Wednesday 10 October 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Tuesday, October 9, 2012



Aquino declares October 26 a special non-working day in Catanduanes in celebration of its Foundation Day

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared October 26, which falls on a Friday, as a special (non-working) day in the province of Catanduanes, in commemoration of its Foundation Day.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 469 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on September 11 to give the people of Catanduanes the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Commonwealth Act No. 687 was enacted to create the island of Catanduanes as one of the six provinces of the Bicol Region. It was signed into law by President Sergio OsmeƱa, Sr. on October 24, 1945.

On October 26, 1946, three months after the Philippine independence from the Americans, the island was finally recognized as a separate and independent province. PND (js)


President Aquino leads conferment of UNDP-facilitated peace awards

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the conferment of Engage for Peace, Equality, Access, Community and Empowerment or N-PEACE awards to nine individuals from the Asia Pacific region, including the Philippines, in honor of their relentless efforts to build peace in the midst of chaos despite real and hostile threats to their lives, in ceremonies held at the New World Hotel in Makati City on Tuesday.

This year’s N-PEACE awardees (8 women; 1 man) include: Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles (Philippines); Quhramaana Kakar and Farkhunda Zahra Naderi (Afghanistan); Suraiya Kamaruzzaman (Indonesia); Radha Paudel (Nepal); Rupika De Silva (Sri Lanka); Sister Lourdes (Timor-Leste); Sadhu Ram Sapkota (Nepal); and Amina Azimi (Afghanistan).

In his speech keynoting the event, the President cited the N-PEACE awardees for being “catalysts to achieve and nurture peace” despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles to its completion and development.

“In communities marred by conflict, women and children are often forced to bear a disproportionate amount of hardship. Yet, instead of remaining victims or bystanders, the people we honor today have displayed an extraordinary strength in becoming catalysts to achieve and nurture peace,” the President said.

“Instead of letting pride and aggression cloud your judgment, as men may sometimes do, you have always seen the urgency of suffering. You will always tend to think of children, of families, of all those who stand vulnerable and helpless in the face of violence. And it is with this desire to bring an end to conflict, to alleviate suffering, and to bring about sustainable and lasting peace for all, that you have dedicated your lives to the pursuit of peace, equality and development in your communities,” he added.

The President pointed out that it was an honor for him to present them with the N-PEACE awards as it recognizes their achievements which “you have not claimed for yourself or for personal fame, but for the thousands you have aided.”

“On behalf of them all, allow me to offer you my congratulations, and more importantly, the collective gratitude of all gathered in this room, and of all our peoples,” the President said.

“Today’s ceremonies are as much a tribute as they are an expression of solidarity. Our countries have not had the most peaceful histories: insurgencies, the polarization and misuse of political systems and governance, and a lack of inclusive growth have, in one way or another, left their mark on our peoples,” he added.

The N-PEACE award is a multi-country initiative managed by the United Nations Development Program across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Nepal and more recently Afghanistan and the Philippines, in partnership with Search for Common Ground, the Institute Inclusive Security and supported by Australian Agency for International Development.

It is an advocacy campaign to identify, recognize and showcase leadership roles that women play and the contributions that they make in peace building at different levels.

The N-PEACE award winners were selected from 100 nominations through an on-line voting campaign that included more than 55,0000 voters from around the globe. PND (rck)


Malacanang says government remains committed in pushing for accountability in governance

Malacanang stressed that the Aquino government remains resolute in pushing for transparency and accountability in governance as well as in pursuing programs that will uplift the standards of living of the Filipino citizenry.

In a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the government continues to uphold its principle of transparency especially concerning the public funds that are being used in various developmental, pro-people programs such as the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“We have always been transparent when it comes to the funds that are being used for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program,” Valte said.

Valte’s statement came in reaction to the concerns of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) asking the Aquino administration to explain and account for the P3.77 billion CCT funds that were allegedly found by the Commission on Audit (COA) to be missing or unaccounted for in the year 2011.

Valte said that the DSWD is always open to answer questions regarding the CCT funds and the incident was just a miscommunication that stemmed from the process of document flow from the regional level to the national level.

“I understand that the DSWD cooperates with the Commission on Audit whenever it comes to the auditing of public funds. I remember in the last two months there was an issue when it came to the disbursements that were being made to the beneficiaries and it turns out that there was just a miscommunication in the sense that yung disbursement kasi ng funding for the grants for the beneficiaries are down at the regional level and not at the level of the national office,” Valte said.

“So what happened was, nang hinahanap ang documents at the national level, hindi pa naita-transmit from the regional offices, so as far as that incident was concerned it was just incomplete documentation and from what I understand Secretary Soliman did give that particular order to make the documentation complete when it comes to the CCT,” she added.

“The particular issue that is being raised by the Pamalakaya, I’m not familiar with the details of the entire amount that they are saying that is allegedly been missing or misspent, but we’re always open to answering these questions and in fact, even in the Congressional Oversight Committee the DSWD has always been there to present the expenses, what the program entails, and has always been willing to answer these questions,” Valte further explained.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a human development program of the national government that invests on the health and education of poor households, particularly of children aged 0-14 years old.

