President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday said she will not declare a ceasefire with insurgents this year as has been the custom during the Christmas season.

"I will not declare any ceasefire with the NDF (National Democratic Front), the Abu Sayyaf and Misuari's group of renegades," Arroyo told reporters.

Her statement marks the first time a Philippines head of state has refused to implement a Christmas truce since then president Corazon Aquino implemented the practice in 1986.

In most cases, insurgent groups reciprocate the government gesture in order to allow their combatants to be with their families at least for several days.

The Arroyo government is currently fighting several insurgent groups besides the NDF.

Forces in the southern Philippines are fighting the extremist Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu where the militant group, notorious for its kidnapping activities, is trying to establish an independent Islamic state.

Aside from these two groups, the government also now has to contend with armed loyalists of former Muslim autonomous region governor, Nur Misuari.

The Arroyo government is currently observing a ceasefire with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country's biggest separatist group.

Meanwhile, the communist umbrella group, the NDF, has aired two demands it would put on the table. In a statement posted on the Internet, NDF chief political consultant, Jose Maria Sison, said the government, aside from meeting the two demands, must also be willing to extend its timetable to come up with a negotiated political settlement.

The NDF demanded that Manila agree to the formation of a human rights monitoring committee made up of representatives from both parties. Aside from this, the communists also demanded that the peace negotiators speed up discussion on "social and economic reform".

Both sides are due to meet on December 16 in Oslo, Norway, following a six-month hiatus in the negotiations.

Manila shelved talks with the communists after guerrillas initiated a wave of assassinations that targeted elected officials. The government accused the NDF of human rights violations for initiating the killings.

In his statement, Sison said the joint monitoring committee will handle complaints from either side regarding violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

"This is already provided for under the Government NDF Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law." He said the committee would "pre-empt any side from using such complaints to unilaterally recess, suspend or collapse the negotiations".