Aquino leads LP fellowship night
President Benigno S. Aquino III thanked his party mates in the Liberal Party (LP) including his Cabinet Secretaries for their continued support to his administration.
In an impromptu speech before LP stalwarts during a fellowship on Tuesday, the Chief Executive cited LP’s support particularly in his agenda of changing the “traditional politician” image that hounds the country’s political culture including the reforms that he instituted since he assumed the presidency in the May 2010 elections.
Some 150 congressmen, governors, municipal and city mayors, including board members attended the Fellowship Night at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.
The President underscored the need for the continued support of the LP to achieve his administration’s dream of providing the Filipino citizenry decent and high paying jobs, housing and livelihood opportunities.
The President stressed that if LP remains solid until the end of his term in 2016, his administration’s dream to pursue its objective for the Filipino people, will be achieved in the near future.
“It’s been one year since that momentous day. I think we delivered so much. In ten months we have been here (running the country), and we are moving in the right direction of changing and transforming our society,” the President said.
“Without all of you believing in the dream, we will not be able to achieve all of this to reach our common goals,” the President.
For his part, Liberal Party president and former Senator Mar Roxas III exhorted LP officials and members to join hands and remain united in supporting the Chief Executive, a real leader that would actually deliver.
“So party mates, on this one year anniversary, let us make him feel that we are with him that we can count on us, that we will stand by him, steadfast in our commitment to the reform, to the good governance and to the anti-corruption platform that he so exemplifies,” Roxas said. (PCOO)
Aquino confident rebellion and secessionist problem will be resolved soon
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed confidence that “a very good resolution” to the country’s decade long rebellion and secessionist problems will be resolved in the soonest possible time.
Citing the report submitted to him by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita “Ging” Deles, the Chief Executive said that a breakthrough in the ongoing peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could happen.
“Nakakagulat. Baka magka-unahan kung sino (sa CPP-NPA-NDF and MILF) ang ma-solve,” the President said as he informed his party mates present during Fellowship Night celebrating his first year victory after the May 10, 2010 national elections at the Liberal Party headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.
Though he decided not to go into the details of the separate negotiations with communist and secessionist groups, the President told party mates that the proposals presented by the government counterparts are “extremely doable.”
“Pero pag sinabi ko kung sino ang mga proponent at kung ano ang mga hinihirit nila lahat ng mga ayaw magkasundo-sundo tayo, babatikusin, baka dagdag panganib doon sa mga gusto talagang makipag-kasundo,” he said.
On the issue of the informal settlers, the President also informed his party mates that Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Agrarian Reform Secretary Gil Delos Reyes, and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje are all working towards solving it.
In Metro Manila alone, the President said, some 560,000 families are classified as informal settlers and the four secretaries have furnished him a copy of their proposed long-term solutions including the allocation of 2.5 million hectares of land for their relocation site
He said Secretaries Alcala, Delos Reyes, Paje and Robredo have identified 2.5 million hectares of land to be used by the informal settlers patterned like a home stead and can be offered thru a long-term lease to every families who want to take the proposal.
He explained that each family especially those who want to go back to their respective provinces will be given opportunity to till two-hectares of land, while the house would be built through the help of the private non-government organizations like the Gawad Kalinga.
The President assured that the national government will be providing inputs such as roads, irrigation canals, energy and potable water supplies.
“Talagang complete package for those who want to go back to the province,” the President said adding that the program also solves the diminishing problem in the agriculture sector. (PCOO)
Sandiganbayan’s approval of Garcia’s plea bargain deal will not change government’s goal of fighting corruption --Malacanang
Malacanang said the recent decision by the Sandiganbayan’s approval of the plea bargaining deal between the government and former Armed Forces comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia hasn’t changed the administration’s resolve to fight graft and corruption.
Some lawmakers said the Sandiganbayan’s decision impacted on the campaign of President Benigno Aquino III in combating graft and corruption in the country.
“There’s no change in the President’s resolve to fight corruption. It hasn’t changed despite this kind of decision,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in the regular press briefing on Wednesday at Malacanang.
“And as we’ve mentioned earlier, we will continue to avail of all the legal remedies that are available to the government in order to fight for the true representation of the people in this particular case,” Valte said.
The Sandiganbayan approved on Monday the plea bargaining agreement of Garcia with the Office of the Ombudsman, which allowed him to plead guilty to two lesser offenses and to post bail despite a P303-million plunder case filed against him.
The anti-graft court said that after assessing the totality of the testimonial and documentary evidence presented by the prosecution, it didn’t find evidence that pins down Garcia of plunder. It noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution is not enough to convict Garcia of that offense.
The President said this week that he was surprised by Sandiganbayan’s decision on the Garcia case adding that he had asked the Executive Secretary, the Solicitor General and the Secretary of Justice to find possible legal remedies that serve the best interest of the people.
