President Aquino returns LRA supervision to DOJ
President Benigno S. Aquino III has returned to the Department of Justice (DoJ) the supervision of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) in a bid to ensure the effective implementation of laws concerning land registration.
LRA was an attached agency of the DOJ until the previous administration transferred its management to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in December 2007 by virtue of Executive Order No. 690.
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Friday the President signed on March 14 Executive Order No. 30, which ordered the repeal of EO 690 and transfer to the DOJ of LRA and its Registries of Deeds all over the country.
Ochoa said the move was in line with the Aquino administration’s resolve to “develop and enforce a more perceptive and competent government” by “adopting homogenous grouping of functionally related agencies.”
He said the LRA was proven more effective under the DOJ’s watch given the “expertise and experience” of those in the justice department.
“With due regard to the quasi-judicial functions being performed by the LRA in land registration cases, and given the present mandate, organizational capability, expertise and experience of the LRA and its Registries of Deeds throughout the country, it is more appropriate that the LRA and its Registries of Deeds continue to perform its land registration functions under the DOJ,” Ochoa explained.
EO 30 shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. (PCOO)
Malacañang optimistic Congress approves a bill to defer Aug 8 ARMM elections
Malacañang on Friday expressed optimism that Congress will approve the bill seeking for the deferment of the August 8 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections before it’s Holy Week recess on March 24.
“This is a time-bound legislation. We are hoping for best efforts to push it through,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing in Malacanang said.
According to Valte, President Benigno S. Aquino III, has certified the bill as urgent last March 14 which was submitted to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte for the House of Representatives’s consideration after the people in the ARMM threw their overwhelming support to the polls deferment.
Four ARMM governors were in Malacanang Friday to present their manifesto of support to the postponement of the ARMM’s elections.
Sulu Gov. Abdul Sakur Tan, Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali, Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar and. Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangundadatu said their people overwhelmingly supports the move to postpone the ARMM elections and have it synchronized with the 2013 midterm national elections.
They also said that civil societies organizations and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are throwing their support to the polls deferment.
“It is clear what the people want, a postponement of the August elections,” Sakur Tan said, adding that “it is time for Congress to revisit the ARMM Law and put it in the right perspective,” they said adding that they also support the “ no hold-over status” for incumbent elective officials of ARMM and agreed that the President shall appoint the Regional Governor, Vice Governor and members of the Regional Legislative Council.
Earlier, leaders of both chambers of Congress, during the recent Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council meeting, agreed to defer the scheduled August 2011 polls and to synchronize it with the 2013 national elections.
The period from August 2011 to May 2013 will be an opportunity for the setting up of mechanisms which will jumpstart the implementation of reforms in the ARMM.”
The House committees on suffrage and electoral reforms and on Muslim affairs have approved for plenary consideration a bill postponing the ARMM elections.
There have been eight instances of poll postponements in the AMM’s 21 –year history. Only the 2008 ARMM elections were held on the prescribed date.
The ARMM is composed of the provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and the Muslim City of Marawi. (PCOO)
Government out to convince remaining OFWs in Libya to flee
The government will convince overseas Filipino workers who are still in strife-torn Libya to get out of that country immediately after the United Nations approved military intervention to protect civilians.
In a press conference Friday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abegail Valte said there are still Filipino migrant workers who have opted to stay in Libya after 90 percent has been evacuated by the government.
“The 10 percent for reason of their own chose to stay in Libya. So we will have to do a little bit of convincing to encourage them to get out of that country,” she said.
“But again if they will refuse, at best, we have to let them know what the situation is, what the dangers are, and hopefully they will agree to move out.”
Valte said they don’t want to get to the point where the people have to blame the government for letting Filipinos stay in Libya despite the deteriorating security situation there.
It is expected that a military strike by Arab nations and western countries will start immediately after the UN have imposed a no-fly zone on Libya.
The UN Security Council on Thursday approved international air strikes against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces as a response to the request of Arab nations.
The UN Security Council voted to authorize military action to protect civilians and impose a no-fly zone over the North African country.
The vote was 10-0 with five countries abstaining that includes Russia and China along with India, Germany and Brazil. Both Russia and China have veto powers.
While most of the Security Council members favor intervention, some countries opposed the vote expressing fear that military action would lead to more casualties. (PCOO)
