In keeping with its goal of ensuring sufficient and accessible energy, the Department of Energy completed in 2004 the energization of 1,132 barangays while improving significantly the electricity highway with the completion of three major interconnection projects nationwide.

In its accomplishment report to Malacaņang, the DOE reported the completion of the Leyte-Bohol interconnection project, the uprating of the Binan-Dasmarinas line and the groundbreaking of the Cebu-Mactan interconnection project.

It also successfully implemented the reforms under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). The DOE also completed the privatization of six generating plants of the National Power Corporation in Talomo, Agusan, Barit, Cawayan, Loboc and Masinloc.

Among others, it improved the financial condition of the National Power Corp. through a P0.98/kwh rate adjustment, thus improving Napocor’s revenues by P8 billion in 2004; implemented cost-cutting and austerity and other operational efficiency measures.

On renewable energy development, the DOE inaugurated the Sunpower Solar water manufacturing facility and the North wind Power project; completed the 950-kw Centralized Solar PV plant of CEPALCO and developed and promoted alternative fuels.

The DOE mitigated fare hikes in April by facilitating the grant of discounts by oil companies to public utility vehicles (PUVs) thus helping defer the transport holiday three times.

It also conducted frequent and strict monitoring of gasoline stations and LPG facilities, resulting in the padlocking of pumps of off-spec products of three gasoline stations as well as the imposition of fines on 861 gasoline stations and 485 LPG facilities found violating certain regulations.

On energy resource explorations, the DOE awarded four new Petroleum Service Contracts with projected investments of $27 to $ 45 million.

JAKARTA, Indonesia – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo joins hands with other regional leaders and all humanity in helping fellow citizens in South Asia recover from the devastation of the killer tsunami that struck neighboring countries in Asia.

Arriving here Wednesday night, the President led the small Philippine delegation in the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on the Aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami initiated by the Indonesia government.

Members of the President’s party include Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye, Health Undersecretary Ma. Margarita Galon, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Efren Abu, and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum, Jr.

The President sounded the collective will and solidarity of Asian leaders for in rallying behind a noble cause and attending the top level regional meeting despite the short notice.

The Chief Executive is expected to share the Philippines experienced in dealing with the recent disaster triggered by a series of violent typhoons that hit the countries recently.

The President will attend the whole day emergency tsunami meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center and help draw up a collective preparedness and awareness programs among Asian countries in dealing with similar disasters.

She is also scheduled to meet with members of the Filipino communities here later this afternoon and highlight the close ties between Indonesia and the Philippines.

The government is exerting all efforts to lessen the impact of inflation, especially on the prices of basic commodities.

We expect some relief to come as oil prices abate, and supply disruptions caused by recent calamities are resolved.

Meanwhile, the stock market has posted its highest level in five years - a harbinger of economic stability and growth.

We appreciate the leadership of both houses in Congress to get the special session off to a good start.

The Senate president has set the tone and the pace of urgency. Let us push the momentum we have gained on vital tax measures.

The Filipino people are expecting the best from our political leaders and there is no time for bickering and delay.

Through the implementation of strict austerity and expenditure-efficiency measures, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) managed to hold the line on the national government deficit to less than P197.6 billion last year.

This accomplishment, as culled from DBM’s Yearend Accomplishment Report to Malacaņang, highlighted the agency’s achievement in 2004.

DBM said it imposed strict limits on personnel and operating expenditures to soft-pedal government spending.

Likewise, it adopted improve expenditure management strategies by harmonizing the Major Final Outputs (MFOs) and formulated Performance Indicators (PIs) for Organization Performance Indicator Framework (OPIF)- based budget of DPWH, DOE, DOT and other departments.

In its report, DBM also cited the issuance of Administrative Order 103 (Austerity Measures), in response to the government’s need to further implement cost-cutting measures to meet the country’s fiscal targets and to maintain economic stability and investor confidence.

AO 103 covers all government agencies, state universities, and colleges (SUCs), government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs) and other government corporate entities.

The government-wide austerity program generated total saving of P3.47 billion as of Nov. 25, 2004, DBM said.

In line with the expenditure management improvement programs, DBM also formulated guidelines on MultiYear Obligatory Authority (MYOA) and the involvement of Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in budget preparation.

For 2004, the government was able to settle its accounts payable from CY 2003 and prior years obligations to two months outstanding for DPWH and one month in the case of other agencies, from date of submission to DBM of valid claims.

The financial department also cited the implementation of Direct Release Scheme (pilot DPWH), expediting payment of claims to contractors or suppliers.

Other major DBM’s achievements include the institutional improvements such as the issuance of Executive Order 366 (Rationalization Program of Government, including Government Owned Controlled Corporations).

Under EO 366, all department Secretaries to conduct a strategic review of operations and organizations of the department component units, including agencies and GOCC’s attached to or under the department’s administrative supervision.

This program aims at identifying redundant functions and those who are no longer achieving targeted economic benefits.

Other major accomplishments in line with the institutional improvement are the following:

JAKARTA – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today joined regional and world leaders at the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Called to order by host country President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono, the top-level emergency meeting started with a minute of silent prayer for the thousands of civilians who perished in the December 26, 2004 tsunami which swept across 11 nations in South Asia and Africa.

Representatives of Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand took turns in presenting conditions in their tsunami-devastated countries’ extent of damage, emergency relief operations, and estimated of cost of rehabilitation.

