PIA Dispatch - Thursday, April 7, 2011

Aviation firm to pour $40-M investment in Clark

A leading business aviation firm in Asia is putting up a $40-million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Clark, sending a strong signal to the international community that the Philippines is ready to play a central role in the global aviation industry.

Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Tuesday that Metrojet, which owns a fleet of 26 aircraft of various types and capacities, will set up the facility in a three-hectare property inside the Clark Airport Complex, citing a report by Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose P. De Jesus to President Benigno Aquino III.

Metrojet, a part of Kadoorie Group which owns China Light and Power Company and the Peninsula Hotel Chain, is scheduled to begin construction of the project in June and commence operations by the end of the year in Clark, a former air base of the United States which is now home to commercial, industrial and hotel businesses.

It will offer a range of services such as aircraft charter, comprehensive aircraft management, maintenance, co-ownership programs, aircraft acquisition and sales. The aviation firm’s proposed heavy maintenance for Clark will also include avionics upgrade and exterior paint work for aircraft.

“The President has announced that the country is open for business, and the decision of Metrojet to set up a shop in Clark is proof that foreign investors are listening,” Ochoa said.

Total investment for the entire project of Metrojet is $40 million, with an initial investment of $4 million.

In his report to the President, De Jesus said that Metrojet announced its plan to develop the aviation repair and maintenance facility in the strategically located Clark Airport Complex during the Asian Aerospace Conference in Hong Kong last March.

“Our government is focused on assuring investors that we are serious about undertaking reforms that will make it attractive for them to invest in the country. These include efforts to provide a level playing field for businessmen and guaranteeing them a government that is consistent with its policies and is faithful to the rule of law,” Ochoa explained.

“This is a welcome development that underscores the inroads we are making in the area of Economic and Infrastructure Development, one of the four clusters this Administration is focused on,” he added. The other three clusters are Human Development, Good Governance, and Security, Sovereignty and the Rule of Law. (PCOO)


Renewed investor confidence in PHL result of hard work, not just all talk – Aquino

President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Thursday that the renewed investor confidence in the country is a direct result of concrete and tangible government reforms to weed out graft and corruption and not just “all talk.”

In his speech keynoting the inauguration of the Specialty Wing of the newly renovated Paco Market in Manila Thursday morning, the President said this confidence has benefited Filipinos in the form of more jobs and an overall better quality of life.

“Providing jobs for all Filipinos has been a top priority of our Administration from the start. And now that I have assumed office, it is very evident that our success is not just the result of all talk but of hard work,” the President said.

The President said that several of his official engagements over the past weeks were a sure sign that investors – foreign and domestic – were truly seeing a better Philippines.

Among these engagements included visits to the refinery module manufacturing and delivery plant of the Atlantic Gulf and Pacific (AG&P) Corporation in Batangas province last week and the inauguration of the coal-fired power plant of the Panay Energy Development Corporation in the Visayas that will supply electricity to a large portion of the Visayas grid.

These projects, the President said, showcase the diligence, dedication and talent of our Filipinos workers, particularly our engineers.

The President also stressed that there has been a substantial increase in foreign direct investments in the country, such as the $1-billion investment of the Coca-Cola Company.

“Aside from this, more than 40 companies and institutions from Spain, Switzerland, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Qatar at United Arab Emirates will visit the Philippines in the coming months to see first hand the improving investment climate in the country,” the President said.

“Tiwala po tayo sa positibong resulta ng kanilang pagbisita. May apat na po kasing kompanya sa ibang bansa ang bumisita na sa atin. Inaasahan natin na makalilikom tayo ng mahigit isang bilyong dolyar mula sa kanilang Foreign Direct Investment sa susunod na dalawang taon,” he added.

The President likewise pointed out that 40 “investment-focused” missions from the United States, United Kingdom, Korea and China have submitted proposals to the Board of Investments.

“Layunin po ng misyong ito ang pamumuhunan sa ating bayan upang mapalago pa ang industrya ng BPO (business process outsourcing), renewable energy, mga paliparan at ng iba pang sector ng bansa,” the President said.

