Government is pouring more investments on railways.
Secretary to the Cabinet Silvestre Bello III said the National Economic and Development Authority Board approved a Php 645 million supplemental loan to the North Rail – South Rail Linkage Project Phase 1.
Phase 1, Bello explained, will involve the fencing of the entire road right of way and the reconstruction of the Paco station building and other shelters within the area.
“This project will provide an efficient transport service between Metro Manila and Central and Northern Luzon that will definite reduce traffic congestion in the Metropolis and encourage urban development,” Bello said.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde added that loan will also cover rehabilitation of 34 kilometer-track section from Caloocan to Alabang and track renewal from Caloocan to España.
Meanwhile, government agencies managing water services assured uninterrupted distribution through out the hot season.
In cabinet meeting at Bahay Pangarap, Bello said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo tasked the Local Water Utilities Administration and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerages System to ensure that there will be no water supply interruption not just this summer but also next year.
Karagdagang pondo para sa North Rail – South Rail Linkage project, inaprubahan ng NEDA Board
Tuloy-tuloy ang pamumuhunan ng pamahalaans sa railway.
Iniulat ni Secretary to the Cabinet Silvestre Bello III na inaprubahan ng National Economic and Development Authority Board ang Php 645 million supplemental loan para sa North Rail – South Rail Linkage Project Phase 1.
Kasama sa Phase 1 ang pagbabakod ng buong road right of way at ang pagsasa-ayos sa gusali ng Paco station at iba pang mga silungan malapit sa lugar.
Ayon kay Bello, hangarin ng proyekto ng magkaroon ng episyenteng transport service sa pagitan ng Metro Manila at ng Central-Northern Luzon para mabawasan ang bigat ng trapiko at makatulong sa pag-usbong ng kaunlaran.
Idinagdag pa ni Press Secretary Cerge Remonde na kasama sa paggagamitan ng loan ang rehabiltasyon ng 34 kilometrong track section mula Caloocan hanggang Alabang at ang track mula Caloocan hanggang España.
Samantala, tiniyak ng pamahalaan na tuluy-tuloy din ang serbisyo ng tubig sa buong panahon ng tag-init.
Sa naganap na pulong ng gabinete sa Bahay Pangarap, sinabi ni Bello na inatasan ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang Local Water Utilities Administration at ang Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerages System para siguruhin na walang water supply interruption hindi lang ngayong bakasyon kundi hanggang sa susunod na taon.
NEDA approves Asean-Korea Free Trade Agreement
The agreement provides tariff elimination on 90 percent of lines in the normal track by January 1, 2009, Remonde said.
Sulu under state of emergency
Governor Abdul Sakur Tan ordered the Philippine National Police to impose measures to ensure the safety of citizens and the capture of Abu Sayyaf bandits.
The order also tasked the Armed Forces of the Philippines and civilian emergency force to assist the police in setting up check and choke points, in implementing curfew and in the search and seizure of the Red Cross workers’ kidnappers and their supporters.
Tan gave the order after the Abu Sayyaf deadline expired this afternoon.
The bandit group threatened to behead one of the Red Cross hostages if government fails to comply with its demand to pull out all government forces throughout Sulu.
DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno called the latest Abu Sayyaf demand is physically impossible to implement.
As of this writing, there are no words on the situations of Mary Jean Lacaba, Andreas Notter and Eugenio Vagni.
But in an early evening TV interview, Tan said they received reports that hostages remained untouched since the expiration of the Abu deadline.
Tan stressed ransom will not be paid in exchange for the hostages.
To escape embarrassment, Tan said, the best thing for Abu Sayyaf bandits to do is to release the hostage so their sins against God and public will be reduced.
In Malacanang, Presidential Management Staff Chief Hermogenes Esperon agreed with the decision made by the local government of Sulu.
Esperon, who’s a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces, said government troops know what to do and they should not be stopped from conducting their operations against the bandits.
Sulu, isinailalim sa state of emergency
Umiiral ngayon ang state of emergency sa buong lalawigan ng Sulu.
Ipinag-utos ni Governor Abdul Sakur Tan sa Philippine National Police na magpatupad ng hakbang para matiyak ang kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan at mapigilan ang pagtakas ng mga bandidong Abu Sayyaf.
