I will continue to consult with Congressional leaders and concerned sectors of our society, including the Church, on this matter. I am resolved to take all means to deter the commission of heinous crimes and strengthen criminal justice.

One of the reasons why we are going down hard on the drug syndicates is to check their prospective influence on the elections next year.

We cannot allow criminals to interfere in the democratic process or put their pawns in power.

We will continue to go after the big manufacturers and clean the streets of drug pushers.

The government will not stop until we obtain justice for the Filipina OFWs who were sexually abused in Kuwait.

The DFA is already monitoring the progress of pertinent investigations, as well as attending to the needs of the victims.

The changes in the Cabinet will continue and these should not in any way impinge upon business confidence as they are within the normal run of governance.

Some Cabinet members are also expected to vie for electoral posts.

There are succession and selection processes in place that put a premium on competence and professionalism, as well as policy continuity.

Malacaņang today said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo favors the lifting of the ban on the imposition of the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and drug lords.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye, in a radio interview, said that President is open to the idea of imposing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and drug lords.

He said that the President is in favor of implementing the death penalty law for high profile crimes pending a bipartisan decision of Congress on the issue, whether to repeal it or implement death executions on heinous crimes.

"Our President has even said long time before that she is not closing down on the view about lifting the moratorium on death penalty. That is why she continues with her various consultations, especially with members of Congress," he said.

Bunye explained that the President is keen on the implementation of the capital punishment in the wake of the growing public clamor for her to lift the indefinite moratorium on the death executions through lethal injection.

It could be remembered that President Macapagal-Arroyo has imposed a moratorium on the execution of convicts in the Death Row due to the relentless opposition of the Catholic Church and pro-life advocates.

He said that while most of the President’s policies are pro-life, she would order the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty if only to curb the rapid rise in heinous crimes and in order to maintain public safety.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, new president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), today said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be commended for her efforts in promoting reconciliation in the country.

In a statement for the 5^th Mindanao Week of Peace, which is organized by the Bishops-Ulama Conference and will start on November 27, Capalla said that the President’s "relentless" call for reconciliation "should find resonance in us religious leaders because reconciliation is our daily obligation."

"It would be a great blessing for our country if all Filipinos espouse and promote reconciliation as part also of our social and political life this year and beyond," Capalla said.

Capalla said that all religious leaders, whether Muslims, Christians or lumads (natives), should contribute to the efforts in promoting reconciliation among all sectors in Philippine society.

"In genuine reconciliation process, there are no negotiations, only friendly, humble, compassionate and respectful dialogue," Capalla said.

Earlier, Capalla and Fr. Romeo Intengan, the provincial of the Jesuit community in the Philippines, were designated by the President as facilitators for the reconciliation process.

Capalla said that this year’s theme of the Mindanao Week of Peace is "Healing Through Forgiveness: Key to Total Human Development."

He said that because of its theme, this year’s celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace is "crucially important and timely" not only for Mindanao but for the rest of the country as well.

"The reason is due to that project of reconciliation which we are promoting very strongly this year and beyond," Capalla said.

He said that every Christian, Muslim or lumad or any religious believer has "to undergo a moral and spiritual, nay, even physical, healing through mutual repentance and forgiveness because the wounds in the human spirit manifested in hatred and prejudices are already wide and deep."

"This is the only way to bring about the true and genuine reconciliation and consequently a durable and lasting peace," Capalla said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today accepted the credentials of three new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Malacaņang after presiding over the meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority Executive Committee (NEDA-Execom).

The new ambassadors are Yeshoshua Sagi of Israel, Peter Sutherland of Canada, and Jalab Kalantari of Iran.

They arrived one after the other at Malacaņang’s Ceremonial Hall where they presented their credentials. They also had brief one-on-one talks with the President.

"I accept your credentials, wishing you the very best for a good and harmonious relations between my country and your country. Welcome to the Philippines," the President told the ambassadors who were presented to her by Assistant Secretary Jose Abeto Zaide, Chief of Protocol of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The ambassadors expressed their appreciation for the warm welcome extended to them by the President and vowed to further enhance the friendly, diplomatic and bilateral relations between the Philippines and their countries during their tours of duty here.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved today the inclusion of Subic and Clark, specifically the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), in the gradual implementation of the government’s "open skies’ cargo" policy to further bolster the economic growth in the area.

"The opening up of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport under the open skies’ cargo policy will transform the airport into a hub of Asia and Pacific," the President, who is also the chairman of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, said.

Opening up DMIA’s aviation market to foreign and domestic carriers without restrictions would be an effective way to promote DMIA as hub of foreign air cargo carriers.

This would enable the airport to become competitive with other Asian gateways such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and Brunei, which already have their "open skies" agreements with the United States, the NEDA said.

