PGMA to hold Cabinet meeting in Loboc
Loboc,
Upon arrival at the
The Loboc Fish Landing and
It is designed to serve as wharf for watercraft to load and unload fish and other marine products.
The President will then proceed to the
According to the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), the interview will center on disaster management, a topic people have become concerned with in light of the recent flooding that occurred in some parts of
After the 30-minute interview, the President will preside over the Cabinet meeting, where the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) are expected to present to her their respective reports.
PGMA escorts families to their new houses
RODRIGUEZ, Rizal – Distribution of housing units to families displaced by the most destructive typhoon to hit the country has already begun.
Delivering on her promise to relocate people from high-risk areas to a community where they can live in health and safety, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday escorted two pre-selected families to their new homes in this town.
Mrs. Arroyo instructed the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to get people out of harm’s way following the massive destruction wreaked by typhoon Ondoy.
The two families were among the initial 30 families to be presented with keys and certificates of ownership to an equal number of houses.
Located in Barangay San Isidro, the low-cost government housing project can accommodate 2,911 houses: 1,918 in Southville 8 and 993 in Southville 8A. The first phase covers 12.96 hectares, while the second has an area of 6.27 hectares.
The families have to pay P200 a month for each unit, which consists of 21 square-meter floor area built on a 40 square-meter lot area. The amortization starts one year after the relocation.
For now, the families will have to make do with deep wells as their sources of water. However, MWSS and Meralco have committed themselves to bring the benefits of water and power connections to the community.
The community is accessible with public transport available.
On hand to assist Mrs. Arroyo in the distribution ceremonies was Vice President and HUDCC Chairman Noli de Castro.
Later, the President also gave away food packages to residents of the town. Each package contains rice, noodles, canned goods, a blanket and a mosquito net, soap and toothpaste.
PGMA declares November as National Punctuality and Civility Month
If the country is to prosper, Filipinos must practice punctuality and civility.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has proclaimed November as Punctuality and Civility Month. In Proclamation No. 1927, the President cites the need for the citizenry to value time and respect the rights of others.
Mrs. Arroyo also lauds the Organized Response for the Advancement of Society (ORAS), a non-government, non-profit, and non-stock group, for its campaign to persuade people to observe the twin virtues, which are necessary for a peaceful, prosperous, and united society.”
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, in response to the President’s directive, issued Department Order No. 018, on Oct. 29 directing all officials and personnel under his office “to observe regular official time in the matter of attendance in the office, civility and in meetings and other such activities as scheduled.”
“This in many ways indicates professionalism in the public service and enhances self-respect and confidence on the part of OPS officials and employees,” the Order reads.
PGMA orders PNP, AFP to hunt down ASG bandits in teacher's beheading
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered on Monday the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to launch a massive manhunt on Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits behind the kidnapping and subsequent beheading of a school principal in Sulu.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said President Arroyo ordered the PNP-AFP to embark on a full-stream police-military operations to put an end to the ASG's "heinous and inhumane atrocities" after the group beheaded school principal Gabriel Canizares after his kin's reported failure to settle a P2 million ransom demand.
Abducted a month ago, Canizares, a principal of
”The death of Canizares will not be in vain. Rescue efforts will shift to punitive action. We still make them pay for (the) enormity of this savagery,” Undersecretary Fajardo added.
President Arroyo also ordered concerned government agencies to extend all necessary assistance to the family of the school official.
Last October 15, armed men believed to be ASG bandits abducted the school principal and later demanded a P2- million ransom in exchange for his release.
Initial investigation disclosed that Canizares and other teachers were on board a passenger jeepney bound for Jolo when 12 suspected Abu Sayyaf members stopped their vehicle and abducted the school principal.
Procurement of flu-testing machines by RITM under investigation – DOH
The Department of Health (DOH) today disclosed that the allegedly anomalous flu-testing machine deal exposed by a labor group over the weekend is already being investigated by the agency since August this year.
“We are not clueless about it and, as a matter of fact, the DOH has already started its investigation as early as August when the Filipino-owned firm Macare complained about it. It is now being investigated by our Integrity Development Committee (IDC),” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The health chief said that the DOH-IDC is investigating the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and all its officials and personnel, including its director, Dr. Remigio Olveda, who were involved in the procurement of the said flu-testing machines.
Secretary Duque said that it is not correct to blame the DOH regarding this alleged anomalous transaction because although the RITM is under the wings of the DOH, like all state-owned hospitals, it has its own procuring entity.
“Because it has autonomy to transact financially, the RITM and its officials went on with this business deal all by themselves. Now, with the DOH-IDC on board investigating them, I am positive that we will soon know all the details behind this,” Duque said.
“It is too soon and premature for everyone to allege any anomaly. We have already started the investigation and we assure the public that there will be no sacred cows in this investigation and I will let the ax fall on the guilty person, whoever he might be,” Duque said.
The health chief said that if found guilty, RITM officials will face suspension, dismissal or whatever forms of punishment the IDC deems fit.
Flu-testing machines, although of a different type from Roche’s are used by the RITM and three other laboratories to confirm suspect A(H1N1) cases.
ADB announces Asia-Pacific Climate Change video contest
No area of the world is more vulnerable to climate change than
While the situation is critical, there are already low-cost measures that nations can undertake to better protect the region's people, economy and environment.
"Every person can play an important role in our collective fight against climate change," said Ann Quon, Principal Director of ADB's External Relations Department. "We hope people will use this contest as an opportunity to share their views, take a stand and make videos that can make a difference."
There are no age restrictions for the contest. Citizens of any one of ADB's 67 member countries are eligible to participate.
Over $10,000 worth of prizes are being offered in three categories for the best videos about climate change in
"Video has the power to open minds and inspire change, and I hope people across the region and the world will share their vision about how we can solve the climate crisis," said Pepe Diokno, the 22-year-old winner of the 2009 Venice International Film Festival 'Lion of the Future' award for his first feature film, Engkwentro (Clash). Mr. Diokno is one of My View's judges.
Other judges include: Lynden Barber, an internationally regarded film critic and former Artistic Director of the Sydney Film Festival; Zhu Wen, an international award-winning film director and writer from the People's Republic of China; Brillante Mendoza, the internationally acclaimed Filipino filmmaker who won this year's Cannes Film Festival Best Director award; and Jabeen Merchant, a renowned Indian film editor who has edited major Bollywood feature films and many award winning documentaries.
Registration for the contest is easy. Applicants need only complete a short online registration form, and upload their videos to YouTube.com or Youku.com.
"This is an exciting opportunity for people from around the world to put their creativity and imagination to work," said Ms. Quon. "You don't need expensive equipment; you can even use your mobile phone. All you really need is a passion to communicate your vision of what people and nations can do to address the climate change crisis."
