PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Ochoa cites importance of Visiting Forces Agreement; stresses need for review

Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Tuesday underscored the importance of the defense partnership with the United States under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in maintaining national and regional security, but said that a review of the treaty is necessary to ensure it reflects the interest of the nation.

Speaking before the organizational meeting of the Legislative Oversight Committee on the VFA (LOVFA) at the Senate, Ochoa recognized the long history that the Philippines and the US share and the role their alliance plays in promoting peace and stability.

After more than a decade since the VFA was ratified, the Aquino Administration, however, sees the need for a review to make sure that the bilateral pact promotes the interest of the country and addresses the contentious issues in the treaty, Ochoa said.

“The Aquino administration believes that the VFA remains in the national interest and is important and useful,” the Executive Secretary.

“However, we are also mindful that after 11 years of existence, it is timely for us to undertake a review of the agreement to ensure that it remains relevant and attuned to our national interest and that it addresses contentious issues, which have arisen in recent years,” he added.

Ochoa also told the Senate that the VFA Commission has already started its work ahead of the review by organizing technical working groups to study specific issues. (PCOO)


Aquino wears black arm band on first anniversary of Maguindanao massacre

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna: In a show of sympathy to the victims of the worst election-related violence in the country, President Benigno S. Aquino III wore a black band on his right arm Tuesday and joined the nation in marking the first anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre.

Clad in barong, the President showed up with the arm band in attending the groundbreaking ceremony for a facility of Nestlé Philippines Inc. at the First Philippines Industrial Park in Tanauan, Batangas and at the third annual convention of Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (RTPIC) IV-A at the Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc. plant here.

The President’s close-in security also wore black arm bands while the members of the Malacanang Press Corps who covered him here were in black shirts.

In a statement, the President assured the families and relatives of the 57 victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre that his administration will do everything within his power to achieve a timely resolution of the case and ensure that it will not happen again.

“We will not rest until justice has been served,” he stressed noting that he has ordered Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to keep updated him on the status of the case.

The President pointed out that the resolution of the has become a litmus test of the country’s justice system, noting that it is one of the top priorities of the justice Department.

He noted that as of press time, 57 cases have been filed and pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court 221, while 49 of the 196 accused in the case “People vs. Andal Ampatuan Jr. et al” have been arraigned. Eighty one have been also arrested, while one victim remains missing.

The President said he is not inclined on lifting the state of emergency in Maguindanao after authorities assessed that there is still a need to ensure the safety and security of the residents.

The President added that the search for illegal firearms in the province and pursuit of the massacre suspects are still ongoing.

A day after the brutal killings, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed Maguindanao and nearby areas under a state of emergency. On December 5, she also placed Maguindanao under martial law and lifted it a few days later although the state of emergency remained up to the present. (PCOO)


Aquino leads groundbreaking of P4.3-B Nestle factory in Batangas

TANAUAN, Batangas: President Benigno S. Aquino III led groundbreaking rites for food giant Nestle Corporation’s fifth manufacturing facility in the country during his visit to the province Tuesday.

To be built at a cost of P4.3-billion on a 27-hectare lot located within the First Philippine Industrial Park here, the new factory, once completed will contribute to the growth of the domestic economy; provide direct employment for a new work force of 170 while creating many other jobs for businesses supplying the facility with raw materials and services.

In a speech keynoting the historic ceremony, President Aquino lauded Nestle, represented by its Philippine chairman and CEO John Miller, for choosing to do business in the country.

“Our burgeoning manufacturing industry, which in 2010 contributed 83 billion pesos to our Gross National Product (GNP), owes a great deal to your efforts,” the President said, adding, “your sector has given rise to three million jobs, comprising eight percent of our country’s total labor force.”

“Slowly but surely, companies such as yours have contributed to the success story that we want our national experience to be. I am hopeful that you will continue with your operations, and I pray for your further success,” he added.

The President said this new investment represented the renewed vigor and confidence investors see of the Philippines.

