PIA Dispatch - Wednesday, December 3, 2008

PGMA winds up 3-day HK visit

HONG KONG (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo winds up today her ''short but fruitful'' visit to Hong Kong.

The President arrived here Monday night to participate in the first Clinton Global Initiative Asia Meeting on Tuesday, where she took centerstage when she put across the Philippines' experience on how she had prepared to insulate the country from the present global financial contagion.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the President was also able to stress before the CGI Asia participants that she remains ''laser focused'' in working to further strengthen the economy so the country could stay the course.

The President also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi and Mongolian President Nambaryn Enhkbayar where they discussed ways on further strengthening bilateral relations.

World Food Program Regional Director for Asia Anthony Banburry paid a courtesy call on the President at the Presidential Suite of the Island Shangri-La yesterday and committed to strengthen the agency's food security program in Mindanao.

The President winds up her HK trip with an interview with Hong Kong's two media organizations--the Institutional Investor and the Financial Times.

Those media interviews dealt more on the economic situation in the Philippines.

''They wanted to find out what the President is doing to shield the local economy from the present financial crisis,'' Dureza said.

The President leaves Hong Kong at 6 p.m. on board a commercial flight--PR 307 of the Philippine Airlines (PAL), and will arrive in Manila at 8 p.m.


PGMA arrives tonight, flies to Mindanao tomorrow to inspect road projects

JOSE ABAD SANTOS, Davao del Sur – Just hours after her arrival from Hong Kong, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to visit a remote barangay here tomorrow (Thursday) to inspect a road project that is expected to help boost agricultural production in this fifth-class municipality.

The President was expected to arrive in Manila at 8 o’clock tonight after a 60-hour trip to Hong Kong to attend the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Asia Meeting as one of five resource persons, along with former US President Bill Clinton.

Completion of the road project in Barangay Balangonan here will pave the way for the construction of the Kitayo-Balangonan and the Meybio, Jose Abad Santos-Glan sections. These road sections are part of the P30-million Davao del Sur-Sarangani Coastal Road.

Upon her arrival in Barangay Balangonan, the President is expected to be briefed by Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane on the road project construction and development, according to Assistant Regional Director Reynaldo Tamayo of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Tamayo said the concreting of Davao del Sur-Sarangani Coastal Road (Kitayo-Balangonan section) in Barangays Kitayo and Balangonan in JAS (Jose Abad Santos) would make it easy for people to transport agricultural and other products from production areas in the interior to the agri-industrial center in booming General Santos City.

Started in Aug. 2008, the Kitayo-Balangonan section is expected to be completed in July 2009.

When completed, the project will provide better linkages and access to other barangays like Barrio Bukid, Kitayo and Sugal, and hasten the economic development of the municipalities of Jose Abad Santos and Glan in Sarangani.

The clearing and construction of the Davao Del Sur-Sarangani Coastal Road (Meybio, Jose Abad Santos-Glan section), willl also provide access to the municipalities of Don Marcelino and Jose Abad Santos, both in Davao Del Sur, and Glan in Sarangani.

The DPWH said 50,000 residents of the 16 isolated barangays of Jose Abad Santos will directly benefit from the project.

Located in Barangay Meybio and Balangonan here, the 21.420-kilometer road project has a total funding of P100 million.

The road is envisioned to provide a direct link between the agriculture-rich municipalities of Davao del Sur and Sarangani, particularly to the fast-growing General Santos City.

Once completed, the project will serve as an effective access to the communities in the interior parts of the two provinces whose potentials as agriculture production areas have remained largely untapped due to lack of roads.


PGMA to distribute Christmas goodies in Sarangani tomorrow

SARANGANI – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead tomorrow (Thursday) some government agencies in distributing various livelihood assistance in this province as part of the government’s continuing effort to bring basic social services directly to indigent Filipinos, especially in the countryside.

Immediately after her road-inspection visit in Balangonan, Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur, the President will proceed to the provincial capitol gym here to personally distribute various livelihood assistance to farmers.

The livelihood assistance includes 1,000 bags of hybrid white corn seeds, 280 bags of open-pollinated variety of white corn seeds worth P182,000 and 200 packs of assorted vegetable seeds worth P70,000.

