PIA Dispatch - Thursday - January 15, 2009

PGMA kicks off Friday the govt’s pro-poor program with the Church

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will kick off this Friday at the Don Bosco Parish in Tondo the government’s pro-poor program for the year in cooperation with the Church.

The program continues the government’s template package of pro-poor projects, but with the Church identifying the beneficiaries from among the country’s poorest of the poor.

The package consists of feeding of identified malnourished children, medical mission for the sick in the community, a “botica sa barangay” for affordable generic medicines, vocational scholarships for interested out-of-school youth (OSY), and micro-finance for budding entrepreneurs.

The President is scheduled to visit the parish at 1:30 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 16), and will be met by Don Bosco School head Fr. Ferdinand Camilo, parish priest Fr. Eliseo Santos and Caritas Manila Executive Director Gr. Anton Pascua.

The parish covers 17 barangays with a total of 200,000 families in Barrio Magsaysay, Tondo.

Some 50 malnourished children, who were earlier identified by Caritas Manila, will partake of a meal funded by the Office of the President; while some 72 identified OSY will be awarded by the President with scholarships for job-ready courses at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The medical mission shall cater to some 1,000 sick residents around the Don Bosco compound across the North Harbor.

The vocational school managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) has 700 indigent students from Manila, Valenzuela, Navotas, Pasay and the provinces, according to Fr. Camilo.

The 10 courses take a total of 17 months – 12 months or one year for the theory and skills training, and five months for on-the-job training. Ready jobs await graduates as the school’s personnel office doubles as a placement office.

Fr. Camilo said the most in-demand are welding technology and automotive mechanic courses. The other courses offered are General Electrician Course, Fitter-Machinist Course, Industrial Electronics Course, Refrigeration and Aircondition Mechanic Course, Office Systems Technology, Garments Technology, Seafarer’s Rating Course and the Computer Technology Course.

The school spends P40,000 per student even as each student pays only P3,000 for the entire course at a staggered payment schedule of around P300 per month for the school uniform and other school requirements.

The school has been helping educate the indigent youth in the area and prepare them for gainful livelihoods for the past 40 years since 1968.


Palace seeks constructive inputs from gov’t critics on fight against drug menace

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza today called on everyone, particularly the critics of the administration, to close rank and help the campaign on drug menace to succeed.

“We hope that this fight to combat this menace, the usual critics and self-proclaimed do-gooders resist the temptation of grandstanding and immediately shooting down proposals that must be done to fight illegal drugs,” Dureza said in a statement.

“We invite them instead to give constructive inputs and assistance so that we fight this all together,” Dureza added.

Earlier, in an interview with DZMM Radio, Secretary Dureza expressed the hope that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago will abide with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s order to stop their ‘words war’ and “start working together to look for victories and address the drug menace together.”

In another development, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said that the random drug testing among student populace is provided in the Dangerous Drug Act.

Fajardo’s statement on random drug testing follows:

“Random drug testing is provided in the Dangerous Drugs Act. It is a preventive measure aimed at helping and protecting the country’s most valuable resource, our youth.

“The President’s order is constitutional and no less than the Supreme Court had given its imprimatur to such procedure in its earlier decision. It does not violate human rights, and instead promotes every Filipino’s right to live free of the terrible menace of drugs.”


AFP, PNP in hot pursuit of kidnappers of Swiss representative and 2 other Red Cross workers– Dureza

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said today that combined forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are in “hot pursuit” of alleged kidnappers who took a Swiss representative and two other workers of the International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) to the Philippines at gunpoint near the Sulu capitol building in Patikul town this morning.

In a statement, Dureza said the security forces have been tasked to “track down the criminal elements and ensure the safe return of the captives,” namely Andreas Notter, a Swiss national; Eugenio Vagni, an Italian national; and Jean Lacaba, a Filipina.

He added that the military’s Joint Task Force Comet headed by Brigadier General Juancho Sabban “has been tasked to undertake appropriate action on the ground.”