“The foundation of a thriving economy is confidence,” the President said citing the overwhelming response potential investors had during last week’s launch of his government’s public-private partnership initiative through Infrastructure Philippines, which attracted no less than 600 domestic and foreign fund managers, bankers, and other potential investors.

“They (investors) sense that the country has turned a corner. That what was impossible yesterday -- trusting the government to deal with investors fairly and predictably is not only possible, but a mutually beneficial opportunity now,” the President said.

To entice more investors to open up shops in the country, the President said his government has embarked on “cleaning up” the required processes needed to allow investments to flow freely.

“From cutting red tape, to undertaking the prioritization of key industries, to developing and promoting a region-based promotion program, we are maximizing opportunities brought about by international trade and investment agreements,” the President said.

“The Philippine Government is committed to extending all the necessary support to ensure the smooth operations of firms already established in this country, such as Nestle, towards long-term growth and economic development,” he added.

“Moreover, my whole team is committed toward the creation of a business environment that is rational, transparent, and predictable. And here, we have already had successes. We have reduced the time it takes to register a business name from four to eight-hour endless days to fifteen minutes and reduced the information requirements from sixteen to seven fields. This also can now be done online,” the President said.

In ending, the President vowed to work harder at implementing reforms that will truly bring change to the country.

“We will not let you down. The change has begun; it can be accomplished. Together, we will make possible what was for so long, thought to be impossible: a Philippines so successful, so confident, so capable, that the contrast with the past will be like the difference between night and day,” the President said. (PCOO)


President Aquino announces creation of DOF’s perangbayan website

TANAUAN, Batangas: President Benigno S. Aquino III announced today the creation of the Department of Finance’s PeraNgBayan website (http://perangbayan.com/index.php) aimed at providing Filipino citizens a venue to report any misuse of public funds.

“While we’re on the topic of the worldwide web, allow me to mention that the Department of Finance has also recently established a website, called ”Pera Ng Bayan,” which receives complaints on the misuse of public funds,” the President said in his speech keynoting ground breaking ceremonies for Nestle Philippines’ fifth manufacturing plant here.

“We have also increased opportunities to punish fraud by taxpayers and government employees by having the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs file highly visible corruption cases alternating every other week,” he added.

Pera ng Bayan is an initiative of the Office of the Secretary of Finance in line with the Aquino Administration’s efforts to make good on its credo “Kung walang corrupt, walang Mahirap.”

The Pera ng Bayan website provides a feedback mechanism from the citizens to the Department of Finance and its attached agencies utilizing relevant social network tools.

The citizens should be able to send information relevant to graft, improper action, negligence, lavish lifestyle and other illegal practices of civil servants under the department, as well as report exemplary performance of the same.

This will enable the citizens in becoming an active partner in the Department’s drive against tax evaders, smugglers, and erring officials of the Department and its attached agencies such as the BIR and BOC. (PCOO)


Aquino confident gross domestic product to continue upward trend

CALAMBA, Laguna: President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed confidence today that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) would retain its upward trend despite a decrease in election spending.

In a press conference, the President said this upward trend of the GDP would be buoyed by the string of new investments put up by investors in the past few days.

The President said he had just come from groundbreaking rites for the P4.3-billion manufacturing plant of Nestle Philippines in Tanauan, Batangas and that Proctor and Gamble, another top manufacturing firm, which is celebrating its 75th year of doing business in the country will build a new plant to the tune of P2.5-billion.

The President also pointed out that the recent launch of his government’s public-private partnership program last week piqued the interest of 600 to 700 potential investors.

“So I should expect even if there is a downturn because of the lack of election spending component, we expect that we will be maintaining the upward trend of all of our GDP figures and perhaps in a faster period of time than what was initially envisioned,” the President said.

“This is due to the fact that there is optimism across the board from the workers to the investors to even people in government,” he added.

