Malacanang says public
viewing for the remains of the late DILG Secretary Robredo to go on until
Friday
The public viewing of
the remains of the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo
will continue until Friday at the Archbishop's Palace in Naga City, a Palace
official said.
Presidential
Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon
Carandang made the announcement as President Benigno S. Aquino III spearheaded
the mourning for the former Secretary of the Department of the Interior and
Local Government from August 21 until the day of his interment.
The Chief Executive
signed on Tuesday Proclamation No. 460 commencing the Days of National
Mourning.
The remains of Secretary
Robredo was moved from Funeraria Imperial to the Archbishop’s Palace in Naga
City, at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Carandang.
Carandang said a mass
was held at 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Archbishop’s Palace where the
late secretary's remains lie in state. The public viewing began at 10 a.m.
Wednesday until 5 p.m.
Another mass was
scheduled at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. of the same day. After the mass, there would be
public viewing from 6 p.m. and onwards.
"The following is
the schedule for the public viewing of the remains of the late Secretary
Robredo: August 23, 2012, Thursday 9 a.m. Mass, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (wake), 5
p.m. Mass, and 6 p.m. onwards (wake)," Carandang said.
Carandang said Robredo's
remains will be transported from Naga City to Malacañan Palace at 9 a.m. on
Friday.
In accordance with the
law signed by the President, Carandang said, the national Flags will be flown
at half-mast for six days from sunrise starting Wednesday, Aug. 22.
The proclamation states
that “for a period of six (6) days, the national flag shall be flown at
half-mast from sunrise to sunset in all government buildings and installations
in the Philippines and in our posts abroad."
"On Tuesday, the
City of Naga, Malacañan Palace, the Department of the Interior and Local
Government, its attached agencies, and the Philippine National Police have
lowered the national flag to half-mast. However, in accordance with the law,
the six days that the national flag will be flown at half-mast nationwide
begins on August 22, 2012, as the proclamation was signed after sunset of
August 21, 2012. All government offices are enjoined to comply," Carandang
said. (js)
Ochoa assures continuity
in DILG operations
Executive Secretary
Paquito N. Ochoa on Wednesday sought a comprehensive review of all the pending
programs and projects left by the untimely demise of Secretary Jesse Robredo in
the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that
reforms are implemented and the operation is continuous.
Ochoa, who was
designated as officer-in-charge of the DILG by President Benigno S. Aqiuino III
following the tragic plane crash that killed Robredo and his two pilots last
Saturday, was at the agency Wednesday morning to seek a list of the programs in
the pipeline as well as assure DILG employees that there will be no
interruption in the services they provide to the public.
“While we join Secretary
Robredo’s family and the nation in this time of bereavement, the President felt
also that it is appropriate to designate an OIC for the meantime, on a very
temporary nature to ensure that the DILG is running and its service to the
public is continuous,” Ochoa said.
According to the
Executive Secretary, he already asked an inventory of all the pending matters
for review and their status, particularly the reforms that Robredo has started
in several offices under the wings of the DILG.
Ochoa particularly
mentioned the ongoing reforms which Robredo has put in place in the Philippine
National Police and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, as well as his
plans to relocate informal settlers.
Initially, Ochoa said he
has started putting together the signing and approval system for administrative
matters and logistics to prevent any interruption in the services.
He said employees should
expect him to be visible in the agency in the coming days until the President
appoints a permanent DILG chief.
Aviation authorities to
investigate Saturday's plane crash that killed DILG Secretary Robredo, Palace
says
Aviation authorities
will soon start investigating the cause of the plane crash that killed Interior
and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and the two pilots once all the
important parts of the aircraft are recovered, the Palace said on Wednesday.
In a regular press
briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said
Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas ordered the Civil Aviation
Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to look into the incident after the plane
went down on Saturday afternoon.
“It was not known to the
public but Secretary Roxas already ordered CAAP to look into it. But since
there were no wreckage found, then hinintay nila,” Lacierda said.
“The first wreckage
found was the wing. So now that marami na, dahan-dahang nakukuha ang wreckage,
si General [William] Hotchkiss of CAAP will be heading the investigation or at
least his team will be conducting an investigation,” he added.
Lacierda said they will
inform the public once the investigation begins which is aimed at determining
the cause of the accident.
