Tuesday 9 April 2013

PIA News Dispatch - Saturday, April 6, 2013



Palace reports Korean Peninsula situation remains normal; no need for raising alert level

Malacanang said the situation in the Korean Peninsula remains normal and there’s no reason for the Philippine government to raise its alert level to ensure the safety of Filipinos in South Korea.

“Our post in South Korea has reported today that the situation remains normal; wala namang pagbabago,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.

“And we have also spoken to the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs], and because the situation remains normal, we see no reason why the alert level should be raised today.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs, through its embassy in South Korea is doing day-to-day assessment on the Korean Peninsula situation. The government said it is ready to carry its contingency measures in case the situation in the region deteriorates.

On Friday, while visiting Sta. Cruz, Laguna, President Benigno S. Aquino III made an assurance that the government has an intact emergency response plan in case war breaks out in the Korean Peninsula.

Filipino community organizations in South Korea are working hand-in-hand with the Philippine Embassy to ensure readiness if there is a need for evacuations.

At the same time, the President said the Philippine government is also talking with other countries for temporary sheltering arrangements in case of any emergency evacuation.

Also, the President said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is flying today to South Korea to check on the government’s preparations there.

The President said there are around 50,000 Filipinos living or working in South Korea, adding however that the government’s major concern are those located near the demilitarized zone, who will be vulnerable in case of war.

He said around 15,000 Filipinos stay closest to the demilitarized zone than Seoul, South Korea’s capital.

In case violence erupts, the President said the government is capable of moving Filipinos out of South Korea. C-130 cargo planes from the Philippine Air Force and a naval ship from the Philippine Navy are on standby to ferry or airlift Filipinos who will be affected by the conflict. PND (as)


Palace says government remains committed to fighting smuggling, other crimes

The government hasn’t changed its resolve in going after smugglers, tax evaders and other criminals by building strong cases to make sure wrongdoers go to jail, a Palace official said on Saturday.

Responding to the call of a lawmaker to intensify the fight against smuggling, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has never wavered in putting an end to smuggling and prosecuting those who are behind it.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan called on the government to double its efforts in going after smugglers, especially those in government who connive with criminals.

“First, ‘yung efforts naman natin sa smuggling talagang patuloy na pinaiigting. On the second point na dapat maikulong… the work of the Executive is in the filing of the cases and in the prosecution,” Valte said in a radio interview on Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Ito naman ang laging sinasabi ng Pangulong Aquino na kailangang merong katiyakan na merong mapaparusahan at tayo naman sa Ehekutibo ay ito ang ating laging itinutulak,” she added.

The government is filing not only smuggling cases, but also tax evasion cases as well as other various offenses, Valte said. The President also made an instruction to build strong cases against criminals to make sure that they are punished, she added.
“Ang utos ng Pangulo ay dapat talagang matibay ang pundasyon ng ebidensya ng mga kasong pina-file natin,” she said.

Asked to comment on calls asking the President to designate Sen. Panfilo Lacson at the Bureau of Customs and make him an oil smuggling czar, Valte asked the public to wait for the President’s decision.

Also, Valte said the proposal of former Sen. Jamby Madrigal asking for a separate government agency that will exclusively tackle oil smuggling must be thoroughly studied.

“That has to be studied because normally, the position of the President on that is we have to take a look at the existing institutions that do perform these tasks kasi ayaw ng Pangulo na masyadong maraming agencies,” she said.

Oil smuggling has become a major issue following the report of an oil company saying the government has been losing huge in foregone revenues due to oil smuggling in the country. PND (as)


Palace says conditional cash transfer program shouldn’t be politicized

Malacanang asked the public to report to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) politicians using the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for political purposes as the campaign for local candidates start.

Some local government units have been complaining about reports saying politicians campaigning for public office are using the program to attract voters.

“Paalala lang natin: kung binabanggit na sinusuportahan nila ‘yung programa o kaya’y itinutulak nilang mas maging maganda ’yung programa, hindi naman ‘yun paggamit,” Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Pero ‘yung binabanggit natin ’yung ‘pag sinabi nila na ‘kaya kitang isama diyan o ipatatanggal kita,’ ‘yon ‘yung dapat nating i-report sa DWSD,” she added.

No politician can decide whether to include or exclude a beneficiary under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Valte explained. Only the DSWD can delist a beneficiary of the program if he or she fails to comply with program guidelines, Valte noted.

“DSWD lang din ang pupuwedeng magdagdag sa inyo sa programa dahil hindi naman iyan pilian,” she said.

Beneficiaries could be included in the program once they are identified under the National Household Targeting System of the DSWD, the Palace official said.

“Ang pagtanggal naman, ang dahilan niyan ay kung hindi kayo nagko-comply doon sa inyong mga obligasyon sa ilalim ng programa,” she said.

Among the conditions under the program includes sending schoolchildren regularly to schools, requiring pregnant mothers to undergo regular medical check-ups at health centers and requiring beneficiaries to attend family development sessions. PND (as)