Once again, the world has witnessed a jubilant and united country in welcoming a modern-day Filipino hero who has offered his feat to the people.

This is an inspiration for each one of us to break the shackles dividing our nation into two Philippines—one which is striving for excellence and progress and the other which is being pulled down to mediocrity and oblivion by self serving interests.

Our country faces formidable odds in the global arena and like Manny Pacquiao, we need to prepare ourselves with even greater determination and hard work if we want to overcome poverty, ignorance and injustice.

The arrest of mutineer (Capt. Nicanor) Faeldon demonstrates the strength of the AFP chain of command and its full adherence to the rule of law.

The President and Commander in Chief commends the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other units responsible for the arrest.

We have already proven that we can bite the bullet for the sake of the economy and the whole world is looking upon us to fully implement our fiscal and economic reform programs.

More investments, jobs and social services to our people are in the offing.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commended this morning the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the other units responsible for the arrest last night of fugitive Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon.

Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said Faeldon’s arrest after 44 days on the run "demonstrates the strength of the AFP chain of command and its full adherence to the rule of law."

Bunye said Faeldon would undergo a fair trial and expressed confidence that during the trial, the names of the people behind destabilization moves against the Arroyo administration would be revealed.

"He will undergo a fair trial under due process. We are confident that the investigations will expose all shadowy cabals and financiers behind the destabilization," he said.

Faeldon was one of the core leaders of the Magdalo Group charged with involvement in the failed July 2003 Oakwood mutiny in Makati City.

For the President to increase by two percent the RVAT, the ratio of VAT collection last year must be 2.8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or that the 2005 budget deficit must be 1.5 percent above the GDP.

Caught up in the euphoria otherwise known as "Pacmania," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Friday evening found herself transforming into a cheerleader, program host and singer all in a matter of minutes.

In a tribute aptly called "Tagumpay ng Pilipino," the President was in her elements as she exhorted the crowd at the Raha Sulaiman Park in Malate to cheer the outstanding Filipinos who did the country proud, led by no less than the returning boxing hero, Manny Pacquiao.

"Ang tagumpay ni Manny (Pacquiao) ay isa lamang patunay na ang Pilipino ay talagang magaling," the President intoned as the multitude, who had waited anxiously for their ring idol to return home from the United States, cheered in jubilation.

Earlier in the day, Pacquiao was given a hero’s welcome complete with a ticker tape parade along the streets of Metro Manila as a toast to the Filipino boxer who demolished Mexican legend Erik Morales in their return bout last Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He was also feted in Malacanang by President Arroyo during his courtesy call hours after arriving from Los Angeles where he trained in his fight against Morales.

Along with Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, the President exchanged repartees as they emceed the program that served as a toast to the Filipino as a race.

"Hindi lamang sa boksing magaling ang Pilipino. Sa iba’t ibang larangan man, makikita natin ang galing ng Pilipino," the President said.

The trio presented to the audience Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman, who won the prestigious crown last year, the medal-winning Filipino athletes in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, and fast-rising boxer Jimrex Jaca, who scored a sensational knockout win over another Mexican in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Morales bout.

Also given recognition were Police Senior Inspector Dominador Arevalo and Grade Six pupil Cristina "Tinay" Bugayong, who both returned cash and checks they accidentally found.

"Sa kanilang ipinamalas, makikita natin na ang Pinoy ay hindi lang magaling at maganda, kundi mapagkakatiwalaan pa," the President said.

As if the night was not through for her, the President obliged the crowd by singing not once, but twice.

She delighted the crowd when she joined in singing Pacquiao’s debut song "Para Sa ‘Yo ang Laban na ‘To" and the highly-popular "Pinoy Ako" with singer Sarah Geronimo in the lead.

The President left shortly after that but the street party that sent Filipino pride soaring continued well into the night.

Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye, likewise elated by the snowballing pride for everything Filipino, said this should serve as an inspiration for the people to break the shackles dividing the nation.

"Once again, the world has witnessed a jubilant and united country in welcoming a modern-day Filipino hero who has offered his feat to the people," he said in a statement this morning.

Bunye said the country faces formidable odds in the global arena and like Pacquiao and the rest of the modern-day heroes, Filipinos should prepare themselves with even greater determination in order to overcome poverty, ignorance and injustice.

CONCEPCION, Iloilo -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived here this morning to inspect and inaugurate infrastructure projects, deliver livelihood projects and turn over low-cost houses in a move to improve the lives of the poor farmers here.

The President took a chopper from the Mandurriao Iloilo City Airport to this agricultural town, which is more than 100 kilometers from Iloilo City, to inaugurate three vital road projects with a total cost of P30.1 million.

