Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo L. Neri said today that the 1.4-million net new jobs created by the economy suggest better prospects for the country.

According to the January 2004 Round of the Labor Force Survey just released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), services contributed about 940,000 jobs to the economy, a big improvement from 284,000 in 2003, while industry put in 466,000 jobs, a reversal from last year’s job loss of 14,000. These more than offset the 5,000 jobs lost in agriculture.

"In fact, the largest number of jobs created in industry were in the manufacturing sector, from a net job loss of 49,000 to 326,000 new jobs," Neri said.

Neri, who also heads the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said that net new jobs created in January 2004 had significantly improved, compared to the same period of the previous years.

He noted that the average job generation, computing the January figures of each year (2001-2004), was 1.1 million compared with the 341,000 average net new jobs recorded during the same period in 1998-2000.

Neri also noted that the country’s unemployment rate actually improved from 7.3 percent in January 2003 to 6.5 percent in January 2004 following the standard definition of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ILO definition takes out from the number of unemployed those who are not available for work within the reference week.

The NSO currently reports unemployment figures based on the definition that unemployed persons are those who, during the reference period, are 15 years old and over as of their last birthday, have no job or business and are actively looking for work. Also included are those without job or business who are reported not looking for work because of their belief that no work was available or because of temporary illness or disability, bad weather, pending job application or waiting for job interview.

The NSO reported that the unemployment rate rose to 11 percent, representing an increase in the stock of unemployed to 3.9 million in January 2004 from 3.56 million in January 2003.

The NEDA chief also stressed that the quality of employment, as shown by results of the labor force survey, also appeared to have improved in January 2004.

"The number of workers who worked 40 hours or more rose by two million, an increase of 11.2 percent compared a year ago. The number of part-time workers, meaning those who have worked less than 40 hours, dropped by five percent shedding 581,000 jobs," said Neri.

The chief economic planner said the government will continue to enforce measures that will generate more jobs to accommodate the increase in the number of labor force entrants.

I condemn the cowardly assassination attempt on the leaders of Taiwan and I consider this an assault on democracy.

I am for the former President being given more time to spend with his ailing mother, but this will depend on the ruling of the court and security considerations.

Once again, our opponents just don't get it: the government is supposed to be on the side of the people, not the politicians.

If they only had the experience and knowledge of government, they would understand that the President and any elected government must be responsive to the people.

Our opponents insist that we must stop giving health insurance to the poor, electricity to those in the dark, clean water to those who have none.

How insensitive can they be?

How far will they go in their shameless desire for political office to stop the government from giving the people vital services?

Our opponents only want to serve the needs of their own backroom political calculations.

We call on the opposition to spare this issue from politicking and instead support the government’s move for the common good of water consumers in Metro Manila.

We cannot just sit and shrug off an imminent crisis threatening the water service in major parts of the metropolis.

The opposition insists that we must stop giving clean water to those who have none.

The peso movement is more a result of overseas factors.

Filipinos will enjoy a long Lenten holiday season, starting April 7, 2004.

By authority of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Executive Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, issued today Proclamation No. 583 that declares Wednesday, April 7, as a regular holiday in lieu of Friday, April 9, which is observed yearly as Araw ng Kagitingan.

Maundy Thursday, April 8, and Good Friday, April 9, are observed as regular holidays in the Philippines, which is a predominantly Roman Catholic country.

The proclamation, signed Thursday (March 18) by Executive Secretary Romulo, also declares Saturday, which falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as a special non-working holiday throughout the country.

Malacaņang said that the five-day holiday, from April 7 to 11, shall give the Filipino people "full uninterrupted opportunity to ponder on the significance of the Holy Week and to properly observe its traditions with religious fervor, without prejudice to public interest."

"It is important," the proclamation adds that the Lenten holiday and Araw ng Kagitingan "be observed with meaningful and appropriate activities."

This year, Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9, which commemorates the valiant stand of the Filipino and American soldiers against the Japanese invaders in Bataan during World War II, coincides with Good Friday.

Malacaņang seeks an expansion of the network of gas stations selling diesel fuel at discounted prices to drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces to avert a transport strike.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told a radio interview this morning that if the supply of discounted fuel could be continued, the PUV drivers may be persuaded not to increase their fare rates or join a transport walkout.

He said that the government’s focus is on measures that would ease the burden of transport operators.

"Pilit na dinadagdagan ng Department of Energy (DOE) ‘yong mga outlets na nagbibigay ng discount sa ating transport sector (The DOE is working hard to increase the number of (fuel) outlets providing discounts to the transport sector)," he said.

The Presidential Spokesman expressed hope that the PUV operators and drivers would give the DOE more time to carry out its task of increasing the number of gas stations offering fuel at discounted prices.

Four major jeepney organizations have decided not to participate in a transport holiday planned for Monday and instead pledged their support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her bid for a full six-year term in the May 10 elections.

A manifesto of support for the President was signed Thursday after successful negotiations by government representatives and leaders of the transport sector.

Signatories to the accord were the presidents of the Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organizations Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators (PCDO-ACTO), the Makati Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (MJODA), the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associations of the Philippines (FEJODAP), and the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Associations of the Philippines (ALTODAP).

In the manifesto, the leaders of PCDO-ACTO, MJODA, FEJODAP and ALTODAP affirmed their confidence in President Macapagal-Arroyo who, they said, fully understands their problems and could be approached for help by public utility vehicle operators and drivers throughout the country.

"Kung hindi dahil sa pagpasok ng Pangulo at sa kanyang mga ginawang paraan hindi sana naging malinaw ang pag-uusap namin ni Secretary (Leandro) Mendoza ng DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) at malamang na kasama kami sa strike ngayong Lunes (If not for the President’s timely intervention, our discussions with Secretary Mendoza would not have been clarified and we would most likely join the strike this Monday)," Efren de Luna, president of PCDO-ACTO said.

Among the reasons cited by de Luna for their decision not to join the strike were the administration’s approval of their request to re-impose the two-passenger-per- insurance policy and the grant of permit allowing them to renew their expired franchises without the threat of cancellation for a period of six months.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today vowed to have a corruption- free Philippines in 2010.

In her radio program, "Mga Isyung Pambayan" with Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo today said she intends to erase corruption in the country if she is given a full-six year term as President, by creating an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the body the Hong Kong government used in eradicating corruption in the former British colony.

The President noted that this was what overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong have requested her to do if she wins this May 10, during her previous consultations with them.

She said she has as consultant on corruption one of those who initiated the commission in Hong Kong, hence, ensuring the same successful result in the Philippines.

"At sinabi pa nga ng (consultant) sa akin na kahit maliit na city state lamang ang Hong Kong, pitong taon muna siyang nagsikap bago nagkaroon ng reputasyon ang pamahalaan ng Hong Kong bilang malinis na gobyerno (The consultant said even in a small city state like Hong Kong, it took them seven years to erase corruption)," the President said.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo stressed that fighting corruption is foremost in her platform of government. That is why, she said, she already initiated the implementation of lifestyle check to prosecute and throw out unscrupulous officials in government.