President Aquino declares February 26 as special
non-working day in Zamboanga City in celebration of its 76th Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
February 26, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working) day in the
city of Zamboanga, in celebration of its 76th Charter Day anniversary or
"Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga”.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 544 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on February 6 to give the people of Zamboanga City the full opportunity to
celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Zamboanga City became a chartered city in 1937
by virtue of Commonwealth Act. No. 39, when the Philippines was still ruled by
a Commonwealth Government under then-President Manuel L. Quezon.
For the second year, the City Government will
co-sponsor with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the 2nd
Zamboanga International Film Festival.
The festival gives young and old Zamboangueños
the opportunity to screen Filipino and international indie films at the Mindpro
Cinema.The Red Carpet Night will be at 7 p.m. at the Centro Latino Hall at the
Paseo del Mar on February 23.
The city government has also lined-up several
activities for the celebration of “Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga, including
street dancing, a cultural dance festival and a regatta. PND (js)
Malacanang says Philippine and Malaysian
authorities in talks to resolve ‘Sabah standoff’
Hoping to reach a peaceful resolution to a
week-long “standoff” between Malaysian authorities and some 100 Filipinos
acting on orders from Sultan Jamalul Kiram of Sulu to claim a portion of
Malaysia’s Sabah state, Malacanang said that representatives from the two
countries were deep into discussions on the matter.
In a press briefing on Tuesday in Malacanang,
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the talks were being
conducted also with “other parties involved in the incident” and that it would
be prudent for all to await the outcome of the talks.
“…what I can tell you today is that discussions
are ongoing between Philippine and Malaysian authorities as well as with the
other parties involved in the incident,” Valte said.
“Hintayin natin ang magiging bunga ng mga
pag-uusap nila,” she added.
Valte stressed that the Department of Foreign
Affairs is doing all it can to peacefully end the standoff “in line with our
national interest” as well as with the “protection of our citizens as their
(DFA) utmost priority.”
“Naka-tutok po ang DFA. Una po ang ginagawa ng
DFA ay ang pakikipag-ugnay sa Malaysia at kung papaano magkakaroon ng
mapayapang pagtatapos ang insidenteng ito,” Valte said. PND (rck)
President Aquino signs Administrative Order No.
37 creating Task Force on Bangsamoro to develop, implement programs and
projects for Moro Islamic Liberation Front communities
President Benigno S. Aquino III has created the
Task Force on Bangsamoro Development to develop and implement programs and
projects for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) communities as well as
internally-displaced and poverty-stricken communities throughout Mindanao.
The Chief Executive ordered the creation of the
task force by virtue of Administrative Order (AO) No. 37, Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced during the regular press briefing in
Malacanang on Tuesday.
The AO No. 37 was signed by Executive Secretary
Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on February 13.
Pursuant to the President's Social Contract, the
government endeavors to attain a broadly supported, just, and lasting peace
that will redress decades of neglect of the Moro and other peoples of Mindanao.
The comprehensive peace process agenda in
Mindanao is an indispensable component of real and inclusive regional and
national development goals, the President said.
The government and the MILF entered into the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro on October 15, 2012, which is envisioned
to pave the way for the peaceful resolution of the armed struggle in Mindanao.
The President said the government acknowledges
its commitment to exert all efforts towards realizing the full implementation
of the Framework Agreement.
"The Framework Agreement states that the
Government and the MILF shall intensify development efforts for rehabilitation,
reconstruction, and development in Mindanao, and institute programs to address
the needs of MILF combatants, internally displaced persons, and
poverty-stricken communities throughout Mindanao," he said.
The President designated Cabinet Secretary Jose
Rene Almendras as the chairperson of the taskforce.
