We shall push forward the institutional initiatives of Secretary Angelo Reyes.

We aim to maintain the firm hold of civilian authority over the military devoid of old boys networks and special relationships.

We aim to strengthen the chain of command from the President to the Armed Forces Chief of Staff down the line, with the DND on a sidebar as a policy overseer keeping hands off from operational matters.

We are already moving logistics to the field through the prudent use of sound administrative tools and procedures.

Together with the leadership of Armed Forces, we are going to mop up endemic corruption.

Our priorities are reinforced policy control, sound management of resources and untrammeled command efficiency.

After my short stint as Defense Chief, I shall expect my successor in the department to follow througn.

The call for unity against terrorism with our Asian counterparts is both timely and pressing.

To forge a strategic link-up to stop the spread of terrorist cells linked to Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah is crucial in pushing for a common peace and development agenda in the region.

The branching of these terrorist groups in South Asia and Southeast Asian regions must be dealt with on a sustained, collective basis.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has presented the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize, to seven individuals whose work in various fields honors the memory and leadership by example of the third President of the Philippine Republic.

The President did not deliver a speech at the presentation ceremony, held Sunday night at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City. The awardees are:

--James Michael Lyngdoh, Chief Election Commissioner of India, was the awardee for government service. He was recognized for "his convincing validation of free and fair elections as the foundation and best hope of secular democracy in (his) strife-torn (country)."

-- Dr. Gao Yaojie, a retired gynecologist turned AIDS activist in China, was cited in the field of public service. She was honored for "her fervent personal crusade to confront the AIDS crisis in China and to address it humanely."

--Shantha Sinha, also from India, garnered the award for community service for "her guiding the people (in the state) of Andhra Pradesh to end the scourge of child labor and send all of their children to school."

--Sheila Coronel, founder and currently executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, was chosen awardee for journalism, literature and creative communication arts. She was cited for "her leading a groundbreaking collaborative efforts to develop investigative journalism as a critical component of democratic discourse in the Philippines."

--Dr. Tetsu Nakamura and Seiei Toyama, both of Japan, shared the award for peace and international understanding. Dr. Nakamura was recognized for his volunteer health service programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while Toyama, a soil agriculturist and environmentalist, was cited for his 20-year crusade to green the deserts of Inner Mongolia in China.

--Aniceto Guterres Lopes, Chairman of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation of East Timor was honored for emergent leadership. He was recognized for "his courageous stand for justice and the rule of law during East Timor’s turbulent passage to nationhood.

SAN SIMON, Pampanga--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today inaugurated the completed 8 kilometers stretch of the northbound lanes of the Candaba-San Simon segment of North Luzon Expressway.

Upon her arrival here at 9:05 AM, the President was briefed about the project by Jose "Ping" de Jesus, president and chief executive officer of the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), which is undertaking the multi-million dollar project.

After the briefing, the President, accompanied by MNTC chairman Oscar Lopez, made a drive thru the newly completed stretch in a top-down Mitsubishi Pajero.

Also present during the inaugural ceremony were Secretary Florante Soriquez of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Secretary Marita Jimenez, presidential adviser on priority projects and official development assistance (ODA).

The project symbolizes the partnership of government and private sector in working together to provide the road infrastructure, which is expected to boost socio-economic growth in central and northern Luzon.

Now on its seventh month of its 24-month construction timetable, the rehabilitation, expansion and improvement of the 84 kilometer North Expressway is considered one of government’s flagship projects.

Being a key infrastructure project of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration, its progress and completion are being monitored by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Regional Development Council.

When the construction started last February, President Macapagal-Arroyo hailed the North Luzon Tollway project as a significant milestone in the nation’s continuing mission to generate economic growth and create opportunities for trade, tourism and investments in Central and Northern Luzon.

Recalling that the Lopez Group spearheaded the initiative to undertake the US $371 million modernization program under the most trying of conditions and without government guarantees, MNTC Chairman Lopez reaffirmed his belief that the private sector can play an important role in nation building.

De Jesus exuded confidence that the project would open new avenues for growth in Central Luzon. "The reconstruction of the North Luzon Expressway is all about providing mobility and access to markets and products, between consumers and producers. We are talking about smooth unhampered flow of tourists to destinations north of Manila," de Jesus said.

The Presidential Commission for the Central Luzon Growth Corridor (PCCLGC) today said that Central and Northern Luzon would experience economic growth once the ongoing modernization of the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is finished.

In a statement, PCCLGC Executive Director Blesila Lantayona said that the upgrading of the tollway into world–class standards will create a more favorable climate for business and boost the region’s bid for accelerated economic development.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the completed eight kilometer stretch of the northbound lanes of NLEX’s Candaba-San Simon segment.

