ADB, country’s partner for development, Aquino
says
President Benigno S. Aquino III addressed the
opening ceremony Friday of the Asian Development Bank 45th Annual Meeting of
the Board of Governors and expressed his gratitude for the continued support of
the financial institution to the country.
In his speech during ADB’s annual gathering at
the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, the
President spelled out the reform measures his administration has carried out
that benefited a large number of Filipinos especially the poor.
Through these measures, he said his government
was able to intensify social and infrastructure investments, develop its human
resources, and increase the budget on education and health care.
During the initial period of the new
administration, the President said they were able to channel more government
resources to the poor and underprivileged.
“The government’s conditional cash transfer
program experienced an almost fourfold increase over the past two years, from
P10 billion in 2010, catering to about 800,000 families, to P39.4 billion this
year for over three million families. All of these we were able to do without
raising taxes,” the President said.
“These are amounts that have been generously
augmented by those who share our vision of an equitably progressive
Philippines. The Asian Development Bank’s Official Development Assistance (ODA)
assistance to the Philippines amounts to $761.97 million,” he added.
These include $643.85 million to projects concerning
social protection and support for agrarian reform; rural infrastructure
enhancement, and credit for better health care and irrigation in the Southern
Philippines, the President said.
The chief executive also mentioned ADB’s
participation in the Public-Private Partnership Program and the government
efforts to reform the justice system and carry out the energy-efficient
electric tricycle project. The government has started to achieve its goal
because of ADB’s help, he noted.
“For this, you have the gratitude of our people,
and a commitment from my administration. Gone are the days when the funds you
funnel to our country will end up like water leaking through a broken pail,”
the President said assuring the financial institution to continue seeing results
of good government in the Philippines. The country, he said, is prepared to
follow through on its commitments.
Among those who joined the President during
ADB’s opening ceremony include Vice President Jejomar Binay, House Speaker
Feliciano Belmonte, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, Finance Secretary Cesar
Purisima and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. (PCOO)
.
Aquino hosts luncheon for Asian Development Bank
governors, other officials
President Benigno S. Aquino III hosted a
luncheon Friday in Malacanang for the governors of the Asian Development Bank
gathering for the bank’s 45th annual meeting at the Philippine International
Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
The President delivered a message during opening
rites of ADB annual meeting. The ADB board governors and other officials
immediately proceeded to Malacanang after the opening ceremony at the PICC on
Friday morning.
The President thanked the financial institution
for continuously supporting the Philippines in its development programs.
The chief executive said ADB is a government
partner in the Public-Private Partnership Program and its efforts to reform the
justice system and in implementing the energy-efficient electric tricycle
project. The government has started to achieve its goals because of ADB’s help,
he noted.
The Aquino government hopes that the annual
meeting of the ADB Board of Governors will portray a positive image of the
country overseas that could result to additional investments in the country as
well as more tourist arrivals.
With the sluggish economic conditions in Europe
and North America, ADB’s annual meeting, which focuses on inclusive growth, becomes
very timely and significant.
The Philippines had hosted this yearly meeting,
including the first one in 1968. The ADB meeting was last held in the country
in June 2003.
Joining the President during ADB’s opening
ceremony include Vice President Jejomar Binay, House Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. (PCOO)
.
Aquino declares May 21 a special non-working day
in Malabon City in commemoration of its 413th Foundation Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared May
21 which falls on a Monday as a special (non-working) day in the city of
Malabon in commemoration of its the 413th Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 367 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on April 17, 2012 to give the people of Malabon the full opportunity to
celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Malabon was once called Tambobong and was
established more than four hundred years ago. The former name originated from
the numerous tambo trees growing in the area. In 1599, Tambobong came under the
administration of the Augustinian Friars as a parish along with the town of Navotas.
During the Spanish Era, the place became known
as Malabon. The name came from the words maraming labong which means
"plenty of labong," referring to the edible bamboo shoots.
After the American Revolution (1896-1898),
Malabon became a town of Rizal Province through the Philippine Commission Act
No. 137.
It was reunited with the town of Navotas through
the Philippine Commission Act No. 942. Six years later, in January 6, 1906,
Malabon and Navotas were reestablished as two distinct towns. (PCOO)
.
Malacanang announces new appointments
President Benigno S. Aquino III has nominated
Patricia Ann V. Paez as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Republic of Poland and appointed new officials in various government agencies,
a Palace official said on Friday.
The announcement was made by Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on
Friday.
