President Aquino declares June 29 a special
non-working day in Koronadal City South Cotabato in celebration of the 3rd Tree
Growing Festival
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
June 29, which falls on a Saturday, as a special (non-working) day in Koronadal
City in the province of South Cotabato in celebration of the 3rd Tree Growing
Festival.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 593 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on June 6 to give the people of Koronadal the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
In line with the National Greening Program (NGP)
of President Benigno S. Aquino III and the celebration of the Environment Month
this June, Koronadal City government will hold its 3rd Tree Growing Festival.
As part of its effort to create a culture of
caring for the environment and to intensively campaign for the restoration and
preservation of forest areas, the city government aims to plant at least
500,000 seedlings in Roxas and Quezon Mountain ranges in South Cotabato.
The city government has collaborated with
multi-sectoral groups, the academe, the business sector, barangay officials and
the government employees to take part in the tree-planting activity. PND (js)
Aquino government publishes two infographic maps
of Manila City
The Aquino government published two infographic
maps with a special focus on Manila in celebration of the 442nd Foundation Day
of the City of Manila, a Palace official said on Monday.
"The Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) is joining the commemoration
by publishing two infographic maps with a special focus on Manila: the first
showcasing the city as one of many pre-Hispanic polities throughout the islands
that make up the Philippine archipelago and another chronicling the capitals of
the Philippines—a story of departure and return to what the Spaniards once
heralded as the Distinguished and Ever Loyal City," Presidential
Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement issued on Monday.
Lacierda said the two infographic maps were
published in the Presidential Museum and Library Website.
"The two infographic maps portray Manila’s
evolution from a Spanish conquest into a modern metropolis We encourage the
Filipino people, Manileños in particular, to take part in this online
observance by visiting the Presidential Museum and Library Website and its
accompanying social media sites on Facebook and Tumblr," he said.
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
June 24, which falls on a Monday, as a special (non-working day) in the city of
Manila in celebration of its 442nd Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 604 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on June 14, to give the people of Manila the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Manila became the seat of the colonial
government of Spain when it gained sovereignty over the Philippine Islands in
1565.
The seat of the Spanish government was situated
within the fortified walls of Old Manila (now referred to as Intramuros,
meaning within the walls). The walls were constructed to keep invading Chinese
pirates and protect the city from native uprisings.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish
governor-general of the Philippines, proclaimed Manila as the capital city of
the country on June 24, 1571, calling it a “distinguished and ever loyal city.”
PND (js)
Plan to move Pandacan oil depot out of Manila
being studied by Malacañang
The plan to move the Pandacan oil depot in
Manila away from the city is currently undergoing study at the Office of the
President (OP) after a warehouse in Sta. Ana, Manila, a stone’s throw away from
said oil depot, reportedly leaked oil and other fuel products into the Pasig
river last Saturday.
Residents around the area complained of
difficulty in breathing due to the oil and gasoline spill which the National
Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Office and authorities were able to
contain on Sunday.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Office of Executive Secretary
Paquito Ochoa is undertaking the study after the issue was elevated to the
Office of the President.
He added the public will be informed of the
results of said study when the OES finishes its probe.
“Pinag-aaralan po yan ng Office of the Executive
Secretary and we will let you know kung ano ang magiging resulta ng pag-aaral
na yun,” Lacierda said.
“The Office of the Executive Secretary is
studying the matter,” he added. PND (rck)
Thousands of metro informal settlers will soon
transfer to safer, decent homes, says Palace
Thousands of families living in danger zones are
willing to be relocated and the government is ready to assist their transfer to
safer areas, a Palace official said on Monday.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential
Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said around 4,000 families staying in Metro Manila’s
danger zones have agreed to be relocated off-site and off city.
“Some families have agreed, for instance, to be
relocated off-site and off-city. There are about 4,000 structures that have
already been constructed by NHA. There are around 4,000 families who are
willing to be relocated. We are providing assistance to them,” Lacierda told
reporters.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) structures
are being constructed right now and the government targets to relocate informal
settlers at the end of the year, he said.
The present government actions to address the
concerns of informal settlers aren’t band-aid solutions, Lacierda said, noting
that a superficial remedy is just giving them assistance without considering
their long-term welfare.
