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June 19, 2001, The Philippine Star, Wescom gets P5 M for kumpit purchase,

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June 19, 2001, The Philippine Star, Wescom gets P5 M for kumpit purchase,

President Arroyo handed yesterday a check for P5 million to the Western Command (WESCOM) based in Palawan to enable the Armed Forces to buy high- speed boats that would guard beach resorts and coastal barangays in the province and 1,000 adjacent islets.

Speaking at the 99th founding anniversary of Puerto Princesa City, Mrs. Arroyo said the Dos Palmas kidnapping had caused the people of Palawan, led by incoming Gov. Joel Reyes, to take it upon themselves to improve the security of their beaches and resorts.

"We were sad when last May 27, Abu Sayyaf took tourists and staff as hostages," she said. "They did not only take these people hostage but the entire tourism of Palawan, and they took hostage as well the entire economy of the Philippines. So once and for all, we must solve this problem."

Mrs. Arroyo said the Abu Sayyaf bandits were able to escape after raiding the Dos Palmas resort last May 27 because their boats are faster than the Navy's old and dilapidated fleet.

"If the boats of the bandits (do) 80 knots, the Philippine Navy ships (go at) 40 knots," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said the Navy's vintage ships have been in the country's service since the administration of her late father, President Diosdado Macapagal.

"So it's time for the AFP to modernize," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said the law requires that P50 billion be appropriated for the first five years of the modernization of the Armed Forces, or P10 billion a year.

"Only P4.6 billion had been appropriated since the law was passed," she said "So I said let's look for P5.4 billion to complete the P10 billion for the first year this year."

Mrs. Arroyo said she has ordered Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva to assign at least one soldier to guard each of the country's 7,100 islands, 1,000 of which are around Palawan.

"So no time is wasted while the Philippines is taking care of the Abu Sayyaf problem," she said. "God is good to us. Don't lose faith in Him. Tourists will come back here and while you are waiting for the tourists to return, your governor will try to improve the infrastructure to make travel more convenient for tourists."

Mrs. Arroyo said private security guards assigned in various beach resorts throughout Palawan will be inducted as members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) so they would be under military control and supervision. -- Marichu Villanueva

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