While the Democrats thwart our National Security efforts at every turn and tell us that it’s “our fault” and that the “world hates us”, and in reality put us at greater risks, on a daily basis, check out the good work being done in the Philippines on fighting terror:

“HELSINKI, FINLAND, SEPTEMBER 12, 2006 (STAR) By Paolo Romero - The Philippines is safer now since the Sept. 11 World Trade Center bombings five years ago, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said yesterday.

Gonzales, who is with the presidential party, said authorities have been able to thwart several bomb and other terror attacks in Metro Manila and other key areas since the government intensified its anti-terrorism campaign in 2001.

President Arroyo strongly pushed for interfaith dialogue before 38 Asian and European leaders here at the 6th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

“At the 5th anniversary of 9/11, the world has become painfully aware that the solution to terror cannot be found exclusively in military might or a bigger treasury,” she told a closed ASEM session on “Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations.”

Mrs. Arroyo said terrorism does not distinguish between rich and poor, and weak and powerful nations.

“Thus governments and individuals had turned to interfaith and intercultural initiatives designed to foster mutual respect, tolerance and friendship between peoples, cultures and religions,” she said.

Mrs. Arroyo expressed pride that the Philippines has been practicing and advocating interfaith dialogue even before it became a “popular thing to do.”

The President cited the success of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, a dialogue forum of Catholic bishops, Muslim religious leaders and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, which led to the increasing number of peaceful and stable communities in Mindanao.

At 10:30 a.m., the ASEM delegates observed a moment of silence to commemorate the thousands of victims of the 9/11 attacks.

“Our country is safer now because of our ongoing campaign against terrorism,” he said. “Our ongoing operations in Sulu are the latest and one good example of how we have preempted attacks and plans to kill many innocent people.”

Gonzales was referring to the four-week old military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah leaders in Sulu.

Reportedly holed up in the island of Jolo is Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani, who carries a $5 million reward from the US government, and two most-wanted JI bombers, Dulmatin and Umar Patek.

The two JI bombers were reportedly responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia that killed more than 200 people.

Umar Patek and Dulmatin carry a $1 million and $10 million reward from the US Department of Justice.

Both the Abu Sayyaf and the JI are linked to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist network.

In Congress, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. sees the urgency of passing the Anti-Terrorism Bill, taking into consideration individual freedoms as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

“The lessons of 9/11 incident proved a lot of things regarding security,” he said. “First, terrorism can happen anywhere, that safety and security is everybody‚Äôs concern, and that terrorism changes our way of lives from then and now.”

Revilla also called for measures to safeguard entry points to the country, especially the so-called backdoor to prevent terrorists from slipping.

“We should put up blockades and take heightened security measures because of the possibility of these men with evil intentions seeking refuge in the country,” he said.

Revilla said the entry of terrorists would endanger the community and threaten the people’s security.

“There should be no letup in our security efforts to allay fears that our people could very well be interacting with terrorists,” he said.

Revilla said if this happens, it would again cause a blackeye to the country’s faltering image.

“We should not allow our country to shelter terrorists, and to supply terrorists at that,” he said.

“This has a dangerous effect. It already happened, plotting and hatching plan in our midst, worse they even recruited militants to use for their ends. We need to make this country safe for the Filipino people.”

Revilla called on civilians to report to authorities any suspicious personalities and activities which they have observed.

“The strength of our fight against threats to our peace and freedom lies in the cooperation and understanding between authorities and civilians,” he said.”

While I detest the left in this country talking about getting “touchy feely” and “understanding” the terrorist that are trying to kill us, this is not what is taking place in the Philippines. Their efforts to “educate” while at the same time ruthlessly prosecute is the RIGHT balance. Remember in The Path to 9/11, it was the Phillipine police that captured the laptop that Yousef and his buddy Murad left behind that detailed Project Bojinka On Jan. 5, 1995. In fact it was their “gentle persuasion” that led to the foiling of the plot that many (including myself) think was the precusor to 9/11.