Aquino confers National Artist on Fernando Poe,
Jr. (posthumous)
President Benigno S. Aquino III conferred the
National Artist for Cinema distinction on the late Ronald Allan K. Poe, more
popularly known as Fernando Poe, Jr., in ceremonies held in Malacañang on
Thursday.
Accepting the award on behalf of the veteran
actor widely known for his roles as champion of the common man, were his wife
actress Susan Roces and daughter Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares.
In his speech, the President lauded Poe, Jr. not
only for his contribution to the movie industry but also for his selflessness
and goodness towards his fellowman.
“Sino po bang Pilipino ang hindi nakakakilala
kay FPJ? O sino po sa atin ang hindi pa nakakapanood ng kanyang mga pelikula?
Kakabit na ng pelikulang Pilipino ang kanyang pangalan, at ‘di-matatawaran ang
kontribusyon niya hindi lamang sa pinilakang-tabing, kundi pati na rin sa
kalakhang lipunan. At higit pa sa pagiging aktor, higit sa pagiging writer,
prodyuser, at direktor, isa siyang Pilipinong mapagkumbaba, mapagmalasakit, at
matulungin sa kapwa,” the President said.
“Ganitong prinsipyo nga po marahil ang
isinabuhay ni Ronald Allan K. Poe, mas kilala bilang FPJ, kaya’t naging
matingkad ang kanyang karera, at nagmistulang alamat ang buhay niyang inilaan
sa pagsusulong ng industriya ng pelikula at kapakanan ng kapwa,” he added.
With this distinction, Poe now joins the ranks
of other National Artist for Cinema that include directors Lamberto Abellana,
Ishmael Bernal, Eddie Romero, and Lino Brocka.
Poe, a co-founder of the Movie Workers Welfare
Fund (Mowelfund), produced, directed and starred in over 200 films during his
lifetime.
Some of the notable films of his are “Ang
Probinsyano,” “Eseng ng Tondo,” “Alamat ng Lawin,” and “Ang Panday.”
In ending, the President expressed hope more
Filipinos will be inspired to emulate the professionalism, dedication and
compassion of Poe into their lives.
“Sa paggawad natin ng titulong pambansang alagad
ng sining kay FPJ, nawa’y libu-libo pang tulad niya ang umusbong at gamitin ang
husay at talino upang iangat ang kapwa Pilipino. Dahil sa pagtutulungan,
pihadong mapapasakamay natin ang tagumpay, ilang butas man ng karayom ang ating
daanan,” the President said.
“Muli, maraming salamat, FPJ. Nawa’y sumapat ang
munting parangal na ito upang maihayag ang aming pagmamamahal at pagdakila po
sa iyo,” he added. (rck)
Aquino government hopes that Senate will pass
Sin Tax Reform Bill into law
The Aquino administration expressed hope that
the Senate will pass the Sin Tax Reform Bill which aims to generate
government's revenues to strengthen the country’s health care system, a Palace
official said on Thursday.
"The Senate began committee hearings today
on the bill rationalizing excise taxes on liquor and tobacco products. If
passed, this bill could raise revenues of over 31 billion pesos in its first
year of implementation," Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang said in a
statement issued on Thursday.
"These funds would go to expanding basic
health care, particularly for poor Filipinos," Carandang said.
The passage of the Sin Tax Reform Bill will
strengthen the country’s health care system as taxes collected from cigarettes
and liquors are expected to fund an expanded universal healthcare coverage,
according to Carandang.
"There are 17.3 million smokers in the
Philippines. Many of them are from the lower income classes, and cannot afford
proper medical treatment when they develop illnesses from smoking," he
said.
