I understand the grief that the Villaruel family is undergoing. For a son, for a daughter, and for a wife – a father and a husband could do no wrong.

Visiting Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev last night expressed elation over the achievements of the Philippines, which he said, showed economic growth, political stability and religious concord in recent years.

Nazarbayev made the remarks during a toast he offered for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the state dinner tendered by the Filipino Chief Executive in his honor at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacaņang.

"The success of your country has a positive effect in preserving peace and stability, cooperation and development in the whole of Southeast Asia," remarked Nazarbayev, the first ever head of state from the Central Asian nation to visit the Philippines.

Speaking through an interpreter, Nazarbayev described the declaration of friendship and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Philippines as an important political document that should launch modern and mutually beneficial relations of the two nations.

The three-day state visit of of Nazarbayev ends today.

"I hope that the cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Philippines will serve the good of the people of the two countries and will continue in the spirit of full mutual understanding," he said.

President Macapagal-Arroyo, for her part, said she finds so many things in common between the two nations, which were on the opposite sides of the Cold War a long time ago.

Dressed in a blue suit, the President said both countries are multi-ethnic with many languages and cultures; with Christianity and Islam as their major religions; and share common resolve to defeat terrorism.

"The Philippines admires Kazakhstan for combating terrorism, especially considering that it has countries like Afghanistan and Iraq among its neighbors," the President said.

"We admire Kazakhstan for pursuing peace through interfaith dialogue. It is something that we also aspire to do and I commend Your Excellency’s recent efforts to promote a dialogue among religions by hosting the first Congress on World and Traditional Religions," she added in her pre-toast remarks.

Unlike the one tendered for American President George W. Bush last month, last night’s state dinner smacked of simplicity but nevertheless drew praise from the160 guests in the dinner that started at 7:30 p.m.

Among those in attendance were Former President and Mrs. Fidel Ramos, Senate President and Mrs. Drilon, House Speaker and Mrs. Jose de Venecia, Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary and Mrs. Blas Ople and Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Kassymzhomart Tokayev.

Orchids of various varieties adorned the central table leading to the hall while roses of various hues matched by five long candles each decorated the tables.

Dinner consisted of timbale of crabmeat for appetizer, cream of parsnips and roasted squash for soup, roasted black tiger prawns with Romesco almond sauce on young roast and upland vegetable for main course and mocca panna cotta cake for dessert.

Entertainment was provided by world-renowned theater artists Isay Alvarez and Robert Sena, award winning singer Ladine Roxas and the highly acclaimed Ballet Philippines, the country’s premier professional dance group and resident dance company.

Alvarez and Sena both starred in the West End Production of Miss Saigon while Roxas was the Grand Prix winner of the 12^th Voice of Asia contest held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on August 6 last year.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the creation of the Office of the President Executive Information Systems (OPEIS) to effectively strengthen bureaucracy and address the poverty issue.

The President issued Administrative Order no. 86 directing all government agencies, including local government units (LGUs), to give full assistance and cooperation in the creation of appropriate linkages of their existing electronic databases with the executive information system of the Office of the President.

"The government recognizes the vital role of communications and information in nation building and has directed the appropriate use of information and communications technology (ICT) as a priority initiative of the bureaucracy in support of the fight against poverty, effective bureaucracy and the strengthening of the Republic, " the President said.

President Macapagal-Arroyo said that there is a need for the Office of the President to be ensured of the timely availability of information resources from all government entities because of the critical nature of its work.

Under the AO, the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), which will be tasked to maintain the OPEIS, can call upon any government agency for cooperation and assistance as may be necessary in the upgrading of information of the OPEIS.

Once put in place, the OPEIS will allow the government to access vital information from any government agency or local government unit, which will be used to bolster its anti-poverty campaign, among others.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Secretary Hernani A. Braganza today said that there is no truth to reports that the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) is headed for a fallout.

"To say that Lakas-CMD is headed for a fallout after the impeachment crisis is simply not true," Braganza said in a statement.

Contrary to reports, Braganza said that the impeachment crisis only showed that Lakas-CMD could withstand the toughest political challenges.

"If at all, the impeachment crisis showed that Lakas and its allies can withstand the toughest of challenges if only to preserve the integrity of our most sacred institutions," Braganza said.

He said that to say that Lakas-CMD is headed for a fallout is a long step ahead of the primary objective of the efforts to resolve the impeachment crisis which is to keep the country intact and spare us from further political and economic turmoil.

"The ruling Lakas and its alliance with political and sectoral parties is stronger than ever because, as seen during the impeachment crisis, we have proven that we can work together for the sake of country—that we can set aside partisan political partnership for national unity," Braganza said.

It was reported that the ruling Lakas-CMD party is girding for fallout after it got the House of Representatives to abide by the Supreme Court ruling on the Davide impeachment case.

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. remained upbeat that all was not lost between Lakas and some of its allies, particularly the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC).

"We will build bridges of understanding," de Venecia said.