The President will also distribute two white shallow tube wells worth P100,000 per set to the Samahang Nayon Multipurpose Cooperative and to the Tocawal Growers Association.

Some 600 elderly will also get an early Christmas treat from the President’s “Katas ng VAT: Tulong para kay Lolo at Lola Project" with a one- time cash subsidy of P500 each.

The Vat-funded project for the elderly was earlier launched by the President to augment the resources of poor Filipino senior citizens.

The Chief Executive will also distribute some 4,000 Christmas food packs to qualified beneficiaries under her “Pamaskong Handog Program.”

Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez said the President’s visit is a great honor for the whole province.

“We are deeply honored that we are part of the President’s Christmas sorties even though we are at the tip of the Philippines. It brings hope to all of us,” Dominguez said.

“Ang pinakamahalaga ay pinupuntahan ng Pangulo ang mga pinakadulong lugar sa Pilipinas na hindi masyadong nabibigyan ng pansin,” he added.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will also conduct a medical and dental mission in the province under the Peoples Government Mobile Action (PGMA) and “Serbisyo Muna” program.


‘Its time to move on’ – Ermita

With the majority of congressmen voting to throw out the fourth impeachment complaint filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Malacañang today enjoined all Filipinos to unite, set aside political differences and “move on.”

In his weekly press conference in Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita expressed relief that the “destructive” process of impeachment was finally over.

“We always considered that such moves, such as a move for impeachment, are destructive; and we’ve been maintaining that just as soon as we are through with that procedure in the Lower House, then we can move forward,” Ermita said.

“The President’s agenda has always been to attend to the immediate needs of our people… and look at the effects of this financial economic crisis; and that she has been sharing the things the President has done in the Philippines with the other leaders, so we can only say that we are glad that this impeachment case is over,” he added.

“Now we can move on with effective governance and strengthen the position of government as far as our anticipation of economic slowdown come First Quarter of 2009 so we can prepare the ground for our people,” Ermita said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said, “The impeachment issue is now over, let us not continue beating a dead horse.”

“Impeachment is a political proceeding and it has been put to rest by Congress. Let it rest in peace, and let political peace reign in this Season of Peace,” she added.

In a marathon hearing last night, 183 lawmakers voted to uphold the House committee report dismissing the fourth complaint against President Arroyo as “insufficient in substance.”

Twenty-one House members voted “no” while three congressmen abstained.


Malacañang respects Congress’ mandate to decide on any Charter change – Dureza

HONG KONG (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains focused on further strengthening the economy so she could turn over to the next President in 2010, an economically- strong Philippines.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, who is with the President on her three-day visit to Hong Kong, said the President is ''focused like a laser beam on what she is supposed to do'' as he stressed that Malacanang is ''not involved at all '' in any moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Dureza said the Palace respects Congress' mandate and that it is up to Congress to decide on any Charter change.

Dureza also stressed that the chief executive will not use any persuasive powers to stop allies in Congress to stop any move for charter change.He pointed out stressed that the President will ''continue doing governance” to further improve the country's economic fundamentals so as to lift the levels of living of the poor.

''She will continue to work until the end of her term in 2010. She has made it clear that there would be no term extension in any charter amendment,'' he stressed.

At the same time, the Press Secretary said Brother Mike Velarde's threat of staging a protest if Malacanag will not stop Congress allies from pushing for a change in the constitution, is ''everybody's right'' as the Philippines is a free country that anybody can plan anything, and anybody can say anything.


El Shaddai leader did not make statement threatening administration – Ermita

Malacañang said today that media reports quoting El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde as threatening to mobilize members of his congregation to protest against Charter change were “highly speculative.”

In his weekly press conference in Malacañang this afternoon, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Velarde, who is one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s spiritual advisers, is a responsible person who would not make such statements against the government.

“Bro. Mike Velarde is a very responsible person and I don’t think he made that statement to threaten the administration,” Ermita said.

He pointed out that Velarde was merely expressing his thoughts on the proposal to amend the Constitution and that there was no cause for alarm.

“(It was) nothing more than their personal impression about the subject matter of Cha-cha and should not be a cause for anybody, most especially for the administration, to feel threatened at all,” Ermita said.

