President Aquino declares June 11 as special
non-working day in Rizal province in celebration of its 112th Foundation Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
June 11, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working) day in the
province of Rizal in celebration of its 112th Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 583 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on May 28, to give the people of Rizal the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
On June 11, 1901, the province of Rizal was
created by virtue of Act No. 137. It was composed of 19 towns of Manila
Province, and 14 municipalities of Morong Politico-Military District or a total
of 33 towns.
On November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential
Decree No. 824, the 12 most progressive towns of Rizal namely: Las Piñas,
Muntinlupa, Taguig, Parañaque, Pateros, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Malabon,
Navotas, Pasig and Marikina were incorporated in the newly formed Metro Manila
Area. The Metro Manila also included the Valenzuela (formerly part of Bulacan),
and the four cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan and Pasay.
At present, Rizal province is composed of
Antipolo City, Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong,
Pililla, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay and Teresa. PND (js)
Aquino approves laws converting two colleges
into state universities
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed on May 24
two laws converting two colleges into state universities in Mountain Province
and Cotabato City.
The President signed Republic Act 10583 “An Act
Converting the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College in the Municipality
of Bontoc, Mountain Province Into a State University to be Known as the
Mountain Province State University, with the Campuses in the Municipalities of
Tadian, Bauko, Paracelis, and Barlig, all located in Mountain Province and
Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
The newly created state university will have a
main campus in the municipality of Bontoc in the Mountain Province.
As mandated by the law, the university will
provide advanced education, higher technological, professional instruction and
training in forestry and agriculture, teacher education, engineering and
technology.
It will also focus on arts, humanities, sciences
and other relevant fields of study. The academic institution will also promote
and undertake research, extension services and production activities in support
of the socioeconomic development of Mountain Province and the Cordillera
Administrative Region.
The President also signed Republic Act 10585 “An
Act Converting the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College in Cotabato City
into a State University to be Known as the Cotabato State University and
Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
The newly converted state university will have a
main campus in Cotabato City.
Under the law, the Cotabato State University
will focus on providing advanced education, higher technological, professional
instruction and training in arts and sciences, psychology, and social work.
It will also extend training on community
development, teacher education, agriculture, forestry, fishery, engineering,
industrial technology, information technology, public administration, peace and
development, business administration, health sciences, political science and
law.
The university will promote and undertake
research and extension services and provide progressive leadership in its areas
of specialization.
The two laws will take effect 15 days after
being published in two major newspapers of general circulation. PND (as)
Aquino cites role of geodetic engineers in
sustaining the growth of the country’s thriving property market
President Benigno S. Aquino III cited the role
of geodetic engineers in sustaining the growth of the country's thriving
property market in this time of greater economic prospects.
"Land is among our most vital resources;
ensuring its development into useful, productive spaces is essential to our
country’s progress," the Chief Executive said in his message to the Geodetic
Engineers of the Philippines on the occasion of its 39th Annual National
Directorate Meeting and Convention.
The Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines opened
on Friday its 39th Annual National Directorate Meeting and Convention which has
for its theme "Steering the Geodetic Engineering Profession Towards Global
Competitiveness." The event will end on Sunday.
"This meeting and convention is an
opportune time to look at new innovations and best practices that can advance
your profession, assuring its relevance and competitiveness in a globalized
milieu," President Aquino noted.
"Our administration counts on you, our
geodetic engineers, to perform your duties with excellence and integrity, that
we may secure a better future for our people," he stressed.
He called on the geodetic engineers to help his
administration sustain the gains achieved by the entire Filipino nation and
empower our citizenry with the opportunities to lead the meaningful, dignified
lives they rightfully deserve. PND (js)
President Aquino declares the Sheikh Karimul
Makhdum Mosque as national historical landmark in Tawi-Tawi
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared the
Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque, which is considered as one of the country’s
oldest existing Muslim Houses of Prayer or Mosques located in Tawi-tawi, as a
national historical landmark.
The Chief Executive signed on May 24 the
Republic Act No. 10573 otherwise known as "An Act Declaring the Sheikh
Karimul Makhdum Mosque, considered as the site of one of the oldest existing
Muslim houses of prayer or mosques in the Philippines, at Tubig Indangan,
Simunul, province of Tawi-Tawi, as a National Historical Landmark and for other
purposes."
The Act, which originated in the House of
Representatives, was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the
Senate on March 23, 2011 and February 4, 2013, respectively.
President Aquino said it is the policy of the
State to preserve historical sites, monuments and other relics that represent
the Filipino heritage and culture and should therefore be under the protection
of the State.
Consistent with the constitutional mandate to
conserve, promote and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage,
President Aquino declared the Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque located at Tubig
Indangam, Simunul, province of Tawi-Tawi a national historical landmark to
underscore the immense contribution of the Islamic faith to the enrichment,
vibrance and diversity of our culture and civilization.
The newly-declared national historical landmark
Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque was constructed in 1380 A.D.
The National Historical Commission of the
Philippines (NHCP) shall exercise supervision over the preservation of the site
and shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to fulfill its functions,
the President noted.
The President tasked the chairman of the NHCP to
immediately include in the Commission’s program the operationalization of the
Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque as a national historical landmark, the funding of
which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
In order to afford the people an opportunity to
participate in financing the preservation, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation
of the shrine, President Aquino authorized the NHCP to organize and undertake a
national fund campaign for the purpose of raising funds from private sources.
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation. PND (js)
President Aquino signs new law declaring
December of every year as ‘Anti-Corruption Month’
President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed a new
law declaring December of every year as "Anti-Corruption Month" in
the entire country in a bid to create awareness among the Filipino people on
the adverse effects of corruption.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday that the Chief
Executive signed on May 27 the Republic Act No. 10589 entitled "An Act
Declaring December of every year as 'Anti-Corruption Month' in the entire
country."
The new law is also known as the "Anti-Corruption
Month Act."
The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill
No. 3376 and House Bill No. 3005, was finally passed by the Senate and the
House of Representatives on February 4, 2013 and February 5, 2013 respectively.
President Aquino mandated all heads of
government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and
controlled corporations as well as local government units and employers in the
private sector, to conduct activities designed to create awareness among the
people on the adverse effects of corruption.
"The awareness campaign must not only
contain information on what constitutes an act of corruption, but also what
citizens must do when faced with such corruption," the President noted.
The President designated the Office of the
Ombudsman as the lead agency for coordination purposes.
The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation. PND (js)
President Aquino signs a new law
institutionalizing the Palarong Pambansa
President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed a new
law institutionalizing the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa to improve the
physical, intellectual and social well-being of the youth.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday the Chief
Executive signed on May 27 the Republic Act No. 10588 entitled "An Act
Institutionalizing the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa and Appropriating Funds
Therefor" or otherwise known as the “Palarong Pambansa Act”.
The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill
3377 and House Bill 6119, was finally passed by the Senate and the House of
Representatives on February 4, 2013 and February 5, 2013, respectively.
The President said it is the policy of the State
to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league
competitions and amateur sports, including training for international
competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the
development of a healthy and alert citizenry through the institutionalization
of the Palarong Pambansa as the country’s premier national sporting event.
The state shall support programs that will
improve and promote the Palarong Pambansa as the primary avenue for providing
in-school sports opportunities to improve the physical, intellectual and social
well-being of the youth.
He directed all educational institutions to
promote physical education and undertake regular sports activities as well as
support the local meets and the Palarong Pambansa.
The law aims at institutionalizing the Palarong
Pambansa as the premier national sporting event of the country under the
Department of Education (DepED) as a venue for talent identification, selection
and recruitment of student athletes.
It also seeks to improve the DepED’s national
school sports program and give more prestige to the annual sports event by
encouraging better participation of schools through incentives and rewards.
The law also encourages the local government
units (LGUs) to take a proactive role in the promotion of the Palarong Pambansa
locally and nationally by providing incentives and rewards.
The law mandates the creation of a Palarong
Pambansa Board as the lead policy-making and coordinating body for the
preparation and conduct of the Palarong Pambansa.
The Board shall be attached to the DepED and
shall be the proprietary owner of the words Palarong Pambansa and its related
symbols, logos and concept. The Board shall have seven (7) members composed of
the Secretary of the DepED as Chairperson, Undersecretary of the DepED, two (2)
Assistant Secretaries of the DepED, the Chairman of the Philippine Sports
Commission, the President of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and
Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). A
Secretary General shall be appointed by the Board from among the members of the
Board representing the DepED.
The DepED Regional Offices shall organize the
Regional Athletics Associations (RAAs) which shall supervise the conduct of the
regional meets and organize their respective regional delegations to the
Palarong Pambansa.
