President Aquino declares September 30 as
special non-working day in Masbate City, Masbate in celebration of its 13th
Cityhood Anniversary
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
September 30, which falls on a Monday, as a special (non-working) day in
Masbate City in the province of Masbate in celebration of its 13th Cityhood
Anniversary.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 647 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on August 22 to give the people of Masbate the full opportunity to celebrate
and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
On August 16, 2000, the municipality of Masbate
was converted into a component city by virtue of Republic Act 8807. In a
plebiscite held later that year, Masbateños voted 7,800-3,200 in favor of city
hood.
On September 30, 2000, the Commission on
Elections Regional Office in Region 5 officially proclaimed Masbate as a
component city. PND (js)
Aquino orders all department secretaries and
heads of agencies, bureaus or offices of the government in the City of
Zamboanga and adjoining provinces to ensure the delivery of government services
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed all
department secretaries and heads of agencies, bureaus or offices of the
government in the city of Zamboanga and adjoining provinces to ensure the
delivery of government services amid the on-going violent attacks by rogue and
armed groups in the city.
The Chief Executive issued the directive through
Memorandum Circular No. 54 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on September 12.
The President underscored the need to ensure
that government agencies in the city of Zamboanga and adjoining provinces are
functioning and that government services are being delivered despite the
on-going violent attacks by rogue and armed groups in the area.
He ordered all department secretaries and heads
of agencies, bureaus or offices of the government with offices/branches located
in the city of Zamboanga and adjoining provinces to assess the normal
functioning of their respective regional/provincial/local offices/branches and
ensure the delivery of government services in said localities.
In the event that the said offices/branches are
unable to operate and function normally, President Aquino instructed the
officials to deal and collaborate with the local government units (LGU)
concerned for the continuous delivery of government services.
This Memorandum Circular shall take effect
immediately. PND (js)
Palace defends President Aquino’s presence in
Zamboanga City
Malacanang defended the presence of President
Benigno S. Aquino III in Zamboanga City, saying the Chief Executive, who has
chosen to remain in the province where an ongoing standoff between the
government troops and members of the Moro National Liberation Front-Misuari
faction has been raging for over a week, bolsters the morale of the security
forces as well as of the people.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda cited the “big role” the President
portrays as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and
the Philippine National Police.
“The President is there. He is the
Commander-in-Chief. There are military options being exercised there (Zamboanga
City) right now. He gives support; he gives directions so he plays a big role,”
Lacierda said.
“He has inspired the armed forces there, the
police forces and also the city government and so it shows the confidence that
he also has in the armed forces and also the people of Zamboanga City
appreciate the presence of the President during this time of crisis,” he added.
When asked on what happens to the affairs of
government while the President is away, Lacierda said President Aquino remains
in constant contact with his alter egos in the various agencies who give him
updates on the state of government.
“The business of government runs even if he is
in Zamboanga City, as he is in touch with Cabinet Secretaries,” Lacierda said.
PND (rck)
Palace says Indonesia commits to helping
Philippines resolve Zamboanga standoff
The Indonesian government has agreed to help the
Philippines in resolving the Zamboanga standoff by opening the lines of
communication between the government and the Moro National Liberation (MNLF)
Misuari faction, the Palace said on Tuesday.
Indonesia has facilitated the review of the
implementation of the 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, quoting a statement from Peace adviser
Teresita Deles, said it is the Philippine government, which seeks the help of
Indonesia in ending the Zamboanga incident by facilitating communication
between the government and the MNLF.
Lacierda said the Indonesian government gave
instructions to its embassy in Manila on its role.
“Embassy officials explained to us that this
meant that their lines would be open to receive and transmit messages, from one
side to the other, that they did not see it to be within their role to
proactively make a call to either side,” Lacierda said quoting Deles.
“We relayed to Indonesia last Tuesday and to the
entire OIC Peace Committee last Thursday our request that they could help in
any way in resolving the incident. None of the aide countries present offered a
proposal.”
