EDWIN ANDREWS AIR BASE, Zamboanga City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today honored the military men who killed a senior Abu Sayyaf leader and his men recently and lauded their civilian informants in ceremonies held here this morning.

Their operation was a major victory in the fight against terrorism in the country and has raised the respect and confidence of the country’s allies in the global war against terrorism, the President noted.

Receiving the Distinguished Conduct Star Medal from the President was Lt. Col. Noel Buan. During the ceremony, the President upgraded the award to Medal of Valor in recognition of Buan’s distinguished service and bravery.

Buan, commander of the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment of the Philippine Army, headed the group that killed Abu Sayyaf leader Hamsirajih Sali who was wanted for a chain of kidnapping-for-ransom and terrorist activities in Mindanao. Sali carried a P5 million bounty on his head.

As a major and an intelligence officer, Buan was held prisoner of war by the New People’s Army and was released only after years of being held captive in Mindoro Oriental.

Awarded the Gold Cross Medal were Staff Sgt. Isidro Dindin and Cpl. Ernesto Estender who died in the encounter at Basilan. Their wives, Elsa and Amormia, received their medals.

"I would like to commend Col. Buan, our two martyrs, civilian informants and allies for their extremely valuable contribution to our war against terrorism," the President said.

Such actions of bravery by Buan and his men "have truly made our fight against terrorism very successful even compared to other nations," the President said.

Their bravery has helped in the positive assessment of the security situation in the country given by Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, the President said.

"We consider this a validation of the gains we have accomplished in the global war against terrorism. We are confident that such an assessment will be backed up by concrete measures to bring in more investors to the country," the President noted in an official statement released in Manila.

The President also congratulated the Armed Forces of the Philippines headed by Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya, the AFP Southern Command headed by Gen. Roy Kyamko, and all the officers and enlisted personnel who did a great job.

BAYUGAN, Agusan del Sur—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured the people of Agusan del Sur that she would continue to pursue the dream of the late Governor D. O. Plaza of transforming the province into one of the most prosperous in the Caraga Region.

In a huge rally held at the municipal gymnasium here, thousands of residents, including lumads or natives, applauded the President when she paid tribute and talked about the vision of the late Gov. D. O. Plaza, considered as the father of Agusan del Sur.

Speaking in fluent Cebuano, the President said that her program of government for Agusan del Sur for the next six years, if given the mandate in the May 10 elections, is closely hued to the dreams and aspirations of D.O. Plaza for his people.

The President cited as example the recently completed Bayugan-Butuan Road, which, she said, was one of the projects envisioned by the late governor to bring prosperity to the province.

According to the President, D.O. Plaza was not only one of her friends but also one of her idols, adding that she always got the highest votes in the province in the past elections.

The President said that in the l995 elections, she was number one in the senatorial lineup in Agusan del Sur. She also got the biggest majority in the province when she ran for vice president in l998.

She then asked the people of Agusan del Sur to vote for the entire slate of the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4) in next month’s elections, saying that what her government has achieved for the province was just a down-payment.

More infrastructure projects, like the Bayugan-Prosperidad Road and the San Francisco-Prosperidad Road, would be constructed if the K-4 candidates would be elected.

The President recalled that Agusan del Sur was also one of the beneficiaries of her administration’s multi-billion agriculture modernization program, particularly with the introduction of the "Gloria" hybrid rice variety.

She said that the hybrid rice variety that was adapted in the Philippines from China has almost doubled the harvests of farmers, from the previous 80 cavans per hectare to 150 cavans per hectare.

According to the President, she was also the principal author of the Indigenous People’s Act that recognized the rights of indigenous people or lumads, adding that under her administration, the lumads of Agusan del Sur were the largest recipients of ancestral lands parceled by the government.

In the rally, the President named one by one the K-4 national lineup, from vice presidential candidate Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro to the 12 senatorial aspirants, reelectionist Senators Bobby Barbers, Bobby Jaworski, Rodolfo Biazon and John Osmena, former Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Orly Mercado, ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin, former Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, former Cavite Governor Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Pampanga Governor Lito Lapid, former Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Pia Cayetano.

The President also pitched for the local candidates of the K-4 led by reelectionist Governor Adolph Plaza, vice gubernatorial bet Virginia Getes as well as the candidates for board members and mayors of the province.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday led the Christian community here in the inauguration and blessing of the newly-constructed chancery of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga inside the eight-hectare Centro Pastoral Complex at Puerta Del Sol in Arzobispado de Zamboanga.

The President was warmly welcomed by the residents of this city upon her arrival in the open area of the Centro Pastoral Complex. The President landed at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) around 4:30 in the afternoon Tuesday.

The President flew here from previous engagements in Cebu City and Bohol province.

In her speech in fluent Chavacano, the President told the visiting archbishops, bishops, priests, and sisters that it was a great pleasure for her to inaugurate and witness the blessing of the chancery of the Archdiocese.

