"The more choices the better for our people, the better for our democracy," said Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye during a radio interview.

But Malacanang also noted that while the opposition is still far from being united, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is getting more support not only from the administration party, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), but also from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the Liberal Party, and several satellite political groups in the provinces.

Presidential Campaign Spokesman Michael Defensor, the housing czar of the administration, expressed confidence that the administration party could get all the supportive political groups together in the light of the snowballing support for the President.

"As the other candidates are being abandoned, you see a lot of people going to the President," Defensor said, citing the likes of former Speaker Noli Fuentebella, former Caloocan City Congressman Luis "Baby" Asistio, former Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson, all known former henchmen of deposed President Joseph Estrada.

"Nababalot man ngayon ang mundo sa krisis at terorismo, may isang katotohanan na hinding-hindi maipagkakaila; makakaraos at makakaraos tayong mga Pilipino.

"Ganyan ang pagkatao natin. Matibay sa harap ng kahirapan. Taas noo sa harap ng pagsubok. Ngayong Pasko ang ipinagdarasal ko ay tulad din ng dasal ninyo… pagkakaisa tungo sa mas maliwanag na kinabukasan.

"Ang pinakamagandang pamasko natin para sa mahal nating bayan; magsama-sama, magtulung-tulong tayo. At umaasa kayong ang liwanag ng Pasko ay higit na titingkad sa mga darating na araw.

Malacaņang today paid tribute to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), saying they are not only good investors but also good ambassadors.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a radio interview that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo considers OFWs not only world-class workers but also OFIs, or Overseas Filipino Investors, because of their remittances that could amount to $8 billion this year.

Bunye said they could also be considered OFAs, or Overseas Filipino Ambassadors, because of the high regard they get from their host countries.

He cited an instance where the Kingdom of Bahrain offered a number of projects for the Filipino workers because of their known diligence.

For all their efforts, returning Filipino migrant workers were accorded VIP (very important person) treatment yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with no less than the President’s daughter, Evangeline "Luli" Arroyo representing her mother.

Three lucky OFWs received cash and other prizes from government and private agencies led by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The Pamaskong Handog Para sa OFWs, initiated by former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1995, is an annual treat to Filipino migrant workers coming home for the Christmas season.

The VIP treatment allows OFWs to clear the immigration and customs areas fast.

From the thousands of OFWs who arrived yesterday, three won special prizes from the OWWA, Duty-Free Shop, Land Bank of the Philippines and Philippine National Bank.

The administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has set into motion several measures to promote transparency and curb graft and corruption in the government.

One of the measures was the implementation of the e-procurement system in government purchases. This method of opening the bidding on the website was to be implemented in three phases to become fully operational by March 2004.

Phase 1 was the development of the on-line procurement billboard and information site which has resulted in the registration of 1,156 agencies and 3,985 suppliers and the posting of 26,413.

Phase 2 was the design of on-line trading and bidding, the contract having been awarded to the International Trade and Banking Facility.

Phase 3 is the operation of the portal for on-line trading and bidding which will be fully implemented by March 2004.

As of September 2003, the e-procurement system had estimated savings from newspaper advertising costs for the 26,413 posted bid notices of P150 million.

The savings breakdown is P26.54 million for the period April-December 2001, P50.60 million for 2002, and P72.97 million for January-September 2003.

The government has also endeavored to make the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) as showcases against graft and corruption.

From January 2001 to September 2003, formal charges were filed against 254 BIR personnel, 88 of whom were involved in graft and corruption. After formal investigation of these charges, 57 employees were recommended by the BIR to the Department of Finance for dismissal, 28 for suspension, nine for reprimand and three forced resignation.

The government also conducted a nationwide roll-out of the Voluntary Assessment and Abatement Program Tracking (VAAP) and Monitoring System in all BIR Regional District Offices to monitor taxpayer compliance and discover taxpayers who, after availing of the VAAP, still have undeclared sales/receipts/income for taxable years 2000, 2001 and the first two quarters of 2002.

Also put in place were tax administration measures such as e-payment of registration and spot-checking by mobile revenue officers of tax compliance of business establishments.

In the BOC, a Task Force on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption was created for the implementation of the Customs Code of Conduct and Rules of Ethics, streamlining the BOC structure and monitoring corporate plans and activities.

The government stepped up the drive to curb smuggling of agricultural products resulting in the seizure of 348,640 bags of rice in 2002 compared to 1,023,628 bags seized in 2001, indicating a downward trend in rice smuggling.

I am mobilizing all the available resources of the government to bear upon this disaster and I call upon our people to open up their compassion and generosity to the victims.

We are undertaking measures to mitigate the immediate effects of the calamity and we are looking at the need for long-term prevention.

The celebration of Christmas takes a back seat for many rescue and humanitarian workers who will continue day and night to perform their duties.

This is a time of compassion, charity and sharing.

Rescue efforts for the passengers, who remain missing, are ongoing.

We would like to assure the families of the passengers of the ill-fated vessel that the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, and other concerned government agencies are exerting all efforts to ensure that all the passengers are accounted for.

The President has continuously worked to stem the tide of power rate hikes and has called on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to take into consideration the welfare of the power consumers in its decisions, balanced against the stability and viability of the power supply.

SAN FRANCISCO, Southern Leyte—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the mobilization of all available resources of the government in the rescue and relief operations here even as she distributed P3 million worth of relief goods for the victims here today.

