Aquino receives the chief executive officer of
the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Malacanang
President
Benigno S. Aquino III received the head of an American independent foreign aid agency
to discuss various ways on how to win the battle against poverty and to promote
programs that will ensure to uplift the lives of the Filipino people.
In a courtesy call at the President’s Hall of
the Malacanang Palace, Friday, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) chief
executive officer Daniel W. Yohannes met with President Aquino and some members
of the cabinet.
In attendance during the event were United
States (US) Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, US Embassy deputy
chief of mission Brian Goldbeck, MCC resident country director Matthew Bohn,
MCC resident country director John Polk, MCC assistant general counsel and
deputy chief of staff Lia Hanley, MCC public affairs director Linda Herda,
Millennium Challenge Account-Philippines (MCA-P) managing director and CEO Ma.
Victoria Anonuevo and MCA-P communications and outreach specialist Andres
Saracho.
Also present for the Philippine side were
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima,
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Budget
Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim
Henares, National Economic and Development Authority director general Arsenio
M. Balisacan, Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Rafael Yabut and acting
assistant secretary Gina Jamoralin of the Office of American Affairs,
Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an
innovative and independent US foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight
against global poverty.
Created by the US Congress in January 2004 with
strong bipartisan support, MCC is changing the conversation on how best to
deliver smart U.S. foreign assistance by focusing on good policies, country
ownership, and results.
MCC forms partnerships with some of the world’s
poorest countries, but only those committed to good governance, economic
freedom and investments in their citizens.
MCC
provides these well-performing countries with large-scale grants to fund
country-led solutions for reducing poverty through sustainable economic growth.
MCC grants complement other U.S. and international development programs.
The two primary types of MCC grants are compact
and threshold programs. Compact Programs are large, five-year grants for
countries that pass MCC’s eligibility criteria while the Threshold Programs are
smaller grants awarded to countries that come close to passing these criteria
and are firmly committed to improving their policy performance.
MCC has approved over 8.4 billion US dollars in
compact and threshold programs worldwide that support country-determined
projects in various sectors that include agriculture and irrigation,
transportation (roads, bridges, ports), water supply and sanitation, access to
health, finance and enterprise development, anticorruption initiatives, land
rights and access to education.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Board of
Directors has approved a five-year, $434 million Compact Program grant with the
Philippines aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth. The said grant
is intended to support reforms and investments to modernize the Bureau of
Internal Revenue, expand and improve a community-driven development project,
the DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive Integrated Delivery
of Social Service (Kalahi-CIDSS), and rehabilitate a secondary national road in
Samar province.
MCC is managed by a chief executive officer, who
is part of the nine-member Board of Directors. The Secretary of State, the
Secretary of the Treasury, the U.S. Trade Representative, and the USAID
Administrator serve on the board along with four private sector
representatives. PND (jcl/12:00 nn)
Aquino declares November 12 as special
non-working day in Gumaca, Quezon in celebration of its Foundation Day
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has declared November 12 as a special (non-working) day
in the municipality of Gumaca in the province of Quezon in celebration of its
Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration by
virtue of Proclamation No. 429 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa
Jr. on July 10 to give the people of Gumaca the full opportunity to celebrate
and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Formerly known as Bumaka (meaning "to
fight"), the present town of Gumaca was a settlement founded at the
southern bank of Palanas River (which later came to be known as Pipisik River)
in the 14th century by a group of settlers from Borneo and Malay Peninsula. It
is in fact only 11 years younger than the city of Manila. PND (js)
President Aquino appoints four envoys to
different posts abroad
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed four ambassadors to different posts abroad,
a Palace official said.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
announced the appointments during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on
Friday.
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
transmitted the appointment letters of the new Ambassadors Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, according
to Valte.
The Chief Executive signed the appointment letter
of Alex G. Chua as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Union of
Myanmar.
President Aquino, likewise, signed the
appointment letter of Ricardo M. Endaya as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Iran with concurrent jurisdiction
over the Republic of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
He named Sahid S. Glang as Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The President also appointed Domingo C.
