Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev will arrive Monday for a three-day state visit to Manila.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will officially welcome the 63-year-old President and his wife Sara Alpysovna Nazarbayeva with the customary arrival ceremonies at the Malacaņang Palace grounds on Tuesday morning.

After the signing of the Malacanang Guest Book, the visiting dignitary will then have a private meeting with the President at the Music Room of Malacaņang, to be followed by an expanded bilateral meeting.

The two leaders are expected to witness the signing of some agreements between the Philippines and Kazakhstan.

The President and her guest will then hold a joint press conference at about noontime Tuesday.

The President will host a state dinner for Nazarbayev and his official party at 7:30 p.m. at the State Dining Room.

The Republic of Kazakhstan is situated in the heart of Eurasian continent and has a land area of about 2,717,300 square kilometers.

It is the ninth largest country in the world, after Russia, China, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and Australia.

The country has a total population of 15 million but its capital, Astana, has a population of only 500,000.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared December 1-7 as National Press Congress Week and December 1-31 as the Month of Publishers, Editors, Writers, Community Journalists and Broadcasters in the Service of the Nation.

Proclamation No. 496, which the President signed Tuesday (Nov. 4, 2003), seeks to focus public attention on the role of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) in upholding press freedom and the dignity of journalism and publishing profession.

The PAPI is a professional organization dedicated to the promotion and defense of press freedom and to the lofty ideals of journalism as a public service, especially in the countryside.

The PAPI has spearheaded the holding every first week of December of the National Press Congress, which is considered as the biggest gathering of print and broadcast media in the country, since the organization was established in l976.

The theme of this year’s congress is "Imperative of National Renewal and Progress: An Urgent Challenge."

On Friday, at the 29^th top level management conference of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, the President said that her government is fully committed to defend press freedom.

"Press freedom is meant to secure the welfare not so much of the media, but of the citizens and the public interest. We are committed to press freedom despite the excesses of the media," the President said.

In that forum, the President also announced that the government is offering P1 million reward money for every solution of the killing of a newsman.

MACTAN-BENITO EBUEN AIR BASE, CEBU CITY—The private Lear Jet bearing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her party touched down here at 11:55 a.m. today.

On hand to meet the President were top Cebu political and military leaders led by Cebu City Congressmen Raul Del Mar (North District), Antonio Cuenco (South District), Jose Gullas (First District), Central Command (CenCom) chief, Maj. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, and Police Regional Office 7 Chief Supt. Robert Delfin.

From here, the President proceeded to the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort where she delivered a keynote speech before some 150 delegates of the World Bank-sponsored 2003 Consultative Group Meeting for the Philippines.

This is the president's second visit to Cebu in less than a month.

Later this afternoon, the President will proceed to Cebu City to unveil the marker of a halfway house for drug dependents at the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The President is expected to be at the 6,000-seater Mandaue City Cultural and Sports complex around 2:30 p.m. for a multi-sectoral meeting.

She will speak before members of urban poor organizatons, Muslim communities, business sector, senior citizens, the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation, barangay officials and city officials and employees.

It will be her first visit to Mandaue City since she assumed the presidency.

The last time she was in Mandaue City was in 1999 when she graced a milk-feeding program in Barangay Looc when she was still the vice president and at the same time DSWD secretary.

Malacanang today ordered a thorough investigation into the aborted takeover of the control tower of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial Terminal 2 even as it stressed that there was a need for a swift and decisive action to resolve the crisis.

In a statement that she issued before her departure for Cebu City this morning, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that nothing will ever justify the taking over of an international airport control tower and prejudice the lives of air passengers.

"There can be absolutely no excuse to terrorize the public in this manner," the President emphasized.

The President also said that aviation security personnel, who conducted the assault operations, acted under "firmly established contingency plans and procedures to protect our national security."

"I commend the swift and decisive response of our aviation security units to this incident," the President said

The President said that the situation has been resolved and security and operational facilities and procedures in the NAIA were uninterrupted.

