Aquino underscores role of media as watchdog of democracy
President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the role of mass media in effectively safeguarding freedom from an irresponsible government.
Quoting his late father and icon of people power, Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., the President said that “a free media is indispensable if a democracy is to function efficiently, if it is to be real. The people, who are sovereign, must be adequately informed all the time.”
Speaking at the silver anniversary of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the launching of the commemorative book entitled “From Ninoy to Noynoy: 25 years of the Philippine Daily Inquirer” Wednesday night at the Rizal Ballroom of Makati Shangri-la in Makati City, he stressed the active role of media in protecting the well-being of the people.
“There is no doubt that media plays an active role in guarding our freedoms and making the powerful accountable,” the Chief Executive said, stressing that when our institutions were weak, “the media put truth to power for the well-being of our citizenry.”
The President went on to underscore that media does not operate in a vacuum or was it not immune from the pressures heaped by influential people in the government, he urged all journalists and broadcasters to watch their own ranks and condemn their colleagues who try to exert a corrupt influence on the government.
“It would be a disservice to our journalists and broadcasters, and especially to our countrymen, if it were to be terminally afflicted with the disease of corruption and deceit,” he said. “Every journalist must focus his or her efforts to ensure that there is a trustworthy, transparent relationship between the government, the media, and, most importantly, the Filipino people.”
He also asked the assistance of media to help the government in maintaining the highest form of professionalism, integrity, and truth-telling.
“Together, it is vital for us to raise the level of public discourse so that important issues are distinguished from vulgar personalities and trivial stories,” he added.
In his speech, the President acknowledged the contribution of Inquirer for igniting and catalyzing professionalism through its fair reporting and exposes against the government, having started before martial rule and continuing to the present.
He assured the men and women of the country’s leading broadsheet that his government is not after fame but to protect the meaning of democracy which the Filipino people had recovered from 20 years of dictatorial rule of former President Ferdinand R. Marcos.
“This is the path the Filipino people have committed to, and we all have a role to play in defending it,” he said and admitted that he will personally proudly claim and inform his late parents, Senator Ninoy and former President Corazon Aquino, if his administration succeeds in defending democracy during his term which would be ending in 2016.
During the program, the President thanked the founding chairman of PDI, Eugenia Duran Apostol, for pioneering responsible, honest and accurate newspaper reporting since she established Inquirer 25 years ago.
He also thanked the people behind the timely publication of the coffee table book: “From Ninoy to Noynoy: 25 years of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.”
“The experiences and lessons (of this book) will push me to tighten our guards and continue to fight the real essence of democracy,” he stressed. (PCOO)
Aquino to fete typhoon volunteers
President Benigno S. Aquino III will award and speak tomorrow, Dec. 3, before the volunteers of 13 electric cooperatives (ECs) who helped restore power in the provinces ravaged by storm Juan last October.
The volunteers were organized by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to restore power in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga and Apayao which were hardest hit by Juan last October. Because of their rehabilitation efforts, most of these provinces were immediately reconnected to the national grid transmission lines.
The awarding will take place at the Tarlac Electric Cooperative (Tarelco) auditorium in Gerona, with the general managers and presidents of the 13 electric cooperatives to be awarded by the President and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras.
The President will be received at the Tarelco auditorium by Secretary Almendras, NEA Administrator Edita Bueno; Deputy Administrators Edgardo Piamonte, Mariano Cuenco, Edilberti Bassig and John Joseph Magtuloy; NEA board members Jose Victor Lobrigo and Joseph Khonghun; Northern Luzon Commander Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan and PNP Region 3 Regional Director Chief Superientendent Allan Purisima.
The theme of the recognition ceremony is “Ilaw Bayanihan: Taos-Pusong Pagtutulungan Alay sa Bayan.” The event is expected to be attended by over 200 employees and officials of DoE, NEA, TARELCO and TFKs.
The NEA organized Task Force Kapatid (TFK)-Typhoon Juan composed of the 13 ECs from southern and Central Luzon.
The ECs volunteered their foremen and linemen equipped with the necessary tools and equipment for the immediate rehabilitation of the damaged distribution lines and restoration of power in the affected provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga and Apayao.
Expenses for the salaries of volunteers, including their sustenance during said deployment were shouldered by the 13 ECs.
After a week of rehabilitation of damaged lines, electric power was restored, except for some isolated areas, as soon as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines energized its transmission lines.
The 13 participating ECs are: First Laguna Electric Cooperative Inc. (FLECO); Pampanga I Electric Cooperative Inc. (PELCO I); Pampanga II EC Inc. (PELCO II); Peninsula Eelctric Coop Inc. (PENELCO); Nueva Ecija I Electric Coop Inc. (NEELCO I); Nueva Ecija II EC Inc.-Area I (NEELCO II A- I); Nueva Ecija II EC Inc –Area II (NEELCO II-A2); Tarlac I EC Inc (TAREELCO II); Tarlac II EC Inc (TAREELCO II); Zambales II EC Inc. (ZAMEECO II); Benguet EC Inc. (BENECO); Quirino EC Inc. (QUIRELCO) and Nueva Vizcaya EC Inc. (NUVELCO).
