CONCEPCION, Tarlac – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo counseled graduates of a public high school in this town today to keep in mind that education, morality and faith in God are the keys that open opportunities to a better life.

Speaking before 1,042 graduates of the Benigno S. Aquino National High School in Barangay San Nicolas, Concepcion, the President recalled the struggles to obtain good education by her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, to stress the value of education in improving one’s life.

But, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said, "Hindi lang edukasyon ang mahalaga. Mahalaga rin ang mabuting moralidad at pananampalataya sa Diyos. (It’s not only education that is valuable. It is also important to have moral values and faith in God)."

The President arrived in Concepcion by helicopter at 7:45 A.M. She was accompanied on the presidential chopper by Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., Press Secretary Milton Alingod, and Lupita A. Kashiwahara.

Tarlac Governor Jose Yap, Concepcion Mayor Benjie Lacson, and Congressmen Jesli Lapus and Benigno Aquino III, School Division Superintendent Victoria Aguas, high school officials, students and parents welcomed the President after alighting from the chopper on the campus.

In her speech, the President recalled how her father, born to a poor family, walked to school everyday, borrowed books from classmates, and nearly failed to attend the commencement exercises for lack of shoes.

But, according to the President, her father studied hard and graduated valedictorian of his high school class. With financial help from a rich townmate, he graduated from the UST College of Law and topped the bar examinations, she said.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said that her father eventually became a congressman, senator, vice president and president. One of the significant achievements of his presidency was the proclamation of a land reform program that freed farmers from the bondage of unjust tenancy nationwide.

"Kung ang Tatay ko ay hindi nag-aral na mabuti, hindi marahil namin narating ang tugatog ng tagumpay (If my father did not study hard, we would have not reached the pinnacle of success)," the President said.

Like her father, the President said that she also studied hard and absorbed in school as much knowledge as she could. She graduated at the top of her class from elementary to high school and college. She became an economist and joined the government service as official of the Department of Trade and Industry under former President Corazon Aquino.

I am glad in the growing solidarity of Muslims and Christians behind our campaign against terrorism.

Everyone can be assured that this campaign will continue to be carried out without any ethnic or religious bias, and with only the enforcement of impartial justice in mind.

Every Filipino must guard against the exploitation of his or her faith to justify terrorism.

Let us shake off this doomsday syndrome about the forthcoming elections.

It demeans our people to say that a close race is a recipe for post election chaos.

We must have greater faith in the Filipino and our strong and courageous adherence to democracy.

What is more important is to make every vote count, and to safeguard the democratic process.

For every election in our history, the will of the people and the strength of our institutions have upheld clean, honest and orderly polls.

We do not negotiate with terrorists and as far as the government is concerned, any faction of the MILF harboring terrorists is beyond the ambit of the peace process.

All salient agreements with the MILF explicitly exclude terrorists from the process.

This election is about issues and how each candidate will bring about specific changes to improve the lives of the average Filipino.

President Gloria has a clear vision and a very specific platform.

She believes the people deserve to hear about the specifics of her program and debates are central to bringing these specifics to the people so that they can judge for themselves the power of each candidate’s agenda.

In her case, President Gloria wants to debate her agenda to bring clean water to every barangay, cut the price of medicines in half, extend more loans for the self employed, create 6 million new jobs and extend electricity to every barangay in the nation.

President Gloria is disappointed that her main challenger does not want to attend the PPCRV- Comelec debate.

A debate without him is meaningless.

Malacanang today welcomed the North Rail project whose construction will be funded by a $400 million loan to be provided by the People’s Republic of China.

In a radio interview this morning, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the North Rail project is one of the "landmark projects" of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

"Actually, mayroong North Rail project tayo, mayroon ding South Rail. Itong North Rail ay aabot hanggang La Union. Imu-modernize talaga itong ating rail system na matagal nating napabayaan (Actually, we have a North Rail project. We also have a South Rail project. The North Rail will reach up to La Union. Our rail system, which has long been neglected, will be modernized)," he said.

Bunye said that modernization of the rail system would not only ease travel to different regions of the country, but also speed up the movement of goods and, thus, promote trade.

