Tough decisions often reap negative polls. We are no longer debating the whys and wherefores of the surveys. We are focused on what we have to do to uphold the rule of law, push economic growth to create more jobs and bring essential services to the doorstep of the people.

More important than the President’s ratings is the preservation of our democratic institutions and way of life because of Proclamation 1017.

The inclusion of former Senator Gregorio Honasan in the wanted posters being prepared by the justice department proves that no one, not even a former senator, is above the law.

Malacaņang brushed off today a recent opinion survey showing that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s approval rating remains low, saying tough, must decisions of the President are not always popular.

"We are no longer debating the whys and wherefores of the surveys," Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said this morning.

He pointed out that the President is focused on what must be done to uphold the rule of law, "push economic growth to create more jobs and bring essential services to the doorsteps of the people."

"Tough decisions often reap negative polls," Bunye said.

He pointed out that more important than the President’s rating is the country’s democratic institutions and way of life because of Proclamation 1017 declaring a state of national emergency.

Malacaņang said the declaration of a national emergency thwarted the communist-rightist-political opposition conspiracy to overthrow the government.

"We assert that at the time (Proclamation 1017) was proclaimed, the nation was in great peril from extremist elements who were plotting to take over the government," Bunye said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said earlier the Palace expects the political opposition to use the survey results to step up its campaign to oust the President.

"Especially in a democratic society like what we have, you can expect detractors to highlight the negative. There would always be people who would continue to find fault," Ermita said.

Malacanang called on former Sen. Gregorio Honasan today to live up to his stature as a former lawmaker, and demonstrate his adherence to the rule of law by voluntarily giving himself up to the authorities and answer the charges filed against him.

Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio B. Bunye said the inclusion of Honasan in the "wanted" posters being prepared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) "proves that no one, not even a former senator, is above the law."

A former Army colonel, Honasan is among 16 personalities, including five party-list members of the House of Representatives, linked to a conspiracy to overthrow the government.

Military and police authorities said the conspiracy was hatched by the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army (CCP-NDF-NPA), renegade soldiers and members of the political opposition.

The anti-government plot was supposedly timed to coincide with the celebration of the 20^th anniversary of EDSA 1 People Power Revolution last month.

However, the planned rebellion unraveled when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a national state of emergency and ordered the military and the police to quell any threat to national security and stability.

"We call on (Honasan) to live up to his stature as a former senator by voluntarily yielding to police authorities," Bunye said.

He added that plots against the "legitimate government must stop so that our people’s lives can be normalized and the country can move forward."

A warrant of arrest has been issued against Honasan and a P5 million bounty is out for his capture.

Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor echoed Bunye's appeal to Honasan to surrender to the authorities. Defensor also disclosed that Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile has talked to him on the possible surrender of Honasan.

The history of the fugitive former senator’s involvement in attempts to topple duly-constituted administrations goes way back to the late eighties to the Aquino presidency.

After playing a key role in the overthrow of then President Marcos, Honasan was tagged in failed rebellions against the Aquino administration only to be granted amnesty in 1995.

In May 2001, Honasan resurfaced as an alleged coup-maker when he was named as among the principal instigators of the Labor Day siege of Malacanang.

He broke into the news again in mid-2003 when he was tagged as the alleged mastermind of the failed Oakwood mutiny for which he was charged with rebellion.

Malacanang said today that the investigation by the House of Representatives on alleged election cheating has not proven anything, and now the Opposition is tossing the blame to the administration for something that they failed to accomplish as the accuser.

This was the reaction of Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye to the opposition claim that the Palace tried to conceal the contents of the House of Representatives’ report on the so-called "Garci tapes."

"The House probe on election cheating has not proven anything. Evidently the Opposition is tossing the blame for something they utterly failed to accomplish as the accuser," he said.

Bunye was reacting to insinuations that the Arroyo administration attempted to cover up the alleged election cheating mentioned in the report of the joint committee that heard the controversial "Garci" recordings.

The committee approved on Wednesday a 20-page report, which will now go to the plenary for final approval.

House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said the report is a done deal just waiting for other members to sign.

"Those criticizing President Arroyo will close the book," he said. "To those who do not believe her, no proof will be adequate. To those who believe her, no proof will be necessary."

Bunye urged those trying to oust the President by all means to put this controversy behind.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assured today businessmen all over the world that the Philippines will be a business-friendly place to live, work and invest.

In her address before the 2006 annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) at the Shangri-La Makati, the President affirmed her commitment to microfinance and the power of entrepreneurs, not to micromanagement and state-run enterprises.

"I want to create engineers, not sloganeers. I want to create good jobs, not mindless mobs," she said.

The Chief Executive said the Philippines is reforming its political instruments to make its democratic system move faster and keep up with the rapid evolution of technology and the power of the marketplace.

She pointed out that recent attempts to sow political chaos have been frustrated and confidence remains high, adding that the country’s stock and bond markets, as well as the peso, are up.

At the same time, she warned "backward-looking political opportunists who stoop to unholy alliances with the apostles of an ideology already discredited by the world" that the "markets will punish our nation and our people if we stray from constitutional democracy."

"In real time, economic reform efforts at home are validated or rejected by the global marketplace. And as it happens, I’m glad that our recent economic reforms have been embraced; the recent attempts at political instability had been discounted," she stressed.

The President said reforming the country's political system--from the present presidential form of government to a parliamentary form--"would make our democracy work faster."

She said government reforms are in place. Fiscal reforms, revenue collection, anti-corruption and eradicating smuggling efforts are being implemented.

"Today, we are in the process, even as we speak, of conducting the biggest raid against smugglers in the history of the Philippines involving 500 customs agents," she said.

"And this is going to fight corruption, this is going to raise revenues, this is going to protect the businessmen who are doing legitimate production. And this is the kind of reform that we will continue to do alongside our political reform to make our process of lawmaking more attuned to the new flat economy," she added.

She said the goal of her administration is to ensure that the benefits of the new flat economy must trickle down to the poorest of the poor.

"We must think smarter and work harder to see that everyone gains...There is a need to lift the poor among us. Because great as the market system is bringing about a flat economy across the world, it is not enough unless we let the poor feel the benefits of the flat economy," the President said.

She said the Philippines must know how to win and cope with the new flat world.

"I know in this flat world there is fear--fear jobs will be lost, lives will be pained," she said.

"The Philippines can win and must win with our new friends and new competitors," she added.

The flat world is the new world of technology, a revolution of technology that links the world.