I do hope the opposition will unite so that the people can see a unified opposition platform that can be compared to the administration’s program of government.

We have been rolling out a number of programs in the past few days from the time I arrived from Tokyo and Bahrain to forge more assistance for peace and development in Mindanao.

More terminals of the LRT and MRT are being interconnected in our Tren Ikot project and the North Expressway expansion is being laid out on schedule.

The opposition should be speaking in one voice on any of their new proposals, or how to further improve on what we are doing so that our people can start thinking of their choices.

Brother Eddie has always been a sincere ally and friend who has supported our programs of good governance, peace and development.

Commander Robot may be facing charges in Germany but he will face the music in the Philippines first.

We assure the German government that Commander Robot will be secured and available for questioning by their probers, but talk about his extradition is premature.

He will have to be prosecuted and tried by a Philippine court for the crimes he committed against our people.

I believe in genuine reconciliation as our way to the future.

I am striving to find a sound legal basis for genuine reconciliation and I welcome the views of others who would want to join us to unify our people and ensure a brighter future for our nation.

Principled reconciliation with justice can be attained if all sides open their hearts to it.

We cannot move forward if we do not resolve this basic dilemma in our political life.

Our economic fundamentals are solid and the deficit is under control.

The need for the moment is continuity and discipline.

We also face some problems in economic confidence but these do not arise from the threat of terrorism or peace and order-related issues.

We are winning the war against terrorism and crime and what triggers uncertainty is the heavy atmosphere of politicking and partisan division.

Some 1,500 children from all over Metro Manila celebrated their Christmas this morning in Malacaņang by taking part in Petron Corporation’s annual gift-giving event, called "Project Joy."

The annual gift-giving event was attended by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Department of Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Country Representative Dr. Nicolas Alipui and Petron Foundation Executive Director Marilou G. Erni.

An added treat for the children was the presence of performer and UNICEF National Ambassador Gary Valenciano, who entertained the audience with a number of songs.

"This year, we included as part of our beneficiaries the 1,000 scholars of our Tulong Aral ng Petron send-a-child to school program and some 100 children of jeepney drivers. We also have a number of children from the different DSWD shelter homes in Metro Manila," Erni said.

Petron President Khalid D. Al-Faddagh said that "Project Joy" represents a part of Petron’s corporate social responsibility efforts in the area of education.

"Through ‘Project Joy’ and other pro-children programs, we hope to contribute significantly to the government’s fight against poverty," Faddagh said.

He also thanked the volunteers who took on the role of "Kuya" and "Ate" to the children.

Representatives of one of the country’s biggest party lists called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today for her to certify as urgent three house bills restoring tax exemptions for electric cooperatives under the Local Government Code.

Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) party list representatives Edgar Valdez, Sunny Rose Madamba, Ernesto Pablo and William Saratao also sought the President’s help in the amendment, among others, of Executive Order 119 to ensure that the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) immediately returns the debt papers and mortgages for the electric cooperative loans condoned by virtue of Section 60 of the EPIRA.

Under the EPIRA, these loans of electric cooperatives were condoned to provide them with a fresh start and bring down the power rates by removing the amortization of loan component in the electric bill of six million households.

By continuously holding on to the debt papers of the cooperatives, the PSALM has prevented the co-ops from borrowing from the private commercial banks and government banks or from accessing to the mortgage market for their expansion or rehabilitation needs.

Electric cooperatives only recently lost their long-enjoyed tax exemptions specifically from real property taxes and other local taxes by virtue of a Supreme Court decision declaring that only Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)-registered cooperatives are tax-exempt.

Imposition of such taxes, according to Valdez, will only result in an additional pass-on charge to electric co-op consumers thereby driving up the power rates for six million co-op households.

"Intervention by Her Excellency through certification of House Bill Nos. 5956 and 6585 and SB No. 2722 as urgent administration measures restoring full and complete tax exemptions to the electric co-ops will be critical to ensuring that such rate increase does not occur," he said.

The President immediately ordered Energy Secretary Vince Perez to draft the certification and classify the bills as administration measures.

Jeepney operators and drivers comprising at least five industry associations today pledged unqualified support for President Gloria Macapacal-Arroyo’s economic and anti-poverty programs, adding that they will also rally behind her in next year’s presidential elections.

The jeepney drivers and operators said that they wanted Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo to serve a full six-year term to ensure the national economic growth and prosperity.

Leaders of the five organizations—the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap), the Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organization-Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators (PCDO-ACTO), the Makati Jeepney Operators and Drivers Alliance Inc. (MJODA) and the PASANG MASDA—called on the President at Malacanang to manifest their support to her leadership.

They said that under her administration, the government has taken bold steps in destroying and eradicating the drug menace in the country.

They also lauded the President’s initiative to weed out corruption in the bureaucracy through lifestyle checks among ranking government officials.

They likewise cited her moves to rein in fuel prices even as the oil industry has been deregulated.

"It was through her initiative that the government was able to convince oil companies to give fuel discounts to the transport sector despite the present deregulated set-up of the oil industry," Fejodap national president Zenaida Maranan said.

Maranan also said the President’s leadership style, marked by innovativeness, has allowed her to feel the pulse of the people and truly understand the popular needs and sentiments of the citizenry, specifically those in the transport sector.

The jeepney operators and drivers also thanked the President for her concern about their welfare, as embodied in her state of the nation address which she pursued with concrete programs and activities.

They underscored the need for continuity in government so that the reforms will be sustained, and the country’s economic growth ensured.

Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez also attended the ceremony.

Encouraged by the initial success of the government’s intensified drive against kidnapping in Metro Manila, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the inclusion of Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions in the campaign.

The President issued the directive during a meeting in Malacanang with the local government officials, business and community leaders of Region 3 and 4.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo cited the gains of the security measures being implemented by law enforcers in close coordination with the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF) headed by former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes.

The President asked Secretary Reyes to expand the program, that had been successful in the National Capital Region (NCR), to Regions 3 ands 4.

The President revived the NAKTAF to carry out a vigorous crackdown on high profile crimes following representations made by leaders of the ethnic Filipino-Chinese community in the wake of a resurgence of kidnapping for ransom cases mostly victimizing members of their community.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said the security measures and good resolutions that arose from her meeting with NCR officials and leaders of the Filipino Chinese community were successfully carried out.

She added that members of the Filipino-Chinese community were very happy because no "major (criminal) incident" took place after that meeting.

In a press briefing, Reyes said the security measures were being implemented since last December 8.

The security measures included the installation of checkpoints in strategic places in Metro Manila, deployment of more policemen backed up by soldiers and barangay tanods for enhanced police visibility, immediate public assistance and fielding of mobile police stations.

"These security measures have been met with resounding success, warm appreciation and recognition, not only from the business community, but from the citizenry at large," Reyes said.

He said the President expanded the scope of the security measures to cover Regions 3 and 4 to prevent the criminal elements from seeking refuge outside the metropolis.