GMA commends BOC for Anti-Red Tape law compliance
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today commended the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for being the first state agency to comply substantially with Republic Act 9485 of 2007, otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act.
The President made the commendation during her brief visit to the BOC headquarters in Manila Thursday morning, to personally check on the agency’s successful implementation of RA 9485 and its reportedly enhanced operations efficiency.
BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales, Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) president Antonio Kalaw, and Civil Service Commission (CSC) Assistant Commissioner Anicia De Lima were on hand to welcome the President who was accompanied by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya.
De Lima said the President’s visit to the BOC was meant to highlight the agency’s compliance with RA 9485 and stress the administration’s resolve to curb red tape and illegal transactions in government offices.
She said BOC’s record as the first state agency to substantially comply with the Anti-Red Tape law will hopefully reverse the negative public perception of the Customs bureau.
“Dahil po mabilis na ngayon Ma’am, hindi na po ako pinapawisan sa paghahanap ng container van namin sa pier gaya noon, kaya maganda na po ako maghapon ngayon” (Because the process is much faster now, I no longer perspire searching for our container vans, so I now look beautiful the whole day Ma’am), Carreon flippantly told the President.
Customs brokers Isabelita Galera and Marites Ortega also coinfirmed to the President that Customs operations at the Port of Manila have vastly improved even as efficiency in releasing cargo at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has yet to catch up.
During her BOC visit, the President also inspected the agency’s Formal Entry Division (FED), the office that completes the processing of documents submitted by importers and brokers.
The Chief Executive likewise checked on BOC’s complaints desks and hotlines and its Materials and Recovery Facility outside the building.
DOLE urge displaced workers to learn new skills to survive financial crunch
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) sees skills matching to solve worker displacement.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said there will always be job opportunities if displaced workers are ready to be trained for new trades.
He encouraged displaced workers to take advantage of the skills trainings that government offers to make themselves competitive in the job market.
DOLE has reported that there are 200,000 job openings at government sector especially at the Department of Public Works and Highways which is willing to hire half a million workers for its on-going projects.
The Philippine Army, which will be celebrating its 112th anniversary on March 23, continues to recruit new bloods.
Applicants are advised to submit their documents at Army Recruitment Centers in Fort Bonifacio, in Camp Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu and in Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro.
Candidates should be 18 to 23 years old, at least 5’4” for males and 5’2” for females and physically and mentally fit.
Once enlisted as regular members of the Philippine Army, new soldiers will receive Php 13,000 basic monthly salary and other benefit.
The Army also needs doctors, dentists and other professionals.
Mga manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa financial crunch, hinikayat mag-sanay ng DOLE
Skills matching ang nakikitang solusyon ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) para maresolba ang pagkawala ng trabaho ng mga manggagawa.
Ayon kay Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, hindi mawawalan ng oportunidad sa trabaho ang mga manggagawa kung handa silang matuto ng mga panibagong kaalaman.
Hinikayat ni Roque ang mga manggagawa na samantalahin ang mga pagsasanay na isinasagawa ng mga iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan para maging kanais-nais o competitive sa job market.
Iniulat ng DOLE na may 200,000 job openings sa pampublikong sektor at isa na rito ang Department of Public Works and Highways na handing kumuha ng kalahating milyong manggagawa para sa kanilang mga proyekto sa buong bansa.
Samantala, ang Philippine Army ay patuloy sa pangangalap ng mga bagong sundalo.
Pinapayuhan ang mga aplikante na may pangarap magkaroon ng military career na magsadya sa Army Recruitment Centers sa Fort Bonifacio, sa Kampo Lapu-Lapu sa Cebu at sa Kampo Evangelista sa Cagayan de Oro.
Ang mga kandidato sa pagkasundalo ay dapat nasa pagitan ng 18 at 23 anyos, may taas na 5’4” para sa mga lalaki at 5’2” para sa mga babae at malusog ang kaisipan at pangangatawan.
Kapag nakapasa bilang sundalo, siya ay tatanggap ng buwanang sahod na Php 13,000 at iba pang benepisyo.
Nangangailangan din ang Army ng mga doktor, dentista at iba pang propesyunal.#
Speedy processing at Bureau of Customs lauded
Reforms at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) made brokers very happy.
What seemed to be forever, customs brokers can now expect their papers to be released at the Formal Entry Division (FED) within 2 – 3 hours.
FED is one of the busiest divisions at BOC where papers submitted by brokers and customs representatives.
“Napakabilis…dating kasi 2 days…basta walang problema ang papeles, half day lang…(It was so fast …it used to be 2 days…as long as the papers are in order, you’ll only have to spend half day),”said Isabelita Galera who moving pet foods and bathroom tissues.
