Aquino receives ambassadors of Hellenic Republic and New Zealand in Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the envoys of the Hellenic Republic (Greece) and New Zealand, who presented their respective credentials to the Chief Executive in Malacanang on Monday.
The President first welcomed Her Excellency Constantina Koliou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Greece at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace. Koliou was accompanied by Nikolaos Verghis, Deputy Head of Mission and Styliani Koraka.
There has been a long standing and excellent diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Greece where both sides have expressed interest in further promoting the whole range of bilateral cooperation, with greater emphasis on shipping, tourism, energy and construction sectors which have the greatest potential.
A large number of Filipinos live and work in Greece where there is a tradition of Philippine seamen manning Greek-owned vessels.
The Philippine Embassy is situated in Athens since 1988 while Greece’s Embassy in Manila went into operation in February of the year 2007.
New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Anthony Joannes Levermore also presented his credentials to President Aquino in simple rites at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace.
The presentation ceremony was witnessed by Heather Garven, First Secretary for Administration and Consul, and Nathanael Mackay, First Secretary and Immigration Board Manager, both of New Zealand.
The Philippines-New Zealand relationship is considered to be one that is growing and becoming stronger and more diverse. New Zealand’s trade with the Philippines is very substantial, and the people-to-people links between the two countries are growing rapidly.
The Philippines is New Zealand’s 13th largest export market and its third largest market for dairy products. New Zealand exports about six times as much to the Philippines as it imports from there. Over half of the Philippines’ exports to New Zealand are fruit products (mostly bananas).
Prior to the presentation of credentials, President Aquino also received outgoing Ambassador Yogendra Kumar of the Republic of India.
Also present during these events were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, among others. (PCOO)
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the envoys of the Hellenic Republic (Greece) and New Zealand, who presented their respective credentials to the Chief Executive in Malacanang on Monday.
The President first welcomed Her Excellency Constantina Koliou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Greece at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace. Koliou was accompanied by Nikolaos Verghis, Deputy Head of Mission and Styliani Koraka.
There has been a long standing and excellent diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Greece where both sides have expressed interest in further promoting the whole range of bilateral cooperation, with greater emphasis on shipping, tourism, energy and construction sectors which have the greatest potential.
A large number of Filipinos live and work in Greece where there is a tradition of Philippine seamen manning Greek-owned vessels.
The Philippine Embassy is situated in Athens since 1988 while Greece’s Embassy in Manila went into operation in February of the year 2007.
New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Anthony Joannes Levermore also presented his credentials to President Aquino in simple rites at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace.
The presentation ceremony was witnessed by Heather Garven, First Secretary for Administration and Consul, and Nathanael Mackay, First Secretary and Immigration Board Manager, both of New Zealand.
The Philippines-New Zealand relationship is considered to be one that is growing and becoming stronger and more diverse. New Zealand’s trade with the Philippines is very substantial, and the people-to-people links between the two countries are growing rapidly.
The Philippines is New Zealand’s 13th largest export market and its third largest market for dairy products. New Zealand exports about six times as much to the Philippines as it imports from there. Over half of the Philippines’ exports to New Zealand are fruit products (mostly bananas).
Prior to the presentation of credentials, President Aquino also received outgoing Ambassador Yogendra Kumar of the Republic of India.
Also present during these events were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, among others. (PCOO)
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Malacañang cites Filipino high-school students for their success in Raffles-Invitational Mathematical Olympiad in Singapore
Malacanang said the success of four Filipino high-school students who won four medals in the Raffles Invitational Mathematical Olympiad (RIMO) held from February 6 to 11, 2012 in Singapore was an indication that Filipinos could show the world Filipino academic excellence.
"We congratulate four Filipino students for their success in the recently held Raffles Invitational Mathematical Olympiad (RIMO) in Singapore," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
Lacierda said Mikaela Angelina Uy, Camille Dee, Brandon Chan, and Ruselle Guadalupe brought pride to the Philippines by winning in the biennial international mathematics event organized by the prestigious Raffles Institution, the oldest school in the city-state. Some 100 contestants from Southeast Asia, China, and Australia participated in the competition.
