Aquino vows to advance welfare of Muslim Filipinos
President Benigno S. Aquino III assured Muslim communities that his administration will work doubly hard to advance the welfare, aspirations and interest of Muslim Filipinos by supporting and strengthening the autonomous region in Southern Philippines.
In his remarks at the Hariraya dinner held at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall on Monday, the Chief Executive thanked the envoys from different Muslim nations and local Muslim leaders for attending the Hariraya dinner celebration he hosted for them in the spirit of solidarity, celebration, obedience and devotion.
The President told them that his administration is committed to end decades of government neglect that has afflicted Muslim Filipinos.
“We will do better. Muslim Filipinos are part of our nation,” he stressed.
He assured them that the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos will be strengthened and will serve as the government’s principal arm in advancing the rights, welfare and aspirations of Muslim Filipinos.
“We will support and strengthen the autonomous regional government. It will be our lead government instrumentality in advancing the welfare of the inhabitants of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” he said.
According to the President, he has already appointed Luwalhati Antonino as chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority “who will kindle and lead the conversation among Christians, Muslims and Lumads for their inclusive and integrative development.”
The President likewise vowed to resume the stalled peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
With the Moro National Liberation Front, “we are about to complete the legal bond to rectify imperfections in the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement,” he said. (PCOO)
President Aquino lauds improving RP stock market
President Benigno S. Aquino III lauded the historic improvement of the Philippine Stock Exchange which, he said, is a “concrete manifestation” of the rising confidence in our country's prospects.
“Confidence in our country's prospects is experienced in many ways, but one of the most concrete manifestations is the recent improvement in the stock market,” the President said in his speech opening the trading day at the PSE's headquarters in Makati City on Tuesday.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index or PSEi, the barometer for the markets, reached 3,972 points on Monday (September 13), hurtling past the previous record of 3,873.50 set on Oct. 8, 2007, bouyed by the country's economic resiliency and optimism in the new administration.
The Chief Executive praised this record-breaking feat saying, “These are numbers we haven't seen in years.”
This, the President, said could very well upstage last week's daily average turnover of P5.78-billion to an average turnover in excess of P6-billion this week.
He pointed out that it is not only in the stock markets that the country is flourishing in. “We've also seen an enthusiastic response to our global peso bond offer,” he added.
The government issued on Friday the 10-year, peso-denominated global bonds priced at 99.607 percent with a coupon of 4.95 percent and a yield of 5 percent.
The sale, which was participated in by a mix of Asian, American and European investors, netted for the country $1-billion (P44.1-billion) after only 16 hours upon its issuance with bids reaching over 13 times the offer.
“The success of the peso bond float is a quantifiable and real vote of confidence in the country and the government, particularly our economic managers,” the President stressed.
He noted that with the impressive performance of the stock markets coupled with the enthusiastic response to our global peso bond offer, more Foreign Direct Investments is not far behind.
“That is what our government is working on now. That is what I hope to achieve in my forthcoming trip to the United States,” the President said.
“But before the days ahead, let us celebrate today as I ring this bell. I know you will join me in wishing for more happy days to come for our stock market,” he added.
Prior to opening the day's trade, the President inaugurated the newly built office of the PSE which had transferred its operations from the Tektite Towers in Ortigas to its Makati City home.
In his welcome remarks, PSE chairman Hans Sicat said that with this move, the PSE's operation and occupancy costs will go down considerably.
Joining the President during the occasion were Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Sicat and PSE's president and CEO Val Antonio Suarez.
The Philippine Stock exchange is the only existing stock exchange in the Philippines and is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The PSE Composite Index (made up of 30 stocks) is the key indicator of share price movement in the market six sub indices: Financials Index, the Industrial Index, the Holding Firms index, the Property Index, the Services Index, and the Mining & Oil Index. (PCOO)
Bacalzo vows to continue reforms of predecessors
Newly-appointed Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Raul M. Bacalzo this morning vowed to continue the good work that his predecessors started shortly after assuming the leadership from Gen. Jesus Versoza.
“Continuity is the operative word and it is in this spirit that we define our goals,” said Bacalzo at the change of command rites at the PNP headquarters attended by no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Hundreds of active and retired police officers and the provincemates and classmates of Bacalzo from his law school at the University of the East and his mistahs at the Philippine Military Academy Class 1977 attended the change of command. Bacalzo served for five years in concurrent capacity as member of the GRP Peace Negotiating Panel in 1993 to 1998.
He enumerated the three tenets of his leadership: a) Our service is a continuing challenge to right what is wrong and review our policies and implement practical action plans; b) discipline, perseverance and dedication will be the hallmarks of our service and c) every police officer must learn the lessons well, focus on the day-to-day responsibilities and push the program for reform.
Bacalzo is an outstanding graduate of the Masikap Class of 1977 of the Philippine Military Academy landing both in the Dean’s List and Commandant’s list and finishing 12th in the 1984 bar with a rating of 87.43 percent. He made a strong point towards training and re-training of police men to transform them as a “mentor to all, a problem-solver as needed and a teacher to others.”
