Aquino declares August 10 as special non-working
day in Gumaca, Quezon in commemoration of Lorenzo Tanada Sr. Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
August 10 which falls on a Friday as a special (non-working) day in the
municipality of Gumaca in the province of Quezon in commemoration of Lorenzo
Tañada Sr. Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration through
Proclamation No. 428 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on July
10, 2012 to give the people of Gumaca the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Born on August 10, 1898 in Gumaca, Quezon,
Tañada obtained his AB and law degrees from the University of the Philippines;
Master of Laws from Harvard University; and Doctor of Civil Law from the
University of Santo Tomas.
Tañada served as Manila assistant city fiscal in
1929 and eventually became judge of the Court of the First Instance of Manila
in 1945. He was elected senator in 1948, and re-elected in 1953, 1959 and 1965.
He will be remembered for the law changing the
Philippine Independence Day from July 4th to June 12.
He sponsored the bill requiring government
officials to make public their assets and liabilities, as well as the Tañada
Picketing Law which gives protection to laborers on strike. Another bill to his
credit was to prohibit discrimination in the workplace, as well as the law that
prohibits and penalizes wiretapping and other related violations of the privacy
of communication. (js)
Palace asks international independent
organization to join efforts to end occurrence of extra-judicial killings in
the Philippines
Malacañang asked an international independent
organization dedicated to defending and protecting human rights to join
government efforts at stemming the occurrence of extra-judicial killings in the
Philippines.
In a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda called on Human Rights Watch based in
New York City to provide any information on the perpetrators of extra-judicial
killings, saying the government would not hesitate to bring these criminals to
justice.
Lacierda stressed it was the State’s
responsibility to protect the lives and liberties of every Filipino from fear
and oppression.
“We have always maintained that we frown upon
extra-judicial killings. The government has a policy on going after the
perpetrators of extra judicial killings, Lacierda said.
“If Human Rights Watch–Philippines have specific
information, we would like to ask them to give it to us and we will not
hesitate to pursue, and conduct investigations and prosecute those responsible
for that,” he added.
Human Rights Watch is a nonprofit,
non-governmental human rights organization made up of more than 280 staff
members around the globe. Its staff consists of human rights professionals
including country experts, lawyers, journalists, and academics of diverse
backgrounds and nationalities.
Established in 1978, Human Rights Watch is known
for its accurate fact-finding, impartial reporting, effective use of media and
targeted advocacy, often in partnership with local human rights groups. Each
year, Human Rights Watch publishes more than 100 reports and briefings on human
rights conditions in some 90 countries, generating extensive coverage in local
and international media. (rck)
Palace ‘cautiously optimistic’ about peace deal
with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Malacanang said it is “cautiously optimistic” on
forging a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
following the conclusion of the 29th exploratory talks between the MILF and the
government in Malaysia on Wednesday.
“I can only tell you that we are cautiously
optimistic that a peace agreement will be signed within this administration,”
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in response to a question from
Palace reporters during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday,
as to how far the government of the Philippines and the MILF can agree in a
peace deal.
While Lacierda declined to discuss further the
recent developments in the talks in Malaysia, Lacierda described the peace
initiative as “very positive.”
He said the statement made by government chief
negotiator Dean Marvic Leonen, that both sides are “at the door of a peace
agreement” is a serious assumption of the ongoing peace negotiation.
On Monday, during the opening of the 29th Formal
Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Leonen urged the MILF to
persevere, saying that both parties are now at the “door of an agreement.”
The chief negotiator enumerated the recent
working arrangements between the government of the Philippines and the MILF,
which can serve as the framework for future cooperation.
The fact that the government panel was given an
opportunity to interact with some of the communities supportive of the MILF
ideals and given the chance to address a recent MILF consultative assembly, are
positive developments in the peace discussion, Leonen said.
“The working relationship was impressive. I
believe it was so because it was founded on trust and respect that our troops
already have for each other. It was also founded on a vision, in that case, an
assembly of hundreds of thousands,” Leonen said.
