Palace bares more appointments
Malacanang announced on Saturday the appointments of more officials in the different departments and government offices and government-owned and controlled corporations.
Foremost in the appointments were Atty. Antonio M. Bernardo as Commissioner and CEO of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board; Emmeline Versoza as Acting Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Women (formerly the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women); Luz Cantor and Amelita Castillo, both assistant secretaries of the Department of Budget and Management; Jerome M. de la Rosa, acting Director IV of the Department of Public Works and Highways;
Dr. Nona S. Legaspi as acting Director IV of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center; Dr. Franklin Gali, acting Director III of the VMMC; Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid as Commissioner representing Region 1 and CAR of the Regional Commission on Indigenous People; Dr. Mario J. Aguja (PhD), member representing the Leading Organization for Association of Government Employees and Retirees of the Government Service Insurance System;
Elmer G. Punzalan as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health; Roberto Anonuevo, Acting Director General of the Commission on Filipino Language; Florencia Dorotan, Deputy Director General of the National Anti Poverty Commission; Edgar Galvante, Acting Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Imelda M. Nicolas (formerly with the NAPC) was named Chairman of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
Primo V. Rivera was appointed Deputy Administrator of the Office of Transport Security of the Department of Transportation and Communication; Atty. Lito Mondragon as president/CEO of the Philippine Mining Development Corp.; Virgilio Yuson as chairman (representing the private sector) of NBN-4; Veronica Baluyot-Jimenez and Jan Tan Co Chua, as board members of NBN4. Jimenez represents the private sector while Chua represents the education sector and Virgilio Nadal and Tito G. Cruz, representing the government sector in NBN4.
Lutgardo C. Navarro as Deputy Administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority; Dean Cesar Villanueva of the Ateneo Law School as member of the board of directors of the Clark International Airport Corp; Engineer Jose R. Simeon, board member of CIAC.
Rosanna Urdaneta was named Acting Director IV of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Nenuca Tangonan as Acting Director IV, TESDA, Pablito Sandoval Sr., board member representing the sugar planters in the Sugar Regulatory Administration;
Virgilio dela Concepcion-Galvez was named Deputy Director General of the Philippine Information Agency. (PCOO)
Palace welcomes US envoys confidence on safety in PH
Malacañang today welcomed the statement of the US ambassador expressing confidence on his safety traveling in the Philippines.
In a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday, Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace welcomes the statement issued by US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. on Monday saying he would even go to Mindanao, where Washington warned US nationals as they will face the “risks of terrorist activity” ostensibly from Moro separatist guerrillas and al-Qaida-linked bandits.
Valte added that Ambassador Thomas’ statement can also be considered as a “vote of confidence” for the country.
“We welcome that, in the same way that… it’s seemingly a ‘vote of confidence’”, noted Valte.
Valte added that the Ambassador Thomas reiterated that their travel advisory is being issued every six months.
“He explained po the travel advisory that every six months nag-iissue po naman sila nito, wala naman po silang sinasabi na may pagbabawal po sa kanilang mga citizens na pumunta po sa bansa natin”, Valte added.
Earlier, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said that the visit of former US President Bill Clinton to the country this week for a lecture series could also be a “vote of confidence” on the Philippines.
The President said that the Secret Service detail assigned to the former US president could have object if there was a realistic and imminent terrorist threat in the country.
Last week, the US State Department issued a travel advisory warning tourists to be extra cautious if traveling to central and western portions on Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago Islands.
The advisory also said that terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and could also occur in Manila. (PCOO)
Malacañang thanks lower house for passing proposed P1.645-trillion budget
Malacañang today expressed its gratitude to the members of the House of Representatives for passing President Benigno S. Aquino III’s proposed P1.645-trillion budget for 2011 which he said “has been formulated to turn our vision for social reform into a tangible reality for our fellow citizens.”
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in an interview with reporters in Malacañang this afternoon, said the government was extending its thanks to the lawmakers particularly House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, House Majority Leader Boyet Gonzalez and Committee on Appropriations chair Congressman Jun Abaya who were instrumental in passing the proposed budget.
Under the proposed budget, the Department of Education will receive P207.3 billion; while the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of National Defense will each be allocated P110.6 billion and P104.7 billion, respectively.
Interior and Local Government will get P88.2 billion; Agriculture, P37.7 billion; Social Welfare and Development, P34.3 billion; Health, P33.3 billion; Transportation and Communications, P32.3 billion; Agrarian Reform, P16.7 billion; and Justice, P14.3 billion.
“Nai-pass na ang budget po natin sa mababang kapulungan: P1.645-trillion at gusto po nating magpasamalat sa ating mga mambabatas, particularly House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, House Majority Leader Boyet Gonzalez and Committee on Appropriations chair Congressman Jun Abaya,” Valte said.