He doubted the veracity of news reports attributed to the EL Shaddai. “It’s just the by-line of some people to make it appear that indeed they are giving a ‘warning’ but those are just personal impressions of people that we should not be too concerned about.”

Deputy Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo echoed Ermita’s sentiments, saying, “Charter change is a matter presently better addressed to Congress – the Executive Department cannot interfere with the Legislative.”

Fajardo said the President has always pointed out that she will follow the rule of law and the Constitution.

She added that any changes in the term of office of elective officials will only “happen if the people will allow it in a plebiscite -- the people will always be supreme in any decision with regards to Charter change.”


Suspected int'l terrorist nabbed in Shariff Kabunsuan

MANILA, Dec. 3 (PNA) -- A joint police and military operatives have arrested a Pakistani national suspected to be a member of the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah during a raid in Shariff Kabunsuan province on Tuesday afternoon.

A police report identified the suspect as Muhammad Alpariz, who is being described by authorities as a bomb expert. He is presently undergoing “custodial debriefing” at the Southern Mindanao regional police office headquarters in Davao City.

Police said Abpariz was arrested by a composite team at around 3 p.m. Tuesday at his rented shop in Tapayan village in Datu Mastura town based on a search warrant issued by Judge Isaac Robillo of the Davao City regional trial court.

During the search of his shop, authorities found two improvised explosive devices rigged with 60mm mortar shells, two 81mm mortar shells “ready to be rigged”, electrical wires, one 1.5-volt dry cell battery, alarm clock, cellular phone, a computer set, two mortar boosters, two 9-volt batteries, two blasting caps, detonating cords and personal belongings.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a known “bomb expert” but could immediately say if his group is plotting new wave of attacks in the country. The JI had been implicated in a number of bombings carried out by the local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

Dozens of JI members are operating in the country and their leaders are said to be in the company of the Abu Sayyaf in Western Mindanao. United States forces are helping Filipino troops defeat the Abu Sayyaf, particularly in the field of training and intelligence gathering. (PNA)


Mega Manila now has 52 Bagsakan Centers

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has so far facilitated the opening of 20 bagsakan or drop-off centers for farm produce and 32 barangay bagsakan (BBs)—formerly known as Barangay Food Terminals or BFTs—in Mega Manila that sell basic food items at prices lower by up to 10% than those sold in regular retail outlets, in step with President Arroyo’s Pagkain sa Bawat Mesa—Laban sa Kahirapan goal.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, DA Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said that as of end-Novemberr, 14 bagsakan centers and 149 BBs are also operating outside Mega Manila.

The 20 Bagsakan centers operating in Metro Manila are located in Oriental Wet and Dry Market, Mega Q-Mart, Commonwealth Market and New CI Market in Quezon City ; Mutya ng Pasig and Viajero Bagsakan Center in Pasig City ; South Station and Muntinlupa Public Market in Muntinlupa City ; and the Marikina Market Zone and Marikina Public Market in Marikina City , he said.

The other bagsakan centers in the metropolis are located at the Kadiwa Center in Valenzuela; Pritil Public Market; Maypajo Public Market in Caloocan City; Smokey Mountain Food Depot in Manila; Carmona and Bacoor Public Markets in Cavite; Antipolo Public Market in Antipolo City; Roblou Market Place in Cainta, Rizal; and Meycauayan Bagsakan and San Jose del Monte Bagsakan in Bulacan, he added.

Mega Manila covers the National Capital Region plus Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal.

Salacup said that outside Mega Manila, bagsakan centers are also operating in Alaminos, Pangasinan; Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya; San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; Balanga, Bataan; Calauan, Sariaya, Quezon; Laguna; Victoria, Oriental Mindoro; Tagbilaran, Bohol; Ormoc City in Leyte; Talavera, Nueva Ecija; Aliaga, Nueva Ecija; Tarlac City; Botolan, Zambales; and Española, Palawan.

The 33 operational BBs in Metro Manila are directly serving a total of 145,876 families, while barangay bagsakans in the regions are benefiting 259,857 families.

Government-subsidized rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) is sold at P 25.00 per kilo and white sugar at P36 a kilo in these BBs.

