Monday 28 May 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Monday, May 28, 2012


Aquino leads commemoration of Government Service Insurance System's 75th Founding Anniversary

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the commemoration of the Government Service Insurance System’s 75th Founding Anniversary in ceremonies held at the agency’s head office in Pasay City on Monday.

The President, who was accompanied by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima joined GSIS officials and employees led by its president and general manager Robert Vergara in celebrating the country’s largest government financial institution’s diamond year.

In his speech, the President lauded the GSIS for the remarkable steps it has taken in the course of its existence to ensure government workers of aid when most needed.

“Pitumpu’t limang taon na po ang nakaraan, itinatag ang Government Service Insurance System tangan ang malinaw na mandato na maging takbuhan ng mga lingkod-bayan sa oras ng pangangailangan, protektahan ang kanilang karapatan para sa marangal na pamumuhay, at maglatag ng mga pagkakataon para umasenso,” the President said.

“Sa pagkakaloob ng mga pensyon, loans at insurance, at iba pang benepisyo, inaasahan ang GSIS na maging sandigan ng mga kawani nating nag-aalay ng pagod, panahon at sakripisyo sa paglilingkod-bayan,” he added.

Created by Commonwealth Act No. 186 passed on November 14, 1936, the GSIS is mandated to provide and administer the following social security benefits for government employees: compulsory life insurance, optional life insurance, retirement benefits, disability benefits for work-related contingencies and death benefits.

In addition, the GSIS is entrusted with the administration of the General Insurance Fund by virtue of RA 656 of the Property Insurance Law. It provides insurance coverage to assets and properties that have government insurable interests.

In less than two years under his administration, the President said that reforms implemented to improve the delivery of service in the agency has begun to pay.

He said that under the guidance of Vergara and chairman Daniel Lacson, Jr., the GSIS has been able to pull its act together and expand its services and provide benefits to its 1.7-million government worker base.

“Kaya naman nang manungkulan tayo, pinatibay po natin ang tunay na mandato ng GSIS. Itinaguyod natin ang mga reporma upang siguruhing nagsisilbi kayong instrumento ng makabuluhang serbisyo-publiko. Ibinalik natin ang tutok nito sa pagkalinga sa mga empleyadong marapat lamang suklian ang paninilbihan sa taumbayan,” the President said.

Now, the President pointed out, ageing members need not go to the GSIS head office to renew their status, while coordination with the National Statistics Office and the Local Civil Registry has cleansed the pension fund’s records of inactive members revealed information on the true state of its members and pensioners.

The President also mentioned the existence of the GSIS’s Wireless Automated Processing System Kiosks that allows members and pensioners to transact with GSIS without having to leave their area and recent tie-ups with the Land Bank of the Philippines and Union Bank of the Philippines that allow the dispensing of any members pension through the use of said banks automated teller machines.

“Bukod pa rito, mas marami na po ang makakatanggap ng survivorship benefit, dahil sumasaklaw na rin ito kahit sa mga asawa ng pumanaw na miyembro na may trabaho, o sa mga miyembrong nakakukuha din ng pensyon mula sa ibang institusyon,” the President said.

“Tunay nga pong ang panunumbalik ng integridad sa GSIS ay nagdudulot ng magagandang resulta: umuusbong muli ang tiwala ng publiko sa mga institusyon ng gobyerno, at patuloy na tumataas ang kompiyansa ng mga negosyante sa ating bansa,” he added. (PCOO)

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Aquino announces P25-billion GSIS investment fund for infrastructure projects

President Benigno S. Aquino III announced on Monday the creation of a P25-billion investment fund which the Government Service Insurance System would allocate funds to strengthen infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

The President made the announcement in his speech keynoting the 75th Founding Anniversary of the GSIS held at the institution’s headquarters in Pasay City.

Dubbed the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (PInAI), the President said this investment fund, the largest single investment on infrastructure, would be formally launched in July of this year and is expected to improve the economy and provide more jobs.

“Sa Hulyo nga po ay ilulunsad na ang Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure o PInAI. Dalawampu’t limang bilyong pisong pondo po ang nakataya rito; ito ang pinakamalaking pondong ilalaan para sa imprastraktura ng bansa,” the President said.