Patterned after the conditional cash transfer scheme implemented in other developing countries, the 4Ps provides cash grants to beneficiaries provided that they comply with the set of conditions required by the program. PND (jcl/2:30 p.m.)


Palace says residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao want governor Hataman to continue his reforms in the region

The people in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) want the continuation of reforms in the region compelling the current officer in charge Gov. Mujiv Hataman to run for the forthcoming election, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

There are questions being raised after Hataman joined the gubernatorial race in ARMM especially after President Aquino said the ARMM OIC governor should just serve as a transition leader.

But in explaining the Palace side, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press conference in Malacanang that the public has seen the reforms carried out in the ARMM under the leadership of Governor Hataman.

“The President talks about it all the time. Nakikita natin diyan nahanap ‘yung mga ghost teacher, ‘yung mga ghost school, ‘yung mga ghost buildings,” Valte said adding that "from what we understand, there’s also a clamor from the people in that area to have the present representation continue its work.”

Last week, the Palace threw its support to Hataman after he filed his certificate of candidacy seeking a fresh mandate as ARMM governor.

In a message released by Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Friday, he said Hataman has been effective in pushing the Aquino administration’s reform and anti-corruption agenda.

Aside from cleaning up the bureaucracy that has saved the government millions of pesos, Hataman also promotes transparency and good governance in the ARMM, Carandang said.

Hataman’s running mate is Haroun Alrashid Lucman, and both are official candidates of the Liberal Party.

Also aspiring to become ARMM governor are Moro National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari and former Sultan Kudarat governor Pax Mangudadatu.

Hataman was appointed by President Aquino as officer in charge of the ARMM in December 2011. Since his appointment he succeeded in fixing serious administrative and fiscal woes that plagued line agencies in the ARMM as a result of mismanagement and absenteeism among his predecessors.

Hataman, an ethnic Yakan, started his political career as representative of the Anak Mindanao Party List. PND (as/2:46pm)


President Aquino appoints new officials in various government agencies

President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed new officials in various government agencies, a Palace official said.

The appointments were announced by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.

The Chief Executive signed the appointment letter of retired Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno as Member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines, Commission on Higher Education (CHED). His term of office will expire on September 30, 2014.
President Aquino, likewise, signed the appointment letter of Eduardo B. Jose as Commissioner of the Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM). His term of office will expire on August 15, 2014.

Other presidential appointees include the following:

- Roman M. Jumawan as Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Acting Director III.

- Raul B. Aguilos as Director II of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) under the DOTC.

- Emiliano T. Bantog Jr., Putiwas M. Malambut, Noreen Bernadette S. San Luis-Lutey and Jesus Ma. Y. Vitug as LTO Acting Directors II.

- Manuel L. Betaizar, Macario D. Gonzaga, Vicente O. Nato and Francisco P. Ranches Jr. as Acting LTO Directors I.

- Ramon Fiel G. Abcede as Acting Director III of the Department of Education (DepEd).

- Miguel Mac D. Aposin, Roel F. Bermejo, Wivina B. Gonzales and Josilyn S. Solana as Acting Schools Division Superintendents, DepEd.

- Radne B. Jomuad and Clarissa G. Zamora as Acting Assistant Schools Division Superintendents, DepEd.

- Reynalda R. Bangunan, Marites A. Ibanez, Benjamin D. Paragas and Gloria R. Torres as Schools Division Superintendents, DepEd.

- Rene R. Fuentes as member (representing Private Sector), Board of Directors, Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

- Maria Edita Z. Tan as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF)

- Gerardo R. Florendo as Director II, Head Revenue Executive Assistant, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) under the Department of Finance (DOF)

- Antonietta F. Ibe as Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), DOF.

- Oswaldo C. Santos as Assistant Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). His term of office is co-terminous with the appointing authority.

- Mediadora S. Claudio-Saniel and Jose Maria A. Ochave as members of the Governing Council (representing the Private Sector), Philippine Council for Health, Research, and Development (PCHRD), DOST

- Angel C. Alcala, Mercedes B. Concepcion, Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Jaime C. Montoya, William G. Padolina, Reynaldo B. Vea, Ruben L. Villareal as members of the Executive Council, National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), DOST

- Helen J. Catalbas as Acting Directior IV of the Department of Tourism (DOT)

- Juan Miguel T. Cuna as Director III of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

- Romeo Gonzales Hidalgo as Representative of the Non-Government Organization, National Solid Waste Management Commission, DENR

- Algamar A. Latiph as Acting Deputy Executive Director IV of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)

- John E. Barrios – Commissioner (representing the Hiligaynon language) of the Commission on the Filipino Language, and

- Robert S. Martinez – Civil Service Commission (CSC) Ad Interim Commissioner. PND (js)