PIA Dispatch - Monday, January 26, 2009

President orders OPAPP to pave way for resumption of Mindanao peace talks

Underscoring the urgency of getting the stalled Mindanao peace talks back on track, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed today newly-appointed Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Avelino Razon to pave the way for the resumption of the negotiations.

Speaking at the 18th Anniversary of the Philippine National Police (PNP) held at the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City this morning, the President Arroyo said the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamaic Liberation Front (MILF) should resume immediately to end the decades-old Mindanao conflict.

“Under Sonny's (Razon) oversight, the peace panel has been directed to touch base with our facilitators and the MILF leaders to schedule the resumption of peace talks," the President said.

"The panel is poised and ready to embark on substantive discussions including ceasefire-related issues, the International Monitoring Team and accelerated development for Mindanao," she added.

The President pointed out that the approaches being implemented by government to achieve peace in Mindanao include "inter-faith dialogue, authentic consultations with the communities and the principle of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration for armed rebel groups."

"This approach gives the PNP a more active approach to the peace process, for one thing, by helping to activate and strengthen local peace and order councils," she said.

The President expressed hope that all sectors would join the government and give their 100 percent support to renewed efforts to forge as permanent peace in Mindanao.

"We hope all parties are as committed as government to resume negotiations soon," the President said.


President tells PNP to work with PDEA to quell drug menace

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to work closely with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to quell the illegal drugs industry that continues to wreck havoc on the lives of young Filipinos and destroy happy family relations.

In her speech keynoting the 18th Anniversary of the PNP held at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, President Arroyo said she expects that closer cooperation between the two agencies would lead to a "fiercer war" against drug lords.

"I enjoin you (PNP) to cooperate with the PDEA with the local government units and other agencies as we crack down on the big drug lords. Let us wage a fiercer war against them on the fronts of law enforcement, judicial action, and policy making," the President said.

She also ordered the law enforcement agency to strengthen its intelligence gathering network to ensure that drug cases filed by the government against drug lords are backed by airtight evidence.

It is expected that you will tighten your intelligence network throughout the country, which is indeed very vast, and endeavor to eliminate the number of drug cases dismissed due to mere technicalities," the President said.

"Let's make sure by building up a good case that will go all the way to conviction," she added.


PGMA bares P300-million outlay for police housing project

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that she has earmarked P300 million for another housing project for members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The President made the announcement during the celebration of the 18th anniversary of the PNP held at the its Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City this morning.

She said she had instructed Interior and Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno to “have the bidding for the whole project done in the next few days.”

No details of the housing project were immediately available, but the PNP already has existing housing projects in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Camp Macabulos, Tarlac; Camp Castaneda, Silang, Cavite; and Camp Capistrano in Cagayan de Oro.

The government has also reserved 400 hectares of land in San Miguel, Bulacan for the PNP.

"Our policemen and women have been valuable contributors to the peace in Mindanao and to the peace all over the country -- in the countryside, in the streets -- that has brought us uninterrupted economic growth for 36 successive quarters, which is a historical record. Never before did we have 36 quarters of uninterrupted growth," the President said.

She pointed out that this growth, coupled with the economic reforms instituted by her administration, has led to the decrease of poverty, the increase of annual employment.

It has also enabled the government to support the seven million micro-entrepreneurs by providing them seed capital to start their businesses.

"This growth and our revenue enhancement measures -- thanks to our congressmen and women who are here with us today -- form the virtuous cycle that has given us the financial resources to increase your ranks and your benefits," the President said.

The benefits, said added, include: housing, healthcare and five pay increases over the span of eight years of her Administration.

On healthcare, the President said that the efforts of her administration to improve health insurance have resulted in an expanded coverage "as never before."

"Health insurance now covers 74 percent of the population, including policemen and women. When a policeman or woman dies, the spouse becomes an automatic lifetime member of Philhealth, including the family," the President said.

