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| 05 MARCH 2005 | ||
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| 05 MARCH 2005 | ||
| PGMA cites healthy momentum in policy reforms |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today cited the healthy momentum in her administration’s policy reforms, as she declared that "the fiscal problem is on the way to resolution." Addressing the 14th National Congress of the National Movement of Young Legislators in Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel in Pasay City, the President noted that recent developments involving her fiscal programs indicated that there is reason to hope that the economy faces a better future. "We are well on the way to our destination. The fiscal problem is on the way to resolution. We are building a strong foundation for rapid investment-led growth. We have a healthy momentum in policy reforms," the President said. Congress recently approved the 2005 budget of P907.6 billion, with the Senate merely adopting the version of the General Appropriations Act transmitted by the House of Representatives. Other economic measures being pushed by Malacaņang, which were recently approved by both houses of Congress, are the lateral attrition bill and the adjustment on sin taxes covering cigarettes and liquor. With these recent developments, the President said "there is resurgence in confidence," noting that "the bull run in the stock market is holding firm." President Arroyo also cited increased economic activity, including the expansion of Honda’s motorcyle production to 500,000 units a year by 2006 and the plan of Timex to set up its global distribution center in Cebu by July. She likewise noted that "we will have an early harvest with China and Japan to boost trade." The President was referring to recent free trade agreements signed with China and Japan allowing the Philippines to penetrate these markets by eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers. Apart from these, the President said the Philippines has a perceptive upcycle in property and construction, noting that her administration will continue to prioritize the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), housing and tourism as the economy surges forward. She encouraged the young legislators to take on the "mission to spread optimism and hope among our people. We must not fall under the wicked spell of those who revel in gloomy forecasts." "I assure you that the future is bright, just keep faith. I am counting on you, the driving force of local autonomy, to support our 10-point agenda and the war against poverty and corruption. Our economic growth will be hastened by your patriotic response," she said. |
| Presidential statement on Timex |
I am glad to welcome to Malacanang the President of Timex Jose Santana and his colleagues Calvin Jones and Ofelia Ignacio Burton. They are upbeat about the future of business in the Philippines So upbeat, in fact, that Timex is opening a global distribution center in Cebu by July this year, jacking up its aggregate investment here by 13 million dollars and increasing its 4,600 work force by another 200 great Filipino workers. The global distribution facility will bring Timex watches from Cebu to stores worldwide instead of passing through US distribution networks. Timex also manufactures watches under the following brands: Guess, Versace, Nautica and Timberland Timex exports last year amounted to 169 million dollars. Timex is a time honored friend of the Philippines, setting up in Mactan in 1978 when all that the zone had to offer were vast tracts of land and the proximity to the Mactan International Airport. Now it is the zone’s top employer and corporate citizen. Life is ticking not only for Timex but for the Philippines. Now we will see Timex watches and its allied brands delivered from Cebu directly to store shelves all over the world. The Philippines also delivers the best workers and services worldwide. The faith of investors like Timex are amply rewarded by Philippine hospitality based on fair and consistent rules, generous incentives, a competitive infrastructure, and the rule of law. Thank you for helping us grow the economy and create well-paying jobs for Filipinos. |
| PGMA thanks Timex for supporting her 10-point pro-poor agenda |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed her gratitude to Timex, a global watch manufacturer, for supporting her 10-point Pro-poor agenda through investments and job generation. The President welcomed to Malacaņang this afternoon Timex president Jose Santana and his colleagues Calvin Jones and Ofelia Ignacio Burton. The Timex executives, upbeat about the future of business in the country, informed the President that Timex will increase its aggregate investment in their Cebu facility by $13 million and its 4,600-strong labor force by 200 workers in July this year. "The faith of investors like Timex are amply rewarded by Philippine hospitality based on fair and consistent rules, generous incentives, a competitive infrastructure, and the rule of law," the President told the Timex officials. Timex, a time-honored friend of the Philippines, set up its distribution facility in Mactan in 1978, when all the zone could offer were vast tracts of land and its proximity to the Mactan International Airport. It manufactures watches under the Guess, Versace, Nautica and Timberland brands. The Mactan global distribution facility will bring Timex watches from Cebu to stores worldwide instead of passing through its US distribution networks. "Life is ticking not only for Timex but for the Philippines. Now, we will see Timex watches and its allied brands delivered from Cebu directly to store shelves all over the world," the Chief Executive said. Timex is now Mactan Export Processing Zone’s top employer and taxpayers. Its export last year amounted to $169 million. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: On Sulu |
The President’s order aims for sharply focused operations which avoid collateral damage. At the same time, all efforts are now being exerted to restore normalcy in affected communities. We aim to isolate the terrorists from the civilian communities and to get the latter back to livelihood mode. We have the full support of the people of Sulu in this campaign. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: On Congress word war |