She added that the House of Representatives will now forward the proposed 2011 budget to its counterparts in the Senate for appropriate action. (PCOO)
Guidelines on use of networking sites among gov’t workers out soon
A guideline for the responsible use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, among government employees will be issued soon.
In a media briefing Tuesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said Malacanang has already approved the guidelines but several departments and agencies are still being consulted on the proper implementation of the government’s social networking policy.
The guidelines, according to Valte, is based on the existing code of conduct for public officials and employees.
She said the consultation process will look into the legal aspect on the implementation of the guidelines to ensure that the rights of government workers such as their freedom of expression are not violated.
“There is already an approved guidelines on the social networking policy but several agencies are still being consulted on how to properly go about it,” Valte said. (PCOO)
Aquino to lead naming and ceremonial delivery of bulk carrier in Cebu
BALAMBAN, Cebu: President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead Wednesday the naming and ceremonial delivery of the SC-185 dead weight ton (DWT) Cape Size Bulk Carrier, manufactured in the Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (THI) Cebu Inc. shipyard right inside the West Cebu Industrial Park here.
The President will be received at the landing zone by Jon Ramon Aboitiz, president of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Erramon Aboitiz, president/CEO of Aboitiz Power Corp. and Makoto Kambara, chairman of Tsuneishi Group. He will be motored to Pier 8 of the shipyard, where he will be received by Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura.
Others in the reception party are Governor Gwen Garcia; Rep. Pablo John Garcia (3rd District), Ace Stefan Binghay, Mayor of Balamban Cebu, Director General Atty. Lilia de Lima of the Philippine Export Zone Authority; Administrator Emerson Lorenzo of the Maritime Industry Authority, Roberto Aboitiz, Director/SVP of Aboitiz Group of Companies and Shinji Watadani, president, THI Cebu Inc.
The President will lead the naming of the vessel from a naming pad as the ship is being christened. He will lead the breaking of traditional bottle of champagne at the ship’s bow by cutting the cord using a small axe which will be accompanied by the releasing of confettis.
Erramon Aboitiz will deliver the welcome remarks to be followed by an overview from Watadani. The President will be introduced by de Lima for his speech.
The shipyard is the first activity of the President in this province, which will be followed by the inauguration of a hotel in Cebu City.
Located at Barangay Buanoy, right at the foot of the scenic hills and expansive Tanon Strait, the Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. built the Tenshu Maru, a Panamanian-registered vessel.
It has two masts (fore mast and radar), one deck and nine holds. Its date of keel laying was last March 3 and its launch was last July 29 but delivery is set for Wednesday (Nov. 10).
Tenshu Maru is the biggest ship built in the Philippines by THI, the fourth largest ship builder in the world. (PCOO)
Aquino to open Cebu’s newest luxury hotel
CEBU CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III will formally open on Wednesday the upscale 400-room Radisson Blu Hotel here, the first luxury hotel in Asia-Pacific by the US-based Carlson global hotel chain.
The hotel property in the country's oldest and second largest city, which had its soft opening last Sept.27, is owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of SM Investments Corp.
"Our vision is to be a leader in the Philippines tourism and real estate sectors, and this hotel opening further strengthens our standing in the industry," SM Hotels president Elizabeth Sy said in a press statement.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, located at Cebu City’s North Reclamation Area, near the city’s international port, and SM City Cebu, caters to both business and leisure travelers.
The hotel, which will be positioned as the city's leading international upscale hotel, has 10 function rooms; two ballrooms, one of which will be a 1,000-square-meter pillar-less main ballroom; a spa and fitness center; a lobby lounge; an all-day dining restaurant; and a swimming pool.
Carlson Hotels is a global hotel company with more than 1,060 locations in 77 countries. (PCOO)
PNA now under operational supervision and control of the PIA
MANILA - In line with the thrust of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to ensure a more effective coordination among government media assets and streamline all its media operations, the Philippines News Agency (PNA), the state-run newswire agency, has been placed under the functional and operational supervision of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Under PCOO Order No. 10 issued Monday and signed by Secretary Herminio "Sonny" Coloma, the PIA now oversees the day-to-day operations of the PNA.
On the other hand, the News and Information Bureau (NIB), PNA’s mother unit, shall continue to disburse the salaries, maintenance and other operating expenses of the PNA.
The order effectively facilitates coordination among state media entities under the PCOO.
While the NIB is based in Malacanang, the PNA central office is located at the 2nd floor of the PIA building. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS) occupies the 4th floor of the building while the National Broadcasting Network 4 (NBN 4) is at an adjacent building just a stone’s throw away.
With the issuance of the order, PIA Director-General Jose Fabia has designated newly-appointed PIA Deputy Director-General Virgilio D. Galvez as PNA’s supervising officer. (DCT/CMR/PIA)
