We are thankful to our friends in both Houses of the US Congress and in the Executive Branch for their faith in the government of the Philippines as demonstrated in the strong military funding currently appropriated to the Philippines in the 2008 Foreign Military Funding bill. We share mutual determination to bring peace and solidarity in Mindanao and to strengthen US-Philippines security relations.

US funding has been crucial to the many successes that the Philippines has achieved against terrorism. This is funding that has been central to uprooting terrorism by bringing in basic infrastructure, healthcare and education to affected areas. This is funding that has allowed our partnership with the United States to break new ground in making our country and our region safer from the threat of terror. This is funding that has saved lives and that has brought renewed hopes of lasting peace and meaningful progress to thousands.

Unfortunately, several Philippine groups have tried to stop US funding for reasons of political expediency. This did not happen despite their best efforts. In fact, in the US House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, no cut was made to the Foreign Military Funding for the Philippines. And in the US Senate Committee on Appropriations, no cut was made either. Instead, the Committee proposed an almost three-fold increase to the Foreign Military Funding for the Philippines – from $11,100,000 proposed by the Executive Department to $30,000,000.

This is also a provision for an additional $2,000,000 subject to the confirmation of the State Department that: 1) we are implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, which we have largely done; and 2) that the Philippine military is not engaging in acts of intimidation or violence against members of legal, civic and religious organizations who advocate human rights.

We see this provision as a sincere desire to help and further encourage the Philippines to address the issue of politically-motivated killings. We assure the members of the US Congress that the Philippine government acknowledges their concern and see this as a sincere desire to help us address the issue.

CALAMBA CITY - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hailed today the top officials of Nippon Yusen Kaisha-Transnational Diversified Group (NYK-TDG) for affirming its vision to provide high quality education-to-employment (E2E) for future Filipino seafarers.

The NYK-TDG Maritime Academy is the newest joint venture between NYK Line, one of the world’s oldest and largest shipping companies, and the Filipino-owned TDG.

"Again, congratulations to NYK and TDG, and thank you for helping us realize the leadership potentials of our bright, competent and promising Filipino seafarers – the future captains of the maritime world. Thank you for helping them acquire an enviable niche in the seven seas," the President said.

The President issued the remarks at the inaugural rites of the newly-opened $15 million investment of NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA) situated on a nine-hectare property along Knowledge Avenue in Carmeltown, Barangay Canlubang in this city, some 55 kilometers south of Metro Manila.

In her speech, she said that Filipino seafarers comprise a formidable source of foreign incomes for the Philippine government that adds spark to the economy.

Of the one million plus seafarers in the international oceangoing vessels, some 250,000 are Filipinos, or 28 percent of the total workforce in the global maritime industry, the President said.

On Nov. 26, 2005, the President, together with former President Fidel V. Ramos, led the groundbreaking of the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy here, where she congratulated the partnership of NYK and TDG to transform young Filipinos into the best merchant marine officers in the world.

Likewise, the President challenged both the private and public sectors to focus on the people’s agenda and join hands with the government on a path of economic growth, political stability and social justice.

"Let us work together to ensure that our economic turnaround continues; that prices remain stable, and that we invest in the people through spending and for vital human and physical infrastructure projects and more education and training like what we are inaugurating today," she said.

For his part, TDG founding chairman and CEO Roberto Delgado assured the President in his remarks that the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy "is committed to give high quality education to the first batch students of the academy."

NYK president Koji Miyahara said in his welcome remarks that NYK-TDG Maritime Academy will continue to help the President provide more high-paying job opportunities to the young future Filipino seafarers through its E2E system of academic excellence.

Miyahara told the President that the 120 first batch graduates of the academy would board NYK vessels, directly hired/employed by the NYK Lines, the worlds oldest and largest shipping companies and the Filipino-owned TDG.

NYK-TDG Maritime Academy is the single biggest investment in educational infrastructures for corporate social responsibility projects by NYK of Japan in the Philippines especially under President Arroyo’s administration.

