DOLE is looking for other posts for repatriated OFWs, Palace says
The Department of Labor and Employment is looking for other host countries that can absorb repatriated Filipino migrant workers while creating employment opportunities here.
In a news briefing in Malacanang Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said repatriated Filipinos will find difficulty finding jobs here in view of the rising unemployment situation. The overseas Filipino workers are being repatriated from conflict-laden Middle East countries and calamity-hit Japan.
Lacierda said Labor Secretary Erlinda Baldoz has been busy looking for other countries that can host the repatriated OFWs while the Technical Education and Skills Development Administration (TESDA) is busy training Filipinos for livelihood programs they can adopt should they decide to stay here for good.
Lacierda said repatriation has been mainly from Libya. “The DFA has been very effective in monitoring the situation on the ground regarding situations in Bahrain, Libya and other countries where there is unrest going on,” he said.
Lacierda said there have been concerns over the displacement of some 90,000 Filipinos from Taiwan as a result of the temporary strain in relations with the Philippines over the deportation of Taiwan nationals to China. But Taiwan has re-absorbed them and the processing of travel documents to Taiwan has been resumed.
Baldoz said she had available employment opportunities for them even as she continued to search for other host countries, Lacierda added.
According to Lacierda, the DOLE Secretary “is fully aware of the concern and she is trying to make sure that as much as possible we do not displace all the Filipino workers who are being repatriated.”
On whether the executive branch is looking at a special funding to provide gainful employment to repatriated Filipino workers, Lacerida said “right now there is none yet but this is being studied by Baldoz.”
On whether government will issue a deployment ban for Bahrain, Lacierda said Baldoz will issue the necessary advisory depending on the assessment of DFA on the ground. (PCOO)
Palace rejects use of nuclear as alternative source of energy
President Benigno Aquino III is not prioritizing the use of nuclear energy despite the country’s growing requirement for energy.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President is concerned about the safety issues of running nuclear power plants so he would rather favor using other alternative energy sources.
“There is a concern on the safety issues and this is made emphatic and dramatic by the incident right now in the Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear reactor. That is a concern and it is the policy of the President to consider other energy sources that do not have safety issues,” he said adding it is the President’s position even during the campaign last year.
Asked if the President will never consider adopting a nuclear policy within his term, Lacierda said he couldn’t say if the President’s position will change.
Lacierda also said the recent study commissioned by the Department of Energy with regard to the use of nuclear power doesn’t necessarily mean the government will pursue a nuclear policy.
“That’s only a study and it doesn’t necessarily mean that we will put that into action. That’s only a study for us to see…and part of the study would also include addressing the safety issues,” he said. “Right now until those safety concerns are addressed the preference of the President is to use and explore other sources of energy”.
Citing the Fukushima incident, Lacierda said that despite the use of modern technology, the Fukushima reactors failed, and now pose major health and environmental concerns.
Although there are layered containment shells, the reactors overheated, he said, noting that theoretically it is easy to anticipate good performance but when it comes to the actual use, incidents like the one that happened in Japan could occur.
Lacierda also said that even a First World country like Germany has put on hold its nuclear energy program.
“So if a First World country would do so certainly it should allow us to think on the proposal of using nuclear energy,” he said.
Some of big local businessmen are proposing the establishment of nuclear power plants as a response to a looming energy problem as the country develops.
The proposals involved cooperation with other countries like South Korea and Japan and other countries. (PCOO)
Gov’t. ready to assist Filipinos in Japan—Malacanang
The government is ready to assist any Filipino citizen in Japan who needs help.
This was stressed by Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda Wednesday amid reports that the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo has its hands full following the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan last Friday (March 11).
Lacierda said the government, through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, has a standby fund of 13 billion for repatriation assistance.
“Some have been expended but there is still a substantial amount left… I’m sure the President can always direct the DBM to make sure there will be funds available for repatriation assistance,” he said.
He added that the government will be sending a Philippine Air Force C-130 plane to Japan for Filipinos who opt to be repatriated.
Lacierda said the C-130 plane will be transporting relief goods, such as water and instant noodles, as immediate assistance for Filipinos affected by the devastation.