Dureza, meanwhile, reiterated the call of authorities to all visitors, whether they be locals or foreigners, to coordinate their movements to them to ensure their safety.

“In the light of this recent incident, the authorities are reiterating their call on all elements, whether locals or foreigner, who visit these areas to coordinate with government ground forces so adequate measures are done on their security and safety,” Dureza said.

“Certain measures are also being pursued in light of the fact that the ICRC is an international agency that adheres to neutrality,” he added.


Export commodity groups posted gains

In spite of the global financial crisis, several Philippine export commodity groups posted gains in November last year.

In a report to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ralph G. Recto said that the November 2008 export gainers include machinery and transport equipment (41.4%), processed food and beverages (28.5%), wood manufactures (24.3%) and forest products (188.1%). Forest products record reversed the previous month’s decline of 9.6 percent.
For agro-based commodities, positive growth were recorded by desiccated coconut (84.9%), sugar products (453.0%), pineapple concentrates (1.7%), abaca fibers (133.0%), unmanufactured tobacco (22.4%) and natural rubber (4.4%).

In contrast, merchandise exports dropped by 11.9 percent in the same period to US$3.5 billion as manufactured goods, mainly electronic products, fell sharply by 9.2 percent as a result of the weakened demand of major markets due to the global economic turmoil.

The negative growth, however, was a slight rebound from the previous month’s -14.8 percent growth, but significantly lower than the -1.6 growth a year ago.

Despite the double-digit drop in the growth of merchandise exports for the second month in a row, total exports from January-November 2008 still managed to grow by 0.8 percent to US$46.3 billion compared to almost US$46.0 billion during the same period in 2007.

With a 17.4 percent share, the US remained as the top market for Philippine exports in November, with electronic data processing (EDP) machines, semiconductors and garments as the major export products. Japan followed with a 16.4 percent share.

Other top markets in November 2008 are Hong Kong SAR (13.7%), China PRC (9.1%), and the Netherlands (7.0%). However, the aggregated exports to China PRC, Hong Kong SAR, and Taipei ROC constituted more than a quarter of the total merchandise exports in November.

Citing the report, Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza said that the expected slump in some sectors like in the export industry prompted the President to order the acceleration of spending this year for infrastructure and other support-giving activities to limit the effects of the global financial storm on our industries.

“The perceived resiliency of our economy even in the face of a creeping financial turmoil is one good reason why our business community appears to be more optimistic compared to our neighbors,” he explained.

It can be noted that Thailand has reported a negative balance for turnover, profitability and exports for the second year in a row. Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Malaysia all registered negative expectations for profitability this year.


President Arroyo orders DTI and other agencies to look into WB-blacklisted firms

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other government agencies to look into three Philippine-based firms which have been barred from participating in World Bank (WB) projects for allegedly “engaging in collusive practices.”

The Palace recognizes that the “World Bank is stepping up its efforts to curb corruption” and that the WB “has the right to act accordingly when suspicions of collusion are raised,” said deputy spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo in a statement.

“The Palace has directed DTI and other agencies to look into the listed companies,” revealed Fajardo who said Malacanang “will make its recommendations once the facts are determined.”

Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) “is suspending the involved companies from participating in any DPWH bidding for locally-funded or foreign-assisted projects.”

“Following the WB action against companies involved in a Philippine road project… the DPWH will make a decision whether to pursue blacklisting procedures against these companies within 15 days,” said Andaya.

Aside from going after the concerned firms, “the Office of the Ombudsman is also set to complete its fact-finding investigation on public officials alleged to be involved in the WB road project by the first week of February,” said Andaya.

“We remain committed in the fight against corruption in government. procurement and recent efforts have already paved the way for the approval of new WB loans for roads improvement,” added Andaya.

As for the Arroyo administration’s anti-corruption measures, the President has been “working tirelessly to free the country from the bane of corruption,” continued Fajardo who pointed out that “as early as 2007, the budget of the Ombudsman has been doubled.”