She added that public hospitals are also being upgraded, including the "PNP clinics serving the poorest provinces in ARMM, CAR and CARAGA, so that they will become not clinics but small hospitals."

The President said that thanks to the Cheaper Medicine Bill approved by Congress, "the poor from whose ranks many policemen and women come, can buy their essential medicines at half the price of year 2000."

She added that she had instructed the Department of Local Governments (DILG), in cooperation with the Department of Health (DOH) to increase the number of Botika sa Barangay outlets in and around PNP camps in Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Apayao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Lanao del Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra, Misamis Occidental, Agusan del Sur, Kalinga and Surigao del Sur.


Pasig City church and school latest beneficiary of PGMA pro-poor and education programs

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Pasig City today to lead in a feeding program for marginalized children and inspect the progress of the construction of a high school building as part of government-church’s education infrastructure upgrade activities.

First to be visited at around 11:45 a.m. was the Sto. Rosario de Pasig parish along Ortigas Avenue Extension where she, together with Caritas Manila, the social arm of the Church, distributed food packs to some 100 young children of the diocese found to be malnourished.

The President was joined by Msgr. Cesar Pagulayan, Sto. Rosario de Pasig parish priest; Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton Pascual, Pasig City Mayor Robert Eusebio, Pasig Lone District Representative Roman Romulo, Sto. Rosario Barangay Chairman Aquilino dela Cruz Jr., and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Deputy Director-General Roger Peyuan in the distribution of the food packs that consisted of rice, chicken afritada and fried bean sprouts.

She then awarded Pangulong Gloria Scholarship and Livelihood Program Microfinance Assistance Membership certificates to poor but deserving residents to improve their lives by becoming micro-entrepreneurs with their own livelihood program.

The President then went inside the parish church to say a silent prayer to the barangay's patron Sto. Rosario de Pasig, the barangay’s patron saint.

After the church visit, the President proceeded to the nearby Sta. Lucia High School to inspect the progress of the construction of the 4-storey 16-classroom school building to augment the school's classroom shortage.

Sta. Lucia High School Principal Virginia Membrebe said that once the P37-million school building is completed, the school's 3,989-strong student base will be able to hold single-shift classes instead of the double shifting which forces students to attend night classes.

"This will translate to a more efficient teacher-student learning process as classes will be held during normal working hours," Membrebe said.

In a brief message, President Arroyo reminded the students to do well in their studies to be able to get into a good college, and eventually land a good-paying job.

Ira Marquez, a fourth-year high-school student and president of the supreme student body that represents the majority of students, assured the President that they will not waste the opportunities given to them by the government and will study even harder to be able to make a positive contribution to society someday.


EU renews commitment to Mindanao as RP provides additional P500-M for IDPs

The European Union (EU) has renewed its commitment to provide support to families displaced by violence in Central Mindanao (Regions 10 and 12) and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), following a comprehensive briefing last week for EU ambassadors by Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) hosted the briefing on internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the current development in Southern Philippines for the EU, which had earlier announced grants totaling Euros 6.5 million for humanitarian relief.

Cabral also informed the Manila-based EU ambassadors that the Philippine government itself is releasing an additional P500 million for humanitarian assistance to IDPs.

The EU grants are being implemented through international organizations and non-governmental organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Organization for Migration, and Oxfam GB.

In her briefing, Cabral told the EU visitors that the total number of IDPs has declined by 57 per cent since the peak of armed conflict last August, when disgruntled leaders of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front waged a battle with government forces after the MILF failed to secure what they thought would have been a so-called Bangsamoro homeland.

Cabral informed the envoys that the National Disaster Coordinating Council has recently issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 17 on "Guidelines in the Coordination of the Delivery of Humanitarian Services to Disaster Victims and Internally Displaced Persons.”

The circular would streamline the coordination between the Philippine government and international and local NGOs in pursuing relief efforts.

