There will be no need for gas coupons.

This was stressed today by Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye as he tried to squelch speculations that gas rationing would be resorted to by the government due to the reported printing of 5 million coupons.

In a radio interview, Bunye emphasized that the country has an ample supply of oil which is good for 72 days, the country’s highest ever inventory in 10 years.

Despite this, he said, the government has not scrapped a standby plan to distribute rationing coupons to motorists in a worst case scenario of an oil shortage should the ongoing war in the Gulf deteriorate.

Bunye was reacting to reports that the National Printing Office has delivered 5 million rationing coupons to the Department of Energy.

"Ang lahat nang ito ay paghahanda lamang in the event na ma-disrupt ang supply ng krudo from the Middle East. Alam mo pag nagpaplano ka para sa isang contingency, you plan for the worse (All of these are contingency plans just in case worse comes to worst)," Bunye explained.

He said the country’s 72-day inventory is more than enough to tide the country over and there will be no need for the gas coupons.

CEBU CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called for coordinated efforts in intelligence gathering among the various government and military units in order to thwart terrorism.

In an anti-terrorist command conference held at the Waterfront Hotel here, the President cited the need to anticipate events "very efficiently and effectively" for the country to succeed in the war against terrorism.

She called the attention of various intelligence units for more intelligence and "intelligent vision" and the sharing of information between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

"I have seen situations where the intelligence service of a specific area command does not have the same information as the PNP regional office. In some cases, the latter do not have valuable information known by the Area Command Intelligence Unit," the President said.

She cited as an example an arrested Abu Sayyaf commander in Sulu who was mistaken to be carrying a P5-million price on his head by the police. It was the Southern Command (Southcom), she said, which called the attention of Malacanang that the captured Abu Sayyaf leader was a P1-million guy.

"That could have been avoided if there had been more caution within the area command of the AFP and the PNP Regional Command," she said.

The President advised those in attendance that whoever is the senior person among the intelligence networks of the PNP, AFP, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should form a team which he himself will head.

All information must then be fed into the data bank of the NICA and be reported to Malacanang, the President added in her directive.

CEBU CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. to reissue and update the circular he sent to local executives describing the role and participation of local government units (LGUs) in the government’s anti-terrorism campaign.

Speaking at an anti-terrorism command conference at the Waterfront Hotel here, the President said "we must strengthen our internal focus against terrorism."

The President enjoined all local government executives, from the governor down to the barangay level, to help in the prevention, intervention and containment of all terrorist acts.

Lina, during a teleconference with the President in Malacaņang Wednesday, reported that the barangays where transmission lines and electric powers are located, have already been identified and segregated for "target hardening."

"The barangay officials have already been alerted and they have formed their own neighborhood watch groups to coordinate with the Philippine National Police in case some suspicious characters are roaming around the area," Lina said.

All over the country, specially in urban centers, Lina said that the local executives of each municipality have already prepared and updated their public safety plans.

"In that public safety plan an updated anti-terrorism and anti-kidnap component are now incorporated," Lina said.

In the anti-terrorism component, the protection and guarding of vital installations are given better security measures, Lina said.

Lina said, it would be difficult for those who have any bad intentions to penetrate these vital installations and create chaos.

Lina likewise reported to the President that the PNP commanders in the fields were given very specific instructions to see to it that there is no lowering of guards and laxity on the part of those who are supposed to take charge and protect these important facilities.

The President has continued her surprise visits to public places, like MRT stations and shopping malls to make sure that these are 100 percent secure.

She witnessed the actual explosion of a bomb during what she called "practiced drill" to make sure that the targets are well-secured.

The President had also visited the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the SM Megamall in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City and the Philtranco bus station in Pasay City to make sure that these crowded areas are safe.

CEBU CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today stressed the need for broader understanding of the religious and ethnic diversity of the country in the coordinated fight against terrorism.

"We must pursue broader interfaith dialogues to promote Christian and Muslim solidarity in the country," the President told the participants of an anti-terrorism command conference held at the Waterfront Hotel here.

The President said the terrorists would like to foment a religious war in the Philippines and cautioned law enforcement agencies not to fall for it.

She said that the conflict in Mindanao should instead be transformed into an opportunity to forge a religious understanding, ecumenism and solidarity among the Muslim and Christian population in Mindanao.

In Executive Order No. 37, the President has directed the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to undertake measures that would broaden Muslim and Christian brotherhood so as to achieve a long-lasting peace and stability in Mindanao.

In the command conference, the President said the peace process with the mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is aimed at isolating the terrorists from the moderates among the Muslim Filipinos.

The President also encouraged local government executives to initiate their own peace talks with dissident groups in their localities.

She also called on the Department of Justice to anticipate all legal issues and concerns that are expected to arise in the stepped-up campaign against terrorism.

