President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today called for a strong alliance among the presidency, Congress, civil society, local governments and the Filipino communities behind the common pursuit of ensuring the safety of the people, and a strong and stable economy.

The President issued the statement before leaving for Jakarta to attend an emergency summit of world leaders to formulate a global aid and rehabilitation program for the tsunami-devastated countries in the region.

"The presidency, Congress, civil society, our local governments and the best of Filipino communities must join hands behind the common goals of keeping our people safe, our economy strong and stable," she said.

"Our unity should drive our hopes here and throughout the region," she added.

The President expressed appreciation to members of Congress for their patriotic response to a call for a special session.

"As I leave for Jakarta today to forge Filipino solidarity with the victims of the Asian disaster, I am glad that Congress will resume the work of putting our fiscal house in order," she said.

She also paid tribute to a "strong executive-legislative partnership that is based on fair burden-sharing, threshing across the field of urgent diplomacy to the ramparts of our economic security."

Loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during the first nine months of 2004 reached P18.61 billion as SMEs continued to get the lion’s share of the government’s credit financing.

In its yearend Accomplishment Report submitted to Malacaņang, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that the P18.61 billion loans represented an 11.78 percent increase over that of last year’s P16.5 billion.

The number of loan beneficiaries for the period reached 40,155.

Aside from extending loans on easy credit terms to small Filipino entrepreneurs, the government also conducts training, marketing and product development programs, technology intervention and advocacy for the SMEs.

DTI conducted a total of 533 training programs to promote trade and entrepreneurship, skills development, and product design. Some 15,318 SMEs benefited from the training programs.

For the period January-December 2004, the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Philippine Export and Zone Authority (PEZA) reported a 213.61 percent increase in investment approvals or P177.82 billion, compared to P56.7 billion registered during the same period last year.

The bulk of the investment projects were in the energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors.

The DTI also promoted the continued growth and development of business process outsourcing (BPO) and call centers, and addressed investors’ questions on powers, mining, anti-smuggling, Jewelry Act, rationalization of incentives, BOT law review and other relevant issues.

The department’s strategic export promotion led to an increase in total exports to $32.64 billion, or up by 8.9 percent from last year’s figure of $29.97 billion.

It has promoted and enhanced market access to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Japan, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), RP-China, European Union (EU), RP-Japan, RP-Indonesia, RP-India, and RP-Iran.

The DTI successfully implemented 43 trade promotion activities in the country and abroad, linking a total of 1,234 SMEs with 12,993 potential trade partners.

The DTI said its immediate goal is to ensure that prices remain reasonable. At the start of the year, all DTI offices went full steam ahead in terms of price monitoring.

It provided assistance to the transport sector by reducing the cost of spare parts through duty-free importation, and discounted tire prices.

It revitalized the "Bantay Bilihin" Program to safeguard consumers from unfair price increases.

It created the Anti-Pyramiding Task Force to fast-track the evaluation of complaints, facilitate appropriate legal or administrative proceedings against companies suspected of engaging in pyramiding activities.

The best way of serving the memory of those who perished in the tragedy is to make sure that future generations are in safer hands. Together with several nations, we are actively pushing for the setting up of a tsunami warning system in the region.

Roads and bridges in Central Luzon severely affected by the recent successive typhoons are now open to traffic, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

It said that the Aurora-Nueva Ecija Road was opened to motorists as early as last Dec. 19, but widening of critical and narrow sections of the highway was ongoing.

The Aurora-Nueva Ecija Road, popularly known as Baler-Bongabon Road, became impassable for a couple of weeks because of severe landslides triggered by typhoons "Unding," "Violeta," "Winnie," and "Yoyong," that hit the country in the months of November and December last year.

Other national roads in Aurora and Nueva Ecija were also opened to vehicular traffic through the efforts of the DPWH.

These include the San Luis-Ma. Aurora-Castaneda Road, Gabaldon-Dingalan Road and Baler-Casiguran Road.

Although these roads have been opened to traffic, DPWH Secretary Florante Soriquez has ordered that appropriate warming signs be placed at critical sections to advise the traveling public on the condition of the roadway.

The European Commission approved recently a grant contribution of P367.40 million to strengthen border management in the Philippines and another P449.88 million to boost biodiversity conservation in the Southeast Asian region.

The grant on border management, which covers three years, is expected to support up to 22 government border management agencies with the Bureau of Immigration acting as lead partner.

The national government, which will provide a counterpart contribution of P52.48 million during the implementation, participated actively in the identification of the program known as the Philippines Border Management Project (PBMP).

The project stems from the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) related to the fight against terrorism and combating international crime.

The overall project objective is to contribute to the government’s efforts to raise the level of management of national migration to meet international standards and protocols through strengthened and enhanced border security and management.

The grant on biodiversity conservation in the Southeast Asian region, meanwhile, is expected to support the newly established Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) Center for Biodiversity based in the Philippines.

It is good for three years and six months.

ASEAN member states will provide a counterpart contribution of 1.3 million Euros (P97.47 million) and will endeavor to provide another 5 million euros to meet the target amount of 15 million Euros as endowment fund to ensure long-term sustainability of the center.

The overall project objective is to encourage and enable the ASEAN to meet the call by the World Summit on Sustainable Development to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Barring any legal complications, the government will open the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 within six months as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Secretary Leandro Mendoza of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said today.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Mendoza also said that the main issue now being resolved is money. "The government has the money. It is really a matter of what amount and who gets what," he said.

In the same briefing, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that despite the current issue of "just and fair compensation" for the builders of NAIA Terminal 3, the process of completing the terminal is now in progress.

Ermita said that because the government has already filed an expropriation proceedings, the DOTC, through the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), is now in control of the terminal facilities.

Ermita also said that the Office of the Solicitor General has filed a motion for reconsideration on the ruling of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) ordering the government to pay an initial $62 million as "just compensation" to the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO).

He said that not only PIATCO is claiming compensation for the property but also its German partner, Fraport, AG; Takeneka, the contractor; and other members of the consortium, like Pair Cargo, and the Philippine Air and Ground Services, Inc.

According to Ermita, the actual valuation of the property will have to be done by three Commissioners to be assigned by the court, and only after the valuation is done that the actual amount of cost of the structure could be determined.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed her deepest sympathies to the government of Thailand and the families of the thousands who perished when tsunami swept the resort island of Phuket last December 26.

The Chief Executive conveyed her regrets thru outgoing Thailand Ambassador to the Philippines Busba Bunnag who made a farewell call on her this afternoon in Malacaņang.

More than 5,000 people, mostly foreign tourists, died in Thailand alone when tsunami roared across the shores of several countries in South Asia and Africa in what is being dubbed as the worst global natural disaster ever.

The Thai ambassador said that his government needs metal caskets for the tsunami victims to which the President said that she would ask the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to look for metal caskets in funeral parlors in the metropolis.

"Sto. Tomas town in Pampanga manufactures metal caskets. I will ask NDCC to see if there are metal caskets available," she said.

The President also conferred the Order of Sikatuna, with the rank of Datu, Grand Cross on Ambassador Bunnag, who is returning to Thailand at the end of her third year of diplomatic stint in the Philippines.

The President congratulated the lady envoy on her exemplary performance and fruitful stay in the Philippines.

Also present during the Thai envoy’s farewell call on the President were Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Teresa Lazaro, Director Marcos Punzalang, Thailand Deputy Chief of Mission Phairoj Vikiniyatanee and Thailand Group Captain Permkiat Lavanamal.

The President had earlier accepted the credentials, Non-Resident Ambassador-Designate to the Philippines Adi Litia Samanunu Oalirea Talakuli Cakobalu of the Republic of Fiji.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita today said that the Jalosjos issue has never been discussed in Malacanang, claiming that the case was probably floated for whatever reason.

Answering a querry during a press briefing in Malacanang, Ermita said that there is no group, not even the Board of Pardons and Paroles that initiated the so-called possible executive clemency for detained Zamboanga Congressman Romeo Jalosjos.

"I do not know how it came out in the media that he is being considered," Ermita said, "but from the Office of the President, there is no communication, whatsoever, no one has initiated it especially not coming from the Department of Justice."

Ermita said that the normal course would be for the Board of Pardons and Paroles to submit names of people who should be considered for executive clemency.

"But in this case, there is no such thing, none had been submitted to Malacanang," he added. "So that is why, from where I sit, I know this was just floated."

Ermita theorized that what the writer of the published report meant when she said that the President has the last say on Jalosjos is the fact that the Constitution provides that the Chief Executive has the absolute power to grant pardon or executive clemency.

"And therefore," Ermita said, "it is only the President who as authorized under the Constitution can give that, if such is being considered. But as I said there is no such thing."

The Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) reported to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today the arrest of two wanted criminals in separate incidents lauded by the Interpol and the embassies of foreign countries based in the Philippines.

Deputy Director Gen. Ricardo de Leon, PCTC Executive Director, reported that the criminals were identified as Magno Cruz Manalili, 34, formerly a domestic helper in Hong Kong; and Rebecca Callanan, 33, resident of Wescom St., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Manalili was wanted by the Hong Kong police for the murder of a Chinese couple identified as Ng Ka-Mong and Sun King-man inside their home in Pa Tau Village, Shatin, Hongkong. He was arrested last December 13.

Meanwhile, Callanan, whose husband is an Australian identified as Barry, allegedly cooked up a "kidnap-me" scenario in Calamba, Laguna last December. Her purpose was to obtain P1.2 million from her husband who made an initial payment of P400,000 through a BPI account.

The PCTC, acting as the Interpol NCB-Manila Secretariat, immediately coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Philippine National Police which resulted in the discovery of Mrs. Callanan’s modus operandi and her ensuing arrest.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left this afternoon for Jakarta to attend an emergency summit on the killer earthquake and tsunami that devastated countries in the Indian Ocean.

Accompanying the President on the trip were Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Efren Abu, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, and Philippine Institute of Volcanology (Philvocs) Director Renato Solidum, Jr.

The President’s Learjet took off 4:00 p.m. at the Presidential Airlift Wing at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

In a text message to the Presidential News Desk, Bunye said that the presidential party arrived in Jakarta at 3:00 p.m. (Jakarta time). Jakarta is one hour behind Manila.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Philippine National Police Chief Director General Edgardo Aglipay and other officials were present during the military honor and ceremonial send-off for the President.

The President will join other Asian leaders in the call for solidarity and action on the issue of preparedness as well as the imperative of sustained reconstruction in the areas affected by the killer tsunami.

In an ambush interview, Solidum said that the Thursday summit aims to consolidate global efforts in providing relief and rehabilitation to the victims of killer waves.

He said that the President is expected to discuss means to develop an early warning system to avert the disastrous effects of tsunami in the region.

Solidum said that the President is expected to push for the setting up of a regional tsunami warning center in Southeast Asia.

The establishment of a regional early warning system will enable people living in coastal areas prone to tsunamis enough time to evacuate to higher grounds.