PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Aquino takes a hands-on aproach in dealing with typhoon back home

TOKYO, Japan: Despite his hectic schedule due to his four-day official working visit here, President Benigno S. Aquino III takes a hands-on approach, just like in the past, on the situation in the Philippines, which is presently battered by Typhoon Pedring. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio "Sonny" Coloma made this statement when asked about the reaction of President Aquino on Typhoon Pedring during a press briefing at the Tokyo Kaikan here. Coloma said that the President is closely monitoring the typhoon back home and he is doing this during breaks or in-between his meetings with key Japanese businessmen which are part of his official working visit to Japan. While attending the Philippine Economic Forum at the Tokyo, Kaikan Hotel here, President Aquino apologized for not having answered the added questions supposed to be fielded to him during the Q and A portion saying that "there is a typhoon visiting the Philippines right now and we are monitoring the situation to ensure that our people are safe." "We will apologize for the time constraint. There is a typhoon visiting the Philippines right now and we are monitoring the situation to ensure that our people are safe. Thank you," the President said. "We are getting timely, even more frequent updates from the Department of Science and Technology. We are now favored by a more accurate weather tracking and weather forecasting system.... Some equipment have been put in place," Coloma said. Coloma stressed that what has really improved is the closer monitoring by the DOST, and the information is being disseminated very broadly across government so that our disaster risk reduction response capacity has really improved. As of yesterday, Coloma said, all of the government agencies have already been mobilized through the Office of Civil Defense and NDRRMC headed by Gen. Benito Ramos. They are hands on, they are on the job, even while the President is abroad, the entire government machinery is in place and very much in control of the situation. Coloma noted that during a stormy weather, like in the case of Typhoon Pedring, adequate warning is given in terms of time and also the proper evacuation facilities or temporary relocation facilities have been set up. "So, you can be certain that these are well in place and the people are properly informed," he added. "I think what we would like to emphasize is that we are giving our citizens adequate information, and we are also keeping them out of harm's way through measures like suspension of classes, suspension of work and if they are already in harm's way we would like to give them direct assistance, such as those who are stranded or those who may have to be evacuated or relocated, that they are in properly provided evacuation or relocation centers.” Confirming the President's being at the forefront of the typhoon in the Philippines, Coloma said : "As we sit in the business meetings, some of us also have our portable computer devices and monitoring the satellite photos ... he (the President) was shown the satellite photo of the extent of Pedring --- that it has a diameter of more than 600 kilometers which covers almost the entire of Luzon even if landfall is just in the Aurora and isabela. boundary." "So you can be sure that it is being tracked very closely. This is also one of the reasons why the President wanted to devote more time talking with the authorities in Manila during this break in the schedule instead of prolonging the interaction here because he feels that this is a very urgent concern.” Coloma recalled that there was a parallel situation during the President's last activity in the Singapore visit adding that, "that was the time when we became aware of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the President immediately took a hands on approach and contacted the Executive Secretary, the DOST secretary, and the NDRRMC head, Secretary Gazmin. And probably by now all of these coordination is taking place so that there is an effective response to the situation in the country." "Si Pangulo naman ay parati namang nasa equilibrium situation. You can be certain that he is viewing this with a sense of urgency and with a sense of concern that we would really do what is needed in order to avoid damage to life and property," he said. (PCOO)

Aquino says government already working to address damage of typhoon Pedring

President Benigno S. Aquino III made an assurance Tuesday that the government is on top of the situation as Typhoon Pedring battered Luzon, devastating mostly agricultural areas. “I am in constant touch with these members of my cabinet and the Executive Secretary has been instructed to keep me and the public informed of conditions pertaining as well as mitigation efforts,” the President said in a statement he issued in Japan. The President is in Japan for a four-day official working visit there. He is due to arrive in Manila on Wednesday. “I have been in touch with Secretaries Soliman, Gazmin, and Almendras. I have instructed the Executive Secretary to compile information from NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) and to inform our people of conditions as well as of government efforts to mitigate the effects of the storm,” he said. The President said he was informed by Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman about two typhoon-related casualties. He also got the report about severe flooding in Maguindanao. The government has prepared and distributed relief packs to people in Mindanao who were affected by flooding there, he said. In Camarines Sur and Albay, the President said preventive evacuations are ongoing. There is also the report of blackouts with 37 percent of Meralco service area without power due to tripping caused by high winds. In Aurora and Isabela, the government is awaiting the passage of the storm to restore power service, he said. The government is also closely monitoring the Marikina River although it is not yet in the critical level, President Aquino said adding there is ongoing voluntary evacuations of Marikina residents. Typhoon Pedring slammed into the Philippines Tuesday, killing two persons as it brought heavy rain and strong wind that blew away roofs, uprooted small trees and toppled power lines. The typhoon hit the northeastern side of Luzon before dawn, bringing maximum sustained winds of up to 140 kilometers an hour and gusts clocking in at 170 kilometers an hour, according to PAGASA. It said that the provinces of Isabela and Aurora were the most heavily affected initially, although storm alerts were also issued in more than 40 other areas including Metro Manila. (PCOO)

Aquino welcomes Terumo Corporation pledge to expand operations in PHL

Tokyo, JAPAN: A Japanese firm famous for producing disposable syringes and hospital equipment presented on Tuesday a “letter of commitment” to President Benigno S. Aquino III, manifesting its desire to expand its current facilities in the country that would complement one of the administration’s priority projects in its public-private partnership (PPP) program. President Aquino was paid a courtesy call by Terumo Corporation’s top officials at the Imperial Hotel Tuesday morning and they pledged to expand their investments in the country by further developing its factory in Biñan, Laguna and acquiring additional lands to build other facilities. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said Terumo Corporation is “very upbeat” about its commitment to increase its current investments in the Philippines “because they like the work ethics of the Filipino workers that are also highly skilled”. “They want to double or triple their workforce as soon as the new land or new space would have been acquired,” Coloma told reporters at a press briefing held at the Tokyo Kaikan after the roundtable discussion of the President with Japanese business leaders. Coloma said syringes is one of the important products of Terumo Corporation and President Aquino noted that its commitment to expand its facilities in the Philippines is a “significant development” because this will complement the government’s plan to come up with a vaccination plant. The establishment of a vaccination factory is among the four priority PPP projects laid out by the President to Japanese business leaders during their roundtable discussion. The other three include the creation of 10,000 school buildings, the Daang Hari SLEX Road construction, and the NLEX-SLEX connector. Coloma did not give any figures as regards to the amount of investments Terumo Corporation would bring to the country. He said they would rather disclose the figures along with those that have been committed by other Japanese firms once they are through with all the business meetings lined up for the President. Terumo Corporation was represented by its chairman and chief executive officer, Koji Nakao and president, Maki Takizawa whose letter of commitment was turned over by President Aquino to Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo. Founded in 1921 by Dr. Kitasato Shibasaburo, Terumo Corporation started its business with manufacturing thermometers and it has since expanded to become one of the largest producers of medical devices globally. Terumo Corporation opened its first overseas office in the United States in 1971, marking its first overseas expansion. It has since established subsidiaries in Europe, China, India, Philippines and Thailand. Terumo Corporation holds its headquarters and factory in the Philippines at 124 East Main Avenue Laguna Technopark, Biñan, Laguna. Among their products include medical disposables, blood bags market, coronary stents, catheters and many others. (PCOO)