President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today witnessed the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Coca-Cola Co. and the Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development (FIT-ED), a non-governmental organization responsible for implementing the so-called "Coca-Cola ed.venture" program in the Philippines.

Coca-Cola Philippine Division president James Harting and FIT-ED Chairman and Senior Adviser on International Competitiveness Secretary Roberto Romulo led the signing ceremonies, held at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacanang.

Aside from the President, those who witnessed the event were Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, Coca-Cola Phils. Foundation president Cecile Alcantara, and hundreds of Coca-Cola employees.

The memorandum of agreement pushes forward the President’s program to bring educational opportunities to more children, prepare them further for a more fruitful life ahead and empower them for the Information Age.

Coca-Cola ed.venture is part of a pan-Asian initiative aimed to contribute to local efforts to bridge the digital divide, bringing a new world of information technology (IT) learning to tens of thousands of young people across Asia through Internet-based educational resources.

Under the MOA, the Coca-Cola Co. is contributing further $650,000 towards the second phase of the ed.venture program, building on its initial $350,000 commitment towards the first phase.

"We are proud to continue supporting this national effort to empower and prepare the young people of the Philippines for the Information Age," Harting said.

He said the new phase of ed.venture is an exciting extension of our commitment to youth development and education in the Philippines."

"We know that ICT education continues to be a national developmental priority and we’re looking forward to building our partnership with the Department of Education and FIT-ED as we bring the promise of e-learning to thousands more students and teachers in the years to come," he added.

According to Harting, the second phase, though it is only an extension of what has been achieved in the first program, includes a significantly deepened training component for public school students, teachers and administrators.

The ed.venture program has already built 15 fully equipped, Internet-connected and fully air-conditioned computer laboratories in public school selected by FIT-ED in coordination with the Department of Education.

These Coca-Cola ed.venture centers are located in the Quirino High School in Quezon City, Rizal School Sagad Annex in Pasig City, Negros Oriental National High School in Dumaguete City, Camanjac National High School in Negros Oriental, Manga National Manga National High School in Tagbilaran City, San Roque High School in Bohol, Bitoon National Vocational School in Cebu, Ipil National High School in Ormoc City, Hilongos National Vocational High School in Leyte, Guimbal National High School in Iloilo, Passi National High School in Iloilo, Bais City High School in Negros Oriental and Parang High School in Marikina City.

Harting added that the ed.venture program also equips teachers with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to leverage ICT in the teaching process.

Over 600 public high school teachers and administrators have already participated in ongoing workshops designed to introduce them to "educational telecollaboration," a learning device that allows people in different locations to use Internet tools and resources to work together.

The centers deliver Information and Communications Technology (ICT) access, connectivity, training and educational resources to more than 15,000 students and public schoolteachers and administrators. The program is rolled out with active participation of local communities and local school boards.

FIT-ED, which aims to elevate IT awareness and capability in the Philippines, provided the technical expertise for the program’s infrastructure requirements and facilitates the program’s training component for schoolteachers.

"Educational quality and relevance in today’s world mean, among other things, ensuring that students know how to use ICT appropriately and responsibly," FIT-ED chairman Secretary Roberto Romulo said.

"With Coca-Cola ed.venture, FIT-ED is doing its part in helping build an effective and sustainable model for ICT-enhanced high schools in the country," Romulo added.

In its meeting today, the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security, chaired by Executive Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, discussed with ARMM leaders the planned Balikatan 03-1 exercise which will be held in Sulu. Balikatan 03-1 is designed to assist out troops in dealing with Abu Sayyaf terrorist and kidnapping group.

It was emphasized that Balikatan 03-1 builds on the successes of Balikatan 02-1 in Basilan. US troops will not be involved in offensive combat nor in any unilateral operations. US military personnel will undertake counter-terrorism training assistance and support for AFP troops and will at all times be under the supervision of AFP officers.

The program will involve a major socio-economic component, which the Philippine government hopes and expects will help in the economic growth of Sulu, as a similar exercise had done in Basilan.

ARMM leaders, led by Gov. Parouk Hussin and Sulu Gov. Yusop Jikiri, expressed concerns that there might be resistance among Sulu residents against the presence of US military personnel, owing to the area’s history of struggle against US troops at the start of the last century.

