Aquino leads launching of online store for Filipino musicians and music lovers
President Benigno S. Aquino III led on Wednesday the formal launching of the OPM2Go website, an online music store dedicated to serving Filipino artists, musicians and music lovers that hopes to address the proliferation of music piracy.
The website OPM2Go.com aims to help the Filipino music industry by providing a distribution avenue for artists, bands, and musicians so that they may be able to reach a broader audience. It was publicly unveiled during its launch at Eastwood City walk in Quezon City.
During his speech, President Aquino said that the OPM2Go.com will help stop the proliferation of pirated Filipino music in the country as well as protect intellectual property rights musicians and Filipino artists..
“Magandang hakbang din po ito upang malabanan natin ang pamimirata sa musika, kasabay ng pagpo-protekta sa karapatang-ari o intellectual property rights ng mga manunulat at mang-aawit sa kanilang akda. Mulat po kasi tayo sa bawat ilegal na pag-download ng musika, o pagbili ng album na pinirata; ang pangunahing tinatamaan ay ang mga OPM artists,” the President said.
“Wala silang kinikita. Ang masakit pa po rito, alam din nating kasabay ng talento, puspusang dedikasyon ang kanilang ibinubuhos upang maibahagi sa atin ang kanilang mga awitin. Kaya naman, nararapat lang na masuklian natin ang kanilang pagsusumikap, ‘di po ba?,” he added.
President Aquino noted that the music piracy does not only affect the artists and musicians but also the music industry in general.
“Ang totoo po, sa pamimirata, hindi lamang ang mga manlilikha ang nagdurusa, kasama po rito ang buong industriya at kultura ng musika. Kapag hindi natin binigyan ng sapat na insentibo ang mga musikero, baka ipagpalit nila ang gitara at panulat para sa mga trabahong sisigurong may maihahain sila sa kanilang mga hapag,” he said.
“Maaaring kumitid, kung hindi man magsara, ang mga bintanang pinanggagalingan ng kanilang mga obra. Ang resulta, mababawasan ang mapapakinggan ng mga tao; mababawasan ang mga malilikhang mga produkto; mababawasan nang malaki ang buting idinudulot ng musika,” the President stressed.
The OPM2Go website also aims to become the online repository for all Filipino music. Through the newly unveiled website, Filipino artists and musicians will be able to economically and rapidly release their material.
“Sa pagbubukas ng online music store na ito, may bago nang tahanan ang musikang Pilipino. May bago nang lugar ang mga musikero kung saan maipaparinig nila ang kanilang mga obra,” the President noted.
“Bubukas ang pinto upang mas madaling maihandog ang musikang Pilipino sa masang Pilipino, at sa iba pang tumatangkilik nito sa buong mundo. Sa pamamagitan din ng proyektong ito, hindi lamang mas nagiging abot-kaya ang pakikinig sa awiting Pinoy, nagagantimpalaan din natin ang mga lumikha nito,” he added.
President Aquino also expressed confidence that the OPM2Go website will be a success. He also thanked the people behind the said project, including PLDT’s CEO and chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.
The President likewise lauded singer-songwriter Herminio “Ogie” Alcasid Jr., the chairman of OPM2GO Inc. and the president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) for this worthwhile project.
“Kinakatawan ni Ogie ang klase ng artistang kinakailangan ng panahon ngayon --gumagawa siya ng paraan, hindi lamang upang lumikha ng obra, kundi upang makatulong din sa kanyang kapwa,” he said.
“Tangan ang kanyang talento, pinapaginhawa niya ang buhay ng kapwa niya artista, ng kapwa niya musikero, at ng kapwa niya Pilipino. Isang patunay po ang proyektong ito sa patuloy niyang pakikiisa sa pagbagtas natin sa tuwid na landas,” the President explained.
For his part, Alcasid said that the newly unveiled website was created not only for artists and musicians but also for the people who enjoy listening to music.
The project, Alcasid further said, “will go a long way towards bringing the music to the digital age, and in the long run (it's) something that will help Filipino music.” (PCOO)
.
Aquino urges Filipinos to prove their worth as excellent workforce
President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the Filipino people to continuously prove to the world their worth as an excellent workforce by fully maximizing their potentials to realize the goals of the Aquino administration in achieving sustainable progress and the greater task of rebuilding the nation.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Hewlett Packard (HP) Executive Briefing Center and Mission Control Center at the 12th floor of Intellectual Property Center Building along the Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Thursday, the President cited the innate professionalism and positive characteristics of every Filipino worker that has prompted various multinational companies, such as the HP, to include them in their competitive workforce.