We are confident that congress can resolve the matter on its own. It is important to bury the hatchet on the budget squabble and focus our attention instead on the measures to fix our fiscal house. |
| Fiscal reforms come first, political reforms second -- Palace |
Malacaņang said today fiscal and economic reforms come first, political reforms second. While Malacaņang agrees that political reforms are imperative, the overriding national priority remains putting the fiscal house in order, Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said in a radio interview this morning. Bunye, who is also concurrently presidential spokesman, was responding to a question on Malacaņang’s position on the proposed changes in the Constitution or Cha-Cha. He recalled that in a previous interview, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo openly declared her support for political reforms, but the problem must be addressed only after fiscal and economic reforms are firmly in place. The timing of political reforms is important, Bunye said. He said once the urgent mission to put the fiscal house in order is accomplished, there would be no reason not to shift the nation’s attention to outstanding political issues, "considering the need for such reforms." "I believe there’s no stopping political reforms. But we must first resolve problems related to the country’s finances, the economy, tax collection and corruption. Then we can go ahead and tackle political reforms," Bunye said. The Malacaņang official also welcomed moves to end the word war between the Senate and the House of Representatives over the "pork barrel" issue. "It would be to no one’s benefit if this misunderstanding is allowed to continue. This dispute will not help our situation, not to mention the fact that it will divert attention from urgent problems crying for immediate action" by Congress. Bunye also dismissed as unrealistic the proposal to abolish Congress. "As I see it, those calls (abolition of Congress) come in the heat of the moment." Congress can be abolished only through constitutional processes, not an easy task, Bunye said. "And as we all know, the President’s top priority is fiscal reforms," he added. |
| Bunye: Equating aid with terrorism is wrong |
Malacaņang said today terrorism is a problem not confined to the Philippines; it is also hounding other countries, including the United States. This was stressed by Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye in a radio interview this morning in reaction to reports that the European Union is considering withdrawing its financial aid to the Philippines because of the government’s alleged slow progress in resolving the terrorist menace. "I think it is wrong to equate aid with terrorism," Bunye said. "This is a problem of many countries and not solely confined to the Philippines. " He pointed out that the Philippines is among the countries which have shown grim determination to wipe out terrorism. Time and again, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself has repeated her administration’s strong stand against terrorism. For the last several weeks, the military has been pursuing a breakaway group of the Moro Liberation National Front (MNLF) and the al Queda-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorists. Last Thursday, a wounded Abu Sayyaf operative who provided the explosives used in the Valentine’s Day bombing in Makati City was arrested by authorities in Camarines Sur. If there is any issue that has greatly polarized public opinion in the Philippines in the past, it is the unequivocal support extended by the President to the global war against terrorism led by the United States. In a policy speech, the President had declared that "our motivation is working with the world to save mankind against the perpetuation of terror." |
| PGMA confident review of local government code could finally push through |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed confidence that the review of the 1991 Local Government Code could finally push through, and the necessary amendments could be enacted to fully implement the devolution of some functions of national agencies to the local government units. In her speech during the 14th National Congress of the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL) at the Westin Philippine Plaza in Pasay City, the President expressed the hope that certain flaws of the law would finally be corrected. "Even if it (Local Government Code) was supposed to be reviewed after five years, it never got to us," the President said, referring to her and her colleagues at the Senate when she was still a senator. "I hope this time, the review can finally take place under the leadership of the NMYL," she added. Before the President addressed the group of young legislators, newly- elected NMYL president Julian Coseteng delivered a speech, asking the Chief Executive to push for amendments to the Local Government Code to allow the full devolution of functions of some national agencies to local government units. The amendments, Coseteng said, would allow LGUs to take on the financial responsibility of sustaining the operations of devolved agencies, and assume the burden of providing services in the local government level to ease the pressure for funds from the national government "I am confident in your ability to creatively use these powers to identify, derive and generate additional revenues other than the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment)," the President told the young legislators, "With local autonomy comes the challenge for LGUs to maximize resources and manage expenditures prudently. Do not fall into a debt trap where growth is tied to incessant borrowings instead of locally generated revenues," the President added. She said the young legislators’ vigilance against corruption will guarantee the implementation of projects that will endure the passage of time. "After all, corruption represents a horde of termites that weaken our institutions and restrict the growth of your local economy." "Let me raise this challenge to all of you: join me in weeding out the deadwood and scalawags in government. Those who gnaw at the fabric of our morality to the detriment of our countrymen do not deserve to stay in government a second longer," she said. |
