President Aquino confers Order of Sikatuna on
outgoing US envoy Harry Thomas
President Benigno S. Aquino III conferred the
Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross, Silver Distinction (Datu,
Katangiang Pilak) on outgoing United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry
Thomas Jr. in a ceremony held at the Music Room of Malacanang Palace on Monday.
The President conferred the prestigious award on
the outgoing envoy in recognition of his invaluable contribution to deepening
the relations between the Philippines and the United States.
The recognition cited the envoy’s “advocacy for
a stronger, more robust Philippines- United States defense alliance, playing a
key role in the signing of the 2011 Manila Declaration that reaffirmed the
Philippines-United States of America Mutual Defense Treaty”.
Thomas was also recognized for advancing
high-level dialogues and consultations between the Philippines and the US,
facilitating the creation of mechanisms such as the Philippines-United States
of America Bilateral Strategic Dialogue and the 2+2 Ministerial Consultations.
He was also cited for his outstanding
contribution to the Philippine democracy and development, especially for taking
the lead on the establishment and implementation of the programs under the
Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Partnership for Growth.
President Aquino also acknowledged Thomas’es
steadfast support to the Philippines in times of calamities, especially for the
significant assistance from the US to address the disasters caused by Typhoons
Pablo and Sendong.
Thomas was also cited for pursuing activities
that nurtured friendship, mutual appreciation and understanding between
Filipinos and Americans.
Thomas was accompanied by Deputy Chief of
Mission for the US Embassy Brian Goldbeck. Also present were Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario; DFA Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta; Colonel
Rocky Carter, senior defense official-Philippines; and 3rd Secretary and Vice
Consul Luke Meinzen.
It was earlier reported that US President Barack
Obama has nominated former ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg to replace
Thomas.
The Order of Sikatuna was established in 1953
and is conferred by the President of the Philippines upon individuals who have
rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Philippines.
It is also bestowed upon diplomats, officials and
nationals of foreign states who have rendered conspicuous services in
fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between their country and
the Philippines. PND (jb)
Palace welcomes continued public support for
Aquino
Malacanang welcomed a recent Social Weather
Station survey showing continuing public support for President Benigno S.
Aquino III and his reform agenda.
The Social Weather Station Survey for the third
quarter of 2013 shows 68 percent of Filipinos satisfied with President Aquino’s
performance. The survey also shows a seven-point increase among those
dissatisfied—from 12 percent in June to 19 percent in September.
In a statement on Monday, Deputy Presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while an overwhelming majority of
Filipinos remains supportive of the President and his agenda, the Palace
recognizes that the increase in the number of dissatisfied people reflects the
depth of public anger and disappointment for those who steal and misuse public
funds.
“We share this anger and disappointment. No
amount of clutter should confuse the true issue at hand: Public funds were
stolen by elected officials and their cohorts in the bureaucracy and the
private sector,” Valte said in a statement.
Public support of the President stemmed from his
sincerity in addressing the ills of the system, his unwavering commitment to do
what is just and right, his compassion for the underprivileged, and his belief
that only by weeding out corruption can we uplift the lives of the poor, she
noted.
“These remain our bedrock principles as the
Aquino administration takes on its most significant fight yet, against those
who have joined ranks to derail us from the straight path. Despite their
efforts, we shall triumph, because we know—and the numbers show—that our
Bosses, the people, remain on our side,” she continued.
At the same time, Valte expressed her gratitude
for the great majority of people who have not been swayed by those opposing
reform, thanking them for their commitment and lauding their capacity to
discern.
The Palace official also made an assurance that
the administration’s pursuit of justice will continue and intensify to hold
accountable those who stole public funds and committed abuse of power.
“Those who have wronged us will be held
accountable. Those who wish to bring us back to the old ways will not succeed,”
she said. PND (as)
President Aquino appoints 29 judges
President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed 29
judges in various provinces.
In a transmittal letter to Chief Justice Maria
Lourdes P. A. Sereno, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said the Chief
Executive signed on October 3 the appointment letters of new judges.
President Aquino appointed Judge Caesar C.
