President Aquino receives P28-billion
representing dividend contributions from 38 Government-Owned and Controlled
Corporation in Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III received close
to P28-billion representing the dividend contributions from 38 Government-Owned
and –Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) in ceremonies marking the GOCC Dividend
Day in Malacañang Palace on Monday.
During the event held at the Rizal Hall in
Malacañang Palace, the Chief Executive was assisted by Senator Franklin Drilon,
Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad,
Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Governance
Commission for GOCCs chairman Cesar L. Villanueva.
The 38 GOCCs turned over on Monday P28-billion
dividends and other forms of remittances to the national coffers out of their
operations in 2012.
Under the Republic Act No. 7656, all GOCCs are
required to "declare and remit at least 50% of their annual net earnings
as cash, stock or property dividends to the National Government.
In 2011, President Aquino signed Republic Act
10149 or the Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCC) Governance Act
of 2011" that seeks to reform the operations of state-owned enterprises
and to curb the perceived abuses particularly on excessive bonuses and
allowances of its officials.
Upon the enactment of GOCC Governance Act of
2011, the GOCCs had remitted P29-billion for 2010 and P19.2-billion for 2011.
The P28-billion dividends and other forms of
remittances from the 2012 operations surpassed the collections made the
previous year with eight GOCCs belonging to the elite circle of the so-called
"Billionaire's Club, namely the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA),
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Manila International Airport Authority
(MIAA), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Power Sector
Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), Bases Conversion
Development Authority (BCDA), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and
Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), each remitted at least P1-billion.
The PAGCOR remitted P7.18-billion in dividends
and other forms of remittances to the national government for the fiscal year
of 2012, LBP (P6.24-billion), DBP (P3.16-billion), BCDA (P2.30-billion), PSALM
(P2-billion), MIAA (P1.54-billion), PPA (1.03-billion) and PRA (P1 billion).
The GOCC Dividends Day not only recognizes the
accomplishments of the GOCCs but also the determination of the Aquino
administration to pursue the much needed reform of the government corporate
sector. PND (js)
President Aquino leads Government-Owned and
Controlled Corporations dividends day in Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday
that the Government-Owned and-Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) remitted a total
of P77-billion to the national coffers for the past three years, compared to
P96-billion collected by the administration of former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo in her nine years of presidency.
In his speech at the ceremonial turnover of
GOCCs check dividends and other forms of remittances during the GOCC Dividends
Day at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang on Monday, the Chief Executive said the
P77-billion remitted by the GOCCs was a result of government’s continuing
reforms to fight corruption.
"Sa loob lamang ng tatlong taon,
nakapaghatid na ang ating mga GOCC ng kabuuang mahigit 77 billion pesos.
Ikumpara po natin iyan sa buong siyam at kalahating taon ng kanilang
panunungkulan, kung saan nasa 96 billion pesos lamang ang nalikom nilang
remittance mula sa mga korporasyon. Ididiin ko lang po: Tayo, 77 billion sa
tatlong taon; sila, 96 billion sa siyam at kalahating taon," President
Aquino said.
The President lauded the GOCCs for doing their
best to perform effectively and efficiently to contribute to national
development.
"Kaya naman, saludo at nagpapasalamat po
ako sa bumubuo sa bawat korporasyong nagpakitang-gilas ngayong taon, at
nagpamalas ng kanilang makabuluhang kontribusyon sa bansa," he said.
He also cited the contributions of the
Governance Commission for GOCCs led by Chairman Cesar L. Villanueva for
initiating various reforms and initiatives to improve the collections of
dividends and other contributions from the GOCCs.
The President noted that the funds that came
from the GOCCs are currently being used for the government’s various social
programs such as providing education, healthcare, food and livelihood for the
Filipinos, especially the vulnerable sector.
"Lumiliwanag na rin ang kinabukasan ng
marami nating kababayan, ngayong naisakatuparan na ng National Electrification
Administration ang malawakang elektripikasyon para pailawan ang ilang mga sitio
at barangay sa bansa," he noted.
"Sa huli, ang bawat tagumpay sa mabuting
pamamahala ng ating mga GOCC ay may malaking ambag sa tagumpay ng karaniwang
Pilipino, at ng buong bansa," he stressed.
The Aquino administration is promoting financial
viability and fiscal discipline in GOCCs to make them more efficient in the
discharge of their duties and functions, the President said.
He, likewise, called on the GOCCs to work harder
to further increase their dividends and remittances.
"Hindi naman po tayo hihinto: Sa tuwid na
daan, patuloy nating patitibayin ang ating mga pampublikong istitusyon kung
saan nananatiling pundasyon ang mabuti, makatuwiran, at may pananagutang
pamamahala. Tapos na ang panahon kung saan itinuturing na alkansya ng mga nasa
poder at ng ilang korporasyon ang kaban ng bayan," he said. PND (js)
Let strong economic performance of Philippines
speak for itself, President Aquino says
President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday
that he would rather let the country’s strong economic performance in the first
quarter and possibly better growth in the second speak for itself than pre-empt
credit rating agencies from favoring the Philippines with an upgrade.
In an interview following his attendance to the
2013 GOCC (Government Owned and Controlled Corporations) Dividends Day in
Malacañan Palace, the President said that while he was aware that Moody’s, a
leading provider of credit ratings, research, and risk analysis, had noted the
Philippines' 1st quarter GDP and record budget surplus as "credit
positive," he would rather wait for any news from them.
