Manila (PNA) -- In the first state visit ever to Brazil of a sitting Philippine Chief Executive, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to go to Brazil on June 24 this year, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced today.
Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to discuss enhanced cooperation between the Philippines and Brazil with Brazilian counterpart, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who had extended the invitation through the efforts of Philippine ambassador to Brazil, Teresita Barsana and Brazil`s envoy to Manila, Alcides Gastao Rostrand Prates.
It is not only a historic diplomatic visit for Macapagal-Arroyo but also a hauntingly personal one since she will be retracing the footsteps of her father, the late Philippine Diosdado Macapagal.
In August 2007, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo was in Brazil and reaffirmed the Philippines` commitment to further expand ties with Brazil in his meeting with his counterpart, Celso Amorim, at the sidelines of the 3rd Foreign Ministers` Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).
In that meeting, it was agreed to intensify cooperation in energy security, particularly in ethanol development and utilization.
Prates began his tour of duty in February 2008 by congratulating Macapagal-Arroyo for ``her achievements in the economic front`` when he presented his credentials at Malacanang. That was when Macapagal-Arroyo recalled the hospitality she experienced in Brazil as a young girl.
The elder Macapagal went to Brazil twice, in the 1960s, when he was still Vice President -- the highest ranking Philippine official ever to have visited Brazil.
As a Vice Presidential daughter, Macapagal-Arroyo accompanied her father on one of these trips and recalled that she was impressed with the hospitality of Brazilians. She told Prates during the meeting at Malacanang that while in Brazil, she had wanted to go to Sao Paolo but did not know the way. So she stopped a passerby for directions. Not only was she shown the way, she was escorted all the way to her destination. ``What hospitality, `` she had told Prates.
Diplomatic relations with Brazil was forged in 1960.
The Philippines has significant investments in Recife, in the Swape port of Brazil, with Enrique Razon, the principal investor.
The Latin American country, whose capital is Brasilia, is now the Philippines` largest trade partner in that region and the 25th globally. The DFA said that trade balance has always been in favor of Brazil because of Philippine importation of iron ore.
PGMA set to expand cooperation between RP and Brazil
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will make history on June 24 by being the Philippines’ first incumbent head of state to visit Brazil.
Brazil is the Philippines’ largest trading partner in Latin America particularly in the iron ore trading.
The visit is an outcome of the meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and his Brazilian counterpart during the 3rd Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) which tackled ethanol development and other issues on energy security noong 2007.
But the trip to jolly Brazil is a walk down memory lane for the President.
In the 1960’s, she accompanied her father, former President Diosdado Macapagal when he visited Brazil as Philippine vice president.
She wanted to go to Sao Paolo but she didn’t know how. She asked a passerby who not only gave directions but accompanied her all the way to Sao Paolo. #
Kooperasyon sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Brazil, paglalakasin pa ni PGMA
Nakatakdang bumisita ang Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa Brazil sa ika-24 ng Hunyo.
Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na bibisita ang pinakamataas na opisyal ng Pilipinas sa Brazil.
Ang Brazil ang pinakamalaking trading partner ng Pilipinas sa Latina Amerika particular na sa iron ore.
Ang pagbisita ng Pangulo ay bunga ng pag-uusap ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo at ng kanyang Brazilian counterpart sa nakaraang 3rd Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) noong 2007.
Pangunahing tinalakay nina Romulo ang pagpapalago ng ethanol at iba pang mga isyu hinggil sa seguridad sa enerhiya.
Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakapunta ang Pangulo sa Brazil.
Noong 1960’s, sinamahan niya ang kanyang ama na si dating Pangulong Diosdado Macapagal noong ito ay pangalawang pangulo pa lamang.
PGMA wants heads to roll after an alleged big time drug smuggler fled RP
Malacanang ordered a thorough investigation on the escape of a businessman who allegedly smuggled billion pesos-worth of Shabu in Subic.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is giving the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation one week to submit a report on how a certain Anthony Ang was able to bring in more than 744 kilograms of high grade Methamphetamine Hydrochloride otherwise known as Shabu.
Last May, joint forces of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and PASG arrested Ang when drugs were found in one of his vehicles.
But being known in Subic, Ang was allegedly allowed by authorities to go home and check on his importation.
