Our policy is quite clear that we will go hammer and tongs against terrorists, we will not negotiate with terrorists, and we shall negotiate peace only with those who absolutely reject terrorism.

We shall pursue with determination programs of peace and development that will resolve the root cause of conflict and mop up the breeding grounds of terrorist recruitment.

We are confident that the enlightened debates are practically exhausted and the time is ripe for a Senate consensus to pass the VAT bill today.

The Office of the President (OP) will start implementing the Four-Day Workweek Scheme for national government employees on Monday, April 4, in accordance with the provision of Administrative Order No. 117 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last March 28.

A.O No. 117 provides for adjusted official hours for the months of April and May, 2005 in government departments, bureaus, offices and other agencies in the executive branch, including state-owned and controlled corporations.

In a meeting at Malacanang this morning, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Waldo Flores said the modified workweek from Monday to Thursday will cover the working hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m, including a one-hour noontime break.

Flores said employees who come in after 7:30 a.m. will be considered late and there is no provision for them to offset this tardiness after the 6:30 p.m. cutoff time.

The OP offices exempted from this scheme include the Office of the Executive Secretary (both in Mabini Hall and the Premier Guest House), the Presidential Security Group (PSG), Authentication, Antique House, Protocol Office, OP Records, Internal House Affairs, Appointments, Motorpool, and the Dialysis Service Center at the Malacanang Clinic, Flores said.

All other offices should maintain a skeletal force on Friday and come up with their own work scheduling to allow their staff to enjoy the three-day weekend.

Air-conditioning units shall be turned on from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, only those offices operating with a skeletal or full work force shall be allowed to turn on their air-conditioning units.

For Malacanang employees availing themselves of the P10 shuttle service, the afternoon departure time has been adjusted to 6:30 p.m. with a 30-minute waiting time.

Noontime breaks shall remain at 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Flores emphasized that the work scheme would not disrupt the delivery of basic services to the people as government teams shall remain on duty.

The implementation of the four-day workweek on Monday begins with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Mabini Social Hall for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who would be celebrating her birthday on April 5.

Also exempted from coverage of the AO are the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, government hospitals and health centers, public schools and universities with previously set summer classes, and other government agencies rendering vital frontline services or those involved in providing health, safety, security, protection, emergency and other services that need to be available on a continuing basis.

Who would have ever thought of it as a palace---this old, dilapidated building that sits at Cebu’s port area? Constructed before World War II, the building housed the headquarters of American officials who led the liberation of the Philippines.

After decades of benign neglect, the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided to restore the building’s old beauty and transformed it into what is now called Malacanang sa Sugbo or the Presidential Palace of the South.

But unlike other rehabilitation projects that cost the government hundreds of millions, if not billions of pesos, the restoration of Malacanang sa Sugbo required only P700,000 in public funds, with the 53^rd Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army providing free labor, and a private company donating the painting requirements.

Adding the final touches to the structure were 23 of Cebu’s top furniture manufacturers who made sure that only the finest furnishings are found in the Palace of the South.

This made Malacanang sa Sugbo a showcase of the best that Cebu has to offer: the best hands of the engineering brigade that undertook the rehabilitation of the building, the best intentions of the private companies that donated materials, and the best furnishings that one could find nowhere else in the world but in the Queen City of the South.

The palace’s furnishings and accessories, all donations by the 23 firms, enabled the government to save millions of pesos, while transforming the seat of power in Central Philippines as a showcase of their best products.

These furniture manufacturers met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Malacanang sa Sugbo last March 9 during her visit to Cebu City.

The Cebu Furniture Industry Federation (CFIF) got the furniture companies together and encouraged them to participate in the project.

The President has tapped Chary Aboitiz to handle the interior design and make sure that the furniture donated by various companies and used in each of the rooms actually match.

The biggest furniture donor was Maitland-Smith, followed by Cebu Fil-Veneer, which will furnish the Guitar Room.

Pacific Traders donated the furnishings for the lobby of Malacanang sa Sugbo which will later be known as the Traders’ Lobby, in recognition of the contribution of the private firm.

