I call on all Filipinos to unite once more against this renewed threat against our peace and freedom. The evil of terrorism has only one aim, it is to rule with absolute power and absolute force. The desperation of the enemy cannot be underestimated, even as it lies in the throes of defeat. More than ever, we must not pull back but move forward to wipe out the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf.

I condole with the families of those who died as I commend the quick response of our local government authorities to help the wounded and restore normalcy. These efforts are being assisted by teams from the national government. I also acknowledge the outpouring of sentiments among our Muslim brethren condemning these despicable acts and rallying the Islamic community behind peace, tolerance and development.

The government shall focus its operations against terrorist cells and there should be no fear of a witch hunt. This is not a fight against Islam. This is not a conflict with the MNLF or the MILF, which are closely keeping to the mainstream of the peace process. We are dealing with renegades from these two groups that are abhorred and rejected by them. Our operations in Sulu will be pursued to their logical end, which is defeat the enclaves of terror to open lasting pathways of peace and development.

I commend the bravery and tenacity of our troops as I salute those who have made the supreme sacrifice for the flag. Grassroots vigilance is now as important as tight coordination with our international allies. Our barangay networks are being strengthened. Diplomatic and security teams will leave shortly to muster support in the regional neighborhood and among the Islamic nations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night handed over checks worth P100,000 as the government’s financial assistance to the families of the 10 soldiers killed in action in the ongoing military operations against the joint forces of the Abu Sayyaf terrorists and a breakaway faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The President motored to the Philippine Navy Gymnasium in Fort Bonifacio to offer her prayers and pay her last respects to the fallen soldiers. She also extended her sympathies to the families and relatives of the victims.

Vice Admiral Ariston delos Reyes, vice chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), PN Flag-Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon, and Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. accompanied the President in her visit to the military headquarters.

Killed in the Sulu fighting were 1^st Lt. Reynaldo Ricaldo, 28, of Tabaco City, Albay; Sgt. Edwin Leonen, 31, Bangar, La Union; Pvt. Ledfred Focasan, 22, Bontoc, Mountain Province; Cpl. Renato Rodriguez, 26, Indang, Cavite; Pvt. Jon Jon Quejado, 26, Labrador, Pangasinan; Pvt. Redentor Resurreccion, 24, Sto. Tomas, La Union; Pvt. Jowie Casucay, 23, Amadeo, Cavite; PFC Delfin Accad, Jr., 26, Enrile, Cagayan; PFC Domingo Femante, 26, Nabua, Camarines Sur, and Sgt. Arnel Banta, 30, of Guinobatan, Albay.

De Leon said aside from the posthumous wounded personnel medals, the PN Awards and Decoration Board is also considering the possibility of bestowing on the slain soldiers the Medal of Valor, the highest award that can be given to members of the armed forces.

Marines commanders have also recommended to the PN command the promotion by one rank of the victims, de Leon added.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye today asked Filipinos to unite and be vigilant against terrorism even as he strongly condemned last night’s nearly simultaneous bomb attacks in the cities of Gen. Santos and Davao in Mindanao and Makati in Metro Manila.

Police said at least seven persons were killed and scores of others were wounded in these blasts.

"These are despicable acts of terror and we ask the people to brace themselves against these attacks on our freedom and security, " Bunye, who is also Presidential Spokesman, said.

He advised the people not be cowed by these terror tactics and urged them to unite and be vigilant and take these attacks "as challenges we must face to win our peace and stability as a nation."

The Secretary said no person in his right mind could severely hurt innocent civilians and by-standers.

The attacks came at a time when everyone was celebrating Valentine’s Day and most public places were full of people.

As a result, the military and police have heightened their security alert on all public places and installations in a move to preempt similar such incidents.

BATANGAS CITY – President GLoria Macapagal-Arroyo today said here the combined police and military operation in Sulu against the terrorists’ rampage in Sulu will be pursued to its logical end.

Now being hunted by the police and the military in Sulu are the core leaders of the Abu Sayyaf terror group and the Misuari Breakaway Group (MBG) of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Logical end, the President explained, means the neutralization of the "enclaves of terror and the opening of lasting pathways to peace and development."

The President urged the entire Filipino people to unite once more against the renewed threat of terrorism to the country's peace and freedom.

"The evil of terrorism has only one aim, which is to rule with absolute power and absolute force," the President stressed in her speech before the media interaction at the Philippine Ports Authority Conference Room here.

The Chief Executive noted that the desperation of the enemy cannot be estimated, even as it lies in the throes of defeat. "More than ever, we must not pull back but move forward to wipe out the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf," she emphasized.

The President also expressed her condolences with the families of the victims who were killed by the almost simultaneous terror bomb attacks in the cities of Gen. Santos and Davao in Mindanao, and Makati in Metro Manila late yesterday.

The Abu Sayyaf has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks.

President Arroyo reiterated that the punitive action against the terrorists is not a fight against Islam.

"This is not a fight against Islam. This is not a conflict with the MNLF or the MILF, which are closely keeping to the mainstream of the peace process," the President clarified.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called on all Filipinos to stand united against the renewed threat to peace mounted by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group and renegades from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Condemning the simultaneous terrorist bombings last night in the cities of Davao, General Santos and Makati, the President said the "evil of terrorism has only one aim: it is to rule with absolute power and absolute force."

The blasts killed at least seven persons and wounded scores of others even as law enforcement authorities were mobilized to go after the attackers.

The President warned against underestimating the enemy "even as it lies in throes of defeat. More than ever, we must not pull back but move forward to wipe out the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf."

