Sterling economic performance of the Philippines
borne from Aquino government's mandate to serve
The
sterling economic performance of the Philippines despite the global turmoil and
uncertainty is borne from a “simple truth” that if government sticks to its
mandate of wholeheartedly serving the people, any obstacle, no matter how
daunting, can be overcome.
This was the gist of President Benigno S. Aquino
III’s speech at the annual Presidential Forum of the Foreign Correspondents of
the Philippines (FOCAP) held at the Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel on
Wednesday.
“Around the world the confidence of people in
their government has plunged. The ability of societies to reach consensus has
been seriously compromised. The economies of the West have stagnated or entered
into decline, applying pressure on the East,” the President said.
“At a time of storm and stress, the Philippines
stands out: dynamic, reinvigorated, and optimistic. There is confidence borne
of success, and here you can take your pick as to how you measure this
success,” he added referring to the 6.1 percent GDP growth for the first half
of the year as well as the 46 highs of the stock market in his 27 months in
office.
“This turnaround in the Philippines is not a
miracle, and it does not require rocket science to explain. It is borne of a
simple truth, a stark commitment to the basics: that this government has a
mandate to serve, and it is public service that is the end all and be all of
government,” the President stressed.
He noted that since he assumed office, he has
dedicated the past two years, three months and 17 days to a two-fold task of
undoing the mistakes of the past and of empowering the people so that these
mistakes do not happen again.
Part of correcting that which is wrong, the
President said, included implementing reforms in the judiciary by replacing
former Chief Justice Renato Corona; building up the capabilities of our weather
bureau and law enforcement agencies; and forging a Framework Agreement towards
lasting peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
“Righting
that which is wrong naturally leads to our second task: to empower our people,
so that even as we institute reform, the present achievements will not merely
become a temporary blip, but rather the start of an enduring mainstream of
justice and progress,” the President said.
To do this, the President said that a top
priority of his administration was to end hunger because when the people’s
“daily needs are met, then our people will be empowered to insist on good governance,
to vet the actions of their leaders, and to demand performance and not promises
from those they elect to serve them.”
“They will have the tools necessary to sustain
the momentum of growth. Our people provided us with the opportunity to change
the status quo; it is our duty to empower them so that positive change will
continue even long after I am gone,” the President said.
He committed to pursue other people-investment
programs such as “through education, through healthcare, through programs that
will allow them to step through the doors of opportunity that are opening one
by one in this new chapter of our history.”
“The point of the K to12 program is to keep our
people competitive in an increasingly globalized milieu; the point of Universal
Health Care is to keep our people healthy so that they may continue to drive
our industries forward; the point of the Pantawid Pamilya Program is to enable
our people so they may lift themselves up from poverty,” the President said.
“The be all and end all of every one of our
government's programs is the people—to enhance their opportunities; to build a
national architecture that will allow them to forge tangible realities from
their own aspirations; and to empower them so that their energies are unleashed
and harnessed for the betterment of the nation. That, and not political
survival, is at the core of government,” he added.
Joining the President during the event were
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
"Sonny" Coloma, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Development and Strategic Planning
Secretary Ricky Carandang and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.
The Presidential Forum is an annual event of the
FOCAP where the President discusses key policies and answers questions on
foreign affairs, politics, the economy and social issues from the foreign media.
PND (rck)
Aquino hopeful that resuming talks with
communist rebels could seal peace pact
President
Benigno S. Aquino III said he is hopeful that his administration could revive
the peace dialogue with the communist rebels following the signing this week of
the Framework Agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
During a
forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines' (FOCAP)
in Manila Hotel on Wednesday, the President said he got the information that the
Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front
(CPP-NPA-NDF) has shown an intention to renew the peace negotiations with the
government.
Asked how
optimistic he is in resuming the peace talks with the communists, the President
said, he tends to be pessimistic in the sense of preparing for the worst and
hoping for the best.
“In this
case, I will not change. But there is some reason to believe that we're moving
forward in terms of the dialogue and the efforts that we are trying to achieve
settlement also with the CPP-NPA-NDF,” the President said.
But the
Chief Executive said he can’t mention a time table when to announce a peace
deal with the leftist movement noting that the talks will start from where it
stopped.
Peace
negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF were suspended in November last year because
of the continuing demands of the rebel to free jailed comrades they claimed
were consultants to the negotiations.
Upon
assuming office in 2010, President Aquino vowed to end all insurgencies during
his six-year term. His administration is hoping to secure a similar peace
accord with the communists.
Considered the longest running communist
rebellion in Asia, the conflict with leftist rebels resulted to the death of
tens of thousands of people in the country.
The
Aquino administration signed the Framework Agreement with the MILF on Monday,
hoping to finally put an end to the Muslim separatism that have lasted 40
years.
The
GPH-MILF Framework Agreement serves as a roadmap for the creation of a
Bangsamoro entity that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao and lays down the groundwork to achieve a lasting and genuine peace in
Mindanao. PND (as/1:42pm)
Aquino says various government agencies closely
monitoring to implement administration's initiative to dismantle private armed
groups
President
Benigno S. Aquino III said that various concerned government agencies have been
closely working to implement the administration’s initiative to dismantle
private armed groups to ensure maintaining peace and order in the country
especially during the coming election season next year.
During
the question and answer portion at the Foreign Correspondents Association of
the Philippines' (FOCAP) Forum at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday, President
Aquino assured the people of the government’s continuous efforts to disband
private militias.
The Chief
Executive said that several private armies have already been dismantled
particularly in Central Luzon and the Cordilleras since the program was
implemented.
