President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today vowed to intensify government efforts in ferreting out officials who have enriched themselves in office through corrupt and illegal means.

In an unscheduled press briefing in Malacaņang, the President said her administration will crack down on corruption in public office in the same degree that it is cracking down on terrorism and drug trafficking.

"We will punish officials at any level in accordance with due process," the President said, adding that corruption does not only bring disgrace to the public service but also strikes at the root of the country’s national security and stability.

The President said her administration will not tolerate the "corrupt enrichment" of a few at the expense of the good name and prestige of the majority of the civil servants who serve honestly and are devoted to their jobs.

She announced that just this morning, Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Bonoan of the Department of Finance (DoF) filed anti-graft cases against three officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and one from the Bureau of Customs who have failed in the lifestyle check undertaken by the DoF.

Those charged with alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for having enriched themselves beyond their legitimate income as government officials are Edwin Abella, BIR assistant commissioner; Percival Salazar, another BIR assistant commissioner; Lucien Sayuno, a BIR regional director; and Manuel Valencia, chief of the Customs warehousing division.

The President said that the four officials will also be relieved of their duties in their respective offices.

"This is a great moment in our fight against graft and corruption," the President said.

She recalled that in her 2002 State of the Nation Address, she pledged to make the BIR and the BoC the showcases in the government’s unrelenting fight against graft and corruption.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured human rights victims of the martial law regime that they will get P8 billion from the $682 million (about P36 billion) of the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth as soon as the Supreme Court judgment forfeiting the money in favor of the government is finalized.

In an unscheduled press briefing in Malacanang this morning, the President also said the comprehensive agrarian reform program (CARP) will get the lion’s share of P30 billion as mandated by the CARP law.

The President clarified however, that the disbursement of the money for human rights victims will have to wait for the passage of a law that would authorize its allocation, adding that in the meantime, the P8 billion will be put in escrow.

As to the P30 billion earmarked for the CARP, the President said the P8-billion budget of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is now assured, and the balance of P22 billion to be allocated in accordance with the obligations and other budget proposals of DAR.

The President said she has instructed Agrarian Reform Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan to ensure that the available funds should be used in addressing the four major thrusts in the agrarian reform communities (ARCs).

The four thrusts in the ARCs, especially those with insurgency problems, are the construction of school buildings, farm-to-market roads and irrigation systems, and the provision of health insurance to land reform beneficiaries.

When the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front panels sit down for the first time to start formal talks towards a final peace agreement, the first thing that will have to be threshed out is the reconstitution and review of the functions of the coordinating committee for the ceasefire as well as the membership of the monitoring teams.

This was revealed in a press briefing today by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita after receiving the signed copy of the ceasefire agreement from Al Hadz Ibrahim Murad of the MILF Sunday.

"So today, what we have is the signed order of cessation of hostilities. Then we have the safe-conduct pass for all those whose warrants of arrest have been suspended. And also the order for the lifting of the reward money imposed on their head sometime immediately after the attack in Siocon," Ermita said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had earlier announced the mutual cessation of hostilities and the mutual downgrading of the military’s operational status from punitive action to active defense.

The warrants of arrest against the members and staff of the MILF panel have been lifted by the court while the Department of National Defense and Department of the Interior and Local Government have lifted the corresponding rewards for their arrest and capture.

Ermita said safe-conduct passes good for 90 days have also been issued to the MILF panel to be headed by Hashim Salamat. Also covered by the safe-conduct passes are Murad, Aleem Aziz Mimbantas, Ghadzali Jaafar, Eid Kabalu Nortel, Datucan Abas Mogagher Iqbal, Atty. Lanang Ali, Omar Pasigan, Commander Nurudin Ibrahim and Toks Ibrahim.

"We are awaiting the action of Malaysia to constitute the third-party monitoring observer team," Ermita said. "We will try to get this to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs," Ermita said.

He said it is important for the government to find out if Malaysia would agree to the involvement of some members of the Organization of Islamic Conference who have signified interest in being part of the third-party monitoring team. At the moment, he said, Libya, Bangladesh, Bahrain and even the United States have signified their wish to participate.

As host, Ermita said, "Malaysia should tell us whether it is alright for the Philippines to bring so many number of people and, for that matter, if there are arrangements on mass media."