"For these reasons, we hope the Senate sees
the wisdom of passing the Sin Tax Bill. After all, this bill is, first and
foremost, a health measure. In particular, we commend Senator Franklin Drilon
for his support," he said. (js)
Malacanang says Aquino ordered increase of
reward money for the immediate arrest of high-profile fugitives
Malacanang said that President Benigno S. Aquino
III has ordered an increase of reward money to be given to those who could
provide relevant information that will lead to the immediate arrest of some
high-profile fugitives who have been in hiding for the past months.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Thursday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda bared the President’s directives in
efforts to assist the various law enforcement units to capture some high
profile personalities who are evading punishment for their respective crimes
that include former military official Jovito Palparan, former Palawan governor
Joel Reyes, his brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes and Dinagat Island
Representative Ruben Ecleo, among others.
Lacierda expressed the Chief Executive’s dismay
over the lack of progress in arresting the said personalities.
“The President is displeased with the lack of
progress in arresting high-profile fugitives. In order to assist the
authorities in their task of capturing these fugitives, the President has
ordered to double the reward from one to two million pesos for information
leading to the apprehension of Jovito Palparan. He has raised the reward from
1.55 to two million pesos for information leading to the apprehension of Joel
Reyes; and set a reward of two million pesos for information leading to the
apprehension of Mario Reyes,” Lacierda said.
“Furthermore, the President has set a two
million peso reward for anyone who provides information leading to the
apprehension of each of the following who have outstanding warrants of arrest
like Delfin Lee and Ruben Ecleo Jr. The President also reminds the public of
the existing reward of 5.6 million pesos each for information leading to the
apprehension of CPP-NPA leaders Benito Tiamzon and Jorge Madlos, both of whom
also have outstanding warrants of arrest,” he added.
“We are providing a briefer on the charges
against these individuals to the media and the public,” Lacierda further noted.
It will be recalled that ex-military official
Palparan was charged after being implicated in the kidnap-slay of two
University of the Philippines students. The Reyes brothers were both wanted for
the killing of broadcast journalist Gerry Ortega in January last year while
Ecleo was in hiding since he was convicted for parricide. (jcl/2:31 p.m.)
Bounties for CPP-NPA leaders won’t affect peace
talks, Palace says
The government assured that the existing
bounties being offered for the capture of some leaders of the Communist Party
of the Philippines-New People’s Army won’t affect the peace negotiation with
the leftist organization.
On Thursday, President Benigno S. Aquino III
reminded the public of the existing P5.6-million reward each for information
leading to the apprehension of CPP-NPA leaders Benito Tiamzon and Jorge Madlos.
Both CPP-NPA leaders have outstanding warrants of arrest.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential
Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the President is displeased with the lack of
progress in arresting high-profile fugitives.
Lacierda said Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process Teresita Deles assured the Palace that the bounty being offered for the
two leaders of the communist movement won’t affect the peace negotiations.
Explaining the reward offering for Tiamzon and
Madlos, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia said the bounties for the two
top wanted CPP-NPA personalities have been outstanding ever since, even while
the peace process was going on.
Tiamzon is the acknowledged leader of a
hardlined faction of the CPP-NPA who allegedly is responsible for the spate of
violence in the country particularly those perpetrated against civilian
targets, Garcia said.
This CPP-NPA faction doesn’t recognize the
ongoing peace process between the government and the National Democratic Front
(NDF).
Madlos, on the other hand, is a notorious
CPP-NPA personality responsible for several high-profile attacks on civilian
targets and key economic programs in Mindanao, Garcia said.
“He was involved in several significant
kidnapping incidents as well as one of those charged for the high-profile
incidents concerning the raid on the Taganito Mines,” he added.
As to the demand of the CPP-NPA to negotiate for
the release of some of its leaders detained in government facilities, Garcia
said, they have released many of these detainees.
“There was a demand from the NDF for the release
of about 17 personalities and we have, in fact, released several of them—not
the entire number but several of them, quite a significant number,” he said.
Aside from reminding the public about the
bounties on the communist leaders, the President also raised the reward money
for the capture of retired general Jovito Palparan and former Palawan governor
Joel Reyes.
