Gov't budgets
P44-M for PNOY's state visits to NZ, Australia
The government
has allocated around P44 million for President Benigno S. Aquino III’s state
visits to New Zealand and Australia from October 22 to 26, Executive Secretary
Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Sunday.
President
Aquino left Sunday night for his first stop, New Zealand, where he will stay
until October 23 on the invitation of Prime Minister John Key.
According
to Ochoa, the President will proceed to Australia for a meeting with Prime
Minister Julia Gillard. The Chief Executive will be in Australia from October
24 to 26.
A total
of 96 delegates will accompany President Aquino in his two-leg state visits
that includes Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Finance Secretary
Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Alcala, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary
Arsenio Balisacan and PCDSPO Secretary Ramon Carandang.
Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Virginia
Benavidez and Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen Anota will join the
President’s official party.
The
estimated expenses for President Aquino’s New Zealand and Australia trip cover
charter lease, accommodation, transportation, food and equipment, among others,
of the entire presidential delegation.
Ochoa
said President Aquino hopes to further boost and strengthen the political,
economic and defense ties between the Philippines and New Zealand, as well as
cultivate deeper cooperation between Manila and Canberra.
According
to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), President Aquino will deliver a
speech in Auckland during a business forum and later meet with the Filipino
community. There are some 36,000 Filipinos in New Zealand, representing about
one percent of the total population of the country.
The
President’s next stop is Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, where he will
meet Key and Government-General Sir Jerry Mateparae to discuss various issues
of mutual concerns, including regional and international developments.
In
Australia, the DFA said President Aquino will meet Gillard and Governor-General
Quentin Bryce in Canberra to discuss developments in the two countries’
political, economic and defense cooperation.
After his
meeting with the Australian leader, the President will proceed to Sydney where
he is scheduled to address the Philippines-Australia Business Forum, the Asia
Society of Australia, and the Australia Philippine Business Council, and top
business leaders.
The Chief
Executive is also scheduled to unveil a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal in Campbelltown
and interact with members of the Filipino community in Sydney. Australia is
home to 224,000 Filipinos.
Malacanang says the Department of Finance,
Department of Budget and Management and NEDA to formulate rules and regulations
safeguarding Administrative Order No. 31 from being abused
Although
Administrative Order No. 31 signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier
this month allows the increase in the charges of specific government fees next
year, it also sets safeguards, rules and regulations to prevent these increases
from being unreasonable, excessive and arbitrary, Malacañang said on Sunday.
Deputy
Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said over the government-run radio
station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan that the Departments of Finance and Budget and
Management, as well as the National Economic Development Authority will be the
lead agencies in formulating the rules and regulations safeguarding AO 31 from
being abused.
“The
Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management and the National
Economic Development Authority will formulate the rules and regulations para
masigurado natin yung pagi-implement at pagmo-monitor ng compliance sa ilalim
ng Administrative Order,” Valte said.
She added
that the same AO reactivated the Task Force on Fees and Charges to beef up
monitoring programs on the implementation of said AO.
“Hindi po
ibig sabihin na dahil magtataas, napaka-taas na nito. Nakalagay sa
Administrative Order na kailangan meron tayong necessary safeguards para
maprotektahan ang publiko sa unreasonable at arbitrary fees and charges,” Valte
said.
Under AO
31, state agencies including government-owned and controlled corporations are
allowed to increase existing fees and impose new charges if needed.
Among the
state agencies that will raise their fees are the Department of Foreign
Affairs, National Statistics Office, National Bureau of Investigation, Land
Registration Authority, Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration, Department of Trade and Industry, and National
Telecommunication Commission. PND (rck)
