President Aquino administers oaths of office to
49 government officials
President Benigno S. Aquino III administered the
oaths of office to 49 newly appointed government agency officials in ceremonies
held in Malacanang on Monday.
Leading the list of new government agency
officials were: Alexander Pama – Undersecretary, Office of the Executive
Secretary, Office of the President; Jose Justiniano – Undersecretary,
Department of Justice; Dina Joana Cristobal – Undersecretary, Department of
Education; Ciriaco Lagunzad III – Undersecretary, Department of Labor and
Employment; Janette Garin and Madeleine De Rosas Valera – Undersecretaries,
Department of Health; Ponciano Manalo, Jr. – Undersecretary, Department of
Trade and Industry; and Julianito Bucayan, Jr. – Undersecretary, Department of
Transportation and Communication.
The other officials who were sworn in by the
President were: Tonsito Umali – Assistant Secretary, DepEd; Maria Gloria
Abragantango – Asec., DOLE; Ceferino Rodolfo, and Blesila Lantayona – Assistant
Secretaries, DTI; Camille Alcaraz Campos – Asec., DOTC; Raymundo Liboro –
Asec., Department of Science and Technology; Celso Santiago, Jr. – Asec. for
Special Concerns, Presidential Communications Operations Office;
Winston Ginez – Chairman, Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board; Rowena Guanzon – Commissioner, Comission on
Audit; Nieves Osorio – Commissioner, Civil Service Commission; Lorna Flores and
Jerry Gracio – Commissioner Representing the Languages of the Southern Cultural
Communities, Commission on Filipino Language; Conrado Sillada – Commissioner,
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; Maximo Mejia, Jr. – Administrator,
Maritime Industry Authority; Roland Manalaysay – Executive Director, Agrarian
Reform Adjudication Board; and Teresita Hatta – Executive Director, Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas;
Franklin Jesus Bucayu – Director, Bureau of
Corrections; Roberto Cabrera III – Executive Director, LTFRB; Richard Ritual –
Rear Admiral, Philippine Merchant Marine Academy; Joselito Dela Cruz, Danilo
Ubaldo, George Ursabia, Ferdinand Velasco, Leopoldo Laroya and Rolando Legaspi
– Commodores, Philippine Coast Guard; Nelson Laluces – Deputy Director General,
Intellectual Property Office; Ray Roderos – Assistant Director General,
National Security Council;
Rolando Gosengfiao – Member, Board of Directors,
Bases Conversion and Development Authority; Milagros Isabel Cristobal – Member,
Representing the Women Sector, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration;
Elmoise Afurong – Member, Representing Luzon Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise
Development Council; Jonathan Aldeguer – Member, Representing Visayas SMEDC;
Mary Ann Montemayor – Member, Representing Mindanao SMEDC;
Honorito Chaneco – Member, Board of Directors,
Light Rail Transit Authority; Ralph Pastor Salazar – Member, Board of
Directors, PNOC Renewables Corporation; Lucita Reyes – Member, Board of
Governors, Board of Investments; Ernesto Albano and Reagan De Guzman – Members,
Board of Directors, North Luzon Railways Corporation; Alexander Padilla –
Member, Board of Directors, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation; Leah
Navarro – Member, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board;
Nievelena Rosete and Francis Gealogo – Members of the Board, Martial Law
Historical Advisory Committee; and Orlan Calayag of the Department of
Agriculture.
Joining the President for the occasion were
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and Health Secretary Enrique Ona.
PND (rck)
President Aquino declares August 15 as special
non-working day in Bulacan
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
August 15, which falls on a Thursday, as a special (non-working) day in the
province of Bulacan in commemoration of its 435th Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 627 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on July 30, to give the people of Bulacan the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
According to the research conducted by the
Center for Bulacan Studies, Bulacan was established as a province on Aug. 15,
1578. It is one of the most progressive provinces in the Philippines. PND (js)
President Aquino orders Roxas to lead
resettlement of informal settlers
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed
Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas to immediately spearhead
the transfer of informal settler families living in danger and high-risk areas
to decent housing sites, a Palace official said on Monday.
