This is a combination of close Barangay vigilance and swift police response and I commend all those involved in the operation. Let us show these criminals that the law never sleeps and they cannot escape it. We must vigorously pursue all leads until the mastermind is accounted for.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today condemned the gang-raping of a Filipina domestic helper in Kuwait and ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice to give all necessary assistance to the victim.

"This must be one of the most heinous crimes committed against a hapless Filipino in a foreign land," the President said in a statement.

The President said that she has directed the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Labor and Justice to take a direct hand in jointly obtaining justice for the victim.

The President also offered her sympathy to the victim and her family.

"I have the deepest sympathy for her and we are united with all overseas Filipinos in condemning this incident. I want regular reports on the progress of this case, including all forms of assistance rendered to the victim," the President said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople has summoned the Kuwaiti consul general and asked him to convey to the Kuwaiti government the Philippine government’s urgent and strong desire that the perpetrators of the crime be brought to justice.

"I have already instructed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, who has vast experience in the Middle East, to go to Kuwait to work with our embassy and Kuwaiti authorities on this matter," Ople said.

Ople said that they would continue to monitor the situation and constantly check the condition of the victim.

"This department will mobilize all its resources to ensure the welfare of the victim and in ensuring the criminal accountability of the perpetrators," Ople said.

BAGUIO CITY--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today announced the killing by government operatives of one of the country’s notorious kidnap-for-ransom gang leaders even as she stressed the need for constitutional reforms in order to win the war against all criminal elements and to achieve a drug-free Philippines by 2005.

Speaking at the 18^th Philippine Advertising Congress currently held at Camp John Hay here, the President identified the slain kidnap-for-ransom leader as Roberto Yap.

The President said that Yap, number one in the order of battle of the Philippine National Police (PNP), was slain by government forces in an encounter in Dinalupihan, Bataan early this morning.

According to the President, the fact that the quick solution to the senseless killing of Coca-Cola executive Betti Chua Sy had to be done by an ad-hoc agency shows the need for institutional reforms.

In spite of the increase of salaries of policemen and military in her administration to the level of teachers, the President said "we need a deeper reform of the military and the police towards drug-free and dedicated organizations with the tools to enforce peace and order throughout the land and to be true protectors of the people."

The President pointed out that the designation of the Philippines as a major non-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally by the United States will enable the Philippines to have a modern armed forces with less pain to the economy.

The President also announced in her speech that some kidnappers of the Coca-Cola executive have been caught, while the others are now the subject of a massive police manhunt.

She said that quick solution to the Coca-Cola executive’s slay is a combination of a strong barangay vigilance and swift police and inter-agency response.

The President commended all those involved in the speedy solution of the Sy kidnap-murder case under the leadership of Secretary Angelo Reyes, Presidential Adviser on Anti-Kidnapping.

"Let us show to these criminals the law never sleeps and they cannot escape it," the President said.

In her statement, the President said that the new anti-kidnap team set up under Secretary Reyes will be serious and relentless in its campaign.

"I have confidence in the team and it will work closely with all affected sectors, especially the Filipino-Chinese community, to prevent kidnappings, cut the flow of ransom and reduce threats to life," the President said.

In a report to the President, Reyes said that operations conducted by the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) covering the period from October 29 to November 5 resulted in the safe recovery of two kidnap victims, namely Daniel Ong, 53, and Marc Andrew Macatangay, 14 years old.

Reyes said that Ong, a businessman, was kidnapped in Caloocan City last October 26. He was released October 29. Macatangay, on the other hand, was kidnapped last October 23 at Diliman, Quezon City and was released also on October 29.

He said that a suspect in the Macatangay kidnap case, a certain Emilio V. Andaya, has been arrested while the suspects on the Ong kidnap are still being pursued by NAKTF operatives through back-tracking operations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed Proclamation No. 503 declaring December 24, 2003 and January 2, 2004 (in lieu of December 30, 2003 which shall be a regular working day) as special non-working days throughout the country and December 26, 2003 as special non-working day for government employees only.

