President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last night hosted a dinner in Malacaņang for Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC) on the opening of the giant food chain’s 500^th outlet nationwide.

The latest addition to the JFC’s outlet is in Isabela City, Basilan.

In a brief message, Jollibee Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (EVP-COO) Ernesto Tancaktiong said that what started as a two-branch ice cream parlor 30 years ago has bloomed into the largest fast food chain in the Philippines.

"With a network of 500 stores around the country, we are serving over a million Filipinos daily," Tancaktiong said, citing the presence of Jollibee stores in 65 percent of Philippine cities.

One of the country’s biggest corporate taxpayers, the Jollibee Group of Companies (JGC) paid a total of P400 million in income taxes to the government for the first nine months of 2004, a 40 percent increase over the same period in 2003, Tancaktiong said.

Thanking the President for her initiative to fight poverty, the Jollibee executive said his company is doing its share in generating employment. Jollibee employs more than 50,000 Filipinos, inclusive of those in its franchised stores.

Addressing the President, Tancaktiong said "we take this opportunity to thank you for initiatives to fight poverty and bring progress and hope to the remote corners of the Philippines. Rest assured that Jollibee supports your efforts to build a strong republic."

Aside from Jollibee, JGC owns Chowking, Greenwich, Delifrance and the new brand in the People’s Republic of China – Yonghe King.

Tancaktiong said that as of December 31, 2004, JGC had passed the 1,000^th store mark in the country with a total of 1,065 outlets. Worldwide, the JFC group had 1,185 stores operating in eight countries.

Last year, JFC invested P1.3 billion in capital expenditures, mostly in new stores, creating new employment for an estimated 3,300 Filipinos.

This rating caught us in the midstream of urgent reforms and we are confident it will be reversed in full recognition of our comprehensive fiscal program.

We must strike up the tempo of reform, keep our sight focused and our energies high for the work ahead.

We shall continue to work hard with Congress on new taxes and push administrative measures to raise revenues and cut waste in government. Gains are already being seen on both the revenue and savings side.

We will continue to rationalize the power sector, strengthen the financial sector and enhance regulatory effectiveness.

Our global competitiveness will be sustained by greater political and economic security.

Terrorist plots are being successfully neutralized and preempted.

Their (terrorists) capability to launch attacks has been drastically reduced.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) today opened its bidding doors for the rehabilitation of the Allen-Malaga and Malaga-Calbayog sections of the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Northern Samar.

Public Works Secretary Florante Soriquez said the road improvement project will be funded under the PH-P227 loan agreement between the Philippine government and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The 35.70 kilometer Allen-Malaga section involves the improvement of roadway of 6.70 meters in width, replacement of one span of the 31.6 lineal meter Caaguit-Itan Bridge I.

It also involves the repair and rehabilitation of nine other bridges, drainage, and slope protection works and provision for installation of safety devices such as curb, and gutter, guardrail, road signs and pavement markings.

The 36.76 km. Maga-Calbayog section covers same road improvement activities, replacement of four spans in the 100 lineal meter Malaga bridge and repair and rehabilitation of four other bridges namely Cagmanip’s, Kinawan, Bulogto and Jibalang.

Among the contractor’s most important requirements aside from being a license holder of Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) for local contractors and certified by embassies and consulates for foreign contractors, is to be duly registered with the DPWH Registry of Contractors.

This foreign-assisted project and procurement proceedings will be consistent with the guidelines of JBIC-Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other applicable rules and regulations.

The pre-qualification document according to Undersecretary Bashir D. Rasuman, chairman of bids and awards committee (BAC) for foreign-assisted projects, has to be duly filled-up and submitted not later than March 7. Initial contractors, result of pre-qualification evaluation will be known on or before June 24, while bidding is set on August 18.