Wednesday 16 March 2011

PIA Dispatch - Monday, March 14, 2011

Aquino receives new Kuwait, Laos envoys

President Benigno S. Aquino III received the new ambassadors of Kuwait and Laos, who presented their respective letters of credentials to Malacañang.

First to meet with the President at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the Music Room of the Malacañang Palace was His Excellency Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari, who presented his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Kuwait to the Philippines.

Accompanying Amb. Al-Kandari were Mr. Hamad O. Bin Eidan, First Secretary; Mr. Anas T.A.H. Marafi, First Secretary; Mr. Bader Z.M.Z.H. Al Mutair, Attaché Finance and Administrative; Mr. Mohammad H.S.H. Alhamed, Attaché.

The new Kuwaiti Ambassador and his party were welcomed by acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Mr. Edgar Tomas Auxilian, Executive Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the President (DFA-OP) and Mr. Patrick James Ruiz, Protocol Officer.

Amb. Al-Kandari wished President Aquino well and happiness as he thanked him for welcoming him to the country.

The President, together with Del Rosario, then ushered Amb. Al-Kandari and his party to the adjoining Music Conference Room for a closed-door meeting.

The Chief Executive also received the credentials of Her Excellency Malayvieng Sakonhninhom as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos Peoples Democratic Republic.

Amb. Sakonhninhom was accompanied by Mr. Phonesavanh Sipaseuth, Counselor; Mr. Khamfeuang Phanthaxay, Second Secretary; Mr. Vilayvanh Xaysomvang, Third Secretary and Mrs. Souksanith Vongphankham, Attaché.

In presenting the credentials, Amb. Sakonhninhom also thanked the Chief Executive for the warm welcome as she personally introduced the members of her delegation to President Aquino. (PCOO)


Aquino orders close monitoring of Japan nuke situation

The government is continuously monitoring the situation in Japan particularly the whereabouts of Filipinos there and the effects of the recent quake to Japan’s nuclear facilities.

In a press briefing on Monday, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abegail Valte said President Benigno Aquino III wants regular updates on the Japan situation to ensure the safety of Filipinos and make sure that a nuclear meltdown wouldn’t affect the Philippines.

“It’s a point of concern for the President because it concerns the health of the country which is involved. It’s a point of concern which is why he asked for regular updates on the matter given that it’s not only one incident… I believe there are six reactors that are in Fukushima,” Valte said. “So he wanted regular updates on how these will affect us in case there will be more problems.”

Valte said the President met security officials Monday morning to discuss Japan’s nuclear issues. Those who attended include National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia and officials from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), who assured the President that they will give regular updates on the Japan situation.

The PNRI has released a statement saying it is doing scanning for radioactivity every two hours to gauge the radiation level in the country. It also made an assurance that the radiation level remains normal because the wind direction from Japan is not blowing towards the Philippines.

“The instruction of the President is to continue monitoring the situation,” said Valte adding that there’s a need to focus on the monitoring because every hour there are developments.

Asked about the possibility of the wind changing course, Valte said the PNRI gives recommendations in conjunction with Pagasa. These organizations are continuously monitoring the situation and are giving updates on a regular basis to know if the country’s radiation level is changing,” she said.

Valte said the government has contingency measures in place should the situation worsens.

She noted however that the primary concern of the government is on the safety of Filipinos who are still in Japan and the monitoring of the situation.

Valte urged the public to refrain from disseminating false information on the situation in Japan.

“We want to tell people giving false informations that these things have no place in these kind of situation because it is already sensitive,” she said. (PCOO)