Gov’t efforts to provide potable water to every Filipino ‘inching’ closer - Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino lauded government efforts to fulfill the advocacies of the Millennium Development Goal Achievement Program (MDG F-1919) saying “we have inched closer” to providing potable water to every Filipino in the country.
In his speech keynoting the World Water Day 2011 celebrations on Tuesday at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the Chief Executive said the combined efforts of the Department of Interior and Local Government, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) have provided local government units the need to address water supply shortfalls.
He also noted that the NEDA and NWRB are also developing an adjusted tariff setting methodology for small water service providers to ensure adequate tariffs that will lead to cost recovery and improved service.
“Our local government units and key officials in government will be equipped with the knowledge they need to combat water scarcity specifically in developing, operating and managing their own potable water utilities,” the President said.
The MDG F-1919 otherwise known as Enhancing the Access to and Provision of Water Services to the Poor, is a joint program of the three government agencies aimed at responding to the needs of waterless municipalities. Waterless municipalities are those with less than 50 percent water service coverage.
Currently the DILG has identified 432 municipalities in the Philippines to be without basic water and sanitation services as of 2010. This figure represents around 16-million Filipinos who exist without access to adequate safe drinking water.
The President vowed that his administration is committed to “allowing the people access to what is rightfully theirs.”
“That is what our government has committed to do from the beginning, and that is what we will seek to do in the next five years and three months: to rebuild this nation into one where every Filipino can live a dignified life, where no one is left behind,” the President stressed.
“Most importantly, we look forward to a future where every Filipino’s necessity—not only water, but healthcare, education, jobs and livelihood opportunities—is provided for,” he said.
“I am grateful to our citizens for being part of the solution, and for giving their support to government programs to bring about this future that we all deserve,” the President said. (PCOO)
Malacanang says gov’t focused on ensuring safety of Filipinos in Libya
Malacanang on Tuesday said the government is now focused on taking care of and ensuring the safety of the remaining Filipinos in Libya.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing in Malacanang, said the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued the last call for the repatriation Filipinos still the in war-torn Libya but Philippine embassy personnel there will have to stay put to attend to the needs of those who opted to stay.
Valte said some Filipinos, specifically those working in government hospitals in Libya, were offered double pay as well as hazard pay by their employers.
She added that the employers asked for the government’s assistance so the Filipinos can remit their salaries.
Valte stressed that the Philippines, as a member of the United Nations (UN) is “bound to respect the decision of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the situation in Libya. but as President Aquino said, our focus now is how to take care of the Filipinos still in Libya.”
There are some 2,000 Filipinos still in Libya; most of them are working in hospitals.
“We are respecting the resolution of the UNSC as a member of the body. We respect the decision of the majority,” she said.
Under the UNSC Charter, all members of the UN agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the UN make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions that member states are obligated under the Charter to carry out.
On Thursday last week, the UNSC passed a resolution ordering a no-fly-zone over Libya and allows for air strikes to protect civilians from attacks by Col. Gaddafi’s forces. (PCOO)
Malacanang urges public to participate in this year’s Earth Hour
Malacanang encourages the public to participate in this year’s Earth Hour to conserve energy and asked the people to eventually make it a habit.
“We want to reiterate the call of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources [DENR] to participate on the Earth Hour, Saturday (March 26). So, let us turn off our lights for an hour and again we are taking it a step farther,” Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abegail Valte said in a briefing on Tuesday.
Valte said many Filipinos complied in the energy conservation initiative and they want to make it wider this year asking everyone who will participate to not only turn off their lights but also to minimize their electrical consumption for that particular hour.
“We hope that it becomes our habit moving forward,” she said.
Last year, over 1,000 cities and towns took part in the Earth Hour 2010. This year, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, with 1,512 member municipalities, will take part in Earth Hour 2011. It is encouraging all local government organizations to show their support.
The League of Cities of the Philippines, a city organization with 122 member cities, is also taking part.
Earth Hour is a global grass-roots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take positive actions for the environment, and celebrating their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour.
Earth Hour 2011 aims to show the actions that people, businesses and governments world-wide are taking to reduce their environmental impact.
Organizers are encouraging everyone to join an interconnected global community engaged in dialogue and resource sharing that generates real solutions to environmental challenges.
The highlight of Earth Hour 2011 will see the world’s most iconic landmarks go dark for one designated hour, as hundreds of millions of people transcend race, religion, culture, society, generation and geography, switching off their lights in a global celebration of their commitment to protect planet Earth.
Earth Hour 2011 will be held on Saturday, March 26, between 8:30pm and 9:30pm in local time zone. (PCOO)
Busy sked awaits Aquino in Cagayan De Oro
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental: President Benigno S. Aquino III faces a very busy schedule when he arrives here Wednesday for a day of activities that include an infrastructure inauguration, economic briefing, dialogue with the civil society groups and awarding of social services.
The President will lead the inauguration of the AusAID-funded provincial road management facility project that will rehabilitate the Opol-Basak-Tingalan Road Phase 1 in the Municipality of Opol where he will also be briefed on the project’s second phase at the Patag Elementary School.
Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno will brief the President on the first Provincial Road Management Facility project of the provincial government funded from the AusAID grant.
Twelve percent of the 60 million-peso project will come from the local government of Misamis Oriental. The 10-kilometer road project started in May last year and was completed last Feb. 27. It traverses five barangays which include Nangcaon, Bagocboc, Tingalan, Limuda and Patag.
Also expected during the event are Australian Ambassador Rod Smith, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Opol Mayor Dexter Yasay and other local officials.
The Chief Executive will also attend the Joint Philippine Economic Briefing and Regional Development Council Meeting with officials of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
President Aquino is scheduled to conduct a dialogue with civil society organizations to discuss major social issues presented by various organizations that include political, labor, youth, and religious groups, among others.
Vice President Jejomar Binay will join the President in the awarding and distribution of social services. A project briefing on Titles for Community Mortgage Program and Asset Reform Program will be led by the Vice President to be followed by the Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman.
Also included in the awards and distribution ceremonies are PhilHealth Cards to 47,000 families sponsored by CDO City Mayor Vicente Emano, by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and Certificate of Land Ownership Award by Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes. (PCOO)
