President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave her four-point command guidance today to top officials of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as she presided the joint AFP and Philippine National Police Command Conference. The President issued the command in light of the continued military offensive in Mindanao.

The first of the four-point command guidance is the payment of extra allowance for members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in actual combat assignments over and above the monthly pay that they are presently receiving.

The second is the intensification of the government’s humanitarian efforts in the area. This will be accomplished through the deployment of engineering brigades and medical missions form the AFP Madical Center.

The third is the government’s commitment to the peace talks which is now presently on hold.

The last of the command guidance is the continued vigilance of the AFP and the PNP against spillover of terrorism to other parts of the country.