President Aquino vows to go after pork barrel
scammers
(TAGUIG CITY) President Benigno S. Aquino III
vowed on Monday to do everything possible in his power to bring to justice the
scammers and those who benefitted in misusing the Priority Development
Assistance Fund, also known as the pork barrel fund of the lawmakers.
In his speech during rites commemorating the
National Heroes Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, the President
said he will ensure that misuse of the PDAF will never happen again.
"Gagawin natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya
upang tukuyin at panagutin ang mga nagkuntsabahan para dungisan ang dapat
sana’y marangal na layunin ng dating PDAF," the President said.
"Hindi natin hahayaang maging kasangkapan
ang sinuman upang magpatuloy ang kababuyan ng iilan; sisikapin nating hindi na
maulit pa ang kamalian ng nakaraan, upang lalong patibayin ang matuwid na
paggugol ng kabang bayan," he added.
He called on all Filipinos to join government
efforts to implement stricter measures in the disbursement of the fund to
further prevent others from being tempted to use it for personal gain.
"Ngunit upang tuluyang maging epektibo ang
bagong sistemang ating ilalatag, kailangan ang pakikiisa ng mamamayan sa
masusing pagbabantay ng bawat proyektong ating pinopondohan," the
President said.
The President announced last Friday his decision
to abolish the PDAF and implement stricter measures for its use.
"Bahagi ito ng patuloy na paghahanap at
pagbuo ng mekanismo upang siguruhing ang pera ng taumbayan ay mapupunta sa
taumbayan lamang," the President said. PND (rck)
Aquino calls on Filipinos to continue advocacy
of our earlier heroes for a better Philippines
(TAGUIG CITY) President Benigno S. Aquino III
called on Filipinos to continue the advocacy of our earlier heroes and join the
quest for a better Philippines by committing in their own small way to strive
for the good and shun away the bad.
The President issued the call in his speech
keynoting the commemoration of National Heroes Day held at the Libingan ng mga
Bayani in Taguig City on Monday.
"Lahat naman tayo, sa iba’t ibang paraan,
ay natulungan at nakinabang sa pagmamalasakit ng mga nauna sa atin. Kaya naman
makatuwiran lang pong isiping panahon na para tayo naman ang magpatuloy sa
kanilang sinimulan. Makilahok tayo, makiisa, at makiambag sa pagsusulong ng
ating kolektibong adhikain bilang bansa," the President said.
"Ang hamon po sa atin: Huwag sana tayong
makuntento na mag-abang o tumanggap lamang ng tulong at biyaya mula sa
kabutihan ng iba; sa halip, gawin natin ang lahat ng makakaya sa bawat
pagkakataon upang gampanan ang tungkulin sa kapwa at lipunan," he added.
He stressed that we should all strive to emulate
the example set forth by our heroes who were ready to sacrifice everything for
the greater good.
"Nagsisimula po ang kabayanihan mula sa
ating mga sarili; sa pagtukoy at pagpanig sa kung ano ang tama at hindi sa
mali. Dito nagbubukal ang pananagutan nating magmalasakit sa nangangailangan at
ipagtanggol ang niyuyurakan ang karapatan, the President said.
"Bilang pagrespeto at pagpapahalaga sa
mabuting halimbawa ng ating mga bayani, nawa’y araw-araw nating isabuhay ang
kanilang aral at paninindigan. Kung nagawa nilang patunayang ang Pilipino ay
may malasakit sa kapwa Pilipino, wala pong makapipigil sa atin upang sundan ang
tinahak nilang landas," he said.
The President said we all have the capacity to
become heroes as long as we believe in ourselves and join together as a
formidable force to achieve our dreams and ambitions for ourselves and our
country.
"Bawat isa sa atin, anuman ang katungkulan
o kalagayan, kayang maging mabuting Pilipino sa bawat sandali; bawat isa sa
atin, gaano man kaliit o kalaki ang i-ambag, kayang maging bayani. Bawat
hakbang pasulong ng Pilipino, basta’t sama-sama, makakapagdulot ng dambuhalang pagbabago,"
the President further said.
"Taas noo tayong humaharap sa mundo—
patutunayan nating sulit ang sakripisyo ng ating mga bayani. itutuloy natin ang
kanilang laban para sa ikabubuti ng bagong salinlahi," he concluded. PND
(rck)
President Aquino declares September 2 as special
non-working day in Albay In commemoration of 148th birth anniversary of the
late General Simeon Ola
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
September 2, which falls on a Monday, as a special (non-working) day in the
province of Albay to mark the 148th birth anniversary of the late General
Simeon A. Ola, the last revolutionary general to surrender at the end of the
Philippine-American War.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 635 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on August 22, to give the people of Albay the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Born on September 2, 1865 to ordinary citizens
Vicente Ola and Apolonia Arboleda, Ola was a hero of the Philippine Revolution
and the last general to surrender to American forces during the
Philippine-American War.
In 1896, he stopped his studies at the
University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City and joined the local branch of the
Katipunan in his hometown, the province of Albay.
Ola was promoted to the rank of captain after
the battle of Camalig in Albay in 1898 and again promoted to the rank of major
after a daring ambush mission that led to the capture of three Americans.
He was also the leader of the subsequent valiant
attacks on Albay towns namely, Oas, Ligao and Jovellar. He later surrendered to
Americans on the condition that his men would be granted amnesty.
Ola was put on trial and was proven guilty of sedition
and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. In 1904, he was given a pardon and
returned to his place of birth.
In 1910, he entered politics and won a town
mayor of Guinobatan, which he served until 1913. He was again elected as mayor
in 1916 and served the term until 1919.
The regional police command in Legazpi City was
named after him.
Ola died on February 14, 1952 and was interred
at the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Guinobatan. PND (js)