The 84-kilometer NLEX, which principally connects Metro Manila and Southern Luzon to Central Luzon and the Northern Philippines stretches from Balintawak in the Kaloocan/ Quezon City area to Sta. Ines in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Lantayona said that the flow of business would be more convenient, swift and predictable along the NLEX once the upgrading is finished.

She said that the expansion of the capacity limit of NLEX such as increasing its utilizable lanes from six to eight in some portions, and from four to six in other portions of the tollway would effectively address the increasing vehicle volume.

Lantayona said that the tollway expansion would de-clog traffic and ensure efficient transportation of goods, people and services.

"The predictable and swift transport of goods, services and people are all part of the considerations of businessmen and investors in placing their capital and resources in the region and in Northern Philippines," Lantayona said.

Preparatory works on the San Fernando-San Simon portion of the NLEX, including the strengthening and expansion of bridges and widening of spur clearances along the tollway are ongoing.

The PCCLGC has been closely monitoring the NLEX modernization project since it is one of the 16 strategic infrastructure projects endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC-3) and one that has the biggest impact on the region’s economy.

The Presidential Commission, through its Task Force on Strategic Infrastructure Development chaired by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Romulo Neri, is regularly meeting with officials of NLEX and the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), which is undertaking the multi-million dollar project.

Central Luzon ranks third in terms of capturing investment inflows entering the country, next only to the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Visayas.

CLARK SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on the Filipino people to remain calm but vigilant and to thwart any attempt to destabilize our nation by some misguided few.

In her speech at the celebration of 100 years of the existence of Clark, the President said that with calm and vigilance, the "few desperate destabilizers cannot beat our political and economic fundamentals."

She said that the Filipino people will be able to weather the storm through their excellence and resilience.

The President said that the so-called "instability" in the country is only a noise on the surface but underneath, the nation is secure in its moorings upheld by the Constitution and driven by a strong spirit of enterprise that is being shown at the Clark Special Economic Zone.

She said today is a good time to remind the people to cast away their nagging fears and re-focus their energies on the country’s primary goals, which are economic progress and the eradication of poverty.

The President said that we should not allow these primary goals to be sidetracked by the "posturing and sinister attempts to grab power" by the desperate few.

According to the President, the economy has been doing relatively well, with the country’s gross national product (GNP) growth of 4.5 percent for the second quarter surpassed only by China and Malaysia.

She also said that the call for unity against terrorism with our Asian counterparts is both timely and pressing. "Nations and peoples must form a solid front to track down terrorists across frontiers," the President said.

The President said that to forge a strategic link-up to stop the spread of terrorist cells linked to the Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah terror groups is crucial in pushing for a common peace and development agenda in the region.

Re Lacson speech

All government records are open to the public, unless classified for reasons of national security. The Senate can ask for the records of any public transaction and these will be delivered as a matter of course. Transparency is a standing rule in the Office of the President and we strictly adhere to it.

CLARK SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today issued several directives to speed up the development of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here into an alternative international airport not just for cargo planes but for passenger planes as well.

In her speech at the 100 years anniversary of Clark Field, the President said that she was disappointed that after she declared DMIA as the alternate airport to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) one year ago, no passenger planes have yet landed at the DMIA.

"That is why I have decided that on the 100^th anniversary of Clark, we will use this occasion to reinforce that declaration with money following what we have declared," the President said.

The President said that the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) would start mobilizing funds for the further development of the DMIA.

She said that as a start, the NAIA will allocate the amount of P100 million from its income for the upgrading of the DMIA.

The money, the President said, will be used in the widening of the airport’s taxiway, and for the procurement of ramp buses and X-ray machines for passenger luggage.

"We have to make this terminal world-class in services as well. And that is what the NAIA will do to the DMIA," the President said.

The President announced that starting September 28, the birthday of her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, Asiana Airlines will be landing at the DMIA bringing with it passengers as well as cargoes.

She said during this month, the CDC is arranging for airlines to start bringing direct to the DMIA returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East, particularly those from Central Luzon and other provinces north of Manila.

"We have got to see the passenger planes coming here from other countries and going to other countries," the President said.

The President also lauded the CDC for having spent P250 million so far to fix the runway of the DMIA so that it will comply with world-class standards sought by the United Parcel Service (UPS), which has chosen Clark as its regional hub.

The CDC, the President said, has also set aside $11 million to upgrade the airport’s radar system.

The President said that the sustained development of Clark Field, the North Luzon Expressway (NLE), and the upgrading of the DMIA are all part of the plan to make Pampanga a truly important hub of the development that it deserves to be.

Earlier, the President inaugurated the completed eight-kilometer stretch of the north-bound lanes of the Candaba-San Simon segment of the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway.