MANAMA, Bahrain (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received a red-carpet here last night, with no less than His Highness Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Salman Al Khalifa welcoming her at the Royal Terminal of Bahrain International Airport.
The Philippine Air Lines (PAL) flight PR001 bearing the President and her party touched down at the Royal Terminal 7:30 p.m. from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she made a side trip after her successful attendance at the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
After a few minutes of interaction with Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Salman Al Khalifa at the VIP reception room of the Royal Terminal, His Highness rode with the President in a limousine to the Ritz Carlton Hotel, her official residence while in Bahrain.
Joining the President here were Secretaries Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture, Peter Favila of the Department of Trade and Industry, and Marianito Roque of the Department of Labor and Employment.
After a one-hour rest, she proceeded to the International Convention Center of Gulf International Hotel to meet with members of the Filipino community here.
In the evening, the President hosted a dinner for the Filipino community during which she asked them about their living and working conditions here.
Known as the Pearl of the Arabian Gulf and geographically an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the heart of the Arabian Gulf, the Kingdom of Bahrain is a major oil-producing country in the Gulf States since it struck oil in 1932.
To date, Bahrain hosts some 45,000 overseas Filipino workers, 83 of them now permanent residents; 35,910 temporary migrants, and 4,045 irregular/undocumented workers.
Records from the Philippine Embassy in Manama showed that the number of OFWS in Bahrain is still growing since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Nov. 27, 1978.
Filipino workers here said that their working conditions were generally satisfactory; Bahrain has a soft spot for Filipino workers and that Bahrainis have a high regard for Filipino expertise.
They also testified that Bahrain continue to open its doors to Filipino workers notwithstanding its Bahrainization policy.
Implemented since 1996, Bahrainization policy refers to the policy of gradually replacing expatriate workers with locals. Companies here are required by the state to reserve a fixed percentage of their workforce to Bahraini nationals.
Filipino workers here are composed of skilled, semi-skilled, service and tourism and professionals. Some are employed in the information technology/telecommunications sector.
Skills-retooling program going to where OFWs are
The government’s skills-retooling program for Filipino expatriate workers is going where the Filipino workers in foreign countries are.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the new government scheme to upgrade the skills of Filipino workers on Tuesday during her meeting with the Filipino community in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“We are holding professional licensure examinations for Filipino in selected countries like Qatar, Hong Kong and now, Saudi Arabia, to prepare (them) for skilled jobs that command higher salaries,” she said during a meeting with members of the Filipino community in Riyadh on Monday.
The objective is to sustain the upgrading of the capabilities of Filipino workers --- already the employees of choice in various countries for their honesty, industry, reliability and capability to easily learn new skills.
She explained that under the government’s retraining program, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will conduct licensure examinations for Filipino professionals, who have yet to take the exams required for their profession, right in the country where they are working.
The idea is to enable the Filipinos professionals still without license to take the licensure tests without having to return to the Philippines for the examination.
“In that way, professionals who pass the licensure exams will have better chances for promotion and getting higher salary, not to mention job security,” the President said.
She told the OFWs that back home, the government is pushing its skills-retraining program side-by-side with the creation of more jobs.
She cited the ongoing retraining program for call center agents, welders, bakers and chefs for OFWs who have been displaced or those who would lose their jobs in the midst of the current global economic downturn.
She pointed out that the government has also earmarked P1 billion for the Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund (FELSF), one of the safety nets for OFWs displaced in the current global economic crisis.
The FELSF, which is being administered by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is supported by government lending institutions like the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
The FELSF may be used as capital for livelihood projects of displaced Filipino expatriate workers as well as for skills-retooling program, the President said.
She stressed, however, that as she has always pointed out she is looking forward to the day when overseas employment would only be a career option and not the only choice for Filipinos.
Parents, students welcome drug test
By Hannibal C. Talete
MANILA, Feb. 4 (PNA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said that parents and students welcomed the start of the random drug testing in secondary schools.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said that 85, 000 students will undergo the test until November this year.
Maria Ressa Navales, student government head of the Manggahan High School in Pasig City said that the move of the DepEd will prove to be in favor of students themselves.
“We support the random drug test program of the DepEd because it would help prevent illegal drug use,” Navales added.
Another student, 15-year old Cecile Alverde said some of the students were apprehensive of the drug test though she added hastily that no one among her classmates were drug users.
“Of course, we are nervous, we don’t know what might happen to us,” she said as her classmates nodded in agreement.
Parents Teachers Community Association (PCTA) president Edwin Paclibar also voiced support for the program.
“This is a great program of the government and the DepEd to fight illegal drugs. The parents here support the move a hundred percent,” he said.
