Surprise Inspections

The President urges people not to be complacent. This is the reason why she personally goes about inspecting security preparedness measures put in place by police and local authorities. Efforts are not being spared by government in preparing for the worst but citizens must likewise do their share.

KL Talks

Officials of the Department of National Defense (DND) of the Philippines and the Department of Defense of the United States, represented by the US Pacific Command, will start discussing Thursday (March 27) future counter-terrorism coordination and cooperation efforts.

Philippine and United States senior military officials will meet in Manila to formulate the framework that will govern the conduct of a possible Balikatan 03-1.

The DND says the meetings will consider five policy issues in the planning or execution of future RP-US military events.

The issues include:

• Ensuring that any new military event meets the policy criteria set forth in the Philippine Constitution,

• Ensuring that the security interests of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US military are promoted,

• Ensuring that the sensitivities to the social needs of the community in which the exercise may take place are considered,

• Ensuring that the exercise meets the criteria for what is best for the national interests of the Philippines and the US, and

• Ensuring that the exercise is not time bound and that basing will not become an issue.

The Balikatan will be conducted to enhance the capability of the AFP to ensure its sustainable success and to become self-reliant.

It is also expected to bring about the improvement in the quality of life of the communities where the activities may take place, to be done through humanitarian and civic action programs.

The interagency group, the DND says, will seek to include the participation of the local community leaders and their people.

Upon the completion of the meetings, a US assessment team under Major General Joe Weber, commander of the 3rd Marine Division, will work with the Southern Command in Zamboanga City to determine the most effective means to enhance the AFP’s counter-terrorism capability.

The assessment, which excludes combat operations of any kind, will consist of field visits and consultations between military officials, and civic, educational and local leaders.

Last year, Balikatan 02-1 resulted in numerous AFP successes and the completion of many socio-economic projects that benefited residents of Basilan.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has continued to take the necessary steps to address the weakening of the peso, in addition to the sanctions it had imposed on foreign exchange dealers found to have engaged in speculation and hoarding of US dollars.

Recently, the Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the BSP, lifted the tiering system for BSP policy rates and increased the liquidity reserve requirement for universal and commercial banks to mop up excess liquidity that was also putting the inflation target at risk.

Although the bulk of foreign exchange transactions so far appear to be in order, the BSP said it continues to evaluate foreign exchange transactions for possible violations.

To date, the BSP has imposed administrative sanctions (monetary and non-monetary) on eight banks, two of them required to dispose of their excess dollar holdings. A few others were given time to explain certain transactions.

The BSP decided not to publish the names of the banks that have been sanctioned, for the moment. As a practice, the disclosure of the names of erring banks is resorted to depending on the nature of the circumstance.

It will be recalled that the BSP has been closely monitoring foreign exchange transactions of all commercial and universal banks on a daily basis since February this year when it noted "an unusual demand for foreign exchange caused possibly by concerns over continuing tension in the Middle East."

BSP examiners have been reviewing day-to-day foreign exchange sales of all commercial and universal banks to ensure that they are complying with BSP regulations.

In addition, banks were directed to make all documents supporting the sale of foreign exchange available for verification by BSP examiners. The BSP implements daily monitoring of forex transactions whenever demand for forex goes beyond normal levels.

The BSP also continues to dialogue with the Bankers Association of the Philippines to further identify measures that would reduce market volatility and to find ways to enforce strict compliance with foreign exchange rules.

The peso has reacted positively to these measures. After breaching P55 to $1, the peso has been gaining against the US dollar. From P54.97 last Wednesday, it improved to P54.48 Thursday, settled down at P54.45 last Friday and closed at P54.50 Monday.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today cited the "continuing alliance for peace and against terrorism" between the Philippines and Malaysia.

The President said the stronger relations between the two countries has also eased the situation in Mindanao, as she expressed confidence that Malaysia’s support as third-party facilitator in the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would succeed.

"That just goes to show how Malaysia is so sincere in helping because there are so many important key officials that are involved in the third-party facilitation," she said.

"Just today, I had a visit from some key officials of Malaysia," she said.

The President also named three people who would be leaving for Kuala Lumpur for exploratory talks with the MILF

She said the exploratory three-person team is composed of Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, either Defense Undersecretary Antonio Santos Jr. or Senior Presidential Adviser Paul Dominguez, and Social Welfare and Services Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman.

Dominguez and Santos have to choose between the two of them who would go as member of the team because they represent the same constituency, she said.

She clarified that Presidential Adviser Norberto Gonzales would also go to Kuala Lumpur, but "not officially."

The impending battle for Baghdad has raised the possibility of chemical attacks and acts of terrorism.

This will be the climax of the war which could rouse embedded terrorist cells all over the world.

This is the reason why I have called upon a full alert among military and police authorities and the closing of ranks with the local governments and the communities.

All Filipinos in the Middle East must also be on a high state of alert and maintain close touch with their embassies and the Middle East Preparedness Team.

An enemy in the throes of defeat is prone to sow terror.

We have spared no effort in preparing for the worst even if it has not come to pass.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today personally witnessed the actual explosion of a bomb during a drill performed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the security force of the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRT) station in Cubao, Quezon City, to ensure that MRTs and shopping malls are secured.