Ang was reported to have slipped out of the country after allegedly bribing certain officials with Php50-million.
PASG received reports that he had fled to China.
Authorities discovered more drugs in Ang’s other vehicle and warehouse, some of his employees are now in custody.
Based on the assessment of chemists from NBI and PDEA, the value of the seized shabu would cost Php 5 Billion but it could rise up to Php 15-Billion if the drugs would get out in the streets.
Remonde said the President promised that “heads will roll without mercy” if government officials will be found involved in illegal drugs and in Ang’s flight. #
PGMA, paparusahan ang mga sangkot sa pagkakakatakas ng isang hinihinalang drug smuggler
Isang malalimang imbestigasyon ang ipinag-utos ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa pagkakatakas ng isang negosyante nahulihan ng bilyon-bilyong pisong shabu sa Subic.
Ayon kay Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, isang linggo ang ibinigay ng Pangulo sa Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) at ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) para magsumite ng ulat kung paano nakapagpuslit ang isang Anthony Ang ng mahigit sa 744 kilo ng Methamphetamine Hydrochloride o Shabu.
Noong nakaraang Mayo, dinakip ng magkasanib na puwersa ng Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority at ng Presidential Anti-Smuggling Task Force (PASG) si Ang dahil sa hinihinalang droga sa isa sa kanyang mga sasakyan kasunod ng ilang araw na operasyon.
Subalit dahil kilala sa Subic, pinayagan di-umano si Ang ng mga awtoridad na makauwi at matingnan pa ang kanyang importasyon.
Naiulat na nakaalis ng bansa si Ang matapos manuhol di-umano ng Php 50-milyon sa ilang mga awtoridad.
Batay sa ilang mga ulat ng PASG, nasa Tsina na di umano si Ang.
Natuklasan pa ang mga awtoridad ng mga karagdagang droga sa bodega at iba pang sasakyan ng suspek.
Hawak na ng mga awtoridad ang ilang mga tauhan ni Ang.
Sa pagtaya ng mga kemiko ng NBI at PDEA, aabot sa Php 5 Bilyon ang halaga ng purong Shabu. Ngunit posibleng umabot sa Php 15-Bilyon ang halaga nito kung maikakalat ito sa lansangan.
Sinabi ni Remonde na nangako ang Pangulo na gugulong ang ulo ng sinumang opisyal ng pamahalaan na mapapatunayang sangkot sa pagtakas ni Ang. #
Everybody may soon be compelled to do waste segregation
Malacanang will be issuing an order to require households and business establishments to segregate their garbage.
The President made rounds today to find out the rate of compliance of government offices to her directive to reduce wastes by fifty percent.
She also visited the Philippine Navy in the afternoon where she led the renaming of the Presidential Yacht from BRP Ang Pangulo to BRP PAGASA and heard the Navy officers’ report on their compliance with her instructions on waste reduction.
The President assumed the chairmanship of the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) under Executive Order 774.
Friday has been designated as Climate Change Day where the President spends five hours on environmental concerns.
At the International Women’s Day Celebration at the Palace, the President underscored the importance of solid waste management to address global warming.
Like coal and fossil fuels, she explained, methane gas emissions from garbage contribute heavily in warming the world.
President said the Philippines may have less than one percent contribution in global warming but once it kicks off, the country will be among the firsts to suffer its effects.
“We are not climate maker but we are a climate taker, it is in our interest to make sure that global warming is arrested,” said the President.
She also lauded the efforts of women’s groups such as Linis Ganda of Narda Camacho that have been recycling materials from garbage since the 1980s.
Recycling, the President said, is one important program of government against the global warming.
Programa sa waste segregation, pag-iibayuhin ng pamahalaan
Magpapalabas ng kautusan ang Malakanyang para atasan ang mga kabahayan at establisimento na magsagawa ng waste segregation.
Inatasan ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo si Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza para balangkasin ang kautusan matapos dalawin ang isang a materials recovery facility sa Pasig City.
Nag-ikot ang Pangulo ngayong umaga para alamin kung tumatalima ang mga tanggapan ng pamahalaan sa kanyang direktiba para bawasan ang kanilang basura ng hanggang singkwenta porsiyento.