Stressing that PNP’s training will go back to basics, Bacalzo cited the importance of “reviving the virtues of discipline and courtesy, good manners and right conduct that are the hallmarks of a public servant and essential to being a good citizen.”
“Basic equipment must also be reviewed for the street policeman and the special units for different types of crisis situations. With appropriate (budget) support, we will equip our men and women with the training and resources to handle local problems and provide appropriate solutions,” he said. “Every police station must be at the cutting edge of performance and professionalism.”
Citing President Aquino’s observation about improving the procurement system, the order of the day, according to Bacalzo, is to set the proper standards and specifications attuned to the requirements on the ground.
Bacalzo revealed his plan to put up a human rights help desk similar to the women and children’s desk in all 1,528 police stations all over the country.
Bacalzo, who hails from the small town of Tuy, Batangas, said he would begin his “back to basics” training and re-training programs with the 23-strong police force of his hometown. “We will not waste any time,” he said. (PCOO)
Aquino to meet with Chief Justice Corona
President Benigno S. Aquino III will meet with Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona to iron out the demands of the judges for salary increases, which he said had already been granted the judiciary unlike other departments that “suffered cuts.”
In an ambush interview after witnessing the change of command between retired Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jesus Verzosa and newly-appointed PNP Chief Gen. Raul M. Bacalzo on Tuesday at Camp Crame in Quezon City, the Chief Executive said the judicial budget from 2010 has been increased by about five percent.
“Hindi tama iyong hindi na-increase. There are a lot of other departments who suffered a cut,” the President said adding that he would seek a meeting with Corona precisely to discuss the issue.
“It’s a question of interpretation of various laws. As you know, there is a style on the salary standardization law III. The concept is equal work for equal pay. They have been getting increases in the allowances even from 2007,” the President said.
He noted that there have been extensive discussions on the issue, which Budget and Management Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad can explain in detail.
“The bottom line is I was made to understand they have been getting what is due them under the pertinent laws,” the President added.
On the planned mass leave by the judges due to the legislated increase in allowances that were not provided for in the proposed 2011 budget, the President said “they have a very necessary function and I’m sure most, if not all, of them are very upright individuals who would want to do real service to the people.”
According to the President, there is just a misunderstanding on the pertinent laws. “This is not an isolated issue. If there is an increase on top of the increases they have already had, that affects also others in a similar situation like the prosecutorial services and the Public Attorneys Office, which will each entail P700 million or P1.4 billion.”
Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez earlier reported that some judges are planning to go on mass leave due to a legislated increase in their allowances that were not provided for under the 2011 proposed budget. (PCOO)
Aquino says he won’t go abroad without benefit to the people
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he will not go to any foreign trips “without direct benefits to the people.”
The Chief Executive made this statement during an ambush interview on Tuesday after he personally witnessed the change of command between retired Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jesus Versoza and newly-appointed PNP Chief Gen. Raul M. Bacalzo at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Asked if he would be bringing projects with him to propose to foreign investors during his trips to the United States, the President said “I would rather have them (investments) in hand before I start mentioning what exactly these (projects) are. That way people will have an assurance of the investments that are arriving.”
The President is set to leave for the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly, to sign the Millennium Challenge Corporation grants and a lot of business conferences from both east and west coasts. “I think I will also be visiting my mother’s (former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino) alma mater, the College of Mount Saint Vincent, at the Riverdale section of New York.
The President also said he is bringing with him during his US trip Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, among others.
The President, who earlier rang the bell marking the opening of trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange, said he was informed that the market already breached the 4,000 points.
“I understand that this is the first time which has ever reached that particular record. At some point in time, there will be corrections. There will be people who will be taking their profits (after selling their stocks). What is significant is these records have been coming one on top of the other. Obviously there is no such thing as endless bull runs. But the point is there is increased confidence demonstrated by the activities of the stock market,” the President stressed.
The President stressed that he expects foreign direct investments to increase. As regards the public private partnerships, he added that “we already have a list but I would rather talk of them when they are already completed or close to fruition rather than talk of potentials.” (PCOO)
Aquino to visit Cebu tomorrow
CEBU CITY---President Benigno S. Aquino III will visit “Queen City of the South” on Wednesday to meet Cebu province’s business leaders and investors, volunteers and the poor.
The President has a full schedule on his first visit here as the country’s leader.
First on his agenda will be a meeting with Cebu Province’s businessmen at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel followed by a forum with the Metro Cebu and Cebu Province volunteers who helped him during the last presidential campaign at the Cebu Coliseum.
The volunteers include members of the Yellow Movement of Cebu, Yellow Army Movement, Doctors for Noynoy, Change Politics Movement, Urban Poor, Tuloy Pinoy, Filipino Cebuano Business Club, Inc., Lawyers for Noynoy, Accountants for Noynoy, Cebu Army and some religious groups.
He will also meet the beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) also at the Cebu Coliseum.
The 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development program that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged 0 to 14.
In Cebu, 4Ps is being implemented in six municipalities covering 35 barangays with a total of 5,666 extremely poor households benefiting from the program.
