President Aquino creates Inter-Agency Committee on Institutional
Arrangements for Land Management Rural Development
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has created an Inter-Agency Committee on Institutional
Arrangements for Land Management Rural Development to facilitate the
implementation of reforms in a bid to speed up the development of the country’s
rural sector.
The Chief
Executive issued the directive by virtue of Administrative Order (AO) No. 34
signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on November 22.
President
Aquino said the alleviation of poverty in the country, particularly in rural
areas where most of the indigents and marginalized sectors of society reside,
is a priority concern of government.
"The
national government agencies presently involved in rural development need to
streamline their efforts in the delivery of support services in the countryside
to speed up the development of the Philippine rural sector and to review their
functions with the end view of simplifying protocols and procedures to optimize
the use of government resources," President Aquino noted.
"Pursuant to Republic Act (R.A.) No.
9700, the implementation of the land acquisition and distribution component of
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) is to be completed by 30 June
2014," he said.
The
President said the delivery of support services, agrarian reform beneficiary
development, and the smooth transfer of the mandate of the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) to the Department of Agriculture (DA) are continuing
concerns of the government to ensure that the gains of land distribution under
the CARP are sustained.
"There is a need to create a committee to
undertake a study on the institutional arrangements that will ensure the
continuity and streamlining of land distribution and management, the delivery
of agricultural support services, and the resulting reorganization and
rationalization of concerned government agencies," he said.
The
Committee shall facilitate the implementation of reforms in the institutional
arrangements for land distribution, management, and delivery of support
services to farmers and fisher folk as a means of enhancing the development
efforts of government for the rural sector, the President said.
The
Committee shall be composed of the Director-General of the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA) as chairperson and the Secretaries of the
Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Justice, Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) and Administrator and Land Registration Authority as
members.
"The
Chairperson may invite other members to the Committee as the circumstances and
exigencies may require. Specifically, the Development Academy of the
Philippines (DAP) and the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) are enjoined to
provide their full support and assistance to the Committee in the study and
crafting of the reorganization and rationalization plans as may be called for
to effect the institutional arrangements and transition," President Aquino
said.
President
Aquino enjoined the Cabinet Cluster on Economic Development and the NEDA Board
to review, study, and endorse the results of the study as well as the executive
issuances and legislative measures that may be formulated.
The
Committee shall also constitute a Technical Working Group (TWG) and a
Secretariat, through a Joint Special Order, to provide technical and
administrative support to the Committee, he said.
The
Committee shall conduct a study on the continuity of land distribution and
management as well as provision of support services for the agriculture and
fisheries sectors.
"The
members of the Committee are hereby authorized to charge against their current
appropriations such amounts as may be necessary for the implementation of this
Order, subject to the usual government and accounting and auditing rules and
regulations," the President said.
"Additional funds may be allocated,
subject to the approval of the President through the General Appropriations Act
(GAA)," he said.
The
Committee shall, within six (6) months from the time this administrative order
takes effect submit a report to the President on its implementation. The
Committee shall submit quarterly reports to the President on its activities and
accomplishments.
The AO 34
shall take effect after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
PND (js)
Aquino leads conferment of 15th Quality Award in
Malacanang; appeals to private donors to assist typhoon victims
President Benigno S. Aquino III led the
conferment Wednesday of the 15th Philippine Quality Award (PQA) given to
several organizations and appealed to the awardees to help those in need after
the devastation wrought by Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao.
The
awarding ceremony, held to honor organizations that excelled in managing
people, was held at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang.
In his
message during the awarding ceremony, the President said his administration has
asked the assistance of the private sector to help the government in its relief
and rehabilitation of typhoon-damaged areas.
“The
awardees we have here today are being recognized for their excellence, and I
know you will find it in your hearts to help those who were affected. After
all, right now, there can be no truer measure of excellence than your
willingness to act as good corporate citizens and truly help our people,” the
President said.
“This is
a time when we are reminded just how important it is to improve our capacities.
Whether there’s an emergency or not, it is always vital to recognize those who
have not wavered on the path to self-improvement, and that is precisely why we
are here today,” he added.
Private
companies can provide helicopters, trucks and other equipment in the region to
meet the government’s transportation needs for relief and reconstruction
operations, the President said.
The
President also praised the recipients of the award, citing their significant
contributions to the country. And as long as private companies, the government,
and the Filipino people continue to work for self-improvement, they will
weather any challenge and will become globally competitive, he said.
Among the
awardees include Don Bosco Technical College, Lyceum of the Philippines,
University Batangas Inc., Optodev Inc. and Thompson Reuters Corp. Pte. Ltd
Philippines branch. They received the Recognition of Commitment to Quality
Management.
