President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged other oil companies to follow Petron which cut back the pump price of diesel by 40 centavos per liter effective last midnight.

In an interview at Juan Luna St. in Tondo, Manila where she launched a P0.50 diesel discount per liter scheme to jeepney drivers, the President thanked Petron for bringing its diesel prices down.

"Am I urging the other oil companies to follow suit? Most certainly," the President said.

The President, who donned a Petron gasoline attendant uniform, thanked the company for taking the lead by decreasing the price of diesel.

"I’d rather that Petron play the role of price leader. You see, when Petron brought down its diesel by forty centavos, then the other oil companies also brought down their diesel price by forty centavos," the President said.

The President further said that she hopes these oil companies "would also allocate some specific ways by which they can give discounts to our drivers."

According to Petron, it has decided to cut back the price of diesel, widely used by buses and jeepney, in view of the drastic fall in the cost of Dubai oil from $31 per barrel before the outbreak of war in Iraq to less than $22 after hostilities started last week.

During the launching of the 50 centavos discount per liter on diesel products at the Tondo gasoline station, the President thanked Saudi Aramco, the foreign partner of Petron, for the gesture.

"I would like to thank Saudi Aramco because they are the partners of the Philippine government," she said.

Iraq Situation

The end is not in doubt. We pray for a swift resolution and minimum casualties, especially among civilians.

The most important threat facing our country now are possible retaliatory terrorist attacks. The President has instructed the authorities to implement the highest level of preparedness. She wants all potential targets hardened, and alertness among our people tightened.

All public hotlines for public safety and welfare are urged to operate on a 24-hour basis to give reliable information that is important to the public. The President asks for the full support of the media.

The public is urged not to believe and/or spread rumors that tend to sow panic or fear. Keep calm, but alert.

Expulsion of Iraqis

The President has authorized the expulsion of one Iraqi diplomat for engaging in acts inimical to our national security. An Iraqi civilian (not a diplomat) is likewise being ordered expelled. The DFA and the Bureau of Immigration are expected to implement this shortly.

Gas Coupons

This was done as a contingency measure that is no longer necessary. Supply is high and stable, prices are going down, the war is expected to be relatively short and swift. There is no cause for alarm over this issue.

MILF

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), upon consultations with organizations of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and Philippine embassies in Middle East countries, have agreed to limit the scope of OFW deployment ban to new deployments to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Israel.

In a statement, the DFA said that all travels to Iraq, however, remain suspended.

The term "new deployment," the DFA said, refers to workers whose travel and work documents have not been completed before March 20, the start of the United States-led attack of the "coalition of the willing" against Iraq.

On the first day of the attack, the DOLE suspended the departure of OFWs to the Middle East, including those returning to their old jobs.

The DFA said that those exempted from the ban--and are, therefore, allowed to leave for the Middle East--are OFWs who are staying in Manila on vacation leave hence would need to go back to their employers and those who fall under any of the following categories:

--Those whose families are still at the work site;

-- Those whose work sites are situated far enough from the battle areas; and

-- Those whose work visas are about to expire.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Bahnarim Guinomla assured Foreign Affairs Secretary BIas F. Ople that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is secure and quiet despite the outbreak of war in Iraq.

Guinomla recommended that Filipinos with complete travel and work documents and those currently on leave here in Manila be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia to enable them to fulfill their pending job contracts.

Ople agreed on condition that all these returning workers immediately report and register with the Philippine Embassy in their respective host countries in the Middle East.

Guinomla also belied earlier reports of chaos and panic among Filipinos in Saudi Arabia including reports of cancelled outbound flights and over-crowding at the kingdom's international airports.

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) today vowed not to support the current petition for a fare increase following the government’s launching of several programs that offer discount on diesel prices to transport groups.

At the Petron gasoline station at Juan Luna St. in Tondo today, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo offered a P0.50 discount per liter of diesel scheme to all FEJODAP members.

The P0.50 discount to FEJODAP members is on top of Petron’s 40 centavos per liter cutback in diesel prices effective last midnight. All in all, the diesel price in the Juan Luna St. Petron is P15.70.

FEJODAP president Zeny Maranan thanked the President for the gesture.

"Kami po ay nagpapasalamat sa inyo ng labis labis sapagkat dito po ninyo ipinakita ang kapakanan ng mga tsuper sa pagmamahal na pinagkakaloob ninyo bagamat meron pong nakabinbin na increase sa fare sa LTFRB (We are very thankful to you because you have shown your regard for drivers though there is an ongoing petition for a fare increase at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board)," Maranan said.

Maranan said that in return as a favor to the President, FEJODAP would not support and would even oppose the fare increase petition.