The hosting of the Palarong Pambansa shall be
determined by bidding and guided by the principle of rotation among the
geographical clusters: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
"The Board shall formulate the criteria for
the selection of the host LGU and shall take into consideration the existing sports
facilities, their capacity to accommodate participants and guests, the security
and peace and order situation of the area, and the need of the LGU for an
opportunity to promote and showcase its socioeconomic-cultural uniqueness
through the Palarong Pambansa: Provided, That existing sports facilities shall
be given the highest weight among the criteria to be formulated," the law
stated.
Under the law, the official sports events in the
Palarong Pambansa shall include, but not be limited to athletics, badminton,
baseball, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball,
swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and arnis for elementary
division.
In addition to the aforesaid sports events,
archery, billiards, boxing, futsal, wrestling and wushu shall be included in
the Palarong Pambansa for the secondary division.
The law also provides that appropriate sports
events shall be organized for students with disability.
The Board is mandated to conduct a review of the
current rules and regulations and an inventory of existing sports facilities,
venues and equipment being used in the Palarong Pambansa.
All sports events must be played according to
international rules and regulations and the sports venues, facilities and
equipment to be used shall be in accordance with international standards.
The Board shall consult the National Sports
Associations (NSAs) in the review of the rules and regulations of each sports
event.
The Philippine Sports Commission and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government were also tapped to help in the
conduct of the Palarong Pambansa.
The amount currently appropriated in the General
Appropriations Act (GAA) for the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa including
pre-national Palaro activities under the DepED shall be allocated and utilized
for the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such amount as may be
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included under the budget
of the DepED in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Within ninety (90) days after the approval of
this Act, the DepED, together with the concerned agencies, shall prepare and
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to carry out the
provisions of this Act. The IRR shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
its publication in a major daily newspaper of general circulation.
The implementation of this Act shall take effect
fifteen (15) days after its publication in a national newspaper of general
circulation. PND (js)
President Aquino inaugurates semiconductor
testing facility in Taguig
President Benigno S. Aquino III inaugurated
Friday the Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) at the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) compound in Bicutan, Taguig,
pledging government’s full support to the country’s semiconductor industry.
In his message during the inauguration, the
President said the newly opened facility will pull the country’s semiconductors
industry up the value chain, moving it closer to becoming a 50-billion dollar
industry by 2016.
“To fast track this growth, we need to become
the country that not only has the capacity to build semiconductors—and build
them well at that—but that which has the capacity to design, and test them
here,” The President said.
“And I can promise you: you have a government
committed to helping you do just that,” he added.
The President said his administration always
believed in the inherent skill and talent of the Filipino people, and given
every opportunity available, he said the country must capitalize on those
talents to help upgrade local jobs.
But this can’t happen overnight, he said adding
that if the country puts a premium on innovation, dreams big, does better, and
enriches local talents, it’s only a matter of time before overall progress is
attained.
“So I encourage all those who will be working on
this facility, or working with it: Keep working at it every day. Persevere and
improve,” he said, noting that the progress of Philippine technology lies in
the talents of these people.
Aside from the newly inaugurated facility, the
President announced that the DOST is working on the Philippine Product
Development Center that will open next year, which will improve the industry’s
testing and prototyping capabilities.
This is in addition to the Philippine
Microelectronics Center that will be opened later this year in cooperation with
several universities. The facility aims to train engineers in integrated
circuit design, simulation, and lay outing, he said.
Officials of the Semiconductor Electronics
Industry of the Philippines (SEIPI) welcomed ADMATEL’s opening hoping that that
facility would help the country gain bigger slice of the world market for
semiconductors.
The laboratory houses state-of-the-art
facilities for failure analysis and advanced materials characterization which
are vital steps in detecting defects and checking the reliability of the
electronic device components coming out from production line.
Currently, local semiconductor firms send their
samples abroad for testing, spending around $9 million to $18 million each year
for material testing alone.
With the ADMATEL’s operation, testing cost could
drop significantly and this will also reduce the turnaround time from one month
to just four days.
At present, the Philippines only captures 10
percent of the total world semiconductor market earning $30 billion in 2011.
The country’s semiconductor industry mainly assembles integrated circuits,
chips, rectifiers, capacitors, and resistors.
Based on government figures, the semiconductor
industry contributes 71.3 percent of electronics exports and 61 percent of the
country’s total exports in 2010. PND (as)
Palace says ongoing defense upgrade to boost
Philippine Military capability
Malacanang sees the ongoing military upgrade a
big improvement in the country’s defense capability particularly when the
minimum credible defense posture goal is achieved.
In a press conference in Malacanang on Friday,
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the procurement of various
defense equipment is currently in different stages of acquisition.