CEBU CITY—On orders of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been beefed up, according to NAIA general manager Edgardo Manda.

In a teleconference during the Philippine National Police Region 6, 7 and 8 command conference at Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Manda informed the President that among the additional security measures already being implemented is the deployment of a crowd control officer and the banning of knapsacks, backpacks and other types of luggage in the greeters’ area.

Manda said that he has also deployed armed mobile guards in the parking area, including the special operations unit and strictly implemented the 20-second stop for loading and unloading at the departure level of the airport.

Meanwhile, the President today surprised officials and employees of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) when she conducted an unscheduled inspection on the premises of the airport to personally check on the security measures being implemented here to preempt possible terrorist attacks.

The President arrived at the Mactan Air Base on board a Lear jet around 10:00 in the morning, more than one hour early from her original arrival time of 11:15 a.m. She immediately motored to nearby Mactan airport.

Some employees of the airport were surprised when the President alighted from a white car and entered the main entrance.

General Manager Angelo Verdan of Mactan Cebu International Airport apologized to the President for coming late and the lack of (appropriate welcome) preparations for her.

During her inspection, the President went inside the airport and observed the security measures put in place by airport police at the arrival area in the parking lot.

The President also went to the welcomers’ area just across the street from the arrival area and greeted the people waiting for their loved ones. She also inspected the flow of vehicles coming in and out at the departure area of the airport.

CEBU CITY -- Unlike several countries, the Philippines is still free from the dreaded killer disease more popularly known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS.

This was the good news relayed by Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this afternoon during the teleconference that followed the Command Conference for the Philippine National Police officers in Regions 6, 7 and 8 and the Armed Forces of the Philippines at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug City.

In his report, Dayrit said that while countries and territories like China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and the United Stated have recorded various cases of the dreaded disease, there has been no single documented case in the Philippines as reported by the World Health Organization.

In that WHO report, Dayrit said that of the 1,323 SARS cases reported in 14 countries, China recorded 792 cases, Hong Kong 316, Vietnam 58, Singapore 74 and the United States 40.

The Health Secretary told the President that in compliance with her instructions, the DOH had already put in place all measures and strategy to prevent the spread of the infection.

Dayrit assured the President that in the event the disease finds its way into the country, the DOH will quickly identify and contain the source of the infection.

"So this strategy has worked very well," he said. "We have a coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment as well as with our consulates abroad, particularly the consulate in Hong Kong."

He also informed the President that all nine overseas Filipino workers in Singapore who had been infected by the disease have survived and in good condition.

He also said that of the three Filipina domestic helpers reported afflicted with SARS in Hong Kong, one is dead and the other two are in critical condition.

The DOH Secretary advised Filipinos to postpone any travel plans to countries with prevalent cases of SARS.

CEBU CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on media to do their part in the fight against terrorism by depriving the terrorists of the benefit of glorified coverage and publicity.

She also asked media to help the government in maintaining calm, sobriety, prudence and solidarity in society and to support the implementation of policies and programs in the fight against terrorists.

During a command conference of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police regional offices in the Visayas, the President likewise ordered the Office of the Press Secretary and the Philippine Information Agency to maintain close and constructive contact with the media "in the pursuit of our common objective."

She then asked the OPS and PIA, which are both headed by Press Secretary Hernani Braganza, to arrange periodic briefings "to bring the media into the loop of collective action and information."

The President noted that armed groups ranged against the government as well as their allies in the streets are engaged in the more strident and militant campaign to challenge the government and to sow rumors and disinformation.

The President said "it is important for our people to be aware of the truth, to resist any and all attempts to sow panic or irrational fear."

"It is important for us – police and civilians, national officials and local government officials, executive and legislative, government and citizenry…to close ranks in meeting the crisis," she said.

CEBU CITY—An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 job opportunities in the Middle East are awaiting skilled and non-skilled Filipino workers once the war ends in Iraq.

This was the report made by special envoy retired General Roy Cimatu, head of the Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT), to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this afternoon during the teleconference at the Philippine National Police – Armed Forces of the Philippines command conference at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug City.

"The Kuwaiti government has nice words for the OFWs because they were the ones who stood by the Kuwaiti government in their crisis. And I should expect a lot of workers will be needed in Kuwait and Iraq," Cimatu said during the telephone conversation with the President.

Cimatu informed the President that one or two months after the war, the reconstruction will start and probably a massive demand for workers.

"In fact, there are a lot of money already allotted for rehabilitation and reconstruction for Iraq and this will be in the form of structures that have been destroyed or additional infrastructure that may be used for further development," Cimatu said.

Cimatu added that some oil refineries destroyed during the armed conflict would be improved and these are potential sources of job opportunities for the overseas Filipino workers.

He also inform the President that the Kuwaiti government will be needing semi-skilled workers after workers from other countries left their jobs before the war.