Malacaņang today disowned a supposed memorandum of instruction from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to capture Hashim Salamat dead or alive.

Emerging from the meeting of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COCIS), Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye categorically denied that the document came from the Palace.

"We’d like to state that this document is spurious. It is not true. This document is fake and it’s been circulated probably to agitate the Muslim population in Mindanao," Bunye said during his regular press briefing.

Bunye said it is very difficult to pinpoint the source of these documents. "Obviously it emanated from a group that doesn’t want peace between MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and the government," Bunye said.

The spokesman said Presidential Assistant on Mindanao Jesus Dureza presented during the COCIS the fake document, which has been widely circulated in the region.

"We don’t know and we don’t want to point any fingers at any particular group. It’s enough that we belie this statement, that we correct the impression that this emanated from Malacanang," Bunye said.

The false memo, dated February 11, orders the AFP to undertake a so-called Operation Greenbase, whereby the Armed Forces must also "capture and occupy" simultaneously within one week the Buliok Complex fronting the Liguasan Marsh area comprising Kabalsalan Island Complex, Rajamuda Complex and Buliok Complex where Hashim Salamat’s headquarters or Islamic Center is located.

The so-called memo from the President further orders the AFP to serve the warrants of arrest against Salamat, Samier Hashim, Al Haj Murad and Eid Kabalu by various courts two years ago.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed Minita Chico- Nazario as presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan.

Prior to her appointment, Nazario was acting Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan, a designation made by the Supreme Court in a resolution promulgated last November 28, 2001.

Nazario, 64, has served for 40 long years in the judiciary in various capacities without having been charged criminally or administratively by any party-litigant or lawyer in connection with her performance.

She was the chairperson of the Special Division constituted by the Supreme Court to try the Joseph Estrada cases per resolution promulgated last January 21, 2002.

She also served as Regional Trial Court Judge in Binan, Laguna, was the first woman Justice of the Sandiganbayan, and Chairperson of the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division.

A native of San Miguel, Bulacan, Nazario earned her Associate in Arts degree at the University of the Philippines from 1956 to 1958.

She obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines in 1962 and passed the Bar Examinations in November of that same year with a rating of 78.1 percent.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today cited the important role played by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the forging of the Declaration of the Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which has defused tension in the contested area.

"We are very grateful that you have the same position which made the position of the Philippines very strong," the President said in her remarks during the courtesy call in Malacaņang of Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien.

The President said the landmark agreement, which was signed before her state visit to Vietnam in November last year, identified the areas of cooperation the two countries will explore in the future, further strengthening the two countries’ economic and diplomatic ties.

In that framework, Vietnam and the Philippines declared their determination to continue with the process of confidence-building despite territorial disputes among various claimant countries.

Aside from the Philippines and Vietnam, the Spratlys, the string of islands and islets that straddle the South China Sea, are also being claimed partly or wholly by China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei Darussalam.

The President also expressed the hope that the trade imbalance between the Philippines and Vietnam will be resolved soon. The trade imbalance is in favor of Vietnam.

"We have many investments in Vietnam," the President said, pointing out that the Philippines has one of the biggest investments in Vietnam, which include the food and beverage conglomerate, San Miguel Corporation.

"And we buy a lot of rice from Vietnam too," the President said.

The Vietnamese Foreign Minister was accompanied to Malacanang by Vietnamese Ambassador to Manila Dinh Tich.

The President said that the Foreign Minister’s visit to Manila would further strengthen the already strong relations between Manila and Hanoi.

She congratulated Vietnam for its 7 percent growth rate, the second highest growth rate in Asia, next only to China. The Philippines, with the third highest growth rate in the region, trails behind Vietnam, the President said.

The President likewise congratulated the leaders of Vietnam for what they have done in Vietnam, for "the reunification and healing of the deep division that existed after the Americans left in the 70s."

"I hope I will be able to do that in the Philippines as well," the President said, referring to her vision of healing the divisiveness in the country caused by partisan politics.

The President reiterated her offer to continue hosting Vietnamese refugees in Palawan who fled their homeland when the Americans left some two decades ago.

Some 1,500 Vietnamese "boat people" are still stranded in resettlement areas in Palawan, after they failed to be repatriated to host countries in the West where they applied for political asylum.