Malacanang honors 2008’s top child friendly cities and municipalities
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo feted today five local government units for making their areas fit for children.
New Lucena of Iloilo took the lead in the 4th-6th Class Municipality category while San Mateo of Isabela was the champion among 1st – 3rd class municipalities.
Each winner received trophy and Php 300,000 award.
Meanwhile, the number of abandoned, orphaned and neglected children to be placed for legal adoption may increase in the coming months.
Under the new law, DSWD shall process within 3 months all petitions for declaration of children legally free for adoption.
Mga nangungunang child friendly LGUs, pinarangalan ng Malakanyang
Pinarangalan ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang may limang local government unit sa pagsasaayos ng kanilang mga lugar para maging akma sa mga bata.
Ginawa ng pangulo ang paggawad ng parangal sa Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities sa Rizal Hall, sa palasyo ng Malakanyang.
Ang Makati naman ang idineklara bilang pinaka-child friendly sa mga highly urbanized city, ang Naga naman para sa mga charted city at ang lungsod ng Vigan sa mga component city.
Ayon sa Council for the Welfare of Children, hinihikayat ng Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities ang mga LGU para isaayos ang kanilang mga lugar para maging kaaya-ayahang pamuhayan ng mga bata sa pamamagitan ng paggalang sa kanilang mga karapatan.
Nilagdaan ng Pangulo ang Republic Act 9523 o ang batas na pinamagatang “An Act Requiring the certification of DSWD to Declare a Child Legally Available for Adoption.”
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, iproproseso ng DSWD sa loob ng 3 buwan ang lahat ng mga petisyon para madeklara na pwede nang ipa-ampon ang isang bata.
Palace assures Ombudsman probe on alleged SEC bribery case will not be impeded
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the Ombudsman will be able to investigate Securities and Exchange Commissioner Jesus Martinez despite of his retirement from the service.
Martinez has been accused of allegedly accepting bribes from the Legacy group.
The Department of Justice has already organized a panel tasked to probe Martinez’ alleged fraudulent involvement with Legacy.
Pagsisiyasat ng Ombudsman sa diumano’y suhulan sa SEC, tiniyak ng Malakanyang
Inihayag ni Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita na hindi maapektuhan ang imbistigasyon ng Ombudsman sa kaso ni Security and Exchange Commissioner Jesus Martinez matapos magretiro ito sa serbisyo.
Bukod pa ang mga ito sa mga kasong administratibo at kriminal na haharapin ni Martinez.
Sa isang press conference sa Malakanyang, tiniyak ni SEC Chair Fe Barin ang kooperasyon ng komisyon sa mga mag-sisiyasat na ahensiya sa kaso ni Martinez .
Palace condemns as height of arrogance the Sayyaf demand of P50-million ransom for ICRC workers
The first condition would presumably lead to the safe release of the kidnap victims even as Abu Sayyaf warned that any attempt to rescue the hostages was fraught with ``danger.``
In a radio interview this morning, Remonde assailed the pronouncement of the bandit group, saying it has no place in a civilized society.
He also assured that the ``government is on top of the situation, and the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the defense establishment under Secretary (Gilbert) Teodoro are doing their job.``
Remonde was commenting on today’s headline story of the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the bandit group was demanding a P50-million ``cigarette money`` in exchange for the freedom of the ICRC workers.
Remonde stressed that the government is sticking to its policy of leaving it to the Local Crisis Management Committee to resolve the matter.
The local crisis management group knows best how to deal with the problem involving the three kidnap victims, he added.
The Abu Sayyaf`s hardline stand on the release of the ICRC workers was revealed by Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema and Abdul Sahim, chairman and secretary-general of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the PDI report said.
Mary Jean Lacaba, a Filipino; Eugenio Vagni, an Italian, and Andreas Notter, a Swiss, were abducted by armed men last Jan. 15.
The trio had just inspected a water supply facility at the Jolo provincial jail when the kidnappers pounced on them.
Remonde reported that the crisis committee is handling ``many developments` ` involving the kidnapping case, ``but we cannot reveal this in public right now . . . for the safety of the hostages and for national security reasons.``
Malacanang rejected options to pay ransom to kidnappers
Remonde said government is confident that the local crisis committee can handle the situation in Sulu.