"Makaasa po kayo na talaga pong yung kahilingan niyo po sa amin na huwag kaming mag-file ng increase sa fare ay aming pong gagawin upang matulungan, hindi lang po kayo mahal pong Pangulo, kundi ang sambayanang Pilipino," Maranan said.

Petron chairman Nicasio Alcantara, who was also present at the launching, said the company decided to offer discount in the particular gasoline station to ease the burden of increasing oil prices to jeepney drivers.

In brief remarks, the President thanked the jeepney drivers and operators for their sacrifices to keep the fare affordable to passengers.

The President said the government is undertaking discount schemes to diesel patrons, particularly jeepney drivers, to mitigate any increase in basic goods’ prices on the people during this time of crisis.

Last Saturday, the President launched several government-private sector programs intended to mitigate the impact of oil prices on the transport sector.

At the Flying V gasoline station at 15^th Ave. and P. Tuazon Street in Cubao, Quezon City, the President launched the "Tulong sa Pagsulong," a scheme wherein diesel fuel patrons could avail themselves of rebates of as much as five liters for every 10-liter purchase.

Under the scheme, Flying V patrons who buy at least 10 liters of diesel will be given a coupon worth 5 liters of diesel. The patron may accumulate his coupons and have them exchanged to cash of at least P100.

At the Eastern Petroleum station in Quezon Ave. beside the Pantranco terminal, the President initiated the loading of cheaper diesel worth P16.25 per liter to members of the Pasang Masda transport group.

"Ito ay bilang pagpapasalamat sa ating jeepney drivers at ating mga transport groups dahil kahit na tumaas yung presyo ng krudo at gasolina nung panahon na hinihintay ang giyera sa Iraq, hindi pa rin nila tinaas yung kanilang presyo ng pasahe (This is our way of showing our thanks to the jeepney drivers and transport groups for not increasing fares even if price of crude and gasoline went up before the Iraq war)," she said.

Flying V chairman and president Ramon Villavicencio said the "Tulong sa Pagsulong" scheme was the oil firm’s response to the President’s call to help jeepney drivers who are most affected by the increase in fuel prices.

Flying V, in a statement, said that "despite the crisis facing the world today, and even as the increase in pump price is not sufficient to cover the general increase in procurement costs of fuel, it has launched the public service program in response to the call of the President to make sacrifices and sympathize with the plight of the jeepney drivers who serve the general riding public."

Villavicencio said that during these hard times, business sense should be relegated to the background in lieu of the moral responsibility to respond to a cause of those in need.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said she has approved the expulsion of an Iraqi diplomat and an Iraqi non-diplomatic personnel.

In an interview in Tondo, Manila, the President said the government is expelling those "found with some evidence of espionage" though she added that the government need not explain any reason for such gesture.

"We’re doing it individual by individual," she said.

The President noted that Jordan, a neighbor of Iraq, already expelled five Iraqi diplomats.

"So, we are in fact bending backwards in a show of friendship to the people of Iraq that we are only expelling those with some evidence of espionage even if we don'’ even have to explain any reason for expelling diplomats," she said.

Last month, the Philippines expelled Husham Hussain, the second secretary of the Iraqi embassy, after giving credence to intelligence reports that he was probably in touch with some Abu Sayyaf elements in Mindanao.

The Department of Energy today said that South Korean firms have expressed keen interest to take part in the development of the country's downstream natural gas industry.

In a report, Energy Secretary Vicente S. Perez, who headed a Philippine delegation that visited South Korea last week, said that officials of the South Korean companies have shown interest in investing in the necessary infrastructure that would develop the downstream natural gas sector.

"Our natural gas industry is one of the industries that are attracting interest from different countries. Our meetings with the several Korean firms indicated a very strong interest among them to carry out these vital projects," Perez said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the DOE to lead in forming a consortium with interested parties that would undertake the development of the downstream natural gas sector by putting in place the backbone transmission and distribution pipelines and related infrastructure facilities such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and refilling stations.

Perez said that among the South Korean firms interested in investing in the country's natural gas industry were Korea Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) and Korea Gas Corp. (Kogas).

Kepco is the largest Korean firm investor in the Philippines through the operations of the $700 million Ilijan natural-gas power plant in Batangas.

Kogas, on the other hand, owns the largest LNG terminal in the world with a storage capacity of 2.24 million cubic meters as of end 2001.

"Natural gas is considered as the fuel of the 21st century and ranks as the most environmentally-friendly fuel. The availability of a viable gas transport infrastructure, however, is critical to increase its utilization given that based on our projections show that the demand for natural gas will pick up in the next coming years," Perez stressed.

According to Perez, from 203.2 million standard cubic feet (MSCF) of gas produced from the San Antonio field in Isabela in 1997, the country's production has increased by 2,336.5 percent to reach 4,951.3 MSCF in 2001.

