Aquino underscores government's goal to improve lives of Filipinos
President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the government’s unrelenting effort to effect change to improve the lives of the citizentry as he likened it into a medical practitioner’s job of easing the pain and providing comfort to their patients.
In keynoting the opening ceremonies of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Psychosocial Rehabilitation and 27th Post-Graduate Course and 22nd Mid-year Conference of the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City on Thursday, the Chief Executive noted the similarity of his duties to implement change in the government through the righteous path to that of the jobs of doctors to make life better for their patients.
“I do see that there are some similarities between your jobs and mine, in that we are both trying to mend damaging attitudes: you on an individual level, and us, on a national level…” the President said.
He acknowledged the goal of reassuring people that everyone counts in the society.
“I can acknowledge that the patients need all the help they can get to be supported, empowered and ultimately, to be allowed, to believe in themselves once again,” the President said.
“And so as President of this year’s host country of this conference, allow me to express my pride and honor to be around leading experts who have devoted their professional careers to make life better for all the patients mentally-ill,” he added.
President Aquino also shared his objective in reviving the confidence of every Filipino that there is every reason to hope once again.
“For the past years, our people had been mired in damaging pessimism – in the idea that government is not there to help them and that no matter how hard they work…things will not change. This is the attitude we seek to change,” the President stressed.
Despite the all-out efforts, the Chief Executive cited the fact that mindset cannot be changed overnight nor can it be achieved through empty words and mere rhetoric.
He stressed that the government is determined to empower the people and foster an environment where every Filipino can thrive.
Such steps, the President said, include the change in the system into one that is more capable of empowerment. A system that spares the people from the fatalism and crab mentality that for the longest time has stunted the nation’s progress.
President Aquino also bared the government’s investment in significant interventions and social services aimed at helping the most disadvantaged members of the society and in giving them the means to improve their standards of living.
He expressed gratitude to the WAPR-Philippines and the PPA for their support in making life better for the Filipinos as he assured the government’s support in every endeavor towards this aspiration.
“As you continue to treat people who might have difficulty finding hope in themselves and in the world, you can rest assured that we will continue to do our job as well… we will continue to give our people a reason to hope, and we will not allow their hopes to remain unfulfilled,” the President said.
The three-day event, with this year’s theme “Reaching the Unreached: Islands of Hope,” is in collaboration between the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and the PPA supported by the Department of Health.
It is focused in developing high awareness that the promotion of mental health is a crucial determinant to a person’s well-being, quality of life and hope.
This is only the second time that an international meeting on Psychosocial Rehabilitation is held in the Asia Pacific region, the first was held in Malaysia 20 years ago.
Also present during the conference were major medical stakeholders led by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, leaders, members and delegates of the WAPR-Philippines and PPA, representatives from the World Health Organization and medical practitioners.(PCOO)
President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the government’s unrelenting effort to effect change to improve the lives of the citizentry as he likened it into a medical practitioner’s job of easing the pain and providing comfort to their patients.
In keynoting the opening ceremonies of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Psychosocial Rehabilitation and 27th Post-Graduate Course and 22nd Mid-year Conference of the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City on Thursday, the Chief Executive noted the similarity of his duties to implement change in the government through the righteous path to that of the jobs of doctors to make life better for their patients.
“I do see that there are some similarities between your jobs and mine, in that we are both trying to mend damaging attitudes: you on an individual level, and us, on a national level…” the President said.
He acknowledged the goal of reassuring people that everyone counts in the society.
“I can acknowledge that the patients need all the help they can get to be supported, empowered and ultimately, to be allowed, to believe in themselves once again,” the President said.
“And so as President of this year’s host country of this conference, allow me to express my pride and honor to be around leading experts who have devoted their professional careers to make life better for all the patients mentally-ill,” he added.
President Aquino also shared his objective in reviving the confidence of every Filipino that there is every reason to hope once again.
