ES Ochoa: Reforms in gov't to preserve gains of
EDSA People Power
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on
Sunday assured the Filipino people that the government under the leadership of
President Benigno S. Aquino III will continue to pursue reforms in order to
preserve the gains of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Ochoa, who heads the EDSA People Power
Commission (EPPC), said this year’s theme “Pilipinas Natin: Abot-Tanaw Na!” for
the 27th anniversary of the bloodless uprising captures the core of the
nation’s aspirations, which the President is working on to achieve.
“Under President Benigno S. Aquino III, we are
building the foundation to attain these aspirations,” the Executive Secretary
said, as he noted that the administration has made significant strides to
restore confidence in the economy, guarantee food security and establish a just
and lasting peace.
Ochoa, however, said Filipinos must continue to
stand together because the fight is not yet over
“While our people today enjoy the rights and
freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution, there are still freedoms we must
continue to fight for: freedom from poverty, freedom from hunger, freedom from
want,” Ochoa said.
“These are the freedoms we continue to work
for,” he added, “And we encourage our people to stay the course and work
together to realize the hopes and dreams of all those who went to EDSA 27 years
ago.”
According to Ochoa, he hopes that this year’s
commemoration of the 1986 bloodless revolution, which has inspired peaceful
democratic uprisings in other parts of the world, will renew the Filipino
people’s desire for change and strengthen their resolve to continue to stay on
the path of reform. PND
Malacanang says holiday to commemorate the 27th
Anniversary of EDSA People Power applies to students, teachers, and
non-teaching personnel based in schools
Aside from students, teaching and non-teaching
personnel who are based in schools in the country will also enjoy the privilege
of an additional holiday on Monday (February 25) commemorating the 27th EDSA
People Power Anniversary, Malacanang clarified on Sunday.
In an interview aired over government-run radio
station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
announced this clarification in response to the numerous queries about the
inclusion of teachers and staff under said the holiday declaration.
She said Education Secretary Armin Luistro made
the clarification during a meeting she held with Luistro this morning.
“Tapos, ang may pasok lang po sa mga DepEd
personnel ay kung doon po kayo naka-assign sa division, sa central, at sa
regional offices kasi hindi naman po kayo sa eskwelahan naka-assign. So kayo po
may trabaho po kayo, pero ‘yung teaching and non-teaching personnel na sa
eskwelahan po mismo naka-assign, kasama po kayo sa walang pasok. ‘Yun po ang
linawin natin,” she added.
The commemoration of the 27th EDSA People Power
Anniversary is included under Proclamation No. 459 signed by President Benigno
S. Aquino III last August 16, 2012 declaring regular holidays, special
non-working holidays and special holiday for schools for the year 2013. PND
(rck)
Malacanang hopeful that standoff in Sabah would
end soon
Malacañang expressed hope on Sunday that the
ongoing standoff in Sabah will be resolved soon, at least before the May
elections, as the government continues to find ways to settle the issue without
putting its good relations with the Malaysian government at risk.
Echoing President Benigno S. Aquino III’s recent
statement, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government
has already formed a team to look at the historical and legal context of the
Philippines’ claim on Sabah.
Formerly known as North Borneo prior to the
formation of the Malaysian federation in 1963, Sabah was being claimed by the
Philippines through the Sultanate of Sulu led by Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and
his family.
Such territorial claim, however, remained
dormant for years until Kiram recently made headlines when he sent over 200
members of the royal army in Sabah’s Lahad Datu city ostensibly to reclaim what
they believe is their ancestral land.
In an interview over government-run radio
station dzRB, Radyo ng Bayan, Valte said that while this issue generated
interest over what happened to our country’s claim on Sabah, the Aquino
administration has been working quietly with the Malaysian government and the
Kiram family to resolve the standoff peacefully.
“As the President mentioned a few days ago,
there is a team looking at the historical and legal context of the Sabah claim,
and it will have to be dealt with separately at the proper time and under the
correct conditions. I mean, in a way that it can uphold our national interest
but also, on one hand, will not jeopardize the good relations that we have with
our neighbor," Valte explained.
Emissaries have indeed been sent by the
government to coordinate matters with the Malaysian government and the Kiram
family but Malacañang could not specify their names. Valte only said they
consist of 'a provincial official, a military, and a police officer'.
Valte described the situation right now as
“relatively quiet” as Malacañang waits for updates on the request of Department
of Foreign Affairs to have the four-day deadline set by the Malaysian
authorities extended for the expatriation of the Sultan’s followers from Sabah.
PND (hdc)
