalinga ng palasyo. Kahit may asuntong isasampa laban sa kanya, haharapin niya ito sa sarili niyang pagkukusa. Siya o sinomang miyembro ng Unang Pamilya ay walang tinatamasang proteksyon mula sa Tanggapan ng Pangulo. Hindi ako makikialam sa isyung ito, anuman ang mangyari.

Ako ay kasal sa ating bansa. Ang corruption ang isa sa mga pangunahin inerereklamo ng mga nag-alsang sundalo sa Oakwood. We’re halfway on the chain of procurement and resource allocation reforms in the AFP. The AFP is duty-bound to enforce integrity, discipline, efficiency and equality and equality in the dispensation of benefits to our soldiers.

Bubuo na ako ng task force sa AFP, on the procurement process. Pinagaaralan ngayon kung papano mapapabuti ang procurement process at fund disbursement sa AFP.

Ako ay nagagalak at maayos na umiikot ang gulong ng katarungan sa usaping Oakwood. At habang hinihintay natin ang kalalabasan ng mga demokratikong proseso patuloy nating haharapin at reresolbahin ang mga matagal ng dinaraing ng mga sundalo. Na karaingang maari ding ginamit ng ilang mapagsamantala para isulong ang kanilang makasariling hangarin. Kaya nararapat lamang na managot din sa batas ang mga mapagsamantalang ito. Pero ang pinakamabuti pa rin na matugunan kaagad ay ang lehitimong karaingan ng ating mga kawal.

Habang ginagawa pa ang mga financial review, pinasuspinde ko na rin ang lahat ng military infrastructure projects, except the building of barangay roads and school building core central projects in war torn areas, hospital improvements and barracks. Mula rin ngayon, bibigyan na ng prayoridad ang combat performance, sa pagbibigay ng benepisyo at pribilehiyo sa ating mga sundalo. Tulad ng pabahay at edukasyon. There will be equalization of opportunities and the best resources will be allocated to soldiers in the field. There will be strict controls in the distribution and deployment of ammunitions. Pinaparebisa ko rin ang proseso ng pagtatalaga ng gasolina, petrolyo, armas at iba pang mga kagamitan. These items are to be used strictly for combat purposes.

Ipatutupad natin ang mga reporma sa sandatahang lakas. Buo ang determinasyon nating isulong ito at umaasa akong kasama natin ang buong sambayanan sa bawat hakbang ng ating gawain. Lahat ng puwedeng gawing pagbabago sa ating sandatahang lakas, ay ating gawain para sa ating magigiting na kawal nang sa gayon ay lubos nilang magugol ang kanilang panahon at lakas sa pagtataguyod ng kapayapaan at kaligtasan ng sambayanang Pilipino, sa halip na sa mga gawaing makakapinsala sa katatagan ng ating gobyerno.

Is Staying At A ‘Safehouse’ of the INC

At this point, Sen. Gregorio Honasan is not a fugitive from justice. There is no point in speculating on where he is staying or visiting as if those whom he meets or whom he visits are committing a crime.

From now on, she said, her administration will give priority to combat performance, benefits and privileges to the foot soldiers, including housing and education.

After an overnight stay in Baguio City where she had what she described as a "heart to heart" talk with the cadet corps and faculty of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today made whistle stops in six towns in Pampanga and Bulacan where she inspected and inaugurated government projects.

Traveling by land from Baguio City, the first stop of the President and her entourage was in Magalang, Pampanga where she inaugurated the Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center.

After unveiling the marker of the center, the President ordered the release of P2 million, to be taken from the P1 billion fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) earmarked for the anti-drug campaign, to be used for the construction of an additional building for the center.

The President also lauded the efforts of Executive Director Conrado Briton of the drug rehabilitation center in caring for drug dependents in the region, saying that rehabilitation is a major component of the government’s intensified campaign to solve the drug menace in the country.

From Magalang, the President motored to San Fernando City where she inaugurated the San Fernando steel flyover at the intersection of the McArthur-Gapan-Olongapo Road.

The President and her entourage then motored to Guagua, Pampanga where she inaugurated the first remote computerized gasoline filling station in the province.

In Sasmuan, Pampanga, her next stop, the President witnessed the desilting of the town’s Bangueran River by workers and engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) using heavy dredging equipment.

The President then inaugurated two bridges, the Banqueran Bridge in Sasmuan and the Gogo Bridge in Bacolor, Pampanga.

On her way back to Manila, the President made a brief stop in Baliuag, Bulacan, where she interacted with residents of the town.