“To the Filipinos who will be working here, let us continue to prove to companies like Hewlett Packard that they made the right decision in investing here . . . that the world is beginning to open its eyes to just how much success this country can achieve for itself and its partners is even more important for us to go to work each and every day and put in our efforts no matter how small as individual contributions towards the greater task of rebuilding our nation,” the President said.
“Our countrymen will always find a way to make their work more efficient… to solve problems with the best possible way and to do it all with smiles on their faces, these coupled with the fact that our people are very text (short messaging system) savvy makes most of our countrymen highly employable, I believe our people can and are already playing a major role in strengthening your corporate culture. Perhaps this is why Hewlett Packard claims it has almost doubled the number of Filipinos in their workforce since September, 2010,” he added.
The President encouraged Hewlett Packard to invest more in the country and to continue providing economic opportunities for the Filipino people assuring them of a stable business environment with the reforms being implemented by the government.
“Perhaps in the future you will consider expanding even more in our country and hiring more of our people… I assure all of you today, our government will make certain that Hewlett Packard and other companies big or small will continue to find a stable and predictable business environment in the Philippines,” President Aquino underscored.
Present during the inauguration ceremonies are Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, HP Philippines Managing Director Ryan Guadalquiver and HP Growth Markets Organization Senior Vice President Brian Humphries, among others.
In the same occasion, Hewlett Packard’s has opened two state-of-the-art facilities in the country namely the HP Mission Control and Customer Experience and an HP Executive Briefing Center.
The highly-advanced facilities provide an innovative approach that deliver unparalleled levels of visibility and collaboration as well as faster issue resolution for its customers across the region.
The new capabilities will provide the necessary flexibility to run applications and services that are always available and can easily adapt to new opportunities while rapidly scaling technology resources to meet changing needs. (PCOO)
.
Aquino leaves on Monday for Cambodia to attend 20th ASEAN Summit
President Benigno S. Aquino III will depart on Monday for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to join the other Southeast Asian leaders in the 20th Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Summit scheduled April 3 to 4, to discuss and promote the Philippine advocacies with his counterparts.
On April 3, the President and the other ASEAN leaders will meet with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Representatives, the Civil Society Organizations Representatives, and the Youth Representatives. The President and his ASEAN counterpart leaders will have a Royal Audience with His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia.
On April 4, President Aquino and the other ASEAN leaders will also have an exchange of views on international and regional issues and on the implementation of the declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea during the ASEAN Leaders’ Retreat.
“The retreat is a meeting of all the leaders in a very informal environment and where they can have a freewheeling discussion on issues of common interests and of pressing issues of the day,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Teresita Barsana said during a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.
Barsana said that President Aquino may raise the issue of North Korea’s planned rocket launch during the ASEAN Leaders’ Retreat.
The President will also join three of his counterparts in the 8th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit after the concluding session of the ASEAN Summit.
Expected to be discussed during the BIMP-EAGA Summit are the core strategic thrusts of BIMP-EAGA within the next five years in the fields of enhanced transport, power and communication connectivity, food basket strategy in agri-business and fisheries development, tourism development and environment and natural resource development.
Before returning back to Manila, President Aquino will meet the members of the Filipino community in Cambodia. Barsana said there is an estimated 3,000 Filipinos in Cambodia, 2,000 of whom live in the capital and work in the fields of medicine, business and non-government organizations.
The ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, which has for its theme, “ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny,” will formally open at 9:30 a.m. on April 3 and end on April 4. This year‘s summit will also celebrate the 45th anniversary of the ASEAN.
Asean is composed of 10 countries namely the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (PCOO)
.
Ochoa exhorts Justice Department, Prosecutors League, and the National Prosecution Service to inspire confidence among businessmen
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. called on the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Prosecutors' League of the Philippines (PLP) and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to do their share in inspiring confidence among businessmen, who want a return on their investment, and seek security for their persons and their properties.
Speaking at the Prosecutors' League of the Philippines 24th National Convention with the theme "Meeting the Challenges of Global Crime" at the Manila Hotel on Thursday, Ochoa stressed that those in the criminal justice system must exert efforts to complement the plans and programs of President Benigno S. Aquino III and his economic managers to attract investors.
"In sum, the message we should be conveying to the international community is simple: our doors are open for business, but they are closed for crime," Ochoa said.
Ochoa underscored the need to make the Philippines a nation where justice and the rule of law prevail to make our country attractive to investors who can bring in capital and employment opportunities for the Filipino people.
He said the executive department continues to frame policies and measures to lure foreign business firms to invest in the country.
"While it is their job to encourage foreign investors to bring business into the country, it is the job of those involved in law enforcement, like the DOJ and NPS, to discourage international criminal syndicates from operating in this country and victimizing our people," Ochoa said.
