Palace says cut in OP intel fund consistent with Aquino's belt-tightening efforts
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma said that the reduction in the intel fund in the Office of the President is “consistent with our belt-tightening efforts and our desire to cut unprogrammed, unaudited fund sources."
Coloma said the reduction in the intel fund was recommended by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. "in the spirit of transparency and fiscal discipline."
During the hearing, Ochoa said that the Palace has even slashed its budget request for the next fiscal year by 4.3 percent to P4.075 billion from the previous administration’s P4.259 billion in line with the cost-cutting policy of President Aquino.
He noted that it was the same budget that was approved by the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Ochoa explained that the Office of the President reduced the spending plan across the various services within Malacañang and abolished 10 attached offices adding that it has also realigned the money from the Palace intelligence funds and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission to cover the funding requirements of the two new offices.
According to Ochoa, next year’s appropriation for Maintenance, Operating and Other Expenses (MOOE), has been reduced by P163.9 million, with professional services getting the biggest cut of P152.7 million. He added that there is also a cutback of expenses for printing, advertising, travel and representation allowances.
Ochoa further said that “addressing our growing deficit will require a team effort on the part of all government offices, as we all have to use our resources wisely, and the President’s office is doing its share by cutting back on various expenses.” (PCOO)
Aquino to keynote electronics confab Friday
President Benigno S. Aquino III will keynote (Friday, Nov. 5) the 102th General Membership Meeting of the Semi-conductors and Electronics Industries in the Phils., Inc (SEIPI).
The SEIPI event, which will be held at Malacanang’s Heroes Hall, coincides with the celebration of the Philippine Electronics Industry Week declared by Former President Joseph Estrada under Proclamation No. 184 on Sept. 30, 1999.
President Aquino is expected to give doable solutions to the concerns of the industry considered a major contributor to the country’s export earnings.
The two concerns are the cost of electricity, and subsidies/incentives for companies switching to “green” products such as LED lighting.
The Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Forum will gather 300 SEIPI CEOs and top executives together with representatives from other industries, aimed at leveraging technology and business.
SEIPI is a non-stock, non-profit industry organization established in October 1984. It aims to transform the Philippines into a regional center of excellence in selected electronics industry products and processes and become the investment location of choice for those who wish to design, make or sell their products.
The general membership consists of regular, associate, affiliate and honorary member companies in the Philippines. As of the first quarter last year, there are 2,226 SEIPI members, 90 of which are Filipino-owned, 36 are American companies, 44 are Japanese-owned, 13 are German-owned and 43 are owned by other nationalities. (PCOO)
Palace seeks downgrading of travel warnings to PH
Malacañang has tasked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to coordinate with the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia here and ask them to downgrade their travel warnings against the Philippines.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary “Sonny” Herminio Coloma stressed that the travel advisories against the Philippines stemmed from a foiled attack on the U.S.
“It is a global threat that is why our defense security establishments followed suit. This was the result of continuing multilateral intelligence coordination and exchange of information with friendly nations,” Coloma said.
Coloma further said that Malacañang understands that the five countries (that issued travel advisories) have security concerns in the Philippines.
He made an assurance that the DFA will work this out as travel advisories have a negative impact on the country’s tourism industry.
At the same time, Coloma called on the public to exercise care, caution, vigilance and preparedness in spite of the Armed Forces of the Philippines pronouncement that there is no real threat. (PCOO)
Palace urges tollways firm to maintain quality service, ensure public safety
Malacañang urged the South Luzon Tollways Corporation (SLTC) to maintain the quality of its service and ensure that its proposed cost-cutting measures, which is pending approval by the Toll Regulatory Board would not affect the delivery of its service to the public.
“We don’t have a problem with cutting costs because we have austerity measures in place,” Valte said in a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday.
SLTC’s cost-cutting proposal includes closing of lights along the main line in order to reduce electricity expenses, which amounts to P4 million to P5 million a month. Likewise, the suspension of services such as litter collection, grass cutting and fence cleaning; and reducing its 133 toll gates by around 30%.
The SLTC assured that the closure of the toll gates would not affect traffic or safety of the motorists adding that it would use traffic data in determining which toll gates can be closed at certain hours.
