Aquino leaves for a weeklong visit to U.S. Monday night
President Benigno S. Aquino III embarked on his first foreign trip at 10:30 p.m on Monday for a weeklong working visit to the United States carrying a message to the world that the Philippines “is open for business."
“We have embarked on this journey to send a message to the world, and particularly to one of our biggest trading partners, the United States of America: the Philippines is open for business," the Chief Executive said in his departure statement before he boarded Philippine Airlines commercial flight (PR 104)to San Francisco.
The President, who is determined to attract investors, said he is committed to untangle cumbersome bureaucracy and empower industries that will improve the lives of the rural poor and rationalize a regulatory system that has, for many years, disincentives to foreign investors.
He expressed confidence the renewed investor optimism in the country as indicated by the resounding success of the government’s sale of the peso bond last week and the bullish stock market will help make the country a more attractive investment destination.
The President noted that his trip to the US may have come even before the 100-days threshold of his administration but he does not want to waste time in steering the country to equitable economic progress.
The President was sent off by Vice President Jejomar Binay and members of the Cabinet including Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Presidential Management Staff Director-General Secretary Julia Abad, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Dinky Soliman, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma and Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communication Development and Strategic Planning Office.
Two squads of honor guards from the Philippine Air Force gave him the customary departure honors.
The President's visit to the U.S. will be highlighted by his address to the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 24.
The UNGA is a gathering of over 150 Heads of State/Government in New York and reaffirms the Philippine Government's commitment to the UN Charter and its principles.
The President will also meet with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The President will also be coordinator for the 2nd ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting in New York. The Philippines currently serves as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue relations for the period 2009-2012. (PCOO)
Aquino gov’t to attain full-year budget deficit ceiling
Malacanang said the government is set to attain its full year budget deficit ceiling after posting a P1.3 billion surplus in August due to prudent spending.
In a media briefing at Malacanang on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the surplus was attained as a result of tightening expenses on several fronts.
Lacierda said the government has tightened its expenses on personnel services and the subsidies to government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and lowered rice importation due to oversupply.
He also attributed the surplus to a lower peso-dollar exchange rate and payment of lower interest rates.
At present, Lacierda said the government is also holding back payments pending the review of the contracts earlier negotiated in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Underspending was made possible without any sacrifice to growth. So we believe that it will not sacrifice growth in the future,” Lacierda said
According to Lacierda, it is also expected that there will be less expenditures because of the coming barangay elections due to the ban on appointments and contracting on public works.
With less expenditures, Lacierda added, the government is set to attain its full year budget deficit ceiling of P325 billion, or 3.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for this year, and the P290 billion target or 3.2 percent of GDP next year. (PCOO)
Aquino now in US; will proceed to New York for UN speech
The official delegation of President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived in San Francisco at 7:43 p.m. Monday (10:43 a.m., Tuesday, Manila time) on board Philippine Airlines PR 104. The delegation was welcomed by Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. and his staff.
In a press conference held at the briefing room of the New Executive building in Manila Tuesday morning, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that from San Francisco, the President and his party will take a chartered flight to New York at 9 p.m. (12 noon, Manila time).
They will be welcomed in Peter Borough Airport, New Jersey, 19 kilometers from midtown Manhattan by the New York Consul General and staff.
The entourage will proceed to the Sofitel Hotel where President Aquino will stay for the rest of his stay in the United States.
On Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), the President is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngyuen Minh Triet at the UN headquarters. In the afternoon, President Aquino will answer questions from the New York Times at the New York Times building.
Lacierda said they were advised by Col. Ramon Dizon, head of the Presidential Security Group, to give the President’s official schedule on a day-to-day basis. But Lacierda allayed fears of threat on the security of the President despite the instructions of the PSG head.
The President left Manila Monday night for a seven-day working visit to the US where he will address the gathering of over 150 world leaders for the 65th United Nations General Assembly, meet with U.S. President Barrack Obama and invite foreign businessmen to invest in the country. (PCOO)
Aquino administration performing well, says Palace
Barely three months after assuming office, the Aquino administration is taking pride in the fact that it has reinvigorated confidence in government as can be gleaned from the positive signs of economic recovery.
In a news briefing in Malacanang this morning, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda refuted claims by critics that the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III is running the country like a student government.
“Certainly, we would say that we are performing well, that we are doing the best we can and so it does not appear like we are a student body running this country, like a student council,” he said.
Lacierda said the Aquino administration has brought back the confidence of the global financial community with its avowed determination to get rid of corruption, propel economic engine to prosperity and achieve political stability.
He cited the success of the first ever peso global bond float, the confidence of the stock market and the renewed interest of the foreign businessmen to invest in the Philippines as signs that the Aquino administration is performing well.
Lacierda clarified that in President Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, he already revealed his administration priorities especially in poverty alleviation and eradicating graft and corruption.
He noted that in the 2010 proposed national budget submitted to Congress the President devoted much of the budget to social services.
“So this government really knows its priorities,” Lacierda said noting how early in this administration the Philippine Stock Market index last week closed at 3,972.60, so far the highest in the Philippine Stock Exchange’s history. (PCOO)
Ochoa: Palace lawyers to help President Aquino decide on IIRC recommendations
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said Tuesday the Palace legal team will assist President Benigno Aquino III “arrive at legally sound decisions” based on the report of the Independent Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).
In the 83-page report, the IIRC has recommended the possible filing of administrative and criminal charges against 10 government officials and three media men and television networks in connection with the mishandling of the August 23 hostage incident at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
Ochoa, who along with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa, has been tasked by the President to study the report, said the government’s legal team has started going over the IIRC recommendations since the Chief Executive made it public last Monday.
“The President said it best. Our obligation is to our people, not to his friends and colleagues. We will be impartial, just and fair,” Ochoa said. “And per the President’s instruction and also to bring closure to this sad episode, we will submit our input when the President arrives from the United States.”
The Executive Secretary emphasized that the final decision remains with President Aquino.
“The President, after going through the report and our input, will have the final say as to what sanctions to be imposed on those found liable,” Ochoa said.
The President directed the legal team to specifically study the recommendations and specific charges to be filed against government and police officials, as well as media personalities and TV networks that were named in the report by the IIRC members.
The Executive Secretary clarified the role of the President’s legal team is to help the President understand “the legal nuances concerning the IIRC report.”
At the same time, the Executive Secretary thanked Justice Leila De Lima and other members of the IIRC for conducting the investigation and obtaining all the pertinent facts of the incident. “I appreciate the hard work put in by Sec. De Lima and other members of the IIRC, who worked overtime to finish the report at the soonest time possible.”(PCOO)
