The Macapagal-Arroyo administration recognizes former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as a potent social and economic force that can be retooled for a new role as small and medium entrepreneurs.

Such recognition has been concretized with the OFW reintegration program being spearheaded by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) which operates under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas gave impetus to the implementation of the reintegration scheme through the OFW family circles program designed to assist returning OFWs rejoin the mainstream of society.

The designation last Jan. 6 of Susan Ople, youngest daughter of the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople as Labor Undersecretary for the OFW reintegration program, is expected to provide further momentum to the implementation of the OFW reintegration program.

"We are confident that with Ms. Ople at the DOLE, the vital program of OFW reintegration will reach a higher stage of implementation for the fuller benefit of returning OFWs," Secretary Sto. Tomas said.

Meanwhile, Edgar Cortes, who worked as an aluminum casting operator in the United Arab Emirates for nine years, is a living testimony to the early success of the reintegration program.

In his remarks during the observance of OFW Family Day at DOLE’s Occupational Safety and Health Center on Dec. 30, 2003, Cortes said the government’s overseas employment program should not be viewed as a brain drain, but rather as an opportunity to enhance the skills and technical know-how of the Filipino workers.

"Upon our return, we are the entrepreneurs who would set up and strengthen the small and medium-enterprises (SMEs) in our country," Cortes said.

He expressed gratitude to the OWWA for preparing him for his new role as a businessman through free training and the grant of a livelihood loan "which I used to set up a business."

Cortes now produces magnesium wheels comparable in quality to those being manufactured by large corporations using state-of-the-art facilities.

Cortes’ family is among the tens of thousands of OFW families banded together by the DOLE into a dynamic community club that would serve as a catalyst for economic growth at the grassroots level.

DOLE acknowledged the enormity of the task involved in the reintegration program, saying it requires interaction and cooperation by various sectors considering that there are over 7.4 million OFWs and Filipino expatriates.

DOLE also said it would pursue a balanced approach in the implementation of the program, cognizant of the fact that some OFWs temporarily come home, while others have opted to stay put to either seek local employment or invest their earnings in a small business.

The US Government should explain its actions against our telecommunication executives.

We have a strong, constructive relationship and this should not be marred by such incidents.

There must be amends if a mistake was made or if harassment is proven.

The President does not agree with moves to reset the May 10 elections.

We should unite behind honest, orderly and peaceful elections in May and not belabor these controversial scenarios of postponement or delays.

The formal talks between the government of the Republic of the Philippines and the CPP/NPA/NDF will resume next month in a foreign venue.

Details are being threshed out by the panels in consultation with the Royal Norwegian government, the third party facilitator in the talks.

I shall pursue peace because it is morally right, and it is required by our national interest. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces and Police shall continue to enforce law and order.

I will lead the people in overcoming division and strife, in authentic reform and reconciliation with justice.

This is a new source of momentum for our political and economic security. I shall exercise the will needed to turn the economy around and fight for change for the average Filipino in a way that makes us more secure and strengthens our families wherever they are. The peace process will come hand in hand with fundamental changes in our political system.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said today that the government’s campaign against illegal drug continues to roll on with greater momentum.

In a radio interview, Bunye said, "The government’s anti-drug campaign in the last six months has yielded 17 successful raids on different shabu factories. Of these, six or seven are major shabu manufacturing and drug outlets."

He said that billions of pesos worth of shabu and chemicals used in making the illegal drugs were confiscated. The raids also resulted in the arrest of several bigtime manufacturers and pushers of the illegal drug.

"One of the country’s biggest drug lords was arrested recently, and the arrests are continuing. We could say that there is now a supply problem among illegal drug pushers and users," he added.

Bunye said that it is evident that the continued government campaign against illegal drugs in the last six months has taken a heavy toll on illegal drug operations in the country.

On Monday, authorities raided a clandestine illegal drug research and development facility in Manila, a shabu laboratory in Paranaque City, and a shabu warehouse and distribution center in Las Pinas City.

The three facilities were part of an integrated drug network that had been under extensive surveillance by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign would continue with full force.

"We are drying up the supply, clearing the barangays of pushers and taking in more users for rehabilitation," she said.

"Our target is secure families and safer communities. We must stop the scourge of drugs as we change the culture of corruption and wipe out terrorism," the President stressed.

As of January 2004, according to PDEA statistics, more than P13 billion worth of shabu and ephedrine had been seized and 143 local drug groups neutralized.

In addition, 18 shabu laboratories and warehouses had been dismantled, resulting in a drastic reduction in drug supply and the doubling of its street retail price.

A total of 23,425 drug offenders had been arrested, with 16,651 drug cases filed in courts nationwide. There had been 3,571 barangays declared drug-free.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asserted that government financing institutions (GFIs) should maintain their fiscal autonomy and be allowed to make corporate decisions without intervention from the national government.

