President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the launching of Sun Cellular, the latest GSM service of the Gokongwei-owned Digitel Philippines, assuring that the entry would further promote competition in the industry and further lower telecommunications costs.

The President launched the latest cellular service provider at the Manila Midtown Hotel with an inaugural call to Joel Pacarro, an overseas Filipino worker based in Kuwait. Joel has been in Kuwait with his wife Arlene and two children since 1992. .

In brief remarks during a toast, the President said she expects that telecommunications costs would further decrease with the entry of the latest player.

"Please join me to a toast for the success of interconnectivity at low cost," the President said.

National Telecommunications Commissioner Armi Jane Borje, in brief remarks, congratulated Sun Cellular for "daring" to enter the very competitive wireless industry.

She stressed that real competition is always good for the Filipino consuming public. "And for Sun Cellular to attempt to offer Filipinos value phone service without a high price tag associated with wireless technology, this is indeed a very much welcome development," she added.

The President noted that NTC, with the full support of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), has vigorously pursued a one-stop public assistance center to specially attend to the numerous complaints of cellular phone snatching and theft, problems associated with a very high demand for very low priced although regrettably at times stolen cellular phones.

She said that hopefully, the government would continue to see the unity among the players in the telecom industry with the signing of all interconnection agreements.

"This will enable not only Sun Cellular to interconnect its voice and SMS networks with other operators but to finally achieve full interconnection of all existing telecom companies even, specially, in far-flung areas in the Philippines," she added.

Aside from the President, on hand to talk to Joel during the inaugural call were his mother Patricia Pacarro, sister-in-law Mrs. Editha Pacarro and cousin Melissa Soler.

Joel expressed appreciation for the President recent visit to Kuwait to check on the conditions of OFWs there.

Joel assured the Chief Executive and his mother that things are still normal in Kuwait, despite the tension brought by the impending conflict in neighboring countries.

"Huwag kayong mag-alala. Tahimik naman dito (Don’t worry. Everything is fine here)," Joel said.

Sun Cellular offers P2 per minute of Sun to Sun calls and 50 centavos for Sun to Sun texts.

Plan to Decongest Metro Manila

Presidential Adviser Lito Osmena today sought approval from the President to go ahead with a proposal to develop Clark and environs as a possible relocation site of two key national government offices. The proposal aims to decongest Metro Manila which is now bursting at the seams with a daytime population of 12 million. The proposal calls for paying off national government debts to GSIS in the form of land in Clark and other proposed sites. GSIS in turn will provide P15 billion over the next five years to develop the land and put up buildings and support facilities which will house DPWH and DOTC. Counterpart funds for the development of residential, commercial and support infrastructure are proposed to be provided in partnership with the private sector.

President GMA endorsed the proposal to Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and Chief of Staff Rigoberto D. Tiglao for further evaluation.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

The President is suffering from minor eye irritation.

Deadline to Neutralize Abu Sayyaf

The President’s call for the neutralization of the Abu Sayyaf in 90 days underlies her firm belief in the ability of the Filipino soldier to finish the job. This will, of course, entail asking our troops to "double time." Our troops have proven their mettle in the past and the President is confident they can do so again. This will not stretch our forces too far, because the PNP is there to conduct holding actions in the Mindanao mainland, while the AFP moves elsewhere for the tactical offensive. At any rate, the limited AFP offensive to take the Buliok complex is finished. The PNP and CAFGUs can secure the areas already cleared of lawless elements by the AFP. The important thing is to make sure our forces always stay alert and not leave themselves vulnerable to surprise counter-attacks from the MILF. Kaya ng ating sundalo ang deadline na ito.

Joint training exercise and technological support from the US will help in an important way, but only the Filipino soldier can finish the job. He has proven this in Basilan and in Central Mindanao.

Balikatan

The Balikatan exercises will be conducted under absolute Constitutional standards. The people of the place-wherever it will be held in the future-will be consulted. Terms of Reference (TOR) will be drawn up and will be made public. Human rights will be protected and ethnic sensibilities will be respected.

Peace with MILF

The Government has not signed any peace agreements violative of the Constitution. The intention has always been to bring about peace, but not peace at any cost.

FATF

We are hoping that the senators and the FATF representatives can come up with a solution that would facilitate the passage of the AMLA. We ask the public to focus on this rather than allowing themselves to be distracted by extraneous issues.

IRAQ

We have faith that the UN will ultimately make a decision for the good of mankind. We abhor the idea of war and continue to hope and pray for peace.

Arrest of AL Qaeda Leader

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has stepped up its relief, rehabilitation, medical and civic work in and around the conflict-torn Buliok complex in Liguasan Marsh, Pikit, Cotabato.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said the agency is coordinating with the Task Force Liguasan Marsh under Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

In a report to Malacaņang, Soliman said the task force has identified the most urgent needs of communities affected by the armed conflict in the area and has speedily responded to such needs.

