Palace invites public to join 27th anniversary
celebration of EDSA revolt on Monday
Malacanang is inviting the Filipino public to
join the 27th anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution on
Monday in EDSA in Quezon City considering its significance to the nation’s
history.
“Nananawagan tayo at iniimbitahan natin ang ating
mga mamamayan na dumalo, lumahok at makiisa sa pagdiriwang natin ng
ika-dalawampu’t-pitong anibersaryo ng EDSA People Power Revolution na may
temang, “Pilipinas Natin, Abot Tanaw Na,” Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Hermino Coloma Jr. said in an interview Saturday
over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Monday’s event is important because it will
raise awareness on the historic event that happened several decades ago when
the Filipino people fought and ousted a tyrannical regime, Coloma said.
The celebration will have greater significance
especially to young Filipinos who didn’t see and experience the people’s
bloodless fight against the Marcos dictatorship.
Filipinos launched a civil disobedience movement
to boycott institutions connected to the Marcoses following a failed snap
election in February 1986, Coloma explained. The move culminated to the EDSA
People Power revolt in that year.
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the
anniversary celebration at the People Power Monument in EDSA. The President
will join the flag-raising ceremony and after that he will sign the Human
Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013.
The landmark legislation is the state’s official
recognition of the atrocities committed by the Marcos administration against
its own people.
Part of Monday’s event is opening the Malacanang
grounds to young people for story-telling and sports events to impart Filipino
values to the country’s youth.
“Bubuksan ang pintuan ng Malacanang Palace doon
sa area ng Kalayaan Hall, para maranasan naman ng ating mga mamamayan,
lalung-lalo na ng mga kabataan kung paano ‘yung nasa loob mismo ng Malacanang
Palace,” Coloma said.
“Ito ay lalahukan ng mga youth leaders at ang
karamihan sa mga dadalo doon at pupunta sa open house ay mga kabataan. Kaya rin
naman idineklarang walang pasok para himukin natin ang marami sa mga kabataang
nag-aaral pa na kunin din ‘yung pagkakataon na magpunta sa Malacanang at sa
Kalayaan grounds.”
Children from different orphanages will join the
event at the Palace. There will be story-telling and children are also expected
to participate in traditional Filipino games like piko, patintero and tumbang
preso, according to Coloma. Youth leaders will also deliver their messages.
“Tatak EDSA: Salo-Salubungang Pambata” is the
theme of the Palace’s afternoon event for children. PND (as)
Coloma leaves for France to attend World Summit
on Information
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said he is leaving for Paris, France to join the
World Summit on Information this Sunday.
“Actually, magkatono itong tema ng EDSA at ‘yung
dadaluhan natin sapagkat ‘yung United Nations sa pamamagitan ng UNESCO o United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, ten years ago,
naglunsad ng tinatawag na Knowledge Society,” Coloma said in a radio interview
over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.
“Kaya ang idaraos sa Paris sa darating na
Linggo, kasabay nung ating EDSA celebration ay ‘yung World Summit on the
Information Society Plus Ten. Ibig sabihin, ten years after,” he added.
The concept of UNESCO’s Knowledge Society is
anchored on a free society having free-flowing knowledge and information,
freedom of the press and freedom of expression in addition to other freedoms to
raise people’s awareness.
The event in Paris is related to the 27th
anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution because it deals
with rights and freedom that Filipinos fought for a few decades ago, Coloma
said.
“Ganoon din naman ‘yung pinagdiriwang natin sa
EDSA, kung maaalala natin, noong panahon ng Martial Law, ay nabalam ang
paggamit ng kalayaan sa pamamahayag, ‘yung kalayaan ng pagtitipon-tipon, ‘yung
freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression ay hindi
naramdaman at hindi naganap sapagkat tinitigil ito ng batas-militar,” Coloma
explained.
