Aquino to lead groundbreaking of P102-M Silay Provincial Hospital expansion
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead in the groundbreaking and capsule laying ceremonies of the P102.16 million expansion and modernization of the Silay Provincial Hospital in Negros Occidental on Friday.
The expansion involves 3,690 square meters; 150 beds, 11 private rooms, three semi private rooms, 4 nurses’ stations, 14 wards, 6 isolation wards, a pediatric isolation ward, 8 doctors’ clinics, 1 CT scan, 1 dialysis clinic and some MRI facilities.
Upon arrival, the President will be given planeside arrival honors at the Bacolod-Silay Airport and after which he motors to the Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital for the groundbreaking and a project briefing by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr. The President will be assisted in the groundbreaking and capsule laying ceremonies by Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona and Mayor Jose Montelibano.
From the hospital, the President will proceed to L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City for the Philippine economic briefing with the theme “Daylight in the Philippines: Accelerating Progress” by the Cabinet economic team headed by Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr.
From the economic forum, the President will motor to the provincial capitol for an informal interaction and lunch with local officials.
Then the President proceeds to the provincial gymnasium for a multi sectoral consultation and dialogue to be followed by briefings on the Philhealth Capitation Fund for Negros Occidental of P9.43 million by DOH Secretary Ona.
This will be followed by the distribution of the Philhealth Capital fund to Gov. Maranon; Philhealth cards and Negros “First” Family health cards, among others. (PCOO)
Palace welcomes Mendoza’s willingness to return to government
Malacañang on Thursday welcomed Heidi Mendoza’s willingness to return to the government sector, saying the former COA auditor would be an invaluable addition to President Benigno S. Aquino III’s fight against corruption.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a press briefing in Malacañang this afternoon, said the Aquino administration is heartened by Mendoza’s decision.
“We are glad to know that Heidi Mendoza has (expressed) her interest to join government and it will certainly be an addition to our fight against corruption,” he said.
Although nothing concrete had been discussed yet, Lacerda said the Palace will announce any decision on the matter soon.
Last month, President Aquino hinted that he may have need for the services of Mendoza but clarified that he would have to ask her first if she would accept any government position.
Mendoza is a resource person at an ongoing Senate and Congressional inquiry into alleged anomalies in the disbursements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines funds. (PCOO)
Aquino to name next AFP chief at PMA graduation
President Benigno S. Aquino III is set to announce the replacement of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Ricardo David this coming Sunday, March 6, at the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy class 2011 in Baguio City.
Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda disclosed this but he refused to give clues on who will be the next AFP Chief of Staff.
“He (Aquino) will be announcing the new chief of staff on Sunday in his address to Philippine Military Academy graduates," Lacierda said during an ambush interview on Thursday.
David, a member of PMA class of 1977, is scheduled to retire on March 8 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
The President has made his choice and it’s just a matter of announcing on Sunday who the chef of staff will be, Lacierda told reporters.
Among the candidates for the AFP chief of staff portfolio are AFP deputy chief of staff for operations Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and 2nd Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Jessie Dellosa, AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu (PMA 1978), AFP deputy chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban (PMA 1979), Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz (PMA 1979), Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena (PMA 1978), Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban (PMA 1978), and Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer (PMA 1977). (PCOO)
Report shows multi-million house not owned by Ochoa – Lacierda
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda dismissed on Thursday a news report ascribing ownership of a P40-million residential house to Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., saying the Palace official had nothing to do with the property.
“The ABS-CBN report is very clear. It’s not registered in his name,” Lacierda told a press briefing in Malacañang.
“Let me state that as far as the ES is concerned, the property is not in his name. It’s not registered in his name and therefore there is no reason why the property should be listed under his SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth),” Lacierda pointed out.
“He has nothing to do with that property,” Lacierda added. (PCOO)
Special lanes set up for Taiwan-bound Filipino workers
Special arrangements with various government agencies to help Filipino workers secure additional requirements for the processing of their visa application to Taiwan are now in operation, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Thursday.
Ochoa said the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had complied with his directive to set up special windows to fast-track the request of Taiwan-bound workers.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has also acceded to the request of the Executive Secretary to ease its procedures to expedite the worker’s request for a voter’s identifications card (ID).
“The creation of special lanes would help ease the impact of the new requirements imposed on Filipino workers by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO),” Ochoa said.
The TECO in Manila had previously announced that it was requiring Taiwan-bound Filipinos to submit additional documents prior to the issuance of work visa.
The TECO in Manila had previously announced that it was requiring tightening its visa regulations for Taiwan-bound Filipinos and would require additional document as a prerequisite for the issuance of work permit.
“As I have said, our priority here is the welfare of our citizens who have already obtained employment in Taiwan but are now having difficulty getting their visas to Taiwan because of the new requirements issued by TECO,” Ochoa also said.
Under the new guidelines issued by the economic and cultural office of Taipei, a worker seeking employment must submit DFA and TECO-authenticated birth certificate and NBI clearance, as well as the original and photocopies of ID cards issued by the SSS, PhilHealth and the COMELEC.
In separate reports to the Executive Secretary, the SSS, PhilHealth and the DFA said it had set up several special lanes to accommodate the requests of Filipino workers, while COMELEC said it had carried out procedures to expedite the issuance of voter’s ID.
According to Ochoa, the SSS has also started issuing certificates to Taiwan-bound workers, stating that the said SSS member has applied for the biometric ID pending the production, supply and actual delivery of the SSS ID cards.
PhilHealth has designated Window No. 20 of its operations office in the Philippine Overseas Workers Administration as a temporary express lane to facilitate the immediate release of the worker’s request for a number card, said PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Rey Aquino in a letter to the Executive Secretary.
The DFA reported to Ochoa that the Office of the Consular Affairs-Authentication Division had created special lanes dedicated for Taiwan-bound workers and had set up four counters to facilitate the processing of documents requiring authentication. On a daily average, the department processes documents of around 300 applicants seeking jobs in Taiwan. (PCOO)
