As the observance of Labor Day on May 1 approaches, Malacaņang "is working on two fronts" to help workers increase their income, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said today.

Bunye said, in an interview with Radyo ng Bayan this morning, that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration is looking "for wiser means to increase their non-wage benefits" and for possible adjustment of the salary scales through the Regional Wage Boards (RWBs).

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo acknowledged Monday the clamor of workers for better pay to sustain their daily family needs. She expressed confidence in the "capacity of the tripartite wage boards to perform their tasks fairly and in a timely manner."

As for the non-wage benefits, Bunye said that the administration could consider ways to grant them to workers.

"Ito ang mas acceptable sa lahat ng sektor hindi lamang doon sa ating mga manggagawa kundi pati sa ating mga employers (Granting non-wage benefits is acceptable to both workers and employers)," he said.

Bunye said that Malacaņang would ask Secretary Patricia Santo Tomas of the Department of Labor and Employment for specific plans on the package of non-wage benefits to be given the workers.

The administration, he said, has so far given discounted diesel fuel to drivers of public utility vehicles in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces, and discounted palay seedlings to farmers.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that she favors not only salary increases for state and private sector workers but also a reengineering of the government machinery to provide efficient service to the people.

In an interview with broadcast journalist Joe Taruc of DZRH this morning, the President outlined her reorganization plan that would include removal of "redundant employees" by providing them with an "attractive early retirement package."

She said that these employees would be offered early retirement gratuity equivalent to one and a half month pay for every year of service so they could raise enough seed money for their own livelihood projects.

According to the President, the gratuity would be sourced from a fund to be obtained from the World Bank. Thus, the expenditure for retiring state personnel would not be part of the government’s budget deficit.

"Ngayon, makaka-save tayo taun-taon sa payroll, at iyong savings magagamit natin para itaas ang suweldo ng mga nalalabing manggagawa (Now, we will be able to save from the payroll to be used for salary increases of the employees who would be retained in the service)," she said.

President Macapagal-Arroyo said that although the military and police salary scales have just been aligned with that of the teachers, the soldiers and policemen would be included in the projected salary adjustments. "Kung anuman ang makuha na suweldo ng mga teachers, ganoon din iyong sundalo at saka iyong pulis (Whatever salary increase the teachers would receive, it is also what the soldiers and policemen would get)," she said.

The President, who has acknowledged the clamor of workers for better pay, said that petitions by labor unions for salary increases are reviewed --and, if found justifiable, approved-- by the regional wage boards.

"Ang gusto kong minimum wage ay hindi region by region kundi industry by industry (What I want is a minimum wage based not on the principle of region by region but on industry by industry)," she said.

The Philippines is back on the radar screen of investors.

In a move that could shore up market confidence in the country, America’s largest pension fund, CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement System), has decided to keep its investments in the Philippines, rating the country highly in recognition of the economic reforms being undertaken by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The President, in a radio interview this morning, broke the good news after receiving word from the CalPERS board that it is retaining its $80 million investments in pension funds.

"Binigyan nila ang Pilipinas ng pinakamataas na rating at kino-konsider nila ang Pilipinas na isa sa mga very attractive investments dahil naniniwala sila sa ating reporma (They gave the Philippines a high rating and consider the country one of the most attractive investments because of the reforms that we are initiating)," the President said.

The CalPERS panel gave the Philippines on Monday a score of 2.12 for the assessment period, higher than the minimum 2.0 which an assessed country must score to qualify in CalPERS list.
The CalPERS investment committee unanimously voted to retain the Philippines in its list of "permissible emerging markets" after giving the government a two-month grace period within which to sharpen merits of the country's case.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Albert del Rosario said the decision reaffirms CalPERS’ confidence on the Philippines as a viable location for foreign investments.

"It is also a recognition of the economic reforms being undertaken by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," del Rosario said.

Many foreign investors in Manila had been awaiting the CalPERS decision as a signal on viability of the Philippines as an investment destination.

According to del Rosario, some 600 members of the Filipino-American community who had turned up to hear the proceedings greeted the decision with a roaring standing ovation. 

