Malacanang says government to launch
socio-economic initiative to uplift living conditions of MILF communities
The Aquino government is set to launch on Monday
a socio-economic initiative dubbed "Sajahatra Bangsamoro" aimed at
uplifting the health, education and livelihood conditions of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) communities, a Palace official said.
In line with President Benigno S. Aquino III's
instructions to provide immediate socio-economic interventions for the MILF
communities, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said the national government
will launch the “Sajahatra Bangsamoro” in partnership with the MILF leadership.
"Sajahatra Bangsamoro, an
Arabic-Melayu-Bahasa derivative which means 'Peace Bangsamoro,' is the
President’s concrete peace initiative and assistance for the MILF
communities," Almendras said at the press briefing in Malacanang on
Wednesday.
Almendras noted that the program signifies the
partnership between the government and the MILF in working towards peace and
development of the Bangsamoro communities as well as the entire country.
The national government will take the lead in
the ceremonial launch of the program to be held at the Bangsamoro Leadership
and Management Institute compound in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.
Almendras said the Sajahatra Bangsamoro will
focus on health, education and livelihood services that will be done through
an-inter-agency mechanism.
"These will include provision of health
insurance by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth);
upgrading of community-based health services by the Department of Health (DOH);
provision of college scholarships and technical-vocational training by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), respectively; educational assistance to madaris
(Islamic schools) and private schools by the Department of Education, needs
assessment of selected Bangsamoro communities; Cash for Work Program, through
the Department of Social Welfare and Development, among others," Almendras
said.
A ceremonial turnover of the services to
identified beneficiaries and medical missions will highlight the program
launching to be attended by the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
Teresita Quintos Deles, MILF Chair Murad Ebrahim, Government of the Philippines
peace panel led by Chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, MILF peace panel chair Mohagher
Iqbal, representatives of the DOH. DSWD, PhilHealth, DepEd, TESDA, CHED, and
Department of Agriculture.
Also invited to grace the event are Malaysian
facilitator Tengku Dato Ab’ Ghafar Tengku bin Mohammed and Malaysian head of
the secretariat Che Khasna.
Almendras stressed that the medical missions
will be open not only to MILF-identified communities but also to neighboring
communities as well. The Indigenous peoples and Christians are also encouraged
to avail of the free health services.
The Office of the President, through the Office
of the Cabinet Secretary, will oversee the implementation of the program. An
inter-agency technical working group has been convened by the Office of the
Cabinet Secretary to ensure the effective implementation of the program.
After the launching ceremonies, a caravan will
visit selected Bangsamoro communities to provide the services for the
beneficiaries.
"Sajahatra Bangsamoro will be rolled-out in
partnership with the MILF leadership in the spirit of the Framework Agreement
on the Bangsamoro," he said.
The Framework Agreement indicated that the
"parties agreed to intensify development efforts for rehabilitation,
reconstruction and development of the Bangsamoro, and institute programs to
address the needs of the MILF combatants, internally displaced persons and
poverty-stricken communities, Almendras noted.
Mike Pasigan, MILF spokesperson for the
Sajahatra Bangsamoro program, said the MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal
has affirmed the partnership of the parties for the success of the program.
"Both parties have been working together in
identifying and designing the projects that will address the immediate needs of
the Bangsamoro communities," Pasigan said.
"The program will further strengthen the
collaboration between the government and the MILF as we build on the gains of
the peace process. We believe that the Sajahatra Bangsamoro is a step towards
long-term development that will benefit not only the Bangsamoro people but all
Filipinos," he said. PND (js)
Palace says government to do everything possible
despite Amalilio’s conviction in Malaysia
Malacanang assured on Wednesday that the
Philippine government will do everything it can so that justice is served
despite the conviction of Manuel Amalilio in Malaysia.
Amalilio was tagged as the mastermind in a
P12-billion syndicated estafa that victimized thousands of people in the
Visayas and Mindanao. Amalilio was sentenced to two years in prison in Malaysia
for using fake passports.
Although the Malaysian court sentenced Amalilio,
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said it doesn’t necessarily mean
that justice won’t be served to his victims.
“Hindi naman sinasabing hindi na sila mabibigyan
ng hustisya. Ipagpapatuloy pa rin natin ang ating mga ginagawa para maibalik si
Amalilio sa Pilipinas. At katulad ng sinabi ni Secretary De Lima, we will
continue our efforts to make sure that there is a fitting end to this story,”
Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
Asked if the latest development in Malaysia is
acceptable to the Philippine government, Valte said it’s not about being
acceptable or not but it’s about respecting the legal process of another
country.
“At this point, we do not wish to question their
(Malaysia) legal process also. We have very high regard for the legal process
of any country—not just of Malaysia but all of the countries that we have
relations with,” she said.
Although accepting that Amalilio’s conviction in
Malaysia may delay the justice department’s quest for justice, Valte said it
will not deter the government’s efforts to bring Amallilo back to the country.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has been working
to send Amalilio back to the country as soon as possible to face multi-million
peso syndicated estafa cases filed against him.
On January 25, a high Sabah official allegedly
blocked Amalilio’s deportation to the Philippines.
According to some reports, the Malaysian
government is willing to turn over Amalilio to Philippine authorities provided
that proper procedures under Asean’s Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act
2002 are complied with. PND (as)
The Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board intensify its advocacy campaign to promote Filipino values
The Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board (MTRCB) continues to intensify its advocacy campaign
dubbed MTRCB Forum ‘Matalinong Panonood para sa Pamilya ni Juan at Juana’ in a
bid to promote Filipino values.
Lawyer Eugenio “Toto” Villareal, new MTRCB chairman,
said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday that the board started
conducting the series of forum in various provinces late last year.
"Nagsimula kaming pumalaot at patuloy na
umiikot ang aming mga board members—sa iba’t ibang mga lalawigan. And we would
like to inform the public, that we actually have local regulatory council
volunteers in various provinces and municipalities," Villareal said.
The activity aims to raise public awareness on
the revised classification rating of the MTRCB for movies and television as
well as inform the public on the mandate of the agency under Presidential
Decree 1986
Villareal said the holding of the series of
forum aims to reach the people, especially the children and the grassroots, and
educate them on the roles and functions of the agency.
He said the campaign also aims to guide the
public on the kind of television shows or films that should be watched
according to the contemporary Filipino cultural values and standards.
"What’s the point of all this? We would
want to revisit contemporary Filipino values. Alam niyo po, when we classify
films, television programs, and other materials—even po ang mga posters,
playbills, billboards kung masyadong sexy—sa amin po dumadaan ‘yan," he
said.
He noted that the campaign also intends to
empower the community especially the education sector to help the MTRCB in
fulfilling its mandate.
"Saklaw na po namin, ang mga buses and
ferry boats insofar as showing video entertainment is concerned. Under our
rules and our circulars, only G and PG (General Audience and Parental Guidance)
ratings are allowed for those which appear via video entertainment on buses,
ferry boats, and other forms of public transportation," he said.
He said that the MTRCB will also hold this year
the Family and Child Summit to increase awareness of the parents and adult
members of the families on the different film and television programs
classification.
"With this summit, the government shall
partner with other stakeholders to empower the family, evaluate and choose
media content," he said.
The MTRCB is not only confined in review and
classification but as a prime catalyst of change by helping the movie and
television industry to become globally competitive.
The agency recognizes the fact that television
and movie media as indispensable tools for moral recovery and nation-building.
PND (js)
