Close to half-a-million micro finance borrowers have been granted P2.5 billion in loans by the banking sector, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

"While these numbers are encouraging, we at Bangko Sentral are bent on surpassing them as we go along in our initiatives to encouraging the establishment of more microfinance-oriented banks," BSP Governor Rafael B. Buenaventura said.

Buenaventura noted that as of October 2003, 122 banks had engaged in microfinance activities along with two microfinance-oriented thrift banks, three microfinance rural banks and 122 rural and cooperative banks.

The governor said that Bangko Sentral has been pursuing its three-part microfinance program that is geared towards creating a regulatory environment for sustainable microfinance.

The program also calls for training and capacity-building within the central bank and the banking sector as well as a more active part in promoting microfinance.

Buenaventura said that they are now working on setting up a comprehensive credit bureau model that will ensure a more transparent information system as well as an improved credit access.

"It will also serve to prevent high incidence of credit pollution where one client borrows from multiple institutions," he said.

Buenaventura said that the Bangko Sentral also launched a regional advocacy program last year, conducting microfinance seminars in the countryside where it hopes to entice potential practitioners.

So far, the Bangko Sentral has reached eight regions and this year, it hopes to reach more micro finance practitioners and institutional partners for existing micro finance banks.

"At Bangko Sentral, microfinance is, and will continue to be, our humble share in the nationwide campaign against poverty," Buenaventura said.

We will not allow the corrupt to evade justice.

The Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies concerned shall ensure that all the respondents on the case will be brought before the courts to face the charges leveled against them.

Those who may have absconded abroad shall be subject to extradition procedures where applicable.

The allegations against the President are in themselves baseless and to say these are a basis for impeachment is absurd.

The President has enunciated the policy of humanitarian treatment under the law.

This is a simple statement of decency and compassion that all Filipinos understand.

The government’s campaign against terrorism will not be compromised in any degree by the peace talks between the government and the MILF.

Today, I am ordering the GSIS management and board of trustees to take immediate and decisive action to address the concerns of our government work force and to report to me within the week steps that will be taken to immediately alleviate the financial burden of government employees.

For the past few months, I have been receiving persistent complaints from members of the GSIS, especially from the ranks of the teachers, of the difficulties they have been encountering in availing of loans and in the processing of their retirement benefits.

I want these complaints immediately resolved.

I have been told that the problems arose mainly due to the implementation of a computerization program designed to reconcile the records of GSIS and the government agencies to which the members belong.

The program has its merits, but I cannot allow its implementation at the expense and at the inconvenience of tens of thousands of our teachers, health workers and other government workers who keep our public institutions running.

Both the law and equity dictate that we should be able to give them the benefits that they have worked hard for, in a fair and timely manner.

Over the next few weeks, I therefore expect that the financial needs of GSIS members will be given priority, especially with the onset of the graduation season and, soon after that, the opening of the new school year.

Malacaņang assured the people today that the government has taken measures to hold down prices of prime commodities, including cement, the demand of which normally increases because of summer constructions.

In a radio interview this morning, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is considering the reduction of tariff on cement by P5.00 per bag.

The DTI is also cutting the inspection time for cement imports so that there will be steady supply of cement in the market, he said.

To prevent any excessive increase in the prices of pork in the market, Saludo said, the DTI is studying the possible tariff-free importation of pork.

Saludo noted that fear of the avian flu has kept buyers away from chicken and this has helped propel the increase of pork prices.

He said that Filipinos should not be afraid to eat chicken, because there is no avian flu in the country and, therefore local chicken are safe to eat.

Asked about "improvements" in the three years under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s watch, Deputy Presidential Spokesman cited the various accomplishments of her administration.

Saludo said that three million jobs had been created as compared to only one million under the previous administration. Heads of poor families who got jobs increased from 58 percent in 1999 to 85 percent in 2002, he said.

He said that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has invested P72 billion for agriculture and fishery modernization in three years, the largest allocation for that purpose in history.

For helping the law enforcers put a suspected kidnapper behind bars, a man from Leyte became an instant millionaire.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally handed over P1 million in cash to the newest member of the Millionaires Club, whose name was not revealed for security reasons, in ceremonies held today at the Ramos Room of Malacanang.

"We are giving the P1-million reward for his information that led to the arrest last December 4 of the Number 4 kidnapper in the NAKTAF (National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force) order of battle, Allan Niegas, who carries a P1-million bounty on his head," the President said.

The President said the NAKTAF’s information campaign called "Infomercial," launched through the print and broadcast media, has been instrumental to the success of the government’s all-out war against kidnap-for-ransom gangs in the country.

The authorities said the Leyteno saw Niegas’ picture in NAKTAF’s "Most Wanted List" poster and reported at once the suspect’s hideout in Barangay Culasian, Capocan town.

Combined elements of the NAKTAF and the Philippine National Police Region 8 under Chief Superintendent Dionisio Coloma were immediately deployed to Culasian to arrest Niegas.

NAKTAF chief Angelo Reyes noted that the Leyteno became the first recipient of reward money being offered by the government for information leading to the arrest of notorious criminals.

Reyes also explained that release of the bounty took three months because of the stringent rules laid down to ensure that the reward goes to the right person.

He also stressed that the informant’s identity would be kept confidential to ensure his protection and prevent reprisals against him.

