Palace moves Earth Day celebration to April 25
Malacanang has moved this year's Earth Day celebration to April 25 from April 22, which falls on Good Friday, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. announced Wednesday.
According to Ochoa, President Benigno S. Aquino III's Administrative Order No. 12, signed on April 19, directs that all activities for the annual commemoration of the Earth Day be held on the first working day after the Holy Week instead of Friday, a non-working holiday by virtue of Proclamation No. 84 issued by the Chief Executive in December last year.
“Yearly, our country celebrates Earth Day on April 22 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1481 issued on April 10, 2008 in solidarity with countries around the world. But there have been suggestions from different sectors to defer the Earth Day celebration for this year because April 22 is Good Friday and majority of the population will be observing Good Friday,” Ochoa explained.
“The President deems it best to move Earth Day celebrations to April 25 this year to allow more people to participate in the activities and make the occasion more meaningful. The government also wants to take the opportunity to draw the attention of the Filipino people to environmental issues affecting our country and the world,” he added.
The celebration of Earth Day is envisioned to inspire awareness and appreciation, as well as encourage conservation of the environment. It likewise aims to strengthen and sustain the fight for a clean environment amid the challenges posed by climate change.
Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and is celebrated in close to 200 countries every year. (PCOO)
Joint DOE-DOJ task force to evaluate oil price hike
Malacañang on Wednesday announced that the Department of Energy-Department of Justice (DOE-DOJ) joint taskforce was tasked to determine whether there was abuse on the part of some oil companies in imposing oil price hike that was higher than the number calculated by the Energy Department.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the DOE had already asked some oil players to explain in writing why their respective fuel price increase imposed this week was higher than the number set by the DOE based on its calculation.
“The specific task of the DOE-DOJ task force is to evaluate abuse if any,” said Lacierda, adding that while some oil companies increased their prices, Petron and other oil players did not impose the hike.
“Chevron increased the price but it is set to rollback its price,” Lacierda told reporters in a regular news briefing.
Lacierda, however, clarified that the joint task force cannot impose a standard oil price setting because the country’s Oil Deregulation Law allows oil market forces to determine the prices of oil for the industry.
Under the law, a DoJ-DoE task force was created to monitor and ensure that the adjustments are fair and reasonable.
Oil Industry Management Bureau director Zenaida Monsada, of the DOE, earlier said the joint DOE-DOJ Task Force has already received the reports of the oil firms explaining the price adjustments.
Some oil firms implemented Tuesday a fuel price hike of 60 centavos for gasoline and 25 centavos for diesel.
Monsada said the DOE's calculations indicated only a price hike of 39 centavos for premium gas and 16 centavos for diesel.
The government allows oil firms to round off increases to the nearest 10 centavos, she added. This means the government calculations would have allowed price hikes of 40 instead of 60 centavos for gas, and 20 instead of 25 centavos for diesel.
“Our mandate is to determine whether they are within reason, because if they’re not within reason,” said Monsada. (PCOO)
President Aquino makes surprise visit to North Harbor
President Benigno S. Aquino III made a surprise visit to the North Harbor in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday to inspect the preparations being undertaken to ensure the safety of Filipinos traveling to their respective provinces during the Lenten season.
The President visited Pier 2 where the Negros Navigation shipping company, one of the country’s premiere shipping lines, is located.
He was accompanied by several Cabinet secretaries namely: Transportation Secretary Jose De Jesus, Budget Secretary Butch Abad, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.
Upon his arrival at around 2 p.m., the President made a brief inspection of the shipping company’s ticketing and pre-boarding facilities including its x-ray machines that can both scan passengers and their baggage.
He then proceeded to the passenger pre-boarding area to check on the passenger waiting area which was designed with the passenger's safety, comfort and convenience in mind.
The President took a short break to witness a karaoke singing competition that involved several passengers unfold.
He was then ushered to an adjacent room where a glass case containing a scale model of the Manila North Harbor Modernization Project (MNHMP) was encapsulated.
Richard Barclay, chief executive officer of the Manila North Harbor Port, Inc. gave the President a briefing on the said modernization project.
