Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said today President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a staunch advocate of human rights, is working hard on putting an end to extrajudicial killings.

"The Philippine government is carrying the agenda of President Arroyo on unexplained killings by setting up special courts, fielding special prosecutors, protecting witnesses, and instituting strict internal controls within the military and police," Bunye said following the release of the United States Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2006 which noted that such killings have contributed to a "climate of impunity" in the country.

The Press Secretary welcomed the US State Department’s Country Report as a "constructive criticism from a time-honored ally," stressing that the Philippines "upholds democracy and human rights as strongly as it cherishes freedom and free enterprise."

Bunye also said the government is working on ending "the trail of mass murder and mayhem" the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has been inflicting on the people by increasing legal, counterpropaganda and operational measures against the revolutionary left.

He added that the decades-old problem on violence sowed by insurgents is being addressed appropriately by the Arroyo administration which hopes to finally put a stop to it with support from the Filipino people and the international community.

In line with the celebration of International Women’s Day, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed today to strengthen women’s economic empowerment by initiating the growth of entrepreneurship through micro-finance programs and facilities for the government employees’ cooperatives.

In her speech at the 2007 National Women’s Day celebration at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila this morning, the President said the micro-finance scheme would be the government’s priority project that would focus on this year’s theme, "Kabuhayan ng Kababaihan."

"Sa pagpasok ng bagong Kongreso (Congress) inanunsiyo ko na, magpapasok din tayo ng batas para sa dagdag na suweldo, pero sa ibabaw noon puwede nating gawing proyekto between now and March 8, 2008 ang micro-finance para sa mga empleyado ng pamahalaan," she told the more than 5,000 women attendees coming from all over the country.

The President ordered the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) chairperson Myrna Yao and People’s Credit and Finance Corporation Atty. Noel Poso to coordinate with other government agencies for the initiation of micro-finance programs and facilities.

She pointed out that the government is addressing poverty reduction and unemployment by encouraging the growth of entrepreneurship through its micro-finance programs and facilities.

"The plan ensures that women who engage in small, medium and micro-enterprises are given access to credit, trainings and micro-finance programs," she explained.

The administration’s micro-finance program, which gives small loans to the poor, has penetrated all provinces and cities and 97 percent of municipalities nationwide.

A total of 1,410 institutions with about 2,200 branches have lent P52.69 billion from July 2004 to September 2006, creating more than 800,000 jobs.

The United Nations has cited the Philippines’ national microfinance council as a model among over 100 countries for having given access to credit to some 4 million borrowers representing 88 percent of poor households.

The President thanked the Canadian government through its Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland for the P350 million grant intended for the execution of the Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women (GREAT Women) project.

This year’s celebration highlights women’s economic rights and economic empowerment to strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

The National Women’s Day is an annual gathering of women from government, non-government, civil society, private sector and international communities to celebrate the gains and call attention to remaining issues and challenges confronting Filipino women.

In a move to prevent the recurrence of another licensure examinations leakage such as the June 2006 Nursing Board exam, Malacanang expressed support today to moves that would impose stiffer penalties against those who taint the integrity of any licensure examinations in the country.

Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said while Malacanang welcomed the move of the Ombudsman to file corruption charges before the Sandiganbayan against those allegedly involved in the exam leakage for nurses in June last year, the Executive Department would work with Congress for the enactment of a law that would impose stiffer penalties for board exams leakers and cheaters.

"The controversy brought about by the Nursing Board exam should serve as a hard lesson for all. President Arroyo expects the wheels of justice to start rolling against those who have tainted the integrity of the nursing profession," Bunye said.

"Consistent with the policy of punishing the guilty and sparing the innocent, we welcome the move of the Ombudsman and are prepared to work with Congress in order to ensure that stiffer penalties would be imposed against those who would mess up with the integrity of all our licensure examinations as we aim to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents," he added.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said they would file charges against Anesia Dionisio and Virginia Madeja, examiner for psychiatric nursing and medical surgery nursing, respectively, for violation of Republic Act 8981, or the Professional Regulation Commission Modernization Act and R.A. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The cheating scandal that marred the June 2006 Nursing Board exam has resulted to the decision of the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) not to issue Visa Screen certificates to exam passers who do not want to retake specific test parts where mass cheating took place.

