RP Commitment to Peace

Straight to the point, the President is pursuing our commitment to international peace and the war on terrorism. The statement is directed against Saddam Hussein and not at the Iraqi people, who yearn for peace and democracy. Saddam must comply with the rules of universal civility to avoid war and maintain stability in the Middle East. The statement is also meant to defend the safety and interest of our overseas workers, especially in the Middle East, who are in constant threat of Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction. There are those who may think that this position may by unnecessarily dragging the country into conflict or danger, but there has to be a time to take a proactive position to protect the interests of our OFWs and to stand side by side with the international coalition for peace and democracy. Both are important to our national interest.

Anti-Money Laundering Act

Healthy debates over the amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) may be part of purging it of possible flaws. But our Senators should bear in mind that the country is in dire need of an immediate approval of the AMLA amendments because there is a clear threat to the efficiency of dollar remittances of the OFWs once we fail to meet the deadline. This will aggravate the plight of their families here that depend on this money. On top of this, the economy would suffer since a substantial chunk of the GNP come from the dollar remittances of our OFWs.

Gun Ban

Public safety is the utmost concern of the President. Police checkpoints are one of the effective ways of tracking down those who ignore the President’s order on the gun ban, as many would try to hide firearms inside their cars. The President’s order will not expose the innocent against criminals. The police are there to protect the public.

Status of GSIS

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today took cognizance of the expansion and growth of Asahi Glass Philippines (AGP), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based world-renowned Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., in a visit today at its factory in Barrio Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.

The President also witnessed the turnover by the Securities and Exchange Commission of AGP’s certificate of increase in capitalization.

She noted that AGP, which employs 700 workers and is the country’s major supplier of glass products, has put in an additional P1.86 billion to boost its resources to P3.8 billion.

She was informed by AGP president Renato Ermita that the company would use the additional equity to further strengthen its manufacturing capability while consolidating its financial position by pre-terminating some of its medium-term loans.

AGP’s mother company in Japan made available the additional capital.

Ermita said the expansion of Asahi’s Philippine operations was part of the Asahi Group’s strategy to put itself in a position of global competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific Region.

He told the President that the capital infusion positively showed the company’s confidence in doing business in the Philippines.

At the same time, he cited the business sector’s determination to hurdle the constraints imposed by a global slowdown that has placed many countries in an economic bind.

AGP started out as Republic Glass Corporation (RGC) in 1958, with its first factory inaugurated in 1961 by then President Carlos P. Garcia.

RGC merged with Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. of Japan and became Republic-Asahi Glass (RAGC) in 1988.

In 2001, the factory became a fully owned subsidiary of Asahi Tokyo and was renamed Asahi Glass Philippines.

Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. is the world’s leading flat glass producers with annual sales of $12 billion and a labor force of about 50,000.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will convene the National Security Council (NSC) on Friday to discuss appropriate measures the Philippine government will adopt in the wake of a looming armed conflict in Iraq.

In his regular press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said that among those invited to attend the meeting are former presidents, Senate and House leaders, and officers of the private and business sectors, and non-government groups.

Bunye said several Cabinet members would also be at the meeting.

He said that members of the council would be monitoring the multimedia presentation of US Secretary State Colin Powell before the United Nations’ Security Council scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (10:30 p.m. tonight in Manila).

He added that the NSC action would depend on what Powell would say, the evidence he would present to prove that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and if war was necessary to disarm it.

The NSC is the principal advisory body to the President on the proper coordination and integration of plans and policies affecting national security.

The council evaluates and analyzes all information, events, and incidents in terms of the risks they pose on national security and stability.

The council also formulates and coordinates the implementation of policies on national security matters.