President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has cited the franchising industry as a big boost to the country’s economic growth and development.

"Franchising in the Philippines has made good progress. It has helped improve productivity of small and medium enterprises through the use of standards, modern technology and better management systems," President Arroyo said in her speech delivered by Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde during the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI) trade show recently.

"Our growing economy is opening great opportunities for our people. Confidence is up and we are expecting a flood of investments in the wake of growing political stability and sound economic stewardship," she added.

The President expressed strong support to the franchise industry, which is considered a viable business opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs and a growth strategy for small businessmen, including start-up or expanding franchisers and franchisees and suppliers of franchiser-firms.

Remonde, who is also Cabinet oversight official for micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) development, said President Arroyo is pushing for strengthened collaboration with the top businessmen and small and medium-scale entrepreneurs to further build on the economic gains of the country.

"You in the franchising industry can certainly do much and I will continue to count on your partnership as we work together towards a legacy of excellent entrepreneurship through, among others, franchising," the President said.

"I am therefore asking everyone to take a bolder outlook to shore up domestic investment, and spread the good news far and wide so that every nook and cranny of the Philippines will acquire the vibrance of our urban centers," she added.

President Arroyo also said that a number of local and homegrown franchises have spurred many others to adopt franchising and tap global practices.

She noted that the industry’s strategy of combining the market familiarity and skills of small entrepreneurs with the financial strength of business is a potent formula to address traditional barriers to business and beef up the country’s competitiveness in the global economy.

"In the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet, franchising has been recognized as a major means to develop SMEs," she said.

The President bared plans to make the industry a major dollar earner by exporting homegrown business to other countries, instead of exporting skilled labor.

The development of SMEs is part of President Arroyo’s national SME agenda to intensify growth and economic development, and dent poverty in the country.

Remonde said the SMEs comprise about 99.6 percent of all business establishments in the country, employs 70 percent of the nation’s workforce, and contributes 32 percent to the economy.

OZAMIZ CITY – Noting the importance of major infrastructure projects in the realization of the Mindanao Super Region as the country’s agri-business center in Southern Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pursued her visit here today, ignoring the threat of an incoming typhoon that is expected to hit the province of Misamis Occidental.

The President took almost three hours of land travel from Cagayan de Oro City and another 20 minutes by barge from Mukas Port in Lanao del Norte to reach this city via the Ozamiz Port.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap joined the President in the journey threatened by strong winds spawned by oncoming typhoon "Bebeng."

Upon arrival here, the President cut the ceremonial ribbon signaling the reopening of the Ozamiz Airport to commercial flight operations after its closure in 1998 due to its poor condition.

She was welcomed by Misamis Occidental Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos, Misamis Occidental 2^nd District Rep. Herminia Ramiro, Lanao del Norte Gov. Khalid Dimaporo, Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and other municipal mayors, barangay officials and residents.

The President said the reopening of the airport would sustain the viability and facilitate the economic growth of Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte by attracting local and foreign tourists as well as investors.

Air Philippines will have regular flights to and from this city once every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving from Manila at 11:20 a.m. and departing for Manila at 12 noon.

After the brief reopening rites at the arrival area, the President walked in front of the airport building and witnessed the signing and the presentation of the signed memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the construction of the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.

Governor Ocampos of Misamis Occidental, Governor Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and Tangub City Mayor Jennifer Tan signed the document in front of the President and presented it to her afterwards.

Under the MOA, the local government units (LGUs) of the provinces of Misamis Occidental, especially Tangub City, and the municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte agreed to form a consortium to promote the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.

The Ozamiz City Airport Development Project is one of the priority projects of the President under the Mindanao Super Region concept. It is also a secondary airport under the administrative control of Pagadian Airport – Area Center VII.

On Tuesday, the President opened the newly-completed P2.2-billion Diosdado Macapagal Bridge and the Butuan Bypass Road project in Butuan City -- two projects which she described as vital to the realization of the Mindanao Super region concept.

The twin projects are expected to enhance the urban transport needs for commerce and industries in the CARAGA region.

A total of 301 officials, mostly from government-owned and controlled corporations and financial institutions, have tendered their courtesy resignations to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in time for the June 30 deadline set by Malacaņang.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita reported in his weekly press briefing this afternoon that the list includes 260 officials from 77 GOCCs, 13 from six attached agencies of the Office of the President (OP) and 20 from other government offices.

"All these resignations papers are already with the Malacanang’s search committee," Ermita said, adding that those with tenures of office would be given ample consideration.

He said that among those who filed their resignations were officials from the sequestered firms of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), including Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Corporation board member-director Julita Manahan; commodore Feliciano Salonga; NBN 4 officials Rolando Reyes, Joey Isabelo, Edward King, Jose Benedicto, Fr. Roderick Salazar; RPN 9 officials Catalino Flores Jr. and several others.

Ermita said PCGG officials have yet to file their courtesy resignations because they are still consolidating the list of those under the PCGG supervision.

He pointed out that the evaluation of these officials will continue and proper recommendations will be submitted to the President.

"From this, the President will have a basis who among them should be retained, who should be terminated and who should be renewed," he said.

To allay public concerns over the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, the government is preparing a full-blown campaign to inform the public on the pros and cons of the new law also known as Republic Act (RA) 9372, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today.

In his weekly press briefing in Malacaņang, Ermita said aside from disseminating the pertinent provisions of the new anti-terror law in both broadcast and print media, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) is also preparing a primer on the HSA for distribution to the public.

