Fruits of administration’s good governance
advocacy seen in increased budgets of government agencies and approvals from
international credit rating companies, Aquino says
STA. BARBARA, Iloilo) President Benigno S.
Aquino III said on Wednesday that the fruits of his administration’s good
governance advocacy can be seen in the increased budgets of government agencies
that provide basic services and in the approval ratings accorded by
international credit rating companies due to the country’s progress to break
free from the shackles of graft and corruption that has long bound and
prevented it from taking off.
After only two years and nine months in Office
implementing strict reforms to weed out graft and corruption, cut inefficient
government spending and bring down the time to complete projects, the President
said that the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Education, Health
and Public Works and Highways now enjoy bigger budgets which they can use for
the benefit of the people.
The President said the DSWD now has a 260
percent increase in its budget with which it can use to bring more
beneficiaries to the government’s pro-poor program: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program (4Ps), which is now pegged at 3.85-million households; that the DepEd
enjoys a 44 percent budget increase which it can now use to finally close the
66,800 classroom and books, tables and chairs deficit by the end of this year.
“Ang resulta: ang 66,800 na iniwan sa ating
classroom backlog, mabubura na natin bago matapos ang taong ito; kaakibat ang
pagtugon natin sa mga kakulangan sa libro, mesa at upuan ng ating mga
mag-aaral,” the President said in a meeting with local leaders and the
community here on Wednesday.
The President added that the DOH, whose budget
has been increased by 78 percent, has been able to register 86 percent of
Filipinos to the government’s health care program – Philhealth while the DPWH,
long thought to be the most corrupt of government agencies, holds above board
bidding processes and has cut down unnecessary spending and the time to
complete projects; with its budget increase of 23 percent.
“Ang good news po: ang pinaka-kapuspalad nating
mga kababayan ay makakapagpagamot na nang walang binabayaran ni isang kusing.
Sa DPWH naman po, dalawampu’t tatlong porsyento na ang itinaas,” the President
said.
“Dahil sa mabuting pamamahala, may tapat at
patas nang bidding; natatapos natin ang proyekto nang mas mababang halaga ang
ginagastos, at sa mas mabilis na panahon,” he added.
“Wala na pong tagas, wala na pong mga tongpats,
wala nang mga paliko-likong transaksyon kung saan dumidiretso lang ang pondo sa
bulsa ng kung sino,” he stressed.
The President further said that Fitch credit
rating agency has taken notice of the government’s good governance advocacy and
has recently rated the Philippines investment grade status.
“Ngayong mas may tiwala na sila sa atin, ngayong
wala na silang dapat na ipagduda, mas may mataas na tayong kakayahan na
pondohan ang ating mga makabuluhang serbisyong panlipunan,” the President said.
PND (rck)
President Aquino commits more infrastructure
projects to boost Iloilo industries, commerce and economic development
PASSI CITY, Iloilo) President Benigno S. Aquino
III has committed to augment the hardworking Ilonggos’ industries, commerce and
economy by vowing to provide more infrastructure projects in the province.
The President gave his commitment in his speech
during a meeting with local leaders and the community here on Wednesday.
Among the infrastructure projects include 34
farm-to-market road projects and 23 irrigation projects of which the Jalaur
River Multi-Purpose Project Phase II, that aims to provide fresh water to
32,000 hectares of farmland all year round and benefit 20,000 farmers in the
province, tops the list.
“Para sa inyong probinsya, nakatutok po tayo sa
pagpapatayo ng imprastraktura’t mga pasilidad upang mapalago ang mga kilala
ninyong industriya,” the President said.
“Umabot na po sa tatlumpu’t apat na
farm-to-market road projects, at dalawampu’t tatlong proyektong pang-irigasyon
ang naipagawa natin dito. At oras po na matapos ang Jalaur River Multi-Purpose
Project II, buong taon na rin ang maihahatid na irigasyon para sa halos
tatlumpu’t dalawang libong ektarya ng lupa, na magdidilig ng ginhawa sa
dalawampung libong Ilonggong magsasaka,” he added.
He pointed out that the tourism and commerce
stand to benefit the most from the completion of the Metro Iloilo Radial Road
project and the Iloilo Circumferential Road Project that will cut down travel
time and decongest traffic along the Jaro-Leganes Road in Iloilo City, Leganes
and in Zarraga.
