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18 MARCH 2004 |
| The Good News: RP-Australia tie-up boosts quality of local milk |
Hope shines anew for the Philippine dairy industry. The Departments of Agriculture and Forestry and Fisheries of Australia, through Dairy Australia, have officially turned over to the Philippines a $155,000-manual designed to improve the standard testing systems for milk in the country. The manual is the offshoot of almost two years of close consultation and knowledge-sharing collaboration between Dairy Australia and the National Dairy Authority (NDA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and piloted in the Visayas where there are large dairy farms and milk testing laboratories. Philip Goode, Dairy Australia manager for internal policy, said that the manual contains modern techniques and test methods crafted by Australian dairy experts in testing and determining milk’s physical microbiological and chemical properties. This is expected to ensure that Philippine milk products would meet the acceptable standards for the competitive liquid milk market. The manual is intended for use by local dairy laboratory technicians who have been trained in conducting testing procedures and use of the quality testing equipment for milk. NDA Administrator Salvacion Bulatao said that the new technology is expected to benefit local milk producers, enabling them to compete in the milk industry where quality is the name of the game. Bulatao places a lot of hope in the technology’s workability and in the government’s National Milk Feeding Program under which schoolchildren, aged two to nine years, especially those coming from poor barangays and municipalities, are given fresh milk supplements for six months. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported in 2002 that the milk-feeding program benefited a total of 154 schools nationwide, with 75 percent of 29,317 children-beneficiaries showing significant improvement in their nutritional status. Goode lauded the cooperation between the Philippines and Australia, pointing out that the project involves competent technologists from different regions of the Philippines and abroad and uses high precision laboratory equipment. |
| Statement of the President: Re Opposition ploy |
It is sad to note that the opposition has been heavily inclined towards political harassment, demolition jobs and internal strife instead of focusing on its platform and the issues that go with it. This is a travesty of democracy. The Filipino people are burdened and weary of electioneering and mudslinging every election time. What they want to know is how a presidential candidate would lead them and improve their lives once elected. We are trying to wage a principled campaign that brings the people in close contact with urgent issues such as housing, health and clean water. We have kept off any forms of harassment, ploys or mudslinging because we want the public to have a clear mind of the road ahead and the choices people have to make. The opposition must get their act together and get in shape. |
| Statement of the President: Re Poll violence |
I am directing the Philippine National Police (PNP), with the support of the AFP as needed, to go after private armies that pose a threat to free and orderly polls, especially in the areas declared as elections hot spots and areas of concern. I shall not allow threats and intimidation to override democratic right of the people to choose their leaders. We need proaction and prevention to control election violence before it starts. |
| Statement of the President: Re Former President Estrada |
We stand for humane treatment under the law and we will respect whatever the court’s ruling on the matter. |
| Palace: Iraqis appreciate work of RP humanitarian mission in Iraq |
The work of the Philippine humanitarian mission is appreciated in Iraq, and they will stay there despite the United States’ turnover of government control to the Iraqis by July 1, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said today. Bunye told a radio interview this morning that the Filipino contingent in Iraq is involved in purely humanitarian and peace-keeping mission. "They are not actively involved in combat," he added. Bunye cited an interview, published by the Time Magazine in its recent issue, where members of the mission, that included some soldiers and policemen recounted that they are better off in Iraq, with "relatively lighter assignment" there than at home. After reading the Time article, Bunye said, he had the impression that the Iraqis fully appreciate the Filipinos’ work in their country. |
| May 10 polls: A choice between 2 futures, says GMA |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that the coming presidential election is not just a choice between politicians or personalities, but also a choice between two futures. "The nation has a clear choice – between tested and experienced leadership on the one hand and gambling on inexperience and uncertainty on the other," she said. "We can move forward and realize our destiny as a nation – or make a U-turn back to the midnight kitchenomics of the past." Speaking at the 3rd University of the Philippines Public Lecture Series on the Philippine Presidency and Administration held this morning at the Heroes Hall of Malacaņang, the President said what she offers to the people is a roadmap to prosperity based on a government that performs. She said she had made a strong start on what her rivals could only promise, noting how she had learned much on the job. "During the past three years, I have tried my best to lead by example: through hard work, dedication to the task of lifting our people from poverty and a commitment to improving governance," the President said. Saying she has been fighting for change for the average Filipino, the President stressed that she had made a strong start in such a short time, having turned the economy around and cleared up the mess she had inherited from her predecessor. Her fight for change, according to her, has revolved around four components, namely:
