President Aquino urges midwives to sustain their
excellence and embody the core values of integrity, professionalism and
accountability
President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the
country's midwives to sustain their excellence in accordance to global
standards, and embody the core values of integrity, professionalism, and
accountability.
"Midwives, being key providers of health
care to mothers and newborns, are in the frontline of our goal for an
empowered, productive citizenry," the Chief Executive said in his message
to the Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives Inc. (PLGPMI) on
the occasion of the 14th General Assembly of Midwives.
The PLGPMI opened on Wednesday the 14th General
Assembly of Midwives at the Legend Palawan Hotel, Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan. The event, which has for its theme "Iwagayway ang Kalusugan
Pangkalahatan ng mga Ina, Anak at Midwives," would end on Saturday.
"May this gathering further strengthen your
League, as you equip your members with advanced, relevant knowledge and skills
that redound to the welfare of your patients," the President said.
"The Filipino people are called upon in
this era of daylight to uphold our movement for change with passion and
dedication. Let us be steadfast on the straight and righteous path of equitable
progress," he noted.
The assembly aims to equip the midwives with the
necessary skills in accordance to the Global Standards set by the International
Confederation of Midwives through the enactment of appropriate legislative and
regulatory measures. PND (js)
President Aquino directs DOJ to look into Burgos
case
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed the
Department of Justice, headed by Secretary Leila De Lima, to look into the
circumstances leading to the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Wednesday.
In a press briefing held in Malacanang, Lacierda
said the President issued his instructions “in fulfillment of the President's
pledge that any receipt of new evidence or leads will receive the scrutiny the
case deserves.”
In response, De Lima immediately instructed the
National Bureau of Investigation "to conduct a focused, dedicated, and
exhaustive investigation on the case of Jonas Burgos,” Lacierda noted.
“Upon the direction of the President, Justice
Secretary Leila de Lima has instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to
conduct a focused, dedicated, and exhaustive investigation on the case of Jonas
Burgos,” Lacierda said.
“As chief executor of our laws and as
commander-in-chief, the President is mandated to do justice to every man,” he
added.
Jonas, a political activist and son of the late
press freedom fighter Jose Burgos, was abducted in a restaurant at the Ever
Gotesco Mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on April 28, 2007. PND
(rck)
President Aquino declares April 19 as a special
non-working day in Tarlac City in celebration of 15th Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
April 19, which falls on a Friday, as a special non-working day in the city of
Tarlac in celebration of its 15th Charter Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration by
virtue of Proclamation No. 561 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa
Jr. on March 13, to give the people of Tarlac City the full opportunity to
celebrate and participate in the occasion.
The citizenry overwhelmingly supported the
conversion of Tarlac town into a component city through a plebiscite held on
April 18, 1998.
Tarlac town was proclaimed as a component city
on April 19, 1998 by virtue of Republic Act No. 8593. PND (js)
Philippine-Malaysia relations remain strong
despite Sabah conflict, says Palace
Close relations between the Philippines and
Malaysia remains the same despite the recent conflict in Sabah, Malacanang said
on Wednesday.
“There has been no change in the relationship
with Malaysia,” Presidential spokesman Edwin lacierda said in a press briefing
in Malacanang on Wednesday.
“There has been no strain with our relationship
in Malaysia. We recognize that this was an attempt by a few that should not
affect the relationship of the whole.”
Lacierda was responding to questions whether the
conflict in Sabah has affected the relations between the two countries.
Malaysian forces assaulted a group of Filipinos claiming Sabah as part of the
Sulu Sultanate.
The violence resulted to hundreds of Filipinos
living or working in Sabah going home to avoid the conflict or being rounded up
by Malaysian authorities.
At the same time, Lacierda made an assurance
that the Philippine government continues to help Filipinos affected by the
conflict.
“If they need assistance, we will provide them;
if they need employment, we will help them; if they need to go back to Sabah,
we will provide legal documentation for those who would like to return to
Sabah,” he told Palace reporters.
Asked if the government could provide jobs to
thousands of returnees from Sabah, Lacierda said several government agencies
are working together to address the problem.
While the government can’t provide jobs to
displaced Filipinos in one day, agencies such as the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) and the Overseas Filipinos Welfare Administration (OWWA) are
doing everything to help Filipinos who lost their jobs in Sabah.
The government is assisting those who want to
return to their respective provinces and also working to help those who had
opted to return to Sabah.
“Most of them may mga probinsya. Alam naman nila
saan sila galing, so umuuwi sila at saka dumidiretso sila sa probinsya. But
they leave with us their numbers in case some of them would like to go back to
Sabah,” Lacierda said.
Some estimates said around 100,000 Filipinos are
expected to return to Mindanao as a result of the instability in Sabah. But
Lacierda said the government has a lesser figure than the current estimates.
The Palace official also made an assurance that
regardless of the figures, the government is ready to assist displaced
Filipinos returning from Sabah. PND (as)
Palace: Transition Commission could effectively
draft Bangsamoro Basic Law
Malacanang expressed optimism that the
Transition Commission (TransCom) could do its mandate of drafting the proposed
Bangsamoro Basic Law based on the Framework Agreement agreed upon by the
Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last year.
“Ang mandato nila [TransCom] is to come up with
the Basic Law. Yun ang magiging trabaho nila: to draft the proposed Bangsamoro
Basic Law with provisions consistent with the 2012 Framework Agreement,”
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang on
Wednesday.
“Ang kailangan natin dito gumawa ng Basic Law.
So I think that’s something that is doable. All the members of Transition
Commission are members of the Bangsamoro. So I don’t see any problem there.
They will be discussing it,” he said on the first en banc of the TransCom.
He said that the discussions will push through
because the common aspiration of both sides is peace and development in
Mindanao.
With regards to the postponement of the peace
talks that might affect the timeline in crafting the Basic Law, Lacierda said
the government thinks otherwise, echoing the statement of the MILF saying that
the final peace pact will be signed.
Asked to comment whether the recent dissolution
of the Malaysian parliament to give way for an election may affect the peace
talks, Lacierda said he can’t speculate on the outcome of Malaysia’s political
process.
The election in Malaysia is supposed to be held
within 60 days from the dissolution of the parliament.
“I can’t speculate right now as to whether it
will have an effect on the peace talks. But, as a matter of policy, Malaysia
has been our facilitator for these talks and they have been very helpful,” he
said. PND (as)
