More than anything else, the state visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Washington, D.C. has laid the foundation of a more mature Philippine-American relationship for decades to come based on mutual respect and reciprocal trust.

Officials who formed part of the presidential entourage have described the visit as an "overwhelming success," because the benefits derived from that visit were beyond their expectations.

A fact sheet issued by the officials showed that the package of benefits on bilateral cooperation in such areas as defense and security, poverty alleviation, economic development, and assistance on financing by multilateral financial institutions, as well as pledges of new investments, was worth some $4.09 billion.

This was indeed beyond the expectations of the Philippine government.

But the President did not want to dwell on this achievement. In fact, she got upset every time someone asked her how much her administration is getting out of the visit in terms of US dollars.

The President said she went on a state visit to Washington not to beg but to lay the strategic basis of Philippine-US relations based on more trade, not aid; reciprocity, not mendicancy; and mutuality, not exclusivity.

In a closer economic engagement between the two countries, the benefits to be derived by the Filipino people would be far greater than the price tag that comes with it, the President said.

For example, the President said, more than the $1 billion that could be derived in tax perks after the inclusion of such Philippine products as carrageenin, pineapple juice and tuna, in the US generalized system of preference (GSP), are the prospects of increased employment opportunities and income for the people of Mindanao directly involved in these products.

Because their produce have now greater access to the American market through the GSP, the seaweed farmers of Tawi-Tawi, the tuna fishermen of General Santos City and the pineapple growers of Central Mindanao can now have a better life.

And this kind of economic assistance from the US goes beyond fighting the Abu Sayyaf because this is geared towards the advancement of the lives of Muslim Filipinos in the most depressed areas in Mindanao, which have become the breeding ground for recruits of terrorism, the President said.

The significance of classifying the Philippines as a major ally of the US outside of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is another example of how a long-term goal could not be appreciated immediately.

Being a major non-NATO ally (MNNA) of the US means the Philippines is now eligible to receive excess military equipment and supplies from the US, a big boost to our defense establishment, especially in the fight against terrorism.

The President said that this classification paves the way for a stronger partnership with the US for a more secure Philippines, a more secure region and a more secure world.

According to the President, during her state visit, as well in her other foreign trips, one of her major concerns was to attract more foreign investors into the country to generate employment opportunities for the Filipino people.

In fact, it was the purpose of her one-day sidetrip to New York where she met with chief executive officers (CEOs) of top US corporations, mostly in the information and technology (IT) sector, who have pledged to set up more call centers in the Philippines.

She also met with US companies projected to invest in the reconstruction of Iraq that offers a broad range of opportunities for the Filipino workers.

"Jobs are my main concern. We go worldwide with greater zeal because we want to expand the quest for jobs through greater market access that will come as a result of our closer economic engagement with such countries as the US," the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the governments of the Philippines and the United States have reinvigorated and improved their partnership on a range of mutual interests.

In a speech during the signing of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacaņang, the President noted how her state visit last week to the US enhanced the "enduring bonds of friendship, alliance and common interest between our two sovereign nations."

The President said she and US President George W. Bush have "articulated a new partnership based on a range of mutual interests that now include a vision for the strategic role the Philippines place in Asia and in the global stage."

"The partnership between the Philippines and America is mirrored in the amity and cooperation between our two governments which in turn reflect the historic and social bonds between the Filipino and American peoples," she said.

The President reported that "America has been generous with our political needs and America has also been warm and wise in honoring the uniqueness and humanity of our nation."

She added: "Before critics devalue this achievement, before political contenders cast partisan doubts on the advancement of our nation and before controversy confuses the high-minded purpose of this national enterprise, let us pause and join our people in congratulating themselves" for the state visit that truly honors respect for women, caring for children, and the resilience of the Filipino people.

She said the US recognized and appreciated "a friend" with such sterling qualities.

Pinpoint responsibility, mete out the necessary sanction, make sure there’s just compensation to the victims, and take pre-emptive measures so that this doesn’t happen again.

These were the orders issued today by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as she expressed sadness over the collision between the Manila-bound MV San Nicolas and the Cebu-bound WG&A's Super Ferry 12 off Corregidor Island on Sunday which she branded as "another blackeye in maritime safety."

"It’s ironic because sea transport is a fundamental aspect of the economy," said the President in her speech during the ceremonial signing of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 in Malacaņang.

"These perennial accidents can and must be stopped," the President stressed, calling to mind the series of sea disasters that have hit the country, including the collision between the ferry Dona Paz and the oil tanker Vector on December 29, 1987 off Mindoro which came to be known as the world’s worst peacetime maritime tragedy where more than 4,000 people died.

"I’m directing the maritime authorities to get to the bottom of this incident and submit a complete report within 15 days," an irate President said, at the same time warning them about the strict enforcement of navigation rules and the fitness of pilots of commercial vessels.

In her first official public act since returning from a successful state visit to the United States on Sunday, the President went to the Coast Guard headquarters to personally look into the situation of the victims. On the spot, she ordered an immediate investigation into the sea tragedy, assuring that those responsible for the tragedy will not go unpunished.

