Malacanang says government to continue
implementing the law to stop smuggling
Malacanang assured on Friday that the government
will continue carrying out the law to stop smuggling in the country,
particularly after Sen. Miriam Santiago expressed plans to investigate the
alleged illegal entry of used cars in Port Irene in Cagayan.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will implement the law to stop the entry of
used cars in Cagayan until the Supreme Court settles a legal dispute on an executive
order regarding the issue.
“Meron ding legal situation when it comes to
CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) dahil pending ang challenge sa EO in the
Supreme Court. So merong both sides—one side is saying, puwede; the other side
is saying, hindi puwede ipasok kasi meron pang challenge sa EO,” Valte said.
“Since meron nang Supreme Court decision on the
matter upholding that particular EO, the Bureau of Customs will act
accordingly,” she added.
The Palace official also said BOC Commissioner
Rufino Biazon still enjoys the trust and confidence of the President.
Asked about the possibility that the issue on
used cars in Cagayan will be used as a campaign issue against Sen. Juan Ponce
Enrile and his son who is vying for a Senate seat, Valte said the concern of
the Palace is to carry out the law.
“At least on the part of the Executive, ang lagi
nating concern is just the implementation of the law. And now that the Supreme
Court has settled the legal question then, the Bureau of Customs will act accordingly,”
she said.
Commenting on the impending investigation by the
Senate of the alleged used car smuggling in Cagayan, Valte said the Palace will
leave the issue to the senators to investigate.
She also assured the lawmakers that Malacanang
will cooperate in the investigation and is open to providing the Senate
information on the issue. PND (as)
Philippines working with Malaysia to resolve
Sabah standoff, Malacanang says
Filipino officials are currently coordinating
with thier Malaysian counterparts to resolve a standoff allegedly after a group
of 100 armed Filipinos from Mindanao entered an area in Sabah.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in a press briefing on Friday in Malacanang that the Philippine government
and military officials are working with their counterparts in Malaysia to
determine the situation.
“Katulad ng sinabi ng DFA, we are trying to
ascertain the facts that are attendant to the story. The Philippine Embassy in
Malaysia had already dispatched our police attaché to that particular area to
see kung ano na ‘yung nangyayari and we continue to monitor the situation,”
Valte said.
She said the Palace received information from
the Department of National Defense that the 100 Filipinos involved in the
standoff weren’t armed.
She also said the Philippine government is ready
to provide assistance to those involved in the standoff after the Philippine
Embassy in Malaysia has made a thorough assessment of the situation.
“As a general rule tungkulin ng ating pamahalaan
na tulungan… to help extend assistance to any Filipino abroad where ever they
may be. At this point, however, we would like to ascertain the facts first,”
she said.
Malaysian authorities said an armed group of 100
Filipinos claiming to be members of the royal armed forces of the Sultanate of
Sulu entered Sabah and reportedly forced villagers out of said area out. They
also demanded that they should not be expelled from the state.
The gunmen had been cornered by security forces
and Malaysian authorities are negotiating for them to leave the area
peacefully.
The Philippines has been claiming much of the
eastern part of Sabah as part of the Sultanate of Sulu that was leased to the
British North Borneo Company in 1878.
In 1963, Great Britain transferred Sabah to
Malaysia. The Sultanate of Sulu claimed that it was a violation of the Sabah
Lease of 1878. PND (as)
President Aquino inaugurates state-of-the-art
facilities of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City
President Benigno S. Aquino III formally led the
inauguration of the state-of-the art facilities of the Philippine Heart Center
(PHC) in celebration of the government hospital's 38th anniversary at East
Avenue in Quezon City on Friday.
The Chief Executive, assisted by Health
Secretary Enrique Ona unveiled the marker of the newly expanded Philippine
Heart Center Operating Room Complex. This year’s PHC anniversary theme is
“Hawak Kamay Para sa Kalusugan.”
The newly-inaugurated Hybrid Operating Room,
located on the 2nd floor of the hospital, is the most advanced operating suite
in the country to date. The facility allows the cardiovascular surgeons,
interventional cardiologists and radiologists and the cardiovascular healthcare
team to perform combined open, minimally invasive and catheter-based procedures
in the same operative setting.
The President also formally opened other
facilities namely, the dedicated Pediatric Cardiovascular Operating Room, new
General Surgery Operating Room, Endoscopic and Special Procedures Operating
Room.
The entire Operating Room Complex of the
Philippine Heart Center now includes 10 operating rooms, eight of which were
dedicated for cardiovascular surgery.
The Pediatric CV Operating Room aims to increase
the number of children that the Heart Center can treat with heart surgery. It
has only Intraoperative Transesophageal echo 3D TEE for infants, neonates,
young children and adolescents in the country.