"For those who would want to leave Japan but has no means, the C-130 could be used to bring them home," he said.
A C-130 plane can carry more than one hundred passengers.
Lacierda said the plane will land at Narita International Airport and will wait for Filipinos who would want to return to the country.
There is no information yet as to the schedule of departure of the plane.
Lacierda noted that Japan is still in alert level 2, which means that the government can only implement voluntary repatriation.
The primary concern of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, according to Lacierda, is to make sure that the Filipinos affected by the earthquake are properly accounted for, identified and taken cared of.
He added that in the absence of any monetary capability of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, “it is common sense that they will provide shelter for those in need,” he added.
“Our resources are limited,” he said “but the embassy there will certainly assist the Filipinos there who will seek their help.”
According to Lacierda, there are 2,366 Filipinos in Fukushima, 1,039 in Minami, 906 in Iwati and 551 in Mori. These areas were severely devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. (PCOO)
Aquino to hand out Galing Pook awards to 17 LGUs
President Benigno S. Aquino III will hand out Galing Pook awards to 17 local government units on Thursday for outstanding governance programs in rites to be held at the ceremonial hall of Malacanang.
Galing Pook is an annual search for the best governance programs in the country which pass the stringent screening and judging processes looking at the positive impact and results, people’s participation and empowerment; innovation, efficiency of program service delivery and transferability and sustainability.
Since the search began in 1993, a total of 150 LGUs have been awarded with over 240 unique programs on health care, peacekeeping, livelihood, housing and many more issues.
The awardees are; Barangay San Antonio in Pasig City and the city itself; Barangay Tangos in Baliwag, Bulacan; Sta. Cruz in Laguna; Bingawan, Iloilo; Cagwait in Surigao del Sur; Dumingag in Zamboanga del Sur and the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Surigao del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.
Seven LGUS representing eight noteworthy governance programs in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be honored in a new category called Galing Pook sa ARMM. These are: Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur; Sulu Province; Southwestern Ligawasan Allience of Municipalities; Wao in Lanao del Sur; Sultan Mstura in Maguindanao; Bongao, Tawi Tawi and Upi in Maguindanao.
This year’s winners have provided innovative solutions to disaster response, community-based funeral services, increasing public participation in governance, creating model communities, boosting agricultural economy, environmental management and improving health services.
Similarly, the President will launch the good housekeeping seal and the performance challenge fund of P1 million for each of the local government units that have shown excellent performance in governance in their respective localities.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jess Robredo said the 15 high performing LGUs will also be conferred the Seal of Good Housekeeping for their excellence in areas like planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization.
The 15 LGUs from the ranks of 4th and 5th class municipalities that will be awarded are: Region 1—Alilem, Ilocos Sur; Region 2- Quezon, Isabela and Saguday in Quirino; Region 4-A—Mataasnakahoy, Batangas; Region 5--- Camaligan, Camarines Sur; CAR—Banaue, Ifugao and Lagawe, Ifugao; Region 7—Amlan, Negos Oriental and Maribojoc, Bohol; Region 8—Kawayan in Biliran; Region 10—Calamba in Misamis Occidental; Region 11—Dujali, Davao del Norte and CARAGA—Cagwait and Carrascal, both in Surigaol del Sur and San Jose, Dinagat Islands.
The winners have had “no adverse report” from the Commission on Audit, meaning they complied with all the requirements of the government auditing firm, said Robredo.
The Performance Challenge Fund (PCF), which was allotted P500 million by Congress, is an incentive granted to select best performing LGUs in the delivery of various public services to their constituents.
The incentive should be used to implement priority projects that are aligned to national government priorities and the Millennium Development Goals, maintain core road network to boost tourism and local economic development and comply with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Last year, the PCF awarded a total of P30 million or P1 million to 30 high performing LGUs many of them coming from Mindanao. (PCOO)
Only 860,000 tons of imported rice needed—Palace
Malacanang said on Wednesday that only 860,000 metric tons of rice need to be imported this year, of which 660,000 metric tons will be done by the private sectors and the balance by the National Food Authority.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told a news briefing on Wednesday that this amount will be sufficient for the entire year in view of the expected good harvest by the Department of Agriculture.