The trio, who are Red Cross workers, were taken in January on their way to an airport in Sulu following a visit in a local jail.
He also clarified that the hostages were not separated contrary to reports reaching Metro Manila.
Pagbabayad ng ransom sa mga kidnapper ng ICRC workers, ibinasura ng Malakanyang
Nanindigan ang Malakanyang na hindi nito papayagan ang pagbabayad ng ransom sa mga dumukot sa tatlong manggagawa ng Red Cross sa Sulu.
Ayon kay Remonde, tiwala ang pamahalaan sa kakayahan ng local crisis committee sa Sulu para hawakan ang sitwasyon doon.
Kagagaling ng tatlo sa pagbisita sa isang piitan nang dukutin ng mga bandido habang papunta sa isang airport noong Enero.
Niliwanag din ni Gordon na magkakasama pa rin ang mga hostage taliwas sa mga ulat na nakarating sa Metro Manila.
Palace maintains no ransom policy vs. ICRC abductors
Manila (PNA) –- Malacanang on Thursday reaffirmed its no ransom policy in exchange for the release of the three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers abducted on January 15 by suspected Abu Sayyaf Group bandits in Sulu.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the government will stick to its policy of leaving the matter to the local crisis management committee.
“We stick to our policy. We are leaving this matter to our local crisis management committee which we feel is the body that knows best how to deal with this situation,” Remonde.
Media reports quoted Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema as saying the that ASG is demanding P50 million ransom for the release of the ICRC workers Mary Jean Lacaba, Eugenio Vagni and Andreas Notter.
Remonde said the act of the ASG "should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
The Press Secretary, however, assured that the government is on top of the situation as the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is doing its job.
In fact, he said, there are many developments that are being handled by the local crisis committee but “we cannot reveal this in public right now, for the safety of the hostages and for national security reasons.”
Earlier, the ICRC abductors had demanded the pullout of government troops in the area. (PNA)
RP eligible for large-scale grant --MCC
``Congratulations to the Philippine government for its demonstrated commitment to tackling difficult challenges and improving the lives of its people,`` MCC Ambassador John Danilovich said in a statement.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the MCC statement reaffirms the Arroyo government’s commitment in reducing poverty and focus on making the economy grow.
``This grant is a seal of the government’s good housekeeping, `` Remonde added.
At present, the Philippines enjoys a threshold program status, which means it is only receiving smaller grants designed to help improve performance on specific indicators.
With a compact assistance status next year, the Philippines will be eligible for full assistance from the US-based MCC.
Remonde said the MCC chooses its beneficiaries based on the measure of good governance, the country’s investment on people and policies that encourage economic freedom.
``Being selected as one of the countries given this means a lot and we should all be happy about it. This will be an additional source of capital for investment in economic development, both in human and infrastructure, `` he said.
Countries selected as eligible for a large-scale grant (compact status) have the opportunity to submit a proposal for five-year program to reduce poverty.
The MCC, a firm that works with among the poorest countries in the world, said the Philippines will be given a compact status starting next year. (Janice M. Cave --PNA)
Economic advisers present measures to counter crisis
Davao City -- Economic managers presented yesterday at the Marc Polo Hotel, Davao City the various measures taken by the Philippine government to sustain economic growth in the midst of the global financial crisis.
They, too, urged the local business community to realize government efforts and how these measures have been contributing to the country’s resiliency to the crisis.
Present in the economic briefing are Department of Finance secretary Gary Teves, National Economic and Development Authority secretary Ralph Recto, Department of Budget and Management secretary Rolando Andaya, Department of Trade and Industry undersecretary Merly Cruz, Department of Agriculture undersecretary Segfredo Serrano, Department of Energy Undersecretary Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan.
Teves explained the shift of government fiscal policy by investing into infrastructure and social service sectors to ensure that the economy remains buoyant.
``The crisis calls for our adjustment of policy that is why we have this Economic Resiliency Plan (ERP),`` he said.
Instead of focusing on the country’s interest payments, bulk of the budget will rather be poured on the ERP.
The ERP, according to Recto, is designed through better revenue collection, enhancement of cash liquidity, access to credit and low interest rates, and more effective spending.
The government has now focused its investment on infrastructure development. This includes construction, repair, rehabilitation of irrigation, and construction of local roads.
