Ochoa directs gov’t workers to support
inauguration of Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New Seven
Wonders of Nature
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. has
directed all government employees and concerned agencies to give their full support
and participate in activities recognizing the Puerto Princesa Underground River
(PPUR) as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN).
In a memorandum signed on April 12, Ochoa also
enjoined local government units (LGUs) to extend assistance to the PPUR-N7WN
Campaign Task Force, which will spearhead the inaugural ceremonies at One
Esplanade in Pasay City on April 21.
President Benigno S. Aquino III is expected to
unveil a 100-kilo plaque from competition organizer New Seven Wonders of Nature
Foundation during the event. The Foundation will also turn over a smaller
plaque, which will be displayed at the underground river.
“It is only necessary that all of us give due
acknowledgment and appreciation to the PPUR, which is now among the N7WN, through
an inauguration ceremony,” Ochoa said on Thursday.
“Our campaign in making the PPUR as one of the
world-famous tourist spots in our country was a success and we anticipate that
it will further attract international interest as well as boost tourism and
investment that will benefit our country,” he added.
The Executive Secretary instructed the heads of
the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Metro Manila Development
Authority (MMDA), National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and
the Philippine National Police, among others, to coordinate with and assist the
PPUR-N7WN Campaign Task Force in the inaugural activities.
“Subject to prescribed budgetary guidelines and
government auditing rules and regulations, all government agencies concerned
are authorized to allocate funds from available sources to cover the
operational requirements for the conduct of activities,” Ochoa stated in
Memorandum Circular No. 29.
Early this year, the Switzerland-based N7WN
Foundation officially proclaimed PPUR as one of the N7WN, giving the popular
Palawan destination a distinct position in the international tourist map.
Proclamation No. 182, issued on June 3, 2011,
declared a national and international promotion campaign in support of the PPUR
as the country’s lone entry and finalist in the search for the N7WN. It also
created the PPUR-N7WN Campaign Task Force, which was responsible for the active
voting campaign at the national and local levels that catapulted PPUR as one of
the N7WN. (PCOO)
Aquino lauds Abu Dhabi Dialogue II as
opportunity to improve plight of overseas workers
President Benigno S. Aquino III lauded the holding
of the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD II) in Manila
which, he said, provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss ways of
improving the plight of overseas workers.
The ADD II aims to provide a forum for the
discussion of new ideas and concrete activities towards the enhancement of
bilateral and regional cooperation and partnerships to bring about maximum
benefits of labor migration for the peoples of Asia, including Filipinos.
"This (ADD II) is an excellent opportunity for
us, not just to share our visions, or our ideas---but also to listen to what
our counterparts have to say. After all, none of our economies grow in a
vacuum; and thus, progress comes not from focusing only on our own people, or
only on our own growth; it comes from strengthening partnerships, focusing on
each others’ growth,” the President said in his speech keynoting the ADD II on
Thursday in Pasay City.
“Because if everyone grows, then all our
capabilities are enhanced, and all our opportunities are greatly improved; and,
in the end, it is all our people who will reap the rewards,” he added.
The President said that it is important for the
dialogue centers to ensure that the workers’ safety, needs and wants are
properly met.
“What all of us want is clear --- we want the
recruitment for our people to be both fair and efficient; we want workers to be
treated with dignity; and we want to be able to go back home in a convenient
manner, and to be successfully reintegrated in our respective societies,” he stressed.
“In other words, the idea behind our meeting
today is to make sure of one thing --- that the people do indeed come first,”
he said. (PCOO)
.
Aquino declares April 21 as special non-working
day in Malabon in observance of 11th cityhood anniversary
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
April 21, which falls on a Saturday, as a special (non-working) day in the city
of Malabon in celebration of its 11th cityhood anniversary.
In Proclamation No. 366 signed by Executive
Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on April 17, 2012, the Chief Executive issued
the declaration to give the people of Malabon the full opportunity to celebrate
and participate in the occassion with appropriate ceremonies.
On March 5, 2001, then President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No.. 9019 converting the
municipality of Malabon into a highly urbanized city. The law was ratified
after the plebiscite on April 21, 2001. (PCOO)
.
Aquino cites Filipino caregivers in Japan
President Benigno S. Aquino III cited four
Filipinos for their compassion and dedication to their work as caregivers for
choosing to remain and take care of their patients at the height of the nuclear
disaster scare following the 9.1 magnitude earthquake that devastated Japan in
March 2011.
In his speech at the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of
the Abu Dhabi Dialogue held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City on
Thursday, the President hailed the caregivers for showing to the world that
“wherever Filipinos have work, they have been a force for good.”