"For legitimate businessmen who wish to invest in our country and want a good return on their investment, we will roll out the red carpet and make lives easier for them; for criminals who want to engage in and profit from illegal activities within our borders, we will make business bad for them and will use all the resources of the state so that they are caught, tried, and punished for their crimes," the Executive Secretary said.
Ochoa noted that the President addressed foreign investors last Tuesday at the Philippine Investment Forum and mentioned how the Philippine stock exchange has broken the 5,000-point barrier and hit 21 record highs in the first 21 months of this administration. The Chief Executive also cited foreign direct investments in 2011 grew by 30.6 percent, amounting to 256.1 billion pesos—the highest recorded level in sixteen years.
"As a result of these developments, respected international organizations have given us positive reviews. The World Economic Forum bumped our country ten places up—from 85th to 75th—in their latest Competitiveness Index. The Japan External Trade Organization, after conducting a survey among companies in our region, named us the best place to do business in the Asia-Oceania region," Ochoa said.
Ochoa pointed out that the Philippines is not riding the wave of a global economic upsurge, but on the contrary, the country's economic gains are being made in the midst of global economic uncertainty.
He also took the opportunity to remind those people who are engaged in the criminal justice system about the rising concern on global crime.
"It is a sad reality that global crime—like any legitimate business—is profitable," he said.
At the Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission, Ochoa said efforts are being made to coordinate the various agencies’ tasks to combat organized criminal activities, with encouraging results.
He said the joint efforts of the agencies involved in the campaign against illegal human trafficking––like the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking led by the DOJ and Department of Social Welfare and Development, the PAOCC, the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime, the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration ––have resulted in the increase in the number of rescued victims from 2010 to 2011.
According to the Executive Secretary these accomplishments and the conviction of those responsible resulted in our removal from the United States’ “Tier 2 Watchlist” in 2011. He lauded the DOJ and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, for taking the lead in our government’s anti-human trafficking efforts.
Ochoa assured the prosecutors and members of the law enforcement agencies of the full support of the President.
"The President has chosen to lead by example and has been unequivocal about ensuring that our people obtain justice, so those tasked to enforce our laws—including those in the prosecutorial service—must be emboldened to ensure that those who break our laws do not profit from their crimes, but are made to pay for them," he said.
The present administration is supporting initiatives to update the eight decades-old Revised Penal Code so that it incorporates the special laws that were enacted after the passage of the code.
Among those present during the event were Secretary Leila De Lima; Mayor Alfredo Lim; Prosecutor General Claro Arellano; PLP President Jonathan Lledo; and officers and members of the National Prosecution Service. (PCOO)
.
Aquino declares March 31 as special non-working day in Sipalay, Negros Occidental in celebration of its 11th Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared March 31, which falls on a Saturday, as a special non-working day in the city of Sipalay in Negros Occidental in celebration of its 11th Charter Day.
In Proclamation No. 353 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on March 15, the Chief Executive issued the declaration to give the people of Sipalay the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Pasaway sa Sipalay is celebrated every 31st of March, commemorating its cityhood. During the fiesta celebration, Sipalay City will showcase its art and culture through merry making. (PCOO)
.
Aquino underscores advances in information technology as vital to sustainable development
President Benigno S. Aquino III encouraged the Filipinos from various sectors of society to utilize the advancements in information technology in further improving their respective crafts to ensure the attainment of sustainable economic progress and development of the nation.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Hewlett Packard (HP) Executive Briefing Center and Mission Control Center at the 12th floor of Intellectual Property Center Building, Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, Thursday, President Aquino urged the people to maximize the continuously evolving communications technology in the country citing the substantial improvement in the sector in recent years.
“Today people have the capacity to communicate almost instantly and more freely than ever before, but apart from organizing these movements and facilitating access to information, it is equally vital that every sector of society maximizes these advancements in communications technology… to make progress on other important fronts,” President Aquino said.
“As it becomes increasingly harder to draw a line between virtual reality and actual reality, we are likewise increasingly able to do things that were previously thought of as impossible,” he added.
Present during the opening ceremonies were Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, HP Philippines Managing Director Ryan Guadalquiver and HP Growth Markets Organization SVP Brian Humphries, among others.
During the event, Hewlett Packard opened two state-of-the-art facilities in the country, the HP Mission Control and Customer Experience and an HP Executive Briefing Center.
The highly-advanced facilities provide an innovative approach that deliver unparalleled levels of visibility and collaboration as well as faster issue resolution for its customers across the region.
The new capabilities will provide the necessary flexibility to run applications and services that are always available and can easily adapt to new opportunities while rapidly scaling technology resources to meet changing needs. (PCOO)
President Benigno S. Aquino III led on Wednesday the formal launching of the OPM2Go website, an online music store dedicated to serving Filipino artists, musicians and music lovers that hopes to address the proliferation of music piracy.
