P-Noy cites People Power in first Palace flag rites
President Benigno “P-Noy” S. Aquino III in his first flag raising ceremony with Malacañang employees today, called on Palace personnel to unite and support him to keep the spirit of People Power alive.
“Hinihiling ko sa inyo ang inyong pakikiisa upang lalo pang tumingkad at manatiling buhay ang diwa ng People Power. Ito po ang nagdala sa atin dito sa Palasyo. Inaasahan ko po na ito rin ang tutulong sa atin upang maisagawa ang ating mga tungkulin (I ask for your unity and cooperation so that the spirit of People Power will be enhanced and kept alive. This is what brought us here to the Palace. I expect that this (People Power spirit) will ever be there to guide us so we can fulfill our duties and responsibilities,” the new Chief Executive told some 150 Palace staffers, many of whom worked during the incumbency of her mother, the late President Corazon C. Aquino, from l986 to 1992.
Aquino said he did recognized the same faces that were of great help when the Cory Aquino presidency were hobbled by crisis.
“And you did not abandoned us, “ he added.
Joining the President at the flag rites were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad.
In his speech that followed the singing of the National Anthem and the Pledge to the Flag, the President called on the employees to support him and his administration as it embarks on the task of nation building.
“Katulad po ng aking nasambit noong Miyerkules, ang pagtahak sa tuwid na landas ay hindi ko makakamit nang mag-isa,” the President said, adding, “Kinakailangan ko po ang inyong tulong, katapatan sa serbisyo at pag-unawa lalo na sa mga pagkakataong tila hindi na ako makausap sa dami ng iniisip.”
“Magtulungan tayo para sa ikauunlad ng sambayanang Pilipino at para sa magandang kinabukasan ng darating pang mga henerasyon,” President Aquino said.
Aquino then thanked the employees especially those who had served under his mother’s administration and now are working for him.
“Ako po’y lubos na nagagalak na makasama kayo lalo na po ang ilan sa inyo na nakilala ko na noong manungkulan ang aking ina at ngayon ay makakasama kong muli,” he said.
“Marami po akong alaala mula sa panahong namalagi kami sa palasyo. Marami kaming naging kaibigan kahit marami kaming naka-bangga,” he added.
“Sa lahat ng pagsubok, nagbantay kayo at nag-aruga. Hinding-hindi ninyo kami pinabayaan,” the President said.
P-Noy to PAF: Follow professionalism, utilitarianism
President Benigno “P-Noy” S. Aquino III today urged the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to follow the concept of professionalism and utilitarianism in its endeavors and use of resources to promote the good of the greater number.
In his speech at the 63rd anniversary of the PAF at the Jesus Villamor Air Base, the President said the reforms to be undertaken by his administration will have to take into consideration this concept due to the limited resources at its disposal.
“The foundation of all these is the goal of our administration to improve the economy where we need an improved peace and order situation,” he said.
President Aquino pointed out the two-pronged duty of the PAF which include territorial defense and disaster response. “We need to review and plan how to strengthen our facility readiness,” he said.
The President commended the PAF for doing its job well during the last May 10 polls, noting that despite the many challenges, it was able to do its tasks.
“On this, your anniversary, what I want you to know is this: Your president and your countrymen are proud of the work you are doing. Sa eleksiyon, ginampanan ninyo ang inyong tungkulin ng walang pamumulitika. Kung anong kagitingan ang ipinapakita ninyo sa mga combat operations, yun din ang pinapakita ninyong malasakit sa panahon ng kalamidad. Keep it up,” he said.
The Chief Executive said the whole military, including the PAF, has to be modernized in order to do its task of maintaining peace and security.
For the PAF, the President said there is an urgent need to upgrade machines and equipment, procurement of new air assets and surveillance equipment.
“For you to perform your tasks well, there is also a need to provide you what you lack in logistical and maintenance requirements so you can achieve your mission and needed flight hours, “he said.
He expressed confidence that through the able leadership of PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, these plans for the PAF will able realized.
Moreover, the President said he believes that the “effectiveness of any military organization is dependent on officers and men and women having full faith and confidence that they will be provided the means to do their job: from arms and equipment to homes and health care. The proper relationship between civilians and the military exists where there is trust, and that trust depends on strategic harmony.”
“My fundamental philosophy is there cannot be right solutions without the corresponding correct identification of the problems. (Defense) Secretary Gazmin is undertaking, at my direction, a comprehensive review of the many aspects of our national defense with this orientation in mind. I want you to know that if my expectations of you are high, it is because I know that our people’s expectations of all of us are the highest. I will not make false promises to you or tell you things simply for the sake of making positive headlines,” the President added.
Palace eyes envoys' 3-month term extension
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo have jointly recommended to President Benigno “P-Noy” S. Aquino III a three-month extension of the term of all ambassadors whose appointments are co-terminous with that of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and therefore deemed to have expired last June 30.
The move, announced by Ochoa in radio interview, sought to maintain the status quo in the country’s foreign service which had started recalling the so-called “political appointees” in the diplomatic posts abroad, and to finally resolved the question on whether or not their ambassadorial posting are considered automatically terminated, and that they should immediately return home following the June 30 change of government.
The recommendations are now at the President’s desk.
“Secretary Romulo and I have been conferring and we agreed to recommend that they be extended for a few more months because we don’t want to disrupt diplomatic relations with other countries,” Ochoa said.
“There are many pending transactions, pending concerns that are needed to be addressed and should not be disrupted by simply recalling them,” he stressed.
The three-month extension expires on September 30 by which time the affected diplomatic officials are expected to have wound up their tasks.
Sec. Ochoa also said all ambassadors, either career or political appointees, should stay put in their foreign postings until Sept. 30, unless recalled earlier.
“Everybody stays until they are replaced or until the agreed period, whichever comes first,” Ochoa added.
He said there are 21 political ambassadors who are still in active service. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, a handful of these diplomatic officials have already come home. Among them were Ambassador to
One school of thought that will probably be cleared out of the Ochoa-Romulo recommendation is the issue of whether diplomats should not vacate their posts without replacements because it is considered a violation of the rules in diplomatic relations.
Also expected to be cleared is the issue of whether the “political” ambassadors should have come home voluntarily because their respective charge d’affairs can tentatively take over their functions until their replacements have been appointed.
