The report on corruption in the country by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy did not consider the positive steps being taken by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to combat the problem, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said today.

In a radio interview this morning, Bunye said that it was not like the World Bank report, which made a comparison of perceived corruption in different countries.

Bunye pointed out that World Bank report acknowledged the President’s positive campaign against corruption in government, like lifestyle checks on presidential appointees and the implementation of the e-procurement law, which has reduced the incidence of corruption in the bidding process.

"So, mas balanse ang World Bank report at kinikilala nito ‘yong effort ng Pangulong Macapagal-Arroyo (So, the World Bank report is more balanced and it recognizes the anti-corruption efforts of the President)."

Bunye was reacting to this year’s survey of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) which showed that corruption in the Philippines has intensified in the past year.

In his radio interview, the Presidential Spokesman also disputed a U.S. State Department report that the Philippines had become a major producer, consumer and exporter of shabu, marijuana and other illegal drugs.

"Palagay ko ay huli sa balita iyong report ito (The content of this report is late)," he said, pointing out that the government has carried out a relentless drive against the drug menace in the past six months.

"Kabikabila ang paghuli at kabikabila ‘yong pagbaklas dito sa mga iba’t ibang shabu laboratories at makikita natin, iyong number one drug pusher, si William Gan, nahuli na at he is facing trial (The government’s anti-drug operatives have raided and dismantled several shabu laboratories and rounded up drug pushers, including number one drug lord, William Gan, who is now facing trial)," he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has said that the government’s population policy should be based on responsible parenthood, which gives married couples the responsibility of spacing their children.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye disclosed in a radio interview this morning that the President advocates birth spacing as a means of controlling the population through an informed citizenry.

"Hindi naman binabawal na mag-anak. Ang ipinapanukala under birth spacing ay iyong mas matagalan o mas madalang na pag-aanak dahil sa natural cycle ng mga kababaihan (Having children is not being banned. What is proposed under birth spacing is to lower the birth rate based on the natural cycle of women)," Bunye said.

The Presidential Spokesman was reacting to a question based on a Pulse Asia survey, which showed the electorate’s wish for candidates to make known their stand on the population issue.

He said a sound population control program would create an informed citizenry, which would in turn practice birth spacing that would result in fewer births.

Malacanang today appealed to leaders of the hog industry to reconsider their decision to limit the delivery of pork to public markets, or go on a "pig holiday," extending over this weekend.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told a news briefing in Malacanang that if there would be a shortage of pork in the market, "we know that this will impact on the prices of other commodities."

Expressing disappointment over this turn of events, Bunye said, "Sana naiwasan ito dahil ginagawa naman ng ating pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng Department of Agriculture iyong lahat na nararapat para matugunan ang kanilang problema," (This should have not happened, because the Department of Agriculture is doing everything to solve the problem)," he said.

Bunye pointed out that the DA is putting together a quick and proper solution, which is the importation of cheaper ingredients of hog feeds that is calculated to help the hog raisers.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on candidates who have received extortion letters from communist guerrillas to report the matter to the police and the military to avail themselves of government protection.

The President issued the call following reports that certain candidates in Negros provinces and elsewhere in the country were required by the New People’s Army, the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (NPA), to secure a permit from the rebel group before they can campaign in rebel-held or influenced territories.

"That is against the law, and we don’t bend in enforcing the law," the Chief Executive stressed in a radio interview.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye also assailed the NPA for engaging in extortion and other criminal activities even as their leaders demanded that their group be stricken off the terrorist list.

"As far as the demand of the NPA to have themselves delisted (from the terrorist list), that definitely will have an impact because they’re doing precisely what they are being accused off," Bunye said in a separate radio interview.

Bunye pointed out that extortion is one of the hallmarks of a terrorist organization.

PUERTO PRINCESA City, Palawan—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today underscored the numerous benefits that the country gets from joint military exercises conducted regularly with the United States, saying that this is one of the hallmarks of a strong bilateral military alliance.

Speaking at the opening of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan 2004 at the Western Command here, the President said that she made it a point to join the war games to elaborate on the blessings the Philippines derives from its strong relationship with the US.

The President said that the economic and security relationship forged between the two countries during her administration, including American investments in the Philippines, is now worth $6 billion.

When she assumed the presidency in 2001, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said she inherited a commitment of US military assistance worth only $1.9 million.

"Today, that American assistance for our military support is now $400 million and still counting," the President said, adding that the Philippines is now number four in the whole world as a beneficiary of American military assistance.