Most Reverend Archbishop Carmelo D.F. Morelos, Archbishop of Zamboanga, personally invited the President to lead the inaugural and blessing rites of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center.

During her speech, the President told some 5,000 residents gathered at the Pastoral Center that her administration is committed to serve the public good and provide assistance to them.

She informed them that once she is given a new mandate in next month’s elections, she would pursue her six-point agenda to solve the immediate problems of millions of Filipinos.

After her speech, the President distributed land titles to Juan Potenciano, Francisco Potenciano, Gregorio Salvador, Noel Torribio and Reynaldo Bonifacio.

The five were among the seven urban poor families who are special beneficiaries of the 636 square meters of land given by the diocese. Each of them will get 106 square meters.

Archbishop Morelos assisted the President in distributing the land titles.

The President also turned over 300 Certificates of Entitlement and Lot Allotment (CELAs) to Noemi Esteban, president of the Armor Village within the Edwin Andrews Air Base.

In his closing remarks, Archbishop Morelos lauded the President’s initiatives to address the needs of the poor families in Zamboanga City.

"I believe that land is one of the most basic things that people need and when you address this need then God blesses us all. Thank you, Madam President and Godspeed to you," Archbishop Morelos said.

The sprawling Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, situated along Gov. Camins Avenue and Nunez Extension, covers an area of eight hectares. The complex will house several apostolate offices of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga.

Among the offices and buildings constructed in the complex are the Centro Pastoral Conference Room, Chancery office, a school, a retirement house for priests and a seminary.

After the program, the President had dinner with the 54 Catholic bishops and priests at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will win the presidential race by an overwhelming margin of more than 3.5 million votes.

This was the fearless forecast of Senate President Franklin Drilon who cited as basis of his prediction the profusion of support to the President’s bid for a fresh mandate from various sectors.

Drilon also founded his optimism on his observation that the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) does not have local candidates in most parts of the country.

"In my view, the KNP has local bets in only 25 percent of the country. This is a major factor that will carry the President to victory in the elections," Drilon said in an interview with radio station DZRB.

The Senate President also called attention to previous poll surveys which showed Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo’s approval ratings steadily going up while closest rival Fernando Poe Jr. was gradually declining.

Drilon recalled that he likewise predicted that President Macapagal-Arroyo would gradually catch up with Poe in the pre-election surveys to eventually lead by as much as 10 percentage points.

"In the latest survey, President Gloria was already leading by 10 percent," Drilon pointed out, referring the to NFO Trends survey results showing the President leading Poe by 10.5 percentage points.

Drilon also revealed that faculty members of the University of the Philippines in Iloilo conducted their own survey of the presidency derby, and results showed the President registering an insurmountable 62 percent against Poe’s 9 percent.

"What this means is that if elections were held today, President Gloria would lead by 500,000 votes in Iloilo alone. This is due to government projects that President Gloria implemented in Iloilo, the latest of which is a P6-billion international airport," the lawmaker said.

He also noted that the people of Iloilo, where he hails from, saw the big difference between the two leading presidentiables in terms of experience in governance and academic preparation.

"Hindi starstruck ang mga Ilonggo…hindi nagugulat sa mga artista (The Ilonggos are not starstruck…they are not awed by movie stars)," Drilon declared.

Although Drilon admitted that they love actors and actresses, and admire them for their talents, his provincemates know that governance is an entirely different thing.

"Kailangan ay mayroon kang karanasan at karunungan. Hindi sapat ang sasabihin na ikaw ay tapat sa bayan. Lahat tayo ay tapat at nagmamahal sa bayan. Ngunit ang kakayahan upang mamuno ay ibang bagay (You need experience and knowledge to run the government. It is not enough to merely say you are loyal to the country. We are loyal and we all love our country. But having the capability to rule is another matter)," Drilon stressed.

Malacanang today said that the low turnout of absentee voters in the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police has been expected considering that it is something new and being done for the first time.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a briefing that some of the men in uniform may opt to actually vote on May 10 itself as has been the practice in the past.

"This is something that is being done for the first time," he said. "Of course we would prefer that the voters exercise their right to suffrage. This is something that is exercised once every three years, or once every six years in the case of presidential elections. It is unfortunate that the turnout is low."

Bunye dismissed speculations that the turnout is reflective of anything, saying if there are any implications, it has to be studied further.

"What we are saying is, it is unfortunate that the opportunity has not been taken advantage of by those who are supposed to exercise their right," he said.

Bunye expressed confidence that the greater majority of the voters would support President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because her programs are pro-poor and deserving of the support of the people.

The Presidential Spokesman reiterated the President’s desire to have a clean honest, peaceful and credible elections, stressing that if there would be any cheating, "it will not come from the administration."

He then branded as baseless allegations implicating First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo in the so-called "Oplan Tinta" which allegedly will be used by the administration to cheat in the elections.

TANDAG, Surigao del Sur—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is virtually assured of victory in Surigao del Sur as political bigwigs of the province rallied behind her bid for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections.