He also set a P2 million reward for anyone who
could provide information leading to the apprehension Delfin Lee and Ruben
Ecleo Jr. (as/2:55pm)
Aquino orders in-depth, multi agency probe behind
the disappearance and reapperance of Rolito Go in New Bilibid Prison
President Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered an
in-depth, multi-agency probe to determine the circumstances behind the
disappearance and reappearance of one of the high-profile inmates of the New
Bilibid Prison (NBP), recently.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Thursday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda bared the President’s directive for an
investigation following the disappearance of convicted murderer Rolito Go
inside the NBP minimum security compound on Wednesday.
“President Aquino has ordered an in-depth,
multi-agency investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance
and eventual reappearance. Hours after Rolito Go had been reported to have
disappeared from the New Bilibid Prison, where he has been detained for the
past nineteen years, it was reported last night that he had been recaptured by
the police. It is good that while one agency was apparently remiss in its
duties, another agency stepped up,” Lacierda said.
He also said that the Chief Executive has
accepted the offer of Bureau of Corrections Director Gaudencio Pangilinan to go
on an indefinite leave pending the results of the investigation concerning Go’s
disappearance.
The NBP, Lacierda said, will be under the
supervision of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima until such time that she has
appointed an Officer-in-Charge to look over the national reformation facility.
“In order to emphasize the principle of command
responsibility and to enhance the investigation, Bureau of Corrections Director
Gaudencio Pangilinan has offered to go on leave and the President has accepted.
In the meantime, the New Bilibid Prison will be under the direct supervision of
the Secretary of Justice, pending the appointment of an Officer-in-Charge,”
Lacierda noted.
Rolito Go was convicted for the murder of
25-year-old La Salle mechanical engineering graduate Eldon Maguan in July 1991.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment. (jcl/2:50 p.m.)
De Lima bares decision to return to Judicial and
Bar Council as ex-officio member
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima bared her
decision to return to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) as ex-officio member
following the move of the constitutionally-created body not to include her in
its shortlist for the next Chief Justice.
"I will go back to the JBC. I will sit
there as an ex-officio member because that is the constitutional mandate of my
part," de Lima said during the press briefing held in Malacanang on Thursday.
Article VIII Section 8 (1) of the Constitution
provides that the JBC should be composed of the Chief Justice as ex-officio
chairman, the Secretary of Justice and a representative of the Congress as
ex-officio members and four regular members composed of a representative of the
Integrated Bar, a professor of law, a retired member of the Supreme Court, and
a representative of the private sector.
De Lima said she sees no problem with her
working again with the JBC.
The JBC submitted on Monday to President Benigno
S. Aquino III a list of eight nominees for the next Supreme Court chief justice
as the August 27 deadline for filling the vacant position draws near.
The list does not include Justice Secretary
Leila de Lima. The JBC also on Monday voted to disqualify De Lima, who is
facing a two disbarment cases before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
Five Supreme Court "insiders" are on
the shortlist, including acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio (7 votes) as well
as Associate Justices Roberto Abad (6 votes), Arturo Brion (6 votes) and Maria
Lourdes Sereno (6 votes), and Teresita Leonardo-De Castro (5 votes).
Also on the shortlist are Solicitor-General
Francis Jardeleza (6 votes), former Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora (6
votes) and Ateneo De Manila University Law Dean Cesar Villanueva (5 votes).
The eight candidates, who placed on the top 3,
were chosen from a total of 20 nominees, who have all been subjected to a
selection process that included a public interview.
Since she was one of the nominees for the
position of Chief Justice, the Justice Secretary inhibited herself as an
ex-officio member of the JBC. (js)
Susan Roces, daughter Grace thank President
Aquino for the conferment of National Artist award on the late action star
The family of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. led by
his widow, veteran actress Susan Roces, and daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares
thanked President Benigno S. Aquino III as he formally conferred the posthumous
National Artist award for Cinema on him.
