Jobs will arrive in the wake of more investments as we put our fiscal house in order, grow the economy, improve the infrastructure and strengthen law and order.

Lasting peace can be gained by a strong enforcement of the rule of law combined with reconstruction and development in conflict-affected communities.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today posed a challenge to her newly-sworn economic managers to catapult the nation into a greater height of economic stability and bring the government’s reform agenda to the heart of every Filipino.

Speaking at the oath-taking ceremonies and awarding of presidential citation ceremony this morning at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall, the President noted the proven competence and expertise of the new Cabinet-designate members "in steering our nation on the road to stability and prosperity."

Among those inducted by the President were Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, acting Trade and Industry Secretary Juan Santos, Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Director General and DTI Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr., and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Lilia de Lima.

"The team will be at the helm of our steady gains. They have the full backing of the presidency in terms of political will and political leadership. I shall work with them and with Congress and all other vital institutions to strive for a meeting of minds on matters that are important to the common welfare," the President stressed.

She expressed elation over the officials’ positive response to the call "to share their wealth of talent and experience with the government," which is an act of patriotism that can be appreciated by the populace.

"I pose this challenge to the new economic team, as I call on our people to give them unremitting support as we build an economy that will bring more jobs, provide the wherewithal for broad infrastructure, and spur the delivery of basic services," the Chief Executive said.

In her speech, the President also cited that the economy in 2004 grew at its highest in the last 15 years, the renewed strength of the peso against the U.S. dollar, the renewed performance of the stock market adjudged as the best in the region, and the dramatic increase in foreign direct investments.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today wooed members of the Kansai Federation of Economic Organizations (Kankeiren) of Japan to invest in agro-business in the Philippines to help generate jobs in the country and also supply the food requirements of the Japanese market.

The visiting Japanese businessmen, headed by Kankeiren Chairman Masayuki Matsushita, were accompanied to Malacanang by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ryuichiro Yamazaki.

"I invite the members of Kankeiren to invest in our development of two million hectares of agri-business land so that this can be used to support the food requirements of the Japanese market," the President told the business group.

The government has programmed the development of two million hectares of agricultural lands under the President’s 10-point pro-poor agenda to spur the development of the country’s rich agricultural resources and generate employment.

She reiterated to the visiting Japanese businessmen her commitment to ensure that the Philippines’ business climate will remain attractive to foreign investors.

"Let me reiterate our commitment to make the business climate in the Philippines the best that every country can offer for longstanding friends and allies like our Japanese friends," the President said.

Underscoring the close ties between the Philippines and Japan, the Chief Executive said the two countries would soon sign the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, which is expected to further boost their economic partnership.

Among other things, the proposed agreement will open the door for Filipino jobseekers, particularly nurses, caregivers and information technology workers, to enter Japan.

The agreement would also allow the entry of Philippine agricultural products into the Japanese market.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced today the appointment of Amando Tetangco, Jr. as the successor of Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Rafael Buenaventura upon the latter’s retirement in July.

The announcement was made during the courtesy call by officials of the Kansai Federation of Economic Organizations (Kankeiren) of Japan on the President at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room of Malacanang this morning.

"Not included in today’s oath-taking because he will assume yet in July is the incoming governor of the Sentral Bank, Mr. Amando Tetangco," the President said after she administered the oath of office to the new members of her economic team.

Tetangco is currently the Deputy BSP governor in-charge of the Banking Services Sector, Economic Research and Treasury.

In this capacity, he is directly involved in the formulation and implementation of monetary and foreign exchange policy of the Bank, including the conduct of open market operations and the management of BSP’s international reserves.

Tetangco also sits in various boards, including the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, National Food Authority (NFA) Council, and Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund (IGLF) Review Committee, as the representative of BSP.

Before joining the Central Bank of the Philippines in 1974, Tetangco was with the Management Services Division of SGV & Co. for about one year.

He also served as Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary (IMF) in Washington, D.C. from 1992 to 1994.

The incoming BSP governor has been closely involved in the activities of various international and Regional organizations, including the Executive Meeting of East Asia and Pacific (EMEAP) Central Banks, ASEAN and ASEAN+3, South East Asia Central Banks (SEACEN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

From a patron of sports, First Gentleman Jose Miguel T. Arroyo has now assumed a new role as patron of the national reforestation program.

The First Gentleman earned the title after he volunteered to shoulder the cost of the 100 million Paulownia tree seeds, one of the tree species for the government’s reforestation scheme for the 5.4 million hectares of denuded forests nationwide under a program aptly called "Puno ng Buhay."

Puno ng Buhay was formally launched today at the Heroes Hall in Malacaņang, highlighted by the signing of a memorandum of agreement on reforestation among its stakeholders and the ceremonial turnover of the Paulownia tree seeds to representatives from the regions.

The affair was also attended by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Michael Defensor and Natural Resources Development Corporation (NRDC) Chairman Victor Corpuz.

In his message, Mr. Arroyo stressed that the purchase of the 100 million Paulownia tree seeds for the Puno ng Buhay program is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s gift of love to the Filipino people, particularly the generations yet to come.

The First Gentleman said he and the President agreed to shell out money to cover the cost of the Paulownia seeds from the family’s personal funds, which was initially to be shouldered by his foundation.

"This Valentine’s Day, the President and I would like to share a gift of love for our country, for the earth, and for the next generations. Hopefully, these seeds would blossom into beautiful trees for everyone, for our children and our children’s children," the First Gentleman said.

During a recent trip to China, the First Gentleman said, they were able to buy the initial 20 million worth of Paulownia seeds for immediate distribution all over the country and would get more of such tree seeds in the succeeding years.

Mr. Arroyo said the Puno ng Buhay program is the President’s dream of binging back the green glory of the Philippine forests. The program, he added, forms part of the President’s 10-point legacy agenda.

"Nais ng Pangulo na maging bahagi ng ating kasaysayan bilang Pinuno ng bansa na siyang nagbalik ng ating mga kagubatan para sa ating mga mamamayan (The President wants to be remembered by posterity as the national leader who brought back our forests for our people), Mr. Arroyo added.

Retired Gen. Corpuz, for his part, explained that the Puno ng Buhay is a non-traditional reforestation program.

"The key to the program’s success is the stake of the families in the uplands who will help plant the trees. The reforestation program will employ twin strategies – family-based reforestation and strong enforcement of sound forestry regulations, he added.

Upland families, he pointed out, will have a personal stake in planting the trees as direct and active partners and stakeholders and not just as hired labor.

He said Filipino upland families, numbering about 20 million persons, would be empowered and become owners of 70 percent of the trees they planted.

Corpuz said the other stakeholders including the DENR together, local government units (LGUs), the Armed Forces of the Philippines and various non-government organizations would take care of community organizing, skills training and delineation of family plots.

He said LGUs, one of the most crucial partners of the Puno ng Buhay, would provide area management, the tools, seedling bags, seeds and other material requirements for the project.

The DENR-NRDC, he added, will provide overall management for the program, which will also extensively employ intercropping and agro-forestry.

Intercropping under Paulownia stands is deemed ideal since the tree has a multiple tap root system that does not make it compete with shallow-rooted food crops or cash crops.

Paulownia leaves are also decidedly rich in protein, carbohydrates, bulk fats and minerals that make them ideal for livestock feed.