She thanked the FED management for upgrading their system which primarily hastened up the process that takes 2- 5 days to be completed.
With the processing time shortened, veteran broker Annalyn Carreon told President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that she gets extra time to fix her make-up after a whole day of work at the pier.
Galera and Carreon are two of the brokers that the President met when she inspected the FED operations at the Customs Head Office in Manila this morning.
She was accompanied by with Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales and Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya Jr.
The President attributed the improved performances of BOC to the implementation of the RA 9465 otherwise the Anti-Red Tape Act which aims at fast-tracking governments transactions such as applications or renewal of permits, licenses and other documentation to eliminate opportunities for corruption. #
Mabilis na pagproproseso ng papel sa Bureau of Customs, pinapurihan
Pinaligaya ng mga reporma sa Bureau of Customs ang mga customs broker.
Kung dati ay parang habambuhay ang kanilang paghihintay, ngayon ay dalawa hanggang tatlong oras na lang ang gugugulin ng mga broker sa Formal Entry Division (FED) sa pag-aantay ng kanilang mga papel.
Ang FED ang isa sa mga pinaka-abalang dibisyon sa BOC kung saan dumadaan ang lahat ng mga dokumento ng brokers at customs representatives.
“Napakabilis…dating kasi 2 days…basta walang problema ang papeles, half day lang…, sabi ni Isabelita Galera na isang broker ng pet foods at bathroom tissues.
Pinasalamatan ni Galera ang pamunuan ng FED sa pagsasaayos ng kanilang sistema na siyang susi sa pagpapabilis ng kanilang pagproproseso ng mga papeles na dating inaabot ng dalawa hanggang limang araw bago makumpleto.
Dahil umikli ang oras ng kanyang pag-aantay, tuwang-tuwang ibinalita ng beteranong broker na si Annalyn Carreon kay Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo na mayroon na siyang panahong mag-ayos ng kanyang make-up matapos ang maghapong pagtatrabaho sa pier.
Sina Galera at Carreon ay dalawa sa mga brokers na nakilala ng Pangulo nang kanyang inspeksyunin ang operasyon ng FED sa tanggapan ng BOC sa Maynila kaninang umaga.
Kasama ng Pangulo sa inspeksyon sina Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales at Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya Jr.
Ang pinabuting serbisyo ng BOC, ayon sa Pangulo, ay bunga ng pagtalima ng ahensiya sa Republic Act No. 9465 na mas kilala bilang the Anti-Red Tape Act na naglalayong pabilisin ang mga transaksyon ng gobyerno tulad ng renewal ng permits, licenses at iba pang pagdudukumento upang maiwasan ang mga oportunidad sa korupsyon.
There’s more than sufficient number of jobs for displaced workers, DOLE says
Manila (PNA) -- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Marianito Roque has assured that there is more than sufficient number of jobs for workers in the country as well as for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the global economic slowdown.
Roque said in a radio interview that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo` s emergency employment program alone can generate more than 200,000 jobs.
Under the program, all government agencies are ordered to set aside 11.5 percent of their savings so that they can hire temporary workers and thus help offset the effects of the global financial crisis.
Roque also said that the administration` s emergency employment program will start in April, immediately after completion of its guidelines.
According to him, the government employment opportunity figures could further skyrocket as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) intensifies its own employment program which calls for the hiring of around 500,000 temporary workers who will be deployed to the agency’s various priority infrastructure projects nationwide.
``The challenge now is not finding sufficient jobs for our displaced workers numbering around 40,191 individuals, but insuring that their skills are sufficient for their new jobs,`` the DOLE chief said.
If the displaced worker does not feel like working locally, Roque said some 500,000 job vacancies exist overseas, which they can avail of provided that they pass their prospective employers` qualification standards.
He also said that the DOLE is already taking steps to insure that the workers will be more than fit to handle the tasks in their source of livelihood through the assistance of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The DOLE chief added that displaced workers interested to become entrepreneurs are advised to register into the government’s livelihood assistance program wherein qualified individuals are provided with sufficient funds and expertise so that they can set up their own mini-businesses and help other acquire gainful employment.
Roque explained that the national government has provided close to P65 million to help about 3,000 workers start their own business.
He also said that the DOLE has provided employment referral assistance to about 12,000 displaced workers and helped another 3,000 others become beneficiaries of its livelihood assistance projects.
He advised displaced workers interested to avail themselves of these services to go to the nearest DOLE field office or visit the Phil-Job net website for information regarding new job vacancies.