He added that the GSIS would work closely with the Macquarie Group, a global provider of banking, financial advisory, investment and funds management services with more than 70 offices in 28 countries in ensuring the project's success.

“Ang GSIS ang nanguna sa pagtataguyod ng pondong ito na pangangasiwaan naman ng Macquarie Group. Bukod sa ihahatid nitong serbisyo, magbubunsod pa ito ng lalo pang pagginhawa ng ekonomiya, at manganganak ng maraming trabaho,” the President said. (rck)
Aquino declares June 20 as special non-working day in Lipa City in celebration of its 65th Foundation Day

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared June 20, which falls on a Wednesday, as a special (non-working) day in the city of Lipa, Batangas in celebration of its 65th Foundation Day.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 389 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on May 24 to give the people of Lipa the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

On June 20, 1947, Lipa became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act No. 162.

As one of the three cities of the province, Lipa serves as an Institutional Center. It is home to the provincial offices of the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Agrarian Reform, and regional offices of the Land Transportation Office and National Statistics Office. (PCOO)

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MalacaƱang bares contingency measures of various agencies to ensure peace and order, safety of students nationwide during opening of classes

Malacanang bared the government’s contingency measures being implemented by various concerned agencies that were tasked to ensure not only the maintenance of peace and order but also the safety of the millions of students nationwide who will be going back to school next week.

In a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Dpeartment of Education (DepEd) has launched “Oplan Balik Eskwela-Information Action Center” to attend to the needs and queries of the parents and students during the back-to-school season in June.

“Nag-launch na po ang DepEd ‘nung Oplan Balik Eskwela. Kung matatandaan niyo po noong nakaraang linggo ‘yung Brigada Eskwela po ang inayos ng DepEd at maganda po ‘yung naging resulta ‘nung ating Brigada Eskwela. Ngayon naman po ‘yung Oplan Balik Eskwela, nag-launch na po ‘yung information and action center ng DepEd, mula po ‘yan ngayong araw hanggang June 8 para po doon sa pasukan,” Valte said.

“Bukas po ‘yung Information Action Center (IAC) mula 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. araw-araw po ‘yan even on weekends. ‘Yung isa pong hotline, primary hotline po nila is (02) 636-8641. ‘Yung email po nila is action@deped.gov.ph. Ini-expect po natin na makakakuha po sila ng maraming query tungkol po doon sa pagbalik eskwela. We are expecting 21 million schoolchildren to troop back to school for this coming school year,” she added.

Apart from the DepEd, several agencies of the government were also tapped to perform their respective responsibilities to the people through coordinated initiatives that include the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“At kaakibat po niyan, nagkaroon na po ng conference ang DepEd at ‘yung mga relevant agencies po natin katulad ng DPWH, DTI, DOTC, DOH, DILG, PNP, MMDA, at PAGASA para po in preparation for our back to school for 2012. So kanya-kanya po sila ng assignments,” Valte said.

“Ang DPWH po ‘yung nagsu-supervise ng completion ng classrooms, ‘yung mga undergoing construction po natin, ‘yung clearing of road obstructions. Ang DTI naman po nag-launch na rin sila ‘nung kanilang Diskwento Caravan. We encourage our parents to take advantage of the discounted school supplies that are being offered in the Diskwento Caravan."

Ang DOTC din po nag-launch na ‘nung Oplan Ligtas Biyahe para po doon sa mga uuwi galing probinsya, pabalik po ng Maynila para naman po sa simula ng school year. So ‘yung PNP din po meron na po silang mga security measures that are being undertaken to make sure that ‘yung Balik Eskwela po natin will be orderly and will be peaceful as well as the MMDA who have already started making preparations to ensure that traffic will be manageable on the first day of school—for the public schools natin that will be on June 4,” she further noted.

Education Secretary Brother Armin Luistro through DepEd Memo No. 83, s. of 2012 has also directed the Regional Directors and schools division / city superintendents to form the Local Information and Action Center (LIAC) to serve as information and complaints processing and routing mechanism during the back-to-school program for the school year 2012-2013.

The LIAC is also tasked to designate some of its personnel to oversee the regional / division and local concerns, set up hotlines to receive calls, text messages, fax messages and emails on complaints, requests and suggestions from parents, students and other concerned citizens and set-up help desks to accommodate walk-in concerns. (PCOO)