The Philippines has pledged to increase its humanitarian assistance to Iraq and to contribute to its reconstruction by providing technical assistance through advice and training initially in health care, education, information and communications technologies, and community-based development and environment management.

This was conveyed by Ambassador Roberto Romulo, Senior Presidential Adviser and Chairman of the Public-Private Sector Task Force on Iraq Reconstruction at the International Donors’ Conference held in Madrid, October 23-24.

The conference was participated in by 78 countries and non-government organizations (NGOs).

At least $13 billion over five years in aid for reconstruction of water, power, health care and other infrastructure was raised during the pledging session.

Contributions ranged from $75,000 from Lithuania to $5 billion from Japan. Others donated goods like tea from Sri Lanka and rice from Vietnam.

Counting the $20 billion from the US, the total amount of funds available for reconstruction has reached $33 billion out of the $55 billion that a joint study of World Bank and the UN has estimated would be required.

Romulo reiterated the commitment made by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Iraqi President Dr. Ayad Allawi in Bangkok to increase the size of our presence there to a total of 500 from the current team of 100 police, military and medical personnel.

On reconstruction, he said that the Philippine contribution is aimed at complementing other donations, particular monetary, by providing capacity building assistance in strengthening Iraq’s institutional and human resource degraded by years of misrule and lack of funds.

Romulo said that this would increase Iraq’s absorptive capacity for the monetary aid.

MATI, Davao Oriental--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reiterated here today that her presidency stands for the separation of powers under the law and, at the same time, expressed confidence that the impasse on the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. would be resolved soon.

In her remarks at the centennial anniversary celebration of this capital town, the President said that the solution to the Davide issue does not lie in the protracted bickering or partisan debates.

"It lies in the will of everyone to sacrifice personal gain or partisan concerns for the supreme national interest," the President said.

The President said that she was confident that the members of Congress, including Davao Oriental Congressman Mayo Almario, who was present at the stage, and the judiciary would realize that this "unabated controversy" is causing our nation and our democratic system more harm than good.

She later greeted the residents of this town a happy centennial celebration in Cebuano, the predominantly spoken language in Mindanao.

The President arrived here this morning on the first leg of her three-day swing of Mindanao before proceeding to Davao City where she will inaugurate a number of government projects.

From Mati, the President was scheduled to take the presidential helicopter for Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District in Davao City where she would inaugurate the newly constructed Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD).

The President is expected to inspect the facilities of the new rehabilitation center that consist of three separate buildings for minor boys, girls and women, and adult males, as well as an isolation cottage that can accommodate up to 20 drug dependents.

Later in the afternoon, the President will formally launch the Central Communication and Emergency Response Center in Davao City, known locally as Central 911.

Patterned after the emergency dispatch system in the United States and Canada, Central 911 has responded to over 13,000 calls since it started operations on September 27 last year.

Central 911 is financed by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s peace and order fund and is supported by the city council, the fire department, Davao Disaster Coordinating Council, the Philippine National Police, and the Davao Light.

In late afternoon, the President will attend the Mindanao Indigenous People's Summit at the Insular Hotel and will spend the night at the Marco Polo Hotel.

At 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, the President will preside over the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) meeting with some Cabinet officials and other local government executives in attendance.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today lauded Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for his support for her administration’s programs, particularly the all-out war against illegal drugs.

In her speech at the inauguration of the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD) located at Barangay Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District here, the President said that the anti-drug campaign is a priority program of her administration.

Speaking in fluent Cebuano, the President said that now that the management of the rehabilitation center is transferred to the city government under Mayor Duterte, it is expected that it would become one of the best managed rehabilitation centers in the country.

The President reiterated what she said Tuesday at the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Committee (BADAC) Congress at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City that there will be no sacred cows in the government’s anti-drug campaign.

She said the government will go after all those involved in the drug trade, regardless of whether they are in the military, the police or politicians.

"Walang arbor-arbor, walang prote-proteksiyon, walang sinuman ang sinasanto ng laban na ito (There will be compromises, no protection, no sacred cows in this fight)," the President said.

She also said that the intensified anti-drug campaign is now being brought to the barangay level, to the streets in all communities in the country.

The President recalled that in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, she vowed that there will be no letup in the all-out war against drug trafficking.

According to the President, the city government has invested a total of P12 million for additional facilities in the rehab center, which used to be run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

She said that with the infusion of another P27 million for the center, it is expected that the management of the DCTRCDD would be "top of the line and world-class."

The President said that with its new equipment and amenities, the DCTRCDD is really a rehabilitation facility and not a prison for drug dependents.

The new rehabilitation center has three separate buildings for minor boys, girls, women, and adult males as well as an isolation cottage. Its services include medical, psychiatric, psychological, spiritual and religious, sports and recreations facilities.

In his message, Duterte vowed to vigorously go after those involved in drug abuse, saying the adverse effects of drug use "is something we cannot ignore."

"While we explore all possible options and undertake concrete measures to assist victims of this menace, we will never compromise with those who benefit and profit from this illegal activity," the President said.

The President arrived here at 3:00 P.M. today by helicopter from Mati, Davao Oriental where she graced the centennial anniversary celebration of the town.

The President is on a three-day swing of Mindanao that will also take her to Cagayan de Oro City on Friday, to keynote the closing ceremonies of the Mindanao Business Conference.

