The Executive shall firmly hold the middle ground in this controversy but let this never be interpreted as weakness. To be drawn wantonly to either side of this dispute will derail the chances of a principled compromise and further erode national stability. I shall not overreact to events as I call upon our people not to be unduly alarmed. The Presidency has the will, the authority and the resources to quell any disorder or attempts at destabilization and we shall not hesitate to move decisively against those who will exploit this crisis to foment violence. No one is above the law. Our crisis mechanisms are in place even if we have not reached a crisis point. There is hope in dialogue and we shall continue to pursue it while keeping our options open. We have the flexibility to change track if called for by the imperatives of national security.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos today called for an early "win-win solution" to the controversy over the impeachment case against Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. so that the country’s leaders can focus on the "foremost priority" of economic recovery and sustained growth.

In an airport press conference before his departure for the People’s Republic of China this morning, the former President said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been doing her part to resolve the Davide impeachment issue.

Ramos also reiterated that "Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo represents the best option for leadership in comparison with all the others, with due respect to all of them," adding that he had been consistent in his statements, principles, vision and optimism about the better future for the country.

"As an ex-President," Ramos said, "I would like to see the country unite for higher competitiveness in the global economy. After all, the name of the game out there is not intramurals, but competitiveness in the economy."

He warned that unless the country remains competitive, every Filipino will suffer in terms of "fewer jobs, less food and more fragile shelter on top of our heads."

Ramos suggested that the civil society or "the third force in a national society" initiate a top-level meeting that would be attended by the President, Senate President Franklin Drilon, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. and Chief Justice Davide.

The meeting, he said, would talk over the impeachment controversy and other problems "nicely, objectively and quietly" until "a win win solution can be forged."

He said that it is now time for the country’s leaders to put their minds together on "where we are going as a nation, what we have done, what are the problems along the way, and what are the solutions to overcome these problems."

"No other better period can be chosen to talk about keeping the Philippines alive than during this holiday to honor our dead," Ramos said, "because if the Philippines is dead, who will honor the dead?"

Ramos left today for a nine-day visit to the People’s Republic of China. He is to chair the general meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), a non-profit economic intellectual resource center that he initiated in September 1998 with former Prime Ministers Bob Hawke of Australia and Morihiro Hosokawa of Japan.

Organized by 26 countries, the BFA has headquarters in Boao, Hainan, site of China’s largest special economic zone. BFA was established to promote the development goals of Asian countries through greater economic integration and intellectual exchange. It complements the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum and the World Economic Forum (WEF) based in Davos, Switzerland.

The Boao conference is to be attended by heads of state and government, including Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore, Premier Wen Jiabao of China, President Pervez Musharaf of Pakistan, President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan and President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan, along with prominent businessmen and educators.

Ramos will then proceed to Hong Kong to co-chair the 7^th annual Businessweek CEO Forum together with former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Mike Moore. Former US President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged the country’s business community to help in the government development efforts to finally bring about a lasting peace in Mindanao.

Speaking before the participants of the 12^th Mindanao Business Conference (MBC) held at the Phividec Industrial Estate here, the President thanked the business community for its interest in helping the government with the peace process in Mindanao.

The President said that peace and development go hand-in-hand and that the government cannot pursue one without the other.

"I want to take this opportunity to commend the business community for their interest in the peace process. Because it means that they also, are looking for peace and that they recognize that peace is important so that we can have an uninterrupted business activity that can raise incomes and generate jobs," the President said.

Mindanao is an active member of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area). Representatives of the four countries, including those from the private sector, have attended the conference to discuss business opportunities in the region.

"The BIMP-EAGA has returned to the limelight of ASEAN, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) having been identified as the most vigorous driving force in the sub-region followed by other rising stars here like the agro-industry, fisheries and tourism," the President said.

The President also said that the Asian Development Bank is currently undertaking a study to accelerate SME financing for BIMP-EAGA.

"The World Bank has agreed to sponsor a multi-donor Mindanao Reconstruction and Development Fund to support the peace process, including activities for confidence building, disarmament and demobilization, reintegration and reconstruction, and development," the President said.

The President said that she appreciated the businessmen’s foresight about Mindanao’s power demands.

She said that Southern Mindanao has a dynamic industrial and manufacturing potential, so much so that Davao’s power consumption has gone up by eight percent this year.

"Southern Mindanao does not produce its own power, and this should be an attractive site for new independent power producers," the President said.