“For the past years, our people had been mired in damaging pessimism – in the idea that government is not there to help them and that no matter how hard they work…things will not change. This is the attitude we seek to change,” the President stressed.
Despite the all-out efforts, the Chief Executive cited the fact that mindset cannot be changed overnight nor can it be achieved through empty words and mere rhetoric.
He stressed that the government is determined to empower the people and foster an environment where every Filipino can thrive.
Such steps, the President said, include the change in the system into one that is more capable of empowerment. A system that spares the people from the fatalism and crab mentality that for the longest time has stunted the nation’s progress.
President Aquino also bared the government’s investment in significant interventions and social services aimed at helping the most disadvantaged members of the society and in giving them the means to improve their standards of living.
He expressed gratitude to the WAPR-Philippines and the PPA for their support in making life better for the Filipinos as he assured the government’s support in every endeavor towards this aspiration.
“As you continue to treat people who might have difficulty finding hope in themselves and in the world, you can rest assured that we will continue to do our job as well… we will continue to give our people a reason to hope, and we will not allow their hopes to remain unfulfilled,” the President said.
The three-day event, with this year’s theme “Reaching the Unreached: Islands of Hope,” is in collaboration between the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and the PPA supported by the Department of Health.
It is focused in developing high awareness that the promotion of mental health is a crucial determinant to a person’s well-being, quality of life and hope.
This is only the second time that an international meeting on Psychosocial Rehabilitation is held in the Asia Pacific region, the first was held in Malaysia 20 years ago.
Also present during the conference were major medical stakeholders led by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, leaders, members and delegates of the WAPR-Philippines and PPA, representatives from the World Health Organization and medical practitioners.(PCOO)
Malacañang set to issue AO on ARMM OIC screening committee
Malacanang on Thursday said it would soon begin deliberations on a draft Administration Order specifying individuals to a screening committee who will recommend to President Benigno S. Aquino III the OICs (officers-in-charge) who will temporarily govern over the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in preparation for the synchronized elections that will be held in 2013.
In his regular press conference in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the draft AO had just been completed and will soon be discussed by the Cabinet before it is approved by the President.
“Meron nang draft Administrative Order na nagawa so it is subject to discussion and approval by the President,” Lacierda said.
He added that drafting said AO took a back seat as the President and the rest of the Cabinet were immersed in preparing for the President’s State of the Nation Address last Monday, July 25.
“Remember all the Cabinet members were required to present their technical and accomplishment reports for the SONA, so that was given priority first,” Lacierda said.
President Aquino signed into law last June 30, Republic Act 10153 that provided the election of the next ARMM elections for the regional governor, vice governor and members of the regional legislative assembly to be held simultaneous with the midterm elections on the second Monday of May in 2013.(PCOO)
Palace says country must learn from 2004, 2007 alleged election fraud
The country must strive to put closure to the allegations of election cheatings in 2004 and 2007 so that it doesn’t repeat the same mistake, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
Lacierda made this statement in response to the criticism of some lawmakers who said the public must forget about the alleged 2004 and 2007 electoral fraud that put former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to power as well as some of her allies.
The President’s spokesman said the real purpose of the reopening of the investigation in the election anomaly is to discern what really happened during those electoral exercises.
“We should remember the past in order for us not to repeat the past (mistakes). That’s what we’re doing,” he said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday. “We’re coming up with the truth we’re discovering the truth, so that as a people and as a body politic we should not allow ourselves to repeat these illegal acts.”
Asked by reporters on how the government would be able to charge the former leader amid legal opinions saying the she can no longer be held accountable after she stepped down, Lacierda cited a theory inunciated by Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes.
“There’s a theory by Chairman Brillantes saying that the prescription has not started to run against the former president because she was enjoying presidential immunity while she was the sitting president. But it’s a theory of Brillantes and that remains to be resolved,” he said.
The idea is to show what really happened during the 2004 and 2007 elections Lacierda said, adding that recent revelations if ever they can be proven to be factual would help in resolving what really happened during those elections.
