FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today the government will import sugar soon so that hoarders of this prime commodity will not make any money from their illegal activities.

"To teach (these hoarders) a lesson, I have authorized the importation of sugar," the President said in a brief media interaction during her visit to the Molave Training Complex here to assess the Philippine Army's counter-terrorism preparedness.

She assured the public that the importation would only be on a temporary basis and would be used just to show "these hoarders that they're not going to make money out of the hoarding."

The Chief Executive ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to monitor closely the prices of other basic commodities and to prosecute those unscrupulous traders who would try to make a profit from the full implementation of the Reformed Value Added Tax (R-VAT) tomorrow (Feb. 1).

The R-VAT Law (R.A. 9337) allows the President to raise the VAT on commodities from 10 percent to 12 percent as long as certain "conditions" are met for its implementation. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves had earlier recommended the VAT increase to the President.

"We have to make sure there is no profiteering and that nobody takes advantage of the lack of information," the President said.

She added that the traders should not raise prices of their commodities unscrupulously because the additional two percent "is a very small increase if you have to be arithmetical about it."

GAPAN CITY--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today the release of P500 million to help farmers in typhoon and flood-ravaged areas of the country procure seeds and fertilizers.

The President issued the order to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the inauguration of the P106-million Gapan City Hall here.

"I just talked to (Budget) Secretary Romy Neri to release today half a billion pesos so we could have funds to buy seeds and organic fertilizers for the farmers affected by typhoons all over the country," she said.

She said the P500 million allocation comes from the taxes collected by the government. The taxes the people pay should be given back to them three-fold in terms of government services, she added.

The President said that being the rice granary of the country, Nueva Ecija should get the biggest chunk of the P500 million fund.

"Nueva Ecija feeds the whole country, so it will have the biggest chunk of the fund," she said to the cheers and applause of more than a thousand Nuevo Ecijanos.

The President conducted an aerial inspection early this morning of the towns of Laur, Bongabong and Gabaldon, which were ravaged by floods triggered by torrential rains spawned by typhoon "Agaton" last week.

With the President during the aerial inspection were Nueva Ecija Governor Tomas Joson III, incoming Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor and Presidential Adviser for Luzon Renato Diaz.

Nueva Ecija lost millions of pesos worth of agricultural products, including onions and rice, when floods swept through wide areas of the province.

GAPAN CITY---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the inauguration this noon of the new three-storey Gapan City Hall worth P106 million.

The President was assisted by Nueva Ecija Governor Tomas Joson III and Gapan City Mayor Ernesto Natividad in cutting the ribbon and unveiling the marker of the new building located in Barangay Bayanihan here.

The new city hall stands on a 3.6-hectare lot bought by the city government at a cost of P21.6 million from its savings.

The construction of the three-storey building with a total floor area of 6,100 square meters started on Feb. 2, 2004 and was completed last Jan. 15.

Mayor Natividad, in his welcome remarks, said the new city hall "would be the pride of every Gapaoeno."

Governor Joson, in his introduction of the President, expressed the heartfelt gratitude of the Nuevo Ecijanos to the President for gracing such an important occasion for them.

"We would like to thank the President for being here despite her very hectic schedule. This only shows that she loves Nueva Ecija just as much as we love and support her," Joson said. "She never turns her back on her responsibilities for Nueva Ecija."

"We believe in President Arroyo's capacity to lead the country and we will forever support her. Hindi kami hihiwalay sa inyo, Madam President (We will forever support your leadership)," Joson added.

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored here today the urgency that the government remains on top in the fight against terrorism.

Likening the campaign against the terrorist threat to a boxing bout, she said that in the "fight against terrorism, there are no second rounds. We have to knock the terrorists out in the first round."

"In fact, we should not allow them to have a fighting stance," she added.

The President made the statement after she received a briefing on the Philippine Army’s counter-terrorism preparedness program during a Special Operations Command (SOCOM) capability and interactive display demonstration at the Molave Training Complex here.

The briefing centered on the various capabilities of SOCOM, particularly its three units – Special Forces Regiment (Airborne), First Scout Ranger Regiment, and Light Reaction Brigade.

The briefing was conducted by the Army’s commanding general, Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., SOCOM commanding general Maj. Gen. Benito Ramos, and regimental command Brig. Gen. Danny Lim.

"These Special Operation Forces are very valuable to us because in the fight against terrorism, you don't dance around the enemy, you don't just jab, you deliver a knockout punch as soon as the bell rings," the President added.

The Chief Executive was also shown various weapons issued to counter-terrorist soldiers, including M-653 carbine, M-14 and M-16 assault rifles, Cal .45 pistols, Kevlar helmets and body armor, ballistic shooting goggles, night vision goggles and Harris radio.

According to Esperon, the three units represent the "best of the best" the PA can offer in the drive against terrorism. Each unit is highly trained to respond to any and all types of terrorist threats to the country and its citizens, he added.

She expressed confidence that with the release of the P5 billion additional allocation for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), other units of the military will be able to undergo the same training as that of members of the special forces.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has released a total of P11.5 billion in January 2006 alone to finance various pro-poor programs, notably education, housing, food, health and public works.

In a press briefing this afternoon at the New Executive Building (NEB), Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye updated the media on the government’s fund releases for different pro-poor projects in the country.

He said the P11.5 billion funding package is intended to pump prime the economy and bring the dividends of growth to the masses.

The pump-priming fund is broken down into P5 billion for the Philippine Defense Reform, P500 million for the farm to market roads, P500 million for flood mitigations, P1 billion for the Northrail-Southrail linkage projects, P500 million for the Social Housing Finance Corporation;

Five hundred million pesos for the half-priced medicine project, P500 million for the PhilHealth health insurance program, P500 million for the National Food Authority (NFA) food program, P500 million for airports development, P500 million for the construction of school buildings, P500 million for high school vouchers, P500 million for the Food-for-School projects and another P500 million for the Barangay and Street Electrification program.

"Bibigyan ko kayo ng update tungkol dito sa pump priming activities na inaprubahan ng ating Pangulo at as of now ay iyong kanyang inaprubahan para ma-release ay a total of P11.5 billion (I will give you an update on the pump priming activities approved by the President and the amount she has released so far is P11.5 billion)," Bunye announced.

He added that President Arroyo directed all Cabinet members involved in the pump priming activities to submit updated reports on a regular basis to ensure that the public is benefiting from the fiscal reforms that the President has initiated.

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed back into the fold of law today 74 rebel sympathizers in simple ceremonies at the Philippine Army's 7th Infantry Division here.

The former rebel supporters and sympathizers were presented before the President during her visit to the Army’s Molave Training Complex here.

The President also viewed the various high-powered firearms, ammunitions and explosives confiscated by the Army in raids on known rebel lairs over the past few months.

According to Capt. Wilfredo Martin, commander of the PA's 7th Civil Affairs Unit (CAU) based here, the former rebel sympathizers were from the municipalities of Cuyapo and Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija and San Ildefonso and Pandi in Bulacan.

Martin said they would undergo "transformation and reorientation" courses which include "trust and confidence-building workshops." They will be closely monitored before being fully integrated back into their communities, he added.