Aquino inaugurates new Microtel branch
President Benigno S. Aquino III inaugurated the newest branch of Microtel Hotels and Resorts in simple ceremonies held at the hotel’s second floor function room located at the sprawling Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Tuesday.
The Chief Executive led the unveiling of the Microtel Mall of Asia marker signaling the formal opening of the largest Microtel in the world with 12 floors housing 130 double rooms and 20 suites, aside from a function room that can accommodate up to 200 people as well as wireless internet access, photocopying, fax and mailing services.
It offers cost-efficient lodgings for local and international travelers as well as for local value-minded tourists in Manila.
Microtel MoA is the ninth in the nationwide chain which includes branches in key destinations such as Baguio, Batangas, Boracay, Cabanatuan, Cavite, Davao, Puerto Princesa and Tarlac.
The President was accompanied by Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo.
On hand to welcome the President, were Jose Mari Del Rosario, president and CEO of Microtel Development Corporation; Ramon Del Rosario, chairman of Philippine Investment-Management Incorporated (PHINMA, Inc.); and Ken Greene, president and Managing Director of Wyndham Hotel Group. (PCOO)
Aquino cites need for public-private partnership to boost RP tourism
President Benigno S. Aquino III sees tourist arrivals in the country to quadruple from its current number of three million this year to around 12 million by the end of his term in 2016 through renewed public-private partnership to boost the tourist potential of the Philippines.
In his keynote speech following the inauguration of the 12-storey Microtel Mall of Asia branch in Pasay City on Tuesday, the Chief Executive cited the invaluable contribution of “patriotic” businessmen such as Jose Mari Del Rosario and Ramon Del Rosario, president and CEO of Microtel Development Corporation and chairman of Philippine Investment-Management Incorporated, respectively for providing opportunities for Filipinos to improve their lives.
“Thankfully we have people like the Microtel and PHINMA group of companies, together with their partners, who are investing in the Philippines,” he stressed.
The President underscored the need for more entrepreneurs to fuel their money into the country as he continues to rebuild the nation.
With the necessary reforms that he has been doing since he assumed office, the President also expressed hope that millions of tourists will come and visit the Philippines.
“We have a three-million tourist population coming in, I am sure that under (Tourism) Secretary (Alberto) Berty Lim, we will be getting up to six million hopefully sooner so that by 2016, we will have at least 12-million (tourists),” he said.
For his part, Del Rosario lauded President Aquino’s advocacy to strengthen the country’s tourist potential to attract more visitors.
“The President and Secretary Lim’s presence here highlights the priority the Aquino administration assigns to tourism as a major component to our country’s developmental aspirations and to tourism infrastructure as a key element in the administration’s public-private partnerships program,” Del Rosario said.
“We at PHINMA have a slogan which sums up what we stand for, ‘Life can be better.’ We believe our mission as a business group is not just to generate profits and enhance value for our shareholders. These of course are extremely desirable and essential for our sustained existence, but to help make life better for Filipinos through improved access to the essentials of a dignified life,” he stressed. (PCOO)
Ochoa: Gov't assures quick resolution of cases vs officials liable in hostage rescue
The Aquino Administration on Wednesday reiterated that it will ensure the quick resolution of the cases against the officials found liable in the hostage rescue last August 23.
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. stressed that Malacañang would be closely monitoring all developments with regard to the recommendations made by the Palace in connection with the August 23 incident.
“We wish to assure the people of Hong Kong and the Chinese government that the Philippine Government is taking active measures to ensure the quick initiation and resolution of the cases to be filed against the individuals found liable in the August 23 hostage-taking incident,” the Executive Secretary said.
Ochoa said that aside from monitoring the cases, the government was also focused on making the institutional reforms to avoid a repeat of the incident, as well as prepare various agencies in responding to emergency situations in the future.
“We have already begun taking steps to implement the reforms needed to ensure that our police forces have the equipment and training necessary to properly respond to incidents of this nature,” he said.(PCOO)
De Lima stays in Cabinet, says Lacierda
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will stay in the Cabinet after all.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda confirmed this Wednesday in a phone patch interview with Malacanang reporters after he spoke with de Lima Tuesday night.
Lacierda said de Lima acknowledged the differences in opinion between her IIRC report with the legal study of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Presidential Legal Counsel Ed de Mesa.
Lacierda said President Aquino has emphasized that the nature of the IIRC report is recommendatory and that it is the President’s prerogative to adopt or modify the report. He did so by referring the IIRC report to Ochoa and de Mesa for further study.
Reacting to published reports of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that de Lima had recommended filing of criminal and administrative charges, Lacierda said “there was no criminal negligence so there can’t be criminal charges.”
The PCIJ report also said that the IIRC recommended the filing of charges against Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Undersecretary Rico Puno, Philippine National Police Chief retired Gen. Jesus Verzosa, and Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim but were cleared of criminal liabilities on the legal study done by Ochoa and de Mesa.
On whether Hongkong expressed disappointment over the IIRC final report—that included the legal study of Ochoa and de Mesa—Lacierda said he talked to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao.
“After the Chinese officials shall have coordinated the visit to China of the delegation headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, then that is when we will finally head for that country to submit the report,” Lacierda added.
“We will be explaining to the Chinese authorities the IIRC report and the review undertaken,” Lacierda said. (PCOO)