Saying the government would not be cowed by the terrorist attacks, the President stressed that the military operations against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists and the MNLF renegades in Sulu "will be pursued to their logical end, which is to defeat the enclaves of terror to open lasting pathways of peace and development."

She pointed out that the military campaign is not a "fight against Islam. This is not a conflict with the MNLF or the MILF, which are closely keeping to the mainstream of the peace process."

Rather, the government is "dealing with renegades from these two groups that are abhorred and rejected by them," she added.

In expressing her condolences to the families of those who died in the terrorist bombings, the Chief Executive commended local government authorities for their quick response to help the wounded and restore normalcy.

She also acknowledged the "outpouring of sentiments among our Muslim brethren condemning these despicable acts and rallying the Islamic community behind peace, tolerance and development."

The President also commended the bravery and tenacity of the Filipino soldiers "as I salute those who have made the supreme sacrifice for the flag."

She stressed that while keeping terror at bay, the government’s focus on the economy will not be distracted. The economy, the President added, is "central to lifting up the well-being of every Filipino. Our larger mission is the creation of jobs, cutting wasteful government spending and investing in our poorest citizen."

BATANGAS CITY – Not even the ugly head of terror could distract President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from her focus on pushing the national economy’s recovery and growth.

The morning after terrorists carried out bomb attacks in the cities of Makati in Metro Manila, General Santos and Davao in Mindanao that killed several persons and injured scores of others, the President flew in here by helicopter to inaugurate the newly-built P540-million international general cargo berth of the Batangas Port in this city.

She also presided over the ground breaking rites for a P140-million bypass/access road in Barangay Bokbok here. The new port facility is in Barangay Sta. Clara.

When fully operational, the two projects would further promote not only the business climate and speedy transport of products and cargo in the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (CALABARZON) area as well as to and from other cargo destinations nationwide.

The two infrastructure projects are components of the President’s 10-point legacy agenda, particularly the interlinking of the Port of Batangas to the Ports of Manila and Subic in Zambales for an integrated operations of the three facilities.

Batangas port, President Arroyo said, is part of the "urban beltway" under her medium term public investment priority program and roll-on/roll-off strong nautical highway scheme.

The Chief Executive landed at the PPA compound around 10:00 o’clock in the morning and proceeded to the groundbreaking rites of the 1.2 kilometer flyover that would also serve as bypass and access road going in and out of the port's international cargo terminal.

After the brief groundbreaking, the President led the inaugural rites inside the port where she cut the ceremonial ribbon and witnessed the blessing of the general cargo berth terminal.

In her message before the media interaction, Mrs. Arroyo urged the Filipino people to be vigilant against the threat of terrorism and to unite so that important projects like those at the Batangas port would push through.

"Lets us be together and beat the odds," the President said. "BEAT THE ODDS" is the acronym of her 10-point development legacy agenda.

The general cargo berth of the Batangas Port was funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). It has a deep berthing facility and a length of 470 meters that is complemented by a 15-hectare open yard area.

Engineer Raymund Tino of the F.F. Cruz Corporation said the flyover and bypass/access road would help decongest the traffic at the Barangay Bolbok intersection which is expected to build up once the general cargo berth becomes fully operational.

The Batangas Port serves as the transport hub of goods in the rapidly industrializing CALABARZON area, as well as passengers to and from the nearby island provinces of the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region.

All the legitimate stakeholders of the NAIA-3 Terminal will be justly compensated.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today approved in principle the 2005-2007 Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) with the objective of export expansion in a moderately growing market.

At a joint Export Development Council (EDC)-National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Meeting in Malacanang, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Tomas Aquino said that by 2007, the estimated increase in export is approximately $58.2 billion.

"This is the heart of the plan itself," Aquino said, as he pointed out the following general and dominating market strategies:

--Increase penetration and expand product range in key markets such as maximizing benefits from ASEAN priority integration sectors;

--Acquire and maintain strategic business partnerships with China;

--Optimize benefits from production and services complementation through capability-building and intensified trade and investment promotion with Japan; and

-- Pursue specific culture-based trade opportunities.

Aquino also enumerated productivity enhancing strategies for revenue stream products, including:

--Increase training programs to broaden the base of qualified contact center agencies and certified high-value ICT professions;

--Work with local industry associations to bring in export trainers to build up a pool of local experts for companies moving up the value chain;

--Enable automotive assemblers to invest in productivity enhancing technologies (multi-model assembly), establish standards and upgrade skills; and

--Secure the necessary investments in mineral.

On the current state of Philippine exports, Aquino said the uptrend in global trade has enabled Philippine merchandise exports to diversify.

Aquino said that the previous Export Development Plan target set a 10 to 16 percent growth over the 2002-2004 period.

He noted that there had been a 10 percent actual export growth during two of the three-year period.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, today approved three projects designed to further reduce poverty in the countryside.

Approved in a joint meeting at Malacanang of the NEDA Board and the Export Development Council were the following three projects:

• The Local Government Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This project’s overall goal is to assist the ARMM regional government in its efforts to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable peace and development in the ARMM through excellence in governance.

• Change in Scope of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)-assisted Southern Mindanao Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project. The project has been designed to undertake integrated environmental protection and management interventions in the critical ecosystems of Sarangani Bay, the Mt. Matumtum watershed and the Malalag Bay-Balasiao watershed in Davao del Sur, South Cotabato an General Santos City.

• Sustained funding for the Fisheries Resources Management Project from the 18-month extension of the Asian Development Bank’s Loan, reallocation under the JBIC Loan, and partial cancellation of ADB loans for the project.

The project was designed to address the critical issues of fisheries resource depletion and persistent poverty among coastal fisherfolk.