Immediately upon her arrival here, the President cut the ribbon and unveiled the marker at the main entrance of the administration building, followed by a viewing of the scale model and touring of the campus facilities.

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Carlito Puno, former Labor Secretary and NTMA chairperson Patricia Sto. Tomas, TDG chairman and CEO Roberto Delgado, NYK president Koji Miyahara, and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ryuichiro Yamazaki assisted the President.

Malacanang expressed today its thanks to both houses of the US Congress and Executive Branch for appropriating a $30-million foreign military funding to the Philippines to fight terrorism and bring lasting peace and progress in Mindanao.

Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said both Houses of the US Congress have approved and even increased by almost three-fold to $30 million the military funding for the Philippines from the Executive Department proposal of only $11 million.

In a statement, Bunye said the increased amount was appropriated under the 2008 Foreign Military Funding bill by both Houses of the US Congress even after several Philippine groups "have tried to stop the US funding for reasons of political expediency."

"We are thankful to our friends in both Houses of the US Congress and in the Executive Branch for their faith in the government of the Philippines as demonstrated in the strong military funding currently appropriated to the Philippines in the 2008 Foreign Military Funding bill," Bunye said.

"We share mutual determination to bring peace and solidarity in Mindanao and to strengthen US-Philippines security relations," he added.

The Malacanang official said US funding has been very helpful to the fight against terrorism and in bringing in basic infrastructure, education, and healthcare in crucial areas in Mindanao.

"This is funding that has allowed our partnership with the United States to break new ground in making our country and our region safer from the threat of terror. This is funding that has saved lives and that has brought renewed hopes of lasting peace and meaningful progress to thousands," Bunye added.

He said the US Congress also approved an additional $2 million subject to the confirmation of the State Department that the Philippines is implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, "which we have largely done;" and that the Philippine military is not engaging in acts of intimidation or violence against members of legal, civic and religious organizations who advocate human rights.

"We see this provision as a sincere desire to help and further encourage the Philippines to address the issue of politically-motivated killings. We assure the members of the US Congress that the Philippine government acknowledges their concern and see this as a sincere desire to help us address the issue," Bunye said.

Bunye added that the US Senate Committee on Appropriations also increased to $30 million from $26 million the Economic Support Fund for the Philippines and urged the Executive Branch to request for more once there is a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The four-day Yamang Mindanao "One Island One Product" (OTOP) Trade Fair held from June 29 to July 2 at the KCC Mall in General Santos City showcased the potentials of Mindanao’s small and medium entrepreneurs’ (SMEs) to be globally competitive.

The trade exhibit that featured an array of products from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, Caraga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) caught the attention of both domestic and international buyers.

The authentic Mindanao products featured in the fair included processed foods, jewelry, fashion accessories, furniture, garments and handicrafts.

The Island Trade Fair, spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry, ended on a bullish note as sales for the four-day fair reached P28 million.

Another highlight of the fair was the "business matching" event where the SMEs had the chance to dialogue with their potential partners or buyers.

"Yamang Mindanao is being institutionalized as one of the biggest trade fairs in the country with the huge number of inquiries from entrepreneurs asking how to be part of the fair," Trade Undersecretary for Regional Operations Group (ROG) Carissa Cruz –Evangelista said.

She acknowledged the support of the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines FOBAP) represented by Mariane Naz and Advocate of Philippines Fair Trade Inc. (AFTI) represented by its chairman Vic Roaring and executive director Rommel Agustin for the successful holding of the trade fair.

Top sellers in the trade exhibit under the food category included the YY Sea International Corp. of the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), which took bulk orders from a company in China for its bottled Spanish sardines; Sunnish Coffee of Caraga Region for its innovative rice and corn beverage; and KM Foods of Southwestern Mindanao (Region 12) for its value-added tuna products.

On the non-food category, South Sea pearl crafter Tezoro del Mar of Region 9 posted the biggest sales, followed by another Region 9 exhibitor, K6D Infinite Fashion, and furniture maker Wild Trend Woodcraft of the Caraga Region.