“Mahirap naman ako magsalita for an agency that
I don’t belong to, ano. Ayoko silang i-preempt. Siguro gayahin ko na rin iyong
ating attitude na baka may mausog pa, so hintayin nalang natin ‘yung balita
nila,” the President said.
Moody's is the last of the global credit rating
agencies that still rate the Philippines a notch below investment grade.
Fitch was the first to upgrade the credit rating
of the Philippines to the same status as A-lister countries in March while
Standard & Poors' as well as the Japan Credit Rating Agency followed in
May. PND (rck)
President Aquino confirms posts for Lacson,
Pangilinan
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday
confirmed that he has offered posts for Senators Panfilo "Ping"
Lacson and Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, whose terms will end on June
30.
The President, however, refused to give details
about his offer until everything is finalized.
“Alam mo sabi nga nila ‘yung details dapat ay
hinog na hinog…May kasunduan kami, in general, pero wala pa doon sa specifics,”
Aquino said at a press briefing after an event in Malacanang.
He admitted that he has offered both lawmakers
positions in the Cabinet.
“I offered that to both gentlemen and, siyempre,
until hindi kayo nagkasundo sa lahat ng detalye, wala pang tapos,” he added.
President Aquino, earlier said that Pangilinan
had expressed willingness to help in the agriculture department while Lacson’s
role in the administration would be “more general”.
Pangilinan has never been part of the Executive
branch while Lacson was once appointed to head the Presidential Anti-Organized
Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) during the time of then President Joseph Estrada from
1998 to 2001. Lacson also served as chief of the Philippine National Police
from 1999 to 2001.
The two lawmakers, who are both allies of the
Aquino administration, are barred from seeking reelection as they completed
their two six-year terms in the Senate. PND (jb)
Aquino orders NBI and other concerned agencies
to come out with definite findings on Serendra blast that will stand scrutiny
President Benigno S. Aquino III directed the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other concerned government agencies
looking into the Two Serendra Condominium's blast in Global City, Taguig on
Friday night to come out with definitive findings that will stand scrutiny.
In an interview after attending the
Government-Owned and –Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) Dividends Day held at the
Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace on Monday, the Chief Executive told the NBI,
Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Science and Technology,
and other concerned government agencies and law enforcement entities that he
wants a thorough and scientific investigation into the incident.
"Ang instructions ko sa kanila, starting
from the time that I was there .....is to come out with definitive findings
that will withstand anybody’s scrutiny. Base iyon siyempre sa ebidensyang
malilikom at sa maliwanag na pagtalakay ‘nung circumstances at ebidensyang
makikita natin diyan para malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari sa Two
Serendra," he said.
President Aquino also did not set a deadline for
the concerned government agencies to wrap-up the Two Serendra probe.
"Alam mo kung may nilabas na resulta by
now, sasabihin na naman masyadong nagmamadali at hindi thorough and scientific
ang investigation. So tanggap namin na may kritiko kaming maski anong gawin
namin mali, pero ang hinahabol namin tama," he said.
The National Capital Region Police Office
(NCRPO) announced that its investigators will analyze the CCTV footage of the
Friday blast at the Two Serendra condominium in Global City, Taguig in a bid to
get more details. PND (js)
President Aquino says he is inclined for a
review of the present system to effectively relay the executive’s concern to
the legislative
President Benigno S. Aquino III said that he is
inclined for a review of the present system to pave way for the executive
branch of government to effectively relay its concerns and issues to the
legislators to prevent vetoing bills.
The Chief Executive issued the statement after
some senators called for a more effective coordination by the Presidential
Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) with the legislative branch of government and
private sectors to avoid more bills being vetoed by the President.
"We’re not a party to the bicameral
conference committee. Doon tayo siyempre sa committee meetings naiimbita—‘yung
various departments and agencies—so it is not the review on personalities per
se but on the system of how we could effectively communicate our issues and our
concerns," President Aquino said in an interview after attending the
Government-Owned and –Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) Dividends Day held at the
Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace on Monday.
While some groups stressed the need for
President Aquino to evaluate the performance of the PLLO, the Chief Executive
explained that there are other factors why he vetoed some bills, such as the
Magna Carta for the Poor, the height requirement for the police, the Rights of
Internally Displaced Persons Act of 2013, and the Centenarians Act of 2012.
" Alam ninyo ‘yung umabot sa akin ay mga
290 enrolled bills, and that doesn’t take into account all the other bills that
were filed and also the daily grind. Siguro ang attitude ko na lang, -ang tao
raw ay hindi perpekto—pwede ring ma-improve," he stressed.
"Ngayon, ‘yung meron nang mga killer
provisions tayong nakita doon sa mga na-obliga tayong i-veto na bill na
magpapahirap talaga... either sa implementasyon o magpapa-imposible sa
implementasyon or maglalagay sa sitwasyon kung saan may panganib na mapahamak
ang buong pamahalaan," he said.
"Maganda ang layunin, pero nagkaroon ng
isa—minsan may dagdag o minsan may bawas—na baka mawala ‘yung saysay ng
magandang intensyon kung itong version ang ma-implement. So inuudyok lang tayo
na maglabas ng mas magandang bersyon ng mga panukalang batas na ito para maabot
ang inaasam-asam na ikabubuti ng sambayanan," he said. PND (js)
