Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II has called on every Filipino to forego too much politicking and instead focus his attention on more important issues, such as job generation and inviting investors and tourists into the country in order to uplift the economy.

"We all need these, particularly the cash in-flows of the investors and foreign tourists to spur the domestic economy," Roxas said in a radio interview.

Roxas also called on the opposition to stop their "unproductive gimmicks and noises," especially those that are being picked up by the foreign media and, in the process, scare away prospective investors and tourists.

He said it is not yet election period and the opposition should wait until next year’s election before engaging in political gimmickry.

Roxas said the leaders and members of the different associations in the business sector have been asking for a break from too much politicking, coup rumors, destabilization plots, and other distractions that negatively affect the economy.

"The economy and the peso vis-ā-vis to the dollar were actually doing fine before the Oakwood mutiny," Roxas said.

Luckily, Roxas said, no investors have relocated due to these unfortunate incidents but he added that these could definitely affect the expansion plans of investors in the country.

He said statistics show that, with or without these negative events, the country exports 150,000 Toshiba laptop computers and 500,000 Epson printers every month, all locally manufactured and designed by Filipino workers.

Malacaņang today said that the resignation of Angelo Reyes as defense secretary was "an act of sacrifice" and was a "very good gesture" on the part of the secretary.

In an interview, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said although the resignation of Reyes was demanded by the young military officers who staged the ill-advised Oakwood mutiny, there was no pressure whatsoever from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for Reyes to quit.

"Si Secretary Reyes na mismo ang nag-insist dito sa kanyang pagbibitiw (It was Secretary Reyes himself who insisted on quitting)," Bunye said.

Bunye also said that he agreed with the assessment of Secretary Reyes that there are still threats to the nation’s stability but quickly added that the government is capable of containing these threats.

What is lamentable, according to Bunye, is that these threats, although they can be contained, would have dire repercussions on the economy.

He cited as example the Oakwood incident, which was peacefully resolved in just one day, but has caused the weakening of the peso and has adversely affected the flow of foreign tourists and investments into the country.

Bunye said that although the President is considering offering Reyes another top government post, she has not yet decided on what this post will be.

On the proposed political summit, Bunye said that the President has instructed Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao and Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Secretary Gabriel Claudio to coordinate with the Senate and the House of Representatives on the details, like the date and venue of the conference.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople has confirmed that the Philippine Humanitarian Contingent to Iraq is now in the country and, after a short period of orientation, will begin to carry out its humanitarian work.

In a report, Ople said that the contingent left Kuwait last Tuesday on board three buses, five utility vehicles and one pick-up.  The equipment of the contingent were loaded on flatbed trucks. 

Ople said that the United States-led coalition forces helped provide transportation as well as transport protection.

Ambassador Roy Cimatu, who was already in Baghdad, was to meet the contingent, together with Philippine Charge d’Affaires to Baghdad Grace Escalante, upon their arrival in the Iraqi capital.

"Our deployment has gone smoothly and we hope to receive reports on the actual operations of our contingent," Ople said.

On the issue of the security and safety of the Philippine contingent, the Secretary said "Our contingent is taking every necessary precaution to secure themselves.  They are also coordinating very closely with the other members of the coalition forces in terms of security."

The Secretary reiterated that the recent terrorist attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad did not deter the Philippine from sending this contingent, and that the attack merely strengthened the resolve of the international community to assist the people of Iraq.