“At noon namang nagtagumpay ang EDSA People
Power Revolution, muling naging laganap ang paggamit ng mga kalayaang ito, kaya
nga’t sa buong rehiyon ng Asya, masasabi natin at maipagmamalaki natin na sa
Pilipinas, pinakamasigla, pinakamalusog, pinakalaganap ang kalayaan sa
pamamahayag,” he added.
Coloma said he will highlight the country’s EDSA
revolt anniversary when he joins the World Summit on the Information Society in
France this weekend.
He said he will report to the members of the United
Nations the progress of the Philippine’s push for media and information
literacy, which is the country’s task in UNESCO.
The Philippines is the lead country in
disseminating media and information literacy, he said adding it is a fitting
recognition because of the state of press freedom in the Philippines. PND (as)
Aquino renews commitment to peace talks with
communists
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his
strong resolve to move the peace process with the communist rebels following a
meeting with Norwegian facilitators in Malacanang on Friday.
The President received the members of the Royal
Norwegian government as well as the team of facilitators in a courtesy call at
the Palace, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saturday in a
radio interview over government-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“The President spoke about his resolve to move
the peace process forward. Alam naman natin na medyo naaantala ng kaunti ang
peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New
People’s Army-National Democratic Front),” Valte said.
“Maganda naman ang pagtanggap ng mga
facilitators at positive ang kanilang response. The facilitators expressed that
they felt that now is a good time to move the peace process forward,” she added.
Government peace panel chair Alexander Padilla
said in a forum this week that the public must “guard and support” the peace
negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Despite the challenges in the peace talks with
the communists, Padilla said the government remains optimistic that a final
negotiated political settlement will be completed and implemented during the
term of President Aquino.
One of the contentious issues is the Joint
Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) as the insurgents insist
for the release of political prisoners who they claim work as
"consultants."
JASIG allows negotiators or consultants to
freely discuss and move without the threat of being arrested.
It remains the biggest challenge in the talks,
Padilla said. The NDF claims that these political prisoners arrested by
government security forces are covered by the JASIG.
However, Padilla noted that despite predicaments
the “government stands committed” to the peace talks.
Despite the hurdles, Padilla said he believed
that “the parties will forge peace when time comes.” Both panels will come to
an agreement because there is no other choice, he added. PND (as)
President Aquino signs law addressing election
concerns of PWDs, Senior Citizens
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed last week
Republic Act 10366, “An Act Authorizing the Commission on Elections to
Establish Precincts Assigned to Accessible Polling Places Exclusively for Persons
with Disabilities and Senior Citizens,” the Palace announced on Saturday.
The law, that addresses the concerns of Persons
with Disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizen advocates, was signed by the
President February 15, deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a
radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.
“Ang batas na ito will now require the
registration, a record of Persons with Disabilities and senior citizens sa
Comelec para malaman kung ano ang mga disability, kung may kailangang
assistance para sa kanilang pagboto dahil kahit naman PWD at senior citizen
sila, kailangang matulungan natin sila especially when it comes to voting,”
Valte said.
The new law also mandates the establishment of
separate polling precints intended only for PWDs and senior citizens, she said.
These voting centers must have assistive devices and personnel that will assist
PWDs and senior citizens.
“Dapat ang ating balota merong reasonable
accommodations for persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” she said.
“Siyempre kasama din dito ‘yung assistance in the accomplishment of the
ballots.”
The PWDs and senior citizens will be assisted in
filling the ballot by their relatives, either relative by consanguinity or
affinity, within the fourth civil degree, or by the Board of Election
Inspectors (BEI).
The law also requires a sensitivity training
program by the Comelec for those who will perform electoral duties including
field officers, members of the BEI and accredited citizens' arms to familiarize
themselves with the needs of PWDs and senior citizens.
On Friday, the President joined the 40th
anniversary of the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan Inc. in Cainta, Rizal vowing
continuous government support for PWDs in the country. The President also
witnessed the awarding ceremony for PWD achievers during the event. PND (as)
