Luistro first among Cabinet men to undergo media seminar
Education Secretary Armin Luistro is the first member of the Aquino Cabinet to undergo a series of media seminars as required by President Benigno Aquino III.
Luistro, as of today, is the only one available for the seminar, which is being conducted by Carol Esposo-Espiritu, a private public relations practitioner and sister of media man Billy Esposo, a close friend of the President.
Espiritu used to be a reporter of the Philippine News Agency during the Martial law years. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was supposed to join Luistro but begged off at the last minute due to a heavy schedule.
The series of media seminars for Cabinet members will deal on how to answer questions and issues raised by media and on how to explain clearly the programs and projects of the present administration.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters that the scheduling depends on the availability of each Cabinet member.
“Tomorrow, it will be Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice and Presidential Management Staff Chief Secretary Julia Abad and maybe Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman will join us later,” he said.
Lacierda said the seminars were planned during the new administration’s first Cabinet meeting last week. Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad, according to him, immediately set a schedule with the Cabinet secretaries and asked our availabilities.
In an interview with the Presidential News Desk, Espiritu pointed out that basically her guide posts in the seminars are: “Respect the press, give them stories they would find useful to write, always discuss things on a formal level where you will have more control and give them the data that would be useful for their stories.”
GSIS head to be appointed soon
President Benigno S. Aquino III is set to appoint a new head for the Government Service Insurance System to ensure that government pensioners and current employees are able to enjoy the benefits due them under the law.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a news briefing that during the campaign for the May 10 election, “the plight of an old woman who approached then candidate Noy complaining that she has yet to receive her GSIS pension stuck in the mind of the President.”
Lacierda said foremost in the President’s mind is to fill up key positions in government that affect the bureaucratic operations. This is why he said the President met with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. this morning to determine the vacant positions that must be filled up immediately.
“To what extent and who will be the appointees, I still have no idea, Lacierda said.
Lacierda recalled the 60-second infomercial of Aquino on the GSIS where while, he was on board his vehicle, he was told by an old teacher that she has yet to get her pension. “It stuck to us in our execom meetings and even up to now. He (P-Noy) thinks that the GSIS funds should really be focused (on providing such benefits) because a lot of teachers are complaining and we understand that.”
Lacierda said the decision by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo to extend by three months the services of political ambassadors and consuls was “to ensure that the services of these offices would not be disrupted, especially for the overseas Filipino workers.”
He said he did not think the extension of these foreign officers violated Memorandum Circular No. 1 on the services of non-CESO (career executive service officers) political appointments, co-terminus appointments and those of contractuals and others.
Peace process underway; two panels being set up
Malacanang today said moves are underway to compose two government negotiating panels that will move forward the stalled peace talks with the two rebel groups in the country – the communist National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) -- under the new directions set by President Benigno “P-Noy” S. Aquino III.
Presidential Spokesman Edward Lacierda said President Aquino met today with newly-named Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Teresita “Ging” Deles in Malacañang to discuss the composition of the two panels and the new tack on the peace process.
In his June 30 inaugural speech the President vowed a sincere approach to the peace process “My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of
Lacierda also said that the President is proceeding with his peace initiatives along the four (4) pillars of security he had outlined during the presidential campaign.
He said that these will be done in broad strokes consistent with the Aquino administration’s 4 pillars of security, as follows:
a.) good governance;
b.) delivery of basic social services such as education, health and livelihood;
c.) economic recovery and sustainable development with emphasis on the development of
d.) security sector reforms through the professionalization of the AFP and by providing the necessary equipment on the ground.
“They are currently forming the negotiating peace panels and there will be two negotiating peace panels, one for CPP (Communist Party of the
Lacierda said each panel will be composed of five members each.
According to Lacierda, the panels will review the implementations of past agreements done with CPP-NDF and the MILF.
Lacierda said that “the idea of the peace panel not only involves the specific peace talks but also the external, which not only means dealing with rebels but making sure that the area where the armed conflict emerged will be economically sustained and development programme will take place .”
Lacierda said he has word from Sec. Deles that the timetable in reaching an agreement with separatists and the insurgents will depend on the peace process itself and the “good faith of all parties” involved.
But he said that the macro approach of delivering the 4 pillars of security is underway.
P-Noy orders PNP to look into activists’ killings
Malacañang is conferring with stakeholders and concerned agencies to come up with a viable plan of action to stem the spate of “extrajudicial” killings.
In a press briefing in Malacañang this afternoon, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jesus Versoza to come up with ways to address the extrajudicial killings.
Lacierda issued the statement in light of the slaying of Bayan Muna coordinator Fernando Baldomero in Kalibo, Aklan last Monday (July 5), the first under the Aquino administration.
Lacierda said the PNP is currently studying and “reviewing” these recent crimes.
Based on the initial report of Gen. Versoza, Lacierda said “we will pursue a proactive way in dealing with all these extrajudicial killings.”
“We will be coming up with ways to handle the extrajudicial killings but certainly, the Aquino administration and President Aquino, being a victim of human rights violations himself, does not tolerate and will not tolerate extrajudicial killings under his administration,” Lacierda said.
