Coloma leads inauguration of National Printing
Office operations for the printing of Automated Official Ballots
Preparations for the holding of the 2013
national and local midterm elections is now in full swing with the formal opening
of the National Printing Office's operations for the printing of Automated
Official Ballots.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma, Jr. joined NPO Director Emmanuel Andaya and
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) chair Sixto Brillantes in ceremonies marking
the start of the national government's official printing press to print out 52
million ballots in the next three months for the elections that will be held in
May 2013.
The
ribbon cutting and blessing ceremonies were held at the NPO headquarter's
basement area along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City.
In his
remarks, Coloma lauded the partnership between the Comelec and the NPO for
ensuring the conduct of honest, safe and credible elections through the
construction and development of this “world class printing facility” of
automated ballots and other government forms which he said could stand up to
any public scrutiny as this was conducted in an “open, transparent and
accountable manner.”
He called
on partners such as the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting led by
its Chair Henrietta De Villa and members of media to join this partnership to
ensure this year's election remain free and credible.
“We look
forward in having a very fruitful partnership with all of you para tiyakin
natin na ang darating na eleksyon sa Mayo 2013 ay magiging credible, honest at
katanggap-tangaap sa ating mamayang Filipino,” Coloma said.
In his
welcome remarks, Andaya touted the NPO's automated ballot printing office as
the agency's share in the conduct of credible elections.
“Today,
we want to tell the Filipino people that the National Printing Office will
contribute its major share in the conduct of credible elections. We have
prepared well for the printing of the ballots for 2013,” Andaya said.
For his
part, Brillantes called the formal opening of the automated ballot printing
office as the “commencement of our electoral processes.”
The
National Printing Office was established in 1987 by then President Corazon
Aquino by virtue of the signing of Executive Order 285. This executive order
abolished the General Services Administration and merged the Government
Printing Offices with the printing offices of the Philippine Information Agency
to form what we now know as the National Printing Office. This office was then
put under the Office of the Press Secretary. Since then it has since been the
agency tasked with the printing of various government forms and documents
including official ballots and public information materials.
The
automated ballot printing office was constructed at a cost of P30-million
sourced from the NPO's own budget for the development of infrastructure
improvements to the basement area of the NPO and P780-million from the lease and
printing contract entered into by the NPO, Holy Family Inc., and Canon
Marketing for the use and possible purchase of three Canon Color Stream series
printers, the most advanced printing machine in the world, according to NPO
Assistant Director Raul Nagrampa.
Nagrampa
said that once fully operational, the printers will be able to churn out one
million ballots a day under an 18-hour a day work schedule run by highly
trained NPO and Comelec staff. PND (rck)
President Aquino receives Daly City Mayor Raymond Buenaventura of San
Mateo County, California
President
Benigno S. Aquino III received Mayor Raymond "Ray" Buenaventura of
Daly City, California, United States in Malacanang Palace on Wednesday.
Buenaventura,
of Filipino descent, was accompanied by Consul-General Marciano Paynor Jr., of
San Francisco, USA, during his courtesy call held at the Music Room of
Malacanang Palace.
Also in
attendance were Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, Foreign Affairs Chief Coordinator Cecilia
Rebong and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta.
During
the meeting, Buenaventura expressed his firm belief and confidence in the
Aquino administration. He told the Chief Executive that he was honored to meet
him and look forward to a good relationship between the Philippine government
and the Daly City.
Elected
mayor of Daly City in December, 2012, Buenaventura oversees the largest city in
San Mateo County with a population of over 102,000. Daly City has one of the
highest concentrations of Filipino migrants in the US.
He
remains committed to work to address the diverse and changing needs of
residents, businesses and employees in the city of Daly.
His five
guiding principles in setting priorities include facilitating community
building and civic engagement, promoting an aesthetic community environment,
enhancing the quality of life for residents, creating a healthy citizens and
healthy community opportunities, and fostering economic vitality and financial
sustainability.
Previously, Buenaventura served as vice mayor
of Daly City for one year in December, 2011, after having been appointed
councilman to fill in a vacant seat due to a resignation in April of that same
year.