Reports showed that Uy, a third-year high-school student of the St. Jude Catholic School in Manila, bagged a silver medal in the nine-nation competition.
Uy’s team mates - Camille Dee from the Immaculate Conception Academy in San Juan City, Brandon Chan from the Philippine Cultural College in Caloocan City, and Russelle Guadalupe from the Valenzuela Science High School in Valenzuela City- won a bronze medal each.
"Credit and congratulations go to the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild-Philippines members who served as coaches for these young achievers: Team Leader Man Fai Anthony Ang and coach Arvie Ubarro," Lacierda said.
He said the successful students are an inspiration for all who want to improve science and math in our educational system.
As part of its commitment to build a strong educational foundation, the Aquino administration increased the budget for the Department of Education by 15.2 percent this year.
"Together with instituting clarity and transparency in the budgetary processes, we are working to ensure more school children are empowered to achieve their fullest potential," Lacierda said.
"Undoubtedly the strengthening of these core competencies will allow more students to excel in their classrooms and show the world Filipino academic excellence," he said.
"This achievement echoes the success of Filipino students in the 2011 Australian Mathematics Competition where 11 were awarded for their high scores in the competition and 60 other Filipino students placed in the top two percent of 300,000 participants," Lacierda said. (PCOO)
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Malacañang says Filipinos tangibly benefit from efforts of gov't in effecting reforms to improve public services and upgrade disaster response capabilities
Malacanang said that the Filipino people has been tangibly benefitting from the results of the unyielding efforts and hard work of the Aquino administration in effecting reforms to improve the public services, push for inclusive growth and the advancement of its disaster-response capabilities as shown in the “very good” public satisfaction survey result conducted recently by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
In a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the recent survey proves the people’s continued trust and confidence in the Aquino government and its insistent commitment to justice and economic progress.
“This recent measurement of public opinion indicates that the public not only sees, but has tangibly felt, the government’s efforts to improve services, push for inclusive growth and upgrade response to disasters. It contradicts the hypercritical few who refuse to see the government doing its work, under the indivisible view that justice and expanding the economy must be jointly pursued,” Lacierda said.
“Public office is indeed a public trust, which is best maintained by leading by example, living up to one’s word, and never relenting in pushing for reforms,” he added.
Lacierda noted the public’s concern on certain issues as he acknowledged that the solutions to such problems not only lie on the government’s actions but also by the cooperation of the public.
He assured that the other issues which are presently being addressed by the government may need some time for the public to feel the full beneficial effects.
“We view public opinion on other issues as an indication of public concern over these issues like oil and peace talks with the CPP-NPA, yet we also note how overall satisfaction remains unchanged. We believe this suggests that the public acknowledges our efforts but that solution is not entirely in the government’s hands alone,” Lacierda said.
The SWS survey conducted on Dec. 3-7 found 67% of respondents satisfied, 21% ambivalent and 11% dissatisfied with the government’s general performance, for a net rating of +56 (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied) that was unchanged from three months earlier.
The survey bared the overall satisfaction score remained above those of all previous governments since the poll was started in February 1989.
It also shows the people’s "sustained trust and confidence" in the Aquino government and that Filipinos likely "raised the bar" with regard to lower issue-specific scores. Problems are being addressed but the results will take time to be felt.
The SWS utilized face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide for the Dec. 3-7 poll, which has sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages. (PCOO)
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Aquino declares Feb. 17 as special non-working day in Bayanan City, Negros Oriental in celebratin of its "Tawo-Tawo Festival'
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared February 17 which falls on Friday as a special non-working day in the city of Bayawan, in Negros Oriental in celebration of its Tawo-Tawo Festival.
In Proclamation No. 320 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Jan. 19, President Aquino issued the declaration to give the people of Bayawan City the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion.
Tawo-Tawo Festival reflects the culture of the city being a rice granary of the southern part of the province of Negros Oriental.
The farmers in Bayawan are using scarecrows or tawo-tawo to drive away the little native birds called maya that feed on ripening golden rice grains. (PCOO)
