Work with Congress on these tax measures has already begun ahead of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

There is a consensus building up on the tax plan in the reform coalition led by President Macapagal-Arroyo and leaders of the House and the Senate.

These will be followed up in weekly post-SONA meetings of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

The President will also hold a series of town hall meetings (pulong-bayan) to bring this message across backed up by an action plan to carry her pro-poor agenda forward.

Urgent action is needed to push forward vital programs for the benefit of the poor.

We acknowledge the pessimism about the future that is conditioned by transient socio-economic dislocations.

That is why improving the lives of ordinary people is the priority goal of the President and she would deliver.

President Macapagal-Arroyo’s ten-point agenda aims to alleviate the hardship among our people.

The agenda is both an omnibus safety net as well as a strategic vanguard against poverty in the long term.

We are glad that Mr. Poe and Ms. Legarda chose only the legal and proper forum to contest the elections.

We welcome their protest in the spirit and in the interest of fair play.

But we are ready to defend our case and we are confident that we stand on solid ground.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today assured the nation and the world that there is no break in the strategic partnership between the Philippines and the United States with the early departure of the Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq.

"Let me set the record straight on exaggerated claims by critics and in the media that there is a break in our strategic partnership with the US. This is not the case," the President said in her remarks during the 106^th Foundation Day of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City.

She said the two countries have century-old bonds, tightened by a common political tradition, by world wars fought together, by tens of thousands of brave soldiers who died in the battlefields of freedom.

"No president can break that bond because it is held together by a permanent history. Our partnership for a better world is stronger than ever," the President said.

She said she enjoys a cordial and direct relationship with US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and values the ambassador’s role in helping the Philippines. "The same is true with our strong relations with the Bush administration," she said.

The President also emphasized that the Philippine foreign policy has not changed and that it is and has always been shaped and driven by the supreme interest of the Filipino people.

She said these people include the family of Angelo de la Cruz, his eight children and wife who have to let go of a father halfway around the world, across firefights and trenches, just to make a living.

"That we have to bring Angelo home safely is only incidental to my message to his kin and all others in their grim situation", she said, adding that she has to look them in the eye and tell them she will fight for their better future.

"This is not a tale about politics. It is about human survival and Diaspora, about poverty and families being torn apart, and our will and resolve to bring food on every table," the President said.

As De La Cruz comes home, she said she is not about to bare a bleeding heart to defend her position. She said she took sole responsibility, made no apologies and she stuck to her oath.

To prove the consistency of the Philippine foreign policy, the President restated the eight realities she enumerated in January 2001 that the country responds to in order to protect the interests of the Philippines.

These are:

• that China, Japan and U.S. have a determining influence in the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia;
• that more and more, Philippine foreign policy decisions have to be made in the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN);
• that the international Islamic community will become more and more important to the Philippines;
• that the coming years will see the redefinition of the role of multilateral and inter-regional organizations in promoting common interests;
• that the defense of the nation’s sovereignty and the protection of its environment and natural resources can be carried out only to the extent that it gets others to respect its rights over maritime territory;
• that the country’s economic growth will continue to require direct foreign investment;
• that the Philippines can benefit most quickly from international tourism; and
• that OFWs will continue to play a critical role in the country’s economic and social stability.

On the uniqueness of the Philippine situation, the President said the country’s allies must understand that the nation is in a special circumstance as to matters concerning the safety and security of its workers overseas.

She noted that unlike the US, Australia, Bulgaria and other countries, the Philippines has 1.5 million Filipinos who live and work in the Middle East.

The President said that there are at least four thousand Filipinos now working in Iraq, the largest contingent of private foreign workers in Iraq who drive trucks, build bridges and provide medical treatment and other vital services to Iraqis in need.

According to the President, the life and livelihood of these courageous OFWs are hazardous enough even without the threat of being held as "a political pawn in some terrorist chess game."

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said, arguably, the 4,000 Filipino private workers are more valuable to Iraq than the 100 peacekeepers, notwithstanding the fine work our troops have performed in Iraq.

She said truck drivers and construction workers are highly vulnerable to terrorist attacks. "Combat troops of other coalition members are by definition not as vulnerable. Our people, OFWs, are vulnerable," the President stressed.

To put out of harm’s way some 4,000 Filipino workers in Iraq, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the government has made representations with the coalition camp commanders to enhance security measures for civilian workers, particularly Filipinos, inside their bases.

