President Aquino appoints two new Career
Executive Service Board members
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed two new members to the Career Executive
Service Board (CESB), Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced on
Wednesday.
Lacierda
said the President has appointed Nieves Osorio and Charito Elegir to the CESB
replacing outgoing CESB Chair Bernardo Abesamis and former CESB member Proseso
Domingo; respectively.
Osorio,
who obtained her Master of Business Administration and Bachelor’s degree in
Statistics from the University of the Philippines-College of Business
Administration, is an experienced public executive in the fields of public
finance and energy.
She
served as the President and Chief Executive officer of the Power Sector Assets
and Liabilities Management Corporation (July 2005 to February 2007),
Undersecretary of the Department of Finance (2001-2005), Director of Budget
Bureau at the Department of Budget and Management (1988-1995), Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine National Oil Company
(1996-2001), Chief Operating Officer of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
(1995-1996), member of the faculty of the University of the Philippines (1972),
Assistant National Treasurer for the Debt Clearing Office in the Bureau of
Treasury, where she worked from 1984 to 1988.
Presently
she is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Social
Science Council. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the
Mary Johnston Hospital from 2008 and the Vice President of the Center for
Developmental Intervention Foundation, Inc. since 2007.
Elegir,
on the other hand, is no stranger with working with Philippine leaders and
within the confines of Malacañang as she was a former Deputy Head of the
Presidential Management Staff (2002-2009), Undersecretary (2003-2009),
Assistant Secretary (1998-2003), Presidential Staff Director IV (1990-1998),
Presidential Staff Director III (1980-1990), and Supervising Presidential Staff
Officer (1978-1980).
She
earned his Master of Science in Social Policy and Planning in Developing
Countries from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the
United Kingdom (1990-1991) and his Master of Arts in Economic Research/Corporate
Planning from the Center for Research and Communication (1976-1978).
She
obtained his Bachelor of Science in Commerce at the University of Santo Tomas
in 1964. PND (rck)
Aquino urges the country’s electrical engineers
to help government attain full electrification
President
Benigno S. Aquino III expressed hope that the country’s electrical engineers
can help government attain its goal of establishing full electrification in
sitios across the nation.
“Among
our objectives in government is to establish full electrification in our
sitios, and with your vigilance and support, our aspiration to empower every
Filipino citizen can be realized,” the Chief Executive said in his message to
the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines Inc. (IIEE)
on the occasion of its first Power Quality Asia Conference on Wednesday.
The
institute is holding its first Power Quality Asia Conference with the theme
“Power Quality & Energy Efficiency: A Solution to Climate Change” at the
SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. The event started on Wednesday until
Saturday (November 17).
“The
challenge of energy efficiency also comes at a time when natural disasters have
prompted a rethinking of our strategies in the management and allocation of our
resources,” the President said, adding that the event will give opportunity for
the electrical engineers to discuss the effects of climate change on the energy
industry,” noted the President.
“Our
country’s economic resurgence is complemented by your partnership, as you
develop your profession alongside the consolidation of our collective talents
towards national renewal. Through your initiatives to promote ethical
standards, facilitate the advancement of technology in your field, and sustain
academic knowledge through your continuing professional education program, you
remain a dynamic force in your field,” he continued. PND (js)
Aquino flies to Cambodia Saturday to attend 21st
ASEAN Summit
President
Benigno S. Aquino III will leave for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday to join
other leaders in attending the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) Summit and other related summits.
During
his attendance to the 21st ASEAN Summit, the President will push for increased
maritime security and cooperation, migrant workers’ protection, human rights,
and the review of the ASEAN charter, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The chief executive will also initiate moves toward a peaceful resolution to
the West Philippine Sea dispute.
The
formal summit will open Sunday and will be followed by the official launch of
the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, an Indonesian initiative
aimed at ASEAN cooperation and peace and reconciliation.
After
that, leaders will meet at the plenary session to discuss ASEAN community
building, ASEAN charter and the roadmap for the ASEAN community, updates on the
20th ASEAN Summit, master plan on ASEAN connectivity, ASEAN human rights
declaration, ASEAN external relations, international and regional developments
and other regional matters.
The ASEAN
leaders will also tackle the appointment of a new ASEAN secretary-general.
After
those events, President Aquino will participate in the signing of the Phnom
Penh statement on the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.
Representatives from the ASEAN inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights
will also attend the signing.
The
President is also joining the ASEAN leaders in meeting with the ASEAN Business
Advisory Council (ABAC).
On
Monday, the second day of the summit, President Aquino will join other ASEAN
leaders for the 15th ASEAN-Japan Summit, 15th ASEAN-Korea Summit, ASEAN plus
three Commemorative Summit, 10th ASEAN-India Summit, 15th ASEAN-China Summit,
4th ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting with US President Barack Obama.