The government also initiated RA 9485 which seeks to cut bureaucratic red tape and clean up government transactions by imposing penalties on violators.

President Arroyo has also been calling on Congress to pass a comprehensive anti-corruption law.

A Reuters report said one of the three Philippine-based companies barred by the World Bank – E.C. de Luna Construction Corp. -- has been barred permanently, and so was its owner, Eduardo de Luna.

Barred for four years were the Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corporation and the CM Pancho Construction, Inc.

The World Bank blacklisted a total of seven firms, three of them from China, and one from Korea -- the Dongsung Construction Co. Ltd. which was “separately sanctioned in August 2008 for four years for fraud and corruption related to the Philippines National Roads Improvement and Management Program,” according to Reuters. “The World Bank said on Wednesday it had uncovered a major cartel involving local and international firms bidding on a Philippines roads project and it had barred seven companies following an investigation,” said the Reuters report.


DOT launches work generation project in support of PGMA’s one million new jobs program

In line with the Arroyo administration’s program to provide one million new jobs in the first six months of 2009, about 3 to 4 million in tourist arrivals is being eyed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to create 3,000 new jobs in the tourism sector this year.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano told newsmen at yesterday’s launching of the DOT’s Tourism Apprentice Program that the DOT remains confident of continued tourism activities this year despite the global financial meltdown.

He said the DOT’s mission is to keep its targets within the range of the 3-4 million in tourist arrivals in 2009 to keep on track with its targets.

The DOT is eyeing the five-million mark in tourism arrivals by 2010, when the global economy is expected to bounce back.

In fact, Durano is hopeful of riding the tide of the global financial meltdown owing to the momentum generated by the DOT’s aggressive sales blitz in its major and emerging tourism markets, including China, Russia and other European countries.

Durano cited the new hotel rooms totaling about 3,000 that would be opened up this year which would yield 3,000 new jobs, based on the one is to one ratio.

The DOT secretary said that the Tourism Apprentice Program is one of the department’s “investments” to train students of tourism-related courses as the DOT’s ambassadors by exposing them to our tourism destinations.

These include Davao, Palawan, Cebu, Boracay, Iloilo, Bacolod and Bohol.
Durano stressed the Philippines has the edge over its neighboring countries owing to its variety of choices in beauty and bounty.

“We are a blessed country, so much beauty and so much bounty. Our destinations offer different charm and different experiences,” Durano said.

He said the apprentice program will tap graduating students from private schools as well as state-owned schools with the support of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The private schools included in the program are the Arellano University, University of Sto. Tomas, Centro Escolar University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, College of the Holy Spirit, De Ocampo Memorial School, Emilio Aguinaldo College, St. Scholastica’s College, Sta. Catalina College, University of Manila, San Beda College, University of the East, Far Eastern University, Feati University, Lyceum of the Philippines, Philippine Women’s University, San Sebastian College Recolestos, St. Jude College and St. Paul University, Manila.

He expects graduates of tourism-related courses to be employed here in the Philippines due to the freeze in hiring abroad owing to the global economic meltdown.

Durano said the bustling activities in the tourism sector are manifested by the continued support of investors such as the Ayalas and George Yang of the McDonald chain. The two investors are putting in money in improving the Caticlan airport near Boracay.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo earmarked a P100-billion resiliency fund to pump prime our economy amid the world economic meltdown.


New ambassadors from five countries present credentials to PGMA

Ambassadors from France, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republics of Djibouti and Honduras presented their Letters of Credentials to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang this afternoon.

The ambassadors, who will begin their tour of duties as representatives of their respective countries to the Philippines immediately after their presentation of credentials, began arriving one after the other at around 2 p.m.

First to present his credentials was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Thierry Borja de Mozota of France.