Mehitabel Furniture Inc. provided some of the furnishings for the guest rooms and the private living area.

Other major donors are Metamorfose and Detalia Aurora. They provided the furnishings for the other rooms.

Dedon, another furniture manufacturer, provided the furnishings for the inner courtyard, which will later be named Patio Dedon.

ZAMBOANGA City—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed sadness here today over reports that the Vatican has performed the last rites on Pope John Paul II, whose health has been the subject of speculations the past few days.

In an informal media interaction this morning at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Freeport, the Chief Executive urged the nation to pray for the speedy recovery of the ailing Roman Catholic leader who has guided millions of his flock all over the world for nearly three decades.

"Well, we’re all very sad about his failing health and we really are very grateful to the Lord for all these many, many years He gave us the wonderful leadership of the Pope in our Church," President Arroyo said.

Reports coming from the Vatican has confirmed that the 84-year old Polish-born Pontiff has been given the last rites as he battled high fever caused by urinary infection, revealing a dramatic deterioration in his condition.

President Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo will motor to the Laguna Technopark in Binan, Laguna Saturday and tour a Japanese corporation pioneering in the manufacture of plastic medical equipment like syringes and catheters.

She will also unveil Terumo’s corporate marker and cut the ceremonial ribbon of the firm’s newest building and manufacturing facility.

Terumo Philippines Corporation started commercial operation in the country on April 2, 2000, with an initial capitalization of P2 billion. The five-year-old corporation has earmarked an additional P2.7 billion investment on its new project that is expected to start operation in May this year.

With an initial work force of 60, Terumo now employs 830 workers. By the end of 2006, the corporation is expected to employ a total of 1,500 workers.

Terumo president Yoshimo Nagamine will brief the Chief Executive on the company’s operations. She is also expected to test the accuracy of the newest blood pressure monitoring unit – an electronic device, produced in Japan.

The President is scheduled to view the manufacturing process of syringes and catheters at the company’s training room.

Laguna Governor Luningning Lazaro, Laguna 1^st District Representative Uliran Joaquin and Binan Mayor Hermis Perez will lead the President’s welcoming party at the Terumo plant.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today reiterated the government’s stand not to negotiate with any terrorist group and would go  "hammer and tongs" in running after these lawless elements.

"Our policy is quite clear that we will go hammer and tongs against terrorists, we will not negotiate with terrorists, and we shall negotiate peace only with those who absolutely reject terrorism," the President declared in a statement read at the media interaction she held in this city.

The media interaction and lunch with media reporters was held at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Freeport here.

"We shall pursue with determination programs of peace and development that will resolve the root cause of conflict and mop up the breeding grounds of terrorist recruitment," she added.

The President stressed her administration "will continue to work with our global and regional allies in all fronts of intelligence sharing, training and conflict resolution to isolate and destroy terrorist cells and their networks."

She was obviously referring the United States and the country’s ASEAN partners with which the Philippines maintains close security arrangements, including Malaysia which chairs the International Monitoring Team (IMT) now monitoring the peace process in Mindanao.

President Arroyo’s statement came on the heels of a warning reportedly issued by new US Pacific Command chief, Admiral William Fallon, cautioning the Philippine government about its intelligence information showing that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has links with the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

US intelligence has long branded the Abu Sayyaf terror group as part of the international terrorist network of Al-Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden.

The Philippine government is about to resume peace negotiations with the MILF by the middle of this month in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is brokering the talks.

Last Thursday, AFP Southern Command (Southcom) chief, Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza and Philippine National Police (PNP) Western Mindanao director, Chief Supt. Vidal Querol presented to the President here suspected international terrorist Fawaz Zi Ajjur, a Kuwaiti-born Palestinian.

Ajjur was arrested by military and police authorities on March 26 (Black Saturday) at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) here for having no valid visa when he flew in from Sabbah, Malaysia.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Pressing her campaign to attract foreign investments and create more high-paying jobs, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has allocated P1 billion for the upgrading of the country’s information and communication technology (ICT) facilities.

"We allocated P1 billion for ICT upgrading all over the country, of which P500 million is for Custom’s computer upgrading," the President said during a media interaction this morning at the Zamboanga Ecozone.

