Thursday 23 February 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Wednesday, February 22, 2012

President Aquino inducts new officers of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas

President Benigno S. Aquino III inducted into office the new officers of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines) in ceremonies held in Malacañang on Wednesday.

The President inducted officers of the KBP Board of Directors and the 2011 KBP Standards Authority at the President’s Hall of Malacañang.

The KBP Board who took their oaths of office before the President were: Herman Basbaño, chairman; Butch Canoy, vice chair; Ruperto Nicdao, Jr., president; Francis Cardona, executive vice president; Joselito Yabut, corporate secretary; Erwin Galang, Rosario Bartolome and Philip Rama as directors.

The 2011 KBP Standards Authority, who were also sworn in by the President, were: Rafael V. Barreiro, Noel C. Galvez, Orly L. Pangcog, George M. Salabao, Msgr. Rufino B. Suplido, Carlo M. Diño, Fr. Ilde T. Dimaano, Waldemar M. Tarray, and Wilhelm Dabu Soriano.

Joining the President were Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma,Jr., Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang and National Telecommunications Commissioner Gamaliel Cordova. (PCOO)

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Aquino declares March 2012-2013 as centennial year of National Artist for Dance Francisca Reyes Aquino

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared the period from March 7, 2012 to March 6, 2013 as the centennial year of National Artist for Dance Francisca Reyes Aquino.

The Chief Executive issued Proclamation No. 282 on November 8, this year, with the directive to enjoin the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to lead in the celebration of the centennial birthday of the national artist. Aquino was born on March 9, 1899 in Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan.

The category of National Artist was created under Proclamation No. 1001 signed in 1972.

"Preeminent achievements that have enhanced the cultural heritage of the Filipino people deserve the recognition and acknowledgment of our government in pursuit of its policy of preserving and developing the Filipino culture and a national identity," President Aquino said.

He said that "the works and achievements of Aquino are reflective of this preeminent excellence and of the national genius that contributed to the national heritage of the Philippines and the world."

Acknowledged as the Folk Dance Pioneer, Aquino began her research on folk dances in the 1920's making trips to remote barrios in Central and Northern Luzon. Her research on the unrecorded forms of local celebration, ritual and sport resulted into a 1926 thesis titled "Philippine Folk Dances and Games," and arranged specifically for use by teachers and playground instructors in public and private schools.

In the 1940's, she served as supervisor of physical education at the Bureau of Education that distributed her work and adapted the teaching of folk dancing as a medium of making young Filipinos aware of their cultural heritage.

In 1954, she received the Republic Award of Merit given by the late President Ramon Magsaysay for "outstanding contribution toward the advancement of Filipino culture", one among the many awards and recognition given to her.

Her books include the Philippine National Dances (1946); Gymnastics for Girls (1947); Fundamental Dance Steps and Music (1948); Foreign Folk Dances (1949); Dances for all Occasion (1950); Playground Demonstration (1951); and Philippine Folk Dances, Volumes I to VI. (PCOO)

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Aquino receives lead actor and production staff of Hollywood action movie ‘The Bourne Legacy’

President Benigno S. Aquino III received the lead actor and production team of the Hollywood action thriller “The Bourne Legacy” who expressed gratitude to the Filipino people for the warm hospitality accorded them during their stay while shooting the international film in the country.

In a courtesy call to President Aquino at the President’s Hall of the Malacanang Palace on Wednesday, Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner thanked the Filipinos for the warm welcome saying that the film’s cast and crew were happy for having choosen the Philippines as location for their movie.

He was accompanied by executive producer Patrick Crowley, executive production manager Daniel Stillman and Philippine producer and EVP of Philippines Film Studios Inc. Lope Juban Jr.

Also present were other government officials led by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma Jr., Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang.

“It was a very cordial and happy meeting… the President got to talk to them about the future of the Philippines which they are very interested in now, kasi na-in love sila sa Pilipinas, so they got a short history and civics lesson from the President,” Jimenez said.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, for his part, said that the film’s production shoot has created several job opportunities for the Filipinos apart from promoting the country’s innate beauty as a perfect tourist destination.

“Nagpasalamat and they shared their experiences (dito) sa Pilipinas and yung pangakong magiging maganda ang kalalabasan nito sa pelikula. May mga nabigyan pangsamantala ng trabaho, hopefully, maganda ang promotion nito (film) sa bansa natin,” Tolentino said.

The 40-year old Renner has six more shooting days for the film before leaving the country. He is scheduled to shoot some scenes on Wednesday at the Jones Bridge in Manila.

The cast and crew arrived in Manila last month for the filming of the latest installment in the popular "Bourne" series based on the spy novels of Robert Ludlum.

Among the locations that were included in the scenes of the film are Navotas fish port, Marikina City, Palawan, Boracay, Intramuros, San Andres market in Malate, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Ayala Avenue, Nagtahan and the Pasay-Taft Rotonda, among others.

In the film, Renner plays the role of new CIA agent Aaron Cross.

Recently, Renner also co-starred with one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actor Tom Cruise in the film "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" before shooting "The Bourne Legacy" with Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton. (PCOO)

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Creditor status in IMF signifies strong confidence for Philippine financial system, says Palace

Malacanang welcomed the recent recognition of the Philippines after it became one of the creditor nations in the 180-nation International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“We welcome that recognition from a debtor nation to a creditor nation. That’s a big jump. We’re certainly proud of the recognition by the international financial community of the significant steps that we have taken in improving our financial system. And that’s an indication of the recognition of the international financial community,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said during the regular press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.

“We have received several upgrades in the past year and these are all indication of the international community’s confidence on the Aquino administration and on the Philippines,” he added.

The Philippines is looking forward to become an active participant in assisting other nations in distress under the IMF. The country has made available $163.8 million in special drawing rights or SDRs under a currency exchange mechanism known among members as the Financial Transactions Plan or FTP.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said that with the continued membership of the Philippines with the FTP, it could become part of a new borrowing scheme called the new arrangements to borrow or NAB facility of the IMF. The facility seeks to help distressed countries or institutions.

The Philippines had been a Financial Transactions Plan participant since 2010, funding the loans and repayment operations of the IMF by using the foreign exchange resources of its financially strong members to help weak nations.

The Philippines holds a creditor or reserve position in the IMF through its participation in the FTP, making it a net lender rather than net borrower.

According to the BSP the participation of the Philippines to the FTP contributed to international efforts to mitigate the spillover effects of Europe’s sovereign debt crisis by enhancing global financial safety nets. (PCOO)