Divers were able to
recover the body of Robredo Tuesday morning and retrieval operations are
continuing to get the remains of the two pilots. Robredo’s body is now in Naga
City and arrangements are being made to transport it to Manila late this week.
Robredo and the two
pilots died when the twin-engine, four-seater Piper Seneca plane carrying them
en route to Naga City from Cebu City crashed off Masbate after encountering
engine failure.
Residents of Naga City
are mourning over Robredo’s death. Robredo served as Naga City mayor for
several terms before he was appointed as Interior and Local Government
Secretary by President Aquino. (as/3:02pm)
Aquino government
prepares for a state funeral for the late DILG Secretary Robredo
The Aquino
administration is preparing for a state funeral for the late Interior and Local
Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo who died in a plane crash off the coast
of Masbate on August 18, a Palace official said on Wednesday.
The family agreed to
President Benigno S. Aquino III's proposal to give the late Secretary Robredo a
state funeral, according to Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda during the
regular press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
"Today, we’re
issuing Bulletin No. 2 for the state funeral for the late Secretary of the
Interior and Local Government. A state funeral entails that all expenses be
paid by the state in addition to the fullest honors rendered to the deceased
including military honors," Lacierda said.
Presidential
Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO)
Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III, for his part, said the newly-formed Committee
on Funeral Arrangements and Burial of the late Secretary Robredo has lined up
several activities for the late chief of the Department of Interior and Local
Government's state funeral.
"At present an
honor guard from the Philippine National Police is standing vigil at the
(Palacio de) Arzobispado or the Archbishop’s Palace in Naga City where the
remains of the Secretary will be until Friday, August 24," Quezon said.
"The PNP will
render departure honors in Naga City and escort the remains from the
Archbishop’s Palace to the Pili Airport in Camarines Sur. Departure honors will
be rendered by the PNP prior to departure from Pili Airport en route to
Villamor Airbase in Metro Manila," he said.
"At Villamor
Airbase, arrival honors will be rendered by the Armed Forces of the
Philippines. From Villamor, the escort from Villamor Airbase to Malacañang
Palace will be handled by the Presidential Security Group and it is the
Presidential Security Group that will render arrival honors which will include
a gun salute in Malacañang Palace," he said.
The remains of Secretary
Robredo will lie in state in Malacañang Palace on Friday, August 24, until the
morning of Sunday, August 26. His remains will be brought back to Naga City on
Sunday. Burial has been set on Tuesday, August 28.
"There will be a
funeral cortege with the participation of the uniformed services, arrival
honors at the place of interment a three volley salute—the playing of taps; and
the handing of the national flag that covered the coffin to the widow," he
said. (js)
Malacanang says passage
of sin tax reform bill will provide government more funds for health care
Malacanang said that the
passage of the sin tax reform bill would not only provide the government more
funds to take care of the public’s health but will also level the playing field
that could increase the income of the local tobacco farmers.
In a press briefing in
Malacanang on Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda made it clear
that the passage of this measure also provides safety nets for the farmers to
ensure a better income for them.
“We regard the sin tax
reform bill as a health issue. Like we said smoking contributes, costs the
economy around 177 billion pesos. Doon po meron tayong safety nets po para sa
mga farmers and in fact, if you open it up, if you level the playing field sa
tobacco industry, the tobacco farmers will themselves profit from that kasi
tataas ang presyo ng cigarette prices,” Lacierda said.
He further said that the
concerned government agencies, which include the Department of Finance led by
Secretary Cesar Purisima, have discussed and explained the proposed bill in the
Lower House adding that the same will be presented in the Senate.
“So magkakaroon ng mas
malaking income po para sa ating mga tobacco farmers. But, first and foremost,
we regard this as a health issue and I hope the Senate will also recognize the
cost to the economy. May safety nets po tayo sa mga tobacco farmers, and I
think that was already explained in the House—25 percent will be part of the
safety net,” Lacierda noted.
It will be recalled that
in the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino
III, the Chief Executive explained that the government will be using the
revenues from the sin tax reform bill for universal health care. Sin tax reform
will be raising the taxes on cigarettes and liquor.
The sin tax reform bill
is one of the Aquino administration's priority measures, which has been
certified as urgent.
The Lower House has
already approved the bill thereby setting a two-tier system for tobacco
products and three-tier system for alcohol products, depending on the net
retail price. However, the Senate has yet to pass its counterpart measure.
(jcl/4:12 p.m.)
