Aquino recieves a Korean War Hero Award
President Benigno S. Aquino III received the Little Angels’ Medallion (Korean War Hero Award), as a token of gratitude of the South Korean Government to the Philippines for helping bring peace to the Korean peninsula during the Korean war from 1950-1953.
The Chief executive received the medallion along with a token Korean bowl from Dr. Bo Hi Pak, co-chairman and executive director of the Korean War 60th Anniversary Project Committee, during a courtesy call in Malacanang on Tuesday morning.
The President was also offered a rendition of a Korean song and the Filipino classic “Dahil sa Iyo” by the Little Angels, the world-famous Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea, who is on a tour of the 16 UN-member nations who sent troops during the Korean war in the 1950s.
Engr. Julius Malicdem, event coordinator of the Little Angels World Peace Tour in Manila, said the medallion and Korean war hero award is being given to the heads of state of the UN member countries which aided South Korea during its battle against the invading forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from 1950-1953.
Malicdem said the President’s father, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., will also be feted as one of the awardees during the Little Angels’ performance at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on December 14 and 15.
At age 17, Ninoy was the youngest war correspondent to cover the Korean War for the Manila Times then headed by Joaquin "Chino" Roces. Because of his journalistic feats, Ninoy received the Philippine Legion of Honor award from then President Elpidio Quirino at the age of 18.
This year, the South Korean Government, through the media, sent letters of gratitude to the countries and the more than a million troops and personnel from other nations who fought for their freedom.
During the Korean War, more than 100 Filipino soldiers were killed, many more wounded, missing in action or became prisoners of war as part of the more than 7,000 soldiers from the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea, composed of the 2nd, 10th, 14th, 19th and 20th Battalions of the Philippine Army.
The Filipino soldiers took part in crucial combats in the 38th Parallel separating North and South Korea like the Battle of Yultong at North Yuncheon, and the Battle of Hill Eerie, which was won in part because of the bravery of a platoon led by then 2nd Lieutenant Fidel V. Ramos, who became the 12th president of the Republic of the Philippines.
During the Korean War, the Philippines was the only Asian country aside from Thailand to send troops to South Korea which then rose from the war ruins and poverty to become the world’s 15th largest economy today.
Dr. Pak, who also joined the war at age 19, narrated in their website that they were sent to the frontlines as new graduates of the cadet corps but their M-1 rifles were no match to the tanks and artillery of the heavily armed North Korean invaders.
“Our country of Korea owes its life to the American soldiers, as well as to the soldiers from the other 15 UN-member nations who sent troops to the Korean War. It may take an eternity for Korea to repay this debt of gratitude. Without the sacrifices of these great heroes, Korea would not have its freedom, independence and prosperity today,” Dr. Pak said. (PCOO)
Malacanang studying options to investigate graft and corruption cases covered by E.O No. 1
Malacañang said it is still studying all possible options to take with regards to the Supreme Court’s decision declaring Executive Order No. 1, creating the Truth Commission as ”unconstitutional.”
“All options are being discussed by the legal team right now. There are several options so we will see what all these options are until such time that the executive secretary or the President himself will decide what course of action the legal team will take, “ Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing on Tuesday at Malacañang Lacierda, however, said the only time bound option is for Malacañang to file a motion for reconsideration with the high court.
The Presidential Spokesperson further said that the proposal of Presidential Assistant for Social Concerns Magdangal Elma for the Presidential Commission on Good Government to pick up where the Truth Commission left off and investigate the alleged corruption cases of the Arroyo administration, is one option being studied by the President’s legal team.
He added that the President’s legal team has its own options and “ that is what we are going to use to answer the Supreme Court.”
Elma has recommended to the President that he reverts the PCGG, which is presently under the Department of Justice, to the Office of the President and to direct the PCGG to conduct the investigation of the graft and corruption cases covered in EO No. 1, series of 2010 and order the Philippine Truth Commission to turn over the cases it had already investigated to the PCGG for appropriate action.
Elma was a former PCGG chairman who served during the administration of Joseph Estrada. He was also a lawyer in Malacañang when President Aquino's late mother, Cory Aquino, was president. The latter created the PCGG through her first executive order issued Feb. 28, 1986. (PCOO)
Gov’t, CBCP officials to meet anew on RH bill
Officials of various government agencies will meet with representatives of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday (Dec. 15) to discuss legal and medical issues surroundings the controversial Reproductive Health Bill now pending in Congress.
In a press briefing in Malacañang Tuesday Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the meeting will be held at the Pope Pious Center on United Nations Avenue in Manila.
“It will simply be a dialogue on what their positions are… where their reservations are coming from, from both a medical and legal point of view”, Lacierda said.
Representing the government panel on their second meeting are Secretary Julia Abad of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Included in the CBCP panel are Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas - Chairman of Episcopal Commission on Catechism and Catholic Education and Imus Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle - Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Doctrine of the Faith, among others.
The first official meeting between the CBCP and the government’s executive department was held last month. (PCOO)
Aquino to lead Ancestral Domain awarding rites
MAGSAYSAY, Occidental Mindoro: In line with government efforts to uphold the rights of indigenous Filipinos to their ancestral land, President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the awarding of Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADT) to member-beneficiaries of the Hanunuo, Gubatnon and Ratagnon (HAGURA) tribes during his visit to this province tomorrow, (Wednesday).
The HAGURA tribes are the indigenous communities of Occidental Mindoro situated in 19 sitios (14 in Magsaysay, three in San Jose and two in Bulalacao).
The organization was established in 1995 to forge efforts of their community in acquiring their legal right and in developing their ancestral domain. After 15 years, the HAGURA will finally receive their CADT.
The Certificate of Ancestral Domain (CADT) forms part of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 which gives recognition and affirms the indigenous peoples’ traditional systems of land tenure, promotes and protects their rights to ancestral domain and lands, self-governance and empowerment, social justice and human rights and cultural integrity.
The IPRA allows the well-established land-law system of indigenous peoples to gain recognition under Philippine law.
Joining the President to the event that will be held at the Magsaysay Municipal Gymnasium here are Roque Agton, Jr., Secretary of the National Commission on Indigenous People; Josephine Sato, Governor, Occidental Mindoro; Amelita Villarosa, Representative of the Lone District of Occidental Mindoro and Eleonor Fajardo, Mayor of Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro. (PCOO)
