Malacanang strongly condemns recent violence in
Mindanao that left 12 soldiers dead and scores wounded; President Aquino orders
Defense Secretary to go to Basilan and attend to needs of soldiers in the field
Malacanang strongly condemned the recent violence
that ensued from a day-long clash between government troops and a secessionist
group, al-qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), in Mindanao that left 12 army
soldiers dead and scores wounded. Government assured that follow up operations
are being conducted to run after the bandits.
In a regular press briefing in Malacanang on
Friday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that President
Benigno S. Aquino III has already directed Defense Secretary Volatire Gazmin to
assess the situation in Basilan and attend to the needs of the soldiers in the
field.
Valte added that government assistance are on
the way especially for the families of the Philippine Army soldiers that
perished during the gun battle.
“First, we salute our fallen for their bravery…
it is a reality for those of us in government that when things like this happen
mabigat po sa atin iyan. Of course, we comdemn the attack. Secondly, assistance
is already on the way to the families of the fallen," she said.
According to Valte, the President has directed
the Secretary of National Defense to go to Basilan and "to make sure that
things on the ground, that assistance is being given."
“We have been assured by the Secretary of
National Defense that pursuit operations will continue against the attackers,”
she added.
When asked on the possible effects of the
encounter to the morale of the government troops, Valte said that they are not
expecting the incident to affect the confidence of the soldiers in any way.
“Yes, naiintindihan natin na realidad po iyan sa
buhay ng isang sundalo…tinatanggap natin na mabigat po pag ganito ang
nangyayari but yet we laud them kasi kahit nagkakaroon po ng mga ganitong
insidente, patuloy pa rin po ang ating kasundaluhan sa pagbabantay nila sa
seguridad ng ating bansa,” Valte noted.
Recent reports revealed that clashes between the
Philippine Army soldiers and the Abu Sayyaf Group started early Thursday when
the government troops attacked an ASG encampment in Sumisip, Basilan. The
encounter was considered as one of the bloodiest in recent weeks in the
country’s southern island.
The military said that four bandits were killed
during the volley of fire. Officials added that the militants belonged to the
same group that ambushed rubber plantation workers in the same area two weeks
ago. (jcl)
Palace greets Iglesia ni Cristo on it's 98th
anniversary
Malacanang extended its greetings to the Iglesia
ni Cristo (INC) which is marking its 98th anniversary today, July 27.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
extended the greetings during the regular press briefing on Friday in
Malacanang.
July 27 is “Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Day,” a
special national working holiday, pursuant to Republic Act 9645, which was
signed on June 12, 2009.
The law recognizes “the exemplary feat of INC in
leading its members towards spiritual enlightenment and good citizenry.”
INC’s activities for its 98th Anniversary were
designed to prepare millions of its followers for its centennial celebration in
2014.
Established by “Ka” (Brother) Felix Y. Manalo in
Sta. Ana, Manila, on July 14, 1914, INC has grown to become one of the
country’s biggest religious denominations.
The church has millions of members in its more
than 5,400 congregations in the Philippines and in 90 countries worldwide.
Aside from organizing local and foreign
congregations that started way back in 1916, INC also put up the Ministerial
Institute of Development (now New Era University) in 1974.
When Ka Felix Manalo passed away on April 12,
1963, his post was taken over by his son, Ka Eraño G. Manalo. Upon Ka Eraño’s
demise on August 31, 2009, his eldest son, Bro. Eduardo “Ka Ed” V. Manalo
succeeded him to become INC’s current Executive Minister. (as/2:23pm)
Aquino appoints new officials of Commission on
Higher Education and Department of Labor and Employment
President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed
officials in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
announced during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday that the
Chief Executive signed the appointment letter of Maria Cynthia Rose B. Bautista
as Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education. Her term of office will
expire on July 21, 2016.
Bautista is a sociologist and professor of
sociology at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
She served as member of the Honorary Degree
Sub-Comittee, Ateneo de Manila University (February 2010-May 2012); chairperson
of the Task Force on Quality Assurance of the CHED (2010-2011); member of the
Advisory Board of the Institute of Philippine Culture, Ateneo de Manila University
(June 2009-2011); vice chair person of the Technical Working Group for
Autonomous and Deregulated Higher Education Institutions, CHED (2006-2008) and
co-chair of the Technical Panel for the Humanities, Social Sciences and
Communications of the CHED (2002-2005).
Bautista graduated Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
from U.P. in 1974 and earned her Master of Science in Sociology and Doctor in
Sociology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Valte said President Aquino also signed the
appointment of Alexander E. Asuncion as member of the Governing Board
representing the Land-Based Sector, Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration, of DOLE for a term of three years. He replaced Leonardo B. de
Ocampo.
Prior to his appointment to the Labor
Department, Asuncion served as creative director and owner of the Astralvision
Digital Artworks.
He graduated Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration from the University of the East in 1975. (js)
Aquino confirms declaration of the late Fernando
Poe Jr. as National Artist for Films (Posthumous) in 2006
President Benigno S. Aquino III has confirmed
the declaration of Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, popularly known by his screen name
as Fernando Poe Jr. as National Artist (Posthumous) for 2006.
On July 20, 2012, President Aquino signed
Proclamation No. 435 confirming the declaration of Poe as National Artist for
Films (Posthumous) as conferred in Proclamation No. 1069, dated May 23, 2006.
“Pursuant to the authority vested in me by law,
I, Benigno Aquino III, President of the Philippines, do hereby confirm the
declaration of Ronald Allan K. Poe a.k.a. Fernando Poe Jr. (Posthumous) as
National Artist for Films as conferred in Proclamation No. 1069, dated May 23,
2006,” the proclamation read.
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed
Presidential Proclamation 1069 which named Poe and five others as national
artists. The five other artists were Bienvenido Lumbera for Literature, Ramon
Obusan for Dance, Benedicto Cabrera for Visual Arts, Ildefonso Santos for
Architecture and the late Ramon Valera for Fashion Design.
In November of 2010, FPJ’s family expressed
willingness to accept the National Artist award under the Aquino administration
following their rejection during the term of former president Macapagal-Arroyo
and now Pampanga District II Representative.
Popularly known as “FPJ” and “Da King”, Poe was
born on August 20, 1939 in Manila. He was married to actress Susan Roces (born
as Jesusa Sonora) in December 1968 in a civil wedding. They were later married
in a church. The couple adopted their only daughter, current Movie and
Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chairman Mary Grace
Poe-Llamanzares.
The king of Philippine cinema died in December
2004 due to a massive stroke. (jcl/2:30 p.m.)