The awardees are: Engr. Resurreccion Coronel (general manager/OIC) and Antonio Perez Jr. (president) of TARELCO I; Engr. Jose Bognot Jr. (GM/OIC) and Emerson Gomez (president) of TARELCO II; Evangelito Estaca and Gabriel Adefuin of FLECO; Engr. Lollano Allas and Carlos de Jesus of PELCO I; Amador Guevarra and John David Sunio of PELCO II; Engr. Loreto Marcelino and Alberto Villaruz of PENELCO; Engr. Bonifacio Patiag and Fr. Antonio Mangahas Jr. of NEECO I; Eulalia Castro and Reynaldo Villanueva of NEECO II Area I; Ramon de Vera and Reynaldo Villanueva of NEECO II-Area II; Engr. Alvin Farrales and Engr. Dominador Gallardo of ZAMECO II; Gerardo Verzosa and Ferdie Bayasen of BENECO; Engr. Narciso Salunat and Lopito Lloyd Valdez of NUVELCO and Engr. Fidel Pascua and Flor Perez of QUIRELCO. (PCOO)
Aquino calls on private sector for Renewable Energy Partnership
Stressing that the sustainable access and use of renewable energy is a vital cornerstone of the country’s overarching agenda of success, President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday called on the private sector to be government’s partner in bringing renewable energy to isolated communities.
In his keynote address at the Renewable Energy Conference and Expo Manila 2010 held at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, the President said that renewable energy projects in rural areas can be tools of development in far-flung communities.
“Your genuine support furthers our optimism in our initiatives towards renewable energy development in our country. The key to success in any venture is sufficient cooperation and seeing all of you here reassures us that the government and the private sector have a mutual interest in pursuing sustainable access to and the use of renewable energy in the country,” he said.
The Chief Executive stressed that the government needs the help of the private sector in improving the lives of the poor, especially those in isolated communities.
“We will give you incentives and guarantees as needed within a framework that takes in consideration our mutual desire for a win-win solution for all parties,” the President assured.
He said the public-private partnership projects on renewable energy will realize this goal.
The President bared that as of March this year, a total of 205 renewable energy contracts were awarded to renewable energy developers; 33 are operating, nine are developed and 163 are in pre- development stage.
“We will not stop working until the operation of all these projects is ensured. We will continue making opportunities for similar renewable energy projects that ultimately pay more dividends to the Filipino people,” he said.
The President pointed out that energy is central to sustainable development and that the lack of access to modern energy services is a drawback to economic and social development.
He said providing energy to households is vital to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. “Without energy government is hampered from delivering services for basic human needs such as clean water, health, shelter and education.”
Moreover, the President noted that the National Renewable Energy Program was instituted by government to achieve 100 percent increase in the country’s renewable energy capacity within 20 years. It also aims to increase the non- power contribution of renewable energy to the energy mix equivalent to 10 million barrels of fuel oil in the next 10 years.
The President noted that the goals are for the Philippines to be the number one geothermal energy producer in the world, to double the countryside power capacity and to expand the respective contribution of biomass, solar and wind energy to the energy mix.
He made an assurance that his administration’s initiatives on the development of renewable energy is consistent with the three goals as well as ensured the protection of the environment.
The President added that the development of the country’s renewable energy remains a collective objective even as he noted that the Philippines has vast resources of renewable energy---among them geothermal, hydropower, biomass, wind and solar.
“The challenge before us is to aggressively pursue the benefits from increasing the percentage of energy from renewable sources. The natural potential bestowed upon our country is impressive but there is work to be done so that these resources can be harnessed well,“ he said. (PCOO)
Palace optimistic on signing of 2011 budget before yearend
Malacanang is hoping President Benigno S. Aquino III can sign the proposed P1.645-trillion national budget for 2011 before yearend to immediately implement vital infrastructure and social investment programs and other reform thrusts of the government.
This, after the Senate approved on Wednesday night the 2011 national budget without cuts, including the budget for the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and the P21-billion allocation for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In a media briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte thanked Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile and the other senators for their efficient work in passing the proposed 2011 budget on time.
Last month, the House of Representatives also approved the proposed 2011 budget, keeping intact the increased investments in social services such as the CCT program and special provisions promoting transparency and accountability.
Valte said it is now up to the bicameral committee of Congress to further scrutinize and deliberate on the proposed 2011 budget and endorse it for the President’s signature before the start of the fiscal year.
“We are hoping that the President can sign the budget around the last week of December,” Valte said. (PCOO)
President Aquino swears in 11 new government officials
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday inducted 11 new government officials during ceremonies held at Malacañang’s Premiere Guest House.
The President, who had just come from a private meeting with Ryoki Sugita, chairman of Japanese publishing giant Nikkei, Inc. first swore in officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Inducted were Merceditas Tuason, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Holy See; Manuel Lopez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan; and Wilfredo Villacorta, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The other officials who took their oaths of office were: Imelda Nicolas, chairman, Commission on Filipino Overseas; Edgar Galavante, Acting Executive Director, Dangerous Drugs Board; Felix William Fuentebella, commissioner of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board;
Nariman Ambolodto, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government; Herminio Alcasid, member and chairman, Board of Directors, Philippine National Oil Company – Development and Management Corporation; and,
Officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process: Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid, commissioner (representing Island Groups and the rest of the Visayas region); Dionesia Banua, commissioner (representing Island Groups and the rest of the Visayas region); and Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, Executive Director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. (PCOO)
