The devastating effects of natural disasters can be mitigated.

We are doing this by backing a regional tsunami early warning system, along with a hefty allocation for forecasting equipment.

Meanwhile, sustained relief and rehabilitation efforts go on in the typhoon devastated areas of the country as we institutionalize the disaster management program for LGUs, and push determined moves in the environmental protection front.

The President lauds the Senate and House leadership for responding to the urgency of the moment.

The special session is a rare opportunity for statesmanship in the service of the Filipino people.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in its Annual Accomplishment Report submitted to Malacaņang, enumerated six performance highlights listed below.

Firstly, the DOLE succeeded in making the lowest strike incidence occurrence in 26 years.

As of Dec. 23, 2004, there were only 25 strike cases declared, which is 34 percent or 13 cases lower than the strike incidence in 2003.

As a result, total mandays lost due to strikes dropped by 65 percent, from 150,000 in 2003 to 50,000 in 2004.

Continuing social dialogues, such as the Social Accord on Industrial Peace and Stability, have strengthened labor, management, and government’s resolve to minimize job losses and achieve productivity, competitiveness, and better industrial peace climate.

Secondly, the DOLE succeeded in increasing the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). As of December 22, 2004, a total of 849,711 OFWs were deployed for overseas employment, which is 0.65 percent higher than the deployment figures for the same period in 2003 (844,189).

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has reported that from January to October 2004, the remittance from OFWs has likewise increased by 9.5 percent, from $6.3 billion posted in 2003 to $6.9 billion in 2004.

Thirdly, from January to November 2004, the technical vocational education and training (TVET) sectors produced 937,000 trained persons to supply the labor market requirements, particularly in in-demand skills in the areas of information communication technology (ICT), tourism and agri-fishery.

Fourthly, the DOLE was able to enhance the government’s computerized job matching and skills registry system that speeded up the access of jobseekers to available jobs nationwide.

The Phil-JOBNET today provides on-like skills and jobs registration option that is quicker and more user-friendly. The enhanced features will support the employment facilitation function of the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) nationwide which, in 2004, placed around 700,000 jobseekers in various employment opportunities, or 74 percent of the 950,000 job applicants registered.

In addition to job placements, the conduct of 485 jobs fairs nationwide facilitated the placement or hiring-on-spot of 42,314 job applicants locally and overseas.

Fifth, the department supported the development of 26,367 entrepreneurs through various capability-building, livelihood support and entrepreneurial development assistance services aimed at sustained livelihood.

Lastly, the department was able to generate 245 classroom donations from Filipino workers and communities overseas for the Classroom Galing sa Manggagawa Abroad (CGMA) project.

In the year 2004, the Department of Health (DOH) intensified its advocacy campaign and health education through different media and has strengthened its quarantine functions and international health surveillance for emerging disease or infections like the avian flu and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

In its program to expand PhilHealth enrollees, the DOH has increased to 78 percent of the members covered by the National Health Insurance Program, which is quite near the 85 percent universal coverage benchmark.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s pledge of enrolling 50,000 urban poor beneficiaries in PhilHealth by the end of June 2002 served as the catalyst for massive enrollment.

Responding to the call of the President to address the needs of the poor in drug price reduction, the DOH launched the "Gamot na Mabisa at Abot-Kaya" project.

Using parallel drug imports of 42 drugs, including anti-hypertensives and antibiotics, the DOH achieved an average of 50 percent price reduction. These medicines are now being sold in 72 DOH hospitals and three LGU hospitals.

In the Prevention of Diseases and Epidemics under the Tuberculosis Control Program, the DOH has made civil societies and organizations, such as the Rotary Club, play a pivotal role in strengthening the Rabies Prevention and Control Program, which was launched specifically in Metro Manila.

The DOH also launched the National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign last Feb. 16, 2003 at the Luneta Grandstand.

The national government, thru the DOH, has continued to implement the principles of responsible parenthood, respect for life and birth spacing or interval of pregnancies.

