Tokyo  - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo departed the western Japanese city of Osaka Saturday for a summit in Lima, leaving her husband at hospital after he fell ill on their flight, media reports said.

The condition of Jose Miguel Arroyo, 62, was not announced.

Philippine Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno had denied reports that Mr Arroyo had suffered a heart attack, saying he had "stomach cramps and back pains."

Manila - The United States on Friday announced it was providing relief assistance worth 2.5 million dollars to thousands of residents displaced by a recent outbreak of hostilities in the southern Philippines.

US ambassador to Manila Kristie Kenney made the announcement during a visit to a camp for internally displaced persons in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council, more than 300,000 people are still displaced by the fighting between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the southern region of Mindanao.

Manila - Philippine share prices plummeted for the second straight session on Friday, closing 4.14 per cent lower on overnight losses in Wall Street.

The 30-share composite index of the Philippine Stock Exchange lost 76.43 points to close at 1,765.90. On Thursday, the index declined
3.45 per cent to finish at 1,842.33.

A total of 820.15 million shares worth 1.16 billion pesos (23.38 million dollars) were traded.

Losers swamped gainers 79 to 11, while 34 issues were unchanged.

Manila  - Philippine share prices plunged 3.45 per cent on Thursday, dragged down by Wall Street's overnight losses as investors braced for a prolonged economic slump.

The 30-share composite of the Philippine Stock Exchange lost 65.85 points to close at 1,842.33 from Wednesday's finish of 1,908.18.

A total 552.06 million shares worth 1.38 billion pesos (28.16 million dollars) were traded.

Losers led gainers 96 to 12, while 22 issues were unchanged.