President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that she spends "every hour of the day" on strengthening and delivering programs and projects designed to improve the lives of urban poor and those living in remote and agricultural areas.

In a press statement, President Macapagal-Arroyo said that fighting poverty remains as "the major challenge" to her administration.

"I am leading this fight, but I realize only too well that government cannot do this alone," she said. "It will have to be a valiant and relentless effort involving all public and private institutions working with communities."

The President added that the collective efforts must aim at "total human development – not only prosperity but peace, security and dignity."

Echoing the President’s thoughts, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said, in an interview aired by Radyo ng Bayan, that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo has focused her attention on eradicating poverty since the first day of her administration in January 2001.

"But, this is something that we could not conquer overnight," he said, adding that the President herself had once said in 2001 that it would take about 10 years to eradicate poverty.

Bunye pointed out that the thrust of her administration is to strengthen peace and order, because without peace, there can be no development.

DELFIN ALBANO, Isabela – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today announced the release of another P18 million for the relief and rehabilitation of the province of Isabela which has incurred some P1 billion worth of damaged agricultural crops and infrastructure projects brought about by typhoon "Harurot".

In remarks during a visit here, the President said that the amount is in addition to the P35 million she ordered released when she last visited Isabela in the aftermath of the typhoon last July.

"The entire province suffered about a billion peso worth of damaged hybrid rice and corn crops and assorted vegetables, and infrastructure projects not to mention the many farmers who lost their jobs due to the typhoon," the President said.

She expressed the hope that the amounts released, aside from the countrywide development funds (CDF) of the congressmen from Isabela and part of the calamity fund of Governor Faustino Dy, can help the farmers regain their livelihood.

The President also announced that Quedancor under the Department of Agriculture will be extending micro-finance for the jobless farmers affected by "Harurot". A maximum loan of P20,000 for each of the farmers will ensure that they will be able to rise up from that tragedy, she said.

After a briefing on the status of the KALAHI (Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan) project that was launched here last year, the President distributed a total of 36 checks worth P25,000 each for the core shelter program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

She also handed out some 2,000 packets of assorted vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture, 500 sacks of hybrid corn seeds also from DA and three units of solar dryers.

The President also turned over four boxes of assorted medicines from Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and a total of 722 Phil-Health cards for the poor residents of this town. She also handed over a check worth P1 million for other livelihood projects of Delfin Albano.

Malacanang today confirmed the appointment of Presidential Management Staff head Silvestre Afable as the new chief of the government negotiating panel in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), replacing Eduardo Ermita who was recently appointed defense secretary.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Afable was to be sworn in this afternoon along with newly-appointed Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and National Anti-Poverty Commission Lead Convenor Camilo Sabio.

Bunye said Afable has been in several negotiations before, principally with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and has been in a way engaged with talks with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

"Secretary Afable will be among those who will negotiate with the MILF and further strengthen our panel," Bunye said. "At present, he is among those who is negotiating with the National Democratic Front. His appointment is a welcome addition to our peace panel."

Bunye said there has been no definite date for the resumption of the formal peace talks in Kuala Lumpur but expressed the hope that it will be within this month.

Malacanang said today that the resignation of Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr. as president of the ruling Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) Party is basically a party matter and has no effect on the national leadership.

This was stressed today by Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye as he downplayed insinuations that the resignation, coming on the heels of Senator Loren Legarda’s bolting out of the ruling party, could affect the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"It’s a decision that he alone is responsible for and we respect his decision," Bunye said, referring to Guingona. "I don’t think his resignation would result in the possible vacancy in the Office of the Vice President of the Republic."

He emphasized that the President does not want politics to get in the way of good governance, which is what she is focusing on now.

In an open letter to the President as chairman of the party, Guingona cited several policy differences, which forced him to tender his resignation as party chief.

In bidding farewell to the party he has long been associated with, Guingona said he bears no personal animosity towards the President and the members of the party and expressed the hope that "whatever the setbacks, the future will bring us a better tomorrow."

Bunye said that "we can’t have 100 percent agreement from all members of the party."

Malacanang today assured the public that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is "totally committed to ensure a free, clean, orderly and credible" national and local elections on May 10, 2004.

In his regular press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said this was the reason why the President has made sure that substantial funds are earmarked for the full computerization of the operations of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

On Jan. 24, 2003, the President issued Executive Order No. 172 directing the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allocate the amount of P2.5 billion for an automated election system as prescribed under Republic Act No. 8436.

In February, upon the request of the Comelec, the President again ordered the DBM, through Executive Order No. 175, to release an additional P500 million to fund further requirements for the computerized 2004 elections.

The President earlier pointed out that the computerized counting and tabulation of votes in 2004 would not only spare the teachers from tedious manual counting and the pressures of partisan politics but would also make sure that the votes are counted correctly.

Bunye said that the President has expressed disappointment on reports that some officials of the Comelec themselves have not been very optimistic on the conduct of next year’s electoral exercise and the results of the first computerized election in the country.

An unnamed Comelec official was quoted as saying that next year’s elections—which will see the use for the first time of state-of-the-art data transmission, automated counting and digital data recording systems—would result in massive disenfranchisement and fraud.

"The President really is challenging the Comelec to do everything that is necessary to really make a difference in 2004, to make 2004 a different election from past elections," Bunye said.