Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said President Arroyo and her Cabinet seek to collaborate with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on various programs intended to uplift the conditions of the poor.

The proposed alliance with the CBCP on various anti-poverty programs was reached during the Cabinet meeting at the Malacañang in Cebu City yesterday.

"This is not purely a dialogue with President Arroyo but would include Cabinet members. The purpose is to tackle current issues like poverty, mining, corruption, jueteng, etc," Bunye said.

Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo explained that the government plans to work with the CBCP on programs that would support Filipino families particularly those living in poor communities.

"These would include livelihood projects, microcredit, educational assistance such as the voucher program of government, food assistance, health, and undertaking that would assist areas in maintaining peace and order, fighting crime, illegal gambling and graft," he said.

Saludo said the government shares the concerns of the Catholic bishops about the need to resolve poverty, which is considered as the country’s biggest problem.

"The Church has said this is a real problem which is what most people are concerned about rather than the political issues raging in Metro Manila, and we agree with that. We agree that the country should not let the political issues prevent us from addressing the issues of poverty," he said.

In the planned dialogue, Saludo said the President wants to enlighten the bishops about the government’s program on sustainable mining development in the country.

Earlier this year, the CBCP called for the repeal of the Mining Act which liberalized the entry of foreign companies into the mining industry, saying degradation of the environment far outweighs the economic gains from a reinvigorated sector.

As this developed, Malacañang appealed for sobriety among the people as it assured that it is in full control of the peace and order situation in the country despite the continued crackdown on some quarters and individuals allegedly plotting to grab power.

Bunye made the appeal as he maintained that the question of President Arroyo’s electoral victory is a "closed book" which is best left unopened so that the government can focus on attending to more pressing problems, notably on the economy.

"We assure the people that the government is in full control and has not transgressed legal boundaries in exercising its right to thwart the enemies of democracy," he said.

Also, Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro have agreed not to allow "diabolical plots" designed to sow intrigues and discord between them to affect their relationship and their respective work.

The press secretary made the assurance after De Castro made a public clarification that he did not demand from Mrs. Arroyo to answer lingering questions of her victory in the last elections.

"The administration believes that the Vice-President’s clarification over a recent press interview resolves the issue and we appreciate his effort to explain his side," Bunye said. (with reports by Ferdie J. Maglalang)