Focus on sports that Filipinos can excel – Aquino
“Concentrate on the sports that Filipinos have potential to win.”
Thus, said President Benigno S. Aquino III to the leaders of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and other sports organization following the victory of the Philippine Azkals football team over the Mongolians last Wednesday in the first leg of their 2012 AFC Challenge Cup prequalifying match in Bacolod City.
“I would suggest that we should concentrate on the sports that we have the capability to really excel,” the President said in an ambush interview during the courtesy call of members of the Azkals team on Thursday at the Premier Guest House in Malacanang.
The President explained that concentrating on the sports that the Filipinos have the potential to excel is a wise move.
The Azkals team presented to the President a jacket which he gamely wore, wishing them “more success and for being a role model for the youth.”
Following the team’s victory on Wednesday night, the President congratulated the Azkals for the two game-winning goals which, he said, “showcased both Filipino creativity and hard work."
"Your two goals showcased both Filipino creativity and the hard work you put in to master your sport. We look forward to cheering you on toward more triumphs,” he added. (PCOO)
Aquino issues EO 24 standardizing pay, perks of GOCC, GFI executives
Malacañang has issued an executive order standardizing the salaries and bonuses of executives in government-owned and-controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) to strengthen control over compensation levels.
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Executive Order No. 24 on Thursday to address deep concerns on the excessive and unreasonable pay and perks received by board members and trustees of GOCCs and GFIs that had unnecessarily depleted government funds and caused demoralization within the bureaucracy.
“This EO will serve as a stop-gap measure to rein in excessive pay for GOCC board of directors and trustees until a law is passed mandating such,” Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Friday.
According to Ochoa, one such measure is Senate Bill No. 2640 or the proposed GOCC Governance Act of 2011 put forward by Senator Franklin Drilon, which is now pending in Congress.
The Executive Secretary said the EO set out the policies on salaries, per diems, allowances, bonuses, incentives and other benefits of the GOCC and GFI board of directors and trustees “to a level that is reasonable, justifiable and appropriate.”
“While we do not begrudge GOCC execs for rewarding themselves for exemplary performance, these financial rewards should be within reason. This EO seeks to set the guidelines that will standardize pay rates to prevent abuse,” Ochoa said.
He thanked the Departments of Finance and Budget and Management for “working with us to exhaustively study and review existing compensation policies. Their input was invaluable in the drafting of these policy guidelines.”
The EO covers board members and directors of GOCCs and GFIs regardless of classification and whose compensation shall be subject to the approval of the President.
It also includes representatives of GOCCs in the boards or private corporations wherein the government or GOCCs have investments.
This means that all chartered and non-chartered GOCCs—whether covered or exempted by the Salary Standardization Law—and their subsidiaries are directed to comply with the policies and guidelines on compensation and reimbursable expenses set by the EO.
Under the new guidelines, the peculiar nature of corporations in terms of size, strategic positioning, nature of operations and financial capability should be taken into consideration in determining a compensation system that is consistent with the pay practices in public and private corporations, as well as the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.
The maximum amount of performance-based incentives to be granted to board members or trustees should depend on the size of the GOCC and GFI, and should not exceed 50 percent of the board member’s annual compensation received for outstanding performance.
The EO says reimbursable expenses cover performance of official functions such as transportation going to and from the place of meetings, travel during official trip, communication and meals during business meetings. These, however, are subject to budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
“Let me emphasize what the President said on GOCC Governance Day last January: The money earned by GOCC belongs to our people and should be used for their benefit, not the benefit of those who run GOCCs. Our people are our boss, and this EO should help those who manage our GOCCs remember that,” Ochoa said. (PCOO)
DOH launches program to enhance PH health services
In line with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s thrust to make essential health services available to all Filipinos especially those in geographically isolated and depressed areas, and at the same time address the problem on the glut of nurses, the Department of Health (DOH) has embarked on an aggressive program aptly called the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service (RN HEALS).
“This effort in essence will enhance our health services with regards to the number of nurses that we have today,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
Ona said the RN HEALS project will train and deploy 10,000 unemployed nurses in communities to be identified by the DOH in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD).
He added that this program is expected to address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in 1,221 rural and unserved or underserved communities for one year.
The RN HEALS will also address government’s efforts to fulfill its United Nations Millennium Development Goals specifically in reducing maternal mortality from the present statistics of 162 in every 100,000 live births to the country’s target of only 52 per 100,000 live births by 2015, by bringing in health professionals in rural areas and improving birthing facilities.
Ona noted that the Philippines has an excess of around 120 thousand nurses.
The program needs P850 million a year and Ona said the President has thrown its support by including the said amount in the General Appropriations Act.
The Health Secretary also said that some 60 thousand nurses applied for the program but due to budgetary constraints, only 10,000 will be hired for the RN HEALS.
“Essentially, this is not an employment program but we are giving these nurses additional experience to be able to prepare themselves for further employment. They will be given priority with regards to hiring in government hospitals since the DOH is now in the process of rationalizing healthcare needs. Eventually, these nurses will be part of the pool of competent nurses for later employment or absorption in health facilities, thus addressing the inadequate supply of skilled nurses and increasing the nurses’ employment rate,” Ona concluded.
While on deployment, the nurses will be given an allowance of P8,000 a month by the DOH while the local government unit (LGU) where they are assigned shall supervise them, ensure their safety and security, and provide modest board and lodging. Likewise, LGUs are encouraged to provide additional allowances and benefits worth at least P2,000 for these nurses.
PhilHealth and the Government Service Insurance System will provide group insurance to the nurses while private corporations are encouraged to contribute through their available resources. (PCOO)
Aquino meets local officials of Sulu
JOLO, Sulu: President Benigno S. Aquino met on Friday morning with the local government officials of the 19 municipalities of Sulu after being briefed about the damage wrought by recent storm surges to the province that affected 4,324 households in Jolo and 492 households in Patikul. The total number of injuries was placed at 165 while six people died during the floods that resulted from the surges.
The damage to schools was placed at P1.5 million aside from Camp Teodulfo Bautista, which houses the marine brigade, the Balikatan forces and Task Force Comet, which also suffered from severe flooding.
Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan asked the President for 5,000 bags of rice and P20 million worth of financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the affected victims.
The President directed Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman to validate the rice requirements of the affected families and coordinate with the National Food Authority.
In addition, 1st District Cong. Tupay “Habib” Loong asked for scientific studies on the vulnerability of the province to floods and other natural disasters considering its geographic character.
The President said he would send the Department of Science and Technology and some scientific experts to undertake such studies and recommend long-term solutions on how to mitigate flooding and other disasters in the future.
On the request of Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin for the reconstruction of damaged roads, the President said he would ask Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and his men to study how to respond to this request inasmuch as Sulu is part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Amin also requested for an increase in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) allocation for the province, which he claimed is the lowest among all provincial 4Ps recipients. He said only 17,700 families of the total (2007) population of 147,000 have been enrolled in the program. The President said the 4Ps for Sulu is being expanded to 56,000 families for this year, which is three times more than what other provincial recipients are getting.
Gov. Tan also asked the President to send to the province flood control heavy equipment to help drain the heavily-silted waterways and prevent similar disasters from happening.
He also reiterated his request for the relocation of the Philippine National Police headquarters to a more suitable site as its current location is surrounded by dense residential houses that creates a noose around the compound making it a security nightmare in case of attacks by armed enemies of the state.
He said the current site of PNP is on a reserved land that he proposes to be vacated for sale or developed into a commercial venture and the proceeds could partly finance the relocation requirements. He said the provincial government is committed to provide government reserves for the purpose.
The governor reported meantime that there has been no reported kidnapping and hostages in the province by kidnap for ransom (KFR) and terror groups.
Coordination between the local law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have improved especially after the reconstitution and convening of the Provincial Peace and Order Council.