The President, seeking a full term in the May 10 polls, vowed to fight for unprecedented change that will make the Filipinos more secure, strengthen families and stamp out corruption. "But I need a mandate from the people for fundamental change in our political system. I will fight to change the culture of corruption, stop the scourge of drugs and wipe out terrorism. I will expand health coverage to all, bring more housing, expand property rights and create more jobs and higher wages. We will have clean water and clean government," she stressed. To achieve these changes, the President laid out a reform agenda covering five major areas of concern, namely: government reform, market reform, asset reform, agricultural reform, and criminal justice reform. She said she would also support judicial reform and strengthen the pillars of justice in society. Over the next few years, the government, according to the President, can take bolder steps forward given the time and the opportunity to continue and complete what it had begun. That opportunity, she said, is what she seeks in her bid for a full six-year term. "Today, as we stand on the threshold of our first presidential election in this new century, many seem to be distracted by the siren song of the same politics and the same politicians we had resolutely rejected in 1986 and in 2000," she said. "These coming elections will be a test of our political maturity – of our resolve to stay the course of stability and growth, against the seduction of populist demagoguery, and against the fleeting thrill of flirting with the untested and the unknown," the President said. The May elections, she said, will be much more than a battle of personalities. It is, according to her, a contest between competing ideologies, between the old politics and the new, between inspiration and desperation, between experience and amateurism. "The presidency is no easy job, it requires great vision, yes. Many can talk about a vision but it also requires the willingness to work hard, and the experience to mind the thousand details of national housekeeping," the President said. "It requires managing a large diverse and complex bureaucracy of 1.2 million civil servants. It requires representing the nation in international dialogues and explaining our national interest in the emerging global issues of the day. It requires the highest quality of judgment on a universe of issues that need executive attention each day," she said. Although she believes that deposed former President Joseph Estrada should be treated with respect and dignity, she made it clear that on issues of policy and in the best interest of the nation, she must do differently and do better than the previous dispensation "and reject those who would simply return us to the same old politics of cronyism and corruption." She said that it takes more than talk, "much more than a simple slogan, much more than a simple recipe to get things done." "To go by this analogy of food on every table," the President said, "we need a cook, who has cooked before, who knows his or her job, who can offer more than leftovers or scraps of ideas from discredited politicians." |
| GMA orders hybrid rice cultivation in Mindanao's conflict areas |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo to expand the benefits of hybrid rice to poverty stricken areas of MIndanao in a bid to help war-torn farm workers improve their income, produce more food, uplift their living standard, and bring lasting peace to the region. The President’s directive came after Department of Agriculture records and farmers, own testimonies show that hybrid rice varieties collectively known as "Gloria Rice," have been raising farmers’ yield and income up to twice or even thrice those of conventional rice breeds thereby bringing very positive socio-economic impact to those who have started cultivating them. "It’s about time the benefits of hybrid rice production trickled down to our poor and marginalized farmers in conflict areas of Mindanao because for so long have they been deprived of the resources and opportunities that will make their farm-based livelihood more economically viable," the President said. Acting on the President’s instruction, Lorenzo said the DA has scheduled to plant hybrid rice in at least 4,530 hectares in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the wet cropping season between May and October this year, on top of 2,500 has. in Lanao del Norte and 1,650 has. in Compostela Valley. Lorenzo said the entire Mindanao island will go hybrid with 57,230 has. to be planted with the high-yielding seed in the coming season or more than thrice bigger than the 15,712 has. planted the previous cropping. He said the total hybrid rice hectarage targeted for ARMM next cropping would be more than twice the 2,061 has. planted in the region the previous season. Bulk of production would focus on Mindanao where 3,000 has. would be panted starting next May, or double the 1,498 has. planted earlier. Basilan, which has been enjoying peace and recovery only recently after months of being hostage to the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, will likewise begin to go hybrid with at least 30 hectares of its rice area targeted to be planted the next cropping, Lorenzo said. Even Lanao del Norte, where most farmers and their families seek refuge during armed conflict, would intensify its hybrid rice propagation by having its previous 258 hectares expanded by almost tenfold in the next season, the DA chief said. Compostela Valley, which had been recently infested by communist insurgency, had 356 has. already planted to "Gloria Rice" between November 2003 and April this year but with the presidential directive, the province’s hybrid production area would be widened by 319 percent. |
| GMA vows to weed out corruption if given a fresh mandate |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed today to stamp out corruption in the bureaucracy as one of the major concerns of her administration if given a fresh mandate by the people in the May 10 elections. The President indicated that although the government has made significant gains over the past three years under her leadership, there is still much to be done to attain social, economic and political stability for the country. "We have made progress, but I need a (new) mandate from the people for fundamental change in our political system. I will fight to change the culture of corruption through a reform of the institutions and also through the educational system," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said in a speech at the Third UP Public Lectures on the Philippine Presidency and Administration held this morning at the Heroes Hall in Malacaņang. The Chief Executive said eradicating corruption is one of the four key components of her struggle for reforms. To improve moral standards and the rule of law, the President said "we are cracking down hard on corruption through more efficient procurement procedures and strict lifestyle checks on high government officials." Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo revealed that the anti-graft drive has netted "big fish" with criminal and administrative complaints filed against high government officials with the ranks of undersecretary, deputy Customs Commissioner, Customs collector, assistant BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) commissioner, regional director, BIR collection agent, BIR supervising examiner, judge and prosecutor. The President attributed the success of her anti-graft campaign to "competent investigation" that unearthed questionable assets of certain government officials. She cited as example the discovery of P92 million worth of property belonging to an official with a monthly salary of only P25,000. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo identified the three other key components of her "fight for change" as economy philosophy of free enterprise appropriate for the 21st century, modernized agricultural sector founded on social equity, and social bias toward the disadvantaged to balance the government’s economic development plan. On the concept of free enterprise, the President said she has been using her clout and experience to turn the economy around and create jobs with better wages. The Chief Executive also said agriculture has begun to modernize with the introduction of high-yielding crop varieties, improved transport systems, and unprecedented investments in irrigation projects. On social bias, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said she made unprecedented gains in housing and healthcare. |
| GMA unveils 'road map to prosperity' in next six years |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today presented what she called "road map to prosperity" in the next six years to complement the strong start of her short presidency. Speaking at the 3rd University of the Philippines Public Lectures on the Philippine Presidency and Administration, held this morning at Heroes Hall, Malacaņang Palace, the President outlined the reforms that her administration would undertake to ensure steady economic growth up to the year 2010. "I offer to our people a road map to prosperity," she said, citing the need for government reforms, market reforms, asset reforms, agricultural reforms and the criminal justice reforms. On government reforms, she promised to review the Constitution with a view to changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. The President said that she would reduce poverty by one half by 2010. She proposed to do that by opening up opportunities to small and medium enterprises, maintaining low rates of interest and inflation, and expanding trade. She also pledged to cut bureaucratic red tape and stamp out corruption in government. On asset reforms, she expressed confidence that the Marcos Swiss account, which was awarded by the Supreme Court to the government, will boost the agrarian reform in the next few years. Also part of this asset reform agenda, she said, is the micro-enterprise financing program that her administration has launched for the benefit of about a million women, particularly those who reside in barangays, who will be able to avail of soft loans. On agricultural reforms, she said that P1 billion would be earmarked for an agricultural modernization program, some 500,000 hectares of farms would be irrigated, and high value crops would be encouraged to be raised by farmers to augment their income. On criminal justice reforms, the President said that these would be focused on strengthening the Armed Forces of the Philippine and the Philippine National Police so that they would not only be loyal, dedicated and efficient organizations but would also be better enforcers of the law and true protectors of the people against criminality, terrorism and all forms of political and criminal violence. Among those who attended the lecture were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo; Dr. Marita Reyes, UP-Manila Chancellor; Dr. Emerlinda Roman, UP-Diliman Chancellor; Dr. Jose Abueva, professor emiritus of Political Science and Public Administration; Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutiererez; Budget and Management Secretary Emilia Boncodin; Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan; Press Secretary Milton Alingod; Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun; Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit; Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas; Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita; and members of the diplomatic corps. |
| Norway official confident that peace accord NDF will be signed soon |
A ranking Norwegian official today expressed optimism that the Philippine government’s peace initiatives with the communist rebels will succeed, saying a peace agreement will be achieved sooner or later. Norwegian Assistant Director General of Minister of Foreign Affairs Tore Hattrem also held it likely that the historic peace accord would be signed in the Philippines. "I am optimistic that a peace agreement will be achieved sooner or later, but I will not comment on the exact time. I can assure you that the President (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) is pushing the peace process as much as possible," Hattrem told reporters at Malacanang. Hattrem, accompanied by Norwegian Ambassador to Manila Pal Moe, called on President Macapagal-Arroyo at the Palace. The Norwegian government hosted the latest round of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front, the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Hattrem briefed the President on the developments of the talks which his government is sponsoring as third party facilitator. President Macapagal-Arroyo expressed deep appreciation for the Norwegian government’s efforts to ultimately end the over 20-year-old communist insurgency problem, considered as the longest running insurgency in Asia. "We are thankful for the role your government is playing in the quest for a long lasting peace in the Philippines. You have all the experience, and thank you for bringing those issues here," the Chief Executive said during a meeting with her Norwegian visitors at the Music Room of Malacanang. For his part, Hattrem cited the President’s sincerity in pursuing the peace process. Hattrem described as a "success" last month’s peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway, adding that he was very confident positive results would be achieved in the next round of talks. He admitted that his visit to Manila was related to the peace process. "We expressed our appreciation to the President for her commitment and support for the peace process," he added. |