The website OPM2Go.com aims to help the Filipino music industry by providing a distribution avenue for artists, bands, and musicians so that they may be able to reach a broader audience. It was publicly unveiled during its launch at Eastwood City walk in Quezon City.
During his speech, President Aquino said that the OPM2Go.com will help stop the proliferation of pirated Filipino music in the country as well as protect intellectual property rights musicians and Filipino artists..
“Magandang hakbang din po ito upang malabanan natin ang pamimirata sa musika, kasabay ng pagpo-protekta sa karapatang-ari o intellectual property rights ng mga manunulat at mang-aawit sa kanilang akda. Mulat po kasi tayo sa bawat ilegal na pag-download ng musika, o pagbili ng album na pinirata; ang pangunahing tinatamaan ay ang mga OPM artists,” the President said.
“Wala silang kinikita. Ang masakit pa po rito, alam din nating kasabay ng talento, puspusang dedikasyon ang kanilang ibinubuhos upang maibahagi sa atin ang kanilang mga awitin. Kaya naman, nararapat lang na masuklian natin ang kanilang pagsusumikap, ‘di po ba?,” he added.
President Aquino noted that the music piracy does not only affect the artists and musicians but also the music industry in general.
“Ang totoo po, sa pamimirata, hindi lamang ang mga manlilikha ang nagdurusa, kasama po rito ang buong industriya at kultura ng musika. Kapag hindi natin binigyan ng sapat na insentibo ang mga musikero, baka ipagpalit nila ang gitara at panulat para sa mga trabahong sisigurong may maihahain sila sa kanilang mga hapag,” he said.
“Maaaring kumitid, kung hindi man magsara, ang mga bintanang pinanggagalingan ng kanilang mga obra. Ang resulta, mababawasan ang mapapakinggan ng mga tao; mababawasan ang mga malilikhang mga produkto; mababawasan nang malaki ang buting idinudulot ng musika,” the President stressed.
The OPM2Go website also aims to become the online repository for all Filipino music. Through the newly unveiled website, Filipino artists and musicians will be able to economically and rapidly release their material.
“Sa pagbubukas ng online music store na ito, may bago nang tahanan ang musikang Pilipino. May bago nang lugar ang mga musikero kung saan maipaparinig nila ang kanilang mga obra,” the President noted.
“Bubukas ang pinto upang mas madaling maihandog ang musikang Pilipino sa masang Pilipino, at sa iba pang tumatangkilik nito sa buong mundo. Sa pamamagitan din ng proyektong ito, hindi lamang mas nagiging abot-kaya ang pakikinig sa awiting Pinoy, nagagantimpalaan din natin ang mga lumikha nito,” he added.
President Aquino also expressed confidence that the OPM2Go website will be a success. He also thanked the people behind the said project, including PLDT’s CEO and chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.
The President likewise lauded singer-songwriter Herminio “Ogie” Alcasid Jr., the chairman of OPM2GO Inc. and the president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) for this worthwhile project.
“Kinakatawan ni Ogie ang klase ng artistang kinakailangan ng panahon ngayon --gumagawa siya ng paraan, hindi lamang upang lumikha ng obra, kundi upang makatulong din sa kanyang kapwa,” he said.
“Tangan ang kanyang talento, pinapaginhawa niya ang buhay ng kapwa niya artista, ng kapwa niya musikero, at ng kapwa niya Pilipino. Isang patunay po ang proyektong ito sa patuloy niyang pakikiisa sa pagbagtas natin sa tuwid na landas,” the President explained.
For his part, Alcasid said that the newly unveiled website was created not only for artists and musicians but also for the people who enjoy listening to music.
The project, Alcasid further said, “will go a long way towards bringing the music to the digital age, and in the long run (it's) something that will help Filipino music.” (PCOO)
.
Aquino urges Filipinos to prove their worth as excellent workforce
President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the Filipino people to continuously prove to the world their worth as an excellent workforce by fully maximizing their potentials to realize the goals of the Aquino administration in achieving sustainable progress and the greater task of rebuilding the nation.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Hewlett Packard (HP) Executive Briefing Center and Mission Control Center at the 12th floor of Intellectual Property Center Building along the Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Thursday, the President cited the innate professionalism and positive characteristics of every Filipino worker that has prompted various multinational companies, such as the HP, to include them in their competitive workforce.
“To the Filipinos who will be working here, let us continue to prove to companies like Hewlett Packard that they made the right decision in investing here . . . that the world is beginning to open its eyes to just how much success this country can achieve for itself and its partners is even more important for us to go to work each and every day and put in our efforts no matter how small as individual contributions towards the greater task of rebuilding our nation,” the President said.