Upon her arrival at Barangay Jamul-awon here, the President inspected the newly concreted portion of the Ajuy-Concepcion Road. The project, with a total cost of P10 million, would cut short travel time between Ajuy and Concepcion towns.

She said the road is a legacy of her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, as part of his Emergency Employment Assistance Program in 1963.

The President then motored to Barangay Agnaga and unveiled the marker of the P13.5 million Agnaga-Calamigan-Asian Development Bank (ADB)-Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) Road Projects.

Construction of the 3.74-kilometer farm-to-market road, connecting Barangays Agnaga and Calamigan, began on Oct. 28, 2004 and was completed last Dec. 31.

The President also led the groundbreaking of the P6.6-million, one- kilometer Agnaga-Calamigan-ADB ARC Project 2 with overflow project in Sitio 3 at Barangay Agnaga and Sitio Liburon in adjacent Barangay Macalbang.

The project involves the rehabilitation and concreting of roads in the said barangays. It is set to be completed in April.

The President also led the turnover of P10.3 million worth of certificates for the KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Community Integrated Delivery of Social Services) sub-projects to eight barangay chairmen of the municipality of Concepcion.

The project includes postharvest facilities in Barangay Agnaga, a barangay trail in Barangay Bagongon, a Day Care Center in Barangay Macatunao, a Level II water system in Barangay Maliog-liog, a road rehabilitation in Barangay Nino, another barangay trail in Barangay Polopina, a seawall in Barangay Salvacion and another road rehabilitation in Barangay Tamis-ac.

She also turned over certificates of ownership of 29 Gawad Kalinga housing units to 29 qualified families as beneficiaries of the project undertaken by the Couples for Christ-Concepcion Chapter in partnership with the local government of Concepcion.

The housing units, located at the Immaculate Conception Village and at the San Lorenzo Green Savers CMP-GK Village, were donated by private individuals and civic-minded benefactors.

Concepcion Mayor Rafael Banias thanked the President for the projects that her administration has provided to his constituents.

CONCEPCION, Iloilo - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that investors would shy away from the stock market if they do not see any political will in addressing the economic problems of the country.

"People will not invest in the stock market if they don’t see our political will and they don’t see our efforts to revive the economy through the implementation of my fiscal reform measures," the President said during an informal interaction here.

The President explained that the imposition of the fiscal reform measures contributed a lot to the strengthening of the peso despite the political problems hounding the country.

"You see, why does the peso continue to be strong? Because of our fiscal reforms," she said. "Because of the strong peso, the government was able to keep the prices stable and the inflation rate much, much lower than expected after the first phase of the reform measures was implemented."

She added that the strong peso helped the stock market catch the attention of foreign investors.

Earlier, after turning over 29 Gawad Kalinga housing units to qualified beneficiaries here, the President cited the province of Iloilo for being the country’s No. 2 rice producer, next only to Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon.

She said Iloilo is among the beneficiaries of the P500 million she had ordered released to finance the irrigation projects nationwide.

JARO, Iloilo – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release P500 million that would be used by the Department of Education (DepEd) to close the classroom gap in the public school system in the country.

The President issued the directive in her speech during the post-centennial celebration of the Central Philippine University (CPU) and presentation of the Centralian Family Loyalty Award to the family of the late Supreme Court Justice Calixto A. Zaldivar at the Rose Memorial Hall this afternoon.

"Today I reminded Secretary (Romulo) Neri to release P500 million for the purpose of closing the classroom gap in elementary school level," the President said.

The President motored to the CPU campus from Guimbal town where she earlier inspected pro-poor projects such as Police Assistance Center, Tourist Assistance Center, Senior Citizens Building, Botika ng Bayan, the port of Guimbal and the Guimbal public market. Before going to Guimbal, the President also visited Concepcion town.

In her speech, the President said she was aware that even in the secondary level there is a big problem of overcrowded classrooms, resulting in the oversupply of private high schools in the country compared to public high schools.

She said the money can now be used by the DepEd to end the high school gap.

In tertiary education, the President also announced that she has issued Executive Order No. 358, ordering the DepEd to accept and accredit the subjects of the students in the vocational courses equivalent into a college degree beginning school year 2006-2007.

She admitted that college education is the great Filipino dream that the government should nurture for them to join the world of rapid technological change.

The President used the opportunity to congratulate Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas and all educators of Iloilo province for showing their competitiveness in the implementation of the educational system in the Visayas region.

The province of Iloilo, she said, has the highest passing grade for applicants in the call center industry, the highest paying jobs in the country today.

Before her speech, the President awarded the Centralian Family Loyalty Award and Certificate of Appreciation to the Zaldivar family. The award was received by Antique Governor Sally Zaldivar-Perez in behalf of the Zaldivar family.