Kasama sa mga inatasan ang Armed Forces of the Philippines at ang civilian emergency force para alalayan ang pulisya sa paglalagay ng check points at choke points, pagpapatupad ng curfew at sa paggsasagawa ng search and seizure laban sa mga kidnapper ng mga Red Cross worker.
Inilabas ni Tan ang kautusan matapos lumipas ang palugit na ibinigay ng Abu Sayyaf sa pamahalaan.
Matatandaang nagbanta ang mga bandido na mamumugot ng bihag kapag hindi sumunod ang pamahalaan sa kagustuhan nitong mapaalis ang buong puwersa ng gobyerno sa buong Sulu.
Walang pang balita kung anong kinasapitan ng mga bihag na sina Mary Jean Lacaba, Andreas Notter at Eugenio Vagni habang isinusulat ang balitang ito.
Pero sa isang TV interview nitong Martes ng gabi, sinabi ni Tan nakatanggap sila ng report na hindi pa ginagalaw ng mga bandido ang kanilang mga bihag magmula pa lumipas ang deadline ng Abu.
Iginiit ni Tan na hinding-hindi magbabayad ng ransom ang pamahalaan.
Para hindi na mapahiya at mabawasan pa ang kanilang kasalanan sa Diyos at sa bayan, pinayuhan ng gobernador ang Abu Sayyaf na palayain na ang mga Red Cross worker.
Sa Malakanyang, sinang-ayunan ni Presidential Management Staff Chief Hermogenes Esperon ang desisyon ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Sulu.
Sinab ni Esperon, isang dating chief of staff ng Sandatahang Lakas, na alam ng mga tropa ng pamahalaan kung ano ang kanilang gagawin sa mga sitwasyon gaya nang nangyayari sa Sulu kasabay ng pagsasabing hindi sila dapat mapigilan sa paglulunsad ng aksyon laban sa bandidong Abu Sayyaf.
Government never let its guard down vs kidnappers
Law enforcers are doing everything to protect citizens from kidnapping
In a recent TV interview, Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) Director Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said there are only two groups that continue to operate in the country.
Contrary to claims of anti-crime groups, Espina said recent kidnappings are not motivated by the upcoming national elections based on the behavior shown by remaining kidnap for ransom groups.
In some cases, Espina added, household helpers were involved.
Pamahalaan, tuloy-tuloy ang kampanya kontra kidnapping
Ginagawa ng awtoridad ang lahat ng paraan para maprotektahan ang mga mamamayan laban sa kidnapping.
Sa isang panayam sa telebisyon kamakailan, sinabi ni Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) Director Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina na dadalawa na lamang ang grupong nagsasagawa ng kidnapping sa bansa.
Taliwas sa mga pahayag ng ilang anti-crime group, sinabi ni Espina na walang kinalaman ang halalan sa susunod na taon sa kidnapping batay sa kanilang obserbasyon sa mga natitirang kidnap for ransom group.
Inamin ni Espina na may ilang mga kaso kung saan sangkot pati ang mga kasambahay.
Palace supports CHR’s inquiry into “unexplained killings” in Davao
Malacanang stands foursquare behind the inquiry by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) into the alleged “unexplained killings” in Davao which victims now reportedly number 815.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, in her press briefing Monday afternoon said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has directed the Philippine National Police and the military to give CHR their full support to its investigation on the matter.
CHR investigators are now in Davao City for the inquiry and have already met with Davao City officials led by City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte, who has made known he has no patience with criminals, however, denied having anything to do with the alleged unexplained killings.
In a television report, CHR chairwoman Lilia de Lima said the unexplained killings, majority of the victims of whom were minors, “is unacceptable.”
Fajardo said the CHR investigation, aside from determining the correct number of cases and pinpointing criminal responsibility for the killings, should also give justice to the victims and their families.
BPOs to bring in more jobs in Mid-2009
The business process outsourcing sector continues to be the leading source of local employment.
Based on the estimates of the Department of Labor and Employment, the industry can generate as high as 120,000 jobs within the year.
Convergys, for instance, will have three more branches located in Ayala Land TechnoHub in Quezon, Nuvali Technohub, in Laguna and Cebu Asiatown in Cebu.
The new branches are expected to create 7,000 jobs openings.