“Our countrymen will always find a way to make their work more efficient… to solve problems with the best possible way and to do it all with smiles on their faces, these coupled with the fact that our people are very text (short messaging system) savvy makes most of our countrymen highly employable, I believe our people can and are already playing a major role in strengthening your corporate culture. Perhaps this is why Hewlett Packard claims it has almost doubled the number of Filipinos in their workforce since September, 2010,” he added.
The President encouraged Hewlett Packard to invest more in the country and to continue providing economic opportunities for the Filipino people assuring them of a stable business environment with the reforms being implemented by the government.
“Perhaps in the future you will consider expanding even more in our country and hiring more of our people… I assure all of you today, our government will make certain that Hewlett Packard and other companies big or small will continue to find a stable and predictable business environment in the Philippines,” President Aquino underscored.
Present during the inauguration ceremonies are Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, HP Philippines Managing Director Ryan Guadalquiver and HP Growth Markets Organization Senior Vice President Brian Humphries, among others.
In the same occasion, Hewlett Packard’s has opened two state-of-the-art facilities in the country namely the HP Mission Control and Customer Experience and an HP Executive Briefing Center.
The highly-advanced facilities provide an innovative approach that deliver unparalleled levels of visibility and collaboration as well as faster issue resolution for its customers across the region.
The new capabilities will provide the necessary flexibility to run applications and services that are always available and can easily adapt to new opportunities while rapidly scaling technology resources to meet changing needs. (PCOO)
.
Aquino leaves on Monday for Cambodia to attend 20th ASEAN Summit
President Benigno S. Aquino III will depart on Monday for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to join the other Southeast Asian leaders in the 20th Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Summit scheduled April 3 to 4, to discuss and promote the Philippine advocacies with his counterparts.
On April 3, the President and the other ASEAN leaders will meet with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Representatives, the Civil Society Organizations Representatives, and the Youth Representatives. The President and his ASEAN counterpart leaders will have a Royal Audience with His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia.
On April 4, President Aquino and the other ASEAN leaders will also have an exchange of views on international and regional issues and on the implementation of the declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea during the ASEAN Leaders’ Retreat.
“The retreat is a meeting of all the leaders in a very informal environment and where they can have a freewheeling discussion on issues of common interests and of pressing issues of the day,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Teresita Barsana said during a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.
Barsana said that President Aquino may raise the issue of North Korea’s planned rocket launch during the ASEAN Leaders’ Retreat.
The President will also join three of his counterparts in the 8th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit after the concluding session of the ASEAN Summit.
Expected to be discussed during the BIMP-EAGA Summit are the core strategic thrusts of BIMP-EAGA within the next five years in the fields of enhanced transport, power and communication connectivity, food basket strategy in agri-business and fisheries development, tourism development and environment and natural resource development.
Before returning back to Manila, President Aquino will meet the members of the Filipino community in Cambodia. Barsana said there is an estimated 3,000 Filipinos in Cambodia, 2,000 of whom live in the capital and work in the fields of medicine, business and non-government organizations.
The ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, which has for its theme, “ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny,” will formally open at 9:30 a.m. on April 3 and end on April 4. This year‘s summit will also celebrate the 45th anniversary of the ASEAN.
Asean is composed of 10 countries namely the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (PCOO)
.
Ochoa exhorts Justice Department, Prosecutors League, and the National Prosecution Service to inspire confidence among businessmen
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. called on the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Prosecutors' League of the Philippines (PLP) and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to do their share in inspiring confidence among businessmen, who want a return on their investment, and seek security for their persons and their properties.
Speaking at the Prosecutors' League of the Philippines 24th National Convention with the theme "Meeting the Challenges of Global Crime" at the Manila Hotel on Thursday, Ochoa stressed that those in the criminal justice system must exert efforts to complement the plans and programs of President Benigno S. Aquino III and his economic managers to attract investors.
"In sum, the message we should be conveying to the international community is simple: our doors are open for business, but they are closed for crime," Ochoa said.
Ochoa underscored the need to make the Philippines a nation where justice and the rule of law prevail to make our country attractive to investors who can bring in capital and employment opportunities for the Filipino people.
He said the executive department continues to frame policies and measures to lure foreign business firms to invest in the country.
"While it is their job to encourage foreign investors to bring business into the country, it is the job of those involved in law enforcement, like the DOJ and NPS, to discourage international criminal syndicates from operating in this country and victimizing our people," Ochoa said.
"For legitimate businessmen who wish to invest in our country and want a good return on their investment, we will roll out the red carpet and make lives easier for them; for criminals who want to engage in and profit from illegal activities within our borders, we will make business bad for them and will use all the resources of the state so that they are caught, tried, and punished for their crimes," the Executive Secretary said.