Niegas, tagged as the leader of the dreaded Waray-Waray gang, was presented to President Macapagal-Arroyo a day after he was arrested in Capoocan last Dec. 4.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has attributed the success of her allout war against kidnapping to the ordinary Filipinos who have been lending their support to government efforts to stamp out the menace.

In a radio message this morning, the President said the anti-kidnapping campaign under the leadership of National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF) chief Angelo Reyes is the most successful by any administration so far.

"Isang dahilan kung bakit nila nagagawa ito ay dahil tumutulong ang mga mamamayan at karaniwang Pilipino dito (The reason why it has succeeded is because of the help of the public, the ordinary Filipinos)," she said.

"This is all about ordinary Filipinos who help in the fight against crime. They are heroes in their own right," she said.

The President recounted that last December, the country’s fourth most wanted kidnapper was arrested after being fingered by a citizen who saw his picture from the wanted list.

This kidnapper, the President said, was captured in Capoocan, Leyte following a tip from the informer who promptly got the P1 million reward from the suspect’s head.

Last Friday, the government’s campaign to neutralize the dreaded kidnap for ransom (KFR) gangs netted three more suspected kidnappers including the 10^th Most Wanted in the NAKTAF list, Romeo Puria.

Presented with Puria was Sergio Macanip Jr., the Waray-Waray KFR leader suspected to be responsible for the 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 National Bureau of Investigation.

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

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to immediately address the concerns of the government employees to alleviate their financial burden.

In a statement, the President said she has been receiving persistent complaints from members of the government pension fund, especially from the ranks of the teachers, of the difficulties they have been encountering in availing of loans and in the processing of their retirement benefits.

"I want these complaints immediately resolved," the President ordered the GSIS management and board of trustees.

The President said she had been told that the problems arose during the implementation of a computerization program designed to reconcile the records of GSIS and the government agencies to which the members belong.

"The program has its merits," she said, " but I cannot allow its implementation at the expense and at the inconvenience of tens of thousands of our teachers, health workers and other government workers who keep our public institutions running."

She stressed that both the law and equity dictate that the government must be able to give them the benefits that they have worked hard for in a fair and timely manner.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo indicated today that the country would soon attain a stable supply of low-priced medicine as the Filipino-owned pharmaceutical giant United Laboratories continues to implement its expansion plans.

The President manifested her optimism about the continuing growth of the local pharmaceutical industry in a speech at the groundbreaking rites for Unilab’s P1.3-billion Solid Dose facility at the Pharma campus in Barangay Mamplasan, Binan, Laguna.

The Chief Executive said providing the people with a stable supply of low-priced medicines is one of the major reforms being pursued by her administration.

"This day is especially important and I would like to congratulate Unilab for being a strong partner of the government in instituting the desired reforms for the welfare of the common Filipino," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said in the Pilipino.

"Lahat tayo, gusto natin ng pagbabago, at sa aking paglilibot, madaling maintindihan na ang pagbabagong hinahangad ng karaniwang Pilipino ay tungkol sa buhay, tungkol sa trabaho, tungkol sa presyo, tungkol sa kalusugan (We all want change, and in my travels nationwide, it was easy to understand that the changes desired by the common Filipino are about their lives…about their jobs…about prices…about health," President Macapagal-Arroyo stressed.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo added that she was pleased because somehow, more investments are coming in to create new jobs for the Filipino workers.

She recalled that six months ago, she also presided at the inauguration ceremonies for Unilab’s P1-billion Logistics Center, bringing the company’s total new investments to P2.3 billion in less than one year.

The President pointed out that the center is very vital in ensuring a steady supply of effective medicines. "It has also been able to bring down the cost of transportation, storage, marketing and delivery of medicines, not only for Unilab, but (also) for other pharmaceutical companies," she added.

The President also cited Unilab for pioneering in locally produced but half-priced branded medicines.

BINAN, Laguna—Top executives of a Filipino-owned pharmaceutical giant company today said they remain confident about President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s capability to lead the country, and bullish on the national economy.

Joselito Campos, chairman of the United Laboratories, said his company’s P1.3-billion additional investment for a new facility in this industrial center "demonstrates our trust and confidence in the Macapagal-Arroyo administration."

"This new P1.3 billion investment is another demonstration and complete manifestation of our faith in the Philippine economy and confidence to your administration," Campos said while welcoming the President at the groundbreaking rites for Unilab"s Solid Dose plant in Barangay Mamplasan here.

Campos said in September last year that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also graced the inauguration of Unilab’s P1-billion state-of-the-art pharmaceutical consumer products distribution center in the 44-hectare Unilab Pharma Campus in the same complex.

He told the President that because of their loyalty and faith to the positive future of the Philippine economy under the leadership of President Macapagal-Arroyo "we decided to expand our investment by putting the P1.3 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing plant here."

For her part, the President thanked the Unilab executives for their trust and confidence, saying the forthcoming facility would generate new jobs for Filipino workers.

"Ako ay nasisiyahan dahil kahit papano ay magkakaroon ang ating mamamayan ng trabaho kasi kung walang investment walang trabaho para sa mamamayang Filipino," the President said.

The fully automated and computerized facility manufacturing facility plant, expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2005, would produce prescription and generic pharmaceutical and healthcare products in tablet, caplet, capsule forms.

The President also lauded Unilab for pioneering in the domestic production of half-priced branded medicine known as "rite-medicine."

"I still remember that two years ago in Metro Manila, we launched the ‘rite-med’ medicine representing medicines with the average of half the price of medicine," the President recalled.