“So this will redound to an active and more fruitful cooperation among all of these sectors and we are hoping we get the same treatment from both the legislature and the judiciary,” the President said.

The gross domestic product (GDP) or gross domestic income (GDI) is the amount of goods and services produced in a year in a country. It is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year. It is often positively correlated with the standard of living, alternative measures to GDP for that purpose. (PCOO)


President Aquino open to amend Proclamation No. 50

CALAMBA, Laguna – President Benigno S. Aquino III said today that he is open to the possibility of amending Proclamation No. 50 granting “amnesty to active and former personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and their supporters who may have committed acts or omissions punishable under the revised penal code, the articles of war or other special laws committed in connection with the Oakwood Mutiny, the Marines Stand-Off and the Manila Pen Incident and Related Incidents.”

In a press conference held at the Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Plant here this morning, the President said he was for amending said proclamation if the discussions between the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial) warrant such.

It was the senate that initiated this proposal for amnesty, so we expect this matter to be under discussions, since we have three branches of government, the President said, adding that whatever the senate decides will be taken into consideration.

“We are open to amendments that are being proposed,” the Chief Executive continued. We are ready to improve Proclamation 50. (PCOO)


Aquino orders review of labor code

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna: President Benigno S. Aquino III ordered Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz on Tuesday to review the existing labor code for the possible revision of Article 275 so that more stakeholders could actively participate in the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC).

The President issued the directives to Baldoz at the 3rd annual convention of the Regional Tripartite Peace Council Region IV-A (CALABARZON) at the Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc. Plant here.

He had tasked Baldoz to review existing Executive Order to further strengthen the TIPC membership as well as its role and functions.

“With these, we can expect enough funding for the local tripartite councils, and a clear guideline in selecting representatives for the local and national tripartite council,” the President told union leaders, businessmen, local chief executives, non-government organizations, academicians, human practitioners and labor advocates present in the convention.

The Philippine Government adopted tripartism as a state policy, particularly by virtue of Section 3, Article XIII (Social Justice and Human Rights) of the Philippine Constitution, Article 275 (Tripartism and Tripartite Conferences) of the Philippine Labor Code, as amended, and by ratification of International Labor Organization Convention No. 144 (Tripartite Consultations to Promote the Implementation of International Labor Standards).

The program involves the promotion of tripartite industrial peace council’s formation, as well as the industry tripartite councils, in the national, regional, city/municipal and provincial levels. It also includes the institutionalization of social dialogues and tripartite consultations on policies and programs affecting labor and management.

He pointed out that continued dialogues and coordination is the key to resolve and protect the interest of both workers and employers.

He informed stakeholders that DOLE will still pursue Department Order No. 107–10, by implementing mandatory 30-day conciliation and mediation in all labor cases which includes cases directly filed at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

“This is within the principles of our administration,” he noted adding that the Labor Department is open to all. “Kung bukas din naman po ang puso at isipan ng mga stakeholder, tiyak na lilitaw ang resolusyong katanggap-tanggap para sa lahat,” he said. (PCOO)


Malacanang joins Mendiola rally to commemorate Maguindanao massacre

Malacanang joined the local and international community in commemorating the first year anniversary of the massacre of 58 innocent civilians, including 32 mediamen in Maguindanao province last year.

At a rally at the footbridge of Mendiola Bridge on Tuesday night, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said President Benigno S. Aquino joins the family of the victims who are crying out for justice since the massacre last year.

"We will ensure that justice will be done under this administration,” Lacierda said. “We will ensure that our prosecutors will do their best to ensure that justice is done and justice is served in this case.”

Lacierda, wearing a black armband, told the crowd that the President already asked the Supreme Court to allow the live coverage during the trial of the case which started last September.

The President also issued an order on Monday declaring November 23 as National Day of Remembrance for the victims of Maguindanao massacre.

Among those present during the rally were Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte, members and officers of Philippine media groups including the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP, and representatives of international media organizations. (PCOO)