However, to ensure effective spending, Recto advised agencies to closely monitor the implementation of projects in the local level.
DBM has already frontloaded 60 percent of its infrastructure development budget for the first half of the year.
``This brings the frontloaded infrastructure program to P100 billion, more than 200% higher than the P33 billion in 2008,`` Andaya said.
DBM prioritizes infrastructure projects like Surigao-Davao Coastal Road rehabilitation, Kapalong-Talaingod- Valencia Road, and the reconstruction of Baganga Bridge and approaches along Davao Oriental-Surigao del Sur Coastal Road.
The ERP is expected to generate more than 800,000 new jobs which is believed to help the government reach the target of 3.7 to 4.4 percent GDP growth for this year. (Mai Gevera - PIA XI)
Japan commits funding support for three projects
Davao City -- The Government of Japan, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), committed to provide funding support for three projects during High-Level Consultations on Yen Loan Assistance with the Philippine government at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Boardroom, Pasig City.
Representing the two countries were NEDA Deputy Director-General Rolando G. Tungpalan and Japan MOFA Director of Loan Aid Division, International Cooperation Bureau Takashi Miyahara.
The projects are: Forestland Management Form of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) costing some PhP4.52 billion; the Support Program for Agri-Enterprise Development (SPAED) of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) worth some PhP9.6 billion; and the Logistics Infrastructure Assistance Facility (LINAF) amounting to about PhP16 billion.
ProFORM is a 10-year project that aims to rehabilitate degraded economic conditions of affected communities in the three critical river basins in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3) and Western Visayas (Region 6).
The project aims to strengthen forestland management and improve the socioeconomic conditions and the quality of life of upland dwellers. ProFORM covers survey and mapping and forest land use planning, community organizing, site development (reforestation, agroforestry, silvopasture and enterprise development) , agroforestry support facilities, policy initiatives, monitoring and evaluation, and project management. Of the total project amount, around PhP3.56 billion will be funded by JICA loan and government will counterpart PhP956.24 million.
The SPAED aims to spur economic growth and improve living conditions by providing new job opportunities and increasing the level of investments, particularly in the private sector and to make available short, medium and long term funds to address the credit needs of key players in the agricultural sector.
The project will mostly augment the existing fund supply of LBP to address the credit gaps of three priority sectors related to agriculture (small farmers and fisherfolks, small and medium scale enterprises and anchor firms/agribusiness enterprises) and direct lending and conduits, as well as project management and enhancement of information technology and human resources. To be implemented over five years, around PhP7.70 billion will be funded by loan and the rest will be the government counterpart.
Meanwhile, the LINAF aims to improve infrastructure which directly impact on prices of basic commodities; stimulate economic activity thru sea links between islands and regions; provide greater mobility for commuters, open up new markets for agricultural products and tourism and raise standards of logistics and distribution system to make the country competitive globally.
The project covers the provision of Roll-On Roll-Off vessels, roads, packaging transport and distribution facilities, bulk and cold chain and municipal markets. (NEDA-PIA XI)
Indonesia supports RP`s peace process
Manila (PNA) -- Indonesia today reiterated its full support for the success of the full implementation of the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) signed in 1996.
The call was made by Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Rezlan Ishar Jenie at the opening of the 3rd Tripartite Meeting of the Government Peace Panel (GRP), the MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) here this afternoon.
``Indonesia stands ready to shoulder its part,`` Jenie said as he appealed ``for the OIC members to be forthcoming in supporting economic development of the region (Mindanao).` `
Jenie is presiding officer at the three-day session as chair of the OIC-Peace Committee in Southern Philippines.
The conference tackles the full implementation of the GRP-MNLF peace process signed in Malacanang Palace on September 2, 1996, ending 25 years of warfare in Mindanao.
The first two tripartite meetings were held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Istanbul, Turkey.
This is the first time the Philippines is holding the conference.
``It has been exactly one year since the Istanbul Meeting, where we decided to extend the mandate of the five Working Groups to enable them to come up with concrete recommendations, `` Jenie said in his opening remarks.
``We are now meeting here to consider the outcomes of the Joint Working Groups; to push for implementation of those already agreed between the parties, and identify the challenges with a view to find a way to move forward the peace process,`` Jenie added.
