President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today condoled with the family of Juan "Jun" Pala Jr., a popular radio commentator who was assassinated Saturday night in Davao City.

In a press statement, the President said that she also shared the concern of media organizations and practitioners over such violent incidents against local journalists.

"We cannot discount an attempt to stifle press freedom, which would be condemnable," she said. "But, I do not wish to speculate on any motives or suspects."

The President said she has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct an in-depth probe into the Pala assassination "to bring the perpetrators to justice."

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said, "Ang pagkakapaslang kay Ginoong Pala ay isang mariing dagok sa press freedom at ito ay kinokondena ng Malacanang (The Pala assassination is a strong blow against press freedom and is condemned by Malacanang)."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that electoral reform is her number one priority in the field of politics for which her administration has earmarked P3 billion for a computerization program being implemented by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The President said that the computerization program, which is already in full swing, "is a monumental landmark in the history of Philippine suffrage."

"We will see," she added, "the first giant step towards honest and clean elections in May 2004 and this will have the effect of restoring a large part of the people’s faith in democracy."

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a radio interview that President Macapagal-Arroyo has set aside P3 billion for the Comelec’s program designed to computerize the tabulation and transmission of election results.

"Sa pagkakaroon ng electoral reform," Bunye said, "ang gusto ng ating Pangulo sa 2004 elections ay maging mapayapa, maayos at kapani-paniwala (By having electoral reform, it is our President’s desire to make the 2004 elections peaceful, orderly and credible)."

Bunye dismissed speculations that the 2004 elections would be bloody, pointing out that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration is focused on ensuring a "very peaceful" political exercise.

Bunye also said there is a need for ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to intensify their information campaign to encourage overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to register.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today expressed his admiration for the vision and determination of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to improve the lives of the Filipino people even as he urged the local business community to give the President the moral support that she needs to solve the country’s economic problems.

In his response during the state luncheon the President hosted for the visiting Thai leader in Malacanang’s State Dining Room, Thaksin said that in a bilateral meeting with the President in Tokyo last June during the Nikkei Conference, he was touched by the President’s words of praise about Thailand’s economic and social policies, which the President dubbed "Thaksinomics."

"I also admire your vision and determination to look for policies, ways and means to bring economic prosperity and security to the people of the Philippines," Thaksin said.

Earlier, in his speech at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thaksin called on the Filipino business leaders to extend their "moral support" to the President so that she can effectively address the country’s economic problems.

Thaksin also noted that President Macapagal-Arroyo evokes strong leadership skills and courage "as she was able to control the July 27 mutiny in 20 hours."

In her own remarks at the state luncheon, the President said she invited Thaksin to visit the Philippines so that the latter can brief the leaders of the country’s business and bureaucracy on "Thaksinomics," the innovated economic policies behind Thailand’s current remarkable success.

The President cited the constructive bilateral partnership between the two countries, particularly in the field of trade, agriculture, law enforcement and defense.

She said that the cooperation between the two countries is not limited to bilateral issues but also to international matters that affect the Philippines and Thailand, both developing countries.

"This collaborative spirit permeates not just our bilateral relations, but our unstinting cooperation in the regional and multilateral arena," the President said.

The President said that the opportunities and challenges of globalization continue to demand the joint attention of governments like the Philippines and Thailand.

She said that in the spirit of continued solidarity, mutual trust and collaboration, she is confident that the Philippines and Thailand will reap the rewards of the new millennium.

The President also thanked Thaksin for the donation of eight OV-10 light attack aircraft by the Royal Thai Air Force to the Philippine Air Force.

"The first batch of four will be put to immediate use in our counterinsurgency operations and national defense programs," the President said.

In his response, Thaksin expressed the hope that the close cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand "will spur greater interaction between our private sectors for the mutual interests of both countries."

"I am happy to note that our relations have gone from strength to strength, and have matured into one of close friendship and partnership," the Thai premier said.

He said his second visit to the country has been both memorable and fruitful.

Thaksin said that the donation of OV-10 aircraft to the Philippine Air Force is the most recent concrete example of the strong partnership between Thailand and the Philippines.

He also announced the signing this morning of the Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Development of Cooperation between Philippine and Thai companies through the Philippines-Thailand Business Council and the Thailand-Philippines Business Council.

From his discussion with President Macapagal-Arroyo, Thaksin noted that the two heads of state share the same vision, particularly in the war against terrorism, poverty, corruption and drugs.

"Pledging to continue your endeavors to bring betterment to the people of the Philippines, I believe, must be the commitment of any leader in the modern world," Thaksin said.

Thaksin said that on bilateral trade, the volume of trade between the two countries last year reached approximately P204 billion, which he and the President set during his visit to Manila two years ago.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today credited President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for coining the term "Thaksinomics," which refers to his domestic consumption-based policy that has spurred the economic growth of Thailand.

Thaksin recalled that incident in today’s meeting organized jointly by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Philippines-Thailand Council at the Dusit Nikko Hotel in Makati City,

According to the Thai leader, President Macapagal-Arroyo told the Nikkei Conference in Tokyo last June that, in conducting her economic policy, she followed Thaksin’s "domestic consumption-based (and) managed asset reflation" that helped accelerate Thailand’s growth.

