Aquino declares July 23 a special non-working
day in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental in celebration of its 53rd Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
July 23, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working) day in Gingoog
City in the province of Misamis Oriental in celebration of its 53rd Charter
Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 578 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on May 15 to give the people of Gingoog City the full opportunity to celebrate
and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
In June 1960, Gingoog became a chartered city by
virtue of Republic Act No. 2668. PND (js)
President Aquino cites Food and Nutrition
Research Institute for seeking methodologies that will alleviate hunger,
malnutrition and poverty in the country
President Benigno S. Aquino III has cited the
Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) for seeking methodologies that can
help alleviate hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in the country.
"As an active working arm of the Department
of Science and Technology, the FNRI, along with your partner organizations,
remains committed to seeking methodologies to improve the food and nutrition
sector," the Chief Executive said in his message to FNRI on the occasion
of the 39th FNRI Seminar Series on Food and Nutrition Researches and S&T
(Science and Technology) Activities.
In cooperation with the Food and Nutrition
Employees Association Inc., the FNRI, which is under the DOST, opened on
Thursday the two-day seminar at the FNRI Auditorium of the DOST Compound in
Bicutan, Taguig. The event will end on Friday.
"A healthy mind and a strong body makes a
productive citizen; this is why we count food security and proper nutrition as
fundamental in empowering our people,” the President said.
The President underscored the need to integrate
science and technology in order to meet the global challenges.
"As we do this, let us also strengthen our
solidarity in cascading the benefits of reform to our countrymen, especially
those who have historically been relegated to the margins of society. Together,
let us seize the opportunities that are afforded us by this era of change,"
he said. PND (js)
Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office launches commemorative page on 67th Republic Day
The Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Development Office led by its Secretary Ramon Carandang will soon
launch a commemorative page on the commemoration of the 67th Republic Day,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Thursday.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Lacierda said
the commemorative page can be seen at the Presidential Museum and Library
website (www.malacanang.gov.ph) and will feature a briefer on the July 4th
independence rites and videos courtesy of the President Manuel Roxas
Foundation, as well as colorized pictures from the Blue Book of the First Year
of the Republic.
Below is the complete text of Lacierda’s
statement:
“Today, we commemorate the culmination of our
people’s aspirations for independence. 67 years ago today, the independence of
the Philippines was recognized by the United States of America, and in turn, by
the community of nations. In ceremonies held at the Independence Grandstand in
Rizal Park on July 4, 1946, the flag of America was lowered, and, in its stead,
the Philippine flag was raised to fly alone at last. The independence of the
Philippines—and the inauguration of our Third Republic—was marked by Manuel
Roxas re-taking his oath, eliminating the pledge of allegiance to the United
States of America which was required prior to independence, this time as the
first President of the Republic of the Philippines.
In observance of that auspicious occasion which
has been Republic Day since 1964, the Presidential Communications Development
and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) is launching a commemorative page on the
Presidential Museum and Library website. It features a briefer on the July 4th
independence rites and videos courtesy of the President Manuel Roxas
Foundation, as well as colorized pictures from the Blue Book of the First Year
of the Republic. We encourage Filipinos to take part in this historic
observance also through our social media platforms Facebook and Tumblr as we
look back on the day that our political independence was finally achieved.” PND
(rck)
Malacanang says safety of OFWs in Egypt
government’s top priority
Malacanang said on Thursday that it was closely
monitoring the events unfolding in Egypt as it underscored the importance of
ensuring the safety of overseas Filipino workers in the Middle Eastern country.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in
a press briefing in Malacanang that the Department of Foreign Affairs is
reminding all OFWs in Egypt to take every precaution necessary and to remain
out of harm’s way.
“Ang concern po natin at ang priority po ng
ating pamahalaan ay ang kapakanan po ng ating mga Pilipino doon (in Egypt).
Sinabi na po ng ating DFA na nire-request ang ating mga Pilipino doon na
mag-ingat at saka huwag lumapit doon sa mga areas na may kaunting kaguluhan. We
are monitoring the situation in Egypt right now as well as the safety of our
fellow citizens abroad,” Lacierda said.
Egypt is in a state of unrest after massive
protests called for the resignation of the country’s 5th president Mohamed
Morsi.
Morsi, who was born on August 8, 1951 is an
Egyptian politician who assumed office on June 30, 2012 but was declared
unseated by Egyptian defense minister Abdul Fatah Khalil Al-Sisi in a coup
d'état on Wednesday (July 3). PND (rck)
Malacanang says safety of citizens and visitors
assured
Malacanang assured on Thursday that the government
and concerned law enforcement agencies are taking active steps to ensure the
safety of tourists and visitors from other countries, as well as its citizens.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda gave
the assurance in a press briefing in Malacanang, after Canada and Australia
issued separate travel advisories to its respective citizens against travelling
to the Philippines, particularly to Mindanao, due to the peace and order
situation there.
