Coloma says Philippine Development Plan of Aquino government is achievable
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr.
expressed confidence that the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016, the economic blueprint of the Aquino administration, will be achieved as planned considering the concerted efforts from the various agencies of the government.
In an interview following the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III during the Joint Session of the 15th Congress at the House of Representatives, Batasan Complex in Quezon City on Monday, Coloma assured the commitment from every member of the Cabinet as well as various sectors of society to achieve the PDP within the remaining term of the Aquino government.
“Ito po ay nakatali sa pananagutan ng bawat Cabinet secretary, nakatali po ito sa commitment ng iba’t-ibang sector na makamit at matamo ang mga layunin ng ating Philippine Development Plan,” Coloma said.
“Achievable po sapagkat sa loob nga ng isang taon lamang napakarami nang konkretong nagawa at ang dating inaakala natin na halos imposible ay naririyan na,” he added.
The PCOO chief also noted the consecutive ratings upgrade from prominent rating institutions as a result of government efforts towards the straight and righteous path.
“Apat na beses yun ratings upgrade natin… iyong 4,500 points ng Philippine Stocks Exchange Index, hindi rin natin pinangarap na mangyayari yan pero dahil yung paggawa ng tama ay napakalaki ng epekto at naipapakita natin na hindi ito tama lamang sa aspeto ng moralidad kundi pati na rin sa real economic value. Kaya ang pagtahak sa daang matuwid ay meron ding mga konkretong benepisyo sa larangan ng kabuhayan,” Coloma noted.
He pointed out that the proposed national budget for 2012 has been planned to cover the major areas under the PDP 2011-2016.
“Yun pong national budget natin for 2012 ay nakatutok sa limang pinaka-mahalagang area ng Philippine Development Plan, at ang performance ng bawat miyembro ng gabinete ay susukatin sa kung gaano kainam o epektibo ang pagpapatupad ng mga programa na ayon sa Philippine Development Plan,” Coloma said.
The overarching theme of the PDP 2011-2016 is good governance and anti-corruption in achieving inclusive growth that will create massive employment opportunities and significantly reduce poverty.
The PDP 2011-2016 also translates the President’s “Social Contract with the Filipino People” into an effective and efficient guide for government agencies.
PDP 2011-2016 has ten chapters that focus on the following five key strategies, namely, (a) boosting competitiveness to generate employment; (b) improving access to financing; (c) investing massively in physical infrastructure; (d) promoting transparent and responsive governance; and (e) developing human resources through improved social services.
Among the key targets of the PDP in the coming years include an annual economic growth of 7-8 percent and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of specific and time-bound development goals committed by international governments to be achieved by 2015.
The PDP was developed with inputs not only from government agencies and local government units, but also from civil society organizations and private organizations.(PCOO)
Aquino bares government's plan to develop monorail system
President Benigno S. Aquino III bared the government’s plan to develop a monorail system in efforts to beef up the existing mass transportation system in the country.
In his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 15th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Monday, President Aquino said that the monorail system being studied by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the University of the Philippines (UP) will cost less than 100 million pesos per kilometer.
“Pinag-aaralan na rin po ng DOST at ng UP ang pagkakaroon ng monorail system, para tugunan ang problema sa pangmalawakang transportasyon. Sa malikhaing pag-iisip ng kapwa Pilipino, may pag-asa pala tayong magtayo ng light rail system nang hindi hihigit sa 100 million pesos ang gagastusin kada kilometro," the President said.
The Chief Executive said that the savings of the government from the proposed mass transportation project could be used to build more railway systems to serve far-flung areas of the country.
The train system, the President said, could also help those who are residing in the remotest areas.
“Ang mga dating sumisiksik sa siyudad para maghanap ng trabaho, maaari nang tumira sa medyo mas malayo nang hindi pahirapan ang biyahe,” President Aquino stressed.
Apart from this, the President also cited the ingenuity and other innovations developed by Filipino scientists such as the use of low-cost traps that kill mosquito larvae that contributed to the decrease in dengue cases in the country by 14 per cent.
Other products of Filipino resourcefulness include the coconut coir fibers that are now being used as a cost-effective way to strengthen roads; the landslide sensors that provide warnings when soil erosion has reached dangerous levels; and early flood warning systems for riverside communities.(PCOO)
Business sector confident of better economic growth under the Aquino administration
Business leader and prominent corporate lawyer practitioner Miguel Varela expressed confidence in the Aquino administration as he cited the government’s economic reform measures which he said could result to a faster movement in the country’s economy.