"… She called this policy after my name, Thaksinomics!," he said. "Sitting in the audience, I could not help feeling flattered and somewhat embarrassed. There was, President Arroyo, a PhD in economics, publicly giving credit to a PhD in criminal justice, like myself, for my economic policy and even calling it after my name. She must be pulling my leg, I thought.

But Thaksin said that in their bilateral talks later that day, he found out that President Macapagal-Arroyo was quite series and stressed her sincerity in what she called "Thaksinomics," and invited him to visit the Philippines.

President Macapagal-Arroyo formally welcomed Prime Minister Thaksin to Malacaņang Palace this morning and hosted a luncheon in his honor.

Speaking at the luncheon meeting, the President said that she is "an unabashed disciple of Thaksinomics," and that the "close rapport" between the two countries provides a "strong impetus behind our constructive bilateral partnership, especially in the fields of trade, agriculture, law enforcement and defense."

While noting that Thailand’s economic success demonstrates the benefits of liberalized trade, she said that the position of the Philippines and Thailand at the forthcoming meeting of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico, will be clear and unequivocal.

"We are for downgrading subsidies by foreign governments to their own farmers and for the breaking down and dissolving barriers to products of developing countries -- quotas, health and sanitary regulations, technical obstacles, and other clever tricks," she said.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand today called on the leaders of the Filipino business community to give President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo their "moral support" so that she can effectively solve the country’s economic woes.

Thaksin made the call during his speech at a meeting organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Philippine-Thai Business Council held this morning at the Dusit Nikko Hotel in Makati City.

He also cited the President for "evoking strong leadership skills and courage as she was able to control the July 27 mutiny in 20 hours."

Later in the day, Thaksin and the President witnessed the renewal of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Development of Cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand.

The renewal of the signing of the MOU was made by Cesar Purisima and Eusebio Tanco, co-chairmen of the Philippines Thailand Business Council and Siraporn Simakhultorn, chairman of the Thai-Philippines Business Council.

The MOU seeks to foster cooperation between Philippine and Thai companies, encourage further investments in the Philippines and Thailand, and establish collaboration in trade and investments between these companies in third party countries.

The renewal of the MOU recognizes the need for both countries to continue to draw on each other’s resources and play a complementary partnership role.

Under the same MOU, the two governments encourage the private sector organizations in their respective countries to continue to cooperate and take advantage of business opportunities in the Philippines, Thailand and other countries.

Thaksin, largely credited for accelerating Thailand’s growth through the domestic consumption-based ‘managed asset reflation’, is here for a two-day visit and to speak on "Thaksinomics," the term used by President Macapagal-Arroyo to describe Thaksin’s successful economic policy.

In his keynote address, Thaksin revealed how he turned Thailand’s economy around from a negative growth of minus 1.4 percent in 1997 and minus 10.2 percent in 1998 to 5.3 percent last year.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will address the 58^th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26 on the first leg of her five-day working trip to the United States, Rome and Paris.

The President will be the fourth speaker scheduled to address the UN body after her short meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir and a breakfast meeting with the Asia Society and the Council of Foreign Relations at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the President will leave Manila on Thursday, Sept. 25 and expected to arrive in New York at 11 p.m. (US time).

While in New York, Mrs. Arroyo will also call on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and meet with officials of the US Institute of Peace, which is very much interested in the peace process in Mindanao.

The President is also scheduled to have lunch with foreign ministers and ambassadors from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Later in the day, the President will meet with leaders and members of the Filipino community in New Jersey.

On Saturday (September 27), the President will fly to Rome for an audience with Pope John Paul II at the Apostolic Palace.

She will also meet with members of the Filipino community during her two-day stay in Rome.

The President will depart for Paris on September 29 to address the 32^nd General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). She will also make a brief visit to the Mother House of the Religious of the Assumption.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that aside from the discounted prices of diesel fuel, her administration is doing everything to avoid an increase of passenger fares.

"This special price incentive comes in the form of either outright price discount or discount coupon systems," the President said when she visited the Unioil Gas Station in Paranaque City, where a 40-centavo discount per liter of diesel fuel is given to jeepney drivers.

The President said 46 different gasoline stations, mostly along EDSA, have different discounts -- from 20 to 50 centavos-- for members of the jeepney associations in the country.

These various measures, the President pointed out, can help the needs of the drivers, as well as prevent the increase in fares and harmful effects on the economy.

Zenaida Maranan, president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), said that they support the President’s initiatives for the benefit of the transport industry.

"Nakikita namin ang kanyang pag-iisip na talagang sa kapakanan ng ating bayan ang kanyang ginagawa (We can see that the President’s moves are for the welfare of the country)," Maranan said. "Kaya ang hiling naming tigilan na ang pulitika, intidihan natin and ating bayan (That’s why we are asking her critics to stop politicking and think of the country)."

The President thanked the new players in the oil sector -- Unioil, Seaoil, Cityoil, and Total -- and the three established players--Petron, Shell, and Caltex--for coming up with their discounted scheme for diesel fuel, which is being used by public utility vehicles.

The President expressed the hope that these new players will widen their scope in this program to include the public buses and tricycles used by ordinary Filipinos.

The President also said that that there are things that we should be concerned of, and not politics.