Palace happy about changes in travel advisories
Malacañang said on Saturday that it was happy that Australia and France have heeded the call of President Benigno S. Aquino to amend their travel advisories last Nov.2 against the country based on solid facts.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview with Radyo ng Bayan that the change in Australia’s travel advisory—dropping the phrase imminent attack in Metro Manila—“is a significant development because it removed the contentious part.”
Earlier, she said, France revised its advisory and took out the “supposed imminent terror attack in Manila.”
The President, during his attendance to the Leaders summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation nations in Yokohama, questioned the basis for the advisory insisting that they were based on raw data. He asked the removal of the “imminent terror attack” part, Valte recalled.
In a related development, Valte welcomed the truce declaration between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines for the Christmas holidays saying the ceasefire will afford both camps enough time to think about peace.
“Like we said there is another round of informal talks and there will be preparations for the formal talks alternatively set for February. I hope that we use the peace to assess the situation, without the bursts from explosions,” Valte said.
As to whether the ceasefire will be used by any camp to regroup and recruit their forces, Valte said “we hope the ceasefire will not be used for any other means than for what it was intended, agreed upon for implementation. (PCOO)
Palace announces new appointments for DOT, IBP
Malacanang has announced the latest appointment of a senior official of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and two members of the board of directors of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
In an interview over the government-run Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte bared the appointment of Maria Victoria Jasmin as DOT Acting Undersecretary for Services and Regional Operations.
A former assistant secretary and director of the DOT’s Office of Tourism Standards, Jasmin’s appointment is seen to strongly support the department’s promotional efforts in attaining its year-end target of 3.3 million visitors this year.
Valte also announced the appointment of LBP board directors Victor Gerardo Bulatao, representing the agrarian reform beneficiaries and Domingo Diaz, representing the private sector.
As a catalyst in countryside development and poverty alleviation, LBP is the country’s largest credit institution in the rural areas that has been expanding its agribusiness and livelihood loan portfolio for priority sectors particularly to farmers and fishermen, small and medium enterprises and microenterprises. (PCOO)