Prior to
his appointment as a councilman, Buenaventura was a Commissioner on the Library
Board of Trustees for Daly City.
He is an
attorney licensed to practice law in California and Washington D.C and a
certified specialist in Criminal Law. He served as a Commissioner on the
California State Bar Advisory Commission on Criminal Law.
In
addition, Buenaventura worked as professor at Lincoln Law School in San Jose
where he taught Election Law and Evidence. He held several positions in several
organizations in the past years. PND (js)
President Aquino receives World Maritime University President Dr. Björn
Kjerfve
President
Benigno S. Aquino III received World Maritime University (WMU) President Dr.
Björn Kjerfve in Malacanang Palace on Wednesday.
Dr. Kjerfve, who has dual United States and
Swedish nationality, paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive at the Music
Room of the Malacanang Palace. Also in attendance were Transportation and
Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and lawyer Nicasio Conti,
Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority.
Dr. Kjerfve was appointed as President of the
WMU in Sweden in 2009. He was the former Dean of the College of Geosciences and
professor of Oceanography at Texas A&M University from 2004 to 2009.
While at Texas A&M, he oversaw four academic
departments, the Texas Sea Grant Program, and the Integrated Ocean Drilling
Program, including the 475 ocean sciences drilling vessel, D/V JOIDES
Resolution.
Kjerfve was previously Professor of Marine and
Geological Sciences at the University of South Carolina (1973-2004) and served
as the Director of the Marine Science Program (2000-2004). He received Ph.D.,
M.S., and B.A. degrees from Louisiana State University (Marine Sciences),
University of Washington (Oceanography), and Georgia Southern University
(Mathematics), respectively.
Professor Kjerfve’s expertise is coastal and
estuarine physical oceanography. He has published some 12 books and 250
scientific journal papers, book chapters, and reports; has supervised 14 Ph.D.
dissertations and 24 M.S. theses, and taught more than 6,000 oceanography
students.
His research includes problem-solving in
estuarine and coastal waters as well as climate change. Dr. Kjerfve was elected
as a corresponding member of the Academia Brasileira de Ciências, the Brazilian
Academy of Sciences in 2012. PND (js)
US Congressmen support the country's West
Philippine Sea position
A US
congressional delegation supported the position of the Philippines to bring the
West Philippine Sea dispute to the United Nations arbitral tribunal to resolve
the issue peacefully, a Palace official said on Wednesday.
The US
delegation headed by Rep. Ed Royce of California met President Benigno S.
Aquino III in a courtesy call in Malacanang Wednesday morning.
Congressman Royce was joined by
Representatives Tom Marino of Pennsylvania, Vernon Buchanan of Florida, Matt
Salmon of Arizona, and Eliot Engel of the 16th District of New York.
“The US
delegation supported the position of the President in bringing the dispute to
the UN arbitral tribunal, consistent with our policy of maintaining a peaceful
resolution to the West Philippine Sea dispute,” Presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said in a press conference on Wednesday in Malacanang.
Also, the
President explained the Philippine’s position why it had to bring the issue to
the arbitral tribunal, Lacierda said.
Aside
from discussing the West Philippine Sea issue, the President also mentioned the
Philippine economy to the visiting US delegation, particularly the country’s
strong stock market.
The
American delegation was very bullish about the economy, Lacierda said, adding
Congressman Buchanan of Florida mentioned that the Philippines should have more
business and investment opportunities to explore.
The
President thanked the American congressmen especially Congressman Ed Royce for
co-sponsoring the Save Our Industries Act or the SAVE Act.
Also on
Wednesday, the President received Daly City Mayor Raymond Buenaventura in a
courtesy call. The President shared to Mayor Buenaventura the reforms that the
administration has undertaken, Lacierda said.
“Overall,
we had a very good courtesy call by these two delegations. We look forward to
deeper business relations and the opening up of more economic opportunities
between the US and the Philippines,” Lacierda said. PND (as)
Govt buying modern fighter jets for training,
disaster response, Palace says
The
Philippines is buying 12 fighter jets from South Korea primarily for training,
interdiction, disaster response, Malacanang said on Wednesday.