Lacierda noted that witnesses coming out to reveal what they know about the alleged cheatings show their confidence in the present administration.
As to whether the government can pin down the former leader, Lacierda said the important thing is that the government is able to discover the truth whether the elections of 2004 and 2007 were legitimately and properly conducted according to law.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) have agreed to conduct a joint inquiry into the alleged electoral fraud. The Comelec said it would handle the criminal aspect that might come up in the joint investigation.
The joint inquiry would proceed even without the participation of former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, believed to have had phone conversations with then President Arroyo to rig the 2004 election results.(PCOO)
Malacañang confident Pangilinan can effectively carry out reforms in BuCor
Malacanang said it is confident that retired Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan can effectively carry out major reform measures in the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) after he was appointed director of the agency by President Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Well, primarily, it’s to reform the agency, iyon ang marching order sa kanya ng president. Ayusin iyong Bureau of Corrections. Iyong mga nakakapuslit, iyong mga bisita-bisita, iyong mga pag-alis-alis, iyon ang kailangang asikasuhin ni Mr. Pangilinan,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.
Lacierda also defended Pangilinan’s qualifications as Bucor director saying the President believes that his expertise on counter-intelligence is something that could be used very well in reforming the agency.
Pangilinan, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class 1979, is the former commander of Northern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) based in Tarlac.
He replaced Ernesto Diokno who resigned at the height of the controversial handling of prisoners who were well-off going in and out of the New Bilibid Prisons without proper authorization, most notably the case of former Batangas governor Jose Antonio Leviste.
Malacanang said the President signed Pangilinan’s appointment July 19. He retired in the military service on July 25.(PCOO)
Malacanang said it is confident that retired Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan can effectively carry out major reform measures in the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) after he was appointed director of the agency by President Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Well, primarily, it’s to reform the agency, iyon ang marching order sa kanya ng president. Ayusin iyong Bureau of Corrections. Iyong mga nakakapuslit, iyong mga bisita-bisita, iyong mga pag-alis-alis, iyon ang kailangang asikasuhin ni Mr. Pangilinan,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.
Lacierda also defended Pangilinan’s qualifications as Bucor director saying the President believes that his expertise on counter-intelligence is something that could be used very well in reforming the agency.
Pangilinan, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class 1979, is the former commander of Northern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) based in Tarlac.
He replaced Ernesto Diokno who resigned at the height of the controversial handling of prisoners who were well-off going in and out of the New Bilibid Prisons without proper authorization, most notably the case of former Batangas governor Jose Antonio Leviste.
Malacanang said the President signed Pangilinan’s appointment July 19. He retired in the military service on July 25.(PCOO)
Malacañang says government agencies ready to implement contingency measures for next tropical cyclone
Malacanang announced on Thursday that concerned government agencies are ready to implement their contingency measures as another tropical cyclone is expected to enter the Philippines area of responsibility this Saturday.
In a regular news briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) are all ready to respond to the needs of the public in the event the tropical cyclone enters the country.
Once the tropical cyclone entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), it will be called Tropical Cyclone Kabayan or Bagyong Kabayan.
“The DSWD, DPWH and DILG po ay nakabantay na po diyan kung ano po ang expected weather forecast diyan ng PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration),” Lacierda said.
Malacanang said the PAGASA will continuously relay information to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) and other concerned agencies.
President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier cited the reliability of the PAGASA, the country’s lead agency in monitoring, forecasting and warning of tropical weather systems.
The Chief Executive further said that he has been receiving regular updates from PAGASA on the status of tropical storms, including Typhoon “Juaning” which recently hit the country, specifically the Bicol region.
Typhoon Juaning has claimed at least 35 lives after dumping rains that caused floods in most parts of Luzon.
The NDRRMC said most of the fatalities come from the Bicol region. An average of 20 storms and typhoons, some of them deadly, hit the Philippines every year.(PCOO)