| GSIS lifts suspension of loan privileges to ARMM teachers, personnel |
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) today lifted the suspension of loan privileges and other benefits of some 17,000 teachers and personnel of the Department of Education–Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM). A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to restore the borrowing privileges of affected teachers and personnel of DepEd-ARMM was signed this afteroon among GSIS General Manager Winston Garcia, ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Emilia Boncodin at the Premier Guest House of Malacaņang. According to Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, after some clarifications, Garcia, Hussin and Boncodin all agreed to resolve the woes of these teaching and non-teaching personnel in the ARMM through a signed MOA. About 17,000 teachers in the ARMM and other personnel are expected to benefit from the restoration. "So, now they can borrow and avail themselves, including of the enhanced SOS loan program of the GSIS," Romulo explained. Romulo expressed apprehension over reports that ARMM teachers have not been paid and that they cannot avail of these loan privileges due to non-remittance of their GSIS premiums. But in reality, a measly 57 out of the 17,000 teachers and personnel in the region are experiencing this problem, according to Romulo. In the MOA, the DepEd-ARMM acknowledged the accounts payable to GSIS for their premium contributions amounting to P968,701,790.77, inclusive of interest, as of December 31, 2003 but still subject to adjustment upon proper reconciliation of documents. The receivable amounts by GSIS from DepEd-ARMM are further broken down on a regional basis as follows: P130,226,479.72 for Cotabato; P475,682,310.59 for Iligan City and P362,793,000.46 for Zamboanga. "Upon signing of this agreement, and in consideration of the representations and undertakings herein agreed upon, the GSIS shall lift the suspension of loan privileges and other benefits which DepEd-ARMM personnel may avail of by reason of their membership with the GSIS," the MOA stated. After a record reconciliation has been made, the DepEd-ARMM was ordered to undertake payments within a reasonable period of not more than 15 years with an interest rate of 12 percent on a diminishing balance from whatever sources in order to ensure payments to GSIS. |
| Unemployment could have been worse, says GMA |
The unemployment rate in the country could have been worse had President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not been able to generate more than three million jobs in her very short administration of three years. The President indicated this today in her speech at the 3rd UP Public Lectures on the Philippine Presidency and Administration, saying that her predecessor, ousted President Joseph Estrada, was only able to create half a million jobs in his three years of presidency. She noted the strength of her foreign policy which, according to her, gave confidence to nations to put in huge investment to modernize the country and, therefore, provide employment. The President recalled that last year, foreign investment increased by 26 percent including Intel’s expansion by $1 billion, Matsushita’s $230 million air condition factory, Texas Instruments’ $100 million expansion, Ford’s $50 million car assembly. Early this year, National Steel Corporation in Iligan City reopened, the cost of which will total $1 billion for the investor. Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said call centers and business processing outsource centers are expected to increase their number of seats from 2,000 before she became President, to 60,000 this year. Aside from this, the President said she has made billions of pesos available for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that employ millions of people. "In the last 10 months alone, P20 billion were made available for SMEs. We are closing the infrastructure gap to bring in these investments," she noted. |
| GMA leads inauguration of Sunpower Philippines plant in Biņan, Laguna |
BINAN, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today led the inauguration of Sunpower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd. plant here, the first wafer factory for solar cells in Southeast Asia. In her brief remarks at the inauguration of the facility at the Ayala— controlled Laguna Technopark Special Economic Zone here, the President lauded the top executives of Sunpower for their continued faith and confidence in her administration. "Thank you and congratulations for your investment. Thank you for your continuing faith in my hopefully continuing administration," the President said. The plant is expected to spur the growth of the country’s electronic, energy and power industries. The President noted that the $300-million solar panel investment of Sunpower was very different because it deepens the structure of the country’s electronic industry and strengthens the energy and power sector not only in the urban areas but most importantly in the rural or remote barangays." The President said that "this investment is a catalyst (and) a strategic step in bringing our country well into the 21st century." She said another $400 million could be expected from exports of the firm’s solar panels and other products. These solar panels, the President said, could also speed up the electrification program of the government by bringing solar power to remote barangays in the country. Sunpower affiliate Cypress Manufacturing Philippines has an existing semiconductor manufacturing plant at the Gateway Business Park economic zone in Cavite. US-based Sunpower is a manufacturer of silicon solar cells. It makes a wide range of products, including concentrator solar cells, one-sun solar cells that are used for solar-powered aircraft and race cars, and silicon-based opto-electronic devices for telecommunication and industrial applications. The Philippines won the much-coveted project over India, one of the sites being considered by Sunpower. The company is expected to generate 760 jobs in its first year of operation. Sunpower chairman TJ Rodgers said he decided to invest in the Philippines because of its "intelligent and dedicated work force and good climate." Speaker Jose De Venecia, Jr. Energy Secretary Vince Perez, Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar Purisima, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose D. Lina, Jr. and United States Embassy Charges d’ Affaires Joseph Mussomeli were also present at the inauguration. |