Whole chicken is sold for as low as P110 a kilo; pork liempo as low as P145; and pork kasim for P140 in these outlets, Salacup said.

A kilo of ampalaya costs only P40 in BBs cabbage for as low as P30 a kilo; tomatoes, P30 per kilo; red onion, P60 a kilo; potatoes, P40 a kilo; and eggplant for as low as P25 a kilo, he said.

As of mid-November, Salacup said the price of galunggong has remained constant at P100 and alumahan at P120 a kilo since a year ago while that of tilapia stood at P80 in regular retail outlets. The prices of fish are even lower in bagsakan centers.

A kilogram of carrots priced at P60 last month sells at only P50, while the per-kilogram prices of potatoes dropped to P50 from P70 last month, he said.

The per-kilo prices of vegetables have dropped from their month-ago levels by as much as P10 in retail outlets during the same period. He said that prices of sitao fell from P45 a month ago to P40 a kilo; eggplant from P40 to P30; cabbage from P40 to P35; and ampalaya from P60 to P50.

During his first time at the helm of the DA, Secretary Arthur Yap had come up with the BBs forerunner, the Huwarang Palengke concept, which was meant to ensure the sufficient supply and stable prices of wage goods by slashing the number of trade layers that pad the cost of transporting products from the farmgate to their final distribution points in Metro Manila markets and elsewhere.

Shortly before leaving the DA in 2005, Yap had pushed the setting up of special road lanes for perishable farm goods to bring them straight from farm sources to public markets without having to encounter delays, such as the payment of informal fees.

Yap had also interceded with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to exempt food vehicles from the rush-hour truck ban and number-coding project.

Salacup said that the latest market monitoring reports by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics have shown that prices of basic commodities like rice, pork and chicken have either stabilized or gone down in the past weeks, following the continued consultative meetings between DA officials and industry leaders on supply and price movements.

Joint efforts are being taken by both Government and the private sector, he said, to ensure a steady supply of these commodities at affordable prices till the Christmas season.

Just recently, Yap had reached an agreement with livestock industry leaders from piggery owners and meat processors to biyaheros and retailers on the adoption of a “reference price” band of P140 to P150 for every kilo of choice pork cuts like liempo, kasim and pigue. ### (DA-PRESS OFFICE)


Letter to the editor on media killings from TF211

03 December 2008

Dear Dr. Icban:

It is very sad to hear that while we were still jubilant over our success in solving the murder case of Arecio Padrigao, we have lost another member of the press to the hands of killers. Last night (Dec. 2), Leonilo Mila, radio commentator of “Radyo Natin” in San Roque, Northern Samar , was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.

This is very unfortunate because the Task Force 211, the government body mandated to address cases of political violence and extra-legal killings in the Philippines, has been pursuing relentlessly all cases of media killings since it started operation in November last year. In fact, in its first year of operation, it listed four (4) media killings in its close watch. The Task Force, making media killings cases a priority, was working 24/7 in the investigation and eventual prosecution of media killings cases. And it might be a surprise for the public to learn that these four cases had been resolved in an average of only 9 ¼ working days! After our successful 9-day operation which concluded in the filing of the case against the suspects of Padrigao’s murder, we were hoping that his case would be the last, and that the public would know that the crime of killing a mediaman does not pay and that they cannot get away with it nor run away.

But, apparently, this did not happen. Another member of the media was slain last night. And this trend could go on and on… on and on until prospective killers would be warned that they could be arrested and charged for their crime. And the only way they would know is if media reports the successful resolutions of these cases.

When the murder of Padrigao took place, it was reported all over the tri-media. Manila Bulletin announced the news of the incident in its Nov 18 issue on page 2. We do not object to this. However, when the case of Padrigao’s murder was solved 9 days after, it found no coverage at all in Manila Bulletin.

This is our appeal: We need media to report our efforts to solve these killings. We need media to tell the truth that cases are being resolved in a short period of time. We need media to announce to the public that we can and we will for certain go after these perpetrators. We need you to do this for deterrent purposes.

Thank you, and we look forward to a more meaningful partnership with you in our mutual efforts to fight media killings.

Very truly yours,

(signed)
Ricardo R. Blancaflor
Undersecretary and Chairman, Task Force 211