The national government is fast-tracking the implementation of its "Food Highway" Program that will link farmer cooperatives and Metro Manila barangay food terminals (BFTs) to facilitate the efficient distribution and delivery of fresh and affordable food items to the masses.

Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said this vital linkage is expected to combat hunger, a priority concern of the Arroyo administration, by eliminating middlemen and their mark-ups, resulting in increased incomes for farmers and reduced food prices in poor areas of the metropolis.

Other programs included in the Food Highway Program are: 1) the National Cold Chain Program (NCCP); 2) the National Grains Highway (NGH); and, 3) the expansion of BFTs to reach more people in more places around the country.

The National Cold Chain Program will ensure that only the freshest food products such as commercial crops, livestock and fisheries, reach the end-consumers.

With a budget of P668.47 million, the NCCP aims to put up 104 cold storage facilities nationwide with which traders may use as a step-by-step process of transporting their produce starting June 2007.

These cold storage facilities will cater to traders dealing in fresh fruits and vegetables, fishery, and livestock.

The P2-billion National Grains Highway, on the other hand, is being set up to directly link rice and corn production areas to major consumption centers as well as calamity and isolation-prone sites.

Its main components are: 1) the rationalization of existing National Food Authority (NFA) post-harvest facilities; and, 2) the modernization of facilities and national link-up via transport.

The project has an estimated potential savings of P442.35 million and will benefit more than 500,000 individuals.

Another important cog in the government’s Food Highway Program -- the Barangay Food Terminal -- is a market-type store that offers basic and above basic food commodities at prices five to 10 percent lower than those of regular outlets.

To date, there are 11 operational BFTs in Metro Manila --four in Quezon City, three in Taguig City, three in Manila and one in Pasay City.

Seven more BFTs are scheduled to be put up by the end of May --one in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan; one in Valenzuela City; one in Mandaluyong City; two in Caloocan City; one in Navotas; and another in Quezon City.

The Department of Health (DOH) assured the public today that all government health facilities are ready to meet any deficiency that maybe caused by the planned move of some private hospitals to declare "hospital holiday" on Friday.

The DOH made the assurance in view of reports that some private hospitals are planning to accept only emergency cases tomorrow in protest of the passage of Republic Act 9439, otherwise known as the Hospital Detention Law.

The DOH considered the planned action of these hospitals, which are members of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, as premature because the rules and regulations to implement R.A. 9439 have not yet been drafted.

Once the implementing rules and regulations are drafted, these will still be subject to public consultations and scrutiny, the DOH said.

The DOH explained that Republic Act 9439 should not be construed as anti-poor as it only covers paying patients.

In fact, the law will serve as a guarantee or protection of private hospitals against patients who cannot pay by requiring them to issue a promissory note, the department said.

A meeting between DOH officials and representatives of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines is scheduled today to discuss the PHAP concerns about R.A. 9439.

TOKYO, Japan -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo batted today for the revival of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks which seek to bring the benefits of the global trading system to the least developed countries.

In her keynote address at the opening of the 13^th Nikkei Conference on the "Future of Asia" at the Peacock Room of the Imperial Hotel here this morning, the President said as an economist and the "leader of a nation of 85 million, I believe in the value of trade to alleviate poverty and free people to live a better life."

As the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) which marks its 40^th year of existence this year, she led the regional grouping’s call for the revival of the Doha Round during the 12^th Asean leaders summit held in Cebu City last January, the President pointed out.

"The Free Trade Agreement within Asean and China as well as the FTA between Asean and South Korea are moving into their final stages. It is now up to the Asean member countries to individually ratify these two FTAs," she added.

She expressed pride in Asean’s resiliency in the aftermath of the financial crisis that swept across the region 10 years ago, adding that instead of drifting apart, Asean has contributed to world peace, security and economic growth.

"Asean has kept the peace, expanded our economies and grown closer together to trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange," she said.

"Asean is the most tested, viable and mature entity at our disposal to propel our relatively smaller Asian nations to compete with China, India, the EU and the US. At the same time, for Asean to become a true expanding union, it must continue to nurture its relations with key partners – Japan, China and South Korea," the President said.