"I am glad that after a spate of high alarm, all passengers, guests and airport personnel are out of harm’s way. I assure our people and the world that our airport is safe and sound," the President said.

In a press briefing, Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza said that the assault operation was necessary since the control tower is the heart of the aviation operation in any airport.

"He who controls the tower, controls the flights, the landing, the taking off of an aircraft within the NAIA complex," Mendoza said.

Mendoza also allayed fears that the incident was part of a destabilization campaign or of a conspiracy to grab power similar to the July 27 failed Oakwood mutiny in Makati City.

"Based on our initial information, we concluded that this is an isolated case, that this is nothing but a police operation to arrest an armed intruder, sitting in a very critical infrastructure," Mendoza said.

Mendoza said that there was a need for a swift action since the intruders were armed and had barricaded themselves inside the control tower.

The arresting officers, Mendoza said, had to use plastic bombs to gain entry into the barricaded steel door that leads to the control tower.

He said that when the door was finally blasted, the arresting officers were met with a volley of shots. "Ang sumalubong sa kanila ay putok na, kaya putukan na (What met them were shots, so there was an exchange of fire)," Mendoza said

Mendoza also belied earlier claims made by some broadcasters that the intruders shouted that they were willing to surrender. He said the arresting officers did not hear any such shouts, prompting them to blast the door.

He said that early this morning when the incident happened, he was ordered by the President to resolve the situation since the airport is within the supervisory jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation and Communication.

According to Mendoza, the arresting team was composed of elements of the special operations group of the Aviation Security Group.

Mendoza said that Captain Panfilo Villaruel, who was one of the two armed intruders, was familiar with the area having been a former assistant secretary assigned to the Air Transportation Office (ATO).

When asked whether Villaruel had been in cahoots with some people inside the control tower considering that he and his companion were able to get inside fully armed, Mendoza said that it could be possible.

LAPULAPU CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that she will abide by any decision of the Supreme Court on the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.

In her keynote speech at the closing ceremony of the World Bank-sponsored 2003 Consultative Group Meeting for the Philippines held at the Shangri-la Mactan Hotel here, the President said the Supreme Court is the "ultimate arbiter and interpreter of the law and the Constitution."

The President said, however, that she was gratified that the leaders of both the high tribunal and the House of Representatives are "earnestly considering" the draft covenant that she has submitted to ensure a principled solution to the impasse.

Under the covenant, the President said, the principled solution that she had envisioned would adhere to the constitutional processes and strengthen, rather than weaken, the country’s democratic institutions.

The President said that this mechanism would show that there should be no doubt as to the country’s permanent political stability.

"The present challenges have not diminished our world or our ability to push on. We will work with more determination to meet our goals," the President said.

She said that she is determined to heal the divisions in Philippine society.

In her speech, the President also announced that the short-lived takeover of the control tower of the Centennial Terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been resolved.

Magandang araw sa inyong lahat.

Ang sitwasyon sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport ay nalutas na. Kailanman ay walang magbibigay katwiran sa pag-take over ng isang international airport control tower na naglalagay sa panganib sa mga pasahero ng eroplano. Wala ring kadahi-dahilan para sindakin ang publiko sa ganitong paraan.

Pinupuri ko ang mabilis at desididong tugon ng ating aviation security units sa insidenteng ito. Kumilos sila ng naaayon sa matatag na nakahandang contingency plans para protektahan ang ating pambansang seguridad. Ako’y nagagalak na matapos ang naging hudyat na alarma lahat ng mga pasahero, mga bisita, at mga tauhan ng airport ay ligtas. Tinitiyak ko sa ating mamamayan at sa buong mundo na ang ating paliparan ay ligtas at matatag ang mga pasilidad at patakaran ng seguridad at pangangasiwa ay patuloy at hindi naabala.

Samantala ang patuloy na impeachment controversy ay isang napaka-sensitibong usapin. Ako ay nagmungkahi ng solusyon sa pamamagitan ng isang covenant o kasunduan. Anuman ang magiging desisyon ng Supreme Court tungkol sa kaso ng impeachment, ang executive branch ay sasangayon dito. Ang Korte Suprema ang huling taga-husga sa interpretasyon ng batas, kaya dapat nating kilalanin at igalang ang pasya nito dahil ito ang hinihingi ng pambansang interes batay sa konstitusyon.