The school was one of the seven public elementary schools that DepEd choose for the initial run of the program. Ten students from each school will undergo the drug test.
DepEd Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Thelma Santos said that similar tests were conducted at the Potrero National High School in Malabon, Signal Village High School in Taguig, Sta. Elena High School in Marikina , Kalayaan High School in Pasay , Novaliches High School Annex and the Benigno Aquino High School in Fairview , both in Quezon City.
Students in eight private schools, namely the Immaculate Conception College, St. Peter Academy and St. Vincent De Ferrer all in Caloocan, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Valenzuela, College of St. Catherine and St. James College both in Quezon City, MCA Montessori School, Makati and the Our Lady of Pilar Montessori Center in Las Piñas will also be subjected to the test.
The drug test was witnessed by DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus, Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Vicente “Tito” Sotto and other school officials.
Lapus and Sotto assured the parents that the rights of every individual student will not be violated during the drug test.
“Parents need not worry about children’s rights being violated. The guidelines also said we will not forced student to undergo the drug test,” Lapus said.
He also said that this year’s drug test is much more encompassing than the previous program which only covered 9,000 students nationwide.
Sotto said the drug test is “defensive” in nature.
“This is a form of self-defense. This is the community’s first line of defense against the scourge of illegal drugs. We all know that drug syndicates victimize youngsters and students that’s why we are acting in self-defense,” Sotto said.
Fifteen students were picked up in random by computer though only 10 were made to undergo the drug test itself.
DepEd’s Santos said the five will act as “buffer” in case there are absent student in the initial 10 picked randomly.
Those found positive will be made to undergo “confirmatory” testing.
The testing team is composed of two nurses from DepEd to take urine samples, an analyst from the DOH, an encoder and another staff from DepEd to provide assistance.
Santos said Wednesday’s test is just the start of a string of test that DepEd and the DOH will carry out until November to cover some 85, 000 students from 8, 500 schools, Santos said.
“We will do this every day starting February 4 until March 20 and then we will go full-blast in June until November," the official said adding that on Thursday, some 20 schools will be covered by the test.
After Metro Manila, the drug testing team will proceed to Davao and Baguio to conduct similar tests.
Santos disclosed that the DepEd will spend around P25 million for the random drug testing in public and private secondary schools nationwide with a P100-budget allotted for each student.
"The budget for the drug testing kit for each student is P30. The confirmatory testing, the forms, and everything else will amount to P100 per student," Santos added.
Santos however stressed that only shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) and marijuana can be detected from the drug tests, since it would be too expensive for the DepEd to purchase kits which can identify traces of ecstasy and cocaine, which were considered as luxury high-end drugs.
She reiterated that the result of the drug testing should not be used as basis for expulsion.
DepEd conducted a random drug test in 2003 to 2005 after study showed that drug use in six regions of the country, including the National Capital Region (NCR), increase by 10 percent.
In 2004, the DepEd, through its Health and Nutrition Center also conducted drug testing of high school students in 17 randomly selected schools in each region to determine the prevalence of drug users among students.
Likewise, during the previous drug testing only 30 students per school or a total of 9, 000 students were subjected to the test.
Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered a mandatory drug testing among students not only in secondary level but as well as college or the tertiary level after naming herself as the country’s anti-illegal drug czar. (PNA)
Gov’t to generate over 1-M jobs from WB rural farm projects in Mindanao
DAVAO CITY, Feb. 4 (PNA) -- The government is expected to generate over one million jobs for farmers and beneficiaries of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) that will be implemented this year by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
DA Undersecretary for Operations Jesus Emmanuel Paras said the MRDP project is part of the overall government multi-billion peso stimulus package of the government to stimulate the Philippine economy amidst the global recession now crippling the world's giant economies.
"Based on our rule of thumb estimates, yes, it's possible the MRDP project this year can generate over one million jobs for farmers and their beneficiaries in Mindanao," Paras told reporters during a recent media forum here.
For rural infrastructure alone, Paras said a total budget of $ 43 million (approx. P2 billion) has been set aside this year for the construction and repairs of farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, irrigation systems, portable water systems and other farm projects.
As of December last year, the government has already released P114 million for 13 rural infrastructure projects and P57.5 million for 23 livelihood projects in the regions of Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao.
"This project has to start immediately, we cannot wait as the full impact of the global recession will soon be felt by Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor in the rural areas," Paras said.
Funded partly by the World Bank, the MRDP requires a 50 percent share from regional and provincial governments where the various rural infrastructure projects will be implemented.
Project proposals to be funded partly by the World Bank are submitted by these local government units to the DA for review and approval.