The OTOP, a priority program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, seeks to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs by identifying and eventually developing a locality’s one product that has a competitive advantage.

The fair also cited De Lara Agsam Novelties of Caraga for having the best product (non-food) in the fair – a necklace weave with pearl. The weave is made from agsam vine and rattan strips laid with pearl.

Also cited for having the second best (non-food) product was a rug made from abaca bark and fiber by Top Zion Handicrafts, also from Caraga Region.

For food category, the best product went to Region XI’s Lucille’s Food Products for its Calamansi Carrot Concentrate.

They lost their loved ones in military battle but the Office of the President is not leaving them alone in their grief.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs (OPAMA) awarded today cash assistance of P100,000 each to the legal surviving spouses/parents of 14 battle casualties of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and gave P20,000 to P50,000 each to 10 soldiers wounded in action form 2004 to 2006.

The Special Financial Assistance (SFA) totaling P1.73 million for the 14 widows/parents and 10 soldiers came from the President’s Social Fund (PSF). The checks were handed to the beneficiaries at the Executive Secretary’s Hall at the top floor of the Mabini Hall in Malacanang by Maj. Gen. Arturo Carillo (ret.), the presidential adviser on military affairs (PAMA).

Carillo, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1968, said it is the OPAMA’s duty to pinpoint the legal claimants of such assistance that was earlier authorized by President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo to alleviate the grief of AFP battle casualties and survivors.

Aside from the P100,000 cash assistance, surviving families of the AFP personnel killed in action (KIA) are also given a house and lot package worth P180,000.

Those wounded in action (WIA), on the other hand, are classified into those who suffered "major" or "minor" wounds, and given financial assistance of P50,000 and P20,000 each respectively. Major wounds include amputations and blindness suffered during battle.

The AFP battle casualties last year included Capt. Marcelo Quitiquit, the battery commander of the Delta Battery of the 10FAB, 4ID, PA, who was ambushed by armed communist terrorists on Dec. 20, 2005 at the vicinity of the Tagum Highway in Tagum City.

killed in action were Corporals Felipe Ramirez, Edgar Estares, Dominador Bruno, Albert Isla and Rohelio Caballes; and Pfcs. Arnel Bartolome, Abe Mani-ag, Jayson Lobarbio, Allan Quimot-quimot, Elvir Mendez, Joselito Petallo and Vianney Credo.

Missing in action (MIA) was SSgt. Felix Silvestre whose speedboat capsized due to big waves and inclement weather on Jan. 25, 2004 at Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. He was declared dead one year later.

The cash assistance for the above-named soldiers were all received by their surviving spouses except for Pfc. Quimot-quimot whose father, Claro, received the President’s cash gift.

Meanwhile, the "major" WIA’s were 2Lt. Sulpio Rios, 2Lt. Erwin Libnao, Pfc. Patrick Logao, Pfc. Benchorlee Sevilla, and Pfc. Dondon Sumintan; while the "minor" WIA’s were 1Lt. Ariel Quirog, Pfc. Alejandro Obradas, Pfc. William Bonifacio, Pfc. Valentino Domingo and Cpl. Ronnel Tarrayo.

The release of the benefits was also witnessed by Deputy PAMA Capt. Salvador Cuba (PN); Lt. Col. John Pulido, deputy for operations; and Lt. Col. Reynaldo Lanuzo, deputy for administration and logistics. Also on hand for the fund-awarding ceremonies was Col. Edmundo Pangilinan, commanding officer of the Army Personnel Management Center.

Last June 25 at Fort Bonifacio, the surviving families of three other soldiers killed in action last year (Sgt. Joelly Aliven, Pfc. Felix Dichoso and Cpl. Alex Manaligod) and two other soldiers missing in action (Cpl. Floro Cabarles and Pfc. Al-Nadzer Atari) were also awarded the President’s Special Financial Assistance for Battle Casualties.