He also said that relentless pursuit and police operations against criminal and terror suspects led to the apprehensions of the following Abu Sayyaf Group members: Alnidzfar Akili and Alkin Sawadjaan on Jan. 24, 2011 and the confiscation from them of two pistols and live ammos; Mansul Injani Jalilul and Aldamil Julsali were arrested and taken from them were two pistols and live ammos on Jan. 27 and Faisal Allang from whom a .45 caliber pistol and live ammos were confiscated, on Jan. 28.
To increase police visibility and rapid response, the PNP contingent in Sulu needs communication equipment and 10 units of patrol cars to be under the control and supervision of the Police Provincial Office of Sulu. (PCOO)
Aquino to ask help of Manila Water concessionaires for Sulu’s water woes
JOLO, Sulu: President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Friday morning that he would ask the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System to urge the two water concessionaires of Metro Manila to assist in desalinating the murky water of the province to ensure that flood victims can continue enjoying potable water.
The President, who led the distribution of relief goods to close to 2,000 families affected by floods from storm surges at the provincial multi-purpose gymnasium along with Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, saw for himself that victims were being given six gallon containers coming from Manila for the thirsty victims.
He said this kind of solution was costly and tedious when the equipment and technologies of either the Manila Water Company Inc. or the Maynilad can be used to help treat and provide potable water to the flood victims.
Another way would be the purification tablets of the DSWD which can be used by individual homes to purify their current water supply, the President said.
But the President said Maynilad and Manila Water are private companies and “we have no control over them. But we can ask them to help out and if we need to pay them, then we will,” the President said during a press conference at the Camp Teodulo Bautista. The 3rd Marine Brigade and the Task Force Comet (which includes American balikatan soldiers) are located at the camp where a press briefing was held following his dialogue with local executives and the distribution of relief goods at the capitol.
The President said he has asked Soliman to also validate the request of Gov. Abdusakur Tan for 5,000 sacks of rice and P20 million financial assistance for the flood victims since the DSWD has already given P2 million worth of assistance and relief goods to the victims of the floods.
The President was accompanied here by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
He added that the current disaster risk mapping, to identify vulnerable and flood-prone areas in the country are now being undertaken on a scale of 1 is to 1,000 up to 1 is to 2,000. But he said this study would be increased to 1 is to 20,000 so that a wider map of such vulnerable and risky areas can be completed.
The President echoed the call of Bishop Angelito Lampon that people must observe proper garbage disposal and other environmentally-sound practices to prevent similar damages and casualties from taking place. The video presentation of the Office of Civil Defense showed piles of uncollected garbage have clogged the waterways and were scattered all over the affected barangays in the municipalities of Jolo and Patikul.
He assured the people of Jolo that the national government will continue to assist them in whatever they need to bring normalcy to their lives.
The President said he had been told that the budget given directly to the ARMM government is at P12 billion a year and “yet many officials here complain they get nothing in the form of support or services. Where are the funds going then,” he asked.
He said he has asked government auditors to look into the books of ARMM and found at least P1 billion in questionable transactions. (PCOO)
Aquino bares housing, rescue equipment for soldiers and cops
JOLO, Sulu: President Benigno S. Aquino III announced here Friday a housing program for soldiers and policemen and reiterated the P500 per soldier combat pay he promised them last year.
Before talking about the housing program, the President thanked the uniformed personnel for being the first to respond to the needs of the people hit by natural disasters despite inadequate rescue facilities.
Opting to get drenched with the soldiers in the heavy rains that almost marred his dialogue with them at Camp Teodulo Bautista, seat of the 3rd Marine Brigade and Task Force Comet (including American soldiers in the Balikatan exercises), the President said he is also augmenting the water and air capabilities for greater mobility and speedier response during disasters.
The President announced the deployment to Jolo of three rubber boats from the Department of Interior and Local Government and the arrival of a blue ocean vessel for use in the deeper waters of the country like Malampaya while the current water craft used there will be sent to Jolo.
