DAVAO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today batted for a three-point agenda of her administration for the development of Mindanao.

Speaking before a large crowd, gathered at the Rizal Park this morning for the 67^th celebration of Araw ng Dabaw, the President stressed the need for developing Mindanao as part of a strong Republic; establishing peace and order as well as channeling development assistance to the island; and amending the Constitution to provide for a federal form of government.

President Macapagal-Arroyo cited Davao City as "a good example," if the Philippines is to be transformed to the strong Republic that she has espoused under her administration’s platform of government.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has shown "strong political will" in his performance of duties, she said. When terrorists bombed the Davao airport and the Sasa wharf in 2003, she noted that Duterte became head the peace and order council and, in the same year, Davao International Airport was opened and tourist arrivals increased by 36 per cent.

She said that Davao City is now one of the leading tourist destinations of the country.

The President pointed out that a substantial part of the assistance that the government receives from abroad, goes to the development of Mindanao.

As third party facilitator, Malaysia has been working for the resumption of formal peace talks between the government (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Once a peace agreement is signed, the United States and other donor countries have committed multi-million dollar funds for the development of Mindanao, the President said.

The President said that she is supporting the move for a constitutional amendment that will lead not only to a change from the present presidential to a parliamentary form of government but also for the introduction of federalism.

She believed that a federal form of government will be beneficial to Mindanao, which will stop its dependence for funds and other resources on the national government based in Manila and instead enjoy autonomy in governance.

President Macapagal-Arroyo, accompanied by her vice presidential running mate Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro and the senatorial slate of the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4), was warmly received in Davao. Some 50,000 people lined up the main San Pedro Sreet that the presidential party took enroute to the Rizal Park for the city’s foundation anniversary.

DAVAO CITY – The people of Davao City turned out in full force on Monday night for a political rally here of the administration in Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) party and pledged unqualified support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s bid for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections.

During the rally held in front of the Regional Headquarters of the Kaibigan ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (KGMA) in Legaspi Street, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte enjoined his constituents to give the President and the entire K-4 senatorial ticket a landslide victory in the forthcoming polls.

An estimated 10,000 supporters turned out for the K-4 rally.

"If you fail to vote for Madam President Arroyo, then don’t vote for me but if you go for the President, then it is the same as voting for me," Duterte said in Cebuano.

The Mayor, a veteran politician, urged his people to swear in the presence of the President that the K-4 team would win by a landslide in their place. The Davaoenos gamely acceded to his request.

On the same occasion, the President witnessed the induction of some 2,000 volunteer campaigners of the KGMA movement who would be deployed throughout the city and the entire Davao del Norte province.

DAVAO CITY – As this city celebrated Araw ng Davao in its own traditional way, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called for the promotion of cultural diversity, saying it is a virtue that can instill peaceful co-existence among Filipinos.

Speaking at the annual parade and festivities here, the President said Filipinos must realize that they belong to a multi-ethnic society, noting the rich and varied heritage of the country.

"Bigyan natin ng suporta ang kultura katulad ng ginagawa ng lungsod ng Davao. Isa itong magandang halimbawa sa pag-promote ng culture especially na nakatuon ito sa mga lumad (Let us give support to the promotion of culture like what Davao City is doing. This is one good example, particularly because it focuses on the natives or lumads)," she said.

The promotion of culture is only one of the three principles the government is espousing in the development of Mindanao.

The other two are peace and development, which include the fight against terrorism and the quest for lasting peace under the framework of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutionality.

The President reiterated her support for federalism, which she said, would be good for the whole of Mindanao.

"Lahat ng ito po ay nakatuon sa lahat ng serbisyo na ibibigay sa buong isla ng Mindanao (all of these are focused on the services to be given to the whole island of Mindanao)," she said.

The President cited Davao City for its efforts in attaining unity in diversity, saying that if all the cities and provinces in the country would emulate it, it would not be impossible to attain a Strong Republic, which she envisions.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today reiterated her support for a federal form of government through constitutional change, saying that it could speed up the realization of a lasting peace and development in Mindanao.