The Aquino administration has already programmed
structures to be completed for these families and budget to support the project
is not a concern, he added.
The government targets to relocate around 20,000
families living in the esteros, Lacierda said, stressing that the President’s
primary concern is the safety of these families.
“We don’t want the casualties during typhoon
season to happen on a yearly basis. We want that eliminated totally and that’s
the reason why we’re moving them away from the esteros or what we call the
danger zones,” he said.
Allowing these families to live along esteros
and waterways not only put them in danger but also expose them to health risks
like dengue, leptospirosis and other illnesses, the Palace official said.
The government has offered P18,000 for each
estero family to rent a safer and decent dwelling to ensure their safety
particularly at the onset of the typhoon season. PND (as)
President Aquino to lead the 50th anniversary of
the National Irrigation Administration in Diliman, Quezon City
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the
celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Irrigation Administration
(NIA) in Diliman, Quezon City on Tuesday.
The Chief Executive will attend as guest of
honor and speaker for this year's anniversary which has for its theme "NIA
at 50: Serving the Farmers with Excellence and Commitment to Continue its
Legacy in the Years to Come."
Joining President Aquino during the event to be
held at the NIA Open Grounds, NIA Building Complex in Edsa, Diliman, Quezon
City are Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala and NIA Administrator Engineer
Antonio S. Nangel, among others.
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is
a government-owned and controlled corporation primarily responsible for
irrigation development and management. It was created under Republic Act (RA)
3601 on June 22, 1963. Its charter was amended by Presidential Decree (PD) 552
on 11 September 1974 and PD 1702 on 17 July 1980. Both increased the
capitalization and broadened the authority of the Agency.
The agency's forerunner was the Irrigation
Division of the defunct Bureau of Public Works. The National Irrigation
Administration was placed under the Office of the President (OP) upon its
creation. It was attached to the Department of Public Works, Transportation,
and Communication under PD No.1, dated September 23, 1972.
The issuance also integrated all irrigation
activities under the Agency. The Administrative Code of 1987, dated July 25,
1987, attached NIA to both the Department of Public Works and Highways, and
Department of Agriculture. But NIA remained attached to DPWH. It was
transferred to the Office of the President pursuant to Executive Order No. 22,
dated September 14, 1992. Then, it was attached to DA under Administrative
Order No. 17, dated October 14, 1992.
The NIA is mandated to develop and rehabilitate
irrigation systems in support of the national food production program and
provide adequate level of irrigation service on a sustainable basis in
partnership with the farmers.
It also aimed at providing technical assistance
to institutions in the development of water resources for irrigation and
supporting economic and social growth in the rural areas through irrigation
development and management. It is mandated to improve and sustain the operation
of the Agency as a corporation and service-oriented agency.
"We are introducing some technologies for
farmers to have better kinds of seeds, fertilizers, practically anything that
they need to help increase their production," Nangel said in a statement.
PND (js)
President Aquino to break ground for new
hospital during Department of Health’s 115th Founding Anniversary
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead ground
breaking ceremonies marking the start of the construction for the new Dr. Jose
Fabella Memorial Hospital during the commemoration of the Department of
Health’s 115th Founding Anniversary that will be held at the DOH Grounds in San
Lazaro Compound, Manila on Tuesday, June 24.
The President, who will be joined by Health
Secretary Enrique Ona and Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital Chief of Hospital
Dr. Ruben Flores, will also lead the time-capsule laying for the new hospital
that is renowned as an affordable birthing hospital for expectant mothers.
The groundbreaking and time-capsule laying
activities will similarly be replicated in various regions in the Philippines
where new hospitals will be put up.
These are in: Tugugarao City – Cagayan Valley
Medical Center; Dagupan City – Region I Medical Center; San Fernando, Pampanga
– Dr. Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital; Naga City – Bicol Medical Center; and
in Cotabato City – Cotabato Regional Medical Center.
After the groundbreaking ceremony, the President
shall proceed to the DOH Convention Hall some 20 meters away for the program
commemorating the DOH’s 115th Founding Anniversary. PND (rck)