Calling it a “realistic” volume of rice imports, Lacierda said the local production plus the imported rice will be more than sufficient to meet requirements which had traditionally been estimated at 1.3 million metric tons.
This is because, he said the NFA and local traders normally maintain a buffer of 30 days of requirements.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala early this month reported that DA expects good summer harvest which will enable it to reduce rice imports until it reaches self sufficiency in the staple food by 2113.
“We are no longer the world’s biggest importer,” he proclaimed proudly during the opening of the DA 2012 internal budget hearing and planning workshop, attended by more than 100 DA top officials.
He said the country will import less than 1 million metric tons as contrasted to the 2 million tons imported in 2010.
Alcala said the prospects are bright as palay (paddy) production for the first semester of 2011 could reach 7.6 million tons, or 15 percent more than the production for the comparable period last year, as estimated by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
The DA-BAS attributed the increase to the expansion in harvest area by 9.6% (equivalent to 174,300 hectares) from the 1.82 million hectares in 2010, and increase in average palay harvest per hectare to 3.8 tons (roughly 76 cavans of 50 kilos each) from last year’s 3.6 tons.
Alcala is optimistic that the successful repairs of irrigation systems, putting up more post harvest facilities and the construction of farm-to-market roads particularly in Mindanao will all prop up palay production to a target year-end level of 17.46 million tons. (PCOO)
Aquino to municipal mayors: Focus on long-term programs to protect the environment
DAVAO CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday urged municipal mayors to focus on long-term programs in protecting the environment rather than concentrating on “pogi or political points” projects that only enhance their image to their constituents.
“Gawin nating makatotohanan ang ating mga pagkilos. Lahat tayo ay may kanya-kanyang responsibilidad para protektahan ang ating kalikasan,” the President told some 700 members of the League of Municipal Mayors.
Speaking at the culmination of the three-day Local Government Unit Summit on Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines at the Pilipinas Grand Ballroom of Grand Regal Hotel here, the President stressed that the national government is seriously pushing programs to avert the impact of climate change in the country.
“Likewise, it does not always win me political points to push for programs whose benefits will be manifested only after I am long gone from office. However, I do this not to score points, but because it is the right thing to do,” he said.
The President pointed out that this program is in preparation for the future generations of Filipinos.
“I can only hope that these opportunities to save our planet will not be squandered by our people and by those who will come after us,” he added.
He informed the mayors that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) formulated a 12 year plan called the Philippine Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation and to reinforce this, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) has ironed out a few gaps in the initial strategy and has released the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change.
To address immediate concerns on climate change, the CCC together with the National Climate Change Action Plan, were tasked to respond to issues in vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, and infrastructure services.
He reiterated that the national government has already plans and strategies to adapt to climate change. These plans he said should be implemented through the consolidated efforts of the LGU’s and the citizens.
“This responsibility rests on all of our shoulders. And rest assured that as you go about the strategies that have been and will be discussed today, the national government will do its part,” the resident said.
He said he had ordered a review of the Philippine disaster response mechanisms, specifically for earthquakes and tsunamis.
He said he is also “studying programs that will give incentives to people who will relocate to higher ground in lieu of places in danger of flooding due to rising sea water levels.”
The Office of the President according to him is also studying the design and implementation of infrastructure and non-infrastructure programs, such as beach and mangrove reforestation, to protect coastal areas from natural disasters such as tsunamis.
“We have tapped into the creativity of Filipinos by using coco coir to prevent landslides and to find more financially and environmentally sustainable solutions to our problems. This will give us reliable material in building quality infrastructure while, at the same time, giving us a more cost-efficient alternative to other materials,” he noted.
Meanwhile, LMP president and Bacoor Mayor Edwin “Strike” Revilla assured the President that all municipal mayors are committed to developing the resilience and adaptive capacities of their constituents to the adverse impacts of climate change. (PCOO)