All these “good news” the President said will redound to the benefit of the Filipino people in the form of more jobs.

“Magtataguyod ang pagsisikap nating ito ng libo-libong trabaho para sa mga Pilipino,” the President said. (PCOO)


Aquino inaugurates ‘Specialty Wing’ of Paco Market

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the inauguration of the newly constructed “Specialty Wing” of the Paco Market in Manila on Thursday.

The specialty wing, a donation by the Rustan Group of Companies, is part of rehabilitation efforts being undertaken on the historic Paco Market by the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), RGC, the ABS-CBN Foundation, Incorporated, and local government units.

It will house one-of-a-kind merchandise including products made from waste and recycled materials, specialty items and other hand crafted items that will cater to tourists as well as the local community.

In his speech, the President lauded the project’s proponents for their willingness to join the government in providing jobs and livelihood to Filipinos through the administration’s public-private partnership program.

“Maraming salamat po sa pakiki-isa ng ating mga negosyante. Alam ko pong madaling maging manhid pero pinili ninyong tulungan ang mga Pilipino,” the President said.

He added that aside from providing Filipinos with jobs, the rehabilitation project has, as its main objective, the preservation of the environment, particularly the Pasig River.

“Todo-suporta din tayo sa proyektong ito sa pagsisikap nitong pangalagaan ang kalikasan. Sa pagligtas ng estrukturang ito, hindi na hahayaan pang ang mga dumi na nanggagaling sa pamilihan ay magdagdag ng polusyon sa Ilog Pasig,” the President said.

The President said that just like the rehabilitation being undertaken to bring back the old glory of the Paco Market, his administration remains steadfast in working to implement government reforms to weed out graft and corruption which he described as – the root cause of poverty.

“Katulad po ng ginawa ninyong pagkumpuni sa pamihilang ito, kinukumpuni na rin natin ang mga malalang sira sa ating bayan dahil sa korupsyon at kahirapan,” the President said.

The President however said that his government could not achieve this daunting task alone and called on everyone to do their share.

“Naabot na natin ang minimithi nating tagumpay dahl sa ating tapat na pamamahala. Sa mahigit limang taon pa ng ating panunungkulan, marami pa tayong daraanang hamon at balakid sa pagtahak sa tuwid na landas,” the President stressed.

“Kaya naman sa labanang ito, kailangan ko ng tulong ninyo. Huwag kayong matakot. Manalig kayong hindi hahayaan ng pamahalaan na may maiwan sa pag-unlad. Umaasa akong patuloy na makaka-agapay ng ating gobyerno ang pribadong sector at ang sambayanan upang ganap nang lumiwanag ang bayan – kung saan ang bawa’t isa ay makakaranas ng kaunlaran at kaginhawaan,” he added. (PCOO)


Aquino greets happy birthday to ‘father of luxury retailing’

President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his warmest greetings to the “father of luxury retailing” on the occasion of his 90th birthday at the Paco Market in Manila Thursday.

The President wished Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr., chairman of the Rustan Group of Companies (RGC), a Happy Birthday in his speech keynoting the inauguration of the “Specialty Wing” of the said market.

“I would like to take some time out to greet Ambassador Tantoco who is celebrating his 90th birthday today,” the President said.

“It should serve as an inspiration to all of us that at his age, and with his list of achievements, he continues to show that he is not just the father of luxury retailing and not just a valuable pillar of the entire Philippine Retailing Industry, but ultimately, a man of compassionate action,” the President said.

The Rustan Group of Companies was founded in 1952 by Tantoco and his wife Gliceria Rustia. RGC expanded from a single department store and diversified into the other retail formats catering to the lifestyle demands of its sophisticated clientele through specialty stores, supermarkets and hypermarts, specialty coffee shops and wholesale distribution among others.

Together with the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig, the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc., and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, RGC has spearheaded the rehabilitation of the Paco Market as well as the clean-up of the Pasig River through the Paco Market Redevelopment project. (PCOO)


Aquino gov’t offers public service internship program for college students—Malacanang

In efforts to capitalize on the creativity and idealism of the Filipino youth, the Aquino administration is offering internship program for college students, anchored on its commitment to transparency and accountability in governance, that will train future leaders in order to bring about genuine change.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing at the Palace on Thursday that the Executive department, specifically the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO), has opened an internship program for college students aimed at giving them a chance to a firsthand experience of public service.

