President Aquino declares October 22 as special
non-working day in Pigcawayan, Cotabato in commemoration of its 59th Foundation
Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
October 22, which falls on a Monday, as a special (non-working) day in the
municipality of Pigcawayan in the province of Cotabato, in commemoration of its
59th Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration by
virtue of Proclamation No. 473 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa
Jr. on September 13.
Pigcawayan marks the commemoration of its
Foundation Day on Oct. 21 which falls on Sunday. The Chief Executive declared
Oct. 22 as non-special working day in Pigcawayan instead of Oct. 21 to give the
people of Pigcawayan the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the
occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
By virtue of Executive Order No. 622 issued in
1953, Pigcawayan became a separate and independent political unit. PND (js)
Aquino keynotes 4th International Outsourcing
Summit in Makati City; vows support for Business Process Outsourcing industry
President Benigno S. Aquino III keynoted Tuesday
night the closing session of the 4th International Outsourcing Summit organized
by the Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines in Makati
City and vowed to support the industry for its continuous growth.
Industry leaders raised some concerns being
faced by the outsourcing companies in the Philippines. But the President said
his administration has been addressing most of those concerns.
“Let me assure you that a lot of those concerns
are presently being addressed and we will give you a detailed answer to all the
concerns that were raised,” the President said in his message during the event.
The President said the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA), under the leadership of Director General
Joel Villanueva, has been assisting the industry for it to grow further.
He noted that the government is investing in its
people to arm them with the skills they need not only to gain entry into the
industry, but also to flourish and rise up the ranks as long-term
professionals.
According to the President, one of the
government programs is the Industry-based Training for Work Scholarship
Program, in which the administration allotted P500 million last year. The
government made significant progress in this undertaking and as of August this
year, more than 26,500 Filipinos have graduated from the program, and 11,600 of
them have already been hired.
“We are also looking at other avenues through
which we can train those who aspire to enter your industry. Through the work of
the Commission on Higher Education, we have been able to implement BPAP’s
proposal of making available a 21-unit BPO specialization track to I.T.
students,” the President said.
Schools like the University of Makati and Asia
Pacific College are offering the track, and the government is hopeful that the
program will be successful in preparing students to join BPO companies.
Aside from training the available workforce, the
President emphasized that his administration is also committed in building the
necessary infrastructure to optimize BPO operations. He added that reforms in
the telecommunication industry also created a competitive environment for major
industry players.
“As you can see, your assistance in ensuring
that no Filipino is left behind on the straight path to equitable progress, is
being reciprocated with assistance from the government. Perhaps as your
industry grows, the Filipino’s role in them can diversify into professions that
are higher up the value chain, and in our country,” the Chief Executive said.
The President also expressed his gratitude to
the BPO companies operating in the Philippines for trusting the Filipino
workers.
As a result, the industry posted $11 billion in
revenue in 2011, with 113,000 new jobs created, the President said adding that
this also made the Philippines the number one contact center industry in the
world, having surpassed India in 2010.
In 2016, President Aquino said he expects the
BPO industry to make $25 billion, while employing around 1.3-million Filipinos.
BPAP is the umbrella association for the IT-BPO
and GIC (Global In-House Center) industry in the Philippines, serving as the
one-stop information and advocacy gateway for the BPO industry.
The association plays a pivotal role in
sustaining rapid growth of the IT-BPO and GIC industry by working to ensure an
enduring supply of high quality labor, supporting service innovation, and
providing country visibility.
Among the participants who joined the 4th
International Outsourcing Summit include representatives from Australia,
Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Colombia, Denmark, Greece, India, Japan, Malaysia,
The Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States,
and Vietnam. PND (as/11:51am)
Aquino hopes that business process outsourcing
companies would invest in Mindanao to spur development
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he hopes
that business process outsourcing companies would soon invest in Mindanao
especially with the recently concluded framework agreement between government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In his speech during the 4th International
Outsourcing Summit in Makati City on Tuesday, the President acknowledged the
contribution of the sector as an all-important driver of inclusive growth
particularly by extending prosperity outside the traditional hubs of commerce
and industry.
Most BPO companies are investing in the
so-called Next Wave Cities, which include Santa Rosa in Laguna, Lipa in
Batangas, and Dumaguete.
“We are also hard at work to make even more
places in the Philippines ripe for investment. With the recently concluded
framework agreement with the MILF, we are very hopeful that there will come a
day, in the not too distant future, when we see a number of IT-BPO companies
operating in the Bangsamoro,” the President said.
The President keynoted Tuesday afternoon the
concluding session of the global outsourcing summit organized by the Business
Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines (BPAP).
“The jobs you create in these areas, obviously,
take on a multiplier effect that goes a long way in developing the
countryside.”
The President announced last week that the
Philippine government and the MILF was nearing the forging of a Framework
Agreement on peace aimed at ending the conflict that has spanned two
generations and has taken the lives of more than 100,000 Filipinos.
The Framework Agreement laid down the ground
work for achieving the “final and enduring peace in Mindanao" by enjoining
all stakeholders to support the implementation of the needed “structural
reforms, the chief executive said.
Under the Framework Agreement, a new “political
entity” will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and will
be named “Bangsamoro.”
Government negotiators and representatives of
the MILF who had been holding peace talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will soon
come out with the draft guidelines on the Framework Agreement soon, the
President said.
