“Have a nice vacation.”

This was the message of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to hundreds of ship passengers departing for the provinces when she made a surprise inspection of seaport security procedures Saturday evening at Dona Eva Macapagal Terminal at Pier 15 in South Harbor, Port Area, Manila.

The President made the inspection to ensure that security measures are observed and implemented strictly by the seaport security personnel, especially during the weekends and the coming holidays.

Hundreds of passengers started travelling back to their provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas for the Oct. 29 Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay Elections, the observance of All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2).

Upon her arrival at Pier 15, the President observed the security measures conducted by the port personnel -- starting from the pre-departure up to the check-in area of the terminal.

“Have a nice vacation,” the President told the passengers departing on board WG&A Superferry when she greeted them at the pre-departure and check-in area of the Dona Eva Macapagal Terminal.

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Manager Oscar Sevilla, Aboitiz Transport System Executive Vice President Evangeline Engel and Police Port Manager Arturo Opina assisted the President in her 20-minute security inspection at Pier 15.

Last Oct. 22, the President also made a surprise inspection of the existing security arrangements at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial 2 Terminal in Pasay City.

She made the inspection in the aftermath of the Glorietta Mall blast in Makati City on Oct. 19 that left 11 persons dead and many others wounded.

From the Dona Eva Macapagal Terminal, the President motored to the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City where she awarded the Gawad Kalinga Most Inspiring Entrepreneurial Communities and GK Youth Best in Product Innovation.

The winners in the 2007 GK Most Inspiring Entrepreneurial Communities were the following:

Freedom GK Village in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna for its candle making project; GK Sunshine Ville in BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City for its basket making using water lilies, and GK Selecta Village for its integrated urban farm project.

The winners in the GK Youth Best in Product Innovation were Manila Waldorf School, 1^st place; Kost Ka School in Quezon City (2^nd place), and. the San Beda Team, St. Paul University (3^rd place),

The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) continues to spread the entrepreneurial phenomenon in the country by engaging more young people and young-at-heart to get involved in the entrepreneurship.

The PCE is partnering with Gawad Kalinga in nation building and in the fight against poverty by uplifting the lives of the GK communities through the entrepreneurship concept.

The President was assisted in the awarding of trophies to the 2007 GK Village and GK Youth winners by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge Remonde, Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion II, GK Chairman of the Board Jose Tale, and GK founder Antonio Meloto.   

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo distributed over the weekend some 50 of the 750 “contracts to sell” that would allow the latest batch of informal settlers at the National Government Center area in Quezon City to buy and own their occupied homelots. 

The President was assisted in the distribution by Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte and National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Federico Laxa in the awarding ceremonies held last Friday (Oct. 26) at the BATODA covered court in Barangay Batasan Hills.

All the 748 contract awardees -- 368 from the National Government Center (NGC) East Side, and 380 from the NGC West Side -- excitedly awaited their turn to receive the contracts that signal the start of the land-acquisition process over their occupied lots that were earlier meant to be the country’s NGC, but which the informal settlers started occupying in the late 1970’s.

The NHA, which processed the papers for the latest homelot beneficiaries, said a total of 55,000 families living in the area stand to benefit from the latest awarding of contracts to sell.  

It was the first time that the squatters from the NGC East Side received contracts to sell.  

Before last Friday’s awarding ceremonies, some 4,400 families had been awarded the same; while 604 families received their Deeds of Absolute Sale.

The NHA said the National Government Center Housing Project (NGCHP) is being implemented by the NHA as trustee by virtue of Republic Act 9207, otherwise known as the “National Government Center (NGC) Housing and Land Utilization Act of 2003.”

From a total land area of 444 hectares, the area left for the country’s NGC has been cut down to only 56 hectares. 

The NGC was created in accordance with the declaration in 1948 of Quezon City as the national’s capital city in lieu of Manila. The NGC had an original area of 136 hectares which was donated by the Rodriguez family.

Manila was restored as the country’s capital in 1976.

By April 25, 1975, then President Ferdinand Marcos issued Memorandum Order No. 828 which created the NGC Development Committee, and expanded the NGC area to 359 hectares.

The area was further expanded to 444 hectares on March 5, 1979 through Proclamation No. 1826, with the boundaries of the Constitution Hills area defined by Survey No. SWO-04-000494.

Eight years later in 1987, 150 hectares of the NGC site were deducted by then President Corazon Aquino via Proclamation No. 137, opening the western area of the Batasan grounds  for disposition to bona fide residents.

Eleven years later, on April 6, 1998, then President Fidel Ramos declared 238 hectares of the eastern portion as a mixed-use area, including for socialized housing, effectively reducing to only 56 hectares the area now remaining for the NGC.

For her part, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted the informal settlers security of tenure, thus strengthening the validity of previous pro-settlers proclamations, by her signing of Republic Act No. 9207 – the NGC Housing and Land Utilization Act that was used to process the contracts of the latest lot beneficiaries.

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NEW YORK -- Human rights issues dominated the dialogue Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita held with members of the Filipino community in the New York-New Jersey area at the Philippine Center in New York City on the evening of Oct. 24 (New York time). 

