PIA Dispatch - Thursday, February 19, 2009

PGMA to inspect new bridge in North Cotabato

MAKILALA, North Cotabato — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit here on Thursday to conduct an inspection on a newly-completed bridge that would provide safe travel to motorists and commuters traversing the vital road network linking Davao and Cotabato provinces.

The President’s visit is in line with her administration’s thrust of linking the entire country through an effective transport network that would open up new economic opportunities and enhance access to social services.

Following her visit to Pearl Farm Marina in Lanang, Davao City, the President will motor here to personally look into the P45- million new Malaang main bridge which will serve as linkage to new route connecting the Davao-Cotabato road.

The Chief Executive will be welcomed by local officials led by North Cotabato Governor Jesus Sacdalan, Makilala Mayor Onofre Respicio, 1st District Rep. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, 2nd District Rep. Bernardo Pinol and DPWH XII Regional Director Sinaolan Macarambon.

Public Works and Highway Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. will brief the President on the status of the new Malaang bridge that would provide shorter and safer new route to travelers.

The new access road was constructed as a replacement to the existing double blind curve along Malaang section which have caused several vehicular road accidents.

DPWH North Cotabato District Engineer Leonardo M. Martinez, Jr. said a total of six vehicular accidents occurred in the area last year alone due to the dangerous double blind curve.

Based on the feasibility study conducted by DPWH, it was found out that warning signs are insufficient to ensure road safety.

Thus, Martinez said “we came up with a recommendation to construct a shorter and safer access road to assure the safety of motorists.”

Considering that Kidapawan City is one of the major fruit baskets here in Mindanao, he said it is important to assure the continuous flow of traffic along Davao-Cotabato Road as it is one of the major arterial roads that is being used to deliver goods and services.

The main bridge was constructed in April 2007 and was completed within a year.

But the concrete bridge approaches component has not yet been implemented pending the resolution of a road right-of-way issue.

Likewise, an additional P20-million funding is needed for the completion of the remaining concreting works.


RP claim on disputed territories preserved in new baselines law

Lawmakers assured that the new baselines law has not abandoned nor weakened the Philippine claim over Kalayaan Island group and Scarborough Shoal.

 By treating both territories as “regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines” as stated by the baselines law, congressional leaders in both houses said the Philippines exercises sovereignty without attracting unwanted conflict with neighbors in South East Asia.

China and Taiwan, like the Philippines, have claims over Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal. Other claimants on the Kalayaan Island Group are Vietnam and Brunei.  

Islands under the principle of regime of islands will have their own contiguous zones, territorial seas and exclusive economic zones.

Congress passed the baselines law in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) where an archipelagic country like the Philippines is entitled to define territorial sea of 12 nautical miles, contiguous zone of additional 12 nautical miles, exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, and extended continental shelf of up to 350 nautical miles.

 Archipelagic countries must have baselines laws before May 13, 2009 based on the UNCLOS deadline. #


Soberenya ng Pilipinas sa mga pinag-aagawang teritoryo, protektado sa bagong baseline law.

Tiniyak ng mga mambabatas na hindi inabandona o pinahina man ng bagong baseline law ang pag-angkin ng Pilipinas sa Kalayaan Island Group at sa Scarborough Shoal.

 Sa pamamagitan ng pagtrato sa mga nasabing teritoryo bilang “regime of islands sa ilalim ng Republika ng Pilipinas” alinsunod sa bagong pasang batas, napapanatili ng bansa ang kanyang pag-angkin sa Kalayaan Island Group at Scarborough Shoal nang hindi nagpapasimula ng gulo sa Timog Silangang Asia.

Tulad ng Pilipinas, inaangkin ng Tsina at Taiwan ang Kalayaan Island Group at Scarborough Shoal. Ang iba pang naghahabol sa Kalayaan Island Group ay ang Brunei at ang Vietnam.

Ang mga Isla or Teritoryo sa ilalim ng prinsipiyo ng regime of islands, ay magkakaroon ng sariling contiguous zone, nasasakupang karagatan at eklusibong economic zones.