In a press conference held at the Marco Polo Hotel here, after gracing the 67^th Araw ng Dabaw, the President admitted that she and the rest of the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) are pushing for amendments in the Constitution that will pave the way for the establishment of federalism in the country.

She said that through federalism, Mindanao would have a greater chance of achieving economic development and lasting peace because it will have autonomy in charting its own destiny.

"I said the search for peace must be constitutional but the Constitution must serve the quest for peace and I believe that we have a better chance for lasting peace and development in Mindanao if indeed we have a federal form of government," the President said.

Aside from pushing for federalism, the President also assured institutionalized accommodations and social justice for all residents in Mindanao, which has a multi-ethnic constituencies.

She also assured every family member of the victims in the Sasa Wharf and Davao City International Airport bombings last year that they will be given justice.

"As I have said, the perpetrators are in jail and they are undergoing trial. They are in jail without bail; this is not a case of justice delayed or justice denied. As long as the trial is ongoing they are in jail. This is what you call justice done," she added.

The President also mentioned the new P600 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) that her administration was able to raise to further boost the development of Mindanao.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo got a "special prayer blessing" from Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, a day after receiving the endorsement of the influential Philippine Independent Catholic Church (PICC) – Mindanao Archdiocese Council.

In a press conference at the Marco Polo Hotel here this afternoon, the President expressed her gratitude for the "special prayer blessing" given to her during a 15-minute meeting Monday night with Archbishop Capalla, the current president of the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The President also thanked Archbishop Capalla for his efforts in healing the social division her administration has inherited three years ago.

"It’s really prayers…and the Bishop asks for prayers. At the same time, Archbishop Capalla has been a help in our peace and reconciliation efforts and I am grateful for his support in our efforts to achieve lasting peace through a principled reconciliation," the President said.

In a chance interview with Archbishop Capalla during the parade ceremony of the 67^th Araw ng Dabaw celebration, the CBCP president confirmed the meeting he had with the President held at the Bishop’s Palace in F. Torres Street, Davao City.

Capalla said that he was not praying only for the President but also for every member of the First Family and each candidate of the administration party Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4).

Earlier, during the campaign sorties of President Macapagal-Arroyo and running mate Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro in Panabo City, PCCI Archbishop Felicito Agisandro expressed the Aglipayan Church’s support to her bid in the coming elections during a solemn benediction prayer ceremony.

A supplemental budget of P2.958 billion to fully cover the pension requirements of pensioners for the year and a rationalized career development program for policewomen are among the two major concerns recommended by the Philippine National Police Reform Commission (PNPRC) which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created last year to address major grievances in the police force.

In an initial report submitted to the President through Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo this afternoon, PNPRC chairman Sedfrey Ordonez said the two aspects deserve initial focus because they affect the morale, particularly among the women folk who constitute about 10 percent of the entire police organization.

"These two are matters which the Commission considers as deserving prior attention and we feel that, if immediately implemented, would have a noticeable effect on the performance of the police organization," Ordonez in his report said.

The nearly P3 billion supplemental budget is intended to cover the pension requirements of the 26,409 PNP pensioners and survivors for the fiscal year 2004. Once provided, the retirees will enjoy their adjusted pension pay based on 2002 salary level of active PNP personnel.

The report recommended the inclusion of actual budgetary pension requirement in succeeding President’s budget, and for the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) to submit to Congress a legislative measure in compliance with Section 38 of Republic Act 8551.

RA 8551 states that the NAPOLCOM shall formulate a rationalized retirement and separation benefits schedule program within one year from the effectivity of the Act.

"These retirement benefits would need supplemental budgeting. What’s important, however, is that there must be a recognition of the need to address this aspect of the service," Ordonez said.

In rationalizing the career development program of policewomen, the PNP would identify positions where qualified and deserving policewomen can best demonstrate their aptitude, capability and diligence and put them on equal footing with their male counterparts.

