‘Fight against terrorism not over soon’

President Arroyo admitted yesterday the fight against local terrorism may not be concluded until the government addresses the root social causes of rebellion in the country.

"The best way to defeat (terrorists) is to become prosperous again," a Malacañang statement quoted the President as saying in New York where she wrapped up the second leg of her nine-day working visit to the US.

The President made the remark after attending a memorial service for Filipino-Americans who died during the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York.

New York Catholic Church leaders extolled and expressed gratitude to Filipino medical and rescue workers who responded to emergency calls on the day of the worst terrorist attack on US soil.

New York Archbishop Edward Cardinal Egan said Filipino rescue workers "on Ground Zero and those in hospitals displayed uncommon dedication and perseverance in performing the ardous task of searching through the rubble for bodies or treating the badly injured survivors."

Those who attended the Mass were mostly Filipinos, many of whom lost relatives at the WTC.

"I want to express our gratitude to the Filipino rescuers, the paramedics, the nurses, the doctors, the emergency workers who never stopped and never gave up," Cardinal Egan said in response to the message of Mrs. Arroyo.

While in New York, Mrs. Arroyo also spoke before the 56th session of the United Nations General Assembly and conferred with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

During her talks with Annan, she also pledged Philippine support to any international call to send peacekeepers to Afghanistan just as the country did in Cambodia and in East Timor.

The President is also expected to witness the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and American ship repairer Kellog Brown and Root.

The MOA will be signed by SBMA chairman Felicito Payumo and KBR chief executive officer Thomas Crum and will spell out the ship repair operations and upgrading of ship repair facilities at the Subic Bay freeport.

KBR’s operations at Subic Bay would include repair and overhaul of commercial vessels; construction and refurbishing of luxury yachts; refurbishing of sea-going containers; construction and repair of oil field equipment and facilities; and repair and maintenance of naval ships from the Philippines, US and other nations.

Payumo said KBR’s operations at the former US naval base would create thousands of new jobs for Filipinos.

Payumo said KBR is experienced in managing and operating vessel repair around the world, including the design, engineering and construction of offshore oil and gas platforms.

Through its Philippine affiliate, Haliburton International Inc., KBR constructed the $100-million concrete gravity structure for the Malampaya gas project off Palawan island.

The President was to fly for Washington DC where she is expected to hold bilateral talks with President George W. Bush and other US officials. - Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano