Aquino cites National Sectoral Assembly's role in fight against poverty
President Benigno S. Aquino III cited on Monday the important role of the National Sectoral Assembly in the government’s campaign to rid the country of poverty.
In his speech keynoting the National Sectoral Assembly (NSA) at the Philippine International Convention Center Tent in Pasay City, the President said the NSA is an effective tool in bringing the basic sector and government together to discuss anti-poverty strategies.
“Naniniwala po akong malaking hakbang itong National Sectoral Assemblies natin sa krusadang maibsan ang gutom at kahirapan sa bansa,” the President said.
“Maliban sa pagiging behikulo para maipaabot ng ating mga batayang sektor ang kanilang mga pananaw at hinaing, mekanismo rin ito upang matalakay ang mga bagong estratehiya at paraan upang magdulot ng positibong pagbabago sa mga sektor at sa buong bansa,” he added.
“Ang pagbubuklod-buklod po nating ito ay susi upang mas maging epektibo ang pagpapatupad at pagpapalaganap ng ating mga inisyatiba kontra sa kahirapan,” the President said.
The NSA, which is organized by the National Anti-Poverty Commission, brings together 1,300 representatives of basic sector organizations from all over the country in a three-day convention from October 17 to 19 at the PICC Tent.
The basic sectors considered the most vulnerable to poverty nationwide 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.
This year’s assembly, with the theme “Sa NAPC, may boses ang Boss,” will have participants select members of their sectoral councils and their representatives who are envisioned to be frontrunners in the pursuit of their respective sectoral agendas. (PCOO)
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President Benigno S. Aquino III cited on Monday the important role of the National Sectoral Assembly in the government’s campaign to rid the country of poverty.
In his speech keynoting the National Sectoral Assembly (NSA) at the Philippine International Convention Center Tent in Pasay City, the President said the NSA is an effective tool in bringing the basic sector and government together to discuss anti-poverty strategies.
“Naniniwala po akong malaking hakbang itong National Sectoral Assemblies natin sa krusadang maibsan ang gutom at kahirapan sa bansa,” the President said.
“Maliban sa pagiging behikulo para maipaabot ng ating mga batayang sektor ang kanilang mga pananaw at hinaing, mekanismo rin ito upang matalakay ang mga bagong estratehiya at paraan upang magdulot ng positibong pagbabago sa mga sektor at sa buong bansa,” he added.
“Ang pagbubuklod-buklod po nating ito ay susi upang mas maging epektibo ang pagpapatupad at pagpapalaganap ng ating mga inisyatiba kontra sa kahirapan,” the President said.
The NSA, which is organized by the National Anti-Poverty Commission, brings together 1,300 representatives of basic sector organizations from all over the country in a three-day convention from October 17 to 19 at the PICC Tent.
The basic sectors considered the most vulnerable to poverty nationwide 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.
This year’s assembly, with the theme “Sa NAPC, may boses ang Boss,” will have participants select members of their sectoral councils and their representatives who are envisioned to be frontrunners in the pursuit of their respective sectoral agendas. (PCOO)
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'Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program' is capital for country's future, says Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino III said the government will continue to implement the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as one of the major government strategies to reduce poverty in the Philippines.
The President said that aside from being an initial answer to the needs of the poor, he saw the 4Ps as a means to secure the future of all Filipinos.
“Simple lang po ang nais kong idiin sa programang ito: bukod sa paunang-lunas, sa pagsalba at pagtugon sa mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng pinaka-nangangailangan nating kababayan, ituring niyo po itong puhunan para sa kinabukasan,” the President told participants in the National Sectoral Assembly organized by the National Anti-Poverty Commission on Monday at the PICC Tent in Pasay City.
“Sa paninigurong may pagkain sa hapag-kainan; sa pagtitiyak na napupunan ng kabataang Pilipino ang bawat upuan sa mga silid-aralan; sa pagtutok sa pagbibigay ng atensyong-medikal sa ating mga kababayan, nasisiguro din natin na ang kanilang mga anak ay magkakaroon ng mas magandang pagkakataon upang makaahon sa kahirapan,” he added.
The 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14. (PCOO)
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Aquino declares October 21 as special non-working day in Negros Oriental
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared Friday, October 21, as a special non-working day in Negros Oriental in celebration of the “Buglasan Festival“;
Proclamation No. 255 was signed on September 20 by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. to give the people of the Province of Negros Oriental the opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion.
The Buglasan Festival is being held annually in October to showcase and highlight the cultural heritage of the province and boost its economy and tourism industries.
This year’s Buglasan Festival theme is “Bringing Negros Oriental Tourism into Greater Heights."
Negros used to be called “Buglas” by the natives before the exploration of the Spaniards in Negros Oriental in 1565. Buglas, a tall grass that looks like sugarcane was abundantly grown in the island.
The Spaniards named the island as Negros because many of the dwellers were dark-skinned and kinky-haired. During that time, the inhabitants of the island were Chinese, Malays, and Negritos.
The Negros was made into two separate political units through a royal decree in 1869: Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. Dumaguete was named as capital of Negros Oriental. (PCOO)
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Malacañang vows government's effort to curb human trafficking
Malacanang assured the government’s uncompromising efforts to curb the problem of prostitution and human trafficking through the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the main law enforcement agencies of the country, specifically the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a press briefing at the Palace on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the Aquino administration has been exerting all-out efforts to address this problem.