Ochoa noted that the President addressed foreign investors last Tuesday at the Philippine Investment Forum and mentioned how the Philippine stock exchange has broken the 5,000-point barrier and hit 21 record highs in the first 21 months of this administration. The Chief Executive also cited foreign direct investments in 2011 grew by 30.6 percent, amounting to 256.1 billion pesos—the highest recorded level in sixteen years.
"As a result of these developments, respected international organizations have given us positive reviews. The World Economic Forum bumped our country ten places up—from 85th to 75th—in their latest Competitiveness Index. The Japan External Trade Organization, after conducting a survey among companies in our region, named us the best place to do business in the Asia-Oceania region," Ochoa said.
Ochoa pointed out that the Philippines is not riding the wave of a global economic upsurge, but on the contrary, the country's economic gains are being made in the midst of global economic uncertainty.
He also took the opportunity to remind those people who are engaged in the criminal justice system about the rising concern on global crime.
"It is a sad reality that global crime—like any legitimate business—is profitable," he said.
At the Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission, Ochoa said efforts are being made to coordinate the various agencies’ tasks to combat organized criminal activities, with encouraging results.
He said the joint efforts of the agencies involved in the campaign against illegal human trafficking––like the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking led by the DOJ and Department of Social Welfare and Development, the PAOCC, the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime, the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration ––have resulted in the increase in the number of rescued victims from 2010 to 2011.
According to the Executive Secretary these accomplishments and the conviction of those responsible resulted in our removal from the United States’ “Tier 2 Watchlist” in 2011. He lauded the DOJ and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, for taking the lead in our government’s anti-human trafficking efforts.
Ochoa assured the prosecutors and members of the law enforcement agencies of the full support of the President.
"The President has chosen to lead by example and has been unequivocal about ensuring that our people obtain justice, so those tasked to enforce our laws—including those in the prosecutorial service—must be emboldened to ensure that those who break our laws do not profit from their crimes, but are made to pay for them," he said.
The present administration is supporting initiatives to update the eight decades-old Revised Penal Code so that it incorporates the special laws that were enacted after the passage of the code.
Among those present during the event were Secretary Leila De Lima; Mayor Alfredo Lim; Prosecutor General Claro Arellano; PLP President Jonathan Lledo; and officers and members of the National Prosecution Service. (PCOO)
.
Aquino declares March 31 as special non-working day in Sipalay, Negros Occidental in celebration of its 11th Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared March 31, which falls on a Saturday, as a special non-working day in the city of Sipalay in Negros Occidental in celebration of its 11th Charter Day.
In Proclamation No. 353 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on March 15, the Chief Executive issued the declaration to give the people of Sipalay the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Pasaway sa Sipalay is celebrated every 31st of March, commemorating its cityhood. During the fiesta celebration, Sipalay City will showcase its art and culture through merry making. (PCOO)
.
Aquino underscores advances in information technology as vital to sustainable development
President Benigno S. Aquino III encouraged the Filipinos from various sectors of society to utilize the advancements in information technology in further improving their respective crafts to ensure the attainment of sustainable economic progress and development of the nation.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Hewlett Packard (HP) Executive Briefing Center and Mission Control Center at the 12th floor of Intellectual Property Center Building, Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, Thursday, President Aquino urged the people to maximize the continuously evolving communications technology in the country citing the substantial improvement in the sector in recent years.
“Today people have the capacity to communicate almost instantly and more freely than ever before, but apart from organizing these movements and facilitating access to information, it is equally vital that every sector of society maximizes these advancements in communications technology… to make progress on other important fronts,” President Aquino said.
“As it becomes increasingly harder to draw a line between virtual reality and actual reality, we are likewise increasingly able to do things that were previously thought of as impossible,” he added.
Present during the opening ceremonies were Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, HP Philippines Managing Director Ryan Guadalquiver and HP Growth Markets Organization SVP Brian Humphries, among others.
During the event, Hewlett Packard opened two state-of-the-art facilities in the country, the HP Mission Control and Customer Experience and an HP Executive Briefing Center.
The highly-advanced facilities provide an innovative approach that deliver unparalleled levels of visibility and collaboration as well as faster issue resolution for its customers across the region.
The new capabilities will provide the necessary flexibility to run applications and services that are always available and can easily adapt to new opportunities while rapidly scaling technology resources to meet changing needs. (PCOO)
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Korean War memorial testament to the bravery and sacrifice of Filipino Expeditionary team, President Aquino says
President Benigno S. Aquino III called the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) Korean War Memorial Hall (PKWMH) a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the 7,420 Filipino officers and men who fought with the people of South Korea to regain their freedom in 1950.
In his speech keynoting the inauguration of the said memorial hall in Taguig City on Thursday, the President said the war memorial highlights the courage and determination of the PEFTOK members who “plunged into the fray without hesitation… to lend a hand to a neighbor in peril.”