“I am positive na gagalaw kasi ang mamamayan may confidence sa kanya. Malaki ang confidence at alam nila transparent na tao, malinis na leader, so naturally pagbibigyan mo at susunod ka… tutulong ka rin…,” Varela said in an interview with media before the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno S. Aquino III during the Joint Session of the 15th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Monday.
“I think now the various agencies of government are prepared to move on, they have identified their budgets…they know what to do. This year we expect them to move faster, so I think the President will set the parameters especially with the economic development,” he added.
The business leader also expressed satisfaction for the leadership and management style of the Chief executive as he noted the sincerity of the Aquino administration with its social contract with the Filipino people.
He added that the business sector is expecting more foreigners to come in and invest in the country as an effect of the confidence of the people and the parameters being put in place by the Aquino administration.
Varela also urged the government to push for more legislative measures that will expedite the country’s economic development and progress.
“We hope that this year will be a faster year as far as the movement of the economy is concerned… there should be more legislation that will move the economy farther,” Varela noted.
Varela has been the president and chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest business organization in the country.
He also served as president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the largest association of employers in the Philippines.(PCOO)
Aquino bares revived investor confidence in the energy sector
President Benigno S. Aquino III bared the revived investor confidence specifically in the energy sector, as he cited over a hundred companies that expressed readiness to participate in the exploration process and efforts to strengthen the country’s oil and natural gas resources.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 15th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Monday, the President shared the good news from the Department of Energy (DoE).
He underscored the eradication of “wang-wang,” which he likened to a mentality of corruption, in the agency.
“Allow me to share more good news from the DoE, having rid the agency of ‘wang-wang,’ we have revived the confidence of investors in our energy sector. 140 companies all ready to participate in the exploration and strengthening of our oil and natural gas resources, can attest to this. Compare this to the last energy contracting round in 2006, which saw the participation of only 35 companies,” the President said.
President Aquino noted the signing of a new contract, recently, for the construction of a power plant in Luzon that will not only lower the price of energy but will also provide a more reliable source.
“Just last Friday, a new contract was signed for a power plant to be constructed in the Luzon grid, so that by 2014, our country will have a cheaper, more reliable source of energy,” President Aquino said.
Based on the 2011 SONA Technical Report, the DoE initiated several programs to intensify the use of renewable energy resources.
The DOE launched the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) on June 14, this year. The NREP is a 20-year roadmap to fully develop the country’s indigenous renewable sources and further reduce dependence on imported fuels. The NREP is expected to spur investments from the private sector.
The DOE announced the awarding of eight (8) Biomass Renewable Energy Operating Contracts, which will provide an additional 75.85 MW of power plant capacity from biomass resources.
It awarded four (4) Certificates of Registration for Own-Use, which will install an additional 24.2 MW of power plant capacity for own-use from biomass resources.
The DOE issued a provisional Permit to Energy World Corporation Limited to put up a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) hub, which will increase the country’s natural gas supply by 260,000 cubic meters.
It intensified the campaign for the use of clean, alternative energy fuels. With the implementation of the Biofuels Act of 2006, the government has converted 18,731 taxis to auto-LPG and has put 217 auto-LPG refuelling stations and 31 auto-LPG conversion shops.
The DOE teamed up with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to establish the National Electric Vehicle Strategy (NEVS) to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Recently, Mandaluyong received 20 electric tricycles (e-Tricycles) for testing and demonstration. The ADB has committed $500 million to support the DOE’s e-Tricycle project.(PCOO)
Malacañang urges Filipino citizenry to pay correct taxes
Malacanang urged the people to support the intensified drive of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to generate more government funds that will be used for developmental projects and eventually bring real progress and development to the country.
In an interview over radio station dzMM, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. encouraged the Filipino citizenry, especially those in the professional sector, to declare their actual annual income and pay their taxes properly as enunciated by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his State of the Nation Address during the Joint Session of the 15th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Monday.
“The President wants to encourage taxpayers, especially the professionals to truthfully declare their income and file their correct taxes, at doon nga sa ganoon kaliit lang na ibinabayad nila ang laki-laki ng impact,” Ochoa said.
