The PNP will undergo a continuing reorganization for the purpose of fine tuning its operational capabilities and achieving a more effective fit of leadership and command.

Reorganization is one of the three legs of reform that we have to sustain in law enforcement—the other two being operational reforms and community-based support.

This reshuffle has long been planned and has nothing to do with "palakasan" or personal loyalties. This is a strategic response to the strategic challenge of high profile crimes.

We have to consolidate the police organization, prioritize our operational targets and gather the Barangays around the whole criminal justice effort.

We are a full-blown democracy with public institutions, particularly the military and police, operating transparently under lawful bounds.

Human rights violations are under scrutiny and check by a Constitutionally independent body, the Commission on Human Rights.

The government has worked closely with the commission not only in investigating reports of human rights violations but also in a proactive effort to educate and inform all the uniformed services of their duty to protect and preserve human rights.

The portrayal of gross human rights violations in the Philippines is exaggerated and misplaced.

There may be some abuses committed and the Commission on Human Rights is already conducting the proper inquiries.

The normal reaction of the PSG was to undertake the necessary precautionary measures, but as soon as these reports were confirmed to be unfounded, the alert level was immediately brought down.

A routine security alert was raised as a precautionary measure and the public should not be alarmed.

Press Secretary Milton A. Alingod has said that the government, under the leadership of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, continues to maintain healthy relations with the press, particularly those operating in the countryside.

In a conference Monday in Malacaņang with the officers of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) led by Johnny Dayang, PAPI president, Alingod assured the leaders of the community press of the President’s healthy attitude towards the community press as a vital conduit for her countryside development programs.

"Presidential Proclamation No. 496 which declared December 1 to 7 as National Press Congress Week and the period of December 1 to 31 as the Month of Publishers, Editors, Writers, Community Journalists, and Broadcasters in the Service of the Nation, under the auspices of PAPI, underscores the President’s unfailing concern for the freedom of the press," Alingod said.

Alingod, a veteran broadcast journalist himself, hailed PAPI for being the lead organization that drums up the community press’ right and welfare as well as in spearheading an awareness campaign among the populace. He also lauded the PAPI leadership for initiating various programs year after year.

The National Press Congress opens on Sunday, December 7, at 2:00 p.m. at the Ambassador Hotel, on Mabini St., Manila, with the round-table discussion on the "Imperatives of National Renewal and Progress: An Urgent Challenge to the Community Press" as its central theme.

Malacaņang today allayed fears of massive movement of Department of Agriculture (DA) personnel to Mindanao after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday ordered the transfer of DA to Mindanao as part of her administration’s effort in maximizing the potentials of the vast island as the country’s food basket.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said there will be no immediate transfer of personnel. "Hindi naman kaagad iyan, lahat naman yan ay pinag-aaralan," (it will not be immediate, all will be under study) Bunye said, adding that maybe only Secretary Luis Lorenzo and a small group of staff will be transferring to Mindanao immediately.

"What was important was that the President bared her vision for Mindanao, and what is good for Mindanao is also good for the Philippines," Bunye said.

By making this symbolic step of transferring the Office of the Agriculture Secretary to Mindanao, the President is really giving importance to the development of Mindanao, Bunye said.

Bunye said that the transfer of the DA from Luzon to Mindanao will also mean the entry of more investments to the region, especially in the field of agriculture.

In her speech at the inauguration of the new Davao International Airport Monday, the President said that agricultural modernization and agricultural policies must emanate from Mindanao, not from Manila.

Secretary Michael Defensor, newly designated spokesman of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on campaign issues, today said that in next year’s elections, the President would be running under a platform of accomplishments.

In a radio interview this morning, Defensor, who is the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), said that during her two and a half years in office, the President has a good track record and tangible accomplishments that she can present to the people during the campaign.

The President has earlier said that she herself would refrain from engaging in politics until after the start of the political campaign period.

In citing the track record of the President, Defensor was only reacting when asked what would be the platform of government of the President, now that at least two presidentiables, former Education Secretary Raul Roco and opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson, have bared their respective programs of government.

"Ang kainaman sa ating Pangulo ay maganda ang kanyang track record, nagtrabaho na siya, marami na siyang accomplishments sa ibat-ibang larangan at ito ang aming ipepresenta sa ating mga kababayan (What is good in the President is that she has a track record, she has been working, and she has a lot of accomplishments in different areas and these are what we will present to the people)," Defensor said.

Among the President’s accomplishments are the higher-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4.4 percent and gross national product (GNP) growth of 5.9 percent for the third quarter.

For the first ten months of this year, the combined foreign and local investments recorded by the Board of Investments and the Department of Trade and Industry also rose by 22 percent as compared to that of last year.

Defensor also said that the President has been working so hard and has shown remarkable dedication to her job, something that could be used to her advantage during the campaign.

Malacanang today brushed aside allegations by militant groups that the government continues to commit human rights violations at an alarming frequency.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, in a press briefing at the Palace, said reports of alleged worsening human rights violations under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration were "grossly exaggerated and misplaced."

"We have a very transparent society and all our institutions are operating with full transparency," Bunye said.

He gave assurances, however, that reported cases of human rights violations will be appropriately investigated by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

"Not only are we engaged in checking these abuses. We are also engaged in pro-active efforts to educate and inform, especially the uniformed personnel about their duty to protect human rights," Bunye said.

The urban poor sector took center stage as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the observance of the Urban Poor Solidarity Week in rites held this morning at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

During the affair, the President called for unity, dialogue and cooperation among the government, the non-government organizations and the urban poor for concerted efforts in pushing programs and projects geared at poverty alleviation in the urban areas as embodied in Presidential Proclamation No. 367.

The proclamation declares December 2 to 8 of every year as "Urban Poor Solidarity Week."

This year’s observance revolves around the theme "Ngayon Lang, Para sa Maralitang Taga-lungsod" as spearheaded by the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) and the National Urban Poor Sectoral Council (NUPSC).

The affair sought to promote greater understanding of the issues and problems on urbanization, urban poverty and squatting.

In her short message, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo apologized for setting aside her prepared speech because she has a sore throat.

She appealed for closer ties between the people and the government. "Ngayon lang ay naramdaman ninyo ang gawain na napakalawak para sa mga maralitang taga-lungsod. Sana po ngayon, tayo ay magkaisa ng lubos-lubusan (Now you have perceived the immensity of the task facing the urban poor. I hope that we can now truly unite)," the President said.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also presided at the awarding of Gawad Parangal for the Outstanding Field Operations Division for the local government units (LGUs) highlighting the commemorative rites.

Metro Manila LGUs which won awards were Pateros City for provision of skilled training and access to basic services, Makati City for being the first LGU to establish a local inter-agency committee for the PNR-South Railway Project, Mandaluyong City for advocating and implementing projects pertaining security of tenure of the urban poor, Pasay City for initiating its own housing project for the poor, Pasig City for being a Top 5 LGU CMP (Community Mortgage Program) originator, and Muntinlupa City for adopting a multi-sectoral approach in the handling of socialized housing program.

For Luzon, the awardees were San Jose Del Monte, in Bulacan for serving as host for relocatees coming from various areas in Metro Manila; Angeles City for implementing socialized housing programs benefiting 15,000 families; Lipa City for being an originator of CMP for five communities with 1,000 families; and San Pedro town in Laguna for facilitating the acquisition of housing units and lots benefiting 1,696 families.

For the Visayas, the awardees were Tacloban City for implementing a P3-million housing project and Naga City for allocating P1 million yearly for a housing program for the poor.