The Office of the Solicitor General may file a motion for reconsideration with the Sandiganbayan and in case it is rejected, the government will go directly to the Supreme Court, the President said. (PCOO)
Malacanang announces release of P7-B fund for construction/repair of classrooms
As part of the Aquino administration’s commitment to provide quality education, Malacanang announced the release of P7-billion budget for the construction and repair of 8,997 classrooms in preparation for the opening of classes this June.
In a regular news briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already released the funds for the construction and repair of schools in several parts of the country.
“The targeted 8,997 classrooms are expected to accommodate around 404,865 students,” Valte told reporters.
Quality education, the Palace stressed, is a vital tool for national development and social change.
Meanwhile, Valte said funds are already available to help the victims of typhoon Bebeng that hit the country recently.
“The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned P3.38 million standby funds and P32.41 million worth of relief supplies in all DSWD field offices along the path of Typhoon Bebeng,” Valte stressed.
Valte further said the DSWD have deployed its social workers to help assist the local-based social workers in managing the evacuation centers.
The food supplies are ready for distribution to local government units (LGUs) that maybe affected by the weather disturbance. (PCOO)
Malacanang says Aquino administration is working hard to achieve goals for Filipinos
The Aquino administration is working hard to achieve its goals for the benefit of millions of Filipinos despite the daunting challenges ahead, Secretary Sonny Coloma of the Presidential Communication Operations Office said in a television interview over ANC’s “Strictly Politics” on Tuesday.
“We are working harder and we are trying to be more focus especially in terms of the key programs of the government. President Aquino is a very performance oriented leader,” Coloma said.
Coloma said that under the government’s Philippine Development Plan, the Aquino administration wants every department to allocate money in such a way that specific indicators of performance would be monitored.
“So, the performance of Cabinet members will be measured by how they use their resources in meeting the objectives,” he said.
Coloma also said that under the current development plan, the objectives include cutting poverty rate at a particular level, achieving 7-8 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the next five years and reducing the country’s budget deficit.
Coloma said the administration also targets to increase the ratio of investment over GDP and create at least one million jobs a year. He noted that these are concrete performance indicators but are very challenging.
“We are rolling up our sleeves and we’re going to work as hard as it takes to accomplish these targets,” he said.
The Aquino administration assumed office in June 2010 so it is putting its programs in place in the 2012 budget.
The Palace official also expressed optimism that the Aquino government can recover from dismal survey ratings recently adding that there’s just a need to effectively communicate to the people about the achievements being made by the administration. (PCOO)
President Benigno S. Aquino III thanked his party mates in the Liberal Party (LP) including his Cabinet Secretaries for their continued support to his administration.
In an impromptu speech before LP stalwarts during a fellowship on Tuesday, the Chief Executive cited LP’s support particularly in his agenda of changing the “traditional politician” image that hounds the country’s political culture including the reforms that he instituted since he assumed the presidency in the May 2010 elections.
Some 150 congressmen, governors, municipal and city mayors, including board members attended the Fellowship Night at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.
The President underscored the need for the continued support of the LP to achieve his administration’s dream of providing the Filipino citizenry decent and high paying jobs, housing and livelihood opportunities.
The President stressed that if LP remains solid until the end of his term in 2016, his administration’s dream to pursue its objective for the Filipino people, will be achieved in the near future.
“It’s been one year since that momentous day. I think we delivered so much. In ten months we have been here (running the country), and we are moving in the right direction of changing and transforming our society,” the President said.
“Without all of you believing in the dream, we will not be able to achieve all of this to reach our common goals,” the President.
For his part, Liberal Party president and former Senator Mar Roxas III exhorted LP officials and members to join hands and remain united in supporting the Chief Executive, a real leader that would actually deliver.
“So party mates, on this one year anniversary, let us make him feel that we are with him that we can count on us, that we will stand by him, steadfast in our commitment to the reform, to the good governance and to the anti-corruption platform that he so exemplifies,” Roxas said. (PCOO)
Aquino confident rebellion and secessionist problem will be resolved soon
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed confidence that “a very good resolution” to the country’s decade long rebellion and secessionist problems will be resolved in the soonest possible time.
Citing the report submitted to him by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita “Ging” Deles, the Chief Executive said that a breakthrough in the ongoing peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could happen.
“Nakakagulat. Baka magka-unahan kung sino (sa CPP-NPA-NDF and MILF) ang ma-solve,” the President said as he informed his party mates present during Fellowship Night celebrating his first year victory after the May 10, 2010 national elections at the Liberal Party headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.
Though he decided not to go into the details of the separate negotiations with communist and secessionist groups, the President told party mates that the proposals presented by the government counterparts are “extremely doable.”
“Pero pag sinabi ko kung sino ang mga proponent at kung ano ang mga hinihirit nila lahat ng mga ayaw magkasundo-sundo tayo, babatikusin, baka dagdag panganib doon sa mga gusto talagang makipag-kasundo,” he said.