“And also, kung magbabayad sila ng tama ang laki-laki ng maidadagdag na tulong nito sa gobyerno,” he added.
The Executive Secretary stressed the importance of the people’s trust in government as he assured that the funds collected by the government’s revenue collection agency will directly go into the national treasury.
“At palagay ko ang mas importante dito is the philosophy, magtiwala kayo sa amin… sa gobyerno, hindi namin wawaldasin iyan,” Ochoa noted.
“Kailangan ng gobyerno ng kaukulang pondo para sabay-sabay tayo pagunlad at para ma-implement ang mga projects natin,” he said.
According to the BIR, 1.7 million self-employed and professional taxpayers comprised of lawyers, doctors and businessmen, among other, paid a total of 9.8 billion pesos in 2010. The data indicates that each of them paid only an average of 5,783 pesos in income taxes – if proven true – each must have earned only 8,500 pesos per month, which is below the existing minimum wage in the country.
The President also spelled out the concrete projects of his administration using public funds collected by the BIR.
According to the President, cheating in the payment of taxes not only affects the government funds collection but also the Filipino people who could have enjoyed from the benefits these taxes would have provided.(PCOO)
Malacañang greets Iglesia ni Cristo on its 97th Anniversary
Malacanang wishes Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) well on its 97th founding anniversary noting that it has given the country citizens who served the government well.
“Iglesia ni Cristo is a religious organization that has been with us for sometime and they have given this country citizens who served the government well,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during the regular press briefing held in Malacanang on Tuesday.
INC is celebrating its founding anniversary on Wednesday.
“We wish them godspeed. We wish God will continue to bless their church and bless and guide their leaders to further their denomination,” Lacierda said.
INC was formally established on July 27, 1914. Its expansion continued under Minister Felix Ysagun Manalo.
As a church, the INC has spanned six continents, establishing over 5,000 Missions in 100 countries, making it truly a global church.(PCOO)
Palace respects Ombudsman's independence
Malacanang said it will respect the independence of the new Ombudsman once she takes her oath of office as mandated by the Constitution.
“We will respect her independence and I’m sure she expects us to respect her independence,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.
President Benigno S. Aquino III announced the appointment of former Supreme Court associate justice Conchita Carpio Morales as the new Ombudsman during his second State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) on Monday replacing Merceditas Gutierrez who stepped down from the office of the Ombudsman.
Asked by reporters if the appointment of a new ombudsman favors the administration’s fight against corruption, Lacierda stressed that the Palace didn’t file cases under Gutierrez because there was doubt she would prosecute cases fairly.
At the same time, Lacierda said he can’t speak for the new Ombudsman about her plans to spearhead reforms in the constitutional body but said that Carpio Morales will not toe the Palace line.
“As far as the executive department is concerned and gusto lang namin once we have gathered enough evidence that we believe would merit a probable cause maisampa na sa Ombudsman,” he said.
Lacierda appealed to those filing charges against the former president to come up with a strong case to ensure conviction.
“My only plea for those who wish to file cases is for them to come up with a really strong case, in the same manner that the President has tasked our prosecutors to build a strong case before filing one,” he said.
The President’s spokesman also assured that the administration will continue to pursue cases against the former leader despite her recent hospitalization. However, he said these cases will be filed only after evidence has been gathered and probable cause is determined, he said.
“Certainly I think the work of reform goes on regardless of who is going to be affected,” Lacierda said.(PCOO)
Malacañang exhorts public to pray for Arroyo's recovery
Malacanang called on the public to pray for former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her recovery.
“We wish Representative Arroyo well. We hope that she will have a successful surgery and we ask the people to pray for her,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.
Reports said Rep. Arroyo is scheduled to undergo immediate surgery due to a damaged cervical spine.
Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, Arroyo's attending physician at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, said Tuesday that the former President was confined Monday due to a recurrence of neck pain.(PCOO)
Aquino remains reluctant in amending the 1987 Constitution
President Benigno S. Aquino III hasn’t changed his position and remains reluctant in supporting any amendment to the 1987 Constitution saying the country can achieve development even without it. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. echoed this statement in an interview over dzMM on Tuesday.
Ochoa was reacting to the call of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to amend the present Constitution particularly its economic provisions to attract more foreign investments.