Lacierda said that apart from the PCDSPO, 13 other government agencies have opened the same program for the youth. Such agencies include the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of National Defense (DND), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor (DoLE), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Tourism (DoT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

“There are internship programs in the Executive branch of the Philippine government. This year, the PCDSPO started an internship program for college students who would like to gain more experience in public service,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda noted that a lot of college students from various colleges and universities in the country have signified their willingness to work in the government but unfortunately they could not accept all of them prompting them to come up with such program.

“The reason why we started an internship program is because we noticed that a lot of youth are willing to serve in government. We had a lot of applications na galing sa college from Ateneo, University of the Philippines, De La Salle, University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University,” he added.

Lacierda said that the present interns are part of the second batch adding that the first group were from the De La Salle University.

He expressed hope to accommodate more interns in the future to instill and promote the Aquino government’s ideals of transparency and accountability in government service.

“We hope to have more interns as much as we can accommodate to let them be exposed to the workings of government and also this administration.” “We promised “kung walang kurap, walang mahirap” at sana this will infect also the youth of today,” he said. (PCOO)


Malacanang confident in sustaining assistance program for vulnerable sectors

Malacanang said it is confident that it can sustain the assistance program for vulnerable sectors of the society in the next couple of months hoping that the oil crisis subsides soon.

The Aquino administration has started extending assistance to some sectors already affected by the continuing rise in the price of fuel. The President initially issued Executive Order 32 that grants assistance to public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and tricycles.

While saying that nobody can predict how long the Libya situation would last causing the instability in fuel prices, Secretary Ramon Carandang said in the press conference Thursday that the Aquino government is prepared to help vulnerable sectors in the next two months from unabated increase in petroleum prices.

“I think we have resources for the next two months to sustain these things. Beyond that it’s difficult to say,” Carandang told reporters.

Carandang was viewing the government’s readiness from informal assessment of economic and political analysts who said that the unrest in Libya might last for a couple of months. At the same time they predict that fuel prices will remain at current levels or even slightly go up further during the period.

The government is doing what it can with the resources that it has to come up with something that can be sustained over time, like the assistance extended to PUJs and tricycles.

But these kinds of support depend on the amount that the government can generate and the amount of savings that it has.
The Palace official also mentioned the recent meeting between the President and his economic team where they discussed about all the possible government response to the present crisis.

The President asked the economic team to consider all the options, give him proposals and explain the pros and cons of those recommendations so he can decide later.

On Wednesday, the President said he was confident that the country can weather the present situation because of assistance being extended by his administration to shield vulnerable sectors. The government has enough resources at this time, which come from previous savings, to help those sectors, he said. (PCOO)


Aquino to visit Pangasinan on Friday

President Benigno S. Aquino III will inaugurate the Improved Agno River Flood Forecasting and Warning System (FFWS) and the New Agno River Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) including the Urdaneta Engineered Sanitary Landfill (UESL) during his visit to Pangasinan on Friday.

Upon his arrival the President will unveil the marker of the Agno River FFWS and FFWC located at Barangay Tumana, Rosales, Pangasinan.

The Chief Executive will be assisted by Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo and local officials to be led by Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. and Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) acting Administrator Dr. Nathaniel Servando.

Dr. Servando will brief the President on the system’s operations before they will witness the switching on of the observation of flood telemetry system.

The Agno River Flood Forecasting and Warning System was established under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Government of Japan in 1983. Equipped with a network of eight rainfall and seven water level gauging stations, the Agno River FFWS was instrumental in mitigating the loss of lives and damage to properties in the flood plains of the provinces of Pangasinan and Tarlac through the issuance of flood bulletins and advisories.

In 2007, the improvement of FFWS in Pampanga and Agno River basins was among the first three projects to be implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Phase 1 of the project covers the Pampanga River FFWS which was completed in March of 2009 while the Phase 2 covering the Agno River FFWS commenced in April 2010 and was completed in March of this year.