"A delisting would have been a setback for the Philippines," said Del Rosario, who had been coordinating with Manila to press the country's case with CalPERS.

GEN. NAKAR, Quezon - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the P821.40 million Marikina-Infanta Road System that would connect the provinces of Quezon and Rizal to Metro Manila.

The President lowered the capsule containing a copy of the plan for the 109.30-kilometer infrastructure project.

She was assisted by Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) vice presidential bet Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, Gen. Nakar Mayor Leovigildo Ruzol, Infanta Mayor Filipina Grace America, Quezon 1st District Representative Rafael Nantes, Bishop Julio Labayen, and DPWH Region 4-A Director Bonifacio Seguit.

The Chief Executive said that the Marikina-Infanta road project is one of the most important links between the towns of Quezon and Rizal to the National Capital Region (NCR).

It is also considered a crucial infrastructure project that would bolster development of the northeastern towns along the Pacific Coast.

According to the project plan, completion of the new bypass road in Infanta is potential revenue-generating sources for the country as it passes through vast tracts of fertile lands, forests and scenic spots.

The Marikina-Infanta bypass road stretches from Sumulong Highway in Rizal and Laguna up to Infanta, Quezon.

Earlier, the President had inaugurated the P124-million Infanta- Gen. Nakar road and bridge near the shoreline facing Polilio Strait, in the municipality of Gen. Nakar.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured a fair trial for former President Joseph Estrada in the event she gets elected to a full six-year term after next month’s polls.

The President made the assurance during a radio interview this morning when asked what Estrada and his supporters could expect in the next administration.

"Ako naman ay very fair.Tingnan mo naman ang pagtrato kay Pangulong Estrada kahit binabatikos ako ng ilang member ng civil society, disente pa rin at may dignidad ang aking pagtrato sa kanila (I am a fair person. Just look at the treatment I give the former President even to the point that I get criticized by members of civil society. It’s very humane and with dignity)," she explained.

In her first State of the Nation Address in 2001, the President said, she made it clear that "Erap," as the former President is fondly called, would have a fair trial and would be treated with dignity befitting a former Chief Executive in fairness to those who support him.

She recounted to program host Joe Taruc how she sent her own golf cart and later a brand new one when she learned that the former President, now serving jail for plunder charges, has been having a hard time walking due to his knee ailment.

"May nagkuwento sa akin na nahihirapan daw maglakad ang dating Pangulo dahil sa kanyang tuhod. Kaya ipinadala ko ang aking sariling golf cart. Tapos, iyon ay nakakahiya naman dahil sa luma, so nagpadala ako ng bago pa. Kaya dalawa na ang golf cart niya (Somebody told me that the former President has been having a hard time walking due to his knees. So I sent him my own golf cart. And because it’s already old, I also gave him a brand new one. So he has two golf carts now)," the President said.

Despite Estrada’s recent rhetoric against her, President Macapagal-Arroyo has stated earlier that she has nothing but compassion for the deposed leader and wished him the best on his birthday last Monday, particularly a speedy recovery from his knee ailment.

Published reports quoted Estrada as saying that his birthday wish is to see his bosom friend, opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr., win in next month’s presidential polls.

But Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye defended the President, saying it would be impossible for Estrada to realize his birthday wish of having a new president on June 30.

"It’s wishful thinking," Bunye said. "Pero palagay ko hindi matutupad ang kanyang birthday wish (His wish for a new President will not be realized)."

The President is elated to receive reports from our Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Albert del Rosario, that CALPERS Investment Committee has retained the Philippines in its list of "permissible emerging markets".

We view this development as an endorsement of the economic reforms initiated by the President and a positive statement that the Philippines remains an important investment destination.

Additional information relayed to us by Finance Secretary Juanita Amatong indicates that the Philippines exceeded the benchmark of 2 points with a rating 2.12 points.

Of 27 countries evaluated by the Investment Committee, only 17 countries have been listed as eligible for investment.

In the Asian region, only the Philippines, India, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan have so far qualified.

A statement from the Philippine embassy in Washington dated April 19, 2004 follows.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement System) Investment Committee today unanimously voted to retain the Philippines in its list of "permissible emerging markets." This move reaffirms its confidence on the country as a viable location for its portfolio investments amounting to about US$ 80 million and sends a positive message to foreign investors that the Philippines is investment-worthy.

