Malacaņang is now preparing the agenda and the list of those who will be invited to the Jan. 24 meeting of the Council of State, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today.

In a radio interview this morning, Ermita said he and Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabby Claudio are set to finalize the list of those who will be invited to the meeting.

He added that the final list will be presented to President Arroyo for her approval.

Ermita appealed to critics to give the Council of State meeting a chance, urging them to set aside partisan politics for the good of the nation.

"We’re trying to draft a meaningful agenda for this meeting," he said in the vernacular.

The Council of State was created by Executive Order No. 305 on Sept. 9, 1987 to provide the President with reliable information and competent advice on pressing issues and problems of national interest.

On Jan. 16, 2003, President Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 168 "modifying" EO 305 by citing the "need for a consultative body, bound by a common respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, which will serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas, foster national cooperation, propose meaningful reforms in government, and advise the President on matters of public policy."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo honored today Cristina "Tinay" Bugayong and Police Sr. Insp. Dominador Arevalo for their exemplary honesty and for showcasing the positive virtue of the Filipino.

Tinay, 12, returned to its owner P300,000 worth of cash and checks she found while playing with her friends on T. Gener St., Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City last Wednesday evening.

A six-grader at the Tomas Morato Elementary School near the Bugayong residence in Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City, Tinay is the daughter of a former seaman and an assistant cook at a catering service outfit.

Like Tinay, Sr. Insp. Arevalo, homicide section chief of the Manila Police District (MPD), also returned more than P150,000 worth of cash and valuables left by its rightful owner.

The accolade, which the President personally conveyed to the young girl in Malacanang this morning, was the latest in the public outpouring of appreciation for Tinay’s exemplary honesty. She has received various gifts from both private and public sources and her college education has been assured through a scholarship.

The President received Tinay and Arevalo at the Music Room of Malacaņang. "I am very proud of you," the President told her guests.

She was accompanied to Malacanang by her mother, Luzviminda.

Tinay’s request to the President was to give her father, Cesar, a former seaman, who has been jobless for the past eight years, a job.

Acting immediately on the girl’s appeal, the President directed the Presidential Action Center (PACE) to check with the jobs-online system of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) about the availability of a job for Bugayong.

"Her father used to be a seaman, so we will help him out by using the facilities of PACE now so that we can make sure that Cristina is rewarded by her father getting a job," the President said.

The Chief Executive lauded the Bugayong couple for raising their children the "right way" and ensuring they imbibe and live the virtue of honesty.

"I am very proud of you. Congratulations!" the President said.

This is the time for high statesmanship and patriotism. The people are looking up to the leaders of this nation to set aside partisanship and stand united to address vital concerns of the day—social, economic and political.

We have already set the tone and pace for our economic takeoff. The challenge posed to all of us is to join hands to make the fruits of economic growth reach the table of every Filipino family.

It is of high interest to our people that Congress act expeditiously to pass the 2006 national budget.

Not only would the pay hike for our government workers be derailed by the non-passage of the General Appropriations Act but most importantly, the infrastructure and social service programs for our poor citizens.

After Charter change, the Philippines would not be only getting credit upgrades but fresh inflows of foreign investments and capital.

Malacanang renewed today its appeal to Congress to speed up the enactment of the P1.05 trillion national budget for 2006, saying its approval is of paramount interest to the people.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a statement that it is of high interest to the people that the legislators pass the budget submitted to Congress by the Palace last year.

"Not only would the pay hike for our government workers be derailed by the non-passage of the General Appropriations Act but most importantly, the infrastructure and social service programs for our poor citizens," he said.

Bunye said the country’s takeoff needs the budget to fuel its flight towards economic stability and security.

"We appeal to our legislators to accelerate the enactment of the budget bill," he said.

Congress failed to pass the bill last month before going on recess. Malacanang has strongly denied opposition claims that it has a hand in the delay in the passage of the appropriations measure.

Malacanang expressed confidence today that the meeting of the Council of State on Jan 24. will eventually pave the way for the healing of political divisions, unify and put the country on track for a brighter future.

In a statement released this afternoon, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye pointed out that Filipinos are tired of excessive politicking and are looking forward to an end to the long drawnout squabbling.

"Our people are tired of excessive politicking and it is our firm belief that the noble intention of the meeting would eventually heal the scars of the past and carry us to a brighter tomorrow," Bunye said.

"The people are looking up to the leaders of this nation to set aside partisanship and stand united to address vital concerns of the day – social, economic and political," he said.