As a non-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally, the Philippines expects to receive more military equipment and facilities from the US.

To demonstrate the significance of a strong military cooperation between the two countries, the President said a new naval boat worth $30 million, would be delivered to the Philippines within the next few days.

The President is also scheduled to inaugurate next week in Laguna a $330-million American-owned company called Star Power, signifying a growth of US investments in the country.

"These are the blessings of a good foreign policy made up of two friends who are tied up by mutual interest and not by a relationship of dependency," President Macapagal-Arroyo said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that the Philippines’ reputation as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia was not acquired overnight but over a long period of time.

Reacting to a recent survey by the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), the President, in a radio interview, expressed disappointment that the report did not indicate how the government is dealing with corruption.

She cited the recent World Bank report acknowledging her administration’s positive campaign against corruption in government like lifestyle checks on presidential appointees and the implementation of the e-procurement law, which has reduced the incidence of corruption in the bidding process.

"Alam niyo, yung mga survey na yan, matagal na talagang nasa listahan ang Pilipinas (You know the Philippines has long been in the list of these surveys). So, we acquired that reputation not overnight but over a long period. Kaya talagang nilalabanan natin ang corruption. (That’s why we are bent on fighting corruption)," she said.

The President pointed out that the government has already conducted unprecedented lifestyle checks on government officials and has already filed charges against erring undersecretaries, bureau directors, regional directors, deputy commissioners, judges and prosecutors.

A more transparent procurement system has also been put in place, according to her, to make government purchases, bidding and awards more transparent.

"Itong mga hakbang na ito ay pinupuri ng World Bank kasi malaking bagay yan para masugpo natin ang corruption (These steps have been acknowledged by the World Bank because they are meant at curbing corruption)," she said.

She revealed that it took Hong Kong’s International Commission Against Corruption, which has been helping the Philippine government form its own investigative body, seven years to finally curb corruption.

Presidential Campaign Spokesman Michael Defensor today took pride on the result of two recent surveys conducted among overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong, showing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as their best choice to lead the country.

Defensor said that these survey results also showed there was a concrete and overwhelming support for the President even from Filipinos working abroad.

"This means there is a solid and ground swell of support for the President even from Pinoys abroad," Defensor said.

The surveys were conducted separately by the Pinoy Abroad Newspaper and the Philippines Tonight radio program, both of which asked the questions as to who they would vote for if elections were held today.

The Pinoy Abroad Newspaper survey indicated that among 1,619 respondents, 64 percent voted for Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, 12 percent for former Education Secretary Raul Roco, nine percent for Evangelist Eddie Villanueva, seven percent for Fernando Poe Jr., and two percent for Senator Panfilo Lacson.

"This is a gift of the national government to the people of Palawan," the President said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s allout war against kidnapping has netted three more suspected kidnappers, including the 10^th Most Wanted in the list of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF).

NAKTAF chief Angelo Reyes and National Bureau of Investigation Director Reynaldo Wycoco presented to the President at Villamor Airbase today the three alleged kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) gang members led by Romeo Puria, No. 10 in the NAKTAF order of battle, and Sergio Macanip Jr., the Waray-Waray KFR leader suspected to be responsible for kidnap-slaying of Coca Cola executive Betty Sy last Nov. 23.

Another suspect in the Betty Sy kidnapping, Gerardo Anover, alias "Laydo," voluntarily surrendered to the NBI.

"NAKTAF struck again," the President said as she congratulated Reyes and Wycoco. "One by one, we have now captured all our second degree kidnappers outside of the most wanted list, since Angie Reyes took over NAKTAF."

Elements of NAKTAF and the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) team captured Puria, 32, a native of Longoes, Leyte last March 4 in his hideout in Barangay Bucabud, Montalban, Rizal after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen through the NAKTAF Hotline 727-0000.

Puria was believed responsible for the abduction of Mariane dela Rosa on March 27, 2003 in Binan, Laguna. He was also implicated in a payroll robbery in Marulas, Valenzuela, Bulacan City last 2002 and an armed robbery in Antipolo, Rizal on March 2003. He has a P500,000 reward on his head.

Macanip was arrested by a joint operative of NAKTAF, the NBI and the Philippine Air Force in his lair in Barangay Cabingtan,Tongonan, Kananga, Leyte over the weekend ending three months of hiding since the kidnap-slay of Betty Sy.

Macanip gang heads some 20 members of the Waray-Waray kidnap for ransom group suspected of having abducted and killed Betty Sy.