Senate inquiry

The disposition of this inquiry is strictly the business of the Senate and we will not interfere. The hearings have been conducted in full transparency and the people know who has been engaged in innuendo or deception and who has been civil and adherent to the rule of law and due process. We leave the issues and conduct of political leaders to the judgment of the people.

Alleged harassment of Senator Lacson

The President is focused first and foremost on the needs of the Philippines people in the areas of economic growth and prosperity and in pursuing peace. Her travel plans will be driven by these objectives. She is unwavering in her commitment to travel on behalf of Philippine interests, and nothing will deter her. She is confident in the state of the nation, the direction of the economy and the prospects for peace.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye today said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s foreign travels are guided "first and foremost" by the needs of the Filipino people in the areas of economic growth and prosperity and in pursuit of peace.

The President is scheduled to visit New York, Rome and Paris from September 26-30.

Aside from person-to-person meetings with world leaders, the President’s main mission abroad is to speak before the 58^th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, to meet with Pope John Paul II in Rome, and to address the 32^nd General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in Paris.

In a radio interview this morning, Bunye pointed out that the President’s proposed visit to the Middle East has been moved to "a later and more opportune time."

In his press statement, Bunye said that "the President is unwavering in her commitment to travel on behalf of Philippine interests."

He added that the President "is confident in the state of the nation, the direction of the economy and the prospects for peace."

He said that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo "will keep all of her foreign commitments and will not be deterred from pursuing better economic and security relations with our foreign friends and allies."

The President, Bunye noted, "values all of the allies of the Philippines, and will give each and every one of them the full and undivided attention they need – and the Philippines needs – to our mutual benefit."

The presidential spokesman expressed optimism that the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would soon resume their formal peace talks in Kuala Lumpur.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called "erroneous and unfair" speculation that her support for the United States-led campaign against terrorism would hamper the Philippines’ bid for a seat at the United Nations Security Council.

The President said that the Philippines has been vying for a UN Security Council seat for sometime, and that "this has nothing to do with our strategic partnership with the United States."

In saying that "it is erroneous and unfair" to link the country’s stand against terrorism to its chance of election to the Security Council, the Chief Executive said, "Our being part of the global coalition against terror is pursuant to a UN mandate."

"Our strategic partnership with the US is part of our involvement in global security," she added.

President Macapagal-Arroyo, who has a speaking engagement at the UN General Assembly on September 26, noted that the United Nations "is a non-partisan body."

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye told a radio interview that when the President goes to New York later this month, she will meet with representatives of groups, like the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Institute of Peace and the Asian Council, as well as the ambassadors of various countries.

Metro Manila bus and jeepney operators today expressed their full support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s programs for the transport industry and the government’s traffic scheme being implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Metro Manila Council (MMC).

Some 20 representatives of the various bus and jeepney operators expressed their support for the President during the joint National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board and Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City.

Aside from the leaders of the major transport associations in Metro Manila, the joint NEDA-MMDA meeting was also attended by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, NEDA Director General Romulo Neri, Energy Secretary Vince Perez, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Arturo Valdez, and 11 mayors of Metro Manila.

The President, who presided the meeting, immediately acted on the concerns of the various transportation groups represented by Medardo Roda of the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON); Zenaida Maranan of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEDJODAP); Claire dela Fuente of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA); and the representatives of other groups.

Among their major concerns were the lifting of the color-coding scheme under MMDA’s unified vehicle volume reduction program (UVVRP), setting up of additional gas stations offering 20- to 50-centavo discounts for diesel fuel sold to buses and jeepneys, single ticketing, uniform towing and traffic violation rates or fees, and the use of overpasses for buses plying along EDSA.

The President ordered the full implementation of single dispatching system for buses particularly along EDSA within two months.

Under the scheme, Fernando proposed a controlled headway between buses to lessen its volume along EDSA so that the implementation of the color-coding scheme could be lifted.