On the closing of lights along its main line, Valte said the SLTC must always consider the safety of the public especially in some areas that require proper lighting.
The SLTC said that it is expecting the Toll Regulatory Board to approve its cost-cutting proposal within the week.
The company said that the delay in the implementation of the toll hike at the South Luzon Expressway has caused its operator to lose millions of pesos each day.
The SLTC, which is 80% owned by Malaysia’s second-largest toll road operator MTD Capital Berhad, holds a 30-year contract to operate, maintain and expand the South Luzon Tollways Corporation. (PCOO)
Comparison between Aquino and Obama “inappropriate, premature” -- Palace
The comparison made by a US-led multinational risk consultancy firm on the leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III and US President Barack Obama is “inappropriate” and “premature.”
This was how Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma and Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte described the assessment of the US think tank on President Aquino’s “ability to impact change.”
In a radio interview, Coloma noted that the Aquino administration is only five months old while US President Barack Obama is already halfway his four-year term.
Coloma stressed there is a significant difference between Aquino and Obama because the US president was elected when there was a massive economic meltdown in Wall Street while Aquino was overwhelmingly voted by the Filipino people because of his promise to bring about genuine change and end corruption in government.
The Obama administration implemented emergency measures and remedial legislation to help industries facing bankruptcy and check the massive loss of jobs. Opinion surveys revealed that Americans continue to be pessimistic on their country’s economic outlook.
Coloma said the Philippines was not directly affected by the global financial crisis. Moreover, President Aquino continues to enjoy high satisfaction and approval ratings.
For her part, Valte described the assessment of Pacific Strategies and Assessments, a US-led multinational risk consultancy firm doing intelligence work for the world’s top corporations and embassies in Manila, as “too early” and “premature”.
She added that in terms of politics, the Philippines and the United States have different systems and situation, stressing it would be very difficult to compare. (PCOO)
Aquino to attend Yokohama APEC
President Benigno S. Aquino III will attend his first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Yokohama, Japan from Nov. 12 to 15 to push the Philippines’ initiative to sustain cooperation in economic and technical cooperation.
In a media briefing in Malacañang, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Antonio Rodriguez said the President will lead the country in actively engaging the 21-member APEC economies to enhance the country’ advocacy for human resources development, employment creation and in addressing the social dimensions of globalization, and sustaining economic and technical cooperation.
As APEC chairman in 1996, Rodriguez said the country pushed to sustain economic and technical cooperation so that developing economies such as the Philippines can be globally competitive under the 2020 APEC Bogor Goals.
In 1994, the APEC Bogor Goals were established in Bogor, Indonesia and set the target of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region by 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.
Rodriguez pointed out that safety nets are important for the balanced and inclusive growth of developing economies in the midst of globalization.
He said the President will likely push initiatives on climate change which is also important considering that the Philippines is a minor contributor to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions but a big victim of the effects of climate change.
Without naming names, Rodriguez said several heads of state have also expressed interest to meet with President Aquino at the sidelines of the 18th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting on Nov. 13-14.
Rodriguez said President Aquino and the official Philippine delegation will have a chance to meet with the region’s top business leaders during the APEC CEO Summit on Nov. 12, and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue with Leaders on Nov. 13.
Composed of three business executives from each member economy, ABAC was created by the APEC Economic Leaders in Nov. 1995 to provide advice on ways to achieve the Bogor Goals and other business sector priorities, as well as providing the business perspective on specific areas of cooperation.
Rodriguez said the President will also meet with representatives of the Filipino community in Japan, where more than 1,000 Filipinos in the Yokohama region alone are expected to greet the President.
He said the President will arrive for an overnight stay in Tokyo on Nov. 11 and immediately proceed to Yokohama for the APEC meet the following morning.
Among those joining the President are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo.
With the 18th AELM’s theme of “Change and Action,” APEC economies will build upon its past successes, by proposing necessary changes and actions to ensure its continued relevance in shaping the region’s future.
APEC economies will also consider future directions for the region, taking off from a vision of a New Growth Paradigm for a changed post-crisis landscape that was adopted by the APEC Leaders in 2008 in Lima, Peru.
APEC members account for approximately 40 percent of the world’s population, approximately 54 percent of the world gross domestic product (GDP) and about 44 percent of world trade. (PCOO)