She was welcomed upon arrival here by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, Southern Command (Southcom) chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko, and city officials led by Duterte and Vice Mayor Luis Bongoyan.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that the country’s economy and democratic system have a tendency to be rocked by controversy, but they remain strong with the capacity to bounce back and move forward.

"The economy is buoyant," the President said in a statement that also touched on the impasse caused by the impeachment complaint in the House of Representatives against Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.

"As shown in the past, our democratic system has a tendency to be rocked by controversy but it has shown the capacity for bouncing back and moving forward," she said. "This is the same case for our economy that has been beset by transient doubts but has shown strong, consistent resiliency."

She noted in particular the confidence of the business community in country’s stability, as indicated by the continued pouring in of investments.

In a previous statement, President Macapagal-Arroyo noted the country continued to have favorable economic fundamentals.

Based on statistical data compiled by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) posted a growth rate of 3.9 percent, while gross national product (GNP) grew by 4.8 percent in the first semester of 2003.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri, who is concurrently NEDA director-general, said that the Philippines, in that period, performed better than some its neighbors, like Taiwan (-0.1 percent), Singapore (-4.2 percent), and South Korea (1.9 percent).

Inflation rate averaged 3 percent from January to September 2003, which was within the government target of 4.5 to 5.5 percent for this year.

All agricultural sectors, except palay, corn and forestry, posted positive growth. Implementation of El Nino support measures enabled farmers to shift production of other crops, registered a 5.5 percent growth. Fishery production, which was affected by El Nino, rebounded and grew by 5.5 percent.

In industry, Neri said, manufacturing held up unexpectedly well (4.1 percent) despite contraction in the export-oriented sectors, like electrical machinery that included production of electronics.

He noted one piece of good news – the chemical sector, which had been experiencing negative growth in past quarters, grew by 5.1 percent due to higher demand for SARS-related health products/items.

Another positive development is the expected increase in dollar remittances from the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Although the trend for deployment of OFWs is flat, he said, remittances have risen, because more Filipino workers are getting higher paying jobs, like nurses, caregivers and information technology professionals.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said today that former Executive Director Amado Valdez of the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission (VFACOM) had opted to vacate his post on his own volition.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ariel Y. Abadilla was appointed as the VFACOM executive director, replacing Valdez. A career Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official, Abadilla was last assigned as deputy chief of mission of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Bunye told Malacanang newsmen at a briefing this afternoon he thought the report that Valdez had resigned due to "policy differences" with Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople "was not warranted."

"In the first place, he (Valdez) is not involved in policy making," Bunye said. "So, the policy is done at the level of Secretary Ople and his co-chair, Secretary Angelo Reyes. I believe what an executive director needs to do is just to implement the policy that is laid down at the level of Secretary Ople and Secretary Reyes."

The VFACOM is tasked to monitor the joint military training exercises between the United States and the Philippine troops.

The joint military training exercises are held in compliance with the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that she is optimistic that the elusive peace could finally be realized in Mindanao soon with the commitment of support from foreign governments and international donor institutions.

"What I can say now is that peace is within our grasp," the President told a press conference here.

The President said that among the countries and financial institutions that have pledged to help rehabilitate and develop of Mindanao, particularly the conflict areas, are the United States, Malaysia, Libya, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the United Nations, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the World Bank.

Malaysia, with the full support of the OIC member countries, is spearheading the resumption of the peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The President said that these are some of the developments that buoyed her hopes of the forging of a final and lasting peace in Mindanao.

The President arrived here from Mati, Davao Oriental on the second leg of her three-day visit to Mindanao.

According to the President, this financial commitment from foreign governments and donor agencies is part of the confidence-building measures that would help speed up the peace process in Mindanao.

The President cited as example the $30 million that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of education in the poorest areas in Mindanao.

She said that this assistance package is contingent on the signing of a peace accord with the MILF.

DAVAO CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today categorically denied she had a hand in the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Hilario Davide as claimed by her detractors, saying it would not benefit her at all.

"I categorically deny that," she said in answer to a question fielded during the press conference that followed her inauguration of the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD) at Barangay Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District here.

"What I’m trying to do now is to look for a principled solution to the problem. I don’t think it would benefit me to have this kind of job to have a constitutional crisis. It doesn’t benefit me so why should I make a collusion," the President said as she debunked claims that she had a quid-pro-quo arrangement with businessman and Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.

Reading an earlier statement she issued this morning, the Chief Executive said she remains confident that the leaders of Congress and the judiciary would realize that the unabated controversy "is causing our nation and our democratic system more harm than good."

She stressed that the solution to the issue does not lie in protracted bickering or partisan debates, but in the will of everyone concerned to sacrifice personal or partisan concerns for the supreme national interest.

"Let us reach forth for this solution without blame or recrimination, through principled consensus and with dignity for all concerned," she added.

The President also reiterated her reform and reconciliation program which she first announced in her July 2001 State of the Nation Address and which she hopes to continue to carry out.

She cited the case of former President Joseph Estrada in proving her point.

"Even as the wheels of justice are turning, we also have to be mindful of the personal circumstances of the former president in deference to many Filipinos who see in him a mirror of their own situation," she explained.