Roces accepted the award on Poe’s behalf in a
ceremony held at Malacañang’s Rizal Hall on Thursday before a roomful of
artists, government employees, public officials, family, and friends who
gathered to celebrate the event.
Llamanzares remarked that it was at the ‘right
moment’ to receive the National Artist award for her father under President
Aquino’s term and she thanked the Lord for giving them the grace to patiently
wait for this day to come.
“We are here today to finally formally recognize
a Filipino for his talent and his contributions as an artist for the
advancement of our culture. What better way to honor a citizen than to have the
award conferred by a leader that the Filipino people hold in such highest
esteem,” Llamanzares said.
Poe was already bestowed the said title in 2006,
about a couple of years after his death, during the previous administration but
Roces and her family declined it due to some personal issues.
President Aquino conveyed that he had much
respect on the Poe family’s decision to defer the acceptance of the said award
back then as he shared the belief that the value of any recognition stems from
the integrity of the institution granting it as well as the public’s trust on
it.
“Anim na taon mang naudlot ang paghirang kay FPJ
bilang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, mahigit kalahating siglo naman po ang
nakalipas mula nang una siyang lumabas sa pelikula; mahigit kalahating siglo na
ang nakalipas mula nang makamit niya ang pinakamataas na parangal na maaaring
matanggap ninuman—ang paghanga at pagmamahal ng taumbayan,” the President
added.
In her brief acceptance speech, Roces said she
wasn’t able to sleep last night in preparation for this momentous occasion as
she tried to picture in her mind what her husband would say and do had he lived
to see this day.
She said her husband would be overwhelmed with
gladness since it is considered rare for actors to be granted the National
Artist title. “Bibihira po ang magkaroon ng karangalang tulad nito kaya lahat
kami sa industriya ay dinadalangin at pinapangarap na magkaroon din ng
karangalang ito.”
Roces said her husband would first thank God who
created him and gave him the talent, the charisma and everything that honed his
skills as an actor and filmmaker. She added that he would also offer this award
to his late parents, Fernando Poe, Sr., and Bessie Kelley, whom he consulted
with his projects.
In an interview she granted with the media,
Roces said the conferment of the National Artist award for Cinema on the late
FPJ must have been ‘written by fate’ as it came a few days before the
commemoration of his 73rd birthday.
“Hindi naman ho sinasadya ‘yung petsa. Marahil
talagang guhit ito ng tadhana na maganap few days before his birthday which is
August 20th,” she said.
Roces also mentioned that they appreciate
President Aquino’s recognition of the sacrifices made by her husband when he
decided to run for president in 2004.
“Totoo po lahat ‘yon. ‘Nung tumakbo si FPJ, wala
siyang ibang inasam kundi makapag-lingkod sa ating bayan, sa mga kapwa Pilipino
natin dahil sila ang pinagkakautangan naming mga artista ng loob, ng aming
katanyagan,” she said.
Roces personally thanked National Artist Eddie
Romero and Mowelfund president Boots Anson-Roa who she said were responsible
for submitting her husband’s name for the consideration of the Cultural Center
of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA) during the vetting process.
Asked on where she plans to display FPJ’s
National Artist medallion, Roces said she still has to discuss it with her
family but she’s already thinking of placing it in a museum that was built in
his honor.
“Marahil may panahon na mahihiram ito sa
Mowelfund. Pero para makumpleto lahat ang gamit niya ay meron kaming museum sa
FPJ studios na nakalaan para kay FPJ lang,” she said.
Thursday’s conferment ceremony in Malacañang was
filled with music as acclaimed pianist and CCP president Raul Sunico serenaded
the audience with piano pieces of some of Poe’s favorite songs including Nonoy
Zuñiga’s classic “Doon Lang”.
National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario,
National Artists for Sculpture Abdulmari Asia Imao and Napoleon Abueva, CCP
chairman Emily Abrera, and NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr., were also present
at the event. (hdc)