Following the unveiling ceremony, the President
toured and inspected the hospital facilities and then proceeded to the Dr.
Avelino P. Altura Hall where he attended the anniversary's program.
The Philippine Heart Center had earlier launched
three top-of-line cath labs and life support training programs that have earned
for the government's hospital the status of an internationally certified life
support training center.
As a beneficiary of President Aquino's Kalusugan
Pangkalahatan Program also known as Universal Health Program, the PHC became
the first hospital to have a Hybrid Operating Room that is equipped with
built-in robotic imaging systems for advanced cardiovascular procedures.
For his part, Dr. Gerardo "Gerry" S.
Manzo, PHC Assistant Director Medical Services and Chief Medical Officer said
other facility improvements of the hospital have recently been completed,
including the total renovation of the original Presidential Suite, a Wellness
Clinic to take care of outpatient check-up services, and a new Children's Ward.
The PHC is also currently constructing 38 new
"garden villa-type" rooms on the roof deck of the hospital and a
hospital cafeteria to better cater to the dinning needs of PHC staff, patients
and visitors.
It will soon start constructing the 3rd level at
the PHC Annex intended for the expansion of the Service/PhilHealth Wards, the
renal and metabolic dialysis unit, a 'one-stop shop' cardiovascular diagnostic
area and also a new separate parking building.
The PHC is the first hospital in the Philippines
to be chosen as pilot organization of the Qmentum Program of Accreditation
Canada International recognizing that the PHC Quality of healthcare is at the
level of international best practices. It is the first hospital in Asia and
second to the world to use the Philips HealWell lighting system that programs
the circadian rhythm in patients' room to promote healing.
Present during the event were House Speaker
Feliciano Belmonte, Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona, PHC Executive Director Dr.
Manuel T. Chua Chiaco Jr., Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, among others.
PND (js)
President Aquino assures establishment of more
heart centers in various provinces in support of administration’s goal of
securing people’s health and welfare
President Benigno S. Aquino III assured that
more heart centers will be established in various provinces in the country in
fulfillment of his administration's goal of securing the people’s health and
welfare.
In his speech during the 38th anniversary of the
Philippine Heart Center (PHC) on East Avenue, Quezon City on Friday, the Chief
Executive said that the government is allocating funds for the establishment of
heart centers in a bid to provide better health treatment for the people
suffering from heart illness.
"Natatanaw na rin po natin ang araw kung
saan hindi na kailangang lumuwas ng Maynila ang ating mga kababayan para
ipatingin ang kanilang karamdaman sa puso. Sa kasalukuyan po, mayroon na tayong
dalawang operational heart centers sa labas ng Maynila --- ang Southern
Philippines Medical Center sa Lungsod ng Davao, at ang Vicente Sotto Medical
Center sa Lungsod naman ng Cebu," the President said.
"Sa ilalim ng ating PPP Projects,
inihahanda na rin ang dagdag pang heart centers sa mga lungsod ng Cabanatuan,
Legazpi, Bacolod, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, at San Fernando sa La Union,"
he said.
The President said the establishment of heart
centers and facilities across the country would greatly help in lessening the
burden for medical expenses especially of the less fortunate Filipinos who have
heart ailments.
"Ang nais po nating idiin dito ---ang lunas
sa mga malulubhang sakit ay hindi lamang para sa maykaya sa buhay, mas lalong
dapat itong inilalapit sa mga gipit at kapos sa buhay," the President
stressed.
The government, through the Department of
Health, is pursuing reforms dubbed as Kalusugan Pangkalahatan Program which
focuses on the health needs of the poor and the marginalized.
"Isa pa po sa ating mga inisyatiba ---ang
pagpapalawak ng ating PhilHealth wards dito sa Heart Center. Gamit po ang
isandaang milyong pisong pondo ng DOH, ang dating tatlumpung kamang nakalaan
para sa mga nakatatanda, at ang lalabindalawang kama naman para sa kabataan, ay
dodoblehin natin para umabot sa isandaang kama. Ang target natin ay makahiga na
nang mas maginhawa ang mas maraming pasyente dito bago matapos ang 2013,"
he said.
The President also commended the unshakable
commitment of the Philippine Heart Center in accelerating their efforts to
provide better health services to the public.
"Nalulugod din po tayo sa pagtutulungan ng
Heart Center at ng PhilHealth para palawigin ang sakop ng PhilHealth benefits.
Hindi po magtatagal, hindi na lang catastrophic diseases tulad ng breast
cancer, prostate cancer, at acute leukemia ang libreng maipapagamot sa
pamamagitan ng No Balance Billing Policy; isasama na rin sa listahan ang
coronary bypass o bara sa ugat ng puso," he said. PND (js)