"We will have to ask from the Malaysians whether they would welcome media teams coming from the Philippines. What are the media policies? What are the media management rules while on the ground? So these are matters, these are details that are very, very important," Ermita said.

Over 135,750 families have so far been reached by the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) program of the government, covering 509 poorest of the poor and conflict-affected barangays in 216 municipalities across 58 provinces, according to the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

NAPC Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles said in a press briefing today in Malacaņang that most of the poverty reduction campaign of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has been addressed through the KALAHI program.

In the last two years, Deles said, the KALAHI program has taken root and moved to very poor communities through a convergence of 30 to 40 government agencies organized at the national and regional levels, together with the leagues of local governments, provincial governments and representatives from the different non-governmental organization.

She said around P140 million from the President’s Social Fund and Contingency Fund of 2002 have been allocated by the President to finance the 67 projects for micro-finance livelihood assistance, potable water systems, social facilities and barangay access roads to 100 barangays.

The KALAHI also delivered social projects such as access basic social services, formal education, micro financing and markets for livelihood to address the roots and aggravating problems of the insurgency to 120 conflict-affected barangays. These barangays are primarily in Regions 3, 4, and 5 in Luzon, 6, 7, and 8 in the Visayas and 11 and 13 in Mindanao.

Deles added that in the 32 barangays affected by the conflict in Central Mindanao, particularly in Pikit in North Cotabato and Pagalungan and Pagagawan in Maguindanao around the Buliok Complex, a total of P99, 134, 650 funds for the rehabilitation and development projects are being disbursed for core shelter, road repair and agriculture livelihood needs to 13, 556 families.

Deles also said that aside from the successful poverty reduction program, the President’s microfinancing for 300,000 women borrowers per year has an overwhelming positive gain with the direct action of government financial institutions and government-owned corporations.

She said the accomplishments for July 2001 to 2002 stood at 327,577 new borrowers or 109% of target. For July 2002 to May 2003, at least 396,198 new women borrowers were enrolled or 132% of target for the period, with a total of P896.28 million released.

"We have constructed a modest extension of our house," says Dionisio Pabalan whose thriving gas stove repair shop was funded from the livelihood assistance provided by the Arroyo government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Dionisio Pabalan is the father of Jomer Pabalan, one of the three Payatas children who floated "bangkang papel" (paper boats) along Pasig River and were presented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her 2001 State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The Pabalan family received P10,000 as a start-up capital for a livelihood project. A year after the project was started, improvement in the Pabalan’s house were seen. They have also started planting their backyard with various kinds of vegetables.

Like the Pabalan family, the families of the other two children presented in the SONA were also given P10,000 livelihood assistance. Erwin Dolera’s family into piggery while Jayson Banogon’s family operate a car accessory business.

Apart from Jomer, Erwin, and Jayson the families of three other children -- Christian Custodio, Rachel Manadong, and Ricadonna Sayson – who also floated paper boats received the same amount of assistance. Their families also operate their own livelihood projects: sari-sari store and piggery for the Custodio family; piggery for the Manadong and vending and dress shop for Sayson’s family.

Aling Edith Custodio, mother of Christian, said their sari-sari store is doing very well. She explained that from their profits, they were able to start a backyard piggery which improved their income level and standard of living.

"Our earnings now suffice not only for Christian’s needs but of the entire family," Aling Edith said.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said the provision of livelihood assistance to the families of the six children was among the commitments of the government to the Payatas victims. The other commitments were provision of educational assistance to the children which is on going and benefiting the six kids as well as some other 400 children and youth; provision of socio-economic or livelihood support to their parents or guardians; provision of housing assistance to direct and indirect victims; and help for the families in their quest for justice.

Secretary Soliman pointed out that the provision of socio-economic or livelihood support to the other families affected by the tragedy has also been realized. She explained that a total of P1.2 million from the President’s Social Fund was equally distributed among the three organizations representing the affected families as capital for their livelihood projects.

Samahang Tunay ng Phase II Lupang Pangako (Samahang Tunay) operates a credit cooperative, Sandigang Magkakapit Bahay ng Payatas (SANKAP) is into waste management and the July 10 Payatas Victims Organizaiton (J10PVO) undertake a waste recycling center.