“We've
been on a program to dismantle these private armed groups I think about less than
four months; meaning, that was the time that they actually went to an operation
to dismantle. I don't have the figures right now for how many groups have been
dismantled or how many people have been arrested,” the President said.
“But
suffice it to say that it's an ongoing effort. There's a validation of the
order of battle and I think not a week goes by without a report on specific
armed groups that have already been dismantled. A lot of them were in... I'm
talking on top of my head but the first… were both in the Cordillera and in
Central Luzon,” he added.
President
Aquino has given instructions for Interior and Local Government Secretary
Manuel Roxas II to continue the effort as the country prepares for the 2013
Mid-term elections.
It will
be recalled that human rights advocate group, Amnesty International, has called
on the government to revoke Executive Order 546, which it said allowed private
militias to operate since 2006.
The group
noted that the government must immediately prohibit and disband private armies
and paramilitary forces responsible for election-related attacks in various
areas of the country. PND (jcl/1:50 p.m.)
Aquino remains hopeful that territorial dispute
over the West Philippine Sea will be resolved amicably
President
Benigno S. Aquino III remains hopeful that the territorial dispute over the
West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) will be resolved with all parties
concerned amicably.
The
President told members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the
Philippines (FOCAP) during their annual Presidential Forum held at the
Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel on Wednesday that he hoped a solution
that would address multilateral concerns would soon be reached.
“We are
still hoping that we will resolve this amicably; that reasonable voices will
prevail; and that both sides are really geared towards arriving at a solution
that will satisfy not just the bilateral concerns but more importantly I guess
the multilateral concerns affecting this issue,” the President said.
Aside
from the Philippines, six other countries: China, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan
and Malaysia are claiming the contested area as theirs.
The
President said that legal experts on international law were studying “how to
advance our claims” on the West Philippine Sea through the International
Tribunal on the Laws of the Sea (ITLOS), an independent judicial body
established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to
adjudicate disputes arising out of the interpretation and application of the
Convention. It is composed of 21 independent members, elected from among
persons enjoying the highest reputation for fairness and integrity and of
recognized competence in the field of the law of the sea.
“In terms
of ITLOS, it is still being studied by our consultants. There are several law
firms that we are consulting, conversant and very well thought of and experts
in international law, to precisely chart the course of how we will utilize the
legal procedures in international law to advance our claims,” the President
said. PND (rck)
President Aquino says his administration is
working to provide stable, sustainable energy that will make power rates
cheaper
The
government is working to provide stable and sustainable energy and to make
power rates cheaper, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday.
The Chief
Executive reiterated his two-track policy on energy at the annual Presidential
Forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) at
the Manila Hotel on Wednesday.
"I
think I mentioned it publicly from the time I was running even for the Senate
and especially after I assumed office. There are two tracks: First, increase
the power supply everywhere but most importantly for Mindanao which has a very,
very small surplus of reserve," President Aquino said.
"After we have that adequate supply then
the feasibility of competition happening in the spot market which will bring
down the prices more reasonably becomes a reality, he said
The
administration is of the position that an increase in the number of power
producers would drive down the price of electricity.
"We're waiting for certain actions from
the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) to have the full implementation of that
competitive spot market," the President said. PND (js)
Aquino says Philippines is offering Australia a
strategic partnership
The
Philippines is offering Australia a strategic partnership similar to the
country’s arrangement with the United States and Japan, President Benigno S.
Aquino III said on Wednesday.
“We only
have two strategic partnerships—one with 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 said during the annual forum with the Foreign
Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila.
But even
without a strategic tie up, the President said, Australia has been assisting
the Philippines with the Coast Watch System that provides trainings to Filipino
soldiers conducted by the Australian military security forces.
The
system also provides scholarships for the Philippine military personnel.
Australian experts also meet with various institutions in the country, he
added.
According
to the President, the Philippine-Australia partnership is important because
both countries share the same values, form of government as well as regional
and global challenges.
“We have
been normally on the same side of issues that have confronted our respective
peoples since at least World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. We
face the same challenges be it terrorism, global climate change, relationships
with the superpower in the neighborhood,” he said.
“All of
these lead to shared values, in a sense, shared background and therefore it
promotes closer cooperation between our peoples.”
The
Philippine Senate ratified in July the Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement
(SOVFA) between the Philippines and Australia.
Legislators said the Philippines can gain from
SOVFA through military education, training, and exercise, humanitarian
activities, and other related endeavors with Australia. PND (as/2:37)
President Aquino exhorts midwives to continue
upholding the ideals of professionalism, excellence and integrity
President
Benigno S. Aquino III urged the country's midwives to continue to uphold the
ideals of professionalism, excellence and integrity as they take part in
promoting Universal Health Care through compassionate and responsible
parenting.
"A healthy citizen is a productive citizen,
eager and equipped to contribute to the shared task of nation-building. Indeed,
medical practitioners like yourselves play a significant role in sustaining an
empowered citizenry, as you respond positively to the medical needs of your
patients," the Chief Executive said in his message to the Integrated
Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP), Inc. on the occasion of its
38th Annual National Convention on Wednesday.
The IMAP opened its 38th Annual Convention on
Wednesday at the Vigan Convention Center in Vigan City. The convention would
end on October 19.
President Aquino hopes that the said convention
will create more opportunities for the midwives to strengthen their expertise
in assisting mothers during periods of pregnancy and birth, and in ensuring the
health of infants in the first months of life.
"In two years, we have made significant
strides in our country’s renewal, and we will need each and every Filipino to
build on the gains of our social reforms," he said.
In fulfillment of his administration's goal of
equitable progress, the President called on the midwives to join the government
in implementing programs to secure the people’s health and welfare. PND (js)