"I don’t interfere in the business transactions of government financing institutions (GFIs). That was the problem of the previous administration; it meddled too much in business transactions (of the GFIs)," the President said at the Kilosbayan Forum held last Jan. 9 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

In the same forum, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo declared that she maintains full trust and confidence on the administrative capability of Social Security System (SSS) president Corazon de la Paz who was criticized for selling SSS-held shares in the Equitable PCI Bank at a price lower than the acquisition cost.

The assets, estimated at P8 billion, represented 29 percent of the Equitable PCI shares.

De la Paz has insisted that the transaction was conducted "in good faith and in the best interest of the SSS members."

In a statement, De la Paz said the state-run pension fund has entered into a binding letter of intent with Banco de Oro (BDO) for the purchase by the BDO Group of the entire 188 million common shares held by the SSS in the Equitable PCI.

"As consideration, SSS will receive a combination of a cash down payment and a secured promissory note with an aggregate total face value of approximately P14 billion," the statement said.

"The SSS shall not post any loss in the transaction," De la Paz said. She also said the purchase price may be raised "if the BDO Group acquires additional blocks of shares of Equitable PCI through a negotiated purchase within six months at a price higher than the agreed effective price."

The SSS chief explained that the consideration was based on P43.50 per share "translating into a premium of approximately 30 percent compared to the last trading price of P33.50 on Dec. 30, 2003."

According to the SSS, proceeds of the projected sale of the stocks would be used to diversify its investment portfolio.

The President clarified that it has been her attitude to pick people with unassailable reputation and integrity as administrators of government agencies.

She cited Presidential Commission on Good Government chief Haydee Yorac "who has a good reputation" and must be left alone to run the agency as she pleases.

"Si Cora de la Paz, ganoon po kaganda ang kanyang reputasyon. Kaya ho hindi ako pumapasok sa laman o content ng kanyang desisyon (Cora de la Paz has a similar reputation, that’s why I don’t interfere in her decision)," the President said

"I went to the trouble of choosing who I feel is the right person (to lead the SSS), and therefore, I must trust her judgment, unless otherwise called for by somebody else," the President stressed.

Malacaņang today said it would respect the decision of the Supreme Court nullifying the contract for automated counting in the coming polls but stressed that it will steer clear of the issue, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) being an independent body.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye made the reaction after the Supreme Court today nullified the contract for the computerization of the May elections, effectively blocking the holding of automated vote counting.

The President has earlier said that she does not agree to reset the May 10 polls, saying this would affect the country’s political and economic stability.

Nine of the 15 Supreme Court justices voted for the nullification of the agreement between the Comelec and the Metro Pacific Consortium which supplied vote counting machines and software, citing alleged irregularities. Three justices said it was valid and three abstained.

Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos had assured that the poll body would work to hold the elections as scheduled even if the high court voided the contract.

Fears that a return to manual vote counting could set back preparations by two months has prompted Congress to pass a bicameral resolution for a possible partial automation of the poll results.

Presidential Campaign Spokesman Michael Defensor said the President could either veto the provisions of the bicameral resolution or agree and support it.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared today that she would pursue the peace talks with the communist rebels to give impetus to the country’s efforts to attain political and economic security.

"I shall pursue the peace talks because it is morally right, and is required by our national interest. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces and the police shall continue to enforce law and order," the President said.

"I shall exercise the will needed to turn the economy around and fight for change for the average Filipino in a way that would make us more secure, and strengthen our families, wherever they are," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said.

Despite isolated clashes between government troops and communist guerrillas, government peace negotiators have been pursuing informal talks with their counterparts on the rebel side.

In a press briefing at Malacanang, former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III, head of the government peace panel, expressed optimism that the formal peace talks might resume early next month in an Asian country.

Bello said he has faxed a draft of a joint statement to National Democratic Front chairman Luis Jalandoni who is based in The Netherlands.

"I spoke to Chairman Jalandoni last night and he committed to sign the faxed joint statement and immediately fax it (back) to us," Bello told reporters at the Palace.

He disclosed that the government peace panel, technically referred to as the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines), has been conducting informal negotiations with the NDF, the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), despite the pocket of violent incidents such as last Sunday’s raid by New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas on a power plant in Calaca, Batangas.

Bello expressed confidence that a formal peace agreement with the CPP-NDF-NPA under the watch of President Gloria Mapacagal-Arroyo will be signed.

"But even if we do not achieve that (peace accord), the fact that the President has succeeded in putting back on track the peace negotiations is already an important achievement of the Arroyo administration, considering that it has collapsed during the previous administration," Bello noted.

He clarified that the peace process did not collapse under the Arroyo government. "It was only in an extended recess," he said.

