PHL to benefit from UK investment boom, say
Ambassador Manalo
The Philippines stands to benefit the most from
the expected investment boom President Benigno S. Aquino III’s forthcoming
official visit to the United Kingdom will generate, an official of the
Department of Foreign Affairs said recently.
Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique Manalo
said the President’s visit from June 4 to 6 will “further cement and
invigorate” bilateral ties between the two countries and further boost investor
confidence in the country.
He said UK businesses and investors have been looking
at the Philippines as an “emerging power in Asia,” noting the country’s
resiliency to withstand economic downturns in other countries like the United
States but most especially, its positive growth for three consecutive years.
“His (President Aquino’s) coming here (UK) will
further cement and, I hope, invigorate the bilateral ties between the
Philippines and the UK…and when he comes here, one of the topics of his agenda
will be to promote business and commercial relations with the UK for
investments and trade…and we feel that his coming here will also pave the way
for more high level companies to invest in the Philippines,” Manalo said.
“As you know, our country has experienced for
the past three years positive growth rates despite the economic downturn in the
US. This is an area where there are many economic opportunities (and) I think
the UK business investors will try to take advantage of that. We should see how
we can offer incentives and (more) opportunities for them,” he added.
Among President Aquino’s activities in UK will
be a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street
where the two leaders are expected to discuss Philippine-UK political and
economic cooperation, the UK’s participation in the international contact group
(ICG), regional and international issues, and anti-corruption and good
governance practices of both governments.
The President will also meet with several
British investors, take part in the Philippine fun tourism campaign of the
Department of Tourism and meet with the Filipino community in the UK, the
largest in Europe.
The Philippines and the UK have a long standing
diplomatic relations, with ties starting in 1946. The UK is the country’s top
European investors, the 23rd trading partner, the biggest tourism market in
Europe and host to the biggest number of Filipinos in Europe. (PCOO)
Filipino community, UK consular office partner
in promoting Philippine culture to the world
The Filipino community and consular office in
the United Kingdom has been an active partner of President Benigno S. Aquino
III’s efforts to push the Philippines as an alternative investment site to
foreign investors by working hand in hand with each other to promote the
Filipino culture to the world, an embassy official said recently.
An estimated one million overseas Filipino
workers in the professional (nurses, accountants and engineers), highly skilled
(electricians) and service (waiters and domestic helpers) sectors reside in the
United Kingdom.
In an interview, Enrique Manalo, Philippine
Ambassador to the UK, said this “very vibrant and active community” has been a
key ingredient in the strengthening of bilateral relations between the
countries.
“They (OFWs) are working together with the
embassy to see how we can promote Philippine culture here in the UK because
ultimately the strength of our bilateral relationship is the fact that many UK
citizens live and work in the Philippines while a number of Filipinos also work
and reside in the UK,” Manalo said.
He added that part of their plans to promote
Philippine culture is to expose our friends in the UK to our time honored
festivals and significant events in Philippine history such as our Independence
Day on June 12.
“It is in this interaction between the embassy
and the Filipino communities that we are together ultimately to promote the
Philippines and the Filipino culture,” Manalo said. (PCOO)
LGU have prerogative to suspend classes during
inclement wether -- Malacanang
Malacañang said on Sunday that it was up to
affected local government units to declare any suspension of classes in their
area of jurisdiction during inclement weather.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in a press briefing aired over government radio dzRB Radyo ng Bayan that
the Department of Education had issued a Department Order giving LGUs the
discretion to suspend classes even without any typhoon signal warning from the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
She said any affected LGU could immediately
assess the extent of rains and floods affecting their community and
expeditiously effect the cancellation of classes to prevent any untoward
incident.
“… ang mga local government units na po ang in
charge sa pagsususpindi ng klase sa kanilang mga lokalidad kapag walang typhoon
signal from PAGASA,” Valte said.
“Kasi dati po ang ginagawa magre-report (ang
PAGASA) sa DepEd, kukuha po ang DepEd ng report sa LGU, tapos ibabalik po sa
DepEd who will in turn declare the cancellation of classes in certain areas.
Ngayon po hindi na po ganoon, ‘yung local government units na po natin (will
make the assessment and declaration of the cancellation of classes in their
area),” she added.
On when to declare the cancellation of classes
based on typhoon signals, Valte said these ground rules should be followed:
Signal No. 1 – no classes in private and public pre-school and kindergarten
classes; Signal No. 2 - no classes in private and public pre-school, kindergarten,
elementary and secondary classes; Signal No. 3 – No classes in all levels. (PCOO)
Malacanang warns schools about charging parents
illegal fees
Malacañang reiterated on Sunday that parents of
students in kindergarten up to grade IV should not be made to pay any school
fee as mandated by a Department of Education Department Order on such.
In a press briefing aired over dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson said any personnel, either of the
school or of the Parent-Teachers Association, found guilty of going against
this department order will be punished.
“Wala pong fees na pwedeng hingin from
schoolchildren in kinder up to Grade IV anytime during the entire school year,”
Valte said.
She however said that certain school fees, such
as those for the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Philippine National Red Cross,
school publications, anti-TB fund drive and the PTA, may be collected, on a
voluntary basis, from schoolchildren from Grade V to Fourth Year high school.
She stressed that the non-payment by students of
the aforementioned voluntary fees are not grounds for non-admission,
non-promotion and non-issuance of clearances.
“‘Yung mga PTA po na magpipilit na ganito gawin
ito ay mawawalan po ng kanilang recognition. At ang mga school personnel naman
po na magpipilit na may hindi i-admit na bata dahil po sa pagbabayad ng mga
nabanggit nating mga fees ay mapaparusahan po ng DepEd,” she added. (PCOO)