Congressman Robert Ace Barbers said that the impeachment issue is not that big to break up the coalition, saying that both Lakas and NPC should leave it behind since the two parties need each other in 2004.

The AMA Computer University, the biggest computer school in Asia, today expressed its full support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's leadership and commitment to provide Filipinos with quality education, particularly in the field of information and communications technology (ICT).

"Without government support, our country will not be able to realize the gains of ICT in this information-based society," said AMA founder Ambassador Amable Aguiluz V during the school’s 23rd founding anniversary at its main campus in Project 8, Quezon City.

Aguiluz said the President, time and again, has declared that ICT will be the leading sector for economic growth.

"Your leadership, Madame President, has earned the world's respect and confidence, attracting the world's major companies to the country to invest in IT-related industries," Aguiluz said.

The President was the guest of honor and speaker at the school’s 23^rd founding anniversary.

In her speech, the President said the government is doing everything in preparing the youth for a better future.

At the start of her administration, she said government prepared infrastructures for IT and telecommunications that made connectivity in the US then costing $38,000 to go down to its present rate of $4,000.

She said IT is now the "growth sector of the future" with investors coming into the country because of the Filipino "knowledge workers who are number one in the world."

She added the government is strengthening its education system, putting emphasis on science, math and English in preparing the youth for the next century.

Aguiluz said that since the President took over in 2001, over P33 billion has already been invested in the country.

In addition, he said, 42 major companies engaged in software development have set up shop in the country.

"Sixteen animation companies and 22 other firms engaged in medical transcription are also now in the country," he said.

Just recently, Aguiluz said Intel Technology Phils. Inc., the local subsidiary of the world's largest microchip maker Intel Corp., expanded its operations here with an additional P2.91 billion at its plant at Gateway Business Park in Gen. Trias, Cavite that is geared for export to the US market.

"Your Excellency's strong support has ensured that the ICT industry will be a major player in national development as there will always be a continuing need for ICT graduates in the country," he said.

Since 2001, Aguiluz said some 80,000 ICT-related jobs were created in the country.

"By 2010, your administration would have created 700,000 jobs in ICT. As we look forward to our next 23 years, we commit to you our wholehearted support," he said.

Ma. Fatima Narvaez, president of the AMA Honors Society Batch 2005, said the AMA students are strongly behind the President "in your aspirations for the benefit of our people and our country."

"Your presence here today is a manifestation of your strong commitment to promote quality education in the field of information technology for the benefit of the young people to become competitive in the global community," she said.

Aside from Aguiluz, the President was welcomed here by some 10,000 students, faculty and school officials led by AMA president Amable Aguiluz IX.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today renewed her call for reforms and reconciliation so that the country can move forward and the Filipino people can unite in building a strong Republic.

In her remarks at the 22^nd Philippine National Prayer Breakfast held this morning at Manila Hotel’s Centennial Hall, the President said while the Bible always reminds us of the value of reconciliation, reconcilliation has even more critical value at this time for the common good.

The President said that in her discernment, she fully believes that the "common good is healing and reconciliation."

She called on all Filipinos to pray to the Lord for the wisdom, the courage, the strength of character to bring about true reforms and true reconciliation.

"And so I seek your prayers so that we can heal our broken land, so that we can reconcile the fragmented ramparts of the nation," the President said.

he President said that she had opened "earnest back-channels" efforts with all groups involved in the Davide impeachment controversy so that a "principled reconciliation" can be achieved.

"The people must sense a unifying force in their institutions of governance or they themselves will be divided and weakened in facing the formidable challenges of waging the peace and fighting poverty," the President said, stressing that the nation must be healed by a common patriotism and a sense of duty among its leaders and constituencies.

She said that she would continue to abide by her vision of "prosperity for the greatest number under a strong Republic."

"As we pray together, we must support each other in building that just and equitable society we aspire to have because we know that this is the kind of society, that this is the kind of nation that the Lord wishes and wants for us," the President said.

The President said that it is only fitting to thank the Lord that our democratic system has survived one of its greatest tests in recent times.

"I think today is a time to thank the Lord that this passing a test has made us prouder of our democratic system. The three great powers of government have come together to express faith in each other and in a stable national future," she said.

This was an obvious reference to the resolution of the conflict between the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court brought about by the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the filing of the second impeachment complaint was unconstitutional, a ruling that has been accepted by the House in a majority vote.

"In our challenges, may God’s will be done. In your triumphs, in our triumphs, to God be the glory," she ended her remarks.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB) Chairman Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. will lead the crushing of some 25 truckloads, or 15 million pieces of pirated optical discs, at the Camp Crame Parade Grounds tomorrow, Thursday.

Estimated at P1.5 billion, these pirated items were seized by the VRB composite teams in raids in the Visayas and Mindanao during the past nine months, bringing to P5 billion the overall value of seized pirated discs since July 2002 when the first operation was made at the Barter Trade Center in Quiapo, Manila.

From then on, the campaign had been intensified, with the involvement of various government agencies, in running after film pirates and prosecution of financiers and people behind the illegal operations.