The MNHMP is a radical plan to change the face of the existing harbor to make it at par with other commercial harbors.
Rehabilitation plans include dredging, upgrading of passenger terminal facilities and the procurement of quay container cranes, among others.
To be built at a cost of P17-billion, the MNHMP will take 25 years to complete. (PCOO)
Aquino inspects International Airport Terminal 3
President Benigno Aquino III reminded the officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 to heighten their state of preparedness during the Lenten season even without his instructions.
The President, who toured seaport, airport and bus terminal on Wednesday, arrived at NAIA 3 around 3 p.m. and immediately inspected the operations and security preparations of the airport.
After that, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado briefed the President on the status of passenger volume and traffic, airport security and assistance measures.
There were around 1,500 passengers, airport personnel and security officials present when the President visited NAIA 3 on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, President Aquino had a briefing with leading government agencies in charge of ensuring safety and security of people traveling this Lenten season.
Top officials of various government agencies led by Executive Director Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Council (NDRRC) on Tuesday briefed President Aquino on their ongoing preparations for the Lenten Season.
Ramos said the government agency-members are ready to implement their respective tasks and missions to protect Filipinos and tourists as well as to secure churches, places of worships, vital installations, airport, seaports, bus terminals, embassies, tourist spots, malls, commercial establishments and other public places.
Ramos presented to President Aquino the specific tasking, coordinating instructions and structure of each contingency plan of various government agency-members of the NDRRC.
Among the officials and representatives that attended the cluster meeting were from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Health (DOH) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). (PCOO)
Aquino orders Tolentino to improve MMDA public bus terminals system
President Benigno S. Aquino III today ordered Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino to implement the centralized ticketing system and put up designated passenger waiting areas in all bus terminals to avoid chaotic situations during holiday seasons where thousands of commuters flock to the provinces.
The President issued the directives to Tolentino when he visited the Araneta Center bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City Wednesday where he personally check the security preparations undertaken by concerned authorities to ensure the safety of passengers.
Aquino dropped by here immediately after he made a surprise visit and inspection in Pier 2 North Harbour in Tondo, Manila and Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
In an ambush interview, the President admitted that he felt dismayed upon seeing the disorganized flow of passengers in and out of the terminal, and lack of passenger terminals where the people can stay on while waiting for their buses.
“Kung titingnan mo walang centralization ng ticketing, mahirap i-channel yung flow ng mga dumarating na pasahero. Maraming tao, sabay-sabay, kanya-kanya, pero puwede pa nating i-improve ang systems dito,” he said during interview.
He added that he also tasked Tolentino to study the possible construction of a passenger bus terminal dedicated only for north plying buses and another for south direction.
“The idea is that hindi mo na kailangang mag-traverse ng EDSA para makadagdag ng traffic,” he said noting that based on daily monitoring of MMDA some 3,600 up to 7,000 buses ply Metro Manila plus another 5,000 provincial buses who also uses EDSA.
“So pag ginawa itong one terminal for the north and one terminal for the south, at si Francis Tolentino will be the person and tasked to do this, we expect the better control, better security procedures na ma establish natin,” he further explained. (PCOO)
Government speeds up relocation of informal settlers in danger zones
The national government is now at the forefront of the campaign to relocate informal settlers living in danger zones, including the railways and waterways.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he had discussed with Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Secretary General Cecilia Alba the progress of the relocation program for informal settlers.
“Our priority now is to focus first on people living in danger areas. This could mean living near waterways. Another danger area includes railways. The North and South Rail already removed the informal settlers from the railways,” he said.
Lacierda also said the government will also address the plight of those affected by the government’s projects.
“The HUCDD is considering all factors determining relocations of informal settlers. The relocation depends on the cause of plans, proximity, facility, and capability of the beneficiaries to pay,” he said.
Lacierda said the government stepped up its slum upgrading program, targeting informal settlers occupying private and government lands. He said the Social Housing Finance Corporation can lend money to beneficiaries for land acquisition.
Recently, several informal settlers lost homes after a fire hit a squatter area in Guadalupe, Makati City. Lacierda said the area is under the jurisdiction of the Makati government and Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Jun-Jun” Binay can extend help to those affected families. (PCOO)
Malacanang has moved this year's Earth Day celebration to April 25 from April 22, which falls on Good Friday, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. announced Wednesday.