“By end of this year, we will be delivering 20,000 house and lots to the soldiers and policemen and within three to four years, we will finish all 120,000 houses and lots for the soldiers and policemen of the country,” the President said.
The houses, he said will have a floor area of 21 square meters while the lots 30 sq.m. They will be paid in easy installment for 30 years. At first amortization will be at P500 per month but will go up to P800 to P1,100 on the last three years of amortization, he added.
Beneficiaries to the housing program will be done through raffle until all soldiers and policemen first in Luzon then in the Visayas and Mindanao, until all homeless uniformed men have been covered, the President said.
The President said the finer details of the project are now being finalized by the housing agencies but the project is ready for roll out by November. He said the houses and lots are worth P170,000 per unit.
He reminded the uniformed personnel that their work is to ensure the peace so that tourists will continue coming to the country and spend $2,000 for three days per tourist and the benefits of a robust tourism industry will trickle down to the farming and fishing communities and allied industries. Last year, he said, 3.5 million tourists came.
He said savings from government operations were realized from the Department of Public Works and Highways using coco coir for covering hilly slopes which enabled it to save P1.5 billion (from its previous practice of using concrete cement in slopes) as well as savings of other agencies. (PCOO)
Government peace efforts with CPP-NPA, MILF gaining ground
The Aquino administration’s quest for a final resolution to the conflict with the communist insurgents and the Moro secessionists is gaining ground.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) through Government Chief Peace Negotiator with the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army (CPP-NDF-NPA) Undersecretary Alex Padilla announced that formal talks with the communist insurgents will resume on Feb. 15 to 21 in Oslo, Norway.
Padilla expressed optimism that the peace process with the CPP-NDF-NPA can be completed---meaning a substantive agreement can be reached, in 18 months’ time and achieve peace in three years.
“If both sides are focused and sincere in finally ending senseless violence, our goal is to reach a just and equitable peace settlement with the CPP-NDF-NPA and put an end to one of the most protracted armed conflicts in this part of the world,” Padilla said.
Padilla said that for the duration of the seven-day formal peace talks, both panels unilaterally declared a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities.
He said that after over six years of impasse, both panels will meet at the “most opportuned time to resume the peace talks at the start of a new and popular administration that has offered a hand of peace to our communist brothers and sisters.”
Next week’s meeting, according to Padilla, is the first of a series that will focus on the remaining substantive agenda between the two panels. These include socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and on the end of hostilities and disposition of forces.
Also in Oslo, the joint monitoring committee will reconvene to discuss matters pertaining to comprehensive agreement with respect to international human rights.
To avoid a bog down on talks over side issues, both sides have agreed on side table mechanisms where important but not substantive procedural talks will be tackled.
The communist wing’s protracted people’s war” has been ongoing since the late 60s. Peace talks between the CPP-NDF-NPA and the government collapsed in 2005 when the United States and the European Union tagged them as a terrorist organization.
Government Chief Peace Negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Dean Marvic Leonen said that both panels ended on Thursday their 20th exploratory peace talks in Kuala Lumpur which started on Feb. 9, on a positive note with agreements reached on significant issues.
Leonen said the just-concluded exploratory talks with the MILF resulted in both parties reviewing and amending the Terms of Reference of the International Monitoring Team and the Implementing Guidelines of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group for twelve (12) months.
Leonen said the government panel formalized its concern on the case of Commander Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as well as its implication to the ceasefire and security situation on the ground.”
He said Chief MILF negotiator Mohagher Iqbal admitted at the start of the meeting that the “MILF has problems and Umbra Kato is part of the problem.” In the joint statement, both panels said that the MILF discussed issues related to Kato.
As a confidence-building measure, the government panel discussed the government’s positive actions on the cases of 25 individuals claimed by the MILF to be political detainees.
Leonen said that the MILF submitted a revised draft of its comprehensive compact, a document containing the positions of the MILF, for consideration of the government.
Both parties agreed to fast track the peace process and set the next round of formal talks tentatively on March 29-30, 2011, he added. (PCOO)