“The Senate President was expressing his views lang naman. But as far as I know, the President is not really considering any amendment in the Constitution. Kahit noong araw po, noong congressman siya and when he became a senator, and now that he is the President, he still believes that we can live with the Constitution,” Ochoa said.
Still, Ochoa explained that the President is open to proposals seeking the increase of foreign ownership. The Constitution mandates 60-40 ownership, in favor of Filipino citizens.
“He is open to that, but his worry is that once you open up any amendment or any proposal towards the amendment of the Constitution, it would be like Pandora’s box… na parang very difficult to control na, hindi ka makakasiguro talaga na iyon lang ang ma-aamend,” he noted.
In a separate media briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that as far as the executive branch is concerned, it believes that the economic provisions in the Constitution can still pave the way for economic development.
“Other than amending the Constitution, we will provide a level playing field. We’ll make our rules more investment-friendly and most importantly, we have taken away the graft-ridden process of bidding in so far as government transactions are concerned,” Lacierda said.
The government has also plugged the leakages in tax and revenue collections, he said, adding that the administration believes it can get the growth it wants without having to amend the Constitution.(PCOO)
Ochoa: President sets new tone for good governance, clean government
President Benigno Aquino III has set a new tone aimed at promoting good governance and curbing corruption after almost one year of doing serious house cleaning, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Tuesday.
In an interview with Karen Davila on ANC’s “Headstart,” Ochoa said President Aquino’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) adequately laid the groundwork for realizing the goals of a “clean government.”
“(President Aquino) fully emphasized that there’s no other way for this country to go but to have a good government, a clean government. He demonstrated his strong resolve and his firmness in really adhering to his principles in cleaning up the government,” Ochoa said, sharing his perspective on the SONA.
“Because to him (Aquino), he’s trying to convey to us the real meaning of what public service is. And public service is public trust, so therefore he wants to encourage everybody to believe again in our government,” the Executive Secretary added.
Ochoa said the administration believes that if it can establish a clean government and good governance, “everything else will follow.”
“Like for instance in our economic development and goals, there are policies that are polluted or so corrupted before. They got and get in the way of progress so marami tayong economic development programs that can only be achieved kung ang mga nagpapatakbo nito is not motivated by any other personal agenda,” he pointed out.
Ochoa also defended the President for not including the controversial responsible parenthood (RH) and freedom of information (FOI) bills, Hacienda Luisita and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in his SONA.
He said the RH bill was excluded in the speech because there are still ongoing discussions on the proposed measure and “the President would want to reconcile his views with that of the Catholic Church.”
The Executive Secretary, however, clarified that the Aquino is not softening his stand on the RH bill. The President has been very consistent in his support of responsible parenthood, which is the essence of the RH bill.
“Hindi naman ibig sabihin softening. He (Aquino) is just opening the doors for negotiations para hindi maging adversarial ‘yung issue na ito,” Ochoa explained.
As regards the FOI bill, Ochoa said there are provisions in the measure that still need to be clarified. He added that the President has some reservations on the potentials for misuse and abuse of the proposed legislation.
“I think there are still a lot of discussions going on about it because there are issues and provisions that I think the President would want to be cleared about,” Ochoa said.
He said Aquino has to balance these provisions “with his own concerns about the certain or potential abuses that might be resulting from the (proposed) Freedom of Information Act.”
On Hacienda Luisita, Ochoa said the land dispute has been a subject of court case and it would be proper for the President to let the court decide on the matter.
“Hacienda Luisita is in the court. So whatever he says is subjudice. And of course it is a no-win situation for him because he’s personally connected (with the case). Whatever he says there will be taken as if he’s taking sides. There will be a conflict of interest,” Ochoa said.
Although he admitted that there was an apparent slowdown in the implementation of PPP projects because of some investors were initially hesitant to embrace the program, Ochoa said this flagship program of the Aquino administration is now ready to go full swing.
Ochoa said it was only natural for investors to be hesitant during a transition period and given the reputation of the previous administration among foreign investors.
“The foreign investments are still there. In fact, they are giving up for our PPP programs. Nagkaroon ng konting adjustments sa policies on how to go about it, but I understand from our economic managers that we will be bidding out most of our PPP programs that we have initiated in the past year,” Ochoa said.
He said the different departments involved in PPP are now ready to bid out some of the projects.
(PCOO)