The BPO industry posted $11 billion in revenue
in 2011, and created 113,000 new jobs, according to the President. This robust
growth of the industry also made the Philippines the number one contact center
industry in the world, having surpassed India in 2010.
In 2016, President Aquino said he expects the
BPO industry to make $25 billion, while employing around 1.3 million Filipinos.
The BPAP, which is the umbrella association for
the IT-BPO and GIC (Global In-House Center) industry in the Philippines, plays
a pivotal role in sustaining the rapid growth of the IT-BPO industry by
ensuring steady supply of man power, supporting service innovation, and
providing country visibility. PND (as/12:47pm)
Aquino declares October 26 as regular holiday
nationwide in observance of Eidul Adha
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
October 26, which falls on Friday, as a regular holiday throughout the country
in observance of Eidul Adha (Feast of Sacrifice).
The President issued Proclamation No. 488 on
October 9, 2012 based on Republic Act. No. 9849. The said republic act provides
"that Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a regular holiday."
"Eidul Adha is one of the two greatest feasts
of Islam. The date of the festival is based on the declaration made by Saudi
Arabia's highest religious body," the President said in the proclamation.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
(NCMF) recommended that the observance of Eidul Adha be on Oct. 26 and the
Eidul Adha prayer be performed on the final declaration of the Saudi
Government.
Eidul Adha is observed after the Hajj -- the
annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia.
A duty of each Muslim, as described in the Five
Pillars of Islam, is to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during their
lifetime, unless they are prevented by finances or ill health.
It is the second of the two major Muslim holy
days. The other is Eid-ul-Fitr which follows Ramadan-- a lunar month of partial
fasting. PND (js)
President Aquino cites the contribution of the
country's cooperatives in improving the lives of the poor and marginalized
sector
President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the
contribution of the country's cooperatives in improving the lives of the
people, especially the poor and marginalized.
"The cooperative model has, time and again,
proved significant in lifting our people from poverty, providing them with
opportunities for personal and financial growth," the Chief Executive said
in his message to the Philippine Cooperative Center (PCC) on the occasion of
its 11th National Cooperative Summit on Wednesday.
The PCC, in partnership with the Cooperative
Development Authority (CDA), is holding the 11th National Cooperative Summit
starting on Wednesday at the Atrium of LimKetKai Center in Cagayan de Oro City.
The three-day event will end on October 12.
The theme for this year’s gathering of
cooperative leaders is “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better
Philippines"
"As the biggest assembly of cooperative
leaders nationwide, this summit holds strategic importance in charting new
directions to advance the principles of cooperativism," President Aquino
said.
He averred that this year’s gathering addresses
the need for integrated community enterprises that support members’ livelihood
and encourage productivity and entrepreneurship.
"May you continue to change lives and
fulfill your role as a catalyst for development. May you remain guided by the
values of passion, integrity, and excellence in your endeavors as, together, we
realize our collective goal of a better future for all Filipinos," he
said. PND (js)
Govt, MILF to sign Framework Agreement next week
The Philippine government and Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) will sign on Monday, October 15, the Framework
Agreement on peace aimed at ending the conflict in Mindanao that has spanned
two generations and has resulted to hundreds of casualties.
In a press conference in Malacanang on
Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said among those who are
expected to attend the signing include Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak, MILF Chairman Al Hadj Murad, MILF contingent and other
partners who helped in the successful conclusion of the peace talks in
Malaysia.
The Monday’s event will be the first time Murad
steps in Malacañang, Lacierda said.
Prior to the signing of Framework agreement,
Prime Minister Razak and President Benigno S. Aquino III will have bilateral
discussions.
Lacierda clarified that both sides are signing
the Framework Agreement and not the annexes, explaining that the Framework
Agreement secures the foundations for a more detailed implementation of the
peace agreement.
“The Framework Agreement is the foundation for
the house. It’s pleasant… how good and pleasant it is for brothers Christians,
Muslims, and Lumads to dwell together in peace. So that’s where we are right
now. We have established the foundations of the house,” Lacierda said.
Reacting to reports saying the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) felt betrayed by the Framework Agreement, Lacierda said
the MILF and the MNLF had a solidarity agreement and that the MNLF has always
been part of the negotiations. It will also take part in the development of the
Basic Law, he said.
President Aquino announced last week that the
government and the MILF was nearing the forging of a Framework Agreement on
peace aimed at ending the conflict that has spanned two generations and has
taken the lives of more than 100,000 Filipinos.
The Framework Agreement laid down the ground
work for achieving the “final and enduring peace in Mindanao" by enjoining
all stakeholders to support the implementation of the needed 'structural
reforms'," the chief executive said.
Under the Framework Agreement, a new political
entity will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and will be
named “Bangsamoro.”
After the signing of the Framework Agreement,
the President will issue an Executive Order (EO) creating a Transition
Commission that will recommend a draft bill to Congress creating the
Bangsamoro. Congress will then deliberate on the Bangsamoro Basic law,
government chief negotiator Dean Marvic Leonen said this week.
The commission will hold an all inclusive
consultations in the affected areas to know the pulse of the people in the
proposed Bangsamoro, he said.
Leonen said that the Autonomous Region in the
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will continue to exist until a new law is crafted by
Congress. PND (as/4:30pm)