According to Ochoa, President Benigno S. Aquino III's Administrative Order No. 12, signed on April 19, directs that all activities for the annual commemoration of the Earth Day be held on the first working day after the Holy Week instead of Friday, a non-working holiday by virtue of Proclamation No. 84 issued by the Chief Executive in December last year.
“Yearly, our country celebrates Earth Day on April 22 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1481 issued on April 10, 2008 in solidarity with countries around the world. But there have been suggestions from different sectors to defer the Earth Day celebration for this year because April 22 is Good Friday and majority of the population will be observing Good Friday,” Ochoa explained.
“The President deems it best to move Earth Day celebrations to April 25 this year to allow more people to participate in the activities and make the occasion more meaningful. The government also wants to take the opportunity to draw the attention of the Filipino people to environmental issues affecting our country and the world,” he added.
The celebration of Earth Day is envisioned to inspire awareness and appreciation, as well as encourage conservation of the environment. It likewise aims to strengthen and sustain the fight for a clean environment amid the challenges posed by climate change.
Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and is celebrated in close to 200 countries every year. (PCOO)
Joint DOE-DOJ task force to evaluate oil price hike
Malacañang on Wednesday announced that the Department of Energy-Department of Justice (DOE-DOJ) joint taskforce was tasked to determine whether there was abuse on the part of some oil companies in imposing oil price hike that was higher than the number calculated by the Energy Department.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the DOE had already asked some oil players to explain in writing why their respective fuel price increase imposed this week was higher than the number set by the DOE based on its calculation.
“The specific task of the DOE-DOJ task force is to evaluate abuse if any,” said Lacierda, adding that while some oil companies increased their prices, Petron and other oil players did not impose the hike.
“Chevron increased the price but it is set to rollback its price,” Lacierda told reporters in a regular news briefing.
Lacierda, however, clarified that the joint task force cannot impose a standard oil price setting because the country’s Oil Deregulation Law allows oil market forces to determine the prices of oil for the industry.
Under the law, a DoJ-DoE task force was created to monitor and ensure that the adjustments are fair and reasonable.
Oil Industry Management Bureau director Zenaida Monsada, of the DOE, earlier said the joint DOE-DOJ Task Force has already received the reports of the oil firms explaining the price adjustments.
Some oil firms implemented Tuesday a fuel price hike of 60 centavos for gasoline and 25 centavos for diesel.
Monsada said the DOE's calculations indicated only a price hike of 39 centavos for premium gas and 16 centavos for diesel.
The government allows oil firms to round off increases to the nearest 10 centavos, she added. This means the government calculations would have allowed price hikes of 40 instead of 60 centavos for gas, and 20 instead of 25 centavos for diesel.
“Our mandate is to determine whether they are within reason, because if they’re not within reason,” said Monsada. (PCOO)
President Aquino makes surprise visit to North Harbor
President Benigno S. Aquino III made a surprise visit to the North Harbor in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday to inspect the preparations being undertaken to ensure the safety of Filipinos traveling to their respective provinces during the Lenten season.
The President visited Pier 2 where the Negros Navigation shipping company, one of the country’s premiere shipping lines, is located.
He was accompanied by several Cabinet secretaries namely: Transportation Secretary Jose De Jesus, Budget Secretary Butch Abad, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.
Upon his arrival at around 2 p.m., the President made a brief inspection of the shipping company’s ticketing and pre-boarding facilities including its x-ray machines that can both scan passengers and their baggage.
He then proceeded to the passenger pre-boarding area to check on the passenger waiting area which was designed with the passenger's safety, comfort and convenience in mind.
The President took a short break to witness a karaoke singing competition that involved several passengers unfold.
He was then ushered to an adjacent room where a glass case containing a scale model of the Manila North Harbor Modernization Project (MNHMP) was encapsulated.
Richard Barclay, chief executive officer of the Manila North Harbor Port, Inc. gave the President a briefing on the said modernization project.
The MNHMP is a radical plan to change the face of the existing harbor to make it at par with other commercial harbors.
