Simultaneous flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies in Pandacan and Tanauan City in Batangas will usher today’s nationwide commemoration of the Death Centenary of Apolinario Mabini with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice President Teofisto Guingona as guest of honors respectively.

The President, through Proclamation 377, has declared a day of remembering for the national hero also known as the Sublime Paralytic for leaving "an enduring legacy to our people."

The Proclamation means all flags of government buildings and installations throughout the country will be flown at half-mast.

The President has appointed the National Historical Institute under chair Ambeth Ocampo and Executive Director Ludovico Badoy to spearhead the commemoration under the theme, "Mabini: Sandigan ng Matatag na Republika."

The Chief Executive will lead the celebration at the Mabini Shrine in Pandacan. She will be introduced in her speech by Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople.

Postmaster General Diomedio Villanueva will also present the Mabini Centenarry Stamps and Commemorative Medal following the welcome remarks by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

In attendance at the Mabini Shrine in Tanuan City with Vice President Guingona will be Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, Rep. Victoria Hernandez-Reyes, Tanauan Mayor Alfredo C. Corona, the Kaanak ng Bayaning Pilipino, Descendants of the Heroes of the Filipino-American War and other provincial and city officials.

Mabini served in the First Republic Cabinet as President of the Council of Secretaries and as Secretary of Foreign Affairs. He penned most of President Emilio Aguinaldo’s decrees.

An important document he produced was the "Programa Constitucional de la Republica Filipina," a proposed constitution for the first Philippine Republic. An introduction to the draft of the Constitution was the "El Verdadero Decalogo," written to arouse the patriotic spirit of the people.

Various programs are in store for today’s commemoration, including a Paligsahan sa Makabayang Pag-awit at the Leandro Locsin Auditorium in Intramuros, an "Alay Kay Mabini" concert at the Mabini Shrines in Pandacan and Tanauan, and a stage play on Mabini’s Life and Heroism also in both shrines.

Malacanang today called on the 100 participants to the Presidential Youth Fellowship Program to be the role models in society in the fight to restore morality and decency in government.

Participants to the First Presidential Youth Fellowship Program under the National Youth Commission (NYC) were chosen from among the top university and college graduates nationwide to provide a venue for the young people to directly help the government in the implementation of the administration’s eight-point agenda.

From May 11 to 19, the participants would be given lectures on the eight-point agenda of the government. Afterwards, they would undergo a two-week internship in the different government offices, including the Office of the President.

During the second day of the fellowship program in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye congratulated the chosen presidential youth fellows consisting of very intelligent, very active and very promising young men and women.

"Rightfully, we can consider all of you as role models whom the other youths can emulate," Bunye said.

Bunye told the participants that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo believes in transparency and full accountability. "She keeps on reminding us that public office is a public trust, and all government officials must at all times be accountable to the people. This core belief enshrined in our Constitution is one of several guiding principles upon which our President is building a strong Republic," Bunye said.

In addition to transparency, Bunye said the President believes that the people must be bold in realizing the national ambition to win the fight against poverty within the decade; improve moral standards in government and society in order to provide a strong foundation for good governance; and change the character of our politics in order to create social ground for true reforms.

"Our politics of personality and patronage must give way to a new politics of party programs and process of dialogue with the people," Bunye said.

Bunye also told the young leaders that the President believes in leadership by example and in promoting solid traits such as work ethics and a dignified lifestyle and performance rather than grandstanding.

Bunye said the government’s goal of transparency in its transaction could be best attained by keeping the people informed.

"The President believes very strongly that an informed citizenry is an effective and empowered citizenry. And what better way to keep the people informed of the programs of government than to literally and figuratively open its doors and corridors to the people," Bunye said

Bunye told the young participants that the open house and open door fellowship program would provide them the exposure and training and gives flesh to the administration’s policy on transparency.

I admire the people of Siocon (Zamboanga del Norte) and Maigo (Lanao del Norte) for their valiant effort to pick up the pieces of their lives. While we grieve for the victims of terrorism, there is a time for rising up again and restoring what have been destroyed.