The President said that she has reiterated her call for the Senate to pass the Transco (Transmission Corporation) franchise bill to make the power generation sector more attractive for privatization.

"I am sure that the Mindanao businessmen also seek peace of mind and national unity so that you can go about your business of increasing incomes and creating jobs," the President said.

The President renewed her call for the businessmen to help her fulfill her dream of equitable prosperity for all Filipinos, where they can enjoy true equity and justice.

The President said that no one is above the law and the government’s crisis mechanisms are in place "even if we have not reached a crisis point."

CAGAYAN DE ORO City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today inaugurated the P124-million wharf extension at the Port of Cagayan de Oro that would provide faster handling and transport of goods between Mindanao and other ports in the Visayas and Luzon.

This means that beginning the first quarter of 2004, shippers and stakeholders in the cargo industry will start reaping the fruits of the modernization and completion of the P2-billion Mindanao Container Port Terminal (MCPT) and the Port of Cagayan de Oro, the President said.

She said this also means that once the MCPT and the Port of Cagayan de Oro are fully operational, they should generate investments from other countries and employment opportunities for the residents of Misamis Oriental and neighboring provinces.

Shortly after her arrival at Lumbia Airport here at around 9:30 a.m., the President delivered a speech in the closing ceremony of the 12^th Mindanao Business Conference (MINBIZCON) held at PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate located inside the MCPT Complex in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

The conference was attended by some 800 delegates including members of the diplomatic corps and businessmen from Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao and also from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, United States, Brunei Darussalam, Canada and Australia.

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Alfonso Cusi and Port of Cagayan de Oro Manager Prudencio Mercado assisted the President in the unveiling of the marker of the port extension. She later inspected the newly-completed 150-meters reinforced concrete wharf extension.

After the inauguration, the President fielded questions from the Cagayan de Oro reporters in a press conference held at the Port Management Office (PMO) conference room. Earlier she had lunch with local executive officers of the province and Philippine Ports Authority officials.

CAGAYAN DE ORO City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today commended the business community in Mindanao for their active support for her administration, especially for their keen interest in the pursuit of the preace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)

The President issued the remarks during the prss conference held at the conference room of the Port Management Office (PMO) here right after she inaugurated the P124-million wharf extension of the Port of Cagayan de oro this morning.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to commend the business community for their interest in the peace process because that means that they are also looking for peace and that they recognize that peace is important in the progress and development in our country," the President said.

The President said she is very grateful the Mindanao Business Council has been very active in supporting her administration, particularly in the resumption of the peace process and all her projects for Mindanao.

During the press conference, the President said that she will confer with presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles on the details of an increased role of the private sector in a realization of a just, fair, and lasting peace agreement with the MILF.

Earlier, Misamis Oriental Governor Antonio Calingin, in his welcome remarks during the closing ceremony of the 12^th Mindanao Business Conference, announced his full support for the Chief Executive.

Governor Calingin assured the President that he will help her administration in fulfilling all of her dreams and projects for Mindanao residents and even her candidacy in the 2004 presidential election.

"whatever my detractors have been saying against you, let me assure you that I would bring the people, my constituents in the province of Misamis Oriental to support you in the coming election," Calingin said in his speech.

CAGAYAN DE ORO City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today urged opposition Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel to bring his allegations to court if he has evidence to prove alleged overpricing in the construction of the Mindanao Container Port terminal (MICPT).

"Nonetheless, nobody is above the law. And if Nene has evidence to prove his allegations, there are the usual forums for following through such accusations," the President said in reaction to a question during a press conference that quoted accusations by Senator Pimentel on the construction of MICPT.

The President explained that based on the information and documents she received on the said project, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) saved at least P200 million in the construction of the P2 billion MICPT project.

"Well, what I know is that there is a P200 million savings and, in fact, all the projects I inherited when my administration started to manage them have been able to generate savings," the President explained.

The President revealed that beginning the first quarter of 2004, the P2 billion MICPT project in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental will be opened for the faster handling of goods. When it operates, she said, more employment opportunities would be generated.

Of the total cost of $40.9 million (P2.043 billion), around 60 percent will be funded under Japan’s Special Yen Loan Package (SYLP) while the remaining 40 percent will be shouldered by local counterpart funds.

The SYLP carries an interest rate of one percent, with a 40-year repayment period, inclusive of a 10-year grace period.