Monday 24 September 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Monday, September 24, 2012

Aquino declares Sept. 29 as special non-working day in San Rafael, Bulacan in celebration of its Foundation Day

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared September 29 which falls on a Saturday as a special (non-working) day in the municipality of San Rafael, in the province of Bulacan, in celebration of its Foundation Day.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 467 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Sept. 3 to give the people of San Rafael the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

The town was named after the archangel Saint Raphael whose feast day is September 29.

Every year, the municipality celebrates its Angel Festival in honor of their patron saint, Saint Raphael, and six other archangels. The festival coincides with the foundation day of San Rafael which was founded in 1758. PND (js/1:28pm)


Aquino government welcomes latest Social Weather survey indicating that fewer Filipino families consider themselves poor

The Aquino administration welcomed the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that fewer Filipino families consider themselves poor.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday following the release of the Third Quarter 2012 SWS Survey showing that the families rating themselves as mahirap or poor eased to 47%.
Lacierda said the latest self-rated hunger survey results by the SWS are the result of the Aquino government’s efforts to alleviate poverty. He assured that the government continues to sustain the momentum by implementing various measures to ensure a better future for the Filipinos.

The SWS poll showed that 47% of the respondents – equivalent to an estimated 9.5 million families – said they were mahirap or poor, four points down from 51% (estimated 10.3 million families) in May.

The last time that the self-rated poverty fell below 50% was in December last year (45%). The record low is 43%, first hit in March 1987 and again in March 2010.

Fewer families also claimed to be poor in terms of food, according to the latest SWS survey. The SWS recorded an identical four-point drop to 35% (equivalent to an estimated 7.2 million families) in August from 39% (estimated 7.9 million) three months earlier.

The latest food poverty rate is also the lowest since March 2010’s record low of 31%.

The August 2012 Social Weather Survey was conducted from August 24-27, 2012 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adult respondents. PND (js/4:04pm)


Malacanang says the Mining Industry Coordinating Council agreed to revise three sections of the implementing rules and regulations for new mining policy

The Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) agreed to revise three sections of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the new mining policy, a Palace official said on Monday.

During the meeting on Monday called by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the MICC agreed to revise sections 3, 7, and 9 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Executive Order No. 79, series 2012, according to Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang in a statement issued on Monday.

The revisions were unanimously agreed upon by the members of the MICC including Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr., Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, Presidential Assistant for Climate Change Elisea G. Gozon, and PCDSPO Secretary Carandang and representatives of the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General.

Carandang spelled out the revisions as follows:

Section 3. Definition of Terms

“Expired mining tenements” refer to mining contract/agreements whose 25- or 50-year term has lapsed: Provided, that in the case of the initial 25-year term, the mining contract/agreement shall be considered expired if the parties concerned fail to agree on the terms of the renewal pursuant to Sections 32 and 38 of R.A. No. 7942, the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and other pertinent laws.

Section 7. Grant of Mineral Agreements Pending New Legislation

No new mineral agreements shall be entered into until a legislation rationalizing existing revenue sharing schemes and mechanisms shall have taken effect: Provided, that in the case of expansion of existing contract areas, the same shall be subject to existing laws: Provided, further, that the National Government-Owned Mining Assets may be subject to the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) in accordance with Section 9 of these implementing rules and regulations.

Section 9. Opening of Areas for Mining through Competitive Public Bidding

Section 2, Article 12 of the Constitution provides that the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control of the State. Thus, the grant of mining rights and mining tenements over areas with known and verified mineral resources and reserves, including those owned by the Government and all expired tenements, shall be undertaken through competitive public bidding. The mining contract/agreement that may be renewed shall be subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations at the time of renewal. Provided, further, that mining contractors whose tenements are expiring from September 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013, shall be given thirty (30) calendar days from the effectivity of these implementing rules and regulations to file renewal applications: Provided, finally, that those mining contractors whose tenements expire after April 30, 2013, shall file their renewal applications not later than six (6) months prior to the expiry of their mining contracts/agreements.

President Benigno S. Aquino III signed on July 6, 2012 Executive Order No. 79 (Institutionalizing and Implementing Reforms in the Philippine Mining Sector providing policies and guidelines to ensure Environmental Protection and Responsible Mining in the utilization of Mineral Resources).

With the crafting of the new mining policy, the Aquino administration hopes that the new measure will generate more revenues for the government. The new EO also aims to balance out concerns on environment protection and economic gains. PND (js/12:48pm)


President Aquino signs Administrative Order No. 30 establishing the Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee to document Martial Law era events

President Benigno S. Aquino III ordered the establishment of the Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee with the task of collecting and compiling information pertaining to the events during the Martial Law years.

The Chief Executive issued the directive by virtue of Administrative Order No. 30 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Sept. 20.

The Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee or Advisory Committee is tasked to undertake the systematic gathering, preservation, and publication of the testimonies, oral histories, documentaries, film and audio records of the Martial Law era.

"The Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee is hereby established to undertake the compilation of materials that will make possible the true account of the events that transpired during the said period in our history," the AO said.

The works of the committee shall be made available to the public through the websites of the Official Gazette, the Presidential Museum and Library, and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the AO said.

"The Advisory Committee shall initially gather and publish oral histories about Martial Law. After which, it shall continue to gather and make accessible to the public documentaries, film, and audio records as soon as readily available," it added.

"The Advisory Committee may also call upon any department, agency, or instrumentality of the government for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require," the AO noted.

President Aquino directed the NHCP to act as the Secretariat of the Advisory Committee. PND (js/5:32pm)