The President and some of her teammates in the ruling Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4) barnstormed here today, after a huge rally in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur.

In a huge political rally at the Tandag plaza, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo pledged to speed up further the economic development of the entire province anchored on government delivery of high-impact infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, bridges and efficient road networks and modern communication systems.

Some 10,000 supporters attended and cheered the President and her running mate Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro and the K-4 senatorial ticket represented by former Cavite Governor Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. Representatives Prospero Pichay and Jesnar Falcon, both staunch supporters of Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, along with Surigao del Sur Governor Vicente Pimentel and Vice Governor Librado Navarro, vowed to exert extra effort to ensure a K-4 sweep of the province.

Congressman Pichay, a ranking member of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, is the chairman of the powerful House committee on national defense.

To reciprocate, the President said concreting of roads in Surigao del Sur would be completed to further enhance mobility of goods and passengers would be high in her priority list, adding that about P150 million had already been released for the purpose.

Speaking in Cebuano, President Macapagal-Arroyo described the achievements of her three-year-old administration as "down payment" for the country’s economic growth, and that she needs a fresh mandate to attain her visions of a strong republic founded on people empowerment.

The President thus elaborated anew on her six-point program of action essentially geared at poverty alleviation. A major component of the program is tripling of funds for micro-financing of small and medium enterprises designed to boost entrepreneurship among Filipinos, particularly those residing in the countryside.

To jump start development of fur-flung communities, the President said she also endeavors to energize at least 1,500 barangays yearly for the next six years, create one million jobs a year, build 3,000 new schools and equip each school with a computer.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law today a bill amending the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) which is expected to spur further the entry of more investments in the country and consequently create high paying jobs.

The new law restores the tax exemption of offshore banking units (OBUs) and foreign currency deposits (FCDUs) by amending several provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code.

The President said the new law puts in place another building block of reform that will benefit the average Filipino.

"The Philippines is a great place to invest in because we have the best work force in the world," she said. "We also have put in place a job creation-friendly climate that has attracted millions of foreign investment and created over three million jobs during my short term as President."

The new law exempts income from foreign currency transactions with non-residents and OBUs and other local commercial banks, including branches of foreign banks from all taxes except the regular income tax accorded to OBUs.

It also clarifies that interest income derived from foreign currency loans granted to residents other than OBUs are subject only to a final income tax of 15 percent.

The law corrects some of the important provisions that were overlooked when the CTRP was passed in 1997, which resulted in the decline in aggregate FCDU assets to P17.8 billion from P25.5 billion in 1997.

The decision of America’s largest pension fund, CalPERS, to keep the Philippines in its investment list is a testament to government efforts to comply and implement international best practices in the areas of financial, monetary, and banking supervision, market regulation, shareholder and creditor rights, labor practices and the judiciary.

"This fund, one of the most powerful in the world, upgraded the ranking of the Philippines to take our place among the most desirable places in the world to invest," the President said.

She said the country is far different that the one "we inherited just a short time ago: today we are viewed as a great place to invest; as a reliable steady ally; as a nation with its fiscal situation under control; as a place that has corruption on the run."

Thousands of shrieking and enthusiastic supporters, mostly call center employees, construction workers and plain residents of Libis, Quezon City, literally mobbed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this afternoon when she visited an information technology hub in Eastwood City in Quezon City.

The crowd pushed and shoved against each other as they filled the sidewalks and ramps just to see or get close to the President. Some were lucky to get a handshake or hug the Chief Executive, who showed no signs of fatigue despite a backbreaking whole day sortie starting in Zamboanga City and cutting across the Caraga region.

After landing at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, the President motored straight to Eastwood City to visit two leading call centers—C-Cube and eTelecare International—to assess their actual state of affairs.

From less than 2,000 employees before the President assumed the presidency in January 2001, the call center industry workforce ballooned to 60,000 this year.

The President was visibly elated by the call center growth as she noted that it also offers high-paying jobs at salary rates of P11,000 for trainees, P15,000 upon completion of training, and P30,000 if the worker is proficient in the English language.

"That’s the kind of jobs that we want to create for the years to come," the President said, adding that the IT industry, particularly the call centers, is one of the bright spots in the growth radar of the country.

Quoting Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar Purisima, the President said the dramatic growth of the call center sector did not come by accident, but was borne out of good policies implemented to make sure that the IT and E-commerce fully develop in the country.

Purisima expressed optimism that the Philippines can surpass other countries insofar as development of the IT industry is concerned.

"By all indications there is no slowing down for the industry in the coming years to come," he said.

In less than five years, the Philippine contact center industry has grown by leaps and bounds.

Today 60 call centers located in Metro Manila, Clark and Cebu employ some 35,000 to 40,000 workers and continue to post an average annual growth of 100 percent.

The Philippines’ attractiveness as a strategic call center host was due to the relatively low cost of doing business in the country, and the abundance of an excellent workforce and robust telecom infrastructure.

The President congratulated Arlene Acleta who was adjudged the best call center agent in the world.