Aquino to keynote National Sectoral Assembly
President Benigno S. Aquino III will keynote the National Sector Assemblies (NSA), a convention of civil society organizations, which will be held on Monday at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
President Benigno S. Aquino III will keynote the National Sector Assemblies (NSA), a convention of civil society organizations, which will be held on Monday at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
The NSA, which represents 14 basic sectors including the cooperatives sector, seeks to strengthen the partnership between the government and the basic sectors of the Filipino poor.These basic sectors, excluding the cooperatives sector, are: artisans; fisherfolk, children; farmers; indigenous peoples; non-government organizations; persons with disabilities; senior citizens; urban poor; victims of disasters; women, formal labor and migrant workers; workers in the informal sector; youth and students.
The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), the lead convenor of the NSA, underscored the importance of this partnership, saying it was crucial in the crafting of effective anti-poverty strategies that would be beneficial to all.
The anti-poverty commission acts as the "coordinating and advisory body" that exercises oversight functions in implementing the social reform agenda of the government, which is key to the government's drive for poverty alleviation.The NAPC, which was created under Repulic Act No. 8425 also known as the "Social Reform & Poverty Alleviation Act" is chaired by President Aquino. (PCOO)
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Energy department keeping close watch over prices of oil and other petroleum products
The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to keep a close watch on the prices of oil and other petroleum products in the country, Malacañang assured Sunday, amid the reported fresh round of price hikes in gasoline and diesel.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the government is continuing its efforts to monitor the prices and are working on the deliverables that were agreed upon during President Benigno Aquino III’s last meeting with various transport groups.
“Tuloy naman po ‘yung efforts natin when it comes to monitoring the prices. If you remember recently, the DOE asked the oil companies kung bakit daw po maliit [lang] ‘yung [presyong] ni-rollback and the DOE called the attention of the oil companies [because of that] and we continue to monitor,” Valte told Radyo ng Bayan.
Valte was reacting to a statement made by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide’s (PISTON) secretary general George San Mateo, urging President Aquino to do something about the reported oil price hikes next week that would increase gasoline prices by almost one peso and about 30 cents for diesel per liter.
The Palace official informed transport groups that some of the deliverables which President Aquino discussed with them during their meeting last September “have been farmed out to the different agencies” and that the completion for these is already moving.
Valte also responded to early warnings from the transport sectors, as claimed by San Mateo, that they might be forced to launch another series of protests should the government fail to fulfill its promise to investigate oil price hikes and review the Oil Deregulation Law.
“Tinutuloy lang naman po natin ‘yung ating mga ginagawa para mabawasan ang impact nitong mga pagtaas at pagbaba ng mga presyong ito at patuloy naman tayong nakikipag-usap doon sa mga lider ng mga transport groups para makita kung ano pa ang pwede pa nating ibang gawin para ma-address naman ang mga problema tungkol dito,” she said. (PCOO)