He was accompanied by members of the French consulate led by Didier Ortolland, charge d’ affaires; Jean-Louis Bertrand, first secretary; Eric Laulagnet, police attaché, Georges-Gastau Feydeau, cultural counselor and Carolle Lucas, press attaché.

Next was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Abdirashid Dulane Rafle of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

He was accompanied by his third secretary Dawit Yirga.

Third to arrive was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ahmed Araita Ali of the Republic of Djibouti.

He was accompanied by Charlie Gorazel, Consul ad honorem of the Consulate of Djibouti.

Rounding up the list of the President’s visitors for the day was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Nadina Lfebvere Labro of the Republc of Honduras.

She was accompanied by Rolando Zosa, Consul ad honorem of the Consulate of the Republic of Honduras.

All four ambassadors promised to work to further improve and strengthen the good relations between their respective countries and the Philippines.

Joining the President in welcoming the ambassadors were Enrique Manalo, acting secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Porfirio Mayo, deputy chief of Protocol.


Gov't optimistic to go back to the negotiating table

Manila -- Ceasefire-related issues, international monitoring team coupled with the fast tracking of projects for development in Mindanao.

These are some of the substantive aspects of peace talks which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored during a local radio interview, emphasizing that "a new peace panel is formed with instructions to the facilitators of the government panel to invite leaders of the MILF to go back to the negotiating table".

The Malacanang press report disclosed that the government formed the new members of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) peace panel late last year in the quest of bringing peace in Mindanao.

President Arroyo said that all peace-loving people in Mindanao should do their share in attaining peace, because lasting peace can only be achieved through negotiations and not through war.

The dialogue with the people will help the government to form the road map to peace. According to the President the dialogue includes substantive discussion like disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, "to ensure that people will accept the result of the final outcome of the peace talk."

According to the Malacanang press report, the President said that the government is optimistic to start the peace negotiation as soon as possible to fast track the development projects in Mindanao. (PIA 6)


NFA assures stable rice supply for 2009

MANILA (PNA) -- National Food Authority administrator Jessup P. Navarro assures that the country has sufficient rice supply for the next three months which will be further augmented by the coming summer harvest.

Navarro gave this assurance in the wake of the warning aired by the International Rice Research Institute that the country will experience volatility in rice supply resulting from the present global financial crisis.

As of the first week of January, Navarro said, the NFA has some 18.7 million bags of rice which will be sufficient until the middle of this year based on the agency’s operational rice distribution target.

The rice distribution target keeps track of the agency’s average daily rice sales nationwide.

Navarro said the NFA has already learned from the rice supply aberrations experienced last year and has therefore implemented several strategies to improve its grains inventory this year which include the increase in its domestic palay procurement.

From a measly 651,540 bags of palay bought in 2007, Navarro cited that NFA’s palay procurement jumped to 13.2 million bags in 2008 equivalent to 8.7 million bags of rice.

He also noted that due to the efforts made by Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap to increase the agency’s support price for palay to P17 per kilogram, farmers are now encouraged to plant palay that will consequently improve the country’s production of the staple.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the increase in NFA’s support price for palay in April last year.

The government also granted additional P1,800 as fertilizer incentive for every 50 bags of 50 kilogram of palay sold to the agency which the farmers can use in buying their fertilizer requirement to increase production.

Navarro also assured that the NFA will continue to make available the P18.25 per kilogram rice through the Tindahan Natin to families with Family Access Card issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the National Capital Region, as well as those included in the Rice Allocation Ledger of the TN outlets in the provinces.

This is in addition to the P25 and P35 per kilogram rice available in all other outlets for subsidized government rice, including the institutionalized Bigasan sa Palengke, Rolling stores and accredited rice retailers.

"We are always ready to intervene in the market to preempt any unwarranted increase in the price of rice and to ensure that the basic staple is within the reach of every Filipino,” Navarro said. (PNA)


Secretary Limcaoco denies intercession in Brodett’s drug case

Secretary Conrado “Dodie” Limcaoco, Jr. denied today that he interceded in the case of Richard Santos Brodett, one of the so-called “Alabang Boys” who were arrested recently in drug buy-bust operations.