The Chief Executive said the telecommunication facilities in Mindanao have to be upgraded to meet the requirements of the call center industry and to attract foreign investors, especially at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (ECOZONE).

Secretary Jesus Dureza, who is also chairman of the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MEDCO), told the President that MEDCO, in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), donated computers and Internet to remote schools in Mindanao.

ICT Commissioner Damian Mapa also informed the President that in response to the upgrading of ICT in Mindanao, Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT) has signified its intention to improve its service to Zamboanga Ecozone.

Mapa said PLDT, through its sister company, Smart Telecommunication has agreed to deliver DSL quality service and fiber-optic connections ahead of any investors that will invest at Zamboanga Ecozone.

He said his office is inviting the top 80 cyber services companies of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) to take a look at the potential of Ecozone as ideal site for their expansion and new investments.

Mapa added that Pakistani businessmen have signified their willingness to consider the Ecozone as a backup site for their Arabic call centers.

"We are certainly hopeful that Mindanao and the various locations in Mindanao can serve as the backup site for these Arabic call centers," Mapa told the President.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo did not commit the crime of corruption when he accepted the complimentary hotel accommodation MGM Grande offered him in Las Vegas, Nevada recently.

The First Gentleman went to Nevada to cheer Filipino people’s champion Manny Pacquiao in his non-title fight against former Mexican world lightweight champion Erik Morales last March 19 in Las Vegas.

In a radio interview this morning, Senator Santiago said the First Gentleman cannot commit such a crime because he is not a government official and did not use government money for his personal benefit.

In the same radio program, Donald Dy, the president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the topic is a non-issue and debates on the matter is just a waste of precious time.

Lawyer Jess Santos, the First Gentleman’s legal counsel and spokesman, added that the gesture of the MGM hotel management should instead be a source of pride as they recognized a prominent Filipino and offered him complimentary hotel room accommodations.

In another radio interview, Pacquiao said as far as he knows, the most expensive room at the MGM in Las Vegas costs somewhere between $5,000 and $6,000, not $20,000 as bruited about by critics of Mr. Arroyo.

He said he is very thankful for the presence and support of the First Gentleman and other government officials who went to Las Vegas to cheer and inspire him during his bout with Morales.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Unity among the Filipino people during this time of difficult challenges is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s wish on her birthday on Tuesday, April 5.

The President disclosed that during her unscheduled visit last night at the Fort Pilar Shrine in Zamboanga City, she thanked the Our Lady of Pilar for interceding for the Philippines the past years.

The Chief Executive said as she lighted a candle in the shrine, she also thanked the Lord for the blessings that the country has continuously been receiving.

The Board of Directors of the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Freeport serenaded the President with a birthday song and presented her with a four-layer cake during her visit at the Ecozone.

Joining the President in the media interaction were Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat, Zambo City Representative Enrico Basilio Fabian, Ecozone Chairperson and Administrator Georgina Yu, Vice Chairman Ferdinand Mahusay, Land Reform Secretary Rene Villa and Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) Chairman and Presidential Assistant on Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today vowed the government would continue to pursue peace and development programs to resolve the root cause of conflict and wipe out the breeding grounds of terrorist recruitment.

The President made the declaration during the media interaction and lunch today at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (ZamboEcozone).

"We shall pursue with determination programs of peace and development that will resolve the root cause of conflict and mop out the breeding grounds of terrorist recruitment," she declared.

President Arroyo said the Philippines would also continue to work with other countries in intelligence sharing, training and conflict resolution "to isolate and destroy terrorist cells and their networks" in the country.

The Chief Executive has repeatedly stressed that reducing poverty is the main approach under her administration’s resolve to finally end the conflict and deter terrorist recruitment in Mindanao

Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MEDCO) chair, Secretary Jesus Dureza said part of the President’s strategy to bring peace and development in the region is to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by continuously promoting trade and investments in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

To improve trade and commerce between member countries, Dureza said a shipping route was already established between Zamboanga and Malaysia, whose leaders the President has thanked for hosting the peace talks to be resumed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).