Later in the day, President Aquino will also inaugurate the first engineered sanitary landfill in Pangasinan.

A first of its kind in Pangasinan and second only in the entire Ilocos Region, the Urdaneta City Engineered Sanitary Landfill covers an area of six hectares with a total volume capacity sufficient to accommodate Urdaneta’s solid waste for the next 10-12 years. It sits on an 18-hectare city property in sitio Calegu in Barangay Catablan.

The facility seeks to address the garbage problem in the city owing to its rapidly growing population and the mushrooming of businesses and schools. Urdaneta is a major commerce and trade center in the North, hosting one of the biggest fruits and vegetable wholesale markets and one of the biggest livestock trading posts in the country. Likewise, it is fast emerging as an education center with the establishment of many tertiary educational institutions in the city.

The 200-million project include the construction of the sanitary landfill and support infrastructure, the acquisition of additional lots, and the concreting of access road to the site.

Project components consist of an impermeable HDPE liner over compacted clay, two layers of geosynthetic membrane, gravel filter layer, HDPE leachate collection and transfer piping system, pumping station, leachate treatment pond, weighbridge with support truck scale house, wheel wash facility, storm pond to control silt migration, groundwater monitoring wells, and an administrative building with appropriate parking area. (PCOO)


Malacanang says Philippine Nuclear Research Institute has capability to address radiation threat

Malacanang said the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) has the capability to address the radiation threat as the government is ready to acquire new equipment to monitor and stop imported goods which are contaminated with high level of radiation from entering the country.

During the regular press briefing on Thursday at Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda allayed fears of radiation threat from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan reaching the country after a professor and toxicology expert warned that the threat was real.

University of the Philippines professor Dr. Romeo Quijano testified before the Senate hearing that the radiation threat cannot be ignored, citing the two studies from the French nuclear institute and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research to support his position.

Quoting the studies, Quijano stressed the possibility of radioactive fallout to land the Philippine shores and the other parts of the world.

“This is not the first time that it happened,” said Lacierda, adding that the PNRI had dealt such kind of situation before.

Lacierda said PNRI Director Alumanda dela Rosa assured that the institute has the capability to deal with such situation.

“When the Chernobyl incident happened in the past, the PNRI was designated to conduct and monitor the radiation level of milk from Russia (which might be affected by Chernobyl incident). We are able to do it, we have the capability to do it,” he said.

He further said: “In fact when the this thing first came up, I asked Director Alum dela Rosa if we have the capability to do so during security cluster meeting,” he said.

Concern of imported goods contaminated by high level of radiation to reach the country through hand-carry of small time businessmen was raised considering that the Philippine’s port of Manila is the only one equipped with radiation scanner.

“Dati may concern sila sa gatas na galing sa (before there was concern on milk that came from) Russia or Europe so they were able to do it naman. So I don’t see any problem kung sakali may kailangan (in the event there is need). I’m sure that we will be informed by the PNRI if there is a greater need for some equipment,” he said.

Monitoring of goods from Japan and other parts of the world that might be affected by radiation leak are constantly and strictly being done.

The official also assured that the monitoring are not only limited on goods from Japan but also from other countries which can be possibly exposed to the leak.

PNR) Director dela Rosa earlier reiterated the country will be safe even in worst-case scenarios.

The Senate committee on health held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss how radiation from Japan could affect the Philippines. (PCOO)


Gov’t to continue reaching out to critics of fuel subsidy for PUJ drivers

The government will continue to reach out to groups from the transport sector criticizing the issuance of an executive order granting assistance to jeepneys and tricycles in mitigating the impact of high oil prices.

President Benigno Aquino III issued the Executive Order 32 this week authorizing the release of a P450,000 million assistance to jeepney and tricycle drivers.

Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), one of the groups of jeepney operators in the country, opposed the issuance of the order, arguing that scrapping the value added tax imposed on petroleum products will be more effective in easing the burden of the transport brought about by the continuing rise in fuel prices.