"We are tightening up at the ports of entry," said Revilla, noting that over P200 million worth of pirated goods have already been confiscated in just three months of cooperation with the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Postal Corp., and the various private door services.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), at the conclusion of its summit meeting in Bangkok last month, called for the strengthening of regulatory measures intended to restrict the unauthorized copying of optical discs containing copyrighted materials such as movies, music and computer programs.

The APEC leaders subsequently endorsed the measures, outlined in the "Effective Practices for Regulation of Optical Disc Production" report that was prepared by the APEC Intellectual Property Rights Experts Group (IPEC).

Archbishop Fernando Capalla, incoming president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), has accepted the offer of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to act as facilitator for future reconciliation meetings with various groups with whom the government would like to mend fences with.

The Archbishop made the acceptance during a special Cabinet Meeting in Malacanang wherein he and Father Romeo Intengan, who is the provincial of the Jesuit Community of the Philippines, were invited as a resource persons to guide the Cabinet in the theology of "principled reconciliation."

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, in a press briefing today, said that Malacanang is now open for reconciliation not only to the group of former President Joseph Estrada, but also with other groups such as the Communist Party of the Philippines/National Democratic Front (CCP/NDF), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF), the Marcos family and the group of Ambassador Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr.

However, Secretary Bunye emphasized that this reconciliation will have to be based on certain principles.

Bunye said that the important result of the special Cabinet Meeting called by the President with the two resource persons, was that Archbishop agreed to be the facilitator.

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today lauded the Bulakenos for exerting full efforts towards peace and development and congratulated them for their continued improvement of their vital and distinctive home-made products.

Speaking at the Peace and Development Summit, dubbed "Kasulong sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran: Tatak Bulakenyo" held this afternoon at the Barcie International Hotel here, the President said it is important for the Bulakenos to establish both public and private partnership in an effort towards peace and development.

"Ang inyong pagmamahal sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ay katangiang napatunayan na ninyo sa maraming makasaysayang pangyayari sa ating bansa kung saan naging mahalagang bahagi ang mga Bulakeno," (Your love for peace and development is one characteristic that you have proven in the many historical events in our country where you Bulakenos have had a great part)," she said.

The President hailed the people of Bulacan and the local government officials for their effort to produce quality and distinctive sweets and delicacies like dried mangoes, santol, well-packed home-made brewed coffee and other delicacies.

A total of 2,600 participants representing various government offices, non-governmental organizations and people’s organizations attended the summit and threw full support for the President for her commitment to provide a better future among the Bulakenos.

In her speech, the President ordered the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Science and Technology to extend assistance to the Bulacan government in fast-tracking the information component of the North Food Exchange.

The North Food Exchange is part of the marketing and packaging system of the Packaging R & D Center under the supervision of Raul Hernandez. It provides assistance to small and medium enterprises in Bulacan.

For sustainable source of irrigation and potable water, she also directed the Manila Water and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the Bulacan provincial government to make a study and research on how to amend and implement the 1992 Memorandum of Understanding to allow Bulacan consumers to tap the water from Angat Dam.

She had also authorized Bulacan Governor Josefina M. Dela Cruz to oversee the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme of the Bayabas Dam Project.

Accompanying the President to Malolos City from her previous commitments at the AMA Computer University at Quezon City were Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Michael Defensor, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon and Press Secretary Milton Alingod.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today commended the faculty members and students of De La Salle University-Manila and DLSU-College of Saint Benilde for their exemplary initiative in helping the government promote safety and security within their school community.

The President motored here from Malolos City to personally lead the launching of the Task Force Safe School, called "Be ACTIVE (Awareness and Communication Through Involvement, Vigilance, and Empowerment) for a Safe Community" at the Augusto Rosario Gonzalez Theater in DLSU-CSB this afternoon.

"I congratulate you and I thank you once again for helping us promote safety and security in the community. Truly, you are showing yourselves to be among the great pillars of law enforcement and peace and order in our society. I congratulate the community of La Salle and Saint Benilde for this initiative," the President said.

In her speech, the President said that their safe school project is an important means to eliminate any kind of criminality for the peace of mind of students and their parents while they are in school.

The President expressed the hope that the measures undertaken by the task force will help stop street crimes within the vicinity of DLSU. The task force will serve as partners of the government in its serious fight against drug abuse within the campuses as well as in stopping terrorism and destabilization efforts against the government.

The President told faculty members and students that the immediate existing concern of the government is to curb criminality, like street crimes in schools as well as in communities.

"And I agree with you that the tentacles of criminality must be cut decisively. Your safe school project is an important means to eliminate this threat of criminality for the peace of mind of students and parents," she said.

Before the President made her speech, DLSU-Manila Dean of Student Affairs Monina Banaynal, DLSU-CSB Dean of Student Affairs Carmelita Lazatin and other representatives from faculty and student organizations presented to her their signed safe school covenant.

Under the covenant, the task force will initiate programs and projects to increase the awareness of the Lasallian community in issues dealing with the safety of all community members, particularly students, even when they are outside the campus.