The President said the Philippine economy has racked up 25 successive quarters of economic growth that she attributed to her government’s "policy to aggressively engage the regional and global market place."

"And if we are to remember what those 25 quarters were, starting from 2001 up to now, 2007, we should recall that in some of those years," some of the neighboring economies were experiencing recessions but not the Philippines, she said.

The President said that as a windfall from the Philippines’ expanded relations with regional and global markets, the country’s "exports and imports are booming even as the peso strengthens. We had our best year ever in foreign direct investment and with our stock market not only in the last two days ago, not only did our stock market surpassed the pre-financial crisis level, it was the highest in the entire 80-year history of our stock exchange."

Six million new jobs have also been created as the Philippine economy continues to grow, she added.

The President stressed that while the Philippines and its regional partners want a successful global trade talk, "we will not just wait around. We aim to go full speed ahead in the Philippines and in Asia to strengthen our economic ties regardless of what Doha does or does not dream."

The Chief Executive underscored the need for Asean to look ahead 40 years from now, saying the region’s attention should not be focused on Asean at age 40, but also at age 80 from now when the population in the area would reach one billion.

"If today, we are the fastest growing region, in 40 years we will likely be a more mature, modest growth region. And if today, we are unsure of global security and the spread of upstart nations getting nuclear weapons, what will we see in 40 years?" she asked.

TOKYO, Japan--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo congratulated today the officials of Nikkei Inc., Japan’s primary source of business information for top executives and decision makers, for their continuing interest and advocacy on the future of Asia.

The President issued the remarks during her luncheon with Nikkei president and chief executive officer Ryoki Sugita and Japanese business leaders at the Matsu Room of the Imperial Hotel here, where she earlier delivered her keynote speech at the 13^th International Conference on "The Future of Asia."

"I thank Nikkei for inviting me once again to this prestigious forum. And I am very grateful to have a third opportunity to speak before the Nikkei Forum," the President said.

It was the third time that the President attended as keynote speaker of the conference. The first time was in 2002 and the second in 2003.

In her brief message before the start of the luncheon, the President thanked Nikkei officials and the Japanese business leaders for inviting her and her delegation from the Philippine business community.

Nikkei’s invitation, she noted, is a clear indication of an emerging closer ties between Filipino and Japanese business leaders.

"Indeed, I hope that with the combination of our program today and our lunch, we will be having a closer relationship between our countries, and our people, and the two business communities," the President told Sugita.

"Well, this is the third occasion, and you are right, Madam President. We hope you can come back again soon," Sugita replied.

Founded in 1876, Nikkei Inc. is the primary source of business information for top executives and decision-makers in Japan. Its flagship newspaper, the Nikkei Weekly, is the world’s largest-selling business daily, combining both incisive articles on economics, business, finance and politics with first-rate reporting on social affairs, cultural events and sports.

Nananawagan tayo sa ating taong-bayan at mga mamamahayag na mag-ingat sa mga paratang ng pandaraya sa halalan na walang basehan.

Halimbawa, inamin ng Lente, isang pangkat ng bantay-halalan, na sa telepono lamang nila nakausap ang babaeng nagparatang ng pandaraya sa Maguindanao. Hindi pa nila nakakaharap ang babae, at ni hindi nila matiyak kung guro nga siya, sapagkat hindi ibinigay ang buong pangalan upang matingnan kung nasa listahan siya ng mga gurong naatasang magpalakad ng halalan sa lalawigan.

Sa kabila ng gayong kahinaan ng testigo, napalathala sa mga pahayagan at lumabas sa radyo at TV ang mga paratang ng babae. Samantala, pinabulaanan siya ng daan-daang gurong nagtipon sa kapitolyo ng Maguindanao upang ipahayag na nagkaroon ng eleksiyon sa lalawigan.

Dapat usisain nang masusi ang bawat paratang, sapagkat demokrasya natin ang mapapasama kung kakalat at paniniwalaan ang mga akusasyong walang katibayan.

Sa bawat paratang ay dapat itanong ng publiko at media:

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