Tulad ko, ang ibang mga pinuno ng ating bansa ay ginagawa ang lahat para matapos na ang kontrobersiyang ito kaya naman, hinihiling ko sa ating mga kababayan na manatiling kalmado dahil wala naman tayong dapat ikabahala. Huwag nating hayaang ang ating mga emosyon ay mangibabaw sa batas. Kung ang kontrobersiyang ito ay magkakaroon ng tamang kalutusan, maari pa nga itong maging isang shining moment sa ating demokrasya na maghahatid sa atin sa mas mataas na antas ng katatagang pulitikal.

Magkakaroon din ng pagbabago ang dalawang gabinete sa dalawang kadahilanan. Una, ilan sa mga miyembro nito ang nagbabalak tumakbo sa darating na eleksyon. At pangalawa, para maghanda sa ilang mga programang pang-reporma.

Ipagpatuloy natin ang ating mga regular na gawain at ipaubaya sa mga constitutional institutions ang pagresolba sa anumang isyung nasa kanilang hurisdiksyon. Sila ay may sapat na kakayahan para tugunan ang mga usaping kanilang kinahaharap. Hayaan natin silang mapayapang tuparin ang kanilang tungkulin at iwasan nating gumawa ng mga bagay na makakagambala sa kanilang mga trabaho.

Ipagpatuloy din natin ang pagmatyag ng sa ganon ay maagapan kaagad ng mga awtoridad ang anumang masamang pangyayari.

Assistant Secretary Nilo C. Jatico of the Air Transportation Office (ATO) today stressed that the operations conducted by the Aviation Security Group against the armed intruders at the control tower of the Centennial Terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was in accordance with international regulations.

Jatico, former head of the Air Logistics Command of the Philippine Air Force based at Clark Air Base, said that being a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Philippines was duty-bound to act to resolve what he termed as "unlawful interference" in NAIA’s operations.

He said that the ICAO, a United Nations body, expressly calls for the "safeguarding of all international civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference."

Jatico said the takeover of the NAIA control tower was a clear unlawful interference in the operations of the airport that could result to a disaster of "an unimaginable proportion" that could even surpass the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

He explained that disabling the facilities in the control tower could result in the loss of command direction for incoming aircraft that could lead to collision and other related air disasters.

LAPU-LAPU CITY – Despite adversities in the global economy and some internal concerns, the Philippines achieved the highest growth rate during the 1997 Asian crisis and is expected to have the sixth highest growth rate for this year among the 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Council (APEC) region.

This was revealed today by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she keynoted the closing ceremony of the World Bank-sponsored 2003 Consultative Group Meeting for the Philippines held at the Shangrila-Mactan Island Resort here.

Saying that as she heals the divisions of society, the country will be able to position itself better in the face of the improved opportunities for growth due to its strong fiscal position in the first half of the year.

"We have fortified our macro-economic fundamentals amidst this fluctuations of global markets," she said." And despite the uncertainties brought about by the Iraq war, the SARS scare and the perennial threat of terrorism, we smoothened out the economic wrinkles brought about by politically motivated attempts to destabilize the country in the last few months. And last week, we saw our stock market index at its 20 month high," the President said.

She said strong fundamentals have kept the economy on a sustained growth as inflation remained tame.

"In fact, the three per cent average inflation rate from January to September is much lower than our projections," she stressed. She added that "Meantime, our interest rates have been contained below the target for this the year."

She stressed that her administration will maintain good macro economic management and institute more reforms that will allow the country to withstand future economic disturbances and enable the most disadvantaged sectors to be more active in the country’s economic life.

In the latest World Bank report on the Philippines, Robert Vance Pulley, Country Director of the World Bank Philippines, noted, "the country is understandably proud of its continued achievement of reasonable economic growth of about four percent in the first half of 2003 in spite of adverse global developments, sporadic conflicts in Mindanao, political uncertainty and investor concerns regarding fiscal sustainability."