The Chief Executive issued the directive by
virtue of Memorandum Order No. 57 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N.
Ochoa Jr. on August 2, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced
during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
Under Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban
Development Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), the local government units (LGUs), in
coordination with the National Housing Authority (NHA), shall implement the
relocation and resettlement of persons living in danger areas such as esteros,
railroad tracks, garbage dumps, riverbanks, shorelines, waterways, and in other
public places.
The President, in his State of the Nation
Address (SONA) on July 22, reiterated his administration's thrust "to
provide refuge to our countrymen living in the danger or high-risk areas by
providing them better housing, with access to public transport."
"The Administration's thrust is to
prioritize their safety (informal settler families) in properly reassigning
their residential locations after clearing the clogged waterways of our cities;
and guarantee their protection and well-being in this exercise by ensuring
proper coordination among government agencies concerned," the memorandum
order said.
“Now, therefore, the Secretary of the Interior
and Local Government is hereby directed to immediately spearhead the transfer
of informal settler families living in danger and high-risk areas to decent
housing sites, as may be applicable, and pave the way for the clearing of
clogged waterways, pursuant to the DILG’s mandate under Republic Act No. 6975
and EO 262 and the provisions of the UDHA," the order said.
In order to pursue this directive, the DILG
shall coordinate with LGUs, the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor,
NHA, and other relevant agencies of the government.
The memorandum order shall take effect
immediately. PND (js)
President Aquino confers Order of Sikatuna on
outgoing Canadian Ambassador Christopher Thornley in Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III conferred the
Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu Katangiang Ginto (Grand Cross, Gold
Distinction) on outgoing Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher
Thornley, in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the bilateral
partnership between the Philippines and Canada, during a simple ceremony in
Malacanang on Monday.
The Chief Executive awarded the Order of
Sikatuna on Thornley during a simple ceremony at the Music Room of the
Malacanang Palace on Monday.
The award was given to the outgoing ambassador
for promoting deeper and vibrant relations between the Philippines and Canada
through close people-to-people ties, security cooperation and trade and
investments.
He was cited for his role in making the economic
relations vibrant and more robust as manifested in the sustained increase in
bilateral trade and Canadian investments in the Philippines, notably in the
business process outsourcing sector and manufacturing.
Thornley was recognized for his involvement in
establishing the Philippines-Canada Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation
and the conduct of the Inaugural JCBC meeting on February 5, 2013.
"Thornley was recognized for securing
Canada's generous contribution to our counter-terrorism efforts, consisting of
in-kind contributions of equipment, training and services to help strengthen
our counter-terrorism and anti-crime capacity," the citation read.
He was also cited for facilitating Canada's
immediate relief assistance for the flood victims of typhoons Sendong and Pablo
and for his humanitarian commitment as manifested by the Gawad Kalinga Villages
donated by Canadian firms in the Philippines.
"He was cited for his role in organizing
the visit to the Philippines of Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada in
November, 2012, the highest level visit of a Canadian official in the last 15
years and the visit of Canada's Minister for Foreign Affairs John Baird in
July, 2012," the citation read.
Thornley was likewise recognized "for
facilitating the signing of the DND-Canadian Commercial Corporation Memorandum
of Understanding on Government-to-Government Transactions in Defense and
Military Related Equipment Materials, Systems and/or Services on Nov. 10,
2012."
He was also cited for pursuing activities that
nurtured friendship, mutual appreciation and understanding between Filipinos
and Canadians.
Thornley was accompanied by Senior Trade
Commissioner Karra Lee Gerrits. Witnessing the conferment and farewell
ceremonies were Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Brillantes and Assistant
Secretary Carlos Sorreta of the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of
American Affairs.
The Order of Sikatuna was established in 1953
and is conferred by the President of the Philippines to give recognition to
individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the
Philippines, and to diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who
have rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing, and strengthening
relations between their country and the Philippines as well as personnel of the
Department of Foreign Affairs both in the Home Office and in the Foreign
Service. PND (js)