Despite what administration critics are saying, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye pointed out today the country is far better off economically and the outcome of the May elections is crucial if the nation is to continue moving forward or stagnate.

"The unassailable truth is that the Philippines is in a state of unprecedented progress and that is all because of our single-minded focus on growing the economy," he said in a speech before the Rotary Club of Pasig City at the Valle Verde Country Club.

Bunye said that is the time to keep the country moving and take advantage of the budget surplus, stronger peso, more jobs and a better investment climate.

"The Philippines is now in a good place and soon enough, the sacrifices of our people in paying higher taxes under the RVAT program shall be rewarded with a better and brighter future," he explained.

"Your vote in May will determine whether we shall continue on this path or be led astray again by those fixated with the battles of the past. It is hard work and good governance that will transform this country from mediocrity to modernity, from poverty to progress, from a good place to the best place in Asia, if not the world," he added.

Bunye called on the people to "cut through the political noise and allow national aspirations to dictate the tempo of their lives."

Aside from the strong peso and bullish stock market, Bunye said the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is growing, and    remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have surpassed the $10 billion mark.

He added that democracy is alive with the electoral campaign now in full swing. The crime rate, according to him, has gone down, and the people feel more secure especially with the enactment of the Anti-Terror Law or the Human Security Act of 2007.

Bunye said achieving the eight blessings of a strong economy by 2008, outlined by President Gloria Macapagl-Arroyo in her "8 by 08" strategy, would be tangible fruits of the administration's commitment to bring the benefits of the fiscal momentum directly to the people.

These eight blessings are job creation, better cost of living, a strong peso, more investments, pro-poor education, pro-poor healthcare, housing, and food.

MANDAUE CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assured today the 400 families rendered homeless by the big fire that hit Barangays Mantuyong and Guizo here that the national government will help them rebuild their houses.

The President personally relayed the message to the fire victims when she made a surprise visit here after she arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport at around 12:45 p.m. from Manila.

The President was on her way to Cebu Provincial Capitol to address the 7^th Cebu Women’s Day celebration when she decided to visit the victims of the fire that occurred at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday (March 7).

Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano informed the President that the city government had already approved the release of P6,000 financial assistance for every homeless family victim. The initial financial assistance, Ouano said, is for the purchase of construction materials.

Angelita Go, 52, one of the fire victims, cried when the President approached her and asked about her family condition. Go told the President that her house was destroyed completely by the fire.

During the brief conversation with Go, the President assured her and other fire victims that the national government will help them start a new life.

Nenelyn Latono, 42, another fire victim, said the President instructed Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral to provide financial and livelihood assistance to them.

Aside from Cabral, those present during the surprise visit of the President here were Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge Remonde and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

From Mandaue City, the President motored to the Social Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol where she led the 7^th Cebu Women’s Day celebration.

During the brief program, the President received three resolutions of the Cebu Women’s Congregation in line with the administration’s continued drive to promote women’s rights as stipulated in the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

MANDAUE CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged today all members of the Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) to continue working hard with the national government and do not allow themselves to be part of any group working to derail the country’s surging economy.

In her address at the opening ceremonies of the three-day PCL 2007 End-Term National Assembly at the plenary hall of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) here, the President said that being councilors, they are on the frontline of the country’s change.

"Let us not allow our surging economy to be derailed. Let us all work hard until our respective terms end to make economic prosperity, social justice, and peace and security a reality for a new and modernizing Philippines," she stressed.

The President informed the 3,500 councilors attending the assembly that for the first time, the national government traveled a clean path of 24 quarters of uninterrupted economic growth.

"It’s payback time for our people, and more than ever, I will be needing the support of our local officials in bringing the blessings to the people in every nook and corner of the country," she said.

Part of the social payback, she said, is coming from the prudent national government spending that resulted in additional P15 billion for the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for all local government units.

"This is because I trust the local officials to work with me to continue on the path to reform, social justice and economic development," the President added.