LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally opened this morning the 2006 Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Games at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

"In support and in recognition of the importance of the private school system, I now declare the PRISAA Games open," the President said before

more than 4,000 athletes, sports officials and thousands of sports enthusiasts from various parts of the country who graced the opening of the Games.

The PRISAA Games this year has for its theme "Friendship and Solidarity Towards National Transformation.''

This is the biggest sporting event ever in Pangasinan since it hosted the Palarong Pambansa in 1995.

Region I hosts this year’s PRISAA meet. Last year's games were held in Zamboanga.

Athletes from 15 regions will see action in 12 sporting events, namely: athletics, badminton, chess, baseball, basketball, softball, tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and table tennis.

In her message, the President told the young athletes she hoped the champions in the Games would be part of the country's Olympic contingent in 2008 and would bring a gold medal for the country.

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded high school scholarship vouchers to five elementary schools in this province this morning.

The recipients of the high school scholarships are the Dulag Elementary School, Cabayaasan Elementary School, Dupong Centro Elementary School, Pagawas Elementary School and the Matic Matic Elementary School.

Each school certificate covers the scholarship of 50 deserving students in private high schools.

The high school voucher program of the Arroyo administration aims to enroll public elementary school graduates who are deserving but cannot be accommodated by public high schools due to lack of classrooms.

The program also aims to help private schools to survive since many of them are already closing shop due to lack of enrolees.

''Private schools are important for our future and we want them to survive, that is why we give out these vouchers,'' the President said.

She said that the program is part of the pump priming the economy fund for the first quarter of this year.

The President added that in the 2006 budget, funds have been allotted for more high school scholars in private schools.

In January alone, she said P500 million has been earmarked for the high school vouchers.

STA. IGNACIA, Tarlac - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded today members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their heroism, dedication and defense of democracy in the face of resurgent communist terrorist attacks.

"To our brave soldiers, thank you for defending our democracy and the country’s peace and order. Congratulations for your success in the fight against the terrorists in our midst," she said.

The Chief Executive said that with increased funding for the AFP modernization program following the full implementation of the Reformed Value Added (RVAT) Law, the capability of the military to fight terrorism will be greatly enhanced.

The AFP, she said, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the additional taxes generated by the RVAT. "This is in recognition of the life you offer to defend and keep our democracy," she added.

Last month, the President released P5 billion for the AFP modernization program, including P1 billion for the government housing project for soldiers.

The President arrived here from Lingayen in Pangasinan for the awarding of gold cross medals to soldiers wounded in last week’s encounter between a military contingent and communist rebels in Sitio Namnama, Barangay Sta. Ines here.

She said she took the trip to Sta. Ines to see for herself the site of the bloody clash and personally extend her congratulations and thanks to the soldiers in the encounter.

One soldier was killed and five others were wounded, while 18 New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists were slain in the clash.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed today former Western Samar Rep. Eduardo Antonio Nachura as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

As such, Nachura will render legal advice to the President on matters requiring presidential action, including matters pertaining to legislation.

He takes over former Justice Acting Secretary and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Merceditas Gutierrez who has been appointed Ombudsman.

As congressman of the 2^nd District of Western Samar, Nachura was a member of the prosecution panel of the House of Representatives in the impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada in 2000.

He also served at the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) as undersecretary for legal affairs and legislative liaison from 1994 to 1998 and commissioner of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) from 1993 to 1994.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Nachura is highly qualified for his new job and will be a big asset to the administration.

STA. IGNACIA, Tarlac – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo honored today 18 Army soldiers for their acts of gallantry and courage during an encounter with communist rebels last Jan. 31.

In a simple awarding ceremony at the Tactical Command Post in Sitio Namnama, Barangay Sta. Ines here, the Commander-in-Chief praised the soldiers for holding their ground against the enemy.

"Congratulations for a very great job!" President Arroyo greeted the soldiers.

The President was assisted by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Generoso Senga, Philippine Army (PA) Commander Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, and Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) Commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino in awarding the medal of honor to the combatant NOLCOM soldiers.

Recipient of the Gold Cross Medal (Interim) Award and the Wounded Personnel Medal was 2Lt Ali Sumangil, commander of the Bravo Company of the 71^st Infantry Battalion (IB) of the 7^th Infantry Division (ID).

"Second Lieutenant Sumangil, who was wounded at the early stage of the operation, refused to be evacuated and opted to continue leading his men amid intense enemy fire. Lt. Sumangil’s action heightened his troops’ will to fight that forced the enemy to withdraw with heavy casualties," Tolentino said.

Other Gold Cross Medal awardees were 1Lt. Dindo Perez, 2Lt. Nhoky Siao, 2Lt. Ildefonso Alanano, 2Lt. Carmelo Jaluague, Sgt. Rodrigo Andres, Cpl. Antonio Ballocanag, Cpl. Elizalde Maņebo, PFC Jupiter Ragel, PFC Rodney Alegre, PFC Harold Fabros and PFC Jesus Ocsona, who was represented by his father Jesus Ocsona, Sr.

Wounded Personnel Medals were given to PFC Aristotle Lomibao, PFC Romy Mendez, PFC Jesus Ocsona and Private Armand Cuacito.

The Gold Cross Medal (Posthumous) was awarded to Cpl. Jerry Galas. It was received by his widow, Imelda Galas.

Witnessing the program were Tarlac Governor Jose Yap, Sta. Ignacia Mayor Reynaldo Madomo, Tarlac 1^st District Representative Gilbert Teodoro, 7^th ID Commander Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, 702^nd IB Commanding Officer Col. Ricardo Garcia and PNP-PRO 3 Director Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid.

Earlier, 71^st IB Commander Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano briefed President Arroyo on the Jan. 31 encounter wherein the military was able to confiscate 12 high-powered guns including 11 M16 and one M79 rifles.

About 80 rebels belonging to the New People’s Army led by Janet Cruz, alias Lipay, were cited at the area when they were overrun by 136 military personnel, resulting in 18 fatalities and an undetermined number of wounded guerrillas during the crossfire.

Malacaņang presented today the members of the Charter Change Advocacy Commission tasked to promote the shift from the present presidential to a parliamentary form of government.

Under Executive Order No. 495, the commission will be composed of not more than 15 members, including former members of the Consultative Commission (ConCom), and representatives from the academe and the private sector.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the EO on the eve of the Council of State meeting in Malacanang last Jan. 24.

The members include Dean Andres Bautista of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law and the De La Salle University, Atty. Raul Lambino, newspaper columnist Carmen Pedrosa, Atty. Rita Linda Jimeno, ConCom Chairman Jose Abueva, former ConCom Secretary General Lito Lorenzana, former ConCom Deputy Secretary General Atty. Romela Bengzon, Joji Ilagan-Bian, business sector; Ronald Adamat, Liberato Lauz, and newspaper columnist Jarius Bondoc.

According to ConCom chairman emeritus Jose Abueva, the purpose of the Advocacy Commission is to continue the public information and consultation aspect of the ConCom which was started by the Charter Change body last year, and to focus on the main issues of constitutional change.

He said that there are three main issues that the Advocacy Commission would underscore, namely:

1. Charter change is imperative and cannot be delayed any longer;
2. Charter change will change our highly centralized unitary system to a much more decentralized structure of our Republic; and
3. Charter change will allow the liberalization of the economy to allow greater participation of foreign businesses to invest in the country in order to create more jobs, to raise the income of the salaried worker and to improve the competitiveness of the country vis-ā-vis other countries in the region.

Under E.O. 495, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) were also tasked to conduct an information and education campaign on the proposed constitutional change.