"We have to have drills to practice. So this is what I am doing. I am having them practiced to make sure that the targets are hard rather than soft," the President said, stressing that she has learned a lot from the Davao City bombing experience.

The President likened the Cubao and the SM Megamall drills to the fire and earthquake drills that she witnessed when she was young. "By the same reason, because terrorism is a threat all over the world now, we should also be prepared for that," she said.

On the Davao City incident, the President said that although the airport itself was well secured, the area outside was not. "So may nakapasok, may nakapag-iwan ng bomba (someone was able to enter and left a bomb)."

"So it is very important to have the inspection going on in a crowded place," the President said.

The President cited Philtranco bus station in Pasay City, which she visited yesterday, as having 100 percent inspection.

"In the past they did not have that 100 percent inspection but I am glad to see that now that there is a terrorist threat in the world, they have 100 percent inspection of people coming in. So, that makes the Philtranco much safer," the President said.

The President stressed the importance for everybody to be always on the alert, to be on the look out for abandoned or left packages.

The simulation drill in Cubao’s MRT station started when a MRT passenger supposedly saw a suspicious abandoned package. "Everything was already like a clockwork," the President said.

"We want the ordinary riders of the MRT to be on the look out for left behind or unattended packages and they must tell the nearest security guard. Because as we have seen in the drill earlier, the nearest security guard knows what to do once he’s alerted," the President said.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said that after the demonstration, they will be having a "critique" to know what areas of the drill need improvement, such as in coordination and in implementation.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East to keep close contacts with Philippine foreign missions and the Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT) in the wake of reports that the Iraqi military might unleash its chemical weapons against the advancing forces of the US-led coalition.

In a teleconference with MEPT head Ambassador Roy Cimatu, who is based in Kuwait, the President said the impending battle in Baghdad has created the possibility for a chemical attack and more acts of terrorism.

"This could be the climax of the war, which could rouse and beget terrorist cells all over the world," the President said.

The President said that an enemy "in the throes of defeat is prone to sow terror," referring to the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"That is why we have spared no effort in preparing for the worst. Let’s not be complacent and let’s be focused and calm and ride out the storm," the President said.

In the local front, the President also called on all Filipinos to be on full alert and to coordinate with military and police authorities, as well as with their local government units, in thwarting any terrorist attacks.

During the past few days, the President has made surprise visits to places that could be susceptible to terrorist attacks.

This morning, the President witnessed a security-related drill at the MRT Station in Cubao, Quezon City and visited the SM Megamall in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, to check on the mall’s security precautions.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has started to look beyond the Iraqi crisis as it laid down plans for a possible post-Saddam Iraq scenario.

In a teleconference today with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT) head Ambassador Roy Cimatu said "we are looking into the possible participation of the Philippines in the reconstruction of Iraq."

Cimatu said Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople has instructed officials of the department to give due consideration on the matter.

Ople has also instructed DFA Undersecretary Delia Albert to work out with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) a mechanism to prepare Filipino contractors and manpower providers to participate in the reconstruction work and rehabilitation work of post-Saddam Iraq.

The instructions likewise called on Albert to work with major US contractors who will likely be preferred by the new Iraqi regime and have employed Filipino expatriates before.

Cimatu told the President that the "reputation of the Filipino worker is such that we feel that all of the contractors who will be involved in the reconstruction will naturally come to the Filipino worker."

"They have shown their work, they have proven their skills," he added, in reference to the overseas Filipino workers.

Representatives of the Philippine and US governments held meetings today in Manila to discuss policy issues on future counter terrorism coordination and cooperation efforts.

Last year, cooperative efforts, exemplified by Balikatan 02-1, resulted in many successes for the AFP as well as many humanitarian assistance and civic action projects that helped to improve the local communities’ security and living conditions in Basilan. Any future combined AFP and US military events would seek to build on last year’s similar successes.

The Philippines is represented in the meetings by officials of the Department of National Defense while the United States is represented by officials of the US Pacific Command and the US embassy.

Top of the agenda are policy issues for the possible holding of Balikatan 03-1.

As part of the planning process, the goals of the meetings are to consider the following important issues prior to any planning or execution of future RP and US military events:

Ensuring any new military event meets the policy criteria set forth in the Philippine Constitution.

Ensuring that security interests of both the Philippines and the US are promoted.

Ensuring that the sensitivities to the social needs of the community in which military event may take place are considered.

Ensuring that the military event is appropriately timed.

Ensuring that the Philippine and the US military cooperation will not involve basing or a permanent US presence.

These military activities will be conducted to enhance the capability of the AFP to combat terrorism. The long-term goal is for the AFP to be self-reliant.

More importantly, these activities are expected to bring about the improvement in the security and living conditions of the communities in which the activities may take place through humanitarian and civic action programs.

Upon completion of the group’s meetings, a US joint military assessment team, led by Maj. Gen. Joe Weber, commanding general, 3^rd Marine Division, will work in concert with the AFP Southern Command in Zamboanga to determine the most effective means to enhance the AFP’s counter-terrorism capability.

The assessment, expected to last two weeks, will consist of consultations between the AFP and the US military in Southern Command, field visits, and discussions with civic, educational, and local leaders.