Lacierda said these advisories were “normal
advisories” given by countries in order to “protect and caution” their citizens
as they travel to different parts of the world.
“With respect to the advisory that was given,
these are normal advisories. They have to protect and caution their citizens
and we understand the situation,” Lacierda said.
“We understand the reason for their doing so but
we can assure them that our responsibility as a nation is to ensure the safety
of our own citizens as well as the visitors who come here,” he added. PND (rck)
Malacanang says Sultan Kiram should coordinate
with Sulu local crisis management committee if he is serious in helping for the
release of the Bansil sisters
Malacanang said Sultan Kiram of the Sulu
Sultanate should coordinate with the local crisis management committee of Sulu
if he is really serious in helping for the release of the Bansil sisters who
were kidnapped by Muslim extremists in the south.
Sultan Kiram offered to help the government in
negotiating for the freedom of the Bansil sisters.
The sultan should have to talk to Governor Mujiv
Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) or to Governor Sakur
Tan of Sulu because they are the ones in charge, Presidential Spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said in a press conference in Malacanang on Thursday.
“Governor Sakur Tan is the local crisis action
committee head and Governor Hataman is also assisting in his capacity as ARMM
governor [is] also helping out in that area. So he would have to discuss it
with Governor Abdusakur Tan and Governor Hataman,” Lacierda said.
It isn’t necessary to offer the help to the
Palace and the sultan should go directly to the local crisis committee it he’s
willing to help free the hostages, Lacierda said.
Governor Sakur Tan is on top of the situation
and the national government is getting regular updates from the local level,
the Palace official said.
Nadjoua Bansil, 39, and younger sister Linda,
36, were abducted in Jolo on June 22 while working on a documentary about its
impoverished residents, Lacierda said.
The military and the police blamed the Abu
Sayyaf Group for the recent kidnappings.
The Abu Sayyaf Group was founded with the help
of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the 1990s. The US government designated
the group a terrorist organization. PND (as)
Palace says charges filed against top officials
of Comelec before Ombudsman in May 13 elections will not affect the legitimacy
of election results
The charges filed against top officials of the
Commission on Election (Comelec) before the Office of the Ombudsman due to the
alleged lack of safety measures in the May 13 elections will not affect the
legitimacy of the election results, a Palace official said on Thursday.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued
the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang following reports
that new charges were filed against the Comelec officials in connection with
the midterm national and local elections.
"I think wala na pong effect iyon in terms
of the legitimacy of those elected both nationally and locally. The business of
governance has moved on," Lacierda said.
"We have 12 legitimately elected senators
and those who have won the elections, with the exception of a few that are
still being questioned in either the COMELEC or in other tribunals, have
already taken their oaths. We believe that the people have accepted the results
of the elections," he said.
In a complaint affidavit filed before the anti-graft
body, Tanggulang Demokrasya and Bagumbayan charged top Comelec officials for
violations of automated election laws.
The Comelec removed five safety measures that
should have safeguarded the sanctity of the ballot, according to the
complainants. The safeguards are the review of the source code, the digital
signature, the voter verification, the paper trail audit, and the random manual
audit.
Lacierda said the Comelec has the competence to
respond to the allegations filed against its officials.
"If a case has already been filed with the
Ombudsman, certainly the COMELEC is duty-bound to respond to those allegations
against them. And sila na po ang makakasagot ng mga technical issues diyan
because they are the ones in charge of the elections," Lacierda said. PND
(js)
Palace welcomes China’s move to discuss code of
conduct in South China Sea
Malacanang welcomed China’s latest statement on
its willingness to hold discussions for the possible crafting of a Code of
Conduct in the South China Sea amid continuing tensions in the area.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday,
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he can not speculate on China’s
intention to spearhead low-level discussions to resolve the dispute but he said
it is a welcome development.
“It’s a forward step with China agreeing to at
least discuss the Code of Conduct with us. We already drafted the Code of
Conduct, and now we have asked them to discuss it with us, and China has
already said that they are discussing with us. And so this is a step in the
right direction,” Lacierda said.
After years of rejecting efforts to start talks
for a Code of Conduct with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean), China has agreed to host talks between senior officials this coming
September.
But the code would not touch on the territorial
claims but would set rules for actions by ships, aimed at minimizing the risk
of missteps that could lead to hostilities.
The discussions, to be held in China, was
described as “consultations” rather than “negotiations”.
Asean and China ministers met in Brunei this
week for a security forum that tackled the tension in the West Philippine Sea.
The US, an ally of the Philippines and Vietnam
said it is not taking sides on the issue but said that its strategic interest
is the freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea.
The US hopes that the Asean and China agree on a
valid Code of Conduct soon. PND (as)