“We’ve always maintained doing our best to curb not only prostitution but also trafficking because its part and parcel… we have never turned a blind eye on that and that is the reason why the Department of Justice has been very determined in its efforts on trafficking,” Lacierda said.
“Nasa DOJ po iyan (efforts to curb prostitution and human trafficking), kasama po ng PNP inaayos po yan … you curb corruption, you curb trafficking and there are certain police operations that are ongoing, DOJ operations that are ongoing,” Lacierda added.
He said that, these actions by the government to solve prostitution and human trafficking, has taken out the country from the level 2 watchlist
“For that reason we were taken out from the Tier two watchlist,” Lacierda said adding that they are constantly making necessary moves to strengthen the prosecution of individuals involved in the illegal trade to ensure that they will be put behind bars.
“We’re making sure that in the prosecution, kapag nasampahan po ng kaso ay talagang mako-convict po yung mga involved sa trafficking,” Lacierda said. (PCOO)
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Malacañang defends promotion of Sarangani Congressman Pacquiao to lieutenant colonel in AFP
Malacanang defended the basis of the promotion of Sarangani Congressman and Filipino boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny" Pacquiao to lieutenant colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) reserve force amid criticisms from groups questioning his qualifications in earning the rank.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, during a regular press briefing at the Palace on Monday, said that there are corresponding ranks for government leaders who are also military reservists whether they are appointees or elected officials.
“The position of Congressman Pacquiao, who was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, was due to his position as a congressman, yun po ang recommendation ng AFP…” Lacierda said.
“May mga basis po yan sa AFP… it was not for no other reasons that he (Pacquiao) was promoted, it was because of his position as congressman… and as a reservist and a congressman he is entitled to the position of Lieutenant Colonel,” Lacierda added.
When asked if Pacquiao was commissioned through “palakasan” system, Lacierda downplayed the idea as he stated the basis of the Filipino boxing champion’s promotion.
“Wala pong palakasan, just to give you an example of the elected officials and their ranks… a senator, congressman, provincial governor… they have the rank of lieutenant colonel, presidential appointees, department secretaries, Supreme Court, Court of Appeals Justices and the members of the Constitutional Commission, the ambassador… they also have the rank of lieutenant colonel,” Lacierda said.
“Kapag undersecretary major po, MTC, RTC judges… major, ang city mayor po is also a lieutenant colonel if he is a mayor of a highly-urbanized city and then ang city vice mayor major din po, so there are corresponding ranks po to the positions that you have in government, so wala pong palakasan ito,” he further noted.
Lacierda said that criticisms on Paquiao’s promotion by several groups may stemmed from lack of the necessary information.
“I think hindi po na-explain ng maayos ito… that is the reason why may mga ganoong klaseng criticisms kung bakit ang laki ng promotion ni Congressman Pacquiao,” Lacierda said.
Pacquiao was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel from Senior Master Sergeant, which took effect last September 21, based on the recommendation of the Army.
Pacquiao was first enlisted in the Army reserve force with the rank of sergeant on April 1, 2006 on the recommendation of Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, who used to be a brigade commander in Sarangani. Yano served as Armed Forces chief before retiring in 2009.
Six months after his enlistment, Pacquiao was promoted to the next rank of technical sergeant and on Oct. 7, 2007, then he was promoted to master sergeant. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant on May 4, 2009. (PCOO)
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Aquino administration remains open to dialogues with Judicial-Executive Council
The Aquino administration remains open to hold dialogues with the Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELACC) regarding the issues concerning judiciary, a Palace official said on Monday.
"Certainly, we are open to having a JELACC on important issues that govern our nation and govern the relation between the judiciary and the legislative branches and we have done that the past year," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
Lacierda averred, "But while we are willing to hold a dialogue, insofar as the budget of the judiciary is concerned, I think that should be addressed to the sound discretion of the legislative branch...the Executive branch proposes, the Legislative branch approves or disapproves the budget."
In response to the issue on unfilled positions in government, Lacierda said Budget and Management Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad had already issued a statement regarding the executive branch's position on the matter.
"This is already a settled issue. It is not out of lack of respect for the Judiciary and the Constitutional and Fiscal Autonomy Group (CFAG), nor is it an insidious attempt to undermine their independence, that this budget reform measure is being proposed. On the contrary, it is out of the government’s commitment to pursue transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, including its concern over the repeated failure of agencies of government to fill up items that they had proposed for funding by Congress," Lacierda said as he quoted Abad's statement.
Abad said all officials and agencies of government—whether they enjoy fiscal autonomy or not—have a responsibility to account to the people on how they have used the precious tax money entrusted to them.
The Congress moved the P4.97-billion for 14,554 unfilled positions of the CFAG back to the agency budgets of the CFAG, which were earlier segregated into the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF).
The proposed MPBF for 2012, which now totals P109.462 billion under the House-approved General Appropriations Bill, is composed of P54.59 billion for the requirements for salary increases under the third and fourth tranches of the Salary Standardization Law 3; P18.46 billion for unfilled positions of the military, educational institutions and hospitals; P13.50 billion for funding requirements for the creation of new positions; and P22.91 billion for the payment of other personal benefits. (PCOO)