Lucenario as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan with concurrent jurisdiction over the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic
of Tajikistan. PND (js)
Malacanang announces new set of appointed
government officials
Malacanang bared the new set of appointed
officials who are all expected to perform their respective responsibilities in
pushing for initiatives that will ensure the attainment of President Benigno S.
Aquino III’s social contract with the Filipino people.
In a press briefing at the Press Working Area of
the New Executive Building, Friday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail
Valte announced the appointment of new officials under the various agencies of
the Aquino government that include the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI),
Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Justice (DOJ).
Appointed as Members of the Board of Directors,
Philippine International Trading Corporation PHARMA, Inc. (PPI) under the DTI
were Ma. Lourdes F. Rebueno, Bienvenido S. Bautista, Ma. Lourdes T. Baua and
Aurora Ma. F. Timbol.
They will
be serving the term of office from July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2013.
For the DOE, appointed as Member of the Board of
Directors, PNOC Shipping and Transport Corporation (PNOC-STC) is Ma. Gladys C.
Sta. Rita. She will be serving in her new post from July 1, 2012 until June 30,
2013.
Appointed as Member, Board of Administrators,
Representing Visayas, Cooperative Development Authority under the DOF is
Mercedes D. Castillo, whose term will expire on July 30, 2018.
Also appointed to serve as Assistant Secretary
for Foreign Assisted and Special Projects of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources was Rommel R. Abesamis.
Under the National Prosecution Service,
Department of Justice, appointed as Prosecutor IV (City Prosecutor), Office of
the Prosecutor – Ormoc City was Atty. Marcelo C. Oñate and Atty. Renato C.
Samonte as Prosecutor IV (Provincial Prosecutor), Office of the Provincial
Prosecutor – Bulacan. PND (jcl/3:35 p.m.)
President Aquino leaves Sunday for state visits
to New Zealand and Australia
President
Benigno S. Aquino III will leave on Sunday for State Visits to New Zealand and
Australia to strengthen bilateral relations with the two countries, a Palace
official said on Friday.
The Chief Executive will fly to New Zealand on
October 22 to 23 and to Australia on October 24 to 26, upon the invitation of
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia
Gillard, respectively.
Deputy
Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the regular press briefing
that President Aquino will first proceed to Auckland in New Zealand where he
will meet with the Filipino community.
"He will also deliver a speech in a
business forum to be attended by the Philippines-New Zealand Business Council
as well as the New Zealand-Philippines Business Council. Magkakaroon din po
nang pagkakataon ang Pangulo na magkaroon ng one-on-one meetings with some New
Zealand corporations," Valte said.
From Auckland, Valte said, the President will
proceed to Wellington, the country’s capital, to meet with Prime Minister Key
and Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae.
"Pagkatapos po noon, in Canberra, that is
already in Australia, the President will also meet with the Prime Minister and
the Governor-General. And they are expected to update each other on current
developments in the country primarily the signing of the Framework Agreement
with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) as well as political, economic,
defense, and development common---mutual developments subjects," Valte
said.
From Canberra, the President will proceed to
Sydney where he is scheduled to deliver his keynote address at the
Philippines-Australia Business Forum.
The President will also meet with top CEOs in a
roundtable setting and have one-on-one meetings with several Australian
companies. He will again deliver another address to the Asia Society of
Australia and the Australia Philippine Business Council.
President
Aquino will be unveiling a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Campbelltown in Sydney.
He will also meet and interact with the members of the Filipino Community in
Australia.
President Aquino will be accompanied by Foreign
Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima,
Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, Defense Secretary Voltaire T.
Gazmin, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala and Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang.
There are
36,000 Filipinos living in New Zealand, while 224,000 are in Australia. PND
(js)
President Aquino receives Vice Foreign Minister
Fu Ying of the People's Republic of China in Malacanang
President
Benigno S. Aquino III received People's Republic of China (PROC) Vice Foreign
Minister Fu Ying in Malacanang Palace on Friday.