In child health, the DOH has mobilized the expanded program on immunization. It has launched the Philippine follow-up measles elimination campaign. The "Ligtas Tigdas 2004," the nationwide Philippine follow-up measles campaign through mass measles vaccination, was conducted last February 2004.

The Japanese government has generously provided fund support for the campaign and donated all the measles vaccines, syringes and safety boxes amounting to US$7.8 million, while the World Health Organization (WHO) provided the technical assistance, and vaccine freezer. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provided technical assistance and printing of measles guidelines.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Emilia Boncodin sees a positive 2005 now that the government has hurdled the worst in its fiscal position.

In a radio interview, Boncodin said that the 2004 revenues of P15 billion so far has exceeded the target although the final output will come out only on the third week of January.

Boncodin also cited a successful austerity program, which resulted in a total savings of P3.4 billion in November.

She said that they have no plans to lift the austerity program since it has done well last year. "What is more important is the lesson about frugality that the government agencies have learned," Boncodin said.

However, there is still a need to validate the results of the austerity measures in government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), because they have their own boards, Boncodin said.

Boncodin also broached the idea of changing the Christmas bonus scheme to productivity enhancement pay, citing the importance of productivity in government.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared this day as a day of thanks to the Almighty for sparing the Philippines from the wrath of the tsunami that has claimed more than 100,000 lives and devastated several of our neighboring countries.

The President said this during the prayer gathering this afternoon in Malacaņang attended by almost 300 evangelical leaders led by Bishop Efraim Tendero, the national director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).

The President said she already declared Friday as a day of prayer and mourning for the victims of the tsunami.

"At sa araw na ito, gusto ko namang gawing panalangin ng pasasalamat dahil iniligtas ng Panginoon ang Pilipinas (And today, I want it to be a day of prayer of thanks because God has spared the Philippines)," she said.

She said the gathering comes at a perfect time on the eve of her departure for the summit meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia to work with other leaders on a global response to the recent disaster that has occurred in the Indian Ocean.

The President said our neighboring countries such as Indonesia and Thailand have sent goods and relief items to the Philippines when four typhoons hit the country more than a month ago that has claimed more than 1,000 lives and made some 40,000 Filipino families homeless.

She said the country now reciprocates by sending medical teams and forensic experts to Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The President also thanked the bishops for their support and asked for their help in praying to "send away the demons of skepticism."

"I hope also and pray that there will be hope in the country, and ask you to help me pray to the Lord that He will send away, banish the demons of skepticism that is stalking the country," she said.

In their Message of Hope read by Tendero, the bishops said the resilience of the Filipinos as a people have been "stretched and tested by serious threats to political and economic stability."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today congratulated the newly elected members of the Executive Board of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and asked them to help the government develop the Olympic movement and culture of sports in the country.

The President issued the brief remarks after inducting the POC executive board members in a simple ceremony at the Palace Study Room Tuesday afternoon.

The officers who took their oaths were Former Tarlac Representative and POC president Jose "Peping" S. Cojuangco, president; Roberto N. Aventajado, chairman (taekwondo); Bacolod Representative and Philsoc (Philippine South East Asian Games Organizing Committee) official Monico Puentevella, first vice president (weightlifting); Reynaldo H. Jaylo, 2^nd vice president (judo); Stephen C. Hontiveros, secretary general (bowling); Julian Camacho, treasurer (wushu); and Mario O. Tanchanco, auditor (sepak takraw).

Former Manila Rep. Harry Angping of softball, National Police Chief Director General Edgardo Aglipay of badminton, Vic Balbuena of table tennis, and Sultan Jamalul Kiram of pancak silat were also sworn in as POC board directors.

Former Agrarian Reform Secretary and Philsoc head Roberto Pagdanganan, International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative Francisco Elizalde, and ASIAN Games gold medalist Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski (equestrian) witnessed the induction of newly-elected POC officers.