“This memorial hall is a testament to the bravery and the sacrifice of those who took the burden of war on their shoulders so that a people might be free,” the President said.
“Here, we remember the men of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea. Here, we look back on a shining moment in our history, and we are reminded of the special bonds that have tied our fate to that of the Korean people for more than sixty years,” he added.
Built at a cost of P44-million from funds sourced by the Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs through the Embassy of Korea in the Philippines, the war memorial hall is a two-storey structure that houses a library, an auditorium and a museum depicting vignettes of information on the Philippine contingent during the Korean War.
The President also lauded the on-going construction of the Human Resource Development Center that is being developed right beside the memorial hall.
The President said the center, which is being built through the collaboration among the Korean International Cooperation Agency, our Department of National Defense and our Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, “will help us in strengthening the skills of our countrymen, so that they will be better equipped for employment.”
“Two thousand trainers and school administrators will be trained with the help of TESDA and Korean consultants – developing their capabilities so that their knowledge will redound to tens of thousands more Filipinos. For this, and for all the other ways in which you have helped us for the past six decades, you have our gratitude,” the President said. (PCOO)
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‘My father learned the true value of freedom and democracy from the courage of PEFTOK members and resilience of the South Korean people’ – President Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino III paid homage to his father, the late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., whom he said had learned the true value of freedom and democracy from the courage and determination of the members of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) and the resilience of the South Korean people during his stint as correspondent covering the Korean War in 1950.
The President said these traits became his father’s “strongest weapons” when he embarked on a political career of his own.
“As a young man, he (the late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.) saw the courage and determination of our soldiers and the resilience of the South Korean people. In his dispatches from the front, my father paid tribute to the importance of solidarity, the demands of sacrifice, and the true value of freedom and democracy,” the President said.
“He would return from the war and embark on a political career with these lessons in the back of his mind. They became the strongest weapons he had when he learned what it meant to fight for freedom in a time of peace,” he added.
“When my father opposed a dictatorship that kept the Philippines in darkness for more than twenty years, it was out of a desire to stand in solidarity with the Filipino people, and out of a desire to safeguard the democracy of our country,” the President said.
The President also cited former Korean President Kim Dae-Jung who, like his father, had the same principles of democracy and who also opposed authoritarian rule despite the threat to his life.
“They both knew that it was not enough to have independence. They knew that they could only be worthy of the sacrifice that so many men made during the Korean War if they fought for, and gained true freedom for all their countrymen,” the President said. (PCOO)
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President Aquino calls on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to halt planned missile launch
President Benigno S. Aquino III appealed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to call off its planned missile launch, saying it posed serious risks to the lives of the people as well as the stability, peace and prosperity in the region.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) Korean War Memorial Hall in Taguig City on Thursday, the President said the planned launch of a so-called earth observation satellite from April 12 to 16, was a needless provocation.
“The use of ballistic missile technology in any launch violates UN Security Council Resolutions, and it presents risks to all concerned. It increases tensions, particularly in the period of uncertainty leading up to the launch—where no one is sure of the trajectory of the missile,” the President said.
“Similarly, debris from the launch may potentially land in our territory. This is a needless provocation not only in the Korean peninsula, but in our entire region. It is with our respective peoples in mind that we urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea not to proceed with its planned launch,” he added.
He urged the DPRK to engage the international community “in ways that build confidence.”
“We must work with each other in the spirit of cooperation and with the goal of mutual success. Stability, peace and prosperity in our region requires all of us to continue to engage with each other, and the larger international community in ways that build confidence,” the President said.
“The way forward is for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to engage the international community and return to actions that promote confidence-building among its neighbors,” he added. (PCOO)
‘No need for emergency powers” to address Mindanao power crisis, President Aquino says
President Benigno S. Aquino III thumbed down the proposal for Congress to grant him emergency powers to address the power situation in Mindanao, saying he saw no need for it.
Korean War memorial testament to the bravery and sacrifice of Filipino Expeditionary team, President Aquino says
President Benigno S. Aquino III called the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) Korean War Memorial Hall (PKWMH) a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the 7,420 Filipino officers and men who fought with the people of South Korea to regain their freedom in 1950.
In his speech keynoting the inauguration of the said memorial hall in Taguig City on Thursday, the President said the war memorial highlights the courage and determination of the PEFTOK members who “plunged into the fray without hesitation… to lend a hand to a neighbor in peril.”
“This memorial hall is a testament to the bravery and the sacrifice of those who took the burden of war on their shoulders so that a people might be free,” the President said.
“Here, we remember the men of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea. Here, we look back on a shining moment in our history, and we are reminded of the special bonds that have tied our fate to that of the Korean people for more than sixty years,” he added.