Coordination in fast-tracking the implementation of high-impact programs and projects is also being made with the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), she said.

In its report, the DSWD Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center said relief and rehabilitation activities continued in 89 of 101 evacuation areas earlier set up in parts of Central Mindanao region and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Most of the still existing 89 evacuation centers are located in Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces where effects of the military’s recapture of a major rebel camp in the Buliok complex spilled out.

Soliman said the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council (MDCC) has stood as the coordinating body to ensure the smooth implementation of the relief operations.

"Through this arrangement, issues and concerns of concerned agencies and the affected families are discussed and resolved immediately," she said.

She added that the Municipal Disaster Operation Center was created, with Ariel Cabanog of the Pikit municipal government as coordinator and Roberto Leyson of the Pikit Parish assisting.

Soliman said the DSWD had centralized the receipt and stockpiling of donations had been centralized while the distribution of relief goods was coursed through the different evacuation centers.

She said DSWD regional workers have been posted in major evacuation centers on a shifting basis since February 13 to address the psycho-social needs of displaced families, notably women and children.

To ensure health and sanitation in Pikit, the following were also undertaken:

• The 54^th Engineering Brigade made 60 compartments with toilet bowls and drums in the different evacuation centers;

• Water tanks were put up in the evacuation centers and six fire trucks provided water rations to families in the different evacuation centers;

• The Department of Health (DOH) provided immunization to 1,648 children inside the evacuation centers; and

• The DOH/RHU medical team for emergency purposes was operationalized to serve the evacuees on a 24-hour basis.

Queen Sofia of Spain will arrive tomorrow night (March 4) for a two-day private trip to the country which will see her visit Spanish development aid projects and inaugurate the Spanish overseas cultural program exhibit at the National Museum.

She will be accompanied in her trip by Spain’s state secretary for international cooperation, Miguel Angel Cortes, and other Spanish officials involved in development aid and cultural affairs. Philippine officials will be on hand to meet the Queen and her delegation.

Highlight of the Queen’s Manila visit will be the turnover of the third set of funds worth $1.6 million for the Filipinas Eye Center Foundation of the Philippine General Hospital and the groundbreaking of the Jose Rizal Eye Referral Center. A total of $3.2 million has already been donated to the Foundation.

She will also visit the Makabata Foundation or the Center for Education for Street Children of Metro Manila and meet with Spanish development workers in the country.

The Spanish royalty is scheduled to tour Intramuros, the site of future cultural and tourism cooperation projects between Spain and the Philippines. While in Intramuros, she will visit San Agustin church and will have a calesa tour of the Walled City with Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon.

She will later inaugurate the exhibit of the Spanish overseas cultural program at the National Museum.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will host a dinner for the Queen on Wednesday night prior to her departure the following day.

Mrs. Arroyo will be the guest of the Royal family when she makes a state visit to Spain late this month.

The path to normalcy is now under way in Central Mindanao as displaced residents affected by the armed conflict have returned to their respective homes after staying for a time in various evacuation centers.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that as of March 2, 2003, twelve (12) evacuation centers in Region X, XII and ARMM have been closed from the original number of 101 during the outbreak of the armed conflict.

To date, a total of 36,160 families or 195,090 persons have been served both inside and outside evacuation centers. The cost of assistance reached P15.1 million of which P12M came from DSWD; P1.35M from the local government units (LGUs); and P1.74M from the combined resources of NGOs and other Gos.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has announced that Japan has agreed to fund three infrastructure projects in the country worth P6.04 billion, with another peace and development project soon to get its nod,

NEDA Director General Romulo Neri said that with the approval of the three projects by Japan, the Philippine government expects some P26.7 billion worth of Japan official development assistance (ODA) loan under the 26th yen loan package (YLP) to be concluded within the 2002 Japanese fiscal year that ends on March 2003.

These projects are the Central Mindanao Road Project, P2.06 billion; Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 1, P3.45 billion; and the Subic Bay Freeport Environmental Management Project Phase 2, P538 million.

A fourth project, the Social Fund for Peace and Development Project for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) worth P1.26 billion is now in its final stage of negotiation, Neri said.

In addition, Neri said, four projects worth P19.4 billion are up for further discussions between the Philippine and Japanese governments.

Three out of the four projects are included under the highly concessional Special Term for Economic Partnership (STEP) financing scheme of the 26th YLP.

These include the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project, P4.46 billion; Philippine Ports Development Project, P5.1 billion; and the Mindanao Container (Bulk Cargo) Terminal Phase II, P2.94 billion.