Ipinasa ng kongreso ang baselines law bilang pagtugon sa United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) kung saan ang isang bansang arkipelago tulad ng Pilipinas ay maaring linawin ang kanyang teritoryong karagatan nang may 12 nautical miles, karagdagang 2 nautical miles para sa contiguous zone, 200 nautical miles na eklusibong economic zone, at pinahabang continental shelf nang hanggang 350 nautical miles.

Kinakailangang mayroong baselines law ang mga bansang archipelago bago sumapit ang ika-13 ng Mayo alinsunod sa palugit na itinakda ng UNCLOS. #


Applications for World War II Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund now open

World War II Filipino veterans (Filvets) may now apply for the one-time lump sum payment from the new US economic stimulus law.

The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) is now working with US Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) in receiving and processing the applications for the World War II Filipino Veterans Equity Fund after US President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law this week. The new law set aside one-time payments to eligible and surviving Filvets in recognition for their services during the last world war. Filvets who are US citizens will receive US$15,000 while non-US citizens will get US$9,000.

Aside from the PVAO main office at Camp Aguinaldo , Quezon City , USDVA will be setting up 17 satellite offices in PVAO bureaus starting next week.  

The US Embassy is encouraging Filvets to apply in person and bring identification documents such passport, driver’s license, senior citizen ID, Postal ID, voter’s ID, VA claim number, service number, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office claim number, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office pension bank account number and US passport for American citizens.

PVAO has prepared wheelchairs, coffee and other amenities to make the applications of Filvets and accompanying relatives comfortable.

The Manila Regional Office of the USDA will make arrangements to obtain the applications for Filvets who could not come in person. Unfortunately, the lump sum payments are limited only to surviving veterans and applications from spouses, widows and children of deceased Filvets will not be accepted.

According to the US Embassy website, Filvets may be eligible to the one-time payment authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 if they are:

  * Persons who served before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States;
  * Members of the organized guerrilla forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States; 
  * Persons who served in the Philippine Scouts under Section 14 of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945; and
  * Service members in each of the three categories above must have been discharged or released from service under conditions other than dishonorable.

Eligible Filvets have only until February 16, 2010 to file their claim for the one-time lump sum payments.

PVAO can be reached through 995-0888 while the US Embassy can be contacted through its public affairs office at 301-2000 local numbers 2363 and 2230.


Aplikasyon sa World War II Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund, binuksan na

Pwede nang mag-apply ang mga World War II Filipino veterans (Filvets) para sa isang bagsakang lump sum payment mula sa bagong US stimulus law.

Nakikipagtulugan ang Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) sa US Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) sa pagtanggap at pagproseso ng mga aplikasyon sa World War II Filipino Veterans Equity Fund matapos lagdaan ni US President Barack Obama ang American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 bilang batas nitong Martes. Naglaan ang bagong batas ng isang bagsakang bayaran ng benepisyo sa mga eligible at nabubuhay na Filvets bilang pagkilala sa kanilang tulong sa huling Digmaang Pandaigdig. Ang mga Filvets na US citizens ay makakatanggap ng US$15,000 samantalang US$9,000 ang matatanggap ng mga hindi US citizens.

Bukod sa punong tanggapan ng PVAO sa Kampo Aguinaldo sa Quezon City, magtatayo ang USDVA ng 17 satellite office sa iba pang kawanihan ng PVAO simula sa susunod na linggo. 

Hinihikayat ng US Embassy ang mga Filvet na personal na mag-apply at dalhin ang mga dokumento tulad ng pasaporte, driver’s license, senior citizen ID, Postal ID, voter’s ID, VA claim number, service number, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office claim number, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office pension bank account number at US passport kung US citizens.

Naghanda ng mga wheelchair, kape, meryenda at iba pang amenities ang PVAO para maginhawaan ang mga Filvet at ng kanilang kasamang kamag-anak na nag-aapply.

Gagawa naman ng paraan ang Manila Regional Office ng USDA para makuha ang aplikasyon ng mga Filvet na hindi makakapunta ng personal sa PVAO o sa US embassy. Limitado lamang ang lump sum payments sa mga nabubuhay na Filvets kaya ang mga aplikasyon mula sa mga asawa, balo at anak ng mga namayapang beterano ay hindi tatanggapin. 

