The Philippine Utility Vehicle (PhUV), a locally assembled utility vehicle, made its public debut Tuesday with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the principal guest at its launching.

The unveiling of the PhUV prototype, which coincided with the 109^th anniversary of Philippine Independence, was held at the Grand Central Plaza of Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

Designed to carry both people and cargo, the PhUV is assembled from completely knocked down (CKD) parts and boasts of high local value added parts and labor content.

At P350,000, the price of the 12-seater, four-wheel drive, is well within the reach of ordinary Filipinos, according to the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP).

In his welcome remarks, MVPMAP president Eddie Jose said the launch of the hybrid PhUV is "an omen of more good things to happen in the country."

"The unveiling of the PhUV on the 109th anniversary of Philippine Independence is not only an indication, but also a true manifestation of the local automobile industry’s commitment and ability to manufacture quality but cheap public utility vehicles," he said.

Jose and MVMAP chairman emeritus Feliciano Torres briefed the President on the various components and functions of the vehicle, which was described as a cross between the old Ford Fiera and Toyota’s Tamaraw utility vehicles.

The President was assisted in the unveiling ceremony by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Jose and Torres.

Jose told the President that the target market of the PhUV are smallscale Filipino entrepreneurs and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The PhUV prototype was assembled out of parts contributed by association members and financed partly by officials of the association.

JORDAN, Guimaras – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced here today the allocation of P50 million for the ongoing rehabilitation of Guimaras which was affected by the MT Solar I oil spill last year.

The President made the announcement during the inauguration of the P7-million Petron Library Hub intended to support the educational upliftment and comprehensive human development of school children in this island province.

The President said that the International Oil Compensation Program (IOCP) of Petron Corporation already gave compensation to tourist resorts and fishermen during the first batch of their compensation program.

For the second batch, the President said some 2,000 applicants have submitted their documents that are now being processed.

The President said there are funds for the relief and rehabilitation of Guimaras under the supplemental budget.

"And now, I am very happy to have been able to bring to the province of Guimaras the first P50 million release," the President said.

The President also announced that the Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) ferry system would soon reach Guimaras from Bacolod City through Sibunay and Jordan going to Iloilo province, which is some 15 minutes by motorboat from here.

The President led the ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the marker of the Petron Library Hub this afternoon in Barangay San Miguel together with Petron chairman and chief executive Officer Nicasio Alcantara and Petron president Khalid Al-Faddagh.

The library would cater to the 99 public elementary schools in this province through their principals, teachers or administrators who could borrow books and other educational materials in bulk for a period of 30 days.

The library hub is part of the ongoing program of Petron Corporation to help communities in the province after MT Solar I sank between Guimaras Gulf and Negros Occidental last August 11.

The tanker spilled some two million liters of oil that heavily affected 11 coastal barangays in Nueva Valencia town.

Aside from the library hub, the President said that Alcantara quickly obliged to her request to establish computer terminals for the 17 public high schools in the province.

The President was also presented with the Memorandum of Agreement between Petron and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) for the establishment of a Mariculture Livelihood Model Farm in Nueva Valencia that would provide fishermen the necessary skills to go into milkfish production.

The President also witnessed the turnover by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) of seed capital for seaweed farming to four Self-Employment Assistance Kabuhayan (SEA-K) associations from Sibunay, San Lorenzo and Nueva Valencia towns.

The seed money is part of Petron’s P3-million livelihood program assistance to the DSWD in Guimaras.

The President also witnessed the turnover of Petron’s donation to the Department of Education (DepEd) which is a one-storey, four-classroom Tando Multi-Grade School in Barangay Tando, Nueva Valencia as part of its support program for the communities in the province.

The President arrived here from Iloilo with DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, and DepEd Undersecretary Teodosio Sangil.

The President’s party was warmly welcomed by some 300 residents and local officials led by Governor JC Rahman Nava, the incoming lone district representative of the province; and Jordan Mayor Felipe Nava, who recently won as the new governor of the province.

CABATUAN, Iloilo – Iloilo province on Wednesday formally opened its doors to world air traffic with the inauguration of its brand new P8-billion international airport on a 188-hectare straddling Sta. Maria and Cabatuan towns.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who led the opening of the air terminal, described the new airport as a "shining example of the best that is still to come for all the Filipino people" as the country continues to break loose from its "lethargic economic legacy."

The new airport, she added, is a "symbol of our collective will and the people’s support."

The President lauded the Ilonggos for their steadfast commitment to the project despite the magnitude of the challenges posed by lack of funds.

She said plans for the upgrading of the Iloilo airport started in 1997 when the whole of Southeast Asia was reeling from the effects of the financial crisis gripping the region.

But with "concerted efforts and the faith of all the Ilonggos, we concentrated on completing it (Iloilo International Airport) on time," she added.

"We broke the back of our lethargic economic legacy via a combination of tough fiscal measures and equally difficult political decisions to make more revenue," the President said.

She was referring to the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT) Law which raised the tax on goods and services from 10 percent to 12 percent.

The additional taxes enabled the government to raise funds needed o implement vital physical and infrastructure projects, including the Iloilo international airport.

The President assured the Ilongos that her administration would continue to focus on pro-growth, pro-trade and pro-investment strategies "that will lift our people from poverty and make the Philippines a real investment destination."

"And with this Iloilo airport here, Iloilo is also in contention as a major investment destination," she said.

Iloilo's tourism industry will greatly benefit from the opening of the IIA, as well as the agriculture and business sectors.

A joint project of the Philippines and Japan, the IIA was funded under Japan’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) program through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) which put up P6.3-billion, while the Philippines raised P1.625- billion as its counterpart fund.

