PANANAW MULA SA PALASYO

President Arroyo lauded as “Champions of Philippine Industry” the members of the Federation of Philippine Industries, Inc. at their recent 16^th Annual General Assembly and congratulated them for being partners in development as well as in security. She took the occasion to give a report on the security situation in the South, including the following directives: (1) keep Basilan and Sulu operations firmly controlled to minimize civilian casualties; (2) hold urgent talks with the MILF under the auspices of the Malaysian government; (3) brief the OIC Committee of Eight on Mindanao developments, underlining both the limited military operations and the continuing peace and development efforts, including huge outlays in the 2007 and 2008 budgets for Mindanao; (4) harness the Bishops-Ulama Conference and other religious and civil society groups for peace efforts; and (5) accelerate and develop initiatives in ARRM, especially high-profile public works and social programs, including health, housing, livelihood and Muslim education.

The underlying message, as far as Mindanao is concerned, is quite clear. As she told this writer over the weekend:

“Economic development, which we draw from the arsenal of democracy, remains our principal weapon against terrorism.  Ongoing peacekeeping operations against rearguard actions of a despised and defeated group are meant to clear the path for these provinces’ journey to peace and progress which terror has delayed for so long.” 

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Recently, the President held separate command conferences with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs to emphasize the crucial role of these agencies in meeting our fiscal targets. She minced no words in warning poor performers among revenue district officers and port collectors. As a warning to smugglers, she also ordered the crushing of confiscated smuggled vehicles. The crushing of the vehicles however will not mean a quashing of cases against the smugglers. She wants smugglers (and their proxies) not just barred from any auctions of confiscated items. She wants them behind bars.  

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The President is scheduled to meet with Department of Energy officials, led by Secretary Angelo Reyes, this week to remind them of her twin principal agenda: 1. Immediate privatization of power assets and 2. Lowering of power rates. She believes that privatization of activities  that can be more efficiently handled by the private sector will not only allow the government to concentrate on its core functions but also   help government  meet its deficit targets. Lower power rates, on the other hand, will not only benefit the average Filipino family but will also lower the cost of doing business in the Philippines and make the country more competitive.

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The 109th Foundation Day Anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs was an opportune time for the President to recognize the ASEAN National Organizing Committee and volunteers for the successful staging of the recent ASEAN Ministerial Meeting here.

President Arroyo has made international relations a centerpiece of our government’s political and economic reform agenda as a necessary instrument for raising the status of the Philippines to a developed country in 20 years.  ASEAN, among other economic and trade platforms, provides the opportunity for economies to work together to uplift the poor, not just in the Philippines but all over the region.

Foreign relations and foreign policy work are also crucial in our fight for peace and progress.  Out of the security directives issued by the President, the DFA is the lynchpin in at least three of them. DFA interacts closely with the international monitoring team in Mindanao, and once the team’s mandate ends, it will be up to the DFA to exercise our diplomatic initiatives and persuasiveness to have this mandate extended.  DFA must also closely work with the Malaysian Government and the OIC Committee of Eight to contain and resolve the Basilan/Sulu situation.  

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With the recent groundbreaking of Texas Instruments’ assembly site, the company has cemented its title as the Philippines’ “image model” for demonstrating that our country has become an increasingly competitive location for manufacturing and high-skill jobs, along with services and the booming call center business.  Upon completion of this facility, the Philippine operations that will have the biggest number of employees in the entire Texas Instruments family.  It is anticipated that Texas Instruments will be hiring approximately 3,000 employees at its Clark facility alone, and more than 3,000 in Baguio, where TI is now constructing a $50-million expansion facility as well.

The Angeles University Foundation has already provided the training curriculum for the skills needed by Texas Instruments.

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