DOLE, Malacanang and over 150 land-based and sea-based recruitment agencies recently organized a forum to fast track efforts in helping displaced Filipino workers find jobs overseas.
Roque said the forum on overseas employment was part of national efforts in job generation and job preservation, which are being pursued intensively to cushion the impact of the global economic downturn on the people.
He also said that the overseas employment forum complemented an earlier presidential initiative, the Job Summit dubbed as ``Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis,`` which drew together labor and management and other stakeholders in Malacanang last February 9 to tackle measures aimed at preserving jobs for Filipino workers and addressing the problem of unemployment caused by the global economic crisis.
``The DOLE is at the frontline in these initiatives as it strengthens its readiness to deliver services to the workers which include helping them find jobs whether locally or overseas,`` Roque said.
He said that for the overseas employment forum, the DOLE mobilized and gained the support of the recruitment industry in the efforts to place Filipino workers in productive jobs abroad.
Sec. Ebdane assures concreting of Tabuk-Bontoc road by 2010 TABUK, Kalinga – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. assured that the concreting of the Tabuk-Bontoc road will be completed by 2010 as he directed DPWH-Cordillera Administrative Region and the Kalinga District Engineering Office (KDEO) to closely supervise the implementation of the project.
During his recent inspection of the project, he asked contractors to work 24 hours to beat the target completion of the SONA road project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“We have requested the contractors to finish the project within time frame and I am optimistic that the same will be done before President Arroyo ends her term,” Ebdane said.
It can be recalled that President Arroyo issued a directive to Ebdane to hasten the completion of Cordillera roads including the rehabilitation of the Halsema Highway so it could be inaugurated by 2009.
Ebdane also appealed to the people to help guard those projects particularly the steel parts of bridges that are being destroyed by irresponsible individuals. He urged the people to help government monitor the implementation of the projects and help protect them from man-made destructions. “I ask your patience but let us also protect these projects,” he told residents in the project sites.
He praised members of Bantay Lansangan, an NGO road watch team organized in instruction of drainage system within the Poblacion. The amount of P360,000 was used for the community Development Assistance Program of the individual members of the Sangguniang Bayan particularly for the financial assistance projects to individual families in the municipality. (PIA CAR- Kalinga)
Provincial Board bats for hiring of local manpower in SONA projects
Bontoc, Mt. Province - Unemployment is one problem in the province that members provincial officials would like to address.
One measure that Board member Marcial Lawilao, Jr. proposes is for all winning contractors of State of the Nation Address (SONA) projects and other projects to give preferential consideration to people from the province especially those who reside within the area where the project is being implemented.
To give jobless constituents a chance for employment, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan here passed a resolution requesting all winning contractors of SONA projects to give preferential consideration to people of Mt. Province with respect to manpower/labor.
There are three SONA projects currently being implemented in the Mt. Province - the Halsema Highway road project Phase II from Mt. Data to Bontoc, Phase III covering Bontoc to Banaue, Ifugao and the Bontoc-Lubuagan-Tabuk road.
When completed, these roads will strengthen linkage between Regions II and CAR and would promote development in the areas of upland agriculture, and tourism. These roads largely cater to the transport of highland vegetable products to the markets in the lowlands.
The economic development ushered by the completion of Phase I from Baguio City to Mt. Data is now being felt with the shorter travel time and safer and more comfortable travel. (PIA CAR- Mountain Province)
COMELEC ensures safeguards in automated counting machines
The automated counting machines (ACMs) are not fool proof, but they will deliver what was expected of them, a ranking official from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said.
In an interview over Radyo ng Bayan, COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez said questions about the security of the ACMs are understandable considering the technology to be used is new.
In any case, Jimenez said there are plenty of safeguards in the design of the ACMs.
One example is the precinct result which has several back-up copies; another is the speed of the ACM process that leaves no opportunity for manipulation of elections results while being transmitted from precincts to the board canvassers in the local, provincial and national level.
Jimenez said even codes to be used in the machines will be subjected to code review before deployment.
And finally, the COMELEC will be holding a dry run in the presence of all political parties.
When all parties are satisfied with the dry run, that is the time, Jimenez said, when COMELEC will seal and leave the ACMs undisturbed until election day.
Earlier, Malacanang palace thanked both houses of Congress for passing the Php11.3- Billion Supplemental Budget to automate the 2010 elections.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will surely sign the law as poll automation is one of her major programs.