In signing Proclamation No. 503, the Chief Executive said December 25, 2003 (Christmas Day), December 30, 2003 (Rizal Day) and January 1, 2004 (New Year’s Day) are regular holidays throughout the country pursuant to Executive Order No. 292 (1987), as amended by Republic Act No. 9177 (2002).

The President said that December 31, 2003, which is the last day of the year, is also a nationwide special holiday pursuant to Executive Order No. 292 (1987), as amended by Republic Act No. 9177 (2002).

She noted that December 24 has, in the past, been declared a special public holiday because, by tradition, Filipinos celebrate the Christmas holidays by visiting their families, relatives and friends.

To spur domestic tourism throughout the country, the President underscored the need to declare December 26, 2003 as special non-working day for government employees only and January 2, 2004 as special non-working day throughout the country, in lieu of December 30, 2003 (Rizal Day) which will be a regular working day.

The President pointed out that all employees of government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities shall not be required to report for work on December 26, 2003 except that:

• The head of a department, office, agency or instrumentality may, if required by the exigencies of public service, require the employees of said department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said date;

• Employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs and other government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities that impose deadlines on the transacting public for payment of taxes, fees or fines and for compliance with reportorial and other requirements, shall be required by the head of the department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said date; and

• Employees of government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities providing police, security, fire protection, custodial, rescue, emergency, medical and other similar services shall be required by the head of the department, office, agency or instrumentality to observe regular working hours and provide regular services to the public on the said date.

The President also directed the heads of government departments, offices, agencies or instrumentalities to issue the appropriate circulars to implement this proclamation.

She said that employees in the private sector, except those providing banking, financial, health security and other vital services to the public, have the option to require their employees to report for work on December 26 and 27, 2003 and January 3, 2004, provided that such employers who opt not to require their employees to report for work are urged to make the necessary arrangements, which may include increasing daily work hours or allowing work on other days before and/or after the Christmas holidays to ensure that daily paid workers are paid the equivalent of the wages or compensation that they would have earned on the said dates and that production schedules are met to maintain a continuous supply of goods and services.

BAGUIO CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today outlined five fundamental reforms that, she said, will lead to the country’s political and social stability and a sustained economic development.

"To be a stronger Republic, we must change the system, reform the system, usher in deep and far-reaching reforms that will lead the political and social stability and sustained economic development, and we must also unify as a people," the President said in speech before the delegates to the 18^th Philippine Advertising Congress held this morning at the Convention Center of Camp John Hay here.

She identified these fundamental reforms as reforming the market, reforming agriculture, reforming our social assets, reforming the bureaucracy, and reforming our protective institutions.

The President underscored the need to reform the market by making it a "market that creates jobs and opportunities."

The President noted that while she is proud of the country’s market successes on the macro-economic front, like the steady growth rate, the inflation rate which has been kept under control, and the budget deficit that has been kept within manageable levels, still "we must build the long term underpinnings of infrastructure, telecommunications, electric power, and expanded credit. "

"We must also broaden education to sharpen that great idea, the intellectual competitiveness of our country," the President said.

She also stressed the need to liberate the country from hunger and want through reforms in the field of agriculture.

"It is where we must pursue that great idea "pagkain sa bawat mesa." No Filipino who works hard for family and country must be deprived of a decent living," the President said.

According to the President, her administration spent at least P20 billion a year for agriculture modernization, adding that it was during her stewardship that rice productivity has reached new heights, particularly with the propagation of hybrid rice which doubled the yields of the farmers.

She also cited the roll-on-roll-off ferry highway system which reduces the cost of transporting food from Mindanao to Luzon.

The President said that "pagkain sa mesa" or food for every table is a duty of every Filipino and a commitment "that cannot be compromised no matter what."

"To do this, we must put real wealth in the hands of our farmers by legislating the acceptability of farmland as collateral," she added.

On reforming the nation’s social assets which include land, credit and the minimum basic needs, among others, the President said that while her government has given an unprecedented number of people, including those in Baguio City, the right to buy the land they occupy, "we must apply deeper reforms" in these areas.