In response, MILF panel chair Mohagher Iqbal
agreed that the “momentum for a peace settlement is at hand,” citing that the
presence of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles at
the Darapanan assembly “speaks well of the future of the peace talks.”
The government and MILF panels successfully
concluded the 29th round of Exploratory Talks in Malaysia with both sides
expressing confidence in wrapping up discussions on mechanisms towards the
realization of a new political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Leonen, for his part, said the Aquino
administration “is prepared to fully invest in a harmonious working
relationship between the National Government and the new autonomous political
entity to enable an autonomy that is truly viable and workable."
Both parties continued discussions on
power-sharing and other related matters during the talks and agreed to meet
again next month.
The two panels expressed their gratitude to
President Benigno S. Aquino III for his commitment to a just and lasting peace
in Mindanao. They also thanked Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak
for his continued support for the facilitation of the peace process.
(as/3:16pm)
Malacanang commends Commission on Elections,
other government agencies for successful re-registration of voters in
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Malacañang commended the various government
agencies responsible in the implementation of the electoral reforms in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as it expressed high hopes that the
region will eventually attain progress and development through the good
governance of leaders that have faithful and convincing mandate from the
people.
In a regular press conference in Malacañang on
Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda extolled the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) and the uniformed personnel of the government for
maintaining peace and order during the ten-day re-registration of voters in
ARMM.
“Today marks the end of the voter
re-registration by the Commission on Elections in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao, we commend the individuals and groups that came together and
help ensure the success of the reform initiative… most especially our uniformed
personnel who kept the peace during the ten-day period,” Lacierda said.
He added that despite the reported
irregularities regarding the implementation of such reform, the Comelec has
been successful in implementing the re-registration process to ensure more
credible results in the coming polls.
“While there have been reports of
irregularities, the Comelec has been able to reduce the number of registered
voters in the ARMM from 1.8 million to only 1.2 million. A significant
reduction that will more faithfully represent the democratic principle of one
person, one vote,” Lacierda noted.
“The pursuit of genuine electoral reform within
ARMM binds the Aquino administration and its allies in both Houses of Congress
with our continued solidarity, our resolve in the participation of our
countrymen. ARMM will succeed in attaining enduring reform in governance where
its leaders have clear and convincing mandates through clean and fair
elections,” he added.
The Comelec initiated the re-registration in the
ARMM to cleanse what they consider to be a voters’ list bloated with thousands
of fictitious names.
The ten-day re-registration of the entire ARMM
which started last July 9 and ended today, will not have any more extension,
the Comelec said. (jcl/3:20 p.m.)
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has already
enrolled over 3 million households – Malacanang says
In keeping with President Benigno S. Aquino
III's agenda to provide Filipinos access to a comprehensive package for education,
healthcare, and family development, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
(4Ps) has already enrolled over three million households as of May this year.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said
during the press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday that the government is
confident that the sustained implementation of the 4Ps will result to the
continuous improvement of the quality of life of poor Filipinos.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) reported that 3,015,671 households have been enrolled in the program as
of May 23, 2012, according to Lacierda. "Of these households, a total of
7,545,615 children aged 0-14 years old are covered in the program," he
said.
Lacierda said the 4Ps is being implemented in
138 cities and 1,261 municipalities across the country.
As of May 31, this year, a total of 1,707
beneficiaries were hired by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),
Lacierda said quoting the DSWD report.
He said that 390 families were provided with
capital seed fund as part of the sustainable livelihood program called the
Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K).
President Aquino remains committed to further
strengthening the government’s comprehensive approach to empower the Filipino
people by providing them with the services, skills, and resources that will
help lead them to a better life. (js)
DOH explains reforms in healthcare system under
Aquino administration
The Aquino administration has changed the
country’s health care system, replacing the old dole out method adapted by the
universal healthcare, a health official said on Thursday.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Health
Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa explained the phasing out of the charity wards
in government hospitals and replacing them with health insurance for poor
beneficiaries.
Herbosa pointed out that before, when the poor
got sick, they went to public hospitals and were admitted in charity beds.
