This shows what an actively vigilant public, working with the military and the police can do.

It also shows that terrorists can not hide for long and operate with impunity anywhere in the country.

Tougher internal laws will give us a sharper edge to account for these criminals.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCPRO) authorities today said they have deployed men throughout the region to ensure order and protect the public from harm during the commemoration of the People Power I anniversary.

In a press statement NCPRO said it anticipates possible disturbances resulting from mass actions by militant groups during the on-going four-day observance of the February 22-25, 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted the Marcos dictatorship.

NCPRO said civil disturbances management units have been placed on standby starting Tuesday ready to act on any contingency.

The five police districts in the metropolis, it added, have been ordered to secure vital installations in their areas of jurisdiction, even as policemen were reminded to exercise "calibrated response" when dealing with demonstrators.

Being closely monitored by the police, aside from the EDSA Shrine, are Ayala Avenue in Makati City and Mendiola in Manila.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today toured the Customer Contact Center, Inc. or C-Cubed Call Center in Eastwood, Libis, Quezon City, to further promote the call center industry’s investments and job generating contribution to the economy.

C-Cubed is a major player in the customer contact management outsourcing business or call center industry

One of the key strategies in the Arroyo administration’s development agenda is to harness the full potentials of information and communications technology through digital infrastructure in bringing more investments into country.

The government’s priority plan includes measures designed to boost ICT-related industries and establishments such as call centers.

The service sector, which will benefit from the sustained growth of ICT related business is to expand from 5.7 percent in 2004 to 7.2 by 2010.

Records show there are more than 50 outsource call centers now operating in the country at present, generating some 7,000 jobs.

C-Cubed is the first and only ISO 9001 2000 certified call center operator in the Philippines today.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today witnessed the formal signing of three memoranda of agreements between Customer Contact Center, Inc (C-Cubed), a call center establishment, and its partners and beneficiaries, to kick off several community-based projects.

C-Cubed is the first and only call center operator in the country with an integrated ISO 9001 and BS 7799 international certificate-2000. It provides end-to-end contact center solutions to leading international and local clients with its network extensively linked in multiple strategic locations in Metro Manila.

C-Cubed chief executive officer Xavier "Eckie" Gonzales has initiated three major projects aimed at helping the youth through sports development, providing public schools students access to computers, and job placement assistance after their graduation from college.

Gonzales said he hopes the projects he initiated will serve as a model for private business wishing to undertake similar advocacy efforts toward national development.

One of C-Cubed’s pioneering projects is its Adopt an Athlete Program to which it has committed some P3.2 million. The project now provides financial support to the training of 19-year old Olympian Jasmin Figueroa of the National Archery Team in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Gonzales informed the President his initiative goes on record as the first for any call center firm to embark on an ambitious project in support of Philippine sports.

The second accord signed was between C-Cubed and the Batangas State University and Lyceum of the Philippines. It provides for training coordination for information and communications technology (ICT) students of the universities and giving them priority hiring opportunities in C-Cubed’s call centers.

The third agreement was with the Department of Education (DepEd) under which C-Cubed committed to provide computer sets to some public schools in support of the President’s Education for All program, which seeks to provide public schools and their students access to computers.

After the accord signing rites, the Chief Executive sat down with leaders of the call center industry and discussed relevant issues and trends affecting the industry.

Filipinos are the happiest among Asians, and one among the happiest people in the world despite the many problems they have to face everyday.

This conclusion is based on the study conducted among 50 countries worldwide by the World Values Survey.

In the survey, Filipinos placed number six among the top ten happiest nations, who indicated they are "very happy about their lifestyles."

Venezuelans came out the happiest with a rating of 55 percent followed by Nigeria, 45%; Ireland, 42%; Iceland, 42%; Netherlands, 40%; Philippines, 40%; Australia, 39%; United States, 39%; Turkey, 39%; and Switzerland, 38%.

The least very happy people are the Bulgarians, 7%, Armenians, 6%; Romanians, 6%; Russians, 6%; Ukrainians, 5%; Belarussians, 5%; Moldovana, 4%; Lithuanians, 4%; Estonians, 4%; Slovaks, 4%; and Latvians, 3%.

Of the 50 countries surveyed on their happiness level, only the Philippines entered the top 10 among Asians.

The survey appears to confirm the old adage that money can’t buy happiness. Many of the wealthy countries failed to make it to the top 10.

The World Values Survey researchers described the desire for material goods as "a happiness suppressant".

They say happiness levels have remained virtually the same in industrialized countries since World War II, although incomes in those countries have risen considerably.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit posthumously to the late Philippine Theater legendary titan Zenaida Amador and Filipino music industry pillar George Canseco.

The Presidential Medal of Merit, established in 1947, is given to individuals or organizations, local or foreign, for achievements that bring honor and prestige to the Philippines.

The award, according to Presidential Adviser on Culture and Arts Cecile Guidote Alvarez, is a fitting tribute, albeit posthumously, to the two noted artists.

Amador helped develop Philippine theater. She founded Repertory Philippines, the country’s premier theater company which specializes in staging classical plays. She steered Repertory over the last 37 years to become one of the most successful and busiest theater companies in the Philippines.

The prolific drama artist was involved in over 350 theater productions, either as producer, actor or director.

Canseco, on the other hand, started writing songs at age 20. He was best known as a music professional whose career spanned 30 years as a composer, and 18 years as music director for Philippine movies.