The CalPERS Investment Committee announced during today's meeting that the Philippines score for the 2004 assessment period of "permissible emerging markets" is finally set at 2.12. This is the highest performance score which the Philippines has ever attained in the CalPERS assessment system. It is .12 points more than the minimum of 2.0 which an assessed country must score to qualify in CalPERS list.

The Committee decided to take up the Philippine case as the first item in its agenda. Some 600 members of the Filipino-American community who turned out to hear the proceedings greeted CalPERS' decision with a roaring standing ovation.

Invited to speak briefly by the CalPERS Board after it had made its announcement, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Albert del Rosario said:

"The decision of CalPERS reinforced the important relationship which CalPERS and the Philippines are building. It is a recognition of the economic reforms being undertaken by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and reflect the continuing confidence in the Philippines as an attractive investment destination."

Ambassador del Rosario profoundly thanked the Filipino-Americans present during the meeting for their steadfast and active support. He commended them for the concern they have shown for the welfare of their compatriots in their mother country. He added that the presence of so many Filipinos in the meeting is a testimony to the importance of the partnership of the Philippines and CalPERS and of Philippine-American relations.

Last February, the Philippines initially got a score of 1.87 based on the assessment of Wilshire Associates, CalPERS consultant. After Ambassador del Rosario made a presentation of the Philippine case
before the CalPERS Investment Committee last March 15, CalPERS decided to grant it a "cure period," duringwhich time, the Philippine delegation could submit additional inputs. After having assessed the voluminous evidence of Philippine reforms provided by the Philippine Government, the Committee gave the Philippines a final rating of 2.12.

Several members of the CalPERS Board, who are also members of the CalPERS Investment Committee, spoke in support of the Philippines.

Mr. Sean Harrigan, President of CalPERS Board, congratulated Ambassador del Rosario for "so professionally representing the Philippines and managing the dialogue between the Philippines and CalPERS." Mr. Steve Westley, a CalPERS Board Member, said that "the CalPERS Board had absolutely taken the right decision." He thanked the Philippine community for showing its concern.

Mr. Charles Valdes, another CalPERS Board Member, in commending the Philippines, suggested to the Filipinos at the CalPERS meeting that they write the folks back home to recommend the Ambassador for a medal in recognition of his efforts.

Mr. Claude Parrish, Chairman of the California Board of Equalization, cited the close historic relations between the Philippines and the US, which dates back to World War II when Filipinos and Americans defended freedom together. He welcomed the decision of CalPERS in the context of Philippine-American friendship.

Mr. Larry Acera, a Filipino-American, who spoke on behalf of several California companies, also expressed appreciation to CalPERS for its decision, which he said would have an impact on California’s investments in the Philippines.

LUCBAN, Quezon - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched here today an expanded "Botika sa Barangay" program, aimed at making medicines at affordable prices available to Filipino families nationwide.

At the multi-sectoral meeting held at the Southern Luzon Polytechnic College (SLPC) gym here, the President personally requested the presence of all the Barangay Health Workers from the towns and municipalities of Quezon province to discuss with them her second important platform of government which is the health care system.

The President arrived here from a campaign sortie to Infanta and Real, where she also inaugurated the Nakar-Infanta road project.

With health insurance for every Filipino family well taken care of, the President said she will next focus on cheap medicine as part of her six-point agenda in the next six years.

"Ang aking pangako ngayon, para sa susunod na anim na taon, ay hahatiin natin ang presyo ng gamot na binibili ng karaniwang mamamayang Pilipino. Nais kong pababain ang presyo ng mga gamot at maging abot kaya sa lahat ng mamamayan hiindi lamang sa mga siyudad, kung hindi sa kasuluk-sulukan ng bawat barangay sa Pilipinas (My pledge for the next six years is to lower by half the price of medicine for the average Filipino in all cities and barangays in the Philippines)," she said.

To the applause of those who attended the gathering, the President launched the program which seeks to establish the Botika sa Barangay, import medicine from India, seek the help of pharmaceutical companies and push for the use of generic drugs.