She also raised the question why the wooden-hulled vessel’s crew and owners allowed unmanifested passengers on board and asked who were the ones responsible for enforcing the law and rules on maritime travel and safety

"We must pinpoint responsibility and mete out the necessary sanction," the President reiterated in her speech today in Malacanang.

"Let’s make sure there’s just compensation to the victims," she went on, "and we must take pre-emptive measures so that this won’t happen again."

She said: "I deeply sympathize with the families of those who perished in yesterday’s tragedy."

"May mananagot (those responsible will be punished)," the President assured the survivors of the sea disaster involving the San Nicolas and the Super Ferry 12.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today signed into law Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, sending a strong signal that the days of people who exploit women and children are numbered.

"Itong batas ay nagbibigay ng babala na ang pangkabuhayan ng ating mga kababaihan at mga bata ay bubuti, hindi sa pagsasamantala sa kanila, kundi ang pagbibigay ng karapatan sa kababaihan at edukasyon sa mga bata (The law assures that the lives of Filipino women and children will get better, not because they are exploited, but because women exercise their rights and children get education)," the President said.

In a speech during the signing of RA 9208 at Malacanang’s Ceremonial Hall, the President stressed that the new law imposed heavy penalties against violators.

The President said "we can now inform the world and ourselves that the Filipino people already know the abusive jobs and legal jobs, because we already know the distinction between illegal and legitimate jobs."

"This law also strengthens our republic. A strong republic is an effective state that helps the poorest of the poor and weak people, providing them the power to abolish the structure that deprives them," she said.

The law provided that:

• Any person found guilty of committing acts enumerated in Section 4 on "Acts of Trafficking Persons" suffer the penalty of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than P1 million but not more than P2 million;
• Any person found guilty of committing acts enumerated in Section 5 on "Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons" shall suffer imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P1 million;
• Any person found guilty of trafficking under Section 6 on "Qualified Trafficking in Persons" shall suffer a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than P2 million but not more than P5 million;
• Any person who violates Section 7 on "Confidentiality" of this Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of six years and a fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P1 million;
• If the offender is a corporation, association, establishment or any juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the owner, president, partner, manager and/or any responsible officer who participated in the commission of the crime or who shall have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent its commission;
• The registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission and license to operate of the erring agency, corporation shall be cancelled and revoked permanently; the owner, president, partner or manager thereof shall not be allowed to operate similar establishments under a different name;
• If the offender is a foreigner, he shall immediately be deported after serving sentence and may be permanently barred from entering the country;
• Any government employee or official found guilty of the enumerated acts under Section 5 on "Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons" shall be dismissed from the service, barred permanently to hold public office and his/her retirement and other benefits shall be forfeited;
• Conviction of an adopter for any offense under this Act shall result in the immediate rescission of the decree of adoption.

The law also provided that any person who buys or engages the services of trafficked persons for prostitution shall likewise be penalized; any trafficked person or victim shall be entitled to the Witness Protection Program of the government; and the government shall establish and implement preventive protection and rehabilitation programs for trafficked persons.

It added that the trafficked persons in the Philippines who are nationals of a foreign country should be entitled to appropriate protection, assistance and services available.

The law tasked the government to create an Inter-Agency Council to be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Justice as chairperson and the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as co-chairperson.

Council members include the secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment; administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration; director of the Philippine National Police; chairperson of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women; and three representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGO) composed of one representative each from among the sectors representing women, overseas Filipino workers, and children.

The council shall formulate a comprehensive and integrated program to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons, promulgate rules and regulations, and monitor and oversee the strict implementation of the Act.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Continuous harassment by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels of civilians who have returned to their homes are forcing refugees to go back to evacuation centers and swell their number.

This was noted by Director Vilma Cabrera of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s National Operation Office following published reports on the status of evacuees in areas affected by the ongoing conflict between the military and the MILF.

Cabrera, however, emphasized that the 318,000 refugee figures quoted in the newspapers are not indicative of the actual statistics in the evacuation centers, saying the figures included those who were displaced by the AFP pursuit operations against Kidnap-for-Ransom gangs in PIkit, North Cotabato last February.

She said that based on DSWD records, a total of 69,530 families or 356,893 people have been served by the government agency in various evacuation centers in Regions IX, X, XI, XII and ARMM since the start of the year.

It is possible, she said, that the same persons were served several times.

"If what we’re talking about, however, is the number of evacuees that was a direct result of the ongoing punitive action by the military, I’m sure very low ‘yan."

In Region IX and ARMM, for example, the DSWD reported no additional evacuees since the start of the latest AFP operations that was launched last May 17.

She said statistics on the total number of evacuees since May 17 when the AFP launched its newest operations will be made available as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the continuing harassment of civilians by the MILF in South Central Mindanao drew the ire of Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, Commanding General of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division, who said the pursuit operations against the 95 MILF members who have standing arrest warrants will continue.

"I want to make it clear that the continuing atrocities being committed by the MILF gives us no choice but to protect both the state and the people against acts of terrorism from any group," Senga said.