Filipino-Japanese children surprise Aquino with wish of good health and success
TOKYO, Japan: Filipino-Japanese children wish President Benigno S. Aquino III good health to enable him to fulfill his goal of achieving a better future for the Filipino citizenry and the entire country as a whole.
The children’s wish for the President was just one of many contained in the Box of Tanzaku (meaning wishes and dreams) which they presented to the Chief executive during his attendance at a gathering with the Filipino community on Sunday at the main auditorium of the Japan Education Center here.
The President, who arrived here at the start of his four-day official working visit, personally received the Box of Tanzaku from the Filipino-Japanese children represented by three boys and three girls which highlighted the event. Aside from their wish for the Chief Executive, the box also contained the children’s dreams for themselves and the future of the Filipino children.
During the program, the Filipino-Japanese children also feted President Aquino with a cultural presentation showcasing their terpsichorean talents to the delight of the President, his official delegation and over 500 members of the Filipino community who attended the gathering.
According to the Philippine Embassy here, there are an estimated 250,000 Filipino overseas workers in various parts of Japan and 30,614 of them are in Tokyo.
In his message, the President shared his optimism with the Filipino community in Japan and urged them to represent the Philippines as ambassadors of goodwill to their host country. (PCOO)
Palace welcomes latest poll indicating Aquino has regained 'very good' net satisfaction rating
The latest survey showing that President Benigno S. Aquino III has regained “very good" net satisfaction rating is an indication that majority of Filipinos are experiencing the positive changes in the country, a Palace official said on Monday.
"In the most recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations from September 4 to 7, the President’s net satisfaction rating increased by ten points to +56 from +46 in June, enough for an upgrade in classification from “Good” to “Very Good,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
According to the survey, 70 percent of respondents are satisfied with the President’s performance as opposed to the 14 percent dissatisfied.
Lacierda said, "This is further evidence that the overwhelming majority of Filipinos who choose to keep open minds are clearly getting the President’s message; and that they are experiencing the positive changes in this country."
"We express our gratitude to the Filipino people for treading with us the straight and narrow path, believing and acting upon a singular idea: Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap," he said.
Malacanang welcomed the favorable results of the SWS survey, attributing it to the present administration's continuing efforts to remain focus on the eradication of corruption and the alleviation of poverty, according to Lacierda.
He noted, "We are aware that survey numbers have a tendency to vary from quarter to quarter, and assure the Filipinos that while we welcome these favorable results, we remain focused on our duties to our bosses—to alleviate poverty, to eradicate corruption, and to ultimately raise the quality of life of each Filipino." (PCOO)
Malacañang lauds improved weather forecasting system of PAGASA
Malacanang noted the considerable development in the government’s weather forecasting system and its efforts to avert any untoward effects of natural calamities saying it could be attributed to systems upgrade and reforms in the country’s official weather bureau.
In a media briefing at the Palace on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that as instructed by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has been meticulously focusing on its responsibilities to ensure accuracy in its forecasts on the weather disturbances coming in and out of the country.
Lacierda said that the bureau has been accurate in its forecasts that enable other concerned agencies that include the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to pre-position the necessary supplies and actions for the benefit of the people.
“The instructions of the President have always been there, we’ve updated and upgraded the quality of forecasting of PAGASA and I think that’s a sea change... we’re now - I think to put it humbly we’re very accurate with respect to weather forecasting and for that reason we are able to preposition the goods properly and also the NDRRMC has been on the ball in every storm, in every situation, we have always relied on them,” Lacierda said.
“They have been very, very updated in whatever it is, whether it’s a storm, whether it’s a tsunami alert, the NDRRMC, the DSWD, the MMDA for instance in Metro Manila also has been very, very vigilant with respect to concerns in Metro Manila, DILG also… so all the agencies are working in tandem to make sure that we are able to address any natural calamity,” he added.
Lacierda also said that the President, who is currently in Japan for a four-day working visit, has been constantly updated on the situation in the country.
“President Aquino is constantly updated with what’s happening in the country not only with weather updates but also the situation here in the country,” Lacierda said.
At 4:00 a.m. today, Tropical Storm "Pedring" was estimated, based on satellite and surface data, at 260 kilometers East Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour. As it gained more strength, “Pedring” was upgraded into a typhoon threatening the provinces of Isabela-Aurora area.
On September 26, 2009, the country was devastated by typhoon “Ondoy” leaving over 300 casualties all over the country and massive destruction to properties and livelihood amounting to billions of pesos. (PCOO)
Aquino pledges US$1-M assistance to earthquake and tsunami victims in Ishinomaki, Japan
ISHINOMAKI, Japan -- President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday pledged a US$I-Million assistance for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami disasters in March 2011 in Ishinomaki, Japan and the city’s reconstruction program.
The Chief executive made the pledge during the turn-over ceremonies of the donation to Ishimiyaki City Mayor Hiroshi Kameyama at the Ishinimaki City Hall here.
Ishinomaki City was among the most seriously affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. A tsunami about 10 meters high traveled 600 meters inland and destroyed around 80 percent of the 700 houses in the coastal whaling port of Ayukawa and the district of Kadonawaki.
According to a fact sheet, approximately 46 percent of the city was inundated by the tsunami. One, elementary school, Okawa Elementary, was completely destroyed killing 74 of the 108 students and 10 of 13 teachers and staff.
The fact sheet also said that as of June 17, 2011, a total of 3,097 deaths have been confirmed in Ishinomaki City due to the tsunami, with some 2,770 unaccounted for. It added that approximately 29.000 city residents lost their homes
President Aquino personally handed over the pledge of assistance to Mayor Kameyama in the presence of other officials of the city, namely, vice mayor Etsuro Kitamura, Ishinomaki City Council chairperson Hiroshima Abe, and Parliamentary senior vice minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, and the Philippine delegation led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma, and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras among others.
"We would like to assist to the extent we are able to," the President said, through an interpreter, adding that the monetary assistance "is the pledge of the Filipino people and the government."
The President pointed out that the actual cash will be given by the Philippine Embassy in Japan through Ambassador Manolo Lopez.
As he turned over the letter containing the pledge of assistance to the Ishinomaki official, the President reiterated his sympathy for the losses.
"I also would like to thank you for taking good care of our Filipino nationals here. And again, we are prepared to assist to levels we are able to," the President noted.
Earlier, The President told the Ishinomaki Mayor that he "was in Singapore when the twin disasters took place in Japan. "I was shocked to see the photos and images on television. Our country was compelled to render assistance to Japan immediately," he said.
Because of the magnitude of the disaster, the President stressed that he immediately sent a letter to the Japanese Prime Minister extending his government's and the Filipino people's sympathy and assistance. He likewise mentioned other forms of assistance such as a medical team to help the victims as Japan proceeded with its reconstruction.
According to the President, Japan and the Philippines have been visited by a lot of disasters and, overtime, it happened that Japan was always there to help the Philippines. This year, Japan has provided the Philippines some 9.2 Billion Yen in Official Development Assistance.
In response, Ishinomaki City Mayor Kameyama thanked President Aquino for the help and then ushered him to view a photo exhibit that showed the damages wrought by the earthquake and tsunami to the city of Ishinomaki.
Later, the President also met with the Filipino community at the Ishinomaki Catholic Church and Kindergarten Building.
In his brief message, the President reiterated to the Filipino community the US$1-Million pledge he had committed to the city of Ishinomaki for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami and for its reconstruction. (PCOO)
