President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded today 100 scholarship certificates for out-of-school youths of Otis, Manila under the PGMA Training for Work Scholarship Project of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The President presented the certificates this morning to Barangay 831 Chairman Nicanor Morales during an informal interaction with barangay officials and residents at the Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel in Otis, Manila.

Among those present were TESDA Deputy Director General Milagros Hernandez and Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) Chairman Percival Chavez.

Morales said the 50 training certificates for welders and another 50 training certificates for slaughtering of swine and cattle would be a big help to the out-of-school youths and their families.

The grant of the training certificates is part of the 100,000 scholarship vouchers under the PGMA Training for Work Scholarship Project.

Other scholarhips granted under the training program are for information and communications technology (ICT), agribusiness, health and medical services, medical tourism, and hotel and restaurant services.

The President also awarded to Sharmaine Tasabay a certificate to operate a Tindahan Natin that retails basic commodities at low prices for the barangay residents.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attributed today the 5.4 percent economic growth last year to the fighting spirit of Filipinos "who have managed to keep enterprise and growth up" despite the series of super typhoons that wrought havoc to several areas of the country.

"Filipino fortitude will continue to win the day against any and all crises, reaping the confidence of the world, solid investments and jobs at home," she said in a statement.

The President was reacting to reports that the Philippine economy grew 5.4 percent in 2006 due to the strong exports, dollar inflows from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and higher farm production.

The growth, which was measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), fell short of the government’s official target of 5.5 percent but was better off than the 5 percent recorded for 2005.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri said the typhoons shaved about 0.4 percentage point off the GDP growth.

While the government’s macroeconomic performance is steady on the road, the President assured that her administration is now "telescoping on the microeconomic measures" to bring the returns of growth and stability to every household.

"Fighting poverty while keeping insurgency and terror at bay, we are clearing the hurdles in the way to clean and peaceful elections in the midterm, and pushing the overall agenda of growth, freedom, human security, energy security and a sound environment," she said.

The challenges, the President pointed out, are broad and steep, "but the Filipino is game to the challenge. "

"I am grateful to all our people for their unity and hard work," she stressed.

Don’t prejudge him. Instead, "we should allow Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. to prove his worth" as the new chief of the Department of National Defense.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye made this call today as Malacanang defended Ebdane’s appointment to the defense portfolio by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ebdane, a former head of the Public Works and Highways department and the Philippine National Police, replaced then DND Secretary Avelino Cruz who resigned in November 2006.

The President assumed the post of DND officer-in-charge until yesterday.

In a statement, Bunye urged Ebdane’s detractors to allow him to prove his worth as defense czar and pursue the administration’s modernization program for the 117,000-strong Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"There is no doubt that Secretary Ebdane will bring solid competence and a unifying presence in his new assignment. We urge his detractors not to prejudge him at this point, for he has the best interest of the nation in mind," Bunye said.

He stressed that Ebdane, as a hard worker and a quiet achiever in the defense post, "will push the AFP modernization agenda" to the limit and match defense policy and capability with the complex security challenges facing the country today.

"While we expect that he will be subjected to tough grilling by the Commission on Appointments (CA), we are confident that at the end of the day, he will be able to answer all the allegations against him and prove himself fit for the job," Bunye said.