In Cebu City, 10 barangays with 2,727 household beneficiaries are covered in the program.
To date, a total of P31,431,900 was released in Cebu as cash grants to beneficiaries since 2008. (PCOO)
Malaysia to remain as peace talks facilitator
Malaysia will continue to act as facilitator at the resumption of peace talks in Mindanao.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo disclosed this today following the courtesy call of Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Sri Anifah Aman on President Benigno S. Aquino III in Malacanang.
Romulo said Malaysia has been playing a constructive and positive role to encourage a peaceful resolution in the Mindanao problem.
The President welcomed Minister Anifah who was accompanied by Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato’ Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad.
Also present during the call were Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Teresita Deles and DFA Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio.
Minister Anifah’s visit centered on Malaysia’s role in the formal peace negotiations scheduled this month between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
As its closest neighbor in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines earlier decided to retain Malaysia as third party facilitator in the resumption of the GRP-MILF peace talks, a role which Malaysia has assumed since 2001.
Since 2004, Malaysia also led the International Monitoring Team together with Libya, Japan and Brunei which successfully contributed to the comprehensive peace process in Mindanao. (PCOO)
Aquino to PNP: Prove your worth after hostage incident
President Benigno S. Aquino III challenged the new leadership of the Philippine National Police, headed by Gen. Raul M. Bacalzo to “prove its worth” after the botched hostage rescue at the Quirino Grandstand last month.
Speaking at the Change of Command ceremonies at Camp Crame on Tuesday, the President said that what happened at the Quirino Grandstand was just one of the early trials of his administration.
“We have faced these challenges squarely,” the President said citing the 5,000 jobs generated from the expansion of the Convergys plant near the University Belt, the $430 million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation to buy books and medicines for the poor and more businesses and investments that continue to pour in showing continued investor interest in the country.
“Just this morning,” he said, “we have breached the 4,000-point record at the Philippine Stock Exchange in one day, a first, and the rising quality of education, a healthier population and work to stave off poverty.”
Unfortunately, he said, “our big strides to progress are being belittled by the tragedy at the Quirino Grandstand.”
“Tuluyan pong nadapa ang marami sa atin. Ang masama, parang ayaw na po nilang bumangon,” he added.
In the name of my parents, “I will not allow our country to fall on its knees no matter how difficult our challenges are, we will rise up,” intoned.
“Believe me, our country will face a lot more challenges, just like other nations, and we will not stop there. No country in this world is without its share of difficulties and trials. We must keep our firm resolve to overcome such problems and not to be daunted by them,” the President said. (PCOO)
Ochoa leads Bulacan’s 2010 Gawad Dangal awardees
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. headed the list of Bulacan natives honored by the Bulacan Provincial Government in the 2010 Gawad Dangal ng Lipi Awards held yesterday in the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in Malolos, Bulacan.
Started in 1974 by Gov. Ignacio Santiago, the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi is the highest honor that the provincial government of Bulacan bestows upon exemplary Bulakenyos in various fields, including public service, community service, education, science and technology, arts and culture, sports, professional, trade and industry, health and agriculture.
Ochoa, commonly referred to as the “Little President,” was awarded the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi Paglilingkod Bayan award. Joining him in this year’s roster of awardees were Dr. Reynaldo C. Cruz (Edukasyon), Dr. Carina J. Galvez-Lao (Agham at Teknolohiya), Teresita J. Nethercott (Entreprenor), Dr. Camilo I. Porciuncula, (Pangkalusugan), Ma. Victoria R. Tengco-Burgos (Pangangalakal at Industriya), Dr. Pablo S. Trillana III (Sining at Kultura), Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr. (Paglilingkod Mamamayan) and Supreme Court Justice Martin S. Villarama Jr. (Propesyunal).
Past winners of the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi Award are the late President Corazon C. Aquino, the late Sen. Blas Ople, Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, Dolphy, Regine Velasquez, Cory Aquino, Albert Romulo, Virgilio Almario, Arnold Clavio, Cheche Lazaro, Lydia de Vega, Sen. Juan Flavier and Carina Constantino-David.
The Executive Secretary, who delivered a message on behalf of the awardees, lauded the provincial government led by Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado for continuing the awards, which continue to “honor those who can serve as an inspiration to Bulakenyos, particularly the youth.”
Ochoa, who hails from Pulilan, Bulacan, practiced law in the province after passing the Bar in 1986. He was one of the youngest officers of the provincial chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, serving as vice president of IBP Bulacan Chapter. His father, the late Paquito Sr., was also a lawyer and former Pulilan Mayor.
After a successful private practice, Ochoa joined the Quezon City Government in 2001, first as an assistant secretary to Mayor Sonny Belmonte. He was named city administrator in 2003.
Ochoa’s work as city administrator has earned him praises from governance specialists in the academe like Ateneo School of Government Dean Tony La Viña, who called him “an effective, efficient and innovative public servant,” whose “programs intended to improve education, health and business permitting processes” have helped improve the delivery of basic services in Quezon City. (PCOO)