With the additional facilities, Convergys has 12 contact centers nationwide with employees numbering to 16,000.
Reports say the company will add two more contact centers this year.
BPO, magbubukas ng karagdagang trabaho ngayong taon
Nagpapatuloy pa rin sa pagbubukas ng mga oportunidad sa trabaho ang sektor ng business processing outsourcing.
Sa pagtaya ng Department of Labor and Employment, maaring umabot ng 12,000 trabaho ang maaring malikha ng industriya sa kalagitnaan ng 2009.
Ang Convergys, halimbawa, ay magkakaroon ng tatlong bagong sangay sa Ayala Land TechnoHub sa Quezon City, sa Nuvali TechnoHub sa Laguna at sa Cebu Asia Town sa Cebu.
Ang mga bagong sangay ay inaasahang magdudulot ng 7,000 bagong trabaho.
Sa pagkakaroon ng karagdagang pasilidad, umakyat na sa 12 ang contact center ng Convergys sa buong bansa.
Tinatayang aabot sa 16,000 na ang empleyado ng Convergys.
Naiulat na magbubukas pa ng dalawang contact center ang kumpanya sa mga darating na buwan.
Incidence of retrenchments and job displacements is going down
The Department of Labor and Employment is seeing a downward trend in job displacements and retrenchments.
Reports reaching the labor department said there are seven mining firms that are expected to operate this year.
Tanggalan sa trabaho at displacement ng mga manggagawa, bumabagal na
May nakikitang pagbagal sa re-trenchment at job displacement ang Department of Labor and Employment.
Batay sa ulat na nakarating sa DOLE, na may pitong bagong mining company na inaasahang magbubukas ng operasyon ngayong taon.
New overseas deployments to boost remittances
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the 26 percent increase in overseas job deployments in January could be reflected in March.
Remittance has gone down during the opening of the year due to job losses brought about by the global recession.
Based on a BSP projection this year, remittances this year may reach US$16 Billion similar to the amount of remittance registered in 2008.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment is arranging a meeting with prospective employers next month in the Middle East.
DOLE is on a campaign to convince Middle Eastern employers to hire Filipino workers.
The Middle East is seen as a region least affected by the global recession.
Mga bagong deployment noong Enero, palalakasin ang remittances
Inaasahan ng pamahalaan na mararamdam ang epekto ng mga bagong overseas deployment sa mga darating na buwan.
Ayon sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), ang 26 porsiyento na pagtaas sa bilang ng overseas deployment noong Eneoro ay maaring makita sa mga reports na matatanggap nila nitong Marso.
Bumaba ang bilang ng remittances sa pagbubukas ng taon bunga ng pagkawala ng mga trabaho ng mga Pinoy sa ibayong dagat dala ng global recession.
Sa pagtaya ng BSP, maaring pumantay sa US$16-billion halaga ng remittances na nairehistro noong nakaraang taon ang kabuuong halaga ng remittances ngayong 2009.
Samantala, nakikipag-usap ang Department of Labor and Employment sa ilang mga prospective employer para sa isang pulong sa Gitnang Silangan sa susunod na buwan.
Nangagampanya ngayon ang DOLE sa Gitnang Silangan para kumbinsihin ang mga employers doon na kumuha ng mga manggagawang Pilipino.
Ang Gitnang Silangan ang isa sa mga rehiyon na hindi masyadong apektado ng global recession.
Policy objective: To make overseas employment a career option and not a matter of necessity
It remains a policy objective of government to build a strong domestic economy so that working overseas will just be a career option for Filipinos and not a matter of necessity.
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has repeatedly stated this policy objective which explains why she is working very hard to create more jobs and employment opportunities even before the onset of the prevailing global economic crisis.
Fajardo stressed this point in her press briefing Monday afternoon partly in answer to questions on how the government is dealing with the insulting comments by writer Chip Tsao who called the Philippines a “nation of servants” in his column item in the recent issue of the HK Magazine.
This policy goal, the palace official said deserves to be recognized and appreciated so that later Filipinos don’t need to be domestic helpers anymore in another country,
Fajardo emphasized, however, that service, even domestic service is a noble task and if Tsao says service is a Filipino trait, “then we are proud to claim such because to serve even in the humblest capacity, I think, is a noble task. And we are proud of our Filipino workers . . .”