Patients in charity wards were asked to buy their own medicines, pay for x-ray
and CT scans and laboratory exams, usually in badly managed government
hospitals, he said.
To cover the expenses, indigents usually ask for
the help of local politicians, nongovernment organizations and religious
organizations or try to raise their own money, Herbosa said.
“What we do now is what is called the universal
healthcare. Ito na ‘yung tinatawag nating Kalusugang Pangkalahatan,” Herbosa
said adding that the one put in the disadvantage in the old system were the
poor people.
But under the Aquino administration, the
Department of Social Welfare and Development was able to identify the 5.2
million households, considered as the poorest in the population through a
national targeting system.
The national government is sponsoring the health
insurance for the less privelege under PhilHealth, Herbosa said, adding that
the national government has paid for the insurance of those in the national
households listed as the poorest. "Ito ang 5.2 million, ang budget that
government allocated for this year is P12 billion, which is a big budget. It
used to be the budget of DOH in the past. And now, it’s just the budget to enroll
the poorest Filipinos,” Herbosa stressed.
Now, because the poor are PhilHealth members,
they are entitled to health benefits after being insured to the national health
insurance. All government hospitals are supposed to accept those enrolled in
the sponsored program on a “no-balance billing” system of the DOH, Herbosa
said.
“That means, no additional payment, they’ll just
have to come with their PhilHealth membership cards. So you go to the hospital
if you’re sick and get the health benefit that PhilHealth is supposed to give
you. Ang government hospital na ang bahalang mag-bill sa PhilHealth to pay us
back for the services we gave you,” he added.
The health official also said the idea is to
completely eliminate charity wards in government hospitals or the dole out
concept and replace them with a wider universal healthcare coverage.
"The government is close to reaching a
100-percent universal healthcare coverage," Herbosa said. "In fact,
according to PhilHealth, the total percentage of the population already covered
is more than 80 percent of the population, as of today." (as/4:06pm)
Palace welcomes initiatives of Indonesia seeking
an end to rift among West Philippine Sea claimants
Malacanang said it welcomes the visit of the
Indonesian Foreign Minister in Manila on Wednesday seeking a resolution to
disagreements among claimants of disputed territory in the West Philippine Sea.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa met
with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Wednesday in an emergency
visit to resolve the rift involving the West Philippine Sea claimants by
crafting a new pact aimed at avoiding future clashes in the volatile region.
Natalegawa will also fly to other Southeast
Asian nations to try to ease the discord and prevent further damage to the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after the regional bloc failed
to come up with a joint statement following a meeting in Cambodia.
“We certainly welcome the efforts of the
Indonesian Foreign Minister. It is important that ASEAN as a regional bloc be
maintained and that the centrality be preserved. And the way that Indonesia---
what the Indonesian Foreign Minister is doing is something that we welcome,” Presidential
Spokesman Edwin Lacierda during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on
Thursday.
Asked by reporters if the recent visit of
Natalegawa reinforces the Philippines’s statement that it’s not alone in
raising the West Philippine Sea issue during the Cambodia meeting, Lacierda
said the failure of ASEAN to issue a joint communiqué is something that the
ASEAN ministers are concerned with.
“Despite contentious issues in the past, they
were able to issue a joint communiqué. And the fact that they weren’t able to
issue one is something that ASEAN foreign ministers are not satisfied with. And
hence there is a need to maintain or to reinvigorate the ASEAN as a regional
bloc.”
ASEAN foreign ministers, who met for the annual
summit in Phnom Penh last week failed to publicly issue a concluding joint
statement after the host Cambodia rejected a proposal by the Philippines and
Vietnam to mention their separate territorial disputes with China in the
statement.
The absence of a post-conference statement
underscored the divisions within the regional group over the handling of the
West Philippine Sea issue.
Among the ASEAN member countries claiming parts
of the disputed territory include Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the
Philippines.
China and Taiwan also have been contesting
ownership of potentially oil- and gas-rich territories. New tensions have risen
recently after the Philippines and Vietnam accused China of aggressive behavior
in pursuing its claims. (as/6:05pm)