The President, who spoke during the 106^th Foundation Day of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Pasay City, said that the government has also advised Filipino workers to stay inside the protection of the camps, exercise vigilance and to always keep in mind emergency procedures.

She also stressed the policy of not allowing further deployment of Filipino workers in Iraq "outside secured and established bases." The President imposed the temporary ban immediately after the kidnapping of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz in Iraq some two weeks ago.

Later, however, the President said it would be up for the Department of Labor and Employment to decide on whether the ban should be lifted or not. But she ordered the DOLE to set up a system whereby all departing OFWs are briefed about the risks or dangers that they face in their areas of work, particularly in the Middle East.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also said that Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert has issued a directive to Philippine missions abroad to ask respective governments bordering Iraq not to allow Filipino truck drivers to cross to that country.

The DFA’s Foundation Day falls on the birth anniversary of Apolinario Mabini, the brains of the Katipunan, and considered the first foreign secretary of the Philippines.

In stressing the important role of the Philippine foreign service in rescuing Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz from the hands of his kidnappers, the President thanked the men and women of the service, "who held the line of duty in Iraq especially those who manned their posts during the hostage saga."

"There were those who braved great danger to complete the mission, and many more others who assisted the overall effort from the sidelines throughout the Middle East and here at home. I am grateful to you all," she said.

The President said the Philippine foreign policy recognizes that overseas Filipinos will continue to play a critical role in the country’s economic and social stability.

She said the Philippine economy would, for the foreseeable future, continue to be heavily dependent on overseas remittances.

"On the basis of this and of the nation’s humanitarian responsibilities to its people wherever they are, my government works doubly hard to strengthen workers’ protection – protection from the depredations of domestic recruiters as well as of overseas employers, agents, and officials, and protection from physical harm," she said.

The President has stressed that unlike the U.S., Australia, Bulgaria and other countries, there are at least 1.5 million Filipinos who live and work in the Middle East.

She further noted the 4,000 Filipino workers in Iraq, who drive trucks, build bridges, provide medical treatment and other vital services to Iraqis in need.

"Truck drivers and construction workers are highly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, combat troops of other coalition members are by definition not as vulnerable. Our people, OFWs, are vulnerable," she said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today congratulated the country’s Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) "for proving once more the relevance of youth power in nation-building."

The President led the awarding ceremonies at Heroes Hall in Malacanang for the best and brightest youth clubs of the nation, a culmination of the second search for TAYO, which is a joint initiative of Senate Majority Leader Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and the National Youth Commission (NYC).

A distinguished panel of judges headed by NYC Chairperson Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Senator Pangilinan interviewed the representatives of the 20 finalists belonging to the top five organizations from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and the National Capital Region.

The youth organizations were judged on the basis of recent programs and projects that have made impacts in the community.

According to Aquino, judges looked into indicators of social mobilization, innovation, creativity, and sustainability and the probability of having the project replicated in other communities.

The ten winners in this year’s TAYO search, which were given P50,000 grants each for future projects of the organization and trophies specially designed by sculptor Toym de Leon Imao, are the following:

1. Students’ Association of Management Accountants (SAMA) of the Mariano Marcos State University in Laoag;
2. Sugbuanong Pundok Aron Sugpuon and Child Abuse (SUPACA) of Cebu City;
3. Musical Dramatics Society of Sta. Ana National High School in Davao City;
4. Philippine Rescue 2000, based in Misamis Oriental;
5. Conservation and Restoration Exercise (CORE), Inc., from Bukidnon;
6. Tingog sa Kasanag (TISAKA), in Cagayan de Oro;
7. Watershed Management Youth Council of Davao City;
8. GenRev Student Network, based in Quezon City;
9. Tuklas Katutubo, based in Quezon City; and
10. De La Salle University Manila Student Council.

In her message, the President said the youth of today possess great potential to initiate growth-oriented community programs.

"They have the talent, vigor, and idealism to make things happen. When organized, they can wholly take in the challenges of nation building, as exemplified by TAYO," the President pointed out.

Leaders of various Church and Christian organizations today pledged full support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s government, including her decision to pull out the Philippine humanitarian mission from Iraq ahead of schedule.