Rehabilitation plans include dredging, upgrading of passenger terminal facilities and the procurement of quay container cranes, among others.
To be built at a cost of P17-billion, the MNHMP will take 25 years to complete. (PCOO)
Aquino inspects International Airport Terminal 3
President Benigno Aquino III reminded the officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 to heighten their state of preparedness during the Lenten season even without his instructions.
The President, who toured seaport, airport and bus terminal on Wednesday, arrived at NAIA 3 around 3 p.m. and immediately inspected the operations and security preparations of the airport.
After that, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado briefed the President on the status of passenger volume and traffic, airport security and assistance measures.
There were around 1,500 passengers, airport personnel and security officials present when the President visited NAIA 3 on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, President Aquino had a briefing with leading government agencies in charge of ensuring safety and security of people traveling this Lenten season.
Top officials of various government agencies led by Executive Director Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Council (NDRRC) on Tuesday briefed President Aquino on their ongoing preparations for the Lenten Season.
Ramos said the government agency-members are ready to implement their respective tasks and missions to protect Filipinos and tourists as well as to secure churches, places of worships, vital installations, airport, seaports, bus terminals, embassies, tourist spots, malls, commercial establishments and other public places.
Ramos presented to President Aquino the specific tasking, coordinating instructions and structure of each contingency plan of various government agency-members of the NDRRC.
Among the officials and representatives that attended the cluster meeting were from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Health (DOH) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). (PCOO)
Aquino orders Tolentino to improve MMDA public bus terminals system
President Benigno S. Aquino III today ordered Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino to implement the centralized ticketing system and put up designated passenger waiting areas in all bus terminals to avoid chaotic situations during holiday seasons where thousands of commuters flock to the provinces.
The President issued the directives to Tolentino when he visited the Araneta Center bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City Wednesday where he personally check the security preparations undertaken by concerned authorities to ensure the safety of passengers.
Aquino dropped by here immediately after he made a surprise visit and inspection in Pier 2 North Harbour in Tondo, Manila and Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
In an ambush interview, the President admitted that he felt dismayed upon seeing the disorganized flow of passengers in and out of the terminal, and lack of passenger terminals where the people can stay on while waiting for their buses.
“Kung titingnan mo walang centralization ng ticketing, mahirap i-channel yung flow ng mga dumarating na pasahero. Maraming tao, sabay-sabay, kanya-kanya, pero puwede pa nating i-improve ang systems dito,” he said during interview.
He added that he also tasked Tolentino to study the possible construction of a passenger bus terminal dedicated only for north plying buses and another for south direction.
“The idea is that hindi mo na kailangang mag-traverse ng EDSA para makadagdag ng traffic,” he said noting that based on daily monitoring of MMDA some 3,600 up to 7,000 buses ply Metro Manila plus another 5,000 provincial buses who also uses EDSA.
“So pag ginawa itong one terminal for the north and one terminal for the south, at si Francis Tolentino will be the person and tasked to do this, we expect the better control, better security procedures na ma establish natin,” he further explained. (PCOO)
Government speeds up relocation of informal settlers in danger zones
The national government is now at the forefront of the campaign to relocate informal settlers living in danger zones, including the railways and waterways.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he had discussed with Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Secretary General Cecilia Alba the progress of the relocation program for informal settlers.
“Our priority now is to focus first on people living in danger areas. This could mean living near waterways. Another danger area includes railways. The North and South Rail already removed the informal settlers from the railways,” he said.
Lacierda also said the government will also address the plight of those affected by the government’s projects.
“The HUCDD is considering all factors determining relocations of informal settlers. The relocation depends on the cause of plans, proximity, facility, and capability of the beneficiaries to pay,” he said.
Lacierda said the government stepped up its slum upgrading program, targeting informal settlers occupying private and government lands. He said the Social Housing Finance Corporation can lend money to beneficiaries for land acquisition.
Recently, several informal settlers lost homes after a fire hit a squatter area in Guadalupe, Makati City. Lacierda said the area is under the jurisdiction of the Makati government and Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Jun-Jun” Binay can extend help to those affected families. (PCOO)