The IIA is designed to handle 1.2 million passengers and 11,500 tons of cargo a year.

The three-storey passenger terminal building has an area of 13,500 square meters. It has 10 check-in counters with individual weighing and queuing conveyors, belt conveyors from check-in to baggage loading area, flight information display system to guide passengers on the aircraft's time schedule and destination and a transit counter.

The cargo terminal building is a 1,300-square meter single storey structure, consisting of a covered platform, government offices, restrooms and cargo handling area.

The control tower is a nine-storey structure with a two-storey operation building that houses state-of-the-art communications equipment and briefing room for pilots.

In a move to strengthen her advocacy of interfaith dialogue as a tool for peace and understanding, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed an Executive Order (EO) creating a National Committee on Interfaith Cooperation.

In his weekly press briefing this afternoon in Malacaņang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said EO 626 is intended to "consolidate, rationalize and ensure consistency of the country’s policies and position in the various interfaith initiatives and fora in and outside the country."

The Philippine government is at the forefront of the advocacy for interfaith dialogue as a legitimate tool for conflict resolution, peace and understanding in the world.

The Philippines spearheaded the lobby at the United Nations that led to the passage of UN Resolution A/RES/59/23 on the promotion of inter-religious dialogue.

Ermita said the President considers interfaith initiatives as crucial in the promotion of peace and harmony, cultural tolerance, ethical standards and human rights as well as the development of moral, spiritual and intellectual capacities for the upholding and enhancement of human dignity.

The National Committee on Interfaith Cooperation is composed of designated officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and Presidential Council on Values Formation.

The committee is tasked to formulate, consolidate, rationalize and recommend Philippine policies and position on various interfaith initiatives in and outside of the country.

It will also articulate and ensure the "consistency of Philippine policy and position in the different local and international fora, as well as in all related activities on interfaith dialogue."

The committee will also ensure that the Philippines is well represented and maintains its continued leadership and effective participation in the various interfaith initiatives and activities in the international fora.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has issued Proclamation No. 1296 declaring the third week of June 2007 as "Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week" to ensure the public’s safety and security from such destructive weather phenomenon.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the proclamation was signed on June 12 in accordance with Section 16, Article II of the 1987 Constitution which states that "The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature."

Ermita said in his weekly press briefing this afternoon that the proclamation mandates the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to mitigate or reduce the loss of life and property resulting from typhoon, flood, drought and other destructive weather phenomena.

It recognizes that the country is exposed to natural and other man-made hazards because of the neglect of environment and poor awareness of physical laws and changes in nature.

Malacaņang reiterated today its assurance to the United States that the Philippine government has been implementing "all applicable measures" to prevent human "trafficking and sex exploitation of minors."

Speaking through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Malacaņang made the assurance in response to a certain report that the U.S. allegedly cited the Philippines as one of the major sources of human trafficking and child sex exploitation.

In his weekly press conference this afternoon, Ermita said the Philippine government "is doing everything within its powers to prevent human trafficking and sex exploitation of minors."

Malacaņang released today the names of 10 female and nine male prisoners who were granted conditional pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the eve of the celebration of the 109^th anniversary of Philippine Independence.

In his weekly press briefing this afternoon, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the pardoned female prisoners were Gina Ang y Pingkian, Erlinda Austria y Paringit, Elizabeth Signacion y Barbosa, Remedios Talaba y Taray, Nimfa Villanueva y Madrid, Alicia Abadier y Garcia, Vilma Alvarez y Magada, Arbina Deculano y Change, Eleanor Espiritu y de Leon, and Joy Ann Miyanggo y Sumugat, who is also known by three other names (Joan Sumugat /Miango, Ann Mamigo and Nelly Fernandez).

To give more teeth to the ongoing drive against tax evaders, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has issued Executive Order No. 625-A, placing the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program under the administration of the Office of the Deputy Commisioner for Legal and Inspection Group of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the EO, signed on June 12, repealed all provisions of EO 625 to strengthen the prosecutorial and enforcement mechanism of the government’s national internal revenue generation program.

It will take effect immediately in order to sustain the government’s positive momentum in the drive against tax cheaters.

Ermita said Malacanang is confident that by the end of 2008, the government will be able to meet its target of balancing the budget or overcoming its deficit.

Citing the unprecedented improvement and efficiency on tax and revenue collections by the BIR and the Bureau of Customs (BoC), Ermita said the budget deficit has been narrowed down due to the successful fiscal reform measures undertaken by the administration.

Ermita said if the BIR and the BoC would continue their good tax and revenue collections, the government will be able to meet its target of a balanced budget and overcome the budget deficit.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s decision to reorganize the government financial institutions is not motivated by "political payback" but by "improving further the economy and the government service."

Ermita said during his weekly press conference this afternoon that the President’s call for the resignation of officials of the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) is a good decision to improve the service of these agencies.

He said the appointed officials of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) are included in the President directives because the two agencies are both GFIs.

Ermita assured the public that the President will be guided by the performance assessment of those agencies in deciding whom to move out and whom to retain.

When asked what the President will do in order not to violate the fixed term of GOCC officials, Ermita assured that she will not do anything that is against the law.

"You can be very sure on that," Ermita stressed in an ambush interview after the press briefing.

Assuring that there is no political payback involved in the President’s decision to reorganize the GOCCs and GFIs, Ermita said: "Basta ang mahalaga, ginagawa ito ng Presidente sapagkat alam niya na ito ang mabuti para sa ikabubuti ng gobyerno."