Ayon sa website ng US Embassy, makakatanggap ang Filvet ng lump sum benefit na itinakda ng American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 kung siya ay:  

  * Nakapaglingkod bago sumapit ang ika-1 ng Hulyo ng 1946, sa isang organisadong puwersang militar ng pamahalaang Commonwealth ng Pilipinas , habang ang katulad na puwersa ay nasa serbisyo pa ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Estados Unidos;
  * Miyembro ng organisadong pwersang gerilya sa ilalim ng mga kumander na itinalaga o kinikilala ng Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, o iba pang may karampatang kapangyarihan sa United States Army ; at
  * Nakapaglingkod sa Philippine Scouts sa ilalim ng ika-14 na Seksyon ng Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945.  

Ang isang Eligible Filvet, alinsunod sa tatlong kundisyong nabanggit sa itaas, ay dapat maayos at walang kaso nang matiwalag sa serbisyo.

Ang ika-16 ng February ng 2010 ang huling araw ng pag-aapply para sa lump sum payment.

Maaring matawagan ang PVAO sa telepono bilang 995-0888 samantala ang US Embassy ay matatawagan sa pamamagitan ng kanilang public affairs office sa 301-2000 local 2363 at 2230. #


GMA urges Filipino and Korean business leaders to help their countries navigate the global crisis

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has urged Korean and Filipino business leaders to harness their enthusiasm and wisdom to help forge a strong and strategic bond of cooperation for the prosperous future of the Philippines and South Korea.

‘To help our two countries navigate the current world crisis, let us combine the wisdom of our shared past and enthusiasm to create a firm and strategic bond of cooperation,” the President told the business leaders in her keynote address during the dinner that ushered in February 19-19, 2009 Philippines-Korea Business Forum at the Manila Hotel, Wednesday night.

The forum presages the upcoming celebration of the 60th year of the strong bilateral and economic ties between South Korea and the Philippines.

The President said the two countries can look forward to a brighter future given their vigorous partnership and a meaningful interaction. To substantiate her confidence in the robust bilateral ties of the two countries, she declared 2009 as the official “Philippines-Republic of Korea Friendship Year” and March 3, 2009 as RP-Korea “Friendship Day”

Department of Tourism records show that Korean’s students and retirees are the biggest tourist groups regularly visiting the country

President Arroyo also noted that over 900 Korean companies are currently operating in the Philippines. Among them are Hanjin Heavy Industries, Korea Electric Power corporation (KEPCO), Samsung, LG and Eastern Group.

In terms of development cooperation, the chief executive observed that Korea has been a dependable partner of the Philippines, and has strongly helped her administration achieve the set targets of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan.

She also noted that Korean companies have also helped the Philippine government in upgrading major infrastructures including the Metro Manila North and South Railway Link, the Olongapo-Gapan Road, the Laguindingan Airport in Mindanao, the modernization of the Cavite Memorial Hospital in Trece Martirez City, Cavite.

Korean firms, she added, have also significantly contributed to the country’s information technology and agriculture.

Hosted jointly by the Manila Bulletin and the Maeil Business Newspaper, the First Phil-Kor Business Forum has Maynila Ballroom of the Manila Hotel as its venue. Aptly titled “Rediscovering the Philippines: The Pearl of Asia,” the forum is personally supervised by Ambassador Choi Joong-Kyung, South Korean envoy to Manila.

The forum was also addressed by key officials and business leaders of the two countries. Former President Fidel V. Ramos will officially conclude the forum today (Thursday).

Other upcoming events that will highlight this year’s Phil-Kor festivities include the Philippine-Korean Friendship night and the 34th International Bamboo Organ Festival on February 24 at the Las Piñas Church and the Korean Food Festival at the Manila Hotel on March 3, the Korean Drama and Film week in May and an RP-ROK University Basketball competition in July.

The series of events will be capped in November by the Korean Film Festival, RP-ROK Cultural Festival, and the RP-ROK Economic Forum in Seoul, Korea.