He said the HSA primer will also be available to high school and college students.

The HSA, or an "act to secure the state and protect our people from terrorism," takes effect July 15.

Ermita urged the people to read and assimilate the provisions of the law and not be carried away by doomsday warnings on perceived dangers of the anti-terror statute.

He stressed that the HSA has enough built-in safeguards against violations of human rights such as warrantless arrests, eavesdropping and wiretapping.

He added that the law prescribes specific rules on the conduct on its enforcement.

"Hindi masyadong founded yung fear na sinasabi ng iba dahil yung mga issue tulad ng warrantless arrest, eavesdropping and wire tapping of telephones, illegal sequestration of properties and tracing of assets, and others are all detailed in this law," Ermita said.

He said that under the HSA, law enforcement agents must first secure a permit from the "assigned and designated" Court of Appeals officer, as well as an authorization by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) before they conduct surveillance on a suspected terrorist or terrorists.

"Ang dami-daming requirements na hindi basta magagawa ng mga law enforcers ang gusto nilang mangyari," he said.

The "common denominator is that before any such action (surveillance) can be done by them, kinakailangang merong authority ng specifically assigned, designated Court of Appeals (CA) officer and, second, the application must be authorized by the Anti-Terrorism Council," Ermita added.

He said that law enforcement agencies will also have to justify their requests "kung bakit dapat sila mabigyan ng permit na mag-wiretap, mag-sequester ng property o yung pag-freeze ng mga assets."

"Kaya sa palagay ko, ang aking advice lamang, before attacking the law as it is, ay basahin nila munang mabuti," Ermita said.

Signed last July 3 and effective immediately was AO 181, "directing the cooperation and coordination between the National Prosecution Service (NPS) and other concerned agencies of government for the successful investigation and prosecution of political and media killings."

For their part, the PNP and the NBI were directed to "cooperate with the NPS of the DOJ by, among other things, consulting with public prosecutors at all stages of the criminal investigation."

The PNP and the NBI were further directed to cooperate with the DOJ’s NPS "at all stages of the investigation and prosecution by ensuring, among other things, that their personnel are available to testify, gather or submit additional evidence when required by the public prosecutor."

On the other hand, the preliminary investigation shall be conducted by a "separate and different prosecutor from the prosecutor who… is assigned to assist or handle the case through most of the criminal proceedings."

Funding for this cooperation-and-coordination partnership of government agencies for the solution of extra-judicial killings shall be sourced from "such available sources as may be identified by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)."

The AO noted that the Supreme Court – "responding to the request of the Melo Commission and the Executive Department" -- has promptly created special courts to hear and try cases involving the killings of political activists and members of the media.

It added that a "common working definition of political and media killings among Executive and Judiciary Departments would greatly contribute to the successful investigation, prosecution and pursuit of justice regarding these human rights and criminal violations."

In its AO 25-2007, the Supreme Court has specified the following three factors that should be considered in determining whether a crime is a political killing or not: (1) political affiliation of the victim; (2) method of attack; and (3) reports state agents are involved in the commission of the crime or have acquiesced in them."

For its part, the PNP has defined "media killings" as "killings of present members of broadcast and print media/newsmen which were perpetrated by reason of the victim’s nature of work or related thereto."

He added that the administration "hopes that all the courts involved follow the AO of Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno – for 60 days continuous trial and promulgation of decision 30 days after that."

Thus, "the judiciary’s participation was vital because it promulgates the rules of court," explained Apostol who revealed that AO 181 was the result of "inter-agency consultations" with the PHRC, the Commission on Human Rights, the DOJ, PNP, NBI, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Supreme Court.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has named retired Gen. Rodolfo Garcia as chairman of the government’s negotiating panel in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Lilian B. Hefti as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Four other high-level appointments announced by Executive Secretary at his weekly press conference this afternoon in Malacaņang were those of Ricardo B. Dapat as Director V of the Bureau of Corrections, Manuel M. Bonoan, senior undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Antonio T. Albano, executive director (with the rank of undersecretary) of the Office of the Political Coalition Affairs; and Nestor A. Camacho, presidential assistant for Region XII under the Office of the External Affairs.

Garcia takes over the chairmanship of the government negotiating panel left vacant by the resignation of Secretary Silvestre Afable, while Hefti, a career BIR official, assumes the post vacated by Commissioner Mario Bunag.

Ermita also said the President had granted executive clemency to 11 prisoners.

They are: Ruben Abellay y Sagarino, Ronald Espino y Valdez, Cirilo Gella y Bermudez, Ryan Jose y dela Pena, Dindo Lipapa y Ogis, Elmer Luntad y Castillo, Edmundo Lurcha y Juralbar;

Malacaņang assured today the Saudi Arabian government that Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari shall be provided with unarmed security personnel during his trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to attend the three-party peace talks among representatives of the Philippines, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the MILF.

This was according to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita who also said during his weekly press briefing that the Philippine government is still waiting for official confirmation from the Indonesian embassy in Manila that the tripartite meeting will push trough as scheduled on July 17 or 18.

Ermita said Misuari will not be allowed to stay longer than necessary in Jeddah as provided by "terms of reference" to be submitted to the Saudi government through the OIC.

The Executive Secretary said that Misuari has assured the government that he would remain true to his commitment he had made before the court that allowed him to leave the country to attend the tripartite meeting.

Ermita warned that the government will take action against Misuari if he violates the terms of his temporary leave from detention as required by the court.