The event was organized by Consul-General Cecille Rebong, who sat on the panel with Secretary Ermita and Presidential Human Rights Committee Executive Director Cecilia R.V.  Quisumbing.   

Ermita first explained his mission to New York as instructed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to hold dialogues on the latest human rights developments with top United Nations officials and the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Philip Alston.

This was also an opportunity for him to directly see the workings of the UN Human Rights system, as the chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC).

“The government has reawakened its focus on the protection and promotion of human rights, not only protecting those who may be targeted for their political beliefs but also those whose economic rights may be under threat, as well as the rights of women, children and other sectors," Ermita said.

Ermita emphasized that the government does not condone or tolerate killings of acitivists and media. He explained that these human rights violations happen because of the overall national security situation, where there are insurgency movements.

He cited the measures the government is taking, including Department of Justice instructions to expedite and prioritize such cases, Administrative Order 181 which mandates closer cooperation between investigators and prosecutors, and the work of Task Force Usig in the Philippine National Police. 

These measures, he said, have borne fruit in the form of six convictions and more than 70 cases filed in court.  He added that the AFP is investigating five men in uniform for possible involvement in such killings.

The PHRC Executive Director explained the mandate of the Presidential Committee and the new rule of court, the Writ of Amparo, which the Supreme Court recently promulgated. 

The panelists addressed an audience representing a broad spectrum of Filipinos based in the New York-New Jersey area, including   professionals and  representatives of NGOs, such as BAYAN and ANAK.  

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Dr. Purificacion C.V. Quisumbing was also in the audience and added her own comments to the dialogue.

"There has been a sea change in the way the government handles human rights,” she said, adding, “The CHR has listened to the government and hopes it will deliver on its promises.”   

On other matters, the Executive Secretary told Filipinos based in New York and New Jersey that Philippine economic indicators are good, that these indicators, including the stock market were not adversely affected by the explosion on Glorietta 2 mall in Makati last Oct. 19, and that negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continue. 

Questions and comments from the floor revealed that human rights matters were very much at the forefront of the audience’s concern.

"What is being done to explain these killings (of women and children who have been victims of political killings)?" asked Sally Francisco of Filipinos for Rights and Empowerment.

Ruben Caranza, from the International Center for Transitional Justice, told the panel he  wants frank responses to the issue of impunity in the armed forces.

To these, the panel reiterated the measures being taken by government to bring perpetrators to justice, to prevent further killings, and to address the perceived culture of impunity.  

Malou Mapa, who identified herself as the sister of Editha Burgos, mother of a missing activist, asked, "How long will it take for one group to produce Jonas Burgos?"

The Executive Secretary expressed sympathy for the Burgos family, saying he was himself following up on the matter because he was a friend of the missing activist’s father, the late journalist Joe Burgos, and is even a godfather of Jonas’ brother.   

Consul-General Rebong responded to an NGO statement that they have never been inside the Consulate, having held their demonstrations outside. She pointed out that NGO members have always been invited to Consulate events, as well as all members of the Filipino community, and no one has been disallowed from entering.

In closing, she thanked the Executive Secretary for taking the time to hold the dialogue on important matters with the Filipino community. 

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NEW YORK -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions highlighted the presence of Philippine Executive Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita  and thanked the Philippine government for engaging with him on this key human rights issue when he addressed the UN General Assembly (UNGA) last Friday (New York time).  

"Its presence at the highest level today is important," UN Special Rapporteur Phillip Alston said of the Philippine Government.  "While clearly I will be very critical of issues that exist at present, the fact of its invitation and continued engagement does bring credit to the country."

Alston delivered a general report on his mandate to the UNGA on Friday, Oct. 26, in New York City, which covered not only his visit to the Philippines but also situations in other countries and the general importance of the Special Rapporteur's role in human rights protection.

Alston said that he has had "discussions recently with top officials of the Philippines" and mentioned that the country has taken "a significant number of initiatives" since his visit in February.   

The Philippines is one of the few countries that have invited the Special Rapporteur to look into such a sensitive issue as extrajudicial killings.  Alston reported that "90 percent of countries I have identified as warranting a country visit have failed to cooperate."

Secretary Ermita was the first government representative given the opportunity to respond, out of 11 countries that include Iran, Portugal, Venezuela, USA, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China, Russia, Singapore, Kenya. 

Highlighting the Philippines' good citizenship in the international human rights system, Ermita issued a call to other countries to "engage as much as possible with the (UN Human Rights) Council's special procedures, for the sake of our shared interest in human rights."  The Philippines is a member of the international rights body.

Ermita also underlined the measures the Philippine government has taken to address killings of activists and media practitioners, including Department of Justice instructions to expedite and prioritize such cases, A.O. 181 which orders closer cooperation between investigators and prosecutors, and the new protective rule of court, the Writ of Amparo.

Alston's brief mention of the Philippine situation stated, "The bottom line is that only the elimination of such killings… will signal that the situation has turned the corner."