Ginebra San Miguel guard Aries Dimaunahan had a chance to call his brother in Kuwait, teammate Elmer Lago was more than just pleased in assisting a lady from Valenzuela City place a call to her sister in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and a persistent Bong Ravena of Talk n Text would not let technical difficulties get in his way so that he could place a call to Bahrain in behalf of an elderly lady from Pandacan.

These were just a few of the scenes that transpired when players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) came Sunday night to assist callers in the Office of the President’s Oplan Kalinga: KUmustahan calling center at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS).

Also at the calling center who manned the telephone lines were Red Bull’s Mick Penisi, Jimwell Torion, Junthy Valenzuela and Nelson Asaytono and Ginebra’s Sunday Salvacion.

There are currently more than 200 telephone lines installed at the NAS to accommodate free calls from the families, relatives and friends of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working in the Middle East, Israel and Turkey.

"It is indeed heartwarming that our famous PBA players found time to assist our countrymen in placing their calls to their relatives and friends in the Middle East," said Press Secretary Hernani Braganza.

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) is spearheading Oplan Kalinga on orders of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to exhaust all efforts to help alleviate the plight of OFWs during this time of conflict in the Middle East.

And in pursuit of such a mandate, the OPS has entered into agreement with the PBA to bring the Oplan Kalinga: Kumustahan calling center to PBA game venues starting Wednesday at the Makati Coliseum.

A composite team from the telecommunications companies rendering free service at the NAS, OPS, Presidential Action Center (PACE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has been formed that would provide free telephone calls to the Middle East, Israel, and Turkey at the PBA games venues.

"This is our small way of bringing the services of the government to the people. What better way to do this than bring the Kumustahan calling center to the PBA?" Braganza said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed sadness over reports of the death of a Filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong because of the dreaded severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

In an interview, the President said she has ordered Consul General Victoria Bataclan of the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong to ensure that the Filipino workers in the former British colony are safe.

The President also said she ordered Bataclan to keep the government posted of developments and to inform Manila what the consulate needs to ensure the safety and well-being of our workers.

She said she is consoled by the fact that the Ministry of Health in Hong Kong is doing its best to contain the dreaded viral disease.

"We continue to rely on them to keep our workers safe," the President said.

Earlier, the President has directed our own Department of Health to make the necessary preventive measures so that SARS would not spread to the Philippines.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said she has appointed Alcestis Guiang as the new director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The President said Guiang was her first choice even before she appointed Lucita Lazo, the first TESDA director general in her administration, who was recommend by the search committee.

Lazo is now Undersecretary for Repatriation of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

"Actually, she was my first choice because she’s a career official," the President said.

Guiang is the Deputy Diretor General for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) of the TESDA since 1995. She was the Director of the Bureau of Technical and Vocational Education when it was merged with the NMYC to form TESDA.

A Carreer Executive Service Officer (CESO) since 1979, Guiang’s formal education includes nutrition, therapy, food chemistry, psychology, educational administration and supervision.

She is an international consultant in the field of technical education and training, management, secondary education and psychology, accredited with the Asian Development Bank.

Guiang replaces Dante Liban, who earlier submitted his resignation.

A government team is set to leave for Malaysia on Wednesday to hold exploratory talks with representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Presidential Adviser for Mindanao and government peace panel chairman Jesus Dureza said today.

Dureza, in an interview after a lull in the meeting of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COCIS) in Malacanang, noted that the talks are crucial to the possible resumption of peace negotiations with the MILF.

Dureza said there would be no specific agenda during the exploratory talks but noted that it might be possible that the government side would present the draft peace agreement that has been approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The COCIS meeting was also attended by local government officials of Mindanao. The President briefly attended the meeting.

"It is a first step (to the resumption of the formal peace talks). That’s why it’s crucial," Dureza said.

Dureza said the meeting with the MILF is the result of back-channeling efforts by Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Norberto Gonzales and Senior Adviser on International Competitiveness Roberto Romulo.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on the Iraqi government to observe rules and conventions on prisoners of war (POWs) as stipulated in the Geneva Convention.

The President made the call in reacting to reports that one of the POWs now being held by the Iraqi military is a Filipino-American, a certain Joseph Hudson.

She said that Hudson, who is with the American military forces in Iraq, is a son of Mrs. Aniceta Hudson, a Filipino-American, from New Mexico, USA.

The President said that under the Geneva Convention, POWs must be treated well and fairly.

"The POWs should be given food, medicine, if needed, and never to be tortured," the President said.

Although the Philippines is a member of the US-led "coalition of the willing" in the fight against the government of Iraqi President Sadam Hussein, the President has stressed that the country will not be sending combat troops to Iraq.