The Philippines and Japan are exploring a partnership aimed at introducing natural gas as an alternative cheap and efficient fuel for centralized cooling for industrial buildings and offices, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

Industrial district cooling has been one of the listed areas of opportunities for the use of natural gas in Metro Manila, as could be gleaned from various completed DOE studies.

The proposed "District Cooling and Power Supply Project in the Philippines" would be pilot tested at the Global City in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City, and is targeted to come on stream by 2008.

The project is designed to supply chilled water and electric power to buildings with cooling and electric power requirements of 42,000 tons of refrigeration and 70,000 kilowatts, respectively.

It was noted that district cooling is especially relevant in areas or economic zones where factories and office buildings stand near each other.

Natural gas cooling systems are expected to help improve indoor air quality and are perfect even for hotels, supermarkets, hospitals, warehouses and office buildings.

It has always been a strategic part of the DOE’s comprehensive plan to promote the use of natural gas for industries; and this is now gradually being advanced to fruition.

Aside from Metro Manila’s business districts, the DOE is also aggressively pursuing the use of natural gas in various special economic zones, especially those located within the Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) area.

From the power sector, which is the biggest market of natural gas yield from the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project, the energy department has been pushing for the introduction of natural gas use in the transport sector.

Three points are salient.

One, all matters pertaining to the detention of the former President are under the sole and exclusive control of the court.

Two, I believe that he is entitled to the fullest humanitarian consideration allowed by law.

Three, there are no political deals involved in this case.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Mayor Edward Hagedorn has assured President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of "landslide victory" in Palawan for her and the entire ticket of the Koalisyon ng Karanasan at Katapatan para sa Kaunlaran (K-4) in the May 10 elections

Hagedorn declared his full support for the President during an ambush interview inside the Puerto Princesa Coliseum.

"We will support the President and the entire K-4 ticket," Hagedorn said a few minutes before President arrived at the venue here of the K-4 political rally that was attended by thousands of Palaweños.

Hagedorn said the local government officials of Palawan, from the municipal mayors down to the barangay kagawad, as well as the residents, are rallying behind the President in her bid for a full term in the upcoming elections.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan—The people of Palawan have found a formidable ally in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in their fight for a share in the revenues from the Malampaya natural gas project.

Before the local government officials of Palawan and thousands of residents gathered in the Puerto Princesa Coliseum here for a K-4 political rally Friday noon, the President said that she and the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan would help them obtain their share of the revenues from the Malampaya offshore oil project.

The President lauded Palawan Congressman Abraham Mitra, Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn for initiating and elevating the issue before the Supreme Court.

While awaiting for the Supreme Court ruling on the issue, President Macapagal-Arroyo said that she signed Friday morning an executive order setting aside P300 million, in addition to the P300 million released in December 2003, for livelihood projects in Palawan.

She said that out of the P300 million, P3 million will go to each municipality and P100,000 for every barangay in Palawan for their livelihood projects.

About P40 million will be allotted for the construction of El Nido Airport. El Nido is the main tourist resort in Palawan Island.

Another P30 million is earmarked for the South Road, or Palawan Road, bringing to P95 million the total amount the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has allocated for the major artery.

The President also set aside P20 million for the purchase of portions of lands inside Hacienda de Palawan to be distributed to some 2,000 residents squatting in the area.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan--Fresh from a triumphant sortie that saw her unite Palawan’s feuding political leaders behind her bid for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her K-4 ticket flew this morning to Cagayan de Oro City and Malaybalay, Bukidnon to continue their barnstorming.

The sons of the late Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr., Palawan Congressman Abraham Mitra and brother, Jojo, are now fully supporting the President.

Mitra, considered as Palawan’s most beloved leader, was the founder of the mainstream opposition party, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), which is now supporting movie actor Fernando Poe, Jr.

Jojo, who now heads Team Gloria Youth for Luzon, said that President Macapagal-Arroyo has succeeded in unifying the political forces of Palawan, a feat not even his father had been able to accomplish during his lifetime.

All the 23 municipal mayors of Palawan are also supporting the President and the entire K-4 slate.

Last Friday, Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, Congressman Mitra and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, former protagonists in the island’s politics, expressed their unqualified support for the President during lunch at the Barcelo Asturias Hotel here.

Reyes, Mitra and Hagedorn joined hands in singing "Pagkakaisa," a Palawan unity song for the President whose administration has poured more than P1 billion in infrastructure and other projects for the province.

SURIGAO CITY—Even before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4) ticket could arrive here for the campaign, local government officials today declared Surigao del Norte "a K-4 country."

While preparing for President Macapagal-Arroyo’s arrival here from Malaybalay City, Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers, Rep. Glenda Ecleo (1^st District), Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (2^nd District), and Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Cassura predicted an overwhelming victory for the administration candidates in the May 10 elections.

Governor Barbers noted that the results of recent Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys show that President Macapagal-Arroyo is the candidate to beat in the upcoming polls.

He said the Filipino voters now realize that the country needs an experienced leader for the next six years for the country to attain sustained development

President Macapagal-Arroyo possesses the skills, knowledge and experience that are needed to uplift the economy, the governor said, adding that she has shown exemplary dedication to public service.

The President is coming Sunday for a one-day campaign sortie, highlighted by the proclamation of K-4 reelectionist Sen. Robert Barbers in a political rally in the Surigao del Norte provincial gymnasium. Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro and the rest of the K-4 senatoriables will also be present.

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon—Officials of this city and the province of Bukidnon today expressed their full and unequivocal support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s bid for a six-year term in the May 10 elections.

Led by Gov. Jose Zubiri, Rep. Miguel Zubiri and City Mayor Florencio Flores, Jr., some 10,000 residents trooped to the rain-soaked Provincial Capitol Grounds here to welcome the President, who motored here from Cagayan de Oro City.

All the mayors of the 22 towns and two cities of Bukidnon, except those from Manolo Fortich and Baungon, were present at the rally here which coincided with the start of the "Kaamulan" thanksgiving festival.

The President’s running mate, Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro and senatorial candidates Rodolfo Biazon, John Osmena, Robert Jaworski, Robert Barbers, Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Orly Mercado and Parouk Hussin, were also at the rally.

Agriculture Secretary Luis "Cito" Lorenzo, Press Secretary Milton Alingod, Presidential Campaign Spokesman Michael Defensor and Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza also accompanied the K-4 team in the hustings.

Speaking in Cebuano, the dialect in the province, the President assured the people of Mindanao that if given a new mandate, she would tirelessly work for the achievement of a lasting peace and sustained development of Mindanao.

The President and her party were also greeted with cheers and chants of "GMA, GMA" while on a motorcade from the Capital Provincial Grounds to the Pine Hills Hotel here where she held a brief press conference.