“Ilan pa lamang po ito sa mahabang listahan ng
mga inisyatibang pinapangunahan natin sa inyong lalawigan. Ang gusto po natin:
mabura sa listahan ang mga proyektong ito— hindi dahil sa ipinatigil ito ng
kung sinong naghahari-harian— kundi dahil ganap na natin itong nakumpleto,” the
President concluded. PND (rck)
Palace says government closely watching
developments in Korea Peninsula
The Philippine government continues to monitor
the developments in the Korean Peninsula particularly North Korea’s plan for a
missile test, Malacanang said on Thursday.
In a press conference in Malacanang, Secretary
Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic
Planning Office (PCDSPO) said the Palace is alarmed by North Korea’s planned
missile launch.
“We are certainly disturbed by the provocative
actions being taken by North Korea but, of course, our number one priority is
to make sure that the Filipinos, who might number as much as 40,000 if I’m not
mistaken, that we’re doing what we can to keep them out of harm’s way,” he
said.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation. The DFA
is in touch with our allies and the governments that are involved in this, like
Japan and South Korea," Carandang added.
The Philippine government is also following
closely the multi-state discussions on how to resolve the situation in the
Korean Peninsula, Carandang said.
But the Palace official also said that the
Philippines, being a small country, is not in a position to largely influence
the outcome of the discussions.
“The best we can do at this point is to support
our allies who are trying to deescalate the situation and to make sure that the
Filipinos living there will be provided all the necessary assistance that they
need should the situation deteriorate,” he said.
Carandang also assured that the readiness of the
government’s contingency measures in case hostilities break out in the region
as he declined to discuss the specifics of the measures to be taken because of
certain sensitivities.
Last week, President Aquino said the government
is ready for any emergency and the Department of Foreign Affairs is in touch
with Filipino community organizations in South Korea to make sure that they are
prepared to evacuate if there’s a need.
The chief executive also said the Philippine
government has a much improved logistical capability to move out Filipinos out
of South Korea if a shooting war starts.
The American military is watching closely the
east coast of the Korean Peninsula, where North Korea is believed to have
prepared mobile ballistic missiles for launch at any time.
Japan said it has deployed missile defense
systems around Tokyo to protect its population from any missile launch by North
Korea. PND (as)
Palace appeals to Filipinos to pay proper taxes
on time
Malacanang appealed to the Filipino citizenry to
pay their taxes properly and on time as the deadline for the filing of income
tax returns will be on Monday.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday,
Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) said the President and Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares have pointed out which segments of the
society need to comply with paying the right taxes.
“This is a gentle reminder to all of them who
should be paying the proper taxes to please pay your taxes, the proper amount,
and file them on time,” Carandang said.
“At kung puwede, huwag natin hintayin until the
last minute para hindi tayo nagmamadali at hindi tayo naha-hassle. We have
several days to go before the deadline so, we urge people to try to beat the
rush, and again, to pay the taxes," he said.
Carandang also said that with the reforms being
initiated by the Aquino administration, the people’s taxes go to the right
programs and that their money is being spent wisely.
“So we have no reason, at this point, to try to
avoid taxes, and this is our contribution to making our country better,”
Carandang added. “So please pay your taxes early, pay the proper amount, and
rest assured that it’s going to the right places," he said.
If the Filipino people really want to
effectively eliminate poverty, grow the economy and fight corruption, they
should fund it through paying the proper taxes, Carandang said. PND (as)
Palace hopes to achieve enhanced customs
collection before year ends
Malacanang said it wants to see improved Customs
performance before the end of the year as the government carries out its “huge
plan” to reform the bureau as mentioned by the President this week.
“We’re hoping that you can see the results in
terms of improved Customs collection performance before the end of the year,”
Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) said in a press conference in Malacanang on
Thursday.
In an interview in Roxas City on Wednesday,
President Benigno S. Aquino III said the government had already come out with
an action plan to effectively curb smuggling in the country.
In 2011, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) had a
collection shortfall of P55 billion, and last year it had P59 billion.
Asked by reporters if there’s a warning or a
marching order for Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon to avoid a shortfall this
year, Carandang asked the public to give Biazon a chance to improve BOC’s
performance.
“Commissioner Biazon is doing what he can. We
are taking steps. Commissioner Biazon is taking steps to improve the situation
in Customs. Let’s give him a chance to do that. And we hope that before the end
of the year, you’ll see improvements,” he said.
The President assured the public that his
administration remains committed to improve the services of the BOC by
enhancing its anti-smuggling efforts.
Once the action plan is implemented, the
President noted that the various smuggling activities in the country will be
solved. He said the action plan is also aimed at cleansing the BOC of scalawags
and misfits. PND (as)