The number of farmers, laborers, contract workers and the business opportunities that will grow out of all these projects all over Mindanao, Paras said, can reach over one million people "directly or indirectly benefited by the various MRDP projects" all over Mindanao. (PNA)
WB-gov’t to spend $ 43M in Mindanao to boost farmers' income
DAVAO CITY (PNA) -- Billions of pesos spent on various rural infrastructure projects in Mindanao are expected to boost farmers' income, generate a million jobs and soften the impact of the global recession in the Philippines.
"We're doing everything to make sure these funds are well-spent in this process of pump priming the country's economy through various rural infrastructure projects," said World Bank Task Team Leader Carolina Geron during a recent media forum here.
Geron is working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to set into motion one of the government's stimulus package, the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) whose rural infrastructure projects in the island will be funded with $ 43 million to come from the World Bank and local government units, split 50-50.
The MRDP is a five-year program launched in 2007 jointly funded by the national government, local government units and the World Bank.
It sets into motion various infrastructure projects in the countryside like farm-to-market roads, bridges, rural water supply and irrigation systems.
DA Undersecretary for Operations Jesus Emmanuel Paras said the government has expressed deep concern for Filipino farmers in the rural areas, specially the poorest areas amidst the global recession.
"We've got to help these poor farmers, they have nowhere to go in this global crisis except to the government--and we're here to help them," Paras said.
Spending billions of pesos on various farm projects in the rural areas will definitely help stimulate the economy of this southern island and cushion the full impact of the global crisis, he added.
So far, some P163 million had been released to 19 towns all over Mindanao after 75 of their various rural infrastructure projects were approved by DA and the World Bank in December last year, according to Paras.
Paras said the government has also funded various livelihood projects in Mindanao recently, releasing P67.5 million to local government units in the island's five regions.
These livelihood projects which are expected to soften the full brunt of the global recession this year, include small-time food processing, commercial vegetable growing, pig raising, cattle fattening, poultry and egg production, he said.
"We're hoping all these funds will be released by governors or town mayors directly to farmers and beneficiaries of these livelihood projects instead of being diverted elsewhere," Paras said. (PNA)
Palace assures PGMA will act on pre-need mess
MANILA, Feb. 4 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will look into the pre-need industry mess when she comes back from the US.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde made the assurance in a briefing in Malacanang today, amid calls from legislators and plan holders for the President to step into the pre-need industry controversy.
For the meantime that the President is still abroad, Remonde said an assistance desk was set up at the Securities and Exchange Commission tasked to assist victims of pre-need companies.
Remonde said that in deciding the fate of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), President Arroyo will study the agency’s performance in monitoring and regulating pre-need firms in the country.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said that “it is about time for the President and government start firing some people…”
Remonde stressed that the results of the initial investigations of both the Senate and House of Representatives on the scandal will be used as basis.
The PEP (Parents Empowering Parents) coalition initially went after the Yuchengco group, former owner of the Pacific Plans Inc., and filed the first of a series of charges.
The plan holders group also asked the President to implement reforms at the SEC and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The PEP coalition also urged the President to sack SEC and BSP officials who would be found responsible for the mess.
The Press Secretary said the concerned officials should first be given the chance to fully explain their sides. (PNA)
Saudi investment group coming to the Philippines
MANAMA, Bahrain – King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday that he is sending a high-level business mission to the Philippines in April to look for investment opportunities in the Philippine agriculture sector.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Saudi Arabia manifested its intention to expand its investments in the Philippines during an ambush interview last night (Tuesday) at the Filipino community reception held at the Gulf International Hotel convention center here in Manama.
Yap, who, together with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque and Trade Secretary Peter Favila accompanied the President in her two-day working visit to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, said the business mission will be headed by Saudi Arabia’s ministers of commerce and agriculture.
The President and her lean official party, arrived Monday in Riyadh from Milan, Italy after attending the 2009 World Economic Forum (WFF) in Davos, Switzerland to check the working and living conditions of more than a million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Yap said the Saudi monarch has formed an inter-agency committee composed of the ministries of foreign affairs, agriculture, commerce and industry to come up with an investment program for agriculture in foreign countries, especially in the Philippines.
Yap explained that these investments in agricultural projects in foreign countries are aimed to meet Saudi Arabia's increasing demand for fruits, vegetables and livestock.
He added that Saudi officials have expressed their strong intention to invest in the Philippines because the President enjoys a “high level of credibility and rapport” with leaders of the Gulf states.
The Saudi government has already forged an investment agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the establishment of a five-star hotel, Raffles and Fairmont, on Ayala in Makati City.
While in Davos, Switzerland last week, the governor of the Saudi investment authority requested a meeting with the President to discuss possible investments in the Philippines.
Yap said the Philippine government expects to finalize the proposed investment agreements when the Saudi ministers of agriculture and commerce arrive in the country this coming April