The Presidential Spokesperson also expressed the appreciation of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration to the Chinese government’s extension of a US$400 million loan for the project.

Funding for the North Rail project has been secured by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her working state visits to China.

Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. has said that the project would constitute a "lasting legacy" of President Macapagal-Arroyo to the Filipino people, because it would boost the Philippine economy and help promote greater unity and solidarity among the Filipino people.

China’s $400 million loan will be concessionary, with three percent interest and a five-year grace period.

In her remarks at the Capas National Shrine here, the President said that in commemorating Bataan Day or Araw ng Kagitingan, which also falls on Good Friday, the people should think of ways on how to achieve peace and prosperity, on how to make sacrifices and on how to care and serve one’s fellow men.

The President recalled the heroism and the sacrifices of more than 50,000 Filipinos who marched the 155-kilometer Bataan to Capas, Tarlac Road under a sweltering heat, with no water, food and shelter.

Waxing philosophical, the President said that the Death March did not actually end in death but in triumph "because we won the war and this was the beginning of a new hope for change."

The President said that everybody yearns for change, particularly in the search for peace and prosperity, including the present generation, adding that she, too, yearns for change for the Filipino people, a change for the betterment of their lives.

She fondly recalled that while hundreds of people were executed from breaking away from the Death March column and it was lucky indeed for her paternal uncle, Angel Macapagal, to escape while in Lubao, Pampanga.

The President said that war is a burden that humanity has to contend with. But in order to avoid war, we should strive to remove the reasons for most conflicts in the world, like inequity, injustice, ignorance and poverty, the President added.

And this is what she has been doing during her presidency, the President said, attracting foreign investments into the country so that people can have stable jobs and, therefore, food on their tables and security in their homes.

The President also reiterated her administration’s policy of seeking peace with all sectors in society, including the communist rebels and the secessionist forces in Mindanao.

She then thanked Tarlac Governor Jose Yap, who was among those in the audience, for being a member of the government peace panel that is currently holding talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF).

The President was accorded a 21-gun salute upon her arrival at the shrine after addressing the 56th graduation rites of the Benigno S. Aquino National High School in Concepcion, Tarlac.

Assisted by Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the President laid a wreath at the shrine.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has authorized the grant of Occupational Specialty Pay (OSP) to air traffic controllers in recognition of the unique duties and responsibilities of their profession.

The grant was contained in Administrative Order 97 signed March 24 but took effect March 1 of this year.

Under AO 97, a monthly OSP of P2,000 each shall be given to those holding positions as air traffic controller I and II, senior traffic controller, supervising air traffic controller, assistant chief air traffic controller, chief air traffic controller, air traffic services supervisor, and director I and II of air traffic service.

The Technical Incentive Allowance (TIA) being received by air traffic controllers will be integrated into the OSP. Henceforth, according to the AO, no separate payment shall be made for the TIA for the Air Traffic Controllers.

The OSP shall be charged against the savings of the Air Transport Office. In case of deficiency, the balance shall be charged against savings of the whole Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC). Any remaining deficiency shall be charged against the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund.

In authorizing the grant, the AO cited the role the air traffic controllers play in providing air traffic control services to the flying public in order to maintain safe, expeditious and orderly flow of air traffic.

It also said that lives and properties are at stake and must be protected through the conduct of alert and efficient air traffic control services.

Here’s good news for teachers who will render poll duties in next month’s elections.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced today that P1.4 billion for the honoraria and per diems for all public school teachers and members of the Board of Canvassers in the May 10 elections would be released on April 25.

Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin made the announcement at a press briefing in Malacanang to ensure that all the teachers will be paid in advance.

"We will release that on April 25 as programmed and as agreed upon with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Education (DepEd)," Boncodin said.

Boncodin said the release of the P1.4 billion is part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s commitment to ensure that two weeks before the conduct of May 10 local and national elections, all the members of the Board of Inspectors and Canvassers would already get their two-day honoraria at P1,000 per day.

She also assured that the third day honoraria will be paid after the election once the DepEd, the Comelec, and DBM have determined the actual number of teachers scheduled to participate in the elections.

Boncodin added that the funds would be released directly to DepEd.