Bunye added that the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already set the tone and pace of the country’s economic takeoff. "The challenge posed to all of us is to join hands to make the fruits of economic growth reach the table of every Filipino family," he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s election lawyer expressed optimism today that at the rate the results of the examination and recount of the ballots from Cebu being conducted by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) in connection with the election protest of former Sen. Loren Legarda against Vice-President Noli de Castro is going, "we could write finis to the controversy surrounding the victory of the President in the 2004 polls."

The President’s lawyer, Romulo B. Macalintal, who is also the lawyer of De Castro at the PET, said that "the PET had already finished revising all the 771 precincts of Mandaue City and had started the revision of ballots of the 692 precincts of Lapu-Lapu City."

"The actual recount of ballots of Legarda and De Castro from these two major cities of Cebu did not reveal any discrepancies when compared with the results reflected on the election returns thereby disproving Legarda’s claim of massive electoral frauds in this province," Macalintal said.

"And this is the same conclusion that could be derived from such findings insofar as the ballots for President Arroyo are concerned since the ballots and returns for Legarda and De Castro were the same ballots and returns used, counted and canvassed for the presidential election," he added.

Official records show that in the entire province of Cebu, President Arroyo garnered 965,630 votes as against Fernando Poe Jr.’s 123,099 or a difference of 842,531. In Cebu City, the President garnered 220,060 while FPJ obtained 58,591 or a difference of 162,469. This gave President Arroyo a total vote-lead of 1,005,000 (842,531 + 162,469) from the province of Cebu and Cebu City where the bulk of her 1,123,576 final vote-lead over FPJ came from.

The results of the votes for the President are being followed and closely observed by the parties because Legarda’s lawyer, Sixto S. Brillantes, is also the lawyer of FPJ while De Castro’s lawyer, Romulo B. Macalintal, is also the lawyer of the President.

"I am optimistic that this trend will continue as we open the ballot boxes and recount the ballots from the other cities and municipalities of the province of Cebu. I never doubted the honesty of the people of Cebu," Macalintal said.

"This will prove beyond doubt that the election from the entire province of Cebu and Cebu City was clean and honest and that the claim of the opposition of massive cheating in these areas were baseless and mere speculations," Arroyo’s lawyer added.

"To nullify the President’s election, her detractors need to invalidate her more than a million vote-lead in these places. But again, judging from the trend of the results of the revision of the two major cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue where no evidence of poll irregularities were discovered, it would be futile and hopeless for the opposition and her detractors to nullify the President’s proclamation as the lawful winner in the 2004 presidential election," Macalintal explained.

KORONADAL CITY--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visits this city tomorrow, Tuesday, to grace its 66th foundation anniversary as principality of the sprawling original Cotabato province.

The President will also distribute land patents and hand out farm implements to poor farmers to help improve their productivity and their family lives.

The Chief Executive is expected to arrive at the General Santos City Airport at 9 a.m. and motor to the South Cotabato Sports Complex here where she would hand out the land patents and farm implements to the farmer recipients.

She is also expected to turn over to a farmers’ cooperative here a cold storage unit worth P5 million that will benefit a thousand farming families.

In addition to the cold storage unit, two-horsepower tractor units will likewise be handed over to two farmers’ cooperatives for communal use of their farmer members.

To receive land patents are landless farmers from five municipalities of South Cotabato.

In line with her agenda to improve heath care and ensure easy access to quality medicines at half their normal commercial prices, President Arroyo is expected also to release some P25,000 worth of medicines as seed stock for the Botika sa Barangay in the city.

Along her improved health care agenda, she will also distribute 4,665 PhilHealth cards to as many new families in the province.

The benefits distribution will serve as a special highlight of Koronadal City’s founding anniversary as a municipality of the old Cotabato province now comprising the three provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Maguindanao.

Koronadal became a component city of South Cotabato in 1998. It was declared a "most competitive city in the small category" in 2003.

Malacanang expressed optimism today that should Charter change push through, the nation will not only get credit upgrades but also fresh inflows of investments and capitals.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a statement that along with Charter change, "more jobs and livelihood opportunities would come for the Filipino people."

"Charter change will provide the second wind to our flight to First World status in 20 years," he said.

Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is very much focused on her goal to fight poverty and remains undistracted by partisan politics.

Investment bank Merrill Lynch has stated in a report that it expects a "strong fiscal adjustment" this year for the Philippines, with the government likely to cut its budget deficit with the help of higher tax collections.

Merrill Lynch commended the government in its effort to improve financial capabilities in 2005, according to the report.