Vice
Foreign Minister Fu Ying who paid a courtesy call at the President's Hall was
accompanied by Ma Keqing, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China; Hong
Liang, Deputy Director-General of the Asian Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs; Dai Qingli, Counsellor of the Asian Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs; Yin Haihong, Director of the Asian Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Wang Hong Liu, Deputy Director of the Asian Department, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Also in
attendance were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, Interior and
Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa
Jr. and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.
Chinese
Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying arrived in Manila on Thursday. She met with
Foreign Affairs Secretary del Rosario at the Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) Main Building in Pasay City before the start of the 18th Foreign Ministry
Consultations on Friday.
The
Philippine and Chinese panels to the 18th Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC)
affirmed the commitment of their respective governments to promote the
comprehensive development of bilateral relations between the Philippines and
China, the DFA said in a statement.
The 18th
FMC was held in Manila on October 19 and covered trade, tourism, science and
technology, judicial and law enforcement, culture, people-to-people exchanges
and other issues of mutual concern. Both sides also discussed issues of concern
and agreed to continue the dialogue.
The 18th
FMC reviewed the status of bilateral relations in general, and in particular,
the implementation in the past ten months of projects identified at the last
consultation. It also explored mechanisms that will help realize the agreements
reached between President Benigno S. Aquino III and Chinese President Hu Jintao
last year to target U.S.$60 billion in bilateral trade and two million two-way
tourism arrivals by 2016.
Vice
Foreign Minister Fu Ying headed the Chinese panel while Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary for policy was headed by Erlinda F. Basilio.
Secretary
del Rosario expressed confidence that the Philippine and Chinese delegations to
the FMC will forge a common path towards normalizing and moving forward the
bilateral relations and implement the consensus reached between President
Aquino and President Hu during the former’s State Visit to China last year. PND
(js)
Bilateral talks meetings with Filipino community
top Aquino’s agenda in New Zealand, Australia visits
Meetings
with state leaders, business executives, and the Filipino community top
President Benigno S. Aquino III’s agenda on his week-long state visits to New
Zealand and Australia from October 22 to 26, Malacañang said on Friday.
Both trips are particularly aimed at developing
stronger and closer bilateral ties with New Zealand and Australia especially in
terms of political, defense, economic cooperation, and people-to-people
relations.
President Aquino has scheduled meetings with New
Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key and Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae in
its capital, Wellington, and Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard and
Governor-General Quentin Bryce which will also be held in its capital city of
Canberra.
Among the issues that President Aquino is
expected to discuss with his counterparts is the recent historic signing of the
Framework Agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF).
President Aquino also earlier mentioned at a forum
with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) last
Wednesday that the Philippines will be offering Australia its third strategic
partnership.
“We only have two strategic partnerships—one in
the United States of America and the other with Japan. We're offering the third
to Australia and they are presently studying it,” the President was quoted
saying.
President Aquino is scheduled to depart Manila
on Sunday evening (October 21) with a lean delegation that includes: Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L.
Domingo, Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin, and other Cabinet Secretaries
who will also be meeting with their respective counterparts.
In Auckland, New Zealand, the President will
meet with the Filipino community and deliver a speech at a business forum to be
attended by the Philippines-New Zealand Business Council and the New
Zealand-Philippines Business Council. He will also have one-on-one meetings
with some New Zealand corporations there.
In Sydney, Australia, the President will
likewise deliver a keynote address at the Philippines-Australia Business Forum
and meet with top CEOs in a roundtable setting and have one-on-one meetings with
several Australian companies.
He will
again deliver another address to The Asia Society of Australia and the
Australia Philippine Business Council before going to Campbelltown to unveil a
statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Sydney.
The President will also make time to interact
with the members of the Filipino Community in Australia where he is expected to
encourage them to help raise the profile of the Philippines by being
knowledgeable and competent sources of information on their home country, be it
on history and culture, business, and tourism, among others.
Around 36,000 Filipinos are currently residing
in New Zealand comprising one percent of its total population. Australia, on
the other hand, has about 224,000 Filipinos making the Philippines as one of its
top 10 sources of countries for recent migrant arrivals. PND (hdc)