The President said that according to the last Social Weather Survey survey, a great number of our people have already felt the decrease in the price of medicines. "Many of our countrymen are now able to take their medicines. This means that they are now able to avail of the benefits of the Botika ng Barangay which offers medicines at cheap prices," the President said in Pilipino.

She said that in her short stint, she had already implemented four policies for the health care system.

The four include "Botika sa Barangay," importation of cheap medicines, agreements with pharmaceutical firms, and promotion of generic medicines.

She said that before her administration, prices of medicine in the country were so high compared with those of other countries in Asia, Europe and the United States.

When she became President, she made it her primary objective to provide the ordinary Filipino family with lower price of medicines and drugs.

She said that vice presidential bet Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro will help her government in leading the "Botika sa Barangay" program that would reach out to all the barangays in towns and municipalities nationwide.

The President also informed the residents here that Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit would provide the financial capital and assistance to barangay health workers who will sell the half-priced medicines.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today identified peace and progress as her primary priorities for Mindanao..

"That is why we have prioritize the attainment of lasting peace and economic development of Mindanao," the President said in an interview with Manila-based radio station DZRH.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo pointed out that peace and progress always go together, indicating that it would be impossible to have one without the other.

The Chief Executive said to further speed up the economic growth of the Mindanao, Official Development Assistance (ODA) being received by the national government is channeled to the South.

She cited the help being extended by friendly countries such as Malaysia, Libya, Indonesia and the United States, as well as the Organization of Islamic Countries and the United Nations in the Philippines’ peace initiatives in Mindanao.

In the same interview, the President reiterated her intention to pursue a shift from presidential to federal or parliamentary form of government to enhance peace and stability, and spur national economic growth.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also underscored the need for national solidarity by strengthening social justice. "Kilalanin natin ang ating bansa bilang isang multi-ethnic society, maging Christian o Muslim, Bisaya o Tagalog, maging Intsik o mestizo. Lahat iyan Pilipino (We should recognize our country as a multi-ethnic society, be it Christian or Muslim, Visayan or Tagalog, Chinese or mestizo. We are all Filipinos)."

"We should have social justice for all, and we should have the institution to accommodate the traditions of all these cultures," the President stressed.

The President also reiterated her plan to relocate the agriculture and tourism departments to the South to bring their services closer to the people needing it while the fundamentals of the change from presidential to federal form of government are still being worked out.

SAN PEDRO, Laguna--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today distributed titles of lot ownership to 100 squatter-families in this town pursuant to her policy that there should be no Filipino squatter in the country.

Assisted by San Pedro Mayor Felecisimo Vierneza, the President distributed the documents to 100 beneficiaries, the first batch of 500 families targeted by the government.

"You are part of the hundreds of thousands of families who benefited under the short tenure of President Gloria. No administration has equaled that number of urban poor who were granted the right to stay on the lot they occupy," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said during a multi-sectoral dialogue held here this afternoon.

Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, President Macapagal-Arroyo’s running mate in the May 10 elections, accompanied her at the interaction.

The President welcomed the opportunity to meet with the people of San Pedro, saying the last time she came to the town was in 2001.

"This is just a down payment," the Chief Executive assured the people. "Our next move is to improve your quality of life. Now, there is already an assurance that we will attend to your needs to improve your community."

In an interview by ABS-CBN anchorwoman Korina Sanchez, the President explained that while she pursues her candidacy by explaining to the people her platform, particularly in the fight against poverty and the pursuit for national solidarity, the other camp does not even have a platform to speak of and instead engages in muckraking and personal attacks.

Asked by Sanchez for comment about a claim by Lacson that votes for former Sen. Raul Roco who has virtually withdrawn from the presidential race for health reason would go to him, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo countered that the campaign is not about personalities.

"This is about accomplishments. In my short tenure in the presidency, I have achieved a strong start to improve the quality of life of the ordinary Filipino," the President said.

"At kung sama-sama tayo dito ay magagawa natin iyong mga batayang reporma para masugpo ang kahirapan at mapag-isa ang ating bansa (If we are united in this endeavor, we can attain the basic reforms to eradicate poverty and unify the country)," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said.