Another
awardee, the San Miguel Yamamura Asia Corp. (SMYAC), received the Recognition
for Proficiency in Quality Management.
Proficiency in Quality Management is given to
companies that carried out quality productivity management principles and
significant processes in building sound practices.
Commitment to Quality Management award, on the
other hand, is given to organizations that have shown serious commitment to
achieve quality excellence.
The
Philippine Quality Award is the country’s counterpart of the prestigious
Baldrige Award in the US. About 77 countries around the world have already
established a similar quality award system in response to the growing global
competition among organizations.
Established in 1997 through Executive Order
448, the Philippine Quality Award was institutionalized under Republic Act 9013
or the Philippine Quality Award Act on February 2001.
The
Philippine Quality Award sets the standard of excellence to help Philippine
organizations achieve world-class performance. The Department of Trade and
Industry is the PQA’s award manager.
The
awardees are expected to share their exceptional management practices as
benchmarks so that other organizations achieve similar feat. PND (as)
President Aquino receives Board of Directors of
leading provider of Outsourcing and Transformation services in America
President Benigno S. Aquino III received the
Board of Directors of EXL, a leading provider of Transformation and Outsourcing
services, as part of the government's efforts to further the growth of the
business process outsourcing industry.
EXL Board
of Directors Clyde Ostler, Mohanbir Sawhney, Vikram Talwar, Garen Staglin,
Rohit Kapoor, David Kelso and Kiran Karnik paid a courtesy call on Wednesday at
the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace.
Trade and
Industry Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio joined President Aquino in welcoming
the EXL Board of Directors. During the courtesy call, the EXL officials
expressed appreciation to the Chief Executive for giving them time despite his
busy schedule.
Panlilio
discussed with the EXL officials about the government's initiatives to improve
the country's business climate to attract more foreign investors.
EXL is a
leading provider of outsourcing and transformation services to Global 1000
companies. EXL's services are structured around insurance, banking, financial
services, utilities, transportation and travel industries
EXL is a
U.S. company that has been in operations since 1999. EXL headquarters are based
in New York City and operates over 20 state-of-the-art delivery centers in
India, , US, Czech Republic, Romania, Malaysia and Bulgaria with sales offices
in New York, New Jersey, London, and the Philippines. PND (js)
Philippine military working with Indonesian
authorities in search for missing typhoon victims at sea
The Philippine military has coordinated with the
Indonesian authorities for assistance in the ongoing maritime search and rescue
operations following the devastation brought about by Typhoon Pablo in
Mindanao.
Philippine Navy’s Capt. Robert Empedrad, the
commander of the joint task force for maritime search and rescue, said that
they have been working with Indonesian authorities hoping that Filipinos lost
at sea during the height of the typhoon could still be saved.
“The good
news is that we also coordinated with the Indonesians because when we assessed
the situation there is a possibility that some of our missing fishermen drifted
to the Indonesian waters,” Empedrad said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
“We
requested the government of Indonesia to send ships also and they sent one ship
in the area where (there is) a possibility that the fishermen who were lost may
be located in the south of Central Mindanao—down Balut Island,” he added.
The navy
assumed that the missing individuals may have drifted 100 nautical miles east
of Bislig Island, he said noting that based on the navy’s assessment they could
have reached Indonesian waters because of the prevailing wind condition in the
northeast.
The
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said there are 313
missing fishermen based on its latest count. The navy has so far able to
recover 35 bodies from sea, Empedrad said.
The navy
isn’t losing hope in finding survivors because fishermen with enough supply of
food and water could survive at sea for several days, he said.
The
NDRRMC said there are a total of 890 missing as a result of the typhoon. And as
of Wednesday morning, the death toll was pegged at 740, expecting the figure to
rise considering the number of the missing persons.
Lt. Gen.
George Segovia of the Eastern Mindanao Command said the biggest challenge that
the current search and rescue operation is facing is the magnitude of the
disaster.
“The
magnitude of the disaster is a challenge in itself. Reaching people in remote
areas had been quite difficult but we were able to do that using our air
assets. For our aerial capability, the weather continues to be a challenge
because, especially in the afternoons, the low cloud ceiling prevents our
helicopters from flying over these areas,” Segovia said during the same press
briefing in Malacanang.
President
Benigno S. Aquino III has recently designated Segovia to oversee the overall
search and rescue operations following the onslaught of Typhoon Pablo.
The
President ordered a wide-scale search operation, to account for all of the
missing and return them to their families.
President
Aquino visited the devastated areas last week, particularly Compostela Valley
and Davao Oriental. He also coordinated efforts for effective relief and
reconstruction efforts. PND (as)