Safeguards sa Automated Counting Machines, tiniyak ng COMELEC
Hindi fool proof ang automated counting machines (ACMs) subalit magagawa nito ang mga inaasahan ng bayan na gagawin nito, ayon sa isang mataas na opisyal sa Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
Sa panayam ng Radyo ng Bayan, sinabi ni COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez na natural lang magkaroon ng mga pagdududa hinggil sa seguridad ng ACM dahil bagong teknolohiya ito.
Sa kabila nito, tiniyak ni Jimenez na napakaraming safeguard ang ikinunsidera sa disenyo ng ACM.
Ilan sa mga halimbawa ng safeguard ay ang precinct result na napakaraming back up copy at ang pagproproseso ng ACM na napakabilis at hindi kayang pakialaman ng sinumang nagnanais baguhin ang resulta ng halalan.
Sinabi pa ni Jimenez na kahit ang mga kodigo ng mga makina ay isasailalim pa sa code review bago ipadala sa mga presinto.
At panghuli, ang COMELEC ay magdaraos ng dry run sa harapan ng mga partidong pulitikal.
Kapag kuntento ang lahat sa resulta ng dry run, ito na ang panahon, ayon kay Jimenez, para selyuhan at huwag galawin ang mga ACM hanggang sumapit ang araw ng halalan.
Una na rito, nagpasalamat ang Malakanyang sa Senado at Kongreso sa pagpasa ng Php11.3- Billion Supplemental Budget para gawing automated ang 2010 elections.
PGMA seeks help of lady justices, judges in campaign against human rights violations
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today enlisted the support of lady justices and judges in the speedy resolution of human rights cases and cited the central role women's groups play in the campaign for gender equality.
Addressing the delegates to the International Association of the Women Judges Asia-Pacific Regional Conference held at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang this noon, the President paid tribute to women's groups like the Philippine Women Judges Association for their support to the government's campaign for the protection of human rights.
"I ask the support of the Women Justices Association to make it our joint advocacy that the human rights cases move faster in the courts," she said.
"In the area of women's rights, we have made great strides," the Chief Executive said, as she expressed pride that in terms of gender parity, the Philippines is among the top six in the world and the top rated in Asia.
"We are number one in the world in gender equality in terms of literacy rate, and we share the number one spot with some other countries for female enrollment in primary, secondary and tertiary education," she said.
This success, she said, was achieved because of the work of women's groups like PWJA, and the support of majority of the Filipino people.
Although the country has for many years faced many challenges that impinge on human rights, the President said, she was pleased by the recognition given to the gains made by the government on human rights.
Among these achievements are:
a). The huge drop in the number of cases of unexplained killings in the last two years as a result of the many deterrents that the government has instituted against human rights violations.
b). The continuing human rights education and information campaigns in the police and military organizations, usually in partnership with the independent Commission on Human Rights.
c). The identification of non-state actors such as the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army, lawless groups within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group -- as among the major perpetrators of human rights violations in the Philippines.
d). Improvement in jails and detention centers managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology as a result of decongestion efforts.
e). Recognition of freedom of speech and of the press; internet freedom and academic freedom; freedom of assembly and association; freedom of movement and protection of internally displaced persons, refugees and stateless persons, electoral rights of citizens, protection and respect of women's rights and the work of international non-government organizations investigating violations of human rights.
The President said, however, that the core issue of human rights is "alleviating poverty, which is my number one issue."
She said her administration’s main focus is to uplift the poor, provide opportunity in good times and protect the most vulnerable in bad.
The President said that over the years her administration pursued programs intended to bring the fiscal house in order and raised revenues to invest in people.
The government's fiscal stimulus program, which will fast-track government spending in infrastructure and agriculture development, is also designed to create new job opportunities for those who have been impacted by the global economic crisis.
At the same time, she said, the government is increasing investments in social services to expand safety nets for the poor, the most vulnerable members of society.
Despite the challenges that the country is facing in the midst of the global economic downturn, the President assured that her administration will not falter in its campaign to protect human rights, women’s rights and the alleviate poverty.
"We will fix our sights on a vision of reaching the verge of the first world in 20 years," she said.
Ceasefire with MILF is holding – Secretary Razon
Manila (PNA) -– Ceasefire between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is holding despite sporadic attacks by three recalcitrant MILF commanders since August last year, according to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Avelino I. Razon Jr.
In an interview with television hosts Bobby Guanzon and Cathy Vilar on their program "Isyu Ngayon" on NBN-4, Razon said that by all indication, the MILF "generally adheres to the ceasefire" it signed with the government in 1997 during the time of President Fidel V. Ramos.