Indonesia has not received any information from
the MNLF about its interest to end the standoff, Lacierda said.
Last week, Indonesia received a message from the
Misuari group about travel arrangements to attend the meeting in Yogjakarta
until they asked for postponement of the meeting last Thursday.
President Benigno S. Aquino III remains in
Zamboanga City being the country’s command-in-chief. Lacierda said the
President continues to give support and directions as well as boost the morale
of soldiers fighting the MNLF.
The President is confident that the armed forces
could soon end the crisis. The people of Zamboanga appreciate his presence
there, Lacierda said. PND (as)
Aquino approves P2-million reward for capture of
Davantes killers
President Benigno S. Aquino III has instructed
the Office of the Executive Secretary for the release of a P2-million reward
money for anybody who could provide information for the capture of the killers
of the young advertising account executive who was brutally murdered last week
in Cavite.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously
announced a P500,000 reward offer for information about the killing.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda confirmed
Tuesday in a press briefing in Malacanang the President’s instruction about the
P2-million reward offer.
Asked if the President was disappointed by the
pace of the police investigation that’s why he ordered a P2 million bounty,
Lacierda said it shows the resolve of the President to identify the killers of
25-years old Kae Davantes.
“It’s not a question of disappointment. I
suppose it’s a question of inducing people to help identify the killers of— or
the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” he said.
Davantes’s body was found by police in Silang,
Cavite, on September 7. Police said they believed Davantes died of
strangulation and stab to the neck. Her cell phone and other possessions were
not recovered. The car she was driving was recovered in Las Pinas one week
later.
Davantes was last seen with her friends in
Bonifacio Global City in Taguig a night before the killing.
Anyone who could provide information may contact
the Philippine National Police SMS hotline:09178475757; or “I-text mo kay
Tsip”: 09178475757; text PNP 2920; PNP-NOC: 09192821142; trunk line:723-0401 to
20.
Informants could also give their information to
the PNP through the social media. The PNP’s Twitter account is ireport_krimen;
and its Facebook account is facebook.com/pnp.pio. They could also report to the
nearest police station. PND (as)
Aquino sees fruitful outcome of the 34th ASEAN
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Brunei
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed hope
for a fruitful outcome of the 34th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in
Brunei Darussalam this September, acknowledging the commitment of respective
legislators from ASEAN countries to devise frameworks that will shape the
future of the nations.
"The ASEAN remains a dynamic bloc in this
globalized milieu, with our ties of amity, mutual respect, and cooperation
serving as the building blocks for our collective success," the Chief
Executive said in his message to the AIPA.
Brunei Darussalam is hosting the 34th AIPA which
has for its theme "The Role of AIPA in Realizing the ASEAN
Community."
The assembly, attended by AIPA parliament
members and observer delegations, opened on Sept. 17. The summit will end on
Sept. 23.
"May this assembly advance our partnership,
in accord with our community’s vision for the coming decade, and bring into
alignment our roadmaps for development," President Aquino said.
"Let this revisiting of strategies and
policy choices likewise give way to a strengthened agenda for growth and
empowerment among our representatives, that we may continue to institutionalize
reforms and break ground on an even more competitive and progressive Southeast
Asia," the President said.
President Aquino said the Philippines, for its
part, redoubles the efforts of its campaign to nourish the seeds of good
governance and sustain the country’s transformed outlook.
"We are now a nation breaking free from the
shackles of corruption, with a leveled playing field for business, and a
country poised to realize its potential. With the support from our partners in
other branches of government and in the private sphere, we are optimistic that
we will achieve our targets and join our region in accelerating towards greater
peace and prosperity," he said.
He said the commitment to justice will guide the
legislators in devising frameworks that will shape the future of the ASEAN
nations.
According to AIPA, the issues to be discussed
during the assembly include supporting the ASEAN Political Security Community,
fostering the growth and sustainable development of small and medium
enterprises, nurturing the role of young people in the future challenges of
ASEAN and advocating better maternal and child health in the regional bloc.
The AIPA members are Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. PND (js)
