GMA back from Brunei today

President Arroyo flew back to the country way past midnight Friday after she and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo attended the royal wedding of Crown Prince Al Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah, son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.

Mrs. Arroyo and her husband joined the state banquet a day after the traditional Muslim ceremonies held at the Royal Palace in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

On a "personal invitation" by Sultan Bolkiah, the President joined other heads of state, heads of government and royalty gathered for the occasion.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye disclosed yesterday that Mrs. Arroyo would bring back home an "undisclosed amount" of contributions to the "Bayanihan Fund" from some of the 22,000 Filipinos who live and work in Brunei. The fund drive was initiated by Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Bunye said the President took advantage of her brief trip to Brunei to push the Philippine government’s peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Brunei is one of the members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that would be sending ten members to the International Monitoring Team to ensure that the ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF is observed.

The President was also able to visit the University of Brunei, where she was briefed on the scholarship program for madaris (teachers in the Islamic madrasah educational system) who promote the teaching of moderate rather than fundamentalist Islam.