Binisita rin ng Pangulo ang Philippine Navy kaninang hapon kung saan pinangunahan niya ang pagpapalit ng pangalan ng Presidential Yacht mula BRP Ang Pangulo tungo sa BRP PAGASA.
Pinakinggan din ng Pangulo ang ulat ng mga opisyal ng Navy hinggil sa kanilang pagsunod sa kautusan sa waste reduction.
Ang Pangulo ngayon ang tumatayong chairperson ng the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) alinsunod sa Executive Order 774.
Itinalaga ang araw ng Biernes bilang Climate Change Day kung saan gumugulo ang Pangulo ng limang oras sa mga isyung pangkalikasan.
Sa pagdiriwang ng International Women’s Day sa Palasyo, binigyang diin ng Pangulo ang kahalagahan ng solid waste management para lutasin ang global warming.
Tulad ng uling at fossil fuels, ipinaliwanag ng Pangulo na ang sumisingaw na methane gas emissions sa basura ay nakakapagpalubha sa pag-init ng mundo.
Bagamat maliit na porsiyento lang ang kontribusyon ng Pilipinas sa global warming, sinabi ng Pangulo na kasama naman ang bansa sa mga unang mapipinsala kapag umepekto na pag-init ng mundo.
Ito ang dahilan kaya sinabi ng Pangulo na dapat maging pangunahing interes ng Pilipinas ang pagpagil sa global warming.
Pinapurihan din ng punong ehekutibo ang mga gawain ng mga kababaihan tulad ng grupong Linis Ganda ni Narda Camacho na matagal nang nag-rere-cycling ng mga materyales sa basura noong pang dekada otsenta.
Ang recycling ang isa sa mga programang isinusulong ng pamahalaan laban sa global warming. #
Oxford group says RP recorded its best economic performance in 30 years under Arroyo
The Philippines recorded its best economic performance in 30 years during the Arroyo administration.
Thus reported the Oxford Business Group (OBG) which culled its data from the research conducted by the Punongbayan and Araullo Associates, a member of Grant Thornton.
"Under the Arroyo administration in 2007, the Philippine economy experienced its best performance in three decades, recording 7.3% GDP growth," said the OBG in its website.
OBG reported which noted that annual public spending, which was up 10%, was an important contributor to this outcome.
"More importantly, however, was the government's accommodating policy stance and targeted initiatives that fostered an increase in private consumption as well as the burgeoning of a service sector," noted the OBG whose publication 'offers extensive, independent, unbiased and accurate intelligence on 34 countries and is an ideal reference guide for those looking at investment prospects.'
The Oxford Report also stressed that "while the Philippines has not been immune to the effects of the global financial crisis and economic slowdown, it managed to avoid slipping into recession and maintained steady growth in 2008, which was driven in part by the strong performance of many sectors in the first half of the year."
Still on the economic front, the OBG noted that "despite external challenges, on balance, the Philippine economy had one of its best year in decades and by far the strongest headline performance on record since the Asian financial crisis in 1997."
"The government's policy has been to address previous structural failures through the liberalization of selected markets, increasing government spending on infrastructure, and broadening economic support for the poorer segments of the society.
"These shifts in policy, in addition to fiscal consolidation through the improvement of tax receipts and the move towards greater privatization, have been instrumental in attracting a record amount of Foreign Direct Investment," said the OBG as it pointed out that "these economic developments have led to an unprecedented rise in GDP of 7.2% in 2007."
"This rise in GDP can also be attributed to both increased supply and demand as a result of steady exports of electronics and a sharp hike of 17.1% in remittance inflows from overseas workers."
On the political front, the OBG advised possible investors that "it is likely that Arroyo will retain power until the upcoming elections due to support of the lower house of congress, local governments and the military establishment."
This is true, even as "this administration has seen its fair share of challenges since coming to power in 2004, including calls for impeachment and an attempted coup."
"The Arroyo administration has faced much opposition but as a result of tangible progress it remains hopeful for both economic prosperity and national peace," the OBG added.
The OBG reviews countries' taxation systems, "examining the environment for investors," and also guides investors about "hotel, government and other listings, alongside useful tips for visitors on topics like currency, visas, language, communications, dress, business hours and electricity." (PND)