The report noted that the national government's fiscal position through August 2003 improved as expenditure was contained in real terms "despite higher interest payments and revenue was up by over 12 percent through August as a result of sustained efforts to improve tax administration."

In her keynote speech, President Macapagal-Arroyo revealed that changing circumstances have caused the government to modify its strategies.

"For instance, our fiscal scenario has prompted us to shy away from excessive loan assistance," she said. "With our increased absorptive capacity of the credits and grants of ODA and the improved monitoring of projects, we will get better at infrastructure delivery and capability building programs and we have indeed gotten better as the World Bank itself has acknowledged."

MANDAUE CITY – A total of $2 billion has been pledged by donors and investors during the World Bank-sponsored 2003 Consultative Group Meeting for the Philippines at the Shangrila-Mactan Island Resort in Lapu Lapu City, an amount which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said was much higher than expected.

This was revealed by the President in a media briefing at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Center where she also addressed a multi-sectoral assembly.

The President explained that the government has become more selective of projects due to a fiscal scenario "that has prompted us to shy away from excessive loan assistance."

She assured, however, that while being selective, her administration has made sure that the project selected will be implemented quickly and smoothly as possible putting to use the lessons of the past.

"With our increased absorptive capacity of the credits and grants of ODA (Official Development Assistance) and improved monitoring of projects, we will get better at infrastructure delivery and capability building programs and we have indeed gotten better as the World Bank itself has acknowledged," she said.

The President told media that she had instructed Housing Secretary Mike Defensor to fast track the construction of medium-rise buildings in Look, Mandaue amounting to P100 million.

During the multi-sectoral assembly earlier, the President distributed certificates of full payment to 18 of the 631 housing beneficiaries of Candyman employees who have completed their requirements.

She also released a check for P1 million for the Cebu Federation Dairy Cooperative under the "One Town, One Product, One Million" Program.

The President received a manifestation of support from the Mandaue Sangguniang Kabataan Federation headed by Christabel Ouano-Quizon and the Mandaue Neighborhood Association, whose members were among the more than 10,000 who jammed the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Center to see the President.

Before coming over here, the President inaugurated the Halfway House at the DSWD Region VII compound in Bgy. Carreta, Cebu City where she unveiled the marker and inspected the facilities for drug dependents undergoing rehabilitation.

There, she ordered the release of P1 million as loan assistance which was received by Mark Jimenez of Ark Data and Communications Services and witnessed by Cebu Congressman Raul del Mar.

MANDAUE CITY – Unless probably investigation shows otherwise, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo believes Capt. Panfilo Villaruel’s short-lived takeover of the control tower of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early this morning was more of a personal act.

"The military in fact acted very swiftly and there has been no movement detected as a follow-up of this activity," the President said in answer to a question on whether the incident was part of yet another military adventurism.

In a press briefing following a multi-sectoral assembly she graced at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Center here, the President admitted that he knew Capt. Villaruel personally and that she thought "he was a friend."

In Manila, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that there may have been some personal reasons for Villaruel to do such an act. He said he believes the incident is not related to any power grab attempt or plot whatsoever.

"Walang ganyang indikasyon (There’s no such indication)," Bunye stressed during a radio interview. "Ang katunayan ay mayroon tayong hawak na transcript nung pinakahuling interview ni Col. Villaruel sa isang himpilan at ang sinasabi niya ay mukhang personal complaints ni Col. Villaruel (Fact is, we have in our hands a transcript of the latest radio interview of Col. Villaruel where he mouths what looks like personal complaints)."

The transcript, Bunye said, reveals several complaints, among them his invention of a helicopter made of wood which Villaruel said was not given much attention. It also tells of some general complaints like poor folks who resort to sniffing rugby just to be able to escape their problems.

Bunye said Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza admitted there has been a breach of security at the Air Transportation Office (ATO) but he has already ordered a thorough probe of the incident

"It’s only proper perhaps that we have a review of the security procedures at the airport tower which is a very vital installation," Bunye said.