Keynoting the opening ceremony of the emergency meeting were Lao People’s Democratic Republic President Bounhang Vorachit, chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee; Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, country initiator of the summit; and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Tight security was provided by Indonesian authorities to visiting world leaders and dignitaries. Indonesia, the worst-hit nation with almost two-thirds of the dead, hosted the event.

Non-ASEAN leaders participating in the summit were US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Australia Foreign Minister John Howard, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, South Korea Prime Minister Lee Hae-Chan, Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew, Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoon, India External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and France Junior Minister of Cooperation, Development and Francophone Xavier Darcos.

JAKARTA – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today sounded the appeal for an additional and immediate international relief efforts being undertaken by the world body in countries devastated by the killer tsunami on December 26, 2004.

In keynoting world and regional leaders and head of states in the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster this morning at the Cendrawasih Room 3 of the Jakarta Convention Center, Annan launched this action to further boost the on-going UN relief efforts in Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Somalia.

Annan indicated that the call will be in addition to the $59-million initial appeal made by the Red Cross. The Red Crescent had earlier asked for immediate relief operations in the nations affected by the calamity.

"Today, I am launching an appeal to the immediate international relief effort which the United Nations is undertaking in Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Somalia," Annan said.

He added that the additional six-month period financial appeal would be used to ensure the immediate reconstruction and rehabilitation of nations in South Asia and South East Asia badly hit by the disaster.

Annan reported that there is a need for $977 million to cover the humanitarian emergency needs of an estimated five million people affected by the calamity, $299 million for food and agriculture, $122 million for health care, $61 million for water and sanitation, $222 million for shelter and other urgent non-food items and $110 million for the restoration of livelihood.

He also assured that the UN Development Program (UNDP) is doing its share for the multi-nation recovery efforts by coordinating with the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"This appeal provides for a focus on set of programs agreed with you, the affected governments that can start now. We must set the stage for efforts in the longer term as we move from saving lives to recovering and reconstruction," Annan stated.

Annan also agreed with the proposition of the world leaders that prevention and early warning systems must become a priority to prevent a tragedy like this from occurring in the future.

"The past 11 days have been among the darkest in our lifetime but they have also allowed us to see a new kind of light, we have seen the world coming together, we have seen a response based not on our differences but on one that unites us. We have seen an opportunity to heal old wounds and long-lasting conflicts. We have seen everyone pool together, north and south, east and west, governments and citizens, the media and the military, business and religious leaders, non-governmental organizations and international institutions," Annan said.

JAKARTA --President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the Philippines joins hands with all humanity in helping fellow citizens of South and Southeast Asia recover from the devastating tsunami that rocked the region last month.

In a speech at the Special ASEAN Summit here, the President said the country stands shoulder to shoulder with its neighbors in the region at this time of tragedy.

"We prosper as a region and we suffer as a region," she stressed.

Noting that the Philippines has had its own share of natural disasters, the President said the country has tremendous respect for the power of nature.

"As recent recipients of global generosity shown us by the world community as we grappled in the aftermath of life-ending typhoons, the Philippines values the family of nations that aid each other in time of peril and need," she said.

The President said the Filipino people nevertheless stand ready, willing and able "to lend the strength of their hands, the skill of their minds and the compassion of their hearts" to alleviate the suffering of its neighbors in Asia.

"I support anything that can help the countries touched by this terrible tragedy get back on their feet," she said. "Our focus at this time is on easing the pain and suffering of those impacted by this terrible tragedy, on easing the suffering of those who have lost so much while also helping the important efforts to rebuild shattered lives and shattered economies."

She expressed the hope that the cooperation and coordination that will come out of the meeting will help all nations in the region to be better prepared should events like this strike again.

JAKARTA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said the Filipino people stand ready, willing and able "to lend the strength of their hands, the skill of their minds and the compassion of their hearts" to alleviate the suffering of the tens of thousands of victims of killer tsunami that hit 11 countries in South Asia and Africa last Dec. 26, 2004.

In her address before the Special ASEAN Summit here, the President said that with the active support of the United Nations and multilateral institutions, the Philippines will support "anything" that can help the countries devastated by the tragedy get back on their feet.

The President said that the summit should not be just about financial assistance, "it should be doing whatever is needed to ease the suffering of the millions touched by this disaster and then rebuilding the local economies that have been destroyed."

The President said that the Philippines is blessed with abundant human resources and its professionals, including those in the fields of health care and engineering, which are truly world-class.

"More than our modest cash donations, our talented Filipino professionals have volunteered to make themselves available to assist in both the relief efforts as well as in the important long-term rebuilding efforts," the President said.

The President said that Filipino forensic experts are now in Thailand, and two Filipino medical teams have already been dispatched to Sri Lanka and to Aceh, in Indonesia.

"We have many more health and engineering professionals volunteering to go where they are needed," the President said.

Twenty-six world leaders attended the summit.

JAKARTA – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today endorsed the proposal of Thailand to establish a regional early warning disaster within the Asia Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand as a way of helping nations in the region to be better prepared in the event of another tsunami strike.

In a speech at the Special ASEAN Summit here, the President also proposed a review of the reliability of the early warning system in the Pacific to ensure that warnings get to the people on time.

"We are hopeful that the cooperation and coordination that will come out of this meeting will help all nations in the region to be better prepared should events like this, strike again, " she said referring to the devastating killer tsunami that hit South Asia and Africa last month killing tens of thousands.

In the case of the Philippines which has a system of local government autonomy, the President said, it is time to develop standard procedures at the local government level to avert a possible catastrophe.