The
Department of Defense announced on Wednesday that the Philippines is purchasing
combat aircraft from South Korea as part of its modernization program.
“We are
buying. I confirmed it with Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. They are primarily for
training, interdiction, disaster response. These planes have camera
capabilities to monitor and also take pictures of disaster areas. So it will be
used in a number of ways,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a
press conference in Malacanang on Wednesday.
The new
planes will be deployed whenever it is necessary, he added.
“If there
is a disaster, it will be deployed to monitor and see the extent of damage, for
instance, in a disaster area. It will be deployed whenever there’s a need for
these planes to be deployed,” he explained.
The
military hardware upgrade is already a priority even before the country’s
latest incident with China, Lacierda said, noting the dispute wasn’t an issue
when the government decided to upgrade its military hardware.
The
government is modernizing the country’s military air assets after the air force
decommissioned its fighter jets, Lacierda said.
“We don’t
have any existing jets right now that are in use, therefore, it is necessary
for us to upgrade based on our commitment to upgrade our military hardware and
this is part of the ongoing process of modernizing our military,” he said.
The Armed
Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act has been a priority for the
administration, he said, noting that the plan to buy new fighter aircrafts is
part of the modernization program. PND (as)
Palace: Govt on top of peace and order situation in the Metro
Malacanang made an assurance Wednesday that
the government is responding well to the spate of crimes happening in the
metropolis.
In a
press briefing in Malacanang, President spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is on of the situation
with regards to government’s response to criminality.
“The DILG
is on top of it. Secretary Manuel Roxas is on top of it. He knows the
situation. He gets daily reports on the criminal activities or apprehensions done
by the PNP. So I’m certain that Secretary Mar Roxas is talking to PNP chief
Alan Purisima with respect to these matters, Lacierda told reporters when asked
about the attacks happening in Metro Manila.
He said
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Director Leonardo
Espina is following up the SM Megamall robbery.
“There
are things being done right now to determine and identify and to apprehend
these lawless elements,” he said.
Asked if
the Palace is alarmed by these criminal activities, Lacierda said: “We are
looking at the overall picture. It just so happened that there’s a number of
highlighted crimes reported. So we’re looking at the overall picture of the
criminal activity in Metro Manila.”
The
Palace expects Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas to make a
report on the actions being undertaken by the police, he said.
The
President also has trust and confidence on Philippine National Police chief
Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima, Lacierda said although he assumed office just a few
months ago. PND (as)
President Aquino to keynote Global Anti-Corruption Conference
Thursday
President
Benigno S. Aquino III will keynote the 5th Global Conference of
Parliamentarians Against Corruption that will be holding its opening ceremony
at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday.
The
Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) is an
international network of parliamentarians dedicated to achieving good
governance and combating corruption throughout the world. Since its inception,
GOPAC has provided information and analysis, established international
benchmarks, and improved public awareness through a combination of global
pressure and national action.
From
January 30 to February 2, the Philippines will play host to almost 500
delegates consisting of parliamentarians, concerned government representatives
and passionate civil society individuals from 78 countries across the globe in
their quest to connect, educate and absorb how legislature can fight
corruption.
The GOPAC
Global Conference is a biennial event that brings together leaders, members,
prospective members, stakeholders and funders to further inspire, educate and
equip GOPAC Chapters and its individual members in the ongoing fight against
corruption. The conference is a multi-day event that includes workshops as well
as meetings to assess progress and explore new topics of common concern.
This
year's theme is: "Good Leaders, Good Laws, Good Citizens."
Joining
the President will be Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator and GOPAC Vice
Chairman Edgardo Angara, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, GOPAC Chairman
Naser Al Sane, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., GOPAC CEO John Williams,
Pasay City Mayor Antonino G. Calixto, Pasay City Representative Imelda Calixto
Rubiano, and PICC General Manager Renato B. Padilla. PND (rck)