The DMIA’s strategic geographical location would enable it to be a cargo hub even for non-American cargo carriers. Currently, the DMIA is an intra-Asia cargo hub of the United Parcels Service (UPS).

Prospective cargo carriers for DMIA under the open skies’ policy are Nipon Cargo Airlines, Royal Dutch Airlines, Global Express, Logistics and Mail and Cargolux.

The DMIA’s domestic cargo operations include Pacific East Cargo’s (PEAC) Clark-Cebu-Clark daily flights servicing UPS.

The DMIA’s international operations service the two flights a week of Asiana Airlines (Inchon- Clark- Inchon), and UPS’ nine flights per night.

Recent infrastructure developments in DMIA, to enable it to become a hub of Asia and Pacific, include the following:

• Apron and taxiway Phase 1, amounting to P46 million that was completed in March 2002;

• Apron and taxiway Phase 2, costing P230 million, that was completed in November 15, 2003;

• Acquisition of a radar costing $11 million with a targeted operational date on or before May 2004; and

• Taxiway signages amounting to P19 million.

Since the inclusion of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) as a member of the RP Air Panel in November 2001, the DMIA secured entitlements to service flights to and from Macau, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

As a symbol of gratitude of the whole Filipino nation, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today conferred on Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao the Presidential Medal of Merit and a check of P1 million as a special gift.

The conferment of the award and the presentation of the check, held this afternoon at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang, were attended by sports officials, media men and Palace employees who wanted to get a glimpse of the 27-year-old idol.

Pacquiao, in return, gave the President a commemorative T-shirt, a videotape of his fight against the highly regarded Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera last November 16 in San Antonio, Texas. He also presented to the President his championship belt as People’s Featherweight Champion of the World.

Unlike in their last encounter in Malacanang where they did not hide their admiration for each other after coming out triumphant in their respective ‘bouts’—the President in the July 27 mutiny at Oakwood and Pacquiao over Mexican challenger Emmanuel Lucero—this time it was the lone reigning Filipino world champion who did all the talking with the President gamely giving the stage to the new boxing hero.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng suporta ninyo lalung lalo na mahal na Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, sa First Gentleman, sa lahat ng suporta niya at sa mga tumulong sa akin (I am very thankful for your support, that of the First Gentleman, and also to all those who have helped me," enthused Pacquiao during the reception tendered in his honor.

It was actually the third meeting between the President and the southpaw from General Santos City who did the country proud anew by demolishing Barrera and grabbing from the gritty Mexican the unofficial title as People’s Featherweight Champion of the World.

"Congratulations, Manny," was all the President could say in today’s encounter with the Filipino champion in Malacanang. The first one was when Pacquiao annexed the International Boxing Federation Junior Featherweight Championship at the expense of South Africa’s Lelonoholo Ledwaba in Las Vegas two years ago.

Pressed by media men to say more, the President could only mutter, "World class."

Taking the cudgels for the President, Pacquiao, in a brief statement called on all Filipinos to set aside all their differences for the sake of unity.

"Ako ay nangangampanya hindi sa politika kundi para sa pagmamahalan natin sa isa't isa at pagkakaisa natin sa ating bansa at yung pag-uunawaan para magkasundo po tayong lahat (I am campaigning not for politics but for love and unity to prevail in our country. I hope there would be more understanding for all of us)," said Pacquiao, who came to the rites with his wife Jinkee and youngest son Emmanuel Jr.

"Isantabi na po natin and alitan sa bawat isa at tayo’y magpapatawaran. Yan po ang aking hangarin para makatulong ako sa bansa natin (Let us set aside our differences and forgive each other. That’s my wish for our country)," he added.

Pacquiao came to Malacaņang fresh from a three-hour ticker tape parade along the major thoroughfares of Manila and Makati City where he was welcomed with confetti. He was accompanied by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and his manager Rod Nazario during the motorcade which attracted hordes of fans who rooted for the newest toast of the sports world.

"Hindi ko maipaliwanag kung gaano ako kasaya ngayon at kanina nga nakita ko ang mga tao talagang hindi ako makapaniwala sa dami ng taong naghihintay nag-aabang sa daan na gusto akong makita ( I can’t describe how happy I am today after I saw the many people who lined up the route of the parade. They were there waiting and rooting for me)," beamed Pacquiao.

For his exemplary feat, Atienza gave Pacquiao a condominium unit at the Residencias de Manila off the Nagtahan bridge in Pandacan, Manila, a stone’s throw away from Malacanang.

Like the President, Pacquiao refused to answer political questions thrown his way, saying "sa sports na lang muna tayo. Sa sports ako, wala tayo sa politika.(I’d rather stick to sports. Sports is my world, not politics)," he said.