The ceasefire agreement was reaffirmed by the Arroyo administration in 2001. Razon expressed the belief that the MILF is "sincere", citing the fact that the "ceasefire is holding" except for the three MILF commanders Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato and Aleem Solaiman Pangalian who launched unprovoked attacks on civilian population in some parts of Central Mindanao following the aborted signing of the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) in August last year.
These three renegade MILF commanders have been the object of a region-wide manhunt by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Razon said police action against these three erring MILF commanders will continue.
He said that the government is now implementing its authentic dialogue with stakeholders to end the long-drawn Mindanao conflict that has killed over 120,000 during the past four decades.
The peace process, Razon stressed will continue even as he vowed that government will "never abandon peace."
Through authentic dialogue with all stakeholders – Muslims, Christians, Lumads and the youth, Razon has reiterated his optimism that peace in southern Philippines is not far-fetched.
"I think peace can be attained," Razon said.
Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met with Malaysian Prime Minister Addullah Ahmad Badawi on the sidelines of the just-concluded 14th Leaders Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Thailand where they talked on the proposed resumption of formal peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
‘RP no longer sick man of Asia’ Los Angeles—
The Philippines is no longer the “sick man of Asia,” Philippine Cabinet Secretary Edgardo D. Pamintuan declared in a series of dialogues with Filipino-American community leaders in the United States.
“It used to be that when America sneezes, the Philippines is already suffering from pneumonia. But as the US, Japan and many other countries slide deeper into recession, the Philippines has still been registering respectable economic growth,” Pamintuan said.
Pamintuan, chair of the Subic-Clark-Alliance for Development, is head of a four-man delegation from the Philippines on a “good news” road show about the economic performance of the country in the face of the global crisis; the developments of key infrastructure projects; as well the progress of the conversion of Clark and Subic from military to economic bases.
With Pamintuan, who is also development champion for the Luzon Urban Beltway super region and presidential adviser for external affairs, are Alexander Cauiguiran, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Clark International Airport Corporation, Undersecretary Danilo de Austria Consumido and Director Leonardo Kirk Galanza of the Office of External Affairs of the Office of the President.
Pamintuan and his team met with leaders of the Filipino-American community in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. They will meet with Filipino-American leaders in San Francisco this weekend.
Noting that infrastructure development is key to mitigating the impact of the global crisis, Pamintuan enumerated several key infrastructure projects being implemented in the Luzon Urban Beltway super region, which covers Central Luzon, Metro Manila and the Southern Luzon provinces.
He said these projects are mainly road and highway networks, rail systems, airports and seaports that are aimed to interconnect the production and industrial enclaves of Southern Luzon to the commercial and consumption centers of Metro Manila, and to the rest of the world through the freeports of Clark and Subic.
“We are trying to create a seamless network of multi-modal transport-oriented infrastructures that would promote greater efficiency in the movement of goods, services, people and information,” Pamintuan said, adding that these projects would greatly reduce the cost of doing business.
“Because of the global crisis, companies would now be locating to areas where there are efficient facilities and where the cost of doing business is lower. Add to this the availability of highly-skilled Filipino labor, I believe we can even take advantage of the opportunities offered by the global economic situation,” he explained.
Consumido, meantime, presented the measures being put in place by government to mitigate the impact of the global economic meltdown. He cited the optimism of global financial institutions and credit rating agencies on the chances of the Philippines in even benefiting from the situation.
For his part, Cauguiran presented the dramatic development of Clark and Subic as freeport zones where major global economic players are now among their locators. He also cited the record growth in passenger traffic of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, which, he said, is fast developing to be the main international gateway of the country.
He said the DMIA has better runways and radar systems that can accommodate the biggest airplanes in the world, including the gigantic Airbus 380. The DMIA has since become a hub for budget international airlines catering to overseas Filipino workers from Central and Northern Luzon.
On the issue of human rights, Pamintuan said that the recent US State Department country assessment on human rights in the Philippines is “more or less fair.” He said the report noted that the necessary policies, laws and institutions are in place to protect human rights, but their implementation has to be more strictly ensured.
He declared that the human rights situation has greatly improved in the Philippines in the last two years, particularly on the issue of unexplained killings. He said that from a high of 145 verified cases in 2006, the figures went down to six in 2007 and to five in 2008.
“We should have zero tolerance on political killings, but there is still a long-running insurgency in some parts of the countryside, and a Moro rebellion in the south. These are dirty little wars, and the combatants of both sides are accusing each other of committing certain atrocities,” said Pamintuan, a human rights lawyer imprisoned during Martial Law.
“There is no country in the world that can claim a perfect human rights situation,” he said. “Not even the US can lay claim to that.”