Although there are already 46 gasoline filling stations offering various discounts, Perez said he would talk to the owners of other gas stations so that other public utility groups can avail of the discounted price of diesel fuel.

Heeding his call, other bus operators, who have their own filling stations, also offered to join in the government’s discount program.

Fernando also told the participants that the MMC has already scheduled a meeting to discuss the single ticketing system and the uniform rates for towing and traffic violation fees within the metropolis.

He said the MMC will also urge the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) to implement their uniform rate at the South Expressway which, according to bus operators, has become quite excessive.

The President also told the operators that buses were already allowed to use the overpass along Ortigas and Santolan and the MMDA enforcers would be given the discretion to let buses use the flyovers in areas where they deem it is necessary.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today thanked Admiral E. E. Mitropoulos, Incoming Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for putting up a regional office for technical cooperation in Asia here.

The shipping official called on the President in Malacaņang to emphasize the importance of the IMO regional office in the country since the Philippines is the leading supplier of seafarers in the world.

He informed the President that the IMO regional office will bring technical cooperation to the Philippines and the rest of the East Asian Region.

"This will benefit not only the Filipino seafarers but also other countries that provide manpower for the shipping industry all over the world," Mitropoulos said.

According to the President, Filipino seafarers constitute one-fifth of the total global shipping force and Filipino marine officers are considered among the most competent and efficient in the world.

For the first half of this year alone, over 112,000 Filipino seamen have already been deployed to ocean-going vessels.

Mitropoulos was also the main speaker of the ministerial meeting on maritime security cooperation of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which opened today at the New World Hotel in Makati City.

The Philippine government is confident of winning a seat in the United Nations Security Council when the UN General Assembly chooses a new set of 10 non-voting members.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo addressing the UN General Assembly "would be a good indication of the keen interest of the Philippines in really getting the seat in the UN Security Council."

Another factor going for the Philippines is its role in the US-led global coalition against terrorism.

"The President is being at work as well as the diplomatic officials. And I believe no stone will be left unturned… to strengthen the bid," Bunye said.

The presidential spokesman said recent events in the country like the July 21 Oakwood mutiny and the escape of international terrorist Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi would not affect the government’s bid for the UN seat.

The seat in the United Nations Security Council is very important even if non-voting as it gives the country the chance to participate in the important decision-making process of the United Nations, Bunye said.

The United Nations Security Council bears the primary responsibility for world peace and international security. Its decisions are binding on all member states. It has five permanent and ten non-permanent members who meet almost on a daily basis at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to discuss ongoing conflicts and how they can be resolved.

The ten non-permanent Security Council members are elected by the United Nations General Assembly for a two-year term beginning on January `1 and ending the following year on December 31. Every year five new non-permanent members are elected to replace the five due to leave the Council when their term expires.

Philippine trade negotiators will push for fairer trade liberalization policies on the fifth World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting that kicks off tomorrow in Cancun, Mexico.

The Philippines, along with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will call for the downgrading of subsidies by economic superpowers to their farmers to enable farmers produce coming from developing countries to be more competitive in the world market.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said, "developed countries should reduce the subsidies that they are giving to their farmers. Giving huge subsidies to farmers enables them to sell their agricultural products in the world market at very low prices."

"This unfair practice prevents farmers from developing countries, like the Philippines, from effectively competing since their governments cannot afford them such huge endowment," Bunye said.

The country will also ask foreign governments to relax restrictions and requirements on Philippine agricultural products being exported to their countries, since most of these requirements greatly reduce the shelf life of agricultural products.

The negotiating position hammered out by Philippine trade negotiators is aimed at protecting national interests and ensuring greater competitiveness of local industries engaged in international trade.

Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II said that the government has conducted a series of public consultations with local business organizations, industry groups, and with the members of the Special House Committee on Globalization before coming up with the Philippine government position on the WTO’s trade liberalization policy.