On
Tuesday, the President will participate in the ASEAN global dialogue together
with other ASEAN leaders.
The ADB
president, the IMF managing director, the UNCTAD secretary-general, the World
Bank managing director, and the WTO director-general are expected to talk on
the role of multilateral institutions, the ASEAN, and East Asia in addressing
the present economic woes.
In the
7th East Asia Summit, the last meeting, the ASEAN leaders will meet the leaders
Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United
States, and Russia.
They will
discuss the review of the East Asia Summit cooperation, the adoption of ASEAN
declaration on anti-malarial medicine and regional and international issues.
The ASEAN
leaders will also attend the official launch of the regional comprehensive
economic partnership (RCEP) negotiation together with the leaders of Australia,
China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and New Zealand.
The RCEP
framework establishes an ASEAN-led process for engaging interested ASEAN FTA
(free trade agreement) partners and subsequently other external economic
partners.
The
President will join other leaders in attending the closing ceremony of the 21st
ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on Tuesday afternoon.
Prime
Minister Hun Sen, this year’s summit chair, will deliver a closing statement
and will lead the symbolic handover of the ASEAN chairmanship to Brunei
Darussalam for ASEAN chairmanship in 2013.
“ASEAN:
One Community, One Destiny” is the summit’s theme for this year. PND (as)
Aquino to push for diplomatic solution to the
West Philippine Sea issue during 21st ASEAN Summit
President
Benigno S. Aquino III will push for the peaceful resolution in the West
Philippine Sea hoping that leadership change in China will enhance cooperation
with the Philippines and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The
President will leave for Cambodia Saturday to attend the 21st ASEAN Summit and
other related summits, in which China is also joining as well as the US.
Raul
Hernandez, the spokesman of the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a media
briefing in Malacanang that the President may raise the West Philippine Sea
issue when he attends the plenary and retreat sessions together with other
leaders on Sunday.
“The West
Philippine Sea or the maritime security and cooperation is one of our
advocacies and it will be in this context will we push the discussion of this
issue,” Hernandez said.
While the
leadership change is a domestic activity in China, Hernandez said the
Philippines hopes that with the change, there would be a positive development
in the relationship between ASEAN and China as well as between China and the
Philippines.
“That’s
why we are also expecting that with the developments there, there would be an
onward development as far as marine security and cooperation is concerned,” he
said.
With
regards to the discussions over the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,
Hernandez said it would be one of the topics for discussion with China in the
ASEAN-China Summit.
The
initial ASEAN agreement, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties on the South
China Sea, will reach its 10th year this year, the foreign affairs official
said.
Hernandez
added that after the discussions, they expect China will commit on starting the
negotiation on the Code of Conduct for the good and stability and the peace in
the region.
Asked if
the President will push for a timeline on the drafting of this Code of Conduct
with China, Hernandez said the ASEAN is ready to negotiate with China and
already has the elements of the COC.
“We hope
that China would respond positively and immediately tackle this concern so that
we can have something binding for our issue on the West Philippine Sea,” he
said.
At the
same time, Hernandez said they expect that with the six-point principles
initiated by Indonesia, the ASEAN and China could move forward in connection
with the West Philippine Sea issue.
Foreign
ministers failed to agree on a joint communiqué on this the issue several
months ago, raising perceptions about rifts in the relationships among the
ASEAN-member countries. PND (as)
Philippines would welcome US support for
resolving West Philippine Sea issue
Any US
backing calling for the adherence to the rule of law in resolving the West
Philippine Sea dispute would be a great help for the Philippine advocacy in
resolving the dispute peacefully, a foreign affairs official said on Wednesday.
In a
media briefing in Malacanang on President Benigno Aquino III’s attendance to
the 21st ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, Foreign Affairs Spokesman Raul Hernandez
said the help of US President Barack Obama for the peaceful resolution of the
issue would be a welcome development for the ASEAN and the Philippines.
“Being
one of the dialogue partners, it would enhance the relationship between the US
and ASEAN and I think the focus is really on ASEAN and its relationship with
the United States,” Hernandez said.
“Whatever
help the dialogue partners—including the US—(can give) in trying to pursue a
peaceful settlement of issues in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with
the international law particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,
would be a great help to our advocacy,” he added.
Hernandez
said they also expect positive developments not only in the West Philippines
Sea issue but also in the East Sea, which is also a conflict area between Japan
and China.
While he
can’t tell how lengthy the discussion would be on maritime issues, the
important thing is the Philippines is focused on pointing the need for a
peaceful resolution of the disputes in accordance with international law
particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Hernandez
said.
Also
joining ASEAN leaders in the 21st ASEAN Summit are the leaders of Australia,
China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of South Korea, Russia and the
United States. PND (as)