Paez graduated Bachelor of Arts, Major in
Anthropology, from the University of the Philippines in 1976 and obtained her
Master of Arts in International Relations, Major in Strategic Studies from the
Australian National University in 1982.
She served as First Secretary and Consul and
Press and Information Officer in the Philippine Embassy Washington DC, United
States (1999-2008); Third Secretary and Vice Consul/Administrative Officer,
then Second Secretary and Consul/Press Officer in 2000.
Paez also worked as Assistant Secretary, Office
of American Affairs (2010-2012); Presidential Assistant for the Foreign
Affairs, Office of the President (2008-2010); Principal Assistant (1998-1999);
Presidential Adviser for Foreign Affairs Executive Assistant, Office of the
President (1997-1998) and Special Assistant in 1993.
President Aquino appointed Julita V. Toledo as
chairperson of the Board of Respiratory Therapy which is under the
administrative supervision and control of the Professional Regulation
Commission, for a term of three years. Also appointed as board members were
Senen O. Teope, for a term of two years, and Jesus M. Espinas, for a term of one
year.
The Chief Executive appointed Feroisa Francisca
T. Concordia as Director III of the Public-Private Partnership Center of the
Philippines under the National Economic and Development Authority. She replaced
Rina P. Alzate and her term is co-terminus with the appointing authority.
The other appointees are Rex L. Bingabing as
Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and
Mechanization under the Department of Agriculture; Minda B. Brigoli as Director
IV of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; Peter Paul Reuben G.
Galvez as Acting Director IV of the Department of National Defense; and Eduardo
M. Chu as member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Fisheries
Development Authority to replace Alfonso L. Tan. Chu will serve Tan's unexpired
term ending on June 30, 2012.
The Chief Executive signed the appointment of
Liwayway T. Mendoza as Acting Director III of the Bureau of Customs. She
obtained her Bachelor of Science (General) and Bachelor of Science in Pyschology
degrees from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1975. She also took up Master in
Management major in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian
University in 1999.
Prior to her appointment, Mendoza served as
Customs Chief Operations Officer and Acting Director of the Bureau of Customs'
Financial Management Office. (PCOO)
.
Govt to assist Filipino banana exporters having
problems entering Chinese market
The government made an assurance Friday that it
will assists Filipino banana exporters having problems with their shipments to
China as a result of the ongoing stand-off between the two countries because of
conflicting claims on Scarborough Shoal.
In a press briefing with Presidential Deputy
Spokesperson Abigail Valte in Malacanang Friday, she said they will raise the
issue with concerned government agencies to help banana exporters.
Because of the on-going stand-off, Filipino
banana producers said China imposes stricter regulations on Philippine-produced
bananas entering the Chinese market.
“We will take that concern up with our agencies.
Meron kaming tinanong recently sa Department of Agriculture na concern din ng
mga banana farmers and exporters, but we will take that up also with the DA,”
Valte said.
“But as far as the relationship is concerned, we
continue to talk… It’s just one facet of the relationship that we have with
China. We have quite a broad relationship with them and we hope that this will
not affect the other facets of our relationship with them.”
Local banana producers said that tension between
the Philippines and China may impact on the country’s banana industry as China
recently imposed a tighter rule on incoming banana shipments.
The Scarborough Shoal issue, according to banana
exporters may be a political one but it could have a devastating effect on the
trading relations between the Philippines and China. (PCOO)
.
Officials of Japanese financial institutions pay
courtesy call on President Aquino
Officials of two international financial
institutions and a Japanese donor agency have paid courtesy calls on President
Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday in Malacanang.
The President first met with Japan Bank of
International Cooperation (JBIC) Chief Executive Officer Hiroshi Watanabe at
Malacanang’s Music Room Friday afternoon.
After that, the President received the senior
officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also at the Palace’s Music
Room. The President met Naoyuki Shinohara, the deputy manager of IMF; Dennis
Botman, IMF resident representative; and Nada Choueri, the fund’s senior
adviser.
Officials of the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) also paid a courtesy call on the President. They were led by
newly appointed president of the JICA Akihiko Tanaka. Other officials include
Koki Hirota, JICA director general and Takahiro Sasaki, the chief
representatives of JICA Philippines.
Filipino officials who joined President Aquino
during the courtesy calls were Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Budget
Secretary Florencio Abad, Interior and Local government Secretary Jessie
Robredo, and NEDA Director General Cayetano Paderanga. (PCOO)