“They (Filipinos) have had a positive effect on
their host countries, contributing their caring and nurturing characteristics
to their new environments,” the President said.
“One of the examples I can think of is during
the height of the tragedy in Fukushima, several brave, compassionate Filipino
caregivers and nurses refused to abandon their patients at the height of the
crisis,” he added.
The four Filipino caregivers, who have been
called the “Fukushima Heroes,” are Gemma Juanay, Juliet Tobay, Sandra Otacan
and Mercedes Joie Aquino.
They were working in the institution for the
elderly located in Fukushima Prefecture, some distance away from a no-go zone
declared by the Japanese government as an aftermath of the East Japan
earthquake and the devastation wrought by the tsunami of March 11, 2011.
Despite imminent danger and risk of nuclear
radiation, the four caregivers Juanay, Tobay, Otacan and Aquino chose to remain
in their jobs and continue to provide care and companionship to their elderly
Japanese patients. (PCOO)
.
Aquino to attend Global Electronics Forum in
Lapu-Lapu City
President Benigno S. Aquino III will attend the
Semiconductors and Electronics Industries of the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) 108th
General Membership Meeting and the 17th World Electronics Forum (WEF) at the
Mactan Shangri-La Island Spa and Resort on Friday in Lapu-Lapu City.
SEIPI’s membership meeting and the World
Electronics Forum will starts on April 19 and ends on April 21 (Thursday to
Saturday) in Lapu-Lapu City.
SEIPI is the leading and largest organization of
foreign and Filipino electronics companies in the Philippines. Among its
leading global semiconductor and electronics companies include Texas
Instruments, Analog Devices, On Semiconductor, Fairchild Semiconductor,
Cypress, Lexmark, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Amkor, NEC and many others.
Last year, the Philippine electronics industry
accounted for more than $24 billion of exports or more than half of the total
Philippine exports, and invested $2.4 billion in the country.
The industry, the biggest export industry in the
Philippines, also has a direct employment of 530,000, which include engineers,
technicians and operators. More than four million Filipinos benefit from the
industry.
SEIPI’s general membership meeting coincides
with the 17th World Electronics Forum after the Philippines was elected to host
the global forum during the 16th WEF in the US in January last year.
The World Electronics Forum, a gathering of CEOs
and directors of electronics industry associations worldwide, was founded in
1995. It is an annual forum of electronics and semiconductor industry
stakeholders to discuss major topics of common interest as well as a venue for
the exchange of information for the benefit of the industry.
The April 20 event, to be attended by the
President, is a joint WEF and SEIPI initiative.
The forum is an industry platform aimed at
enhancing the state of the electronics industry to shape global, regional and
country organizational agenda. Participants exchange information on the latest
developments in the electronics industry as well as craft plans to address
industry challenges.
Industry leaders will also look at how the Philippines
and other industry organizations worldwide could adapt and align themselves
with the emerging global technologies.
Among those who are expected to join the
President during the event include Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, SEIPI
president Ernie Santiago and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza. (PCOO)
.
President Aquino grants Domingo Lee's request
that his nomination as ambassador to China be withdrawn
President Benigno S. Aquino III has granted the
request of Domingo Lee that his nomination as ambassador to the People's
Republic of China (PROC) be withdrawn considering the government's efforts to
pursue a peaceful settlement of the Scarborough Shoal issue.
Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang said during the regular
press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday that Lee had requested that his
nomination be withdrawn by the Aquino administration after the Commission on
Appointments (CA) deferred anew the confirmation of his appointment.
"President Aquino has agreed to Ambassador
Lee’s wish, and therefore, Domingo Lee will no longer be our appointed
Ambassador to China," Carandang said.
Carandang said Lee made the decision to pave the
way for the Chief Executive to find a new nominee who will be more acceptable
to the Comission on Appointments.
"Mr. Lee is culturally and politically
attuned to the developments in China; he has an extensive list of contacts in
China and was eager to become our Ambassador there. Unfortunately, the protracted
confirmation process (which) Mr. Lee felt was not something that the country
could afford at a time when we’re addressing serious issues with the People’s
Republic of China. And so with the national interest in mind, Mr. Lee has
requested that his nomination be withdrawn," Carandang said.
With the withdrawal of the nomination of Lee,
Carandang said the search for a new nominee has began. He said the Aquino
administration is now awaiting for the list to be submitted by the Department
of Foreign Affairs. "We expect that a new nominee will be announced in the
coming days," he said.
Lee explained in his letter to the President
that he hopes his decision will ease the burden of the President.
"Mr. Lee felt that the situation would be
better served if he stepped down, as he said in his letter. We think that his
putting the interest of the country first in this way is commendable, and we
thank him for this patriotic act," Carandang said. (PCOO)