Built at a cost of P44-million from funds sourced by the Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs through the Embassy of Korea in the Philippines, the war memorial hall is a two-storey structure that houses a library, an auditorium and a museum depicting vignettes of information on the Philippine contingent during the Korean War.
The President also lauded the on-going construction of the Human Resource Development Center that is being developed right beside the memorial hall.
The President said the center, which is being built through the collaboration among the Korean International Cooperation Agency, our Department of National Defense and our Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, “will help us in strengthening the skills of our countrymen, so that they will be better equipped for employment.”
“Two thousand trainers and school administrators will be trained with the help of TESDA and Korean consultants – developing their capabilities so that their knowledge will redound to tens of thousands more Filipinos. For this, and for all the other ways in which you have helped us for the past six decades, you have our gratitude,” the President said. (PCOO)
.
‘My father learned the true value of freedom and democracy from the courage of PEFTOK members and resilience of the South Korean people’ – President Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino III paid homage to his father, the late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., whom he said had learned the true value of freedom and democracy from the courage and determination of the members of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) and the resilience of the South Korean people during his stint as correspondent covering the Korean War in 1950.
The President said these traits became his father’s “strongest weapons” when he embarked on a political career of his own.
“As a young man, he (the late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.) saw the courage and determination of our soldiers and the resilience of the South Korean people. In his dispatches from the front, my father paid tribute to the importance of solidarity, the demands of sacrifice, and the true value of freedom and democracy,” the President said.
“He would return from the war and embark on a political career with these lessons in the back of his mind. They became the strongest weapons he had when he learned what it meant to fight for freedom in a time of peace,” he added.
“When my father opposed a dictatorship that kept the Philippines in darkness for more than twenty years, it was out of a desire to stand in solidarity with the Filipino people, and out of a desire to safeguard the democracy of our country,” the President said.
The President also cited former Korean President Kim Dae-Jung who, like his father, had the same principles of democracy and who also opposed authoritarian rule despite the threat to his life.
“They both knew that it was not enough to have independence. They knew that they could only be worthy of the sacrifice that so many men made during the Korean War if they fought for, and gained true freedom for all their countrymen,” the President said. (PCOO)
.
President Aquino calls on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to halt planned missile launch
President Benigno S. Aquino III appealed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to call off its planned missile launch, saying it posed serious risks to the lives of the people as well as the stability, peace and prosperity in the region.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) Korean War Memorial Hall in Taguig City on Thursday, the President said the planned launch of a so-called earth observation satellite from April 12 to 16, was a needless provocation.
“The use of ballistic missile technology in any launch violates UN Security Council Resolutions, and it presents risks to all concerned. It increases tensions, particularly in the period of uncertainty leading up to the launch—where no one is sure of the trajectory of the missile,” the President said.
“Similarly, debris from the launch may potentially land in our territory. This is a needless provocation not only in the Korean peninsula, but in our entire region. It is with our respective peoples in mind that we urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea not to proceed with its planned launch,” he added.
He urged the DPRK to engage the international community “in ways that build confidence.”
“We must work with each other in the spirit of cooperation and with the goal of mutual success. Stability, peace and prosperity in our region requires all of us to continue to engage with each other, and the larger international community in ways that build confidence,” the President said.
“The way forward is for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to engage the international community and return to actions that promote confidence-building among its neighbors,” he added. (PCOO)
‘No need for emergency powers” to address Mindanao power crisis, President Aquino says
President Benigno S. Aquino III thumbed down the proposal for Congress to grant him emergency powers to address the power situation in Mindanao, saying he saw no need for it.
In an interview after inaugurating the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) Korean War Memorial Hall in Taguig City on Thursday, the President said that the government is working towards expediting the release of the required permits to put up coal fire powered plants in the province instead.
“We’re setting up a coal fire plant which is the fastest (and) will take about two to three years. Part of the process (to be able to put up these power plants) is to get local government authority to set up the plants; environmental compliance (certificates); and public dialogues. Na-delay ‘yung construction of the coal fire plants primarily because it took the two firms that are setting them up in Mindanao close to a year, or over a year, to secure the necessary permits,” the President said.
He lamented the delays in the release of the permits that would have allowed construction of the power plants to begin earlier and thus could have addressed the power requirements of the province.
“…yung one year that it took for all of the permits to be secured could have been one year already in construction and it would have brought us closer by one year, or one year to go na lang, to have the added generating capacity of these two coal-powered plants that, unfortunately, have yet to be constructed because of the delay in securing all of the necessary clearances,” the President said.
“So we are trying to expedite the process at the same time taking into consideration the concerns of the residents that will be affected,” he explained. (PCOO)