On the issue of the informal settlers, the President also informed his party mates that Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Agrarian Reform Secretary Gil Delos Reyes, and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje are all working towards solving it.
In Metro Manila alone, the President said, some 560,000 families are classified as informal settlers and the four secretaries have furnished him a copy of their proposed long-term solutions including the allocation of 2.5 million hectares of land for their relocation site
He said Secretaries Alcala, Delos Reyes, Paje and Robredo have identified 2.5 million hectares of land to be used by the informal settlers patterned like a home stead and can be offered thru a long-term lease to every families who want to take the proposal.
He explained that each family especially those who want to go back to their respective provinces will be given opportunity to till two-hectares of land, while the house would be built through the help of the private non-government organizations like the Gawad Kalinga.
The President assured that the national government will be providing inputs such as roads, irrigation canals, energy and potable water supplies.
“Talagang complete package for those who want to go back to the province,” the President said adding that the program also solves the diminishing problem in the agriculture sector. (PCOO)
Sandiganbayan’s approval of Garcia’s plea bargain deal will not change government’s goal of fighting corruption --Malacanang
Malacanang said the recent decision by the Sandiganbayan’s approval of the plea bargaining deal between the government and former Armed Forces comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia hasn’t changed the administration’s resolve to fight graft and corruption.
Some lawmakers said the Sandiganbayan’s decision impacted on the campaign of President Benigno Aquino III in combating graft and corruption in the country.
“There’s no change in the President’s resolve to fight corruption. It hasn’t changed despite this kind of decision,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in the regular press briefing on Wednesday at Malacanang.
“And as we’ve mentioned earlier, we will continue to avail of all the legal remedies that are available to the government in order to fight for the true representation of the people in this particular case,” Valte said.
The Sandiganbayan approved on Monday the plea bargaining agreement of Garcia with the Office of the Ombudsman, which allowed him to plead guilty to two lesser offenses and to post bail despite a P303-million plunder case filed against him.
The anti-graft court said that after assessing the totality of the testimonial and documentary evidence presented by the prosecution, it didn’t find evidence that pins down Garcia of plunder. It noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution is not enough to convict Garcia of that offense.
The President said this week that he was surprised by Sandiganbayan’s decision on the Garcia case adding that he had asked the Executive Secretary, the Solicitor General and the Secretary of Justice to find possible legal remedies that serve the best interest of the people.
The Office of the Solicitor General may file a motion for reconsideration with the Sandiganbayan and in case it is rejected, the government will go directly to the Supreme Court, the President said. (PCOO)
Malacanang announces release of P7-B fund for construction/repair of classrooms
As part of the Aquino administration’s commitment to provide quality education, Malacanang announced the release of P7-billion budget for the construction and repair of 8,997 classrooms in preparation for the opening of classes this June.
In a regular news briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already released the funds for the construction and repair of schools in several parts of the country.
“The targeted 8,997 classrooms are expected to accommodate around 404,865 students,” Valte told reporters.
Quality education, the Palace stressed, is a vital tool for national development and social change.
Meanwhile, Valte said funds are already available to help the victims of typhoon Bebeng that hit the country recently.
“The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned P3.38 million standby funds and P32.41 million worth of relief supplies in all DSWD field offices along the path of Typhoon Bebeng,” Valte stressed.
Valte further said the DSWD have deployed its social workers to help assist the local-based social workers in managing the evacuation centers.
The food supplies are ready for distribution to local government units (LGUs) that maybe affected by the weather disturbance. (PCOO)
Malacanang says Aquino administration is working hard to achieve goals for Filipinos
The Aquino administration is working hard to achieve its goals for the benefit of millions of Filipinos despite the daunting challenges ahead, Secretary Sonny Coloma of the Presidential Communication Operations Office said in a television interview over ANC’s “Strictly Politics” on Tuesday.
“We are working harder and we are trying to be more focus especially in terms of the key programs of the government. President Aquino is a very performance oriented leader,” Coloma said.
Coloma said that under the government’s Philippine Development Plan, the Aquino administration wants every department to allocate money in such a way that specific indicators of performance would be monitored.
“So, the performance of Cabinet members will be measured by how they use their resources in meeting the objectives,” he said.
Coloma also said that under the current development plan, the objectives include cutting poverty rate at a particular level, achieving 7-8 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the next five years and reducing the country’s budget deficit.
Coloma said the administration also targets to increase the ratio of investment over GDP and create at least one million jobs a year. He noted that these are concrete performance indicators but are very challenging.
“We are rolling up our sleeves and we’re going to work as hard as it takes to accomplish these targets,” he said.
The Aquino administration assumed office in June 2010 so it is putting its programs in place in the 2012 budget.
The Palace official also expressed optimism that the Aquino government can recover from dismal survey ratings recently adding that there’s just a need to effectively communicate to the people about the achievements being made by the administration. (PCOO)