Ordonez said the appointment of women as general officers is something that is "doable" and would not need any new legislation.

"The irony is that in the entire history of the police organization, only one woman has ever been elevated to the rank of a general officer," Ordonez said, citing that in the last 10 years or so, nobody has been promoted to that rank despite the increase in the membership of the policewomen.

Aside from Ordonez, the PNPRC is composed of Police Superintendent Willy P. Atun, Police Director Hercules Cataluna, Police Director (ret) Miguel Coronel, Atty. Miguel Varela, and former Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong as commissioners.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is not joining the planned presidential debate to be conducted by Pulse Asia on March 22.

In a letter addressed to Pulse Asia, Inc., Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said that much as the President respects and appreciates the sponsors and organizers of the debate, she is being held back by the non-participation of presidential aspirant Fernando Poe, Jr. on the presidential debate.

He noted that in the past few weeks the Chief Executive has aggressively sought a debate to conduct the campaign on the issues and on the basis of the experience of the candidates.

"We believe that Mr. Poe’s absence would not make the debate meaningful, since it will not differentiate the views of the two top contenders in the polls," he said.

Bunye stressed that debates are a means to offer the people a choice between the most probable winners and "President Arroyo does not wish to address an empty chair."

He said that he had informed the organizers that although they recognize the importance of the forum, they also feel that it is very important that the electorate be presented with choices.

"With the absence of Mr. Fernando Poe, Jr., we feel that we are not really presenting a good comparison of the candidates in this particular debate so we are respectfully declining," Bunye elaborated during his daily press briefing in Malacanang this afternoon.

He shrugged off a question on what Malacanang would do in case FPJ changes his mind and participate in the debate, stressing that the letter of the President is self-explanatory.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reiterated here today that she would continue to conduct her political campaign on the basis of her achievements and would remain oblivious about developments at the opposition camps.

"I don’t conduct my campaign based on what my rivals do. I conduct my campaign based on explaining to the people the strong start I have made in my short administration," the President said during a press briefing at the Marco Polo Hotel here when asked for comment about the disqualification of presidential aspirant Eddie Gil.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo indicated that her objective was to redeem the country from the "economic, political and social mess" that she inherited from the previous administration

In Manila, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye quoted the President as having said that the more choices the voters have, the better for the country’s democratic institutions.

In a press briefing at Malacanang, Bunye said they respect the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify Gil. "This is something that’s within the discretion of the Comelec. So we respect the decision of the Comelec in this regard."

Bunye also branded as "very unfair" allegations that Gil’s candidacy was a handiwork of the Palace to scuttle the opposition’s chances at the polls.

DAVAO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo indicated here today that Mindanao is already on the threshold of lasting peace as the government has been winning the war against terrorism and insurgency in the South.

In a press conference at the posh Marco Polo Hotel here, the President cited the ongoing peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the apparent neutralization of the fundamentalist Abu Sayyaf, a self-styled group of freedom fighters that engage in terrorist acts, including kidnapping for ransom and assassination.

"When I first came in, the Abu Sayyaf was 4,000-strong. There was an all-out war," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said.

"Today, there is an ongoing ceasefire. Davao is at peace. There is an unprecedented number of tourists and the Abu Sayyaf has been decimated and largely on the run," the President noted.

The Chief Executive expressed optimism that lasting peace would eventually be attained in Mindanao within the ambit of the three principles she had enunciated.

The three principles are: peace and development go together; search for peace in the context of territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutionality; and social justice for all.

"We are a multi-ethnic society. Social justice is not only for the mainstream and the Christians. There must also be social justice for the lumads (natives) and the Muslims as well," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo stressed.

"That is why in my administration, I have given close to a million hectares of ancestral domain to our "lumad" people. Many of those are here in Mindanao. That is the meaning of social justice," the President said.

The President also theorized that permanent peace would have greater chance in the South under a federal form of government because it would have greater autonomy to decide its own future.