He stressed that ``the main objective of this meeting is to ensure effective and full implementation of the peace process.``
Jenie said this is now the chance to move forward the peace process, saying ``we should not let this momentum slip away from our grasp.``
``We must succeed in answering our duties as leaders in our respective fields and regions, and to go beyond our differences, to focus our combined energies to strive for our common goal: the establishment of peace and development in Southern Philippines, `` he said.
Jenie cited the importance of establishing peace and development in Mindanao. ``The urgency today, is for everyone to find the courage, give substance to our peace process. Courage has been shown by the singing of the Peace Agreement in 1996. Nevertheless, further steps are still needed,`` he said.
Jenie also said that ``the time for action...is now.``
``The attempts to secure sustainable peace will not be an easy task, but I believe that, with strong political will, together we can,`` Jenie concluded. (PNA)
GRP-MNLF-OIC review implementation of 1996 Final Peace Agreement
Manila (PNA) -- The three-day third session of the tripartite talks among the government of the Philippines (GRP), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) opened this afternoon in Manila with all three heads of delegations acknowledging that the Filipino people have been waiting ``far too long`` for peace to descend in Mindanao.
The current session convenes to evaluate the results of the joint working group meetings between the GRP and the MNLF which are being facilitated by the OIC-Peace Committee of Southern Philippines, also known as the Committee of 12 (C12).
The Committee of 12 is led by Indonesia. The first two sessions were held in Jeddah and Istanbul respectively.
At least five key issues are bones of contention in the protracted sessions of the GRP and MNLF, revolving mainly on the review of how the 1996 Final Peace Agreement has been implemented.
The issues include the integration of Muslims in mainstream government, the Shari`ah law and the judiciary, education and economic development.
Among others, the Agreement led to the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), with Nur Misuari as the first governor.
But GRP panel head Nabil Tan emphasized in his opening statement that ``a review is not a renegotiation but a review of how implementation has fared.`` His point of view was shared by Special Envoy Sayed El-Masry of Egypt, who represents the OIC Secretary-General.
``The Bangsamoro has been looking at us for many years to help them out,`` Masry said, as he reiterated appreciation for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her laudable efforts in achieving peace in Mindanao.
The 200-strong MNLF delegation was headed by its chairman, the irrepressible Misuari, who lamented the slowness of the implementation process and noted that it has been 33 years since the first Agreement was brokered by Libya, 13 years since the 1996 version in Indonesia and four years since the tripartite talks were first broached in Sanna, Yemen.
In his trademark fiery line, Misuari lambasted what he called as ``platitudes after platitudes on peace`` and appealed that his listeners ``search (their) conscience, to make a resolution to break the cycle of terror and war in our homeland.``
In so many words, and in his usual exasperated mode, Misuari declared that the current sessions ``is our last chance …and if we don’t succeed in peace talks…we have no choice but to…probably return to our (MNLF) message of independence. ``
Ambassador Masry and two other members of the OIC C12 reacted and said ``that’s Misuari as he is…we’ve heard that before.``
The OIC C12, which handles the Mindanao problem and led by Indonesia, includes Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Libya, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Brunei, Bangladesh, Senegal, Pakistan and Somalia.
Other high-profile MNLF members at the sessions included former ARMM Gov. Hussein Parouk, who is the MNLF`s Foreign Affairs Secretary, and Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema.
Parouk noted that peace talks ``can’t go on forever, but a review of the Agreement`` is vital. Even during his time as ARMM governor, Parouk had vigorously espoused putting Muslims in key government institutions such as the Supreme Court.
``Definitely, there is a Muslim who is qualified to be there (SC)…as much as there have already been Muslim associate justices in the Court of Appeals and the Commission on Elections,`` he told the Philippines News Agency at the sidelines of the session.
``We need to review an issue in the Shari`ah law and justice system for Muslims,`` he said. He referred apparently to the stringent requirement that admission to the Shari`ah Bar is predicated with membership in the secular and mainstream Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
In his opening statement, Masry pointed to the urgency of getting real deals in the current sessions. ``In front of us is a real clue to move forward and let not the momentum slip away from our grasp.``
There is ``urgency for everyone to find the courage to put substance in to the peace process,`` Masry emphasized. ``The time is now…and I appeal to the OIC to be steadfast in their commitment.` ` (PNA)