He asserted that the current peace talks has attained some significant milestones compared to previous negotiations, citing as proof the forging of agreements on 11 substantive issues, including the inclusion of a third party facilitator.

Encouraged by the success of the unilateral ceasefire during the holiday season, Bello said the government panel would try to persuade the NDF to declare another truce for the duration of the peace negotiations.

With one week more to go before its self-imposed deadline expires, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s water delivery project for blighted areas in Metro Manila has already overshot its target of 160,000 families.

The President today graced the ceremonial turnover of a pipe network consisting of 2,100 water lines that would deliver potable water to more than 14,000 families in Barangay Sauyo, Quezon City.

On hand to meet Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo at the project site were Manila Water Co. Inc. (MWCI) president Antonino Aquino and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte.

The latest project completed under the "Patubig ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo" brought to 173,757 the total number of beneficiary-families.

Proponents of the project have set Jan. 20 this year as the deadline for completion of the project, targeting 160,000 waterless households in 300 poor communities in Metro Manila as beneficiaries.

The President has directed the project implementors, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the two privately owned water concessionaires—Maynilad Water and the MWCI—to speed up completion of her Patubig program in time for this year’s anniversary celebration of the EDSA I and II revolutions that toppled two unwanted presidents.

The President pointed out that Barangay Sauyo was originally scheduled to get its direct water lines in 2005 yet under the Maynilad blueprint, but persistent requests by the local residents compelled the water facility to advance the schedule of service delivery to the area.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also noted that the MWCI has tripled the coverage of its water connections during her three-year presidency.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will launch this month an emergency loan program for graduating students needing financial assistance to allow them to continue their education.

Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao said in a briefing this morning that the program, to be called the Students Higher Education Relief and Emergency Loan Fund, plans a seed fund of P300 million to P500 million with the help of Congress. It aims to help at least 150,000 students.

"We want this to be made available to the less privileged sectors of our society and we will try to make it as broad as possible. The President’s directive is to have it implemented nationwide within the next five months," Tiglao said.

The program involves providing low-interest loans of P3,000 to as much as P15,000 per semester to students graduating from college and vocational schools. The loan will be payable after a two-year grace period, to be amortized in five years.

During the briefing, Tiglao introduced newly-appointed Presidential Assistant on Youth Affairs Dennis Cunanan whose main task is to help the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) implement the program. He also introduced CHED chairman Bro. Rolando Dizon and Dr. Ethel Valenzuela, director of the CHED Student Services.

Dizon said the program is a take off from CHED’s ‘Study Now Pay Later Plan’ which, due to lack of funding, has been very limited in scope. Additional funding has made it possible for the expansion of the service.

"This is the time of the year when students need a lot of financial assistance," Dizon said. He added, "and many of our students, as you know, cannot graduate because of lack of financial capability."

Dizon expressed optimism that the program will enable students, who are experiencing financial problems, to be able to graduate on time.

He cited statistics showing that up to 40 percent of students stop schooling after the first two years of college because of financial constraints.

Tiglao said that the program has been under gestation since last year, but had to be put on hold because of budget-deficit problems.

He said that the program has already received full support from Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. who assured that he would work for a supplementary budget for the program estimated to initially amount to P350 million.

The President, according to Tiglao, however, wanted seed money of P500 million.

The students assistance fund program is one of several initiatives the President ordered undertaken this month as part of her overall campaign since 2001 to get government provide services to the people.

Malacaņang clarified today that the government would extend assistance in issuing needed documents but would have no legal basis to intervene in the disqualification suit filed by a lawyer against actor Fernando Poe Jr., more popularly known as FPJ, before the Commission on Elections.

Housing Secretary Michael Defensor, Campaign Spokesman of the ruling K-4 coalition, issued the clarification following reports quoting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as saying she personally believed that Poe is a Filipino.

Defensor said the government would even facilitate the issuance of any pertinent documents that may be needed by Poe in connection with the disqualification case lodged against the actor by lawyer Victorino Fornier.

"If the lawyers of FPJ would ask NSO (National Statistics Office) and maybe, the National Historical Institute, for certain documents, then we will gladly help as we are duty-bound to assist the lawyers of FPJ," Defensor stressed.

Fornier asked the poll body to exclude Poe, Ronald Allan Poe in real life, from the May 10 presidential race because he did not meet the constitutional requirement of Filipino citizenship.

In the same briefing, Defensor said President Macapagal-Arroyo’s camp recognizes Jesus is Lord leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva, as a legitimate presidential candidate.

The economy is moving up.

The fiscal gains we have achieved, despite numerous crises and doomsayers, should speak for themselves.

GDP expansion accelerated to 4.4% last year, the fastest since the Asian crisis.

This year 5.2% growth is projected, with construction – a major job-creator and a key indicator of investor confidence – expected to turn out as much as 7.8% growth.