Fajardo said the government does not want to dignify Tsao by giving importance to his racist statements but said Filipinos in general, including herself, feel insulted by his comments for which he should apologize.
Many Filipinos, including Chinese Filipinos, have taken issue with, and are strongly demanding a public apology from Tsao who is now under pressure to do so after his HK Magazine editors made their own apology.
DOE to audit financial statements of oil firms
The Department of Energy (DOE) will be looking into the financial statements of oil companies.
DOE explained that subjecting the 2008 books of oil companies to a new round of audit is part of the agreements made between the oil firms and government in a recent meeting to find out if the bases for price adjustments were reasonable.
Consumer groups were present during the meeting initiated by DOE.
The oil firms are expected to submit the documents by next month.
Information on importation such as prices and dates are expected to be included in the reports that will be submitted to DOE.
Reputable auditing firms will be tasked by DOE to review the oil companies’ financial statements.
Kita ng mga kumpanya ng langis, sisiyasatin ng DOE
Sisilipin ng Department of Energy ang mga financial statements ng mga kumpanya ng langis.
Bahagi ito ng mga napagkasunduan ng mga kumpanya ng langis at ng pamahalaan sa isang pulong kamakailan para mabatid kung makatwiran ang mga naganap na price adjustment sa mga produktong petrolyo.
Kasama sa mga dumalo sa pulo ang mga samahan ng mga consumer.
Inaasahan na maisusumite ng mga kumpanya ng langis ang mga kinakailangang dokumento sa susunod na buwan.
Kabilang sa mga ibibigay na impormasyon ng mga kumpanya ng langis ay ang mga detalye ng importasyon tulad ng petsa at volume.
Kukunin ng DOE ang serbisyo ng mga kilalang auditing firm para pag-aralan ang mga libro ng mga kumpanya ng langis.
Crude oil tumbles below 49 USD on stocks, dollar
Light, sweet crude for May delivery fell 3.97 dollars, or more than 7.6 percent, to settle at 48.41 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures dropped to as low as 48.11 dollars earlier in the session.
Meanwhile, the dollar strengthened against the euro for a third day as investors speculated that the European Central Bank will cut interest rates to the lowest since the euro's introduction in 1999. A strong dollar usually limits investors' appeal for commodities like crude as hedge against inflation.
RP Consulate to keep an eye on Chip Tsao
The consulate will place the columnist in its watch-list for his ‘abusive tendencies’ in case he engages Filipinos for household jobs.
Philippine Labor Attache Romulo Carlos Salud said Tsao has no Filipino household helper contrary to what he said in his satiric essay last March 27 where he lambasted the Philippines for claiming Spratley Island.
Instead, Salud said it was Tsao’s father who employs a Filipina named Luisa for more than a decade.
Despite the apology issued by his magazine, Salud said organizations of Filipino workers will be mounting protest rallies to condemn Tsao this weekend.
Konsolado ng Pilipinas sa Hongkong, babantayan si Chip Tsao
Mamatyagan ng Philippine Consulate sa Hongkong ang kulumnista na si Chip Tsao.
Si Tsao ang bumanat sa Pilipinas bilang isang bayan ng mga alila sa isang magasin sa Hongkong.
Ilalagay ng konsulado sa watchlist si Tsao dahil sa umano’y mga abusive tendencies nito lalo na kung kukuha ng mga Pilipino bilang manggagawa sa kanyang tahahan.
Ayon pa kay Philippine Labor Attache Romulo Carlos Salud, walang domestic helper na Pinay si Tsao taliwas sa kanyang ipinagyabang sa kanyang artikulo noong ika-27 ng Marso.
Sa nasabing artikulo, inupakan ni Tsao ang Pilipinas sa pag-angkin sa Spratly Island.
Ang tutuo, ang tatay pala ni Tsao ang may domestic helper na nagngangalang Luisa.
Naiulat na si Luisa ay 14 na taon nang naglilingkod sa tatay ni Tsao.
Kahit humingi na ng kapatawaran ang magasin ni Tsao, sinabi ni Salud na magsasagawa pa rin ng demonstrasyon laban sa kulumnista ang ilang samahan ng mga Pilipino sa Hongkong darating na Linggo.