As a major donor to the peace process and the rehabilitation of Mindanao, the European Union voiced “full support” of this initiative, the DFA said.

The Philippine government has so far spent a total of P172.76 million for the affected region, the bulk of assistance going to provision for food, water, sanitation, shelter, non-food items such as clothing, medical services, immunizations, counseling, day-care activities, and education.

Livelihood training for 1,000 people in Lanao del Norte is ongoing, with P12.6 million devoted for the project and rehabilitation. (PNA)


Sultan Bolkiah here on State Visit this week

On the invitation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, is making a three-day State Visit here from January 29 to 31, it was officially announced today by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA said the Sultan’s visit is “an auspicious event” as it comes when the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

His Majesty will be accompanied by Her Majesty, the Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, and Her Royal Highness, Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar.

Brunei Darussalam is also marking its National Day Silver Jubilee this year. (PNA)
V3/GJB


Spanish to be taught in selected public high schools
Pasig City -- ¿Tú hablas Espanol?

The Department of Education (DepEd) starts this coming school year the teaching of Spanish in selected public high schools to better prepare Filipino students in communicating a widely-used second language.

Dubbed as 'Special Program in Foreign Language,' the program is for schools whose students have demonstrated competence in English and are also capable of learning another foreign language.

The program aims to develop students' skills in listening, reading, writing, speaking and viewing which are necessary for the students to acquire communication skills using a second foreign language.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the language program will "prepare the students for meaningful interaction in a linguistically diverse global workplace." "It will also develop understanding and appreciation of other people's culture" he added.

The program shall initially offer Spanish in one school per region. There will be two classes of 35 students each per school.

The pilot schools and their teachers shall be selected by the DepEd Regional Office based on the criteria for selection.

In the selection of the pilot schools, only secondary schools with the highest Mean Percentage Score (MPS) in English in the whole region will be selected.

The school should also be able to provide substitute teachers who will take over the classes of the foreign language teachers while on training.

Lapus added that the pilot schools will also be selected based on the availability of classrooms and support facilities and equipment like computer laboratory with at least ten computers and headsets to support speech lessons.

"One of the criteria in selecting the teachers who will handle the teaching of the foreign language is that they must be willing to finish the crash course and participate in teaching Spanish," Lapus stressed.

The teachers who will be selected to undergo the three-months training will earn units under the continuing education program. The department wants to make sure that when the teaching of foreign language starts in June 2009, there will be enough teachers who will handle the subjects in the selected pilot schools. (DepEd)


PGMA unveils package of benefits for PNP personnel

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo unveiled on Monday a package of benefits for the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as a way to give recognition for their vital role in keeping peace and order in the community.

The President, in her speech during the 18th PNP anniversary celebration in Camp Crame, Quezon City, announced the allocation of P300 million for the housing projects of the men and women in uniform.

“For our police personnel, we have housing units in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan; Camp Macabulos in Tarlac; Camp Castaneda in Silang, Cavite; Camp Capistrano in Cagayan de Oro City, and 400 hectares reserved for you in San Miguel, Bulacan,” the President said.

The Chief Executive said she has already instructed Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno to prepare the bidding for the housing projects in the next few days.

The P300-million fund is part of the P1.7-billion requested by the PNP from the President to finance the ongoing construction of housing projects for 67,400 police personnel who still do not have houses of their own.

Aside from the fund for the housing projects, the President said that she has also ordered the DILG and the Department of Health (DOH) to upgrade the PNP’s clinics serving the poorest provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and CARAGA (Northern and Northeastern Mindanao) Region.

She also asked the DILG and the DOH to establish additional Botika sa Barangay inside or near the PNP camps in Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Apayao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Lanao del Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra, Misamis Occidental, Agusan del Sur, Kalinga and Surigao del Sur.

“In other words, in areas where we have the biggest poor population and most hungry population are located,” she said.