“We will continue to explain (the President’s move to grant subsidy) because it is the responsibility of the government. We will not hesitate and stop in explaining our position and hoping that we will try to address the concerns of our people,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in the press conference on Thursday at Malacanang.

Dialogues between the government and groups from the transport sector have been continuing, Lacierda said. He added that Energy Secretary Rene Almendras regularly monitors the global oil prices and comes up with commutations and shares it with the transport sector.

“He (Almendras) continues to explain about the increase of oil in the world market. He shows it to the members of the transport industry, the increases in the oil price. And like what you said it is a global phenomenon,” Lacierda said.

“So I don’t think there’s shortcoming from us in explaining. Maybe Piston thinks that it [subsidy] wasn’t enough but this is one of the most direct means of helping those affected sectors owing to the increase in oil prices,” he stressed.

Government’s economic managers opposed the removal of VAT on oil believing that this is not the right solution to the problem since it can’t provide direct shield to the vulnerable sectors.

Although Piston’s leadership rejected the assistance, Lacierda said he believes members of the group will accept the support being offered by the government because it could help them ease the burden of high fuel price.

“We believed that even they rejected it as a matter of policy, but individual members of Piston certainly would avail the assistance program of the government,” he said. (PCOO)


Malacanang hopes to seal peace agreement with CPP-NPA-NDF during Aquino’s watch

Malacanang on Thursday expressed hope it can seal a peace agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, stressing its importance in the country’s journey towards lasting peace and genuine development.

During the regular press briefing on Thursday at Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda bared this statement since the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF formally resumed its peace talks early this year.

“We are hoping that there would be signing of agreement within this hour –within the administration of President Aquino.,” he said.
Undersecretary Alexander A. Padilla, chair of the Government Panel for Peace Talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Ging Delles told the Palace that the recent development in the on-going peace talks manifested a positive progress to head for the sealing of agreement.

“Based on updates of Sec. Ging Delles and Usec Padilla on the progress of the peace talks it seems that there is a sign that the peace talks signing will push through),” Lacierda said.

Lacierda said the Palace is leaving the matter to Usec. Padilla who continues getting the pulse and sentiment of the other party. “Based on what Usec Padilla had stated, I think it’s based on his experience in talking with the other party, we will leave it at that,” he said.

“Peace negotiation is only one element in our nation’s journey towards lasting peace and genuine development. While we will try our best to reach agreement on the substantive issues, in the end, any agreement will remain a mere piece of paper unless the roots of the conflict are resolved and a just and equitable peace is achieved and enjoyed by all. Fortunately, we represent a government that is well on its way on that path,” Usec Padilla said in an earlier statement. (PCOO)


Palace welcomes move by U.S. gov’t to turn over forfeited assets of Ligot

Malacanang expressed elation over the move of the United States government to turn over to the Philippine government forfeited assets of Erlinda Ligot, wife of the embattled retired Armed forces comptroller Gen. Jacinto Ligot.

“We welcomed the US government’s move to turn over the forfeited assets of Erlinda Ligot---amounting to $132,000---in response to a request that was made by the Philippine government,” Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said in a statement issued on Thursday at Malacanang.

“We consider this development, the first of its kind in the history of our Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), a reflection of the United States’ commitment to help President Aquino act decisively against corruption and aid our government punish those who have stolen from the coffers of our people,” he stressed.

Ochoa considered the recent development as a vote of confidence for the Philippine government noting that the US action is a significant step toward the resolution of the case filed against the Ligots.

The executive secretary also said they are hopeful that this will pave the way for further cooperation between the two countries in stepping up initiatives to crack down on laundered money and double government efforts to recover ill-gotten wealth.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. announced on Thursday the turn over of the assets in a meeting with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

The Philippine government made a request before the US government in 2009 pursuant to the MLAT to scrutinize real estate assets of Mrs. Ligot.

The properties allegedly owned by the Ligots, which surfaced during the Senate inquiry included houses in Anaheim, California and Stanton Avenue, Buenas Park also in California as well as houses in Makati City and Cabernet Circle. (PCOO)