Boncodin also reported that the DBM has released P3.3 billion to the Comelec, including the funds for absentee voting, to cover all the operating expenditures of the poll body in the forthcoming elections.

TARLAC CITY, Tarlac—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s bid for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections got another boost today with the expression of full support of provincial officials of Tarlac.

In a luncheon he hosted for the President here, Tarlac First District Congressman Gilbert Teodoro, a ranking member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said they would exert all efforts so that the President would win overwhelmingly in Tarlac.

Teodoro, a top lieutenant and nephew of Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, NPC founder and chairman emeritus, said that only the President has the experience and know-how to handle the affairs of the state, including world affairs.

He said that it is only fitting that the President should be given a fresh mandate so that she can pursue her programs of government, particularly those that would benefit the marginalized sector of society.

The luncheon meeting was also attended by Tarlac Governor Jose Yap, Vice Governor Marcelino Aganon, Tarlac Second District Congressman Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, and Tarlac City Mayor Genaro Mendoza.

Among the municipal mayors who were present at the luncheon meeting were Rodolfo Guerrero of Anao, Estelita Aquino of Moncada, Elpidio Ibarra of Paniqui, Wilfredo Sawit of Pura, Gil Beltran of Ramos, Reynaldo Malazo of San Manuel, Vicente Pacada of San Clemente, and Emmanuel Guiam of Victoria.

Earlier, in Capas and Concepcion, Tarlac, the President also got the assurance of support from Tarlac Third District Congressman Jesli Lapus.

Political observers here said that this is the first time in the history of the province that the Aquinos, Teodoros and the Cojuangcos are all supporting the candidacy of a single presidential candidate.

CAMILING, Tarlac---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today told fresh college graduates here that call centers and business process out-sourcing are two new industries that are a rich source of employment opportunities.

In a keynote address at the graduation rites of the Camiling Colleges here, the President said call centers and business process out-sourcing can accommodate great numbers of job applicants.

"But you have to speak the English language well to work at a call center," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo told the graduates.

On the other hand, she explained that business process out-sourcing requires proficiency in accounting and short-hand writing for transcription purposes.

The Chief Executive recalled that before she took over the presidency in January 2001, there were only about 2,000 workers in the call centers and business process out-sourcing.

"Ngayon, dahil inayos natin ang imprastraktura para doon, 50,000 na ang nagtatrabaho sa call centers, sa business process out-sourcing, nadodoble pa taun-taon (Today, since we have improved the infrastructure in these sectors, there are now 50,000 workers in the call centers and business process out-sourcing. And this is doubled every year)," the President said.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also noted strong confidence of investors in the domestic business climate under her administration, citing as example the $500-million fund infusion into the San Miguel conglomerate, giving rise to business expansions, creation of new products and new dealers, and more jobs.

The President also reiterated that the government’s micro-financing program for small and medium enterprises has provided sources of livelihood for some one million women under her leadership.

Malacanang today assured that the national government has not spent more than its target or more than its programmed expenditures in the first quarter of the year nor has it window-dressed the revenue figures for the period as alleged by certain quarters.

Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin made the assurance as she denied allegations of overspending in the first quarter and incorporating money from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in the first quarter outlay in the General Fund.

She said preliminary numbers on the deficit figure for the first quarter show that it will be below the P58.9 billion target for the first quarter.

"Our policy with regards to CARP, and that is something we announced last year, is that, we will only record the proceeds from the CARP as they are spent, in other words, whatever we spent for CARP will be the same amount of revenues that will reflect in the revenue numbers," Boncodin said.

Proceeds from the Marcos wealth, she explained, is kept in a separate special account by the Bureau of Treasury and not with the General Fund. She expects that CARP will start reporting disbursements for March and that it is also the same number that will reflect in the revenue actual figures.

Boncodin pointed out that the program of government continues even under a reenacted budget.

"We have come up with a fiscal program as early as last year when we submitted the 2004 budget to Congress and we have not changed our targets up to now," she said. "We will only make some changes, if that is at all possible, in the middle of this year, which is our normal adjustment period."

Boncodin reported that the country’s deficit target for this year remains at P197.8 billion.