The President visited this town, one of the worst hit in the landslides that killed hundreds of residents, to condole with the victims’ relatives and to personally oversee the relief operations.

She was accompanied by Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun, Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Secretary Gabriel Claudio, United States Ambassador Francis Ricciardoni, and NDCC Executive Director Melchor Rosales.

The President said the government is undertaking a massive rehabilitation operation so that this town and the other areas affected by the landslides can recover immediately.

She called on the people to open up their compassion and generosity to the victims.

"We are undertaking measures to mitigate the immediate effects of the calamity and we are looking at the need for long-term prevention," the President said in a statement.

Despite the many crises facing the nation, the Chief Executive expressed the hope that the nation would overcome them.

"Marami pa ring mangyayaring maganda sa ating buhay (there will be more good tidings to come)," she said.

The President said that the celebration of Christmas would take a back seat for many rescue and humanitarian workers who will continue day and night to perform their duties, saying this is a time for compassion, charity and sharing.

The President asked the people to support the various fund drives aimed at raising assistance for the victims and the dislocated.

The President also thanked foreign governments for extending assistance to the victims, particularly the United States and Japan.

The Japanese government is providing 15.9 million yen (about P8 million) in assistance to the victims.

The aid, which includes tents, generators, cables, water tanks, shovels, tool sets and blankets, arrived today from a Japanese government warehouse in Singapore.

The United States has also offered assistance to speed up the rescue operations by dispatching a Chinook helicopter from its military base in Okinawa, Japan.

The US also provided food and other supplies for the victims.

From the United Nations headquarters in New York, Secretary General Kofi Annan said that the UN was trying to round up aid to help the landslide victims in the Philippines.

UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard said that Annan has also conveyed his condolences and deepest sympathies to the victims’ relatives.

SAN FRANCISCO, Southern Leyte – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the distribution of relief goods for the affected residents here as she thanked the United States, Japan and other groups who are helping the government in providing assistance to the victims of the calamity in this province.

The President arrived here at 12:00 noon on board a chopper and immediately led the distribution of relief goods at the evacuation center at the St. Isidore Parish Center here.

About 300 affected individuals from Barangay Punta here are temporarily housed at the evacuation center.

Accompanying the President were Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary Gabriel Claudio, US Ambassador Richard Ricciardone, and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Executive Director Melchor Rosales.

After the relief distribution, the President made an informal talk where she thanked the US government, other private groups and non-government organizations that have extended their assistance to the victims, citing in particular US Ambassador Ricciardone and Manila Bulletin owner Don Emilio Yap.

"Let us thank them, everybody who are helping and extending their assistance to all the victims," the President said.

The President said Ambassador Ricciardone was there to find out what other assistance the US government can further provide.

"Because America is our friend and they are willing to help you (victims) to overcome this tragedy and go back to normal lives," she said.

The President also informed the survivors and relatives of the victims that the national government would help them in building their destroyed homes.

The President tasked Ermita and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Engineering Brigade to help put up the victims’ destroyed houses and use the logs confiscated during the calamity.

The President also ordered Secretary Soliman to provide livelihood assistance to all the victims.

The President added that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would assist the families living along the Moro fault line in this province to relocate to a safer place.

Afterward, the President proceeded to the Health Command Post at the ground floor of the municipal hall and visited the injured victims and provided financial assistance to the families of five persons who perished during the calamity.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured the residents of San Francisco and other areas in Southern Leyte affected by the massive landslides and flash floods that the government will help them rebuild their lives.

In a press briefing shortly after she came back from Southern Leyte and Surigao provinces, the President said the government would explore the possibility of introducing alternative farming methods in the areas, such as converting the mountain slopes of the affected areas into terraces similar to the world-renowned Banaue rice terraces in Benguet, Mountain Province.

The briefing was held following the oath-taking of newly appointed Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo-Albert in Malacanang.

The President said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would explain to the villagers the mechanics and advantages of using the terraces-style of rice farming.

Another option raised by the President is the planting of coconut and fruit trees on the mountain slopes to prevent soil erosion and landslides.

She clarified, however, that the local residents still have to decide for themselves whether to adopt the short-term rice-terrace agriculture, or the longer-term coconut and orchard farming. "They should decide among themselves. It should be a community decision."

The President flew to Leyte and Surigao provinces early this morning for a first-hand assessment of the extent of damage, oversee rescue and relief operations and bring solace and comfort to the victims.

She also thanked all those who have extended assistance to the victims of the landslides. "I thank all our people and friends from all over the world for their compassion in assisting the victims," the President said.

In San Franciso, Southern Leyte this morning, the President thanked the United States, Japan and other groups that are helping the government in providing assistance to the victims of the calamity.

Those who accompanied the President during her visit to the disaster areas were Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary Gabriel Claudio, US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Executive Director Melchor Rosales.

After the relief distribution, the President made an informal talk where she particularly extended her gratitude to Ricciardone and Manila Bulletin owner Don Emilio Yap.

"Let us thank them, everybody who are helping and extending their assistance to all the victims," the President said.

The President said Ricciardone was there to find out what other assistance the US government can further provide.

"Because America is our friend and they are willing to help you (victims) to overcome this tragedy and go back to normal lives," she said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has called for humanitarian compassion and we welcome the independent action of the court.

We should not mix up the rightness and nobility of things with politics.

The court acted in its independent and enlightened judgment after a close study of the issues and thought this was the most judicious course of action.