Sunday 12 June 2011

PIA Dispatch - Friday, June 10, 2011

Aquino swears in more officials in government

President Benigno Aquino III swore into office more government officials who have joined his administration.

Among those who took their oath on Friday at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang were Danilo Cortez, presidential adviser on military affairs of the Office of the President, the newly designated ambassadors and officials of various government offices and departments.

The new ambassadors include Belen Anota, Philippine ambassador to Australia; Virginia Benavidez, ambassador to New Zealand; Enrique Manalo, ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Bayani Mercado, ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway; Lourdes Morales, ambassador to the Kingdom of The Netherlands; Cristina Ortega, ambassador to the French Republic; Generoso Calonge, ambassador to the State of Israel; Virgilio Reyes Jr., ambassador to the Italian Republic;

Leslie Baja, ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, Eleanor Jaucian, ambassador to Hungary; Joselito Jimeno, ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; Eduardo Malaya III, ambassador to Malaysia; Meynardo Montealegre, ambassador to the Hellenic Republic; and Ramoncito Marino, ambassador to the Republic of Palau.

Other officials who took their oath were Annaliza Te, undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); Richard Bon Moya, chief information officer, Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Eugenio Pipo Jr., assistant secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Sitti Jehanne Mutin-Mapupuno, assistant secretary, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP); Heidi Mendoza, commissioner, Commission on Audit (COA); Rasol Lampin Mitmug, commissioner, Civil Service Commission (CSC); Salvador Ner, acting administrator, Local Water Utilities Administration; Fenicar Tabao, senior state solicitor, Office of the Solicitor General;

Rene Orbe, deputy director general, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA); Abdullah Mangotara, acting associate commissioner, Bureau of Immigration; Amihilda Sangcopan-Abdulhakim, acting deputy executive director, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF); Ruben Platon, acting president, Philippine Public Safety College; Victorino Manalo, executive director, National Archives of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA); Leslie Jeanne Cordero, vice chairman, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

President Aquino also administered the oath of office to the new officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as well as Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

They were Roberto Garcia, chairman, board of directors (SBMA). Other SBMA board of directors were Benjamin Antonio III, Philip Camara, Ramon Sesdoyro, Norberto Sosa, Alfonso Siapno, Gerald Sam del Rosario, Wilfredo Pineda, Francis Garcia, Bienvenido Benitez, and John Philip Chua Chiaco.

The members of the board of directors of BCDA who took their oath of office were Teresita Desierto, Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, Ma. Aurora Geotina Garcia, Ferdinand Golez, and Elmar Gomez.

The President likewise swore in the newly promoted generals of the military that include Maj. Gen. Tristan Kison, commander, National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM); Maj. Gen. Pompeo Limbo, Philippine Army; Brig. Gen. Mario Mendoza, Philippine Army; Brig. Gen. Jesus Lomeda Jr., J6; Brig. Gen. Rene Pilapil, National Development Support Command (Nadescom), Comdr Antonio Mendoza, General Headquarters; Brig. Gen. Alexander Bote, Philippine Air Force (PAF); Brig. Gen. Charito Plaza, Philippine Air Force; and Brig Gen. Elihu Ybanez, Philippine Air Force. (PCOO)


Ochoa: 93% of presidential appointive positions filled

Ninety-three percent of the close to 10,000 positions that require presidential appointments are filled and nominees for the remaining vacancies are now being vetted by the Palace search committee, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Friday.

“There are few vacancies left and there are already nominees for these positions. We are just in the process of screening these individuals,” Ochoa said.

Close to 10,000 positions in various line agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and constitutional commissions must be appointed by the President.

All nominees undergo a screening process and are required to submit documents to a search committee in MalacaƱang that vets these candidates, studies their credentials, and assesses their qualifications for the positions they have been nominated to. (PCOO)


Aquino welcomes Hyundai Philippines officials to Malacanang

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday welcomed the officials of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), a young automotive company in the country and exclusive distributor of Hyundai vehicles by Hyundai Motor Company based in South Korea.

The top officials of HARI was met by the Chief Executive at the President’s Conference Room of the Presidential Guest House at around 1:00 p.m. following the presentation of the replica of “Ang Bagong Pinoy” sculpture donated by Hyundai Philippines for the commemoration of the country’s 113th Independence Day celebration.

Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Hye-min accompanied by HARI Chairman emeritus Richard L. Lee, Chairman Edward S. Go, Vice Chairman Conrad G. Marty, president & CEO Fe Perez-Agudo, and vice president for corporate planning and communications Rene Pizzaro presented the replica of “Ang Bagong Pinoy” sculpture made by artist/sculptor Joe Datuin to the President.

The “Ang Bagong Pinoy” together with “Dancing Rains” is now among the attractions in Rizal (Luneta) Park.

Minda Huvalla, assistant vice president for corporate planning and head of CSR of HARI, said in an interview that the purpose of the call is to personally inform the President on the recent donations by Hyundai Philippines.

Barely six years since Hyundai’s entry in the Philippine market, Hyundai now ranks in the Top 5 among 23 competing brands, capturing 7.1% market share, and has won twice as Asia-Pacific Distributor of the Year (2005 and 2006). (PCOO)


Malacanang keen on pursuing dialogue on the Spratlys

Malacanang appealed to other countries claiming territories in the South China Sea to refrain from issuing statements that may heighten tension in an already tense situation.

“The Republic of the Philippines has stated its position on the various territorial issues in the West Philippine Sea. We are committed to dialogue with other claimants. We call on all parties to refrain from inflammatory statements that would make it more difficult to reach a mutually agreeable solution,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement released Friday.

Lacierda was specifically referring to the Reed Bank, a territory near Palawan declared by the Philippines as part of its territory.

“Our goal here is really a peaceful resolution, so it’s better for the parties to talk away from the cameras to have a better discussion,” he said in a press conference at the Palace also on Friday.

Asked by reporters how the Philippine government protects its claim in Reed Bank, Lacierda refrained from commenting saying the Palace is taking its cue from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

With respect to the measures being taken to protect the Philippine seas, he said the Palace leaves it to the defense department to make the announcements.

The Palace spokesman said that despite all the statements that have been made regarding the South China Sea in the past few days, the Philippine-China relations remains good.

Both China and the Philippines believe that everything would be resolved peacefully through dialogue, he said.

“We believe in a multi-lateral approach on all the disputed areas including all the claimants in the South China Sea. We strongly believe that in our discussion with China, they are open and very hopeful for a peaceful resolution and this could be done diplomatically,” Lacierda said. (PCOO)