Ermita agreed that the government too wants to see results of its initiatives especially in the form of convictions.  

His intervention was supported by Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Hilario Davide, Jr., officers of the Philippine Mission, and the Executive Director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), which is chaired by Ermita.

As part of his mission to New York as the PHRC chairman the Executive Secretary held a dialogue with the Filipino community and private meetings on Tuesday with Alston and the UN High Commissioner, Louise Arbour, the highest UN official on human rights.

Mrs. Arbour told Alston that her meeting with Ermita was "very positive and constructive."

During the dialogue with Alston at the General Assembly, nine other countries made comments, many of them outright refusing to recognize the mandate of Alston to visit, despite the fact that his office is directly created by the Human Rights Council.

Alston said approximately 30 countries have not issued invitations as requested, including some Human Rights Council members (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia) and Security Council members (Russia and China).

Indonesia and China said that they have not invited Alston because they have invited other Special Rapporteurs this past year, while Kenya explained that recent general elections have not allowed it to invite Alston.

Singapore's Permanent Representative objected to Alston's stated desire to visit the country - the number of executions of convicts for crimes such as drug trafficking - saying that these executions are carried out within the legal framework, after a judicial decision and therefore are not within the Special Rapporteur's mandate.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, on Tuesday commended the Philippines for being among the few to engage with the Special Rapporteur and continuing to do so constructively.  

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is calling on all registered voters to exercise their Constitutional right to suffrage by going to the polls to elect their Barangay and Sanggguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders on Monday.

In a radio interview yesterday, Press Secretary and Acting Executive Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said the President has stressed the importance of the Barangay and SK elections as these are the frontline offices of government and the very first organizations that people go to for assistance.

“Ito pong Barangay (at SK) elections ay napaka-importanteng exercise. Alam po natin na itong barangay ay ang smallest unit of government, at iyan iyong gobyerno na karaniwang humaharap sa tao sa araw-araw. Sila iyong karaniwang unang nalalapitan ng ating mga kababayan,” Bunye said.

“Kaya napaka-importante na pagpunta natin dito sa presinto sa Lunes ay alalahanin po natin, isaalang-alang po natin iyong mga tao na kinilala natin na makakatulong sa ating bayan,” he added.

Bunye appealed to all voters to exercise utmost discretion on choosing candidates and to base their decisions on qualified people who can genuinely help in moving the barangay and the youth forward to prosperity and unity.

“Huwag natin masyadong gamitin itong popularidad o itong pagiging kamag-anak o pagiging kaibigan. Higit po nating bigyan ng weight iyong kakayanan talaga, iyong kakayanan po na mag-offer ng kanilang services para dito sa barangay elections,” Bunye said.

President Arroyo is scheduled to vote in her hometown of Lubao, Pampanga tomorrow morning.

After voting, the President will fly to Dumaguete City to speak at the National Conference on Integrated Taxation System (ITAX) at the Oriental Negros Convention Center.

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Saying the plunder trial, conviction and subsequent grant of executive clemency to former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada was a “black chapter in our country’s history,” Press Secretary and Acting Executive Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye called on all Filipinos today to look forward and concentrate on achieving national unity for the benefit of all.

“Let us put this black chapter in our country’s history behind us and concentrate on what is really important, i.e., ensuring that all Filipinos benefit from the fruits of our economic progress,” Bunye said in his weekly column The View From the Palace which comes out tomorrow (Monday).

“It is essential for this nation to look forward. We have turned a page in Philippine history; we must now write a new chapter about a New Philippines that is focused on political stability and economic opportunity,” he added.

“The focus now should be on national unity and addressing the development challenges plaguing so many Filipinos,” Bunye said, adding that he hoped Estrada would help in nation building now that the former president was a free man.

“It is our hope that Mr. Estrada will commit himself to support that process. We would also hope that both those who support and those who oppose that decision will now turn their attention to efforts to unite the nation and putting an end to the divisive politics that make no contribution to promoting the welfare of the people of our country,” Bunye said.

He stressed that President Arroyo’s decision to honor the request for pardon for the former president was based on several considerations that included his “advanced age, the six and a half years he has served under detention and the forfeiture of assets that remain in force.”

“The action President Arroyo took concerning the former president was a tough choice, but the President has never shied away from making tough choices when it comes to moving the nation forward,” Bunye said.

He said that the President is assuring the Filipino people, the international investors and businessmen and women that she “is on an unwavering path to permanent economic stability and growth.”

“Nothing will stand in her way in creating more jobs, generating more investments and bringing maturity, stability and strength to the Philippine nation and economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, two of the country’s biggest religious groups have expressed their full support to President Arroyo in granting executive clemency on Estrada.

In a letter dated Oct. 26, 2007, El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde and Iglesia ni Cristo Spokesman Bro. Bienvenido Santiago said, “the pardon will significantly help in promoting national unity and political stability that our country and our people badly need to improve our economic and security conditions.”

“We hope and pray that our national leaders will take your action as a positive step toward national healing and reconciliation and join hands to move our country forward,” they added.

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