"Please be assured that in the urgency of the hour, we are here to respond to your call to unity, healing and cooperation for our country to move forward. We pledge the best of our support to make your government successful to the end that our people’s aspirations as embodied in our Preamble will finally be realized," they said in a manifesto presented to the President during a luncheon meeting at Malacaņang’s State Dining Hall.

They also expressed encouragement from the President’s strong resolve to achieve her 10-point program that is her legacy to the nation.

The manifesto also quoted a passage from a world renowned Christian leader Dr. Bill Hamon who spoke in June 1992 in a conference at the Philippine International Cultural Center:

"I have a 20-year plan for the Philippines and over the next 20 years, I am going to make it a head and not a tail, says God. . .I’m going to redeem the Philippines from its slavery, bondage, from being used and abused by other nations, by other people and the Lord says, I’m going to turn it around. And by the year 2005-2012 the Lord says, I’m going to have this nation be a Head-nation and not a Third World nation," the manifesto said.

They look forward to the fulfillment of God’s Prophetic word beginning next year and for the duration of the President’s term, the manifesto said.

Among the Church and Christian organizations represented were Christ Jesus Our Life Church, International Bible Society of the Philippines, Living Epistles Churches, Hope Churches Philippines, Foursquare Bible College, Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship, Bangon Pilipinas, Family Christian Fellowship, Christian Missionary Alliance, Prayer Life Seminars Inc., Christian City Presbyterians, Universal Pentecostal Church and Peace Makes Churches.

Another group, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, also presented a manifesto of support for the President’s pullout of the Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq read by its secretary general, Bishop Efraim Tendero.

"The President has prayed to God for wisdom and God has given her the wisdom to do what is right. That is what the President has found, the courage to stand by her decision even if some countries criticized her decision as cowardly. . .We supported the President for the Christian act of valuing one human life over and above the interest of commerce," the manifesto said.

Even with the pullout of its humanitarian contingent in Iraq in the wake of the Angelo de la Cruz hostage crisis, the Philippine commitment to its global allies in the fight against terrorism does not waver at home or abroad.

This was stressed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today in a policy speech at the Foundation Day of the Department of Foreign Affairs where she was guest of honor and speaker.

"We fully support the world community and our allies including the United States in our coordinated fight," she said.

"And while we are thankful for the release of Angelo, we must unite around our resolve to wipe out terrorism especially in the Philippines but also in accordance with the international commitments especially under the United Nations and our alliances with our friends abroad," the President said.

The President said the Filipino people and the nation remain committed to its friends and allies abroad "while remaining true to our convictions here at home."

"We share the same goal but do not always walk on the same path," she stressed.

Recent capture of terrorists in the Philippines, she said, has continued to decimate their underground cells.

"Our fight (against terrorism) has been successful. And they know their days are numbered, because we will be coming after them everyday I am in this office until the last one is driven from our islands and we return to peace, order and stability," she said.

The President asked for understanding in her decision to save the life of de la Cruz, saying the Philippines is in a special circumstance, unlike other countries that are part of the coalition.

She said the Philippines has 1.5 million Filipinos working in the Middle East, 4,000 of them are in Iraq.

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), through its website: http://www.ops.gov.ph, will show online the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before a joint session of Congress on Monday, July 26.

Internet users in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world will be able to monitor, in real time, the President’s SONA through the OPS website.

The theme of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) is "A New Direction: Putting People First in an Era of Change and National Renewal."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today took time out from her hectic official functions to hear a Thanksgiving Mass in Rosales, Pangasinan for Divine intercession for the safe release of truck driver Angelo de la Cruz by Islamic militants who held him hostage for two weeks in Iraq.

The President flew to Rosales onboard the presidential chopper and arrived at the Grotto of Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion Church at 3:25 p.m.

De la Cruz, his wife Arsenia and their five children arrived at the Church about an hour earlier. They were accompanied by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan Rep. Conrado Estrella III and Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita.

The Chief Executive hugged Arsenia and shook hands with Angelo upon arrival at the Church before they sat down side by side to recite the Holy Rosary.

The 40-minute Thanksgiving Mass, officiated by Fr. Gregorio Calix, started at 3:40 p.m., followed by a merienda at the nearby house of visionary Ruel Darang.

Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo revealed earlier that she prayed for Angelo’s safety at the Church in Rosales.

Shortly after news of Angelo’s release broke out, the President said she would return to the same Church, together with the former hostage, to say their thanksgiving prayer.