Judging by the equipment that the country is
looking to upgrade, Valte said she believes that once the acquisition is
completed it would be a huge improvement in the country’s military capability.
The goal is to defend the country’s waters and
territory, given the Philippines’s unique position, she said.
Asked by reporters how soon the country could
achieve the minimum credible defense posture, Valte said they expect BRP Ramon
Alcaraz, the second naval ship from the US will arrive in the next few months.
The military is also awaiting the arrival of
additional helicopters after the country received initial delivery of new
Polish-made combat choppers. The Philippines is also eyeing for the procurement
of 12 T-50 trainer/fighter jets from South Korea.
But Valte clarified that buying modern military
hardware is different from deciding to send a stronger force in the disputed
waters in the West Philippine Sea.
“You know having the hardware is one thing. The
strategy is not borne out of just wanting to send something there. Of course,
it is a coordinated effort between all agencies in the government,” Valte said
when asked if those equipment would be used to fend off intruders in the
country’s waters.
The Palace official also said that it’s a
deliberate choice in the part of the Philippine government not to respond to
any provocative actions regarding disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
“It’s a deliberate step taken not to respond to
any provocative actions but whether it will achieve the minimum credible
defense posture we want to achieve is something that need to assess military
and security officials,” she said. PND (as)
President Aquino signs into law a bill repealing
Presidential Decree No 1308 in order to make the law to be in tune with recent
developments in environmental planning
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed into law
a bill repealing Presidential Decree 1308 entitled "Law Regulating the
Environmental Planning Profession in the Philippines" in order to make the
law to be in tune with recent developments in the field of environmental
planning.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday the Chief
Executive signed on May 27 Republic Act 10587 entitled "An Act Regulating
the Practice of Environmental Planning, Repealing for the Purpose Presidential
Decree 1308, entitled “Law Regulating the Environmental Planning Profession in
the Philippines,” and for Other Purposes.
The new Act is otherwise known as the
"Environmental Planning Act of 2013."
The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill
3138 and House Bill 4692, was finally passed by the Senate and the House of
Representatives on February 4, 2013 and February 5, 2013 respectively.
The law creates the Professional Regulatory
Board of Environmental Planning tasked to regulate the practice of
environmental planning in the Philippines.
The Board shall be composed of a Chairperson and
two members under the administrative control and supervision of the
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The chairperson and two members of the Board
shall hold office for a term of three (3) years from the date of their
appointment by the President or until their successors shall have qualified and
been appointed.
The Board shall prescribe and adopt the rules
and regulations; supervise the registration, licensure and practice of
environmental planning in the Philippines; administer oaths, issue, suspend,
revoke or reinstate Certificate of Registration for the practice of
environmental planning; adopt an official seal of the Board; prepare contents
of licensure examination, score and rate the examination papers and submit the
results thereof to the PRC, and adopt and promulgate a Code of Ethics and a
Code of Technical Standards issued by the Accredited Professional Organization
(APO).
The Board shall also assist the Commission on
Higher Education to ensure that all instruction and offering of environmental
planning comply with the policies, standards and requirements of the course
prescribed by the CHED or other authorized government offices in the areas,
among others, of curriculum, faculty, library and facilities; adopt measures
necessary for the enhancement of the profession; investigate officially
reported violations of the Act, its rules and regulations, Code of Ethics, Code
of Technical Standards, policies and measures and for this purpose issue
subpoena and subpoena duces tecum to secure appearance of witnesses and
submission of the documents and other pieces of evidence; seek assistance of
the PRC in the conduct of the hearing or investigation of administrative cases
filed before the Board; promulgate decisions on such administrative cases,
discharge such other powers and duties that may affect professional, ethical
and technological standards of the environmental planning profession, among others.
The law also provides for a foreign reciprocity
policy which would enable foreign environmental planners to practice in the
country, provided that their countries of origin provide the same privilege to
Filipino environmental planners.
Violators of this law may face imprisonment of
not less than six months nor more than five years or a fine of not less than
P100,000 nor more than P500,000, or both, at the discretion of the court.
The chairperson of the PRC shall include in its
programs the implementation of the Act, the funding of which shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Acts and thereafter.
The Board, subject to the approval of the PRC,
shall prescribe, promulgate and issue the implementing rules and regulations of
this Act, after consultation with the APO, other agencies and concerned private
organizations within 120 days from the constitution of the Board.
The implementation of this Act shall take effect
15 days after its publication in 2 newspapers of general circulation in the
Philippines. PND (js)