Also as part of the PNP anniversary celebration, the President bestowed awards to PNP’s outstanding officers and support units in recognition of their gallantry and heroism.

Police Officer 1 Carl Marc Jopillo received the coveted Medalya ng Katapangan award for his bravery and heroism in defending the Libertad, Negros Oriental municipal police station against heavily armed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels last Nov. 2.

PO2 Allan Ruiz was posthumously awarded for making the ultimate sacrifice during an encounter with a notorious gang leader in Compostela Valley last Dec. 12.

The Medalya ng Katangi-tanging Asal was received by Barangay Captain Anastacio delos Santos for single-handedly defending his family and community against 10 NPA guerrillas who attacked his residence in Cagayan last Dec. 15.

The President also conferred the Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod to Police Chief Supt. Luisito Palmera and PO2 Jay Macutay for their commendable and invaluable services in the conduct of the search, rescue and retrieval operations in the sinking of the M/V Princess of the Stars and M/B Maejan last Dec. 14.

The Medalya ng Katangi-tanging Gawa went to P/Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac, P/Chief Supt. Constante Azares, and Sr. Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag.

Others who made exemplary performance in 2008 were the PNP Headquarters Support Unit as Best National Administrative Support Unit; Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as Best National Operational Support Unit; Quezon City Police District as Best NCRPO District Police Office; Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office as Best Provincial Police Office of the Year; Davao City Police Office as Best City Police Office of the Year; Pagadian City Police Station as Best City Police Station of the Year; Marikina City Police Station as Best NCRPO City Police Station of the Year; Ayungon Municipal Police Station in Negros Oriental as Best Municipal Police Station of the Year;

Regional Mobile Group-Cordillera as Best Regional Mobile Group of the Year; 201st Provincial Mobile Group Cagayan as Best Provincial Mobile Group of the Year; Police Regional Office 3 as Best Police Regional Office Women and Children Protection Center of the Year; Davao del Norte PPO as Best Police Provincial Office Women and Children Protection Center of the Year; Legazpi City Police Station as Best Urban Women and Children Protection Center of the Year; and Cabiao Municipal Police Station in Nueva Ecija as Best Rural Women and Children Protection Center of the Year. (PNA)


PGMA launches massive food production program

San Fernando City, La Union -- To boost the government's food security program and at the same time generate employment for the poor, President Arroyo has launched recently a campaign for massive backyard food production in urban areas.

In issuing Executive Order 776 on January 16, the President said she intends to strengthen backyard food production as part of her administration's Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) that includes the Gulayan ng Masa and the Integrated Services for Livelihood Advancement (ISLA) for subsistence fisherfolk.

As part of government's massive food production program in urban areas Gulayan ng Masa and ISLA will be implemented with active participation of the Department of Agriculture, local government units and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)

The food production campaign will include setting up of urban vegetable gardens and backyard fisheries in vacant lots and unused government lands, among other places.

President Arroyo has committed P300 billion for pump-priming programs that include CLEEP.

"It is not business as usual, government agencies should hit the ground running," the President said. The government should take advantage of the window opportunity that is, declining inflation and interest rates and good weather."

All governors and mayors are enjoined to set aside funding for the "Gulayan ng Masa" and ISLA in urban areas and designate project supervisors in their respective areas.

The President has tapped state universities and colleges including the University of the Philippines - Los Baños to lend their expertise in agriculture and aquaculture to the program.

During the Marcos Era, a similar program dubbed "Green Revolution" was also launched. Part of that program was "Masagana 99" which was aimed to produce 99 sacks of rice per hectare that was necessary to make the country's rice supply sufficient.

Under that program, high yielding varieties of seeds were introduced, irrigation facilities were built, and agricultural inputs and credits were 85% guaranteed by the government.

Productivity doubled and by 1977, the Philippines was self -sufficient in rice for the first time in modern history.
Similar support made the country self-sufficient also in corn and one of the worlds leading coconut oil producers. (PIA La Union)