Limcaoco, who heads the government mass media group and Secretary of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) admitted that Bodett is a nephew of his.

In a morning radio interview over dzRH, he did not deny that Brodett’s mother Myra is his first degree cousin.

Although Brodett is a close relative of his, the PIA chief denied using his position to influence the drug case of his nephew who was arrested together with two other suspects—Jorge Jordana Joseph and Joseph Ramirez Tecson. They are scions of prominent families. Their case had dragged big names for allegedly working to secure their release from jail.

In denying any involvement in Brodett’s case, he explained:

“Di ko tinatanggihan na kamag-anak ko po si Brodett pero pinabubulaanan ko po ang alegasyon na tumulong ako upang maimpluwensiyahan agd kaso niya. Di ko po ginagawa ang mga bagay na yan.

When asked if he was contacted by Myra Brodett for possible help, he also said:

“Opo, aaminin ko po na tumatawag po siya. Ang tulong na ginagawa ko ay, as a matter of record, bilang concern ay pumunta ako sa (Camp) Crame...at sinabi ko na gagawin niyo ang tama ayon sa batas. At ang payo ko po sa aking pinsan na kumuha ng abogado na kaniyang pinagkakatiwalaan na siyang ginawa. Si Atty. (Felisberto ) Verano.

“Sa ngayon ay nasa mabuting kalagayan ang aking pamangkin. Sa tanong na kung ginulpi o tinortuyor si Brodett. Alam niyo, ayaw kong paghimasukan pero isa sa diniscuss yata yan sa resolution ng mga prosecutors.”

Limcaoco added that there were pictures taken and medical tests conducted showing the
real physical condition of Brodett and his two other co-accused on the day they were arrested.

He also denied making any call to Justice Secretary Gonzales, Director-General Dionisio Santiago (of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) and Major (Ferdinand) Marcelino, also of PDEA). “Wala po, kahit kay Sec. Gonzales, Katabi ko po si Sec. Gonzales sa gabinete. Di ko siya tinatawagan ang tungkol sa kaso. Ni di ko binabanggit. At wala akong tinatawagan at talagang hinayaan natin ang proseso ng katarungan”.

At the end of the radio interview conducted by Deo Macalma and Ruth Abao, the good secretary reiterated: “Minsan sa isang taon magkita-kita kami (Brodetts) sa family reunion. Bagama’t di ko tinatanggihan na kamag-anak ko sa dugo, at di tinatanggihan na pinsan ko yan (referring to Brodett’s mother Myra), pero di po ako gumagawa ng bagay (na may kinalaman sa kaso) na labag sa batas”.


Rebels continue to terrorize civilians

LUMASAL, Maasim, Sarangani (15 January) – Suspected members of the Lawless Moro Islamic Liberation Front Group (LMG) fired an explosive Wednesday evening (January 14) towards a school-evacuation center of civilians, mostly children.

Although no one was hurt among those taking shelter at Ireneo Lopez Elementary School, the evacuees feared the rebels are going after them for fleeing their village.

More than 300 families fled here after sighting scores of armed LMGs in their village up the mountains of Lumasal which is alongside two MILF camps.

"We believe these terrorists meant to harass the civilians while a pursuit operation is ongoing against them in the mountains," Police Provincial Director Danilo Peralta said.

An Explosive Ordinance Disposal team is conducting an investigation with the municipal police. Shrapnels found resemble an M-203 and fired with an improvised M-79 grenade launcher.

The impact area was a hill some 50 meters left of the school premises where the evacuees have been staying the past six days.

"We condemn this terrorist act against our innocent civilians who are defenseless," Mayor Aniceto Lopez, Jr. said.

"If they want to engage in a firefight, then they have to wage battle with the military and the police, not these innocent Tboli residents," the mayor said. (PIO Sarangani/PIA SarGen)