He likewise designated as members of the
taskforce Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita
Quintos-Deles, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Labor Secretary
Rosalinda Baldoz, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Education Secretary Armin
Luistro, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala Jr., Interior and Local
Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad,
Presidential Management Staff Secretary Julia Abad, Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning Office Ricky Carandang, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., Commission on
Higher Education Chairperson Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan, Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority Chairperson Joel Villanueva, Presidential
Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda and president of the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation.
The task force shall develop and implement
programs and projects in response to the health, education, and livelihood
needs of the MILF priority beneficiaries, internally displaced persons, and
poverty-stricken communities throughout Mindanao.
"For this purpose, the Sajahatra Bangsamoro
Program shall be implemented as the Government’s initial support for identified
MILF combatants and families and other affected persons; and communities after
the signing of the Framework Agreement," President Aquino said.
The task force shall coordinate with the
Transition Commission, created pursuant to Executive Order No. 120 (s. 2012),
in the development and implementation of the foregoing programs and projects.
It may likewise consult with other relevant
government instrumentalities and/or non¬government organizations in carrying
out the functions of the task force.
The President also directed the task force to
develop and implement a communications strategy on the Sajahatra Bangsamoro Program.
The task force shall monitor, in coordination
with the Transition Commission, the implementation of development projects and
programs of the Sajahatra Bangsamoro Program, and submit regular reports to the
Office of the President.
The Task Force may create technical committees
and designate members thereof, and may engage the assistance of experts and
professional advisors, subject to government rules and regulations.
The member-agencies of the Task Force 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 accounting arid auditing rules and regulations, President Aquino
said.
Subsequent funding requirements shall be
incorporated in the annual budget proposals of the respective member-agencies
through the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Additional funds as may be
necessary for the implementation of the Order may be allocated from the
President’s Social Fund and Contingent Fund, subject to the approval of the
President.
The Order shall take effect immediately. PND
(js)
President Aquino creates Task Force on
Bangsamoro Development
President Benigno S. Aquino III has issued a
directive for the creation of the Task Force on Bangsamoro Development to push
forward the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the region following
the signing of the framework agreement for a peace settlement between the
government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Executive Secretary
Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Tuesday.
Ochoa said Administrative Order No. 37, which
President Aquino signed on February 13, will ensure that development projects
and programs are implemented in Bangsamoro, a new autonomous region that will
be established in Mindanao, for MILF combatants and their families as well as
communities that will be affected by the framework agreement signed in October
last year.
The task force, according to Ochoa, is mandated
to develop and implement programs that will respond to the health, education
and livelihood needs of MILF priority beneficiaries and poverty-stricken
communities throughout Mindanao.
“The peaceful resolution of the conflict in
Mindanao goes beyond the signing of the framework agreement. This
administration wants to ensure that peace and progress go hand in hand,” Ochoa
said.
The Aquino administration last week took the
initial step to help MILF forces and their families and affected persons and
communities with the launch of the social development plan called Sajahatra
Bangsamoro Program in Maguindanao.
“Although the initial beneficiaries of the
program will be MILF members and their families, other residents in the region
will also receive the benefits of the peace agreement and the development and
livelihood initiatives that go with it,” the Executive Secretary said.
The task force is composed of the Cabinet
secretary as chairperson and the heads of the Departments of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Health (DOH), Education
(DepEd), Agriculture (DA), the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Budget
and Management, and the presidential adviser on the peace process (OPAPP) as
members.
Other members are the secretaries of the
Presidential Management Staff (PMS), the Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO), the Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO), and the Office of the Presidential
Spokesperson (OPS), as well as the heads of the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and
the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PHIC).
The President also instructed the task force to
coordinate with the Transition Commission, created under Executive Order No.
120 last year, in the development and implementation of the program.
He likewise ordered the task force and
Transition Commission to jointly monitor the implementation of the development
projects and submit regular reports to the Office of the President.
Funding for the operation of the task force will
be drawn initially from the current budgets of member-agencies and subsequent
appropriations will be incorporated in their annual budget proposals.
AO 37 shall take effect immediately.