We must never allow terrorism to permanently damage the institutions of our community, the institutions of law and order, solidarity, and economic progress. To do so would mean a surrender to evil, and enable it to strike again with impunity.

I have come here to help in the immediate task of community restoration.

We have already released the resources to repair the damaged facilities. I have ordered the release of P5 million for the immediate reconstruction of your palengke (market). I understand that Gov. Isagani Amatong is starting to clear the area to pave the way for the immediate start of the construction.

The infrastructure program will be looked into by the GEM program of the USAID like some farm-to-market roads and the upgrading of your pier facilities.

I have also requested Smart to put up a temporary cell site to assist in the communications needs of the community.

Ang mga programa alang sa kauswagan sa (Programs for the) SSSB region is about P800 million worth.

We are also seeing to the immediate needs of the families of the victims. I have directed the Quedancor and Land Bank to provide start-up capital for small enterprises.

I salute the soldiers and policemen who gave up their lives in the defense of the community.

To support the young children of the eight policemen and army personnel who were killed, we have approved the scholarship trust fund in the amount of P400,000 so that their children will have the opportunity to go to school.

It is important to us to get the pace of normal livelihood and business moving.

Terrorism is the worst form of dictatorship. It aims for the total submission, total subjugation and total defeat of human freedom.

We shall strengthen the military and the police units in Siocon and Maigo to protect the people.

This is a tragic scene that has repeated itself in Mindanao over the past months.

It is a sad price we have to pay to fight terrorism and once more, I condole with the families of the victims. I am deeply aggrieved by these continuing acts of inhumanity.

We have warned our people about this but we know that the innocent would never expect such a depredation to be committed upon a most peaceful community.

This is blackmail of the highest order. This is an attempt to force us to seek peace in the hope that we can buy time, and allow the terrorists to spite us even more.

We have patiently tried the road of principled peace talks but we have been rebuffed by bombing after bombing.

There are well-meaning leaders who believe that we must take that road at all costs, but I cannot take the perpetual risk of putting the life of Filipinos in graver peril.

There is an obvious link between the attacks on isolated civilian communities, on the one hand, and urban bombings, on the other, both of which are terrorist acts.

Time is running out for the MILF to prove its sincerity in the peace process.

It must cut the double talk and make a clear statement on whether it is allied with the Abu Sayyaf and foreign terrorist groups such as the Jemaah Islamiya or the Al-Qaeda, or unequivocally reject them.

The MILF can no longer hide behind a veil of legitimacy under the growing suspicion that it is involved in the entire web of terrorism, domestically and regionally.

Even as we hold the option of peace talks open, we will hunt down the bombers of Koronadal and step up our punitive action against terrorist bands victimizing innocent communities.

The stakes are escalating. I ask our people to step up their vigilance in tandem with the punitive operation now being undertaken by the government.

All local government units are put on notice to step up contingency plans and assume full vigilance.

Malacanang today said that an inter-agency committee would meet within the week to decide on the reported willingness of the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) to negotiate with the government in resolving the issue of the NAIA-3 terminal project.

In his regular press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said, however, that what the government has been saying all along is that the earlier the matter is taken out of court, the better for all of us.

"Enough time and enough opportunities have already been wasted," Bunye said.

In a statement released earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the government is ready to handle "all attendant problems" in the Piatco case under effective guidance of transparency, fairness and full protection of the public interest.

Bunye said that Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza "is very much on top of the situation" and would have something to report to Malacanang after the scheduled meeting of the committee on May 15.

He said that aside from Mendoza, the other members of the committee are Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino Cruz, and Justice Undersecretary Manuel Teehankee.

"I believe during their next meeting, they may have a recommendation to the President," Bunye said.

KORONADAL CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today dared the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to show its true color and to tell the world if it is a terror group or if it rejects terrorism.

In a statement here, the President said "(the MILF) must cut the double talk and make a clear statement on whether it is allied with the Abu Sayyaf and foreign terrorist groups such as the Jemaah Islamiya or the Al-Qaeda, or unequivocally reject them."

The MILF had been tagged as responsible for last Saturday’s bomb blast at the public market here. The blast killed and wounded at least 50 people.