Regarding the reforms on the bureaucracy, the President said that in her two-and-a-half years in office, she has learned the complexities of the bureaucracy.

"The World Bank has praised our vigilant advances in fighting corruption, acknowledging that we have been effective in our lifestyle checks and procurement reforms, " she said.

She also stressed that her administration has been addressing the people’s dissatisfaction about government services and there have been dramatic changes in the Land Transportation Office, which were brought about by surprise visits to the LTO and police stations.

The President said a strong Republic must a be more secure Republic.

She attributed the quick solution to the Coca-Cola slay to a combination of strong barangay vigilance and swift police and inter-agency response.

"Let us show these criminals that the law never sleeps and they cannot escape it," the President said.

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Major General Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. to reassume his old post as head of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Task Force in order to address the continued smuggling of vegetables and agricultural products into the country.

The President issued the directive during the press conference after her speech in the 18^th Philippine Advertising Congress at Camp John Hay Convention Center in Baguio City

She also reiterated her directive in her keynote address in the celebration of the 103^rd Foundation Anniversary of Benguet and 1^st Cordillera Regional Vegetable Farmers Congress here.

"I will ask General Esperon to go back to that again (anti-smuggling task force)," the President said, as she reassured farmers of the Cordillera Region that the national government will step up its campaign to stop vegetable smuggling in the country.

The President told local government officials and farmers here that she has directed Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo to coordinate with Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo in apprehending misdeclarations of imported vegetables.

In response to the request of Benguet Governor Raul "Rocky" Molintas, the President informed them that she will tell Secretary Manuel Roxas II of the Department of Trade and Industry to approve the recommendation of Secretary Lorenzo for the extension of Executive Order 197, a law which imposes 7 percent tariff on all imported vegetables and agricultural products.

She said that the process for the extension has already been approved because the Department of Agriculture has already officially recommended the extension of EO 197 beyond 2003.

BAGUIO CITY – The visits here of foreign artists like Mariah Carey, Mandy Moore, Jerry Yan of F4 and multi-awarded balladeer Stephen Bishop are excellent signs that the Philippines has recovered from the negative impact of the terrorist acts by the Abu Sayyaf group in the past.

In a press conference here, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon said that the presence of foreign artists only shows that the Philippines is a safe place to come.

"(It) shows that the Philippines is now being visited by foreign artists which used to shun us because of the ASG before. Now they are coming over. It’s an excellent sign that this country is coming around," Gordon said.

He also said that aside from the foreign artists, the visits here of the President of Kazakstan and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh are also signs that the country’s peace and order situation has now improved.

SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today paid her last respects on the late Malaya founder Jose G. Burgos Jr. during a necrological mass held this afternoon at the Burgos family-owned Land Farm in Barangay Tartaro here.

The President arrived here at 3:40 p.m on board the presidential helicopter from Benguet where she attended the 103^rd founding anniversary of the province. She had also earlier opened the 18^th Philippine Advertising Congress at Camp John Hay in Baguio City

Aside from the President, among those present during the necrological mass were Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Hernani Braganza, Secretary Marita Jimenez, Presidential Adviser on ODA Absorption, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople.

Edith, Burgos’ widow, thanked the President for finding time in her tight schedule to visit the wake of her husband.

The 62-year-old Burgos, considered as one of the pillars of Philippine journalism, died last Sunday from a lingering ailment at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital in Mandaluyong City.

Burgos was the leading symbol of the alternative press during the Marcos years with his publication of the WE Forum. He was jailed along with his leading columnists and staff members in December 1982 but, after a month of being released from prison, published the Ang Pahayagang Malaya in early 1983.

After the 1986 EDSA People Power revolt, the Inter-Press Service named Burgos as the "International Journalist of the Year."

In 2000, the International Press Institute also named Burgos as one of the world’s "50 Press Freedom Heroes of the Century." In the same year, the Senate recognized Burgos’ "heroic deeds and steadfast struggle as a journalist."