The President said the atrocity was "blackmail of the highest order, an attempt to force us to seek peace in the hope that we can buy time, and allow the terrorists to spite us even more."

She noted how the government had patiently tried the road of principled peace talks, "but we have been rebuffed by bombing after bombing."

While there were sincere leaders who believed that the road to peace should be taken at all cost, the President insisted that she could not take the perpetual risk of putting the life of Filipinos in graver peril.

She cited the obvious link between attacks on isolated civilian communities and urban bombings, tagging them as terrorist acts.

She challenged the MILF to prove its sincerity in the peace process.

"Time is running out for the MILF to prove its sincerity in the peace process," she said.

"The MILF can no longer hide behind a veil of legitimacy under the growing suspicion that it is involved in the entire web of terrorism, domestically and regionally," she noted.

The President vowed that "even as we hold the option of peace talks open, we will hunt down the bombers of Koronadal and step up our punitive action against terrorist bands victimizing innocent communities."

As this developed, she rallied the people to step up their vigilance in tandem with the government’s all-out punitive action against the terrorists. She said the "stakes are escalating."

She enjoined media "to now desist from giving space or time for terrorist statements or overtures that plead a false cause, or are aimed to confuse and mislead our people."

"Let us not air terrorist propaganda in the guise of serving the end of objectivity," she said.

The President visited this booming city in South Cotabato today to personally look into the grim aftermath of last Saturday’s bombing at the public market here that left at least 50 persons either killed or wounded.

In a statement, the President said the bombing was "a tragic scene that has repeated itself in Mindanao over the past months… a sad price we have to pay to fight terrorism."

SIOCON, Zamboanga del Norte—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today announced that she has earmarked a total of P905.3 million for rehabilitation projects in conflict-affected areas in Zamboanga del Norte, particularly the Siocon, Sibuco, Sirawai and Baliguian complex.

During a visit here, the President met with local officials of Zamboanga del Norte led by Governor Isagani Amatong.

"We bleed for the victims of terrorism but there is a time for rising up again and restoring what has been destroyed," the President told some 4,000 residents of this town, which was ravaged by the May 4 rebel attack that left 22 people dead and scores injured.

Earlier, the President also declared the towns of Pikit and Carmen in North Cotabato as areas for rehabilitation.

The Mindanao National Initiative or Mindanao NATIN Program would provide P85.3 million worth of support to the projects in the SSSB area while P820 million would come from the Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds.

In a recent forum at the Manila Hotel attended by Muslim leaders, the President announced an initial P5.5-billion funding for Mindanao NATIN program to be implemented within 14 months for projects in Muslim areas in Mindanao.

On top of this, there is also the $1.4 billion of ODA funds for projects to be implemented in the next three to five years.

The Mindanao NATIN Program would provide:

• P5.2-million livelihood support through micro and small and medium enterprises (SME) credit, distance learning and demand-driven skills training programs;

• P8.9 million for small scale projects such as warehouses, dryers, health centers, school buildings, training centers, deep wells, and pedestrian bridges; and

• P71.2 million worth of local allocation for the ZAMBAS Integrated Agricultural Development Program for year 2003.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—The energetic President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today visited three provinces in Mindanao to show to the people that her administration is really sincere in its campaign to fight poverty and terrorism particularly in this region.

The President arrived at the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City around 8:30 in the morning via Lear jet and then transferred to a Bell helicopter to visit Sirawai town in Zamboanga del Norte.

In Sirawai, the President presided over a command conference at the headquarters of the 44^th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Tabak Division. After her meeting with the military officials, she flew to Siocon, also in Zamboanga del Norte.

Upon her arrival in Siocon, the President visited the wake of four policemen--SPO1 Nestor Dizon and SPO2s Manuel Tagaloguin, Espiridion Cardenas, and Sabeniano Timusa. The four were among the eight police officers killed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels during the May 4 siege in Siocon.

The President gave P100,000 financial assistance each to the families and scholarship grant to the children of the police and military officials killed during the MILF attack.

The President also announced that the Palarong Pambansa would still be conducted in Lanao del Norte although the final venue and date are still to be evaluated.