Buenagua as presiding judge of Calamba City, Laguna Regional Trial Court (RTC)
Branch 37; Judge Marlyn Reyes Agama as presiding judge of Siniloan, Laguna RTC
Branch 33; Judge Mercedes Dagdag Lindog as presiding judge of Nasugbu, Batangas
RTC Branch 14; Judge Dennis Galahad C. Orendain as presiding judge of Lucena
City, Quezon RTC Branch 53; Judge Robert Victor C. Marcon as presiding judge of
Lucena City, Quezon RTC Branch 54; Judge Maria Josefina G. San Juan-Torres as
presiding judge of Morong, Rizal RTC Branch 79; Judge Abdulmoin M. Pakam as
presiding judge of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi RTC and Judge Jocam Joseph C. Jocson as
presiding judge of Baganga, Davao Oriental RTC Branch 7.
The other presidential appointees are the
following:
- Judge Pamela T. Chavez-Izon as presiding judge
of Batangas City Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 2
- Judge Emilio O. Quianzon Jr. as presiding
judge of General Santos City, South Cotabato MTCC Branch 2
- Judge Maria Sophia T. Palma Gil-Torrejos as
presiding judge of Laak, Compostela Municipal Trial Court (MTC)
- Judge Renato D. Bermejo as presiding judge of
Malita-Sta. Maria-Don Marcelino, Davao del Sur 5th Municipal Circuit Trial
Court (MCTC)
- Judge Maila Doroteo Santos as presiding judge
of Cardona, Rizal MTC
- Judge Robert V. Marcelo as presiding judge of
Tanay, Rizal MTC
- Judge Leah Angeli B. Vasquez-Abad as presiding
judge of Calamba City, Laguna MTCC
- Judge Maria Concepcion M. Serrano-Altea as
presiding judge of Biñan City, Laguna MTCC
- Judge Maria Socorro Alea-Godoy as presiding
judge of Alitagtag-Sta Teresita, Batangas 3rd MCTC
- Judge Janice Andrade Udarbe as presiding judge
of Tagkawayan, Quezon MTC
- Judge Fatima Angela O. Pancho-Santos as
presiding judge of Catanauan, Quezon MTC
- Judge Franco Paulo R. Arago as presiding judge
of Cavite City, Cavite MTCC Branch 2
- Judge Hilda Poblete Mendoza as presiding judge
of Imus City, Cavite MTCC
- Judge Joan Colinares Mosatalla as presiding
judge of Tabaco, Albay MTCC
- Judge Nonna Oliva Beltran as presiding judge
of Naga City, Camarines Sur MTCC Branch 1
- Judge Blas C. Nolasco Jr. as presiding judge
of Murcia-Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental 3rd MCTC
- Judge Ranhel Anotado Perez as presiding judge
of Enrique B. Magalona-Manapla, Negros Occidental 7th MCTC
- Judge Pacifico T. Cimafranca Jr. as presiding
judge of Dumalinao-San Pablo-Tigbao-Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur 8th MCTC
- Judge Norlinda R. Amante-Descallar as
presiding judge of Kumalarang-Lake Wood-Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur 13th MCTC
- Judge Leah M. Sajulga-Caña as presiding judge
of Magallanes-Las Nieves-Remedios T. Rumualdez, Agusan del Norte 1st MCTC and
- Judge Anthony P. Vitor as presiding judge of
Jabonga-Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte 3rd MCTC. PND (js)
President Aquino all set for state visit to
South Korea this week
President Benigno S. Aquino III will leave this
week for a two-day state visit to the Republic of Korea to further boost ties
between the two countries, as well as attract more investments to the
Philippines.
President Aquino will visit South Korea on
October 17 and October 18, his first since he assumed office in June 2010, upon
the invitation of South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye.
During the press briefing in Malacanang, Foreign
Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said the President will be the first
leader to undertake a state visit to Korea since President Park took office in
February this year.
“The two leaders will hold their first summit
meeting to discuss bilateral issues such as political dialogue, defense
cooperation, trade and investments relations, official development assistance,
consular and labor cooperation and people-to-people exchanges as well as regional
issues among others,” he said.
President Aquino and President Park will also
witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the defense
ministries of the Philippines and Korea concerning cooperation in the field of
defense.
“It will cover a wide range of cooperation from
exchange of visits by military personnel and experts to humanitarian assistance
and international peacekeeping activities,” Hernandez said.
On the second day of his visit to South Korea,
President Aquino will meet with the Korean business community including
executives of leading Korean conglomerates to discuss investment opportunities
in the Philippines.
Korea is the 3rd largest economy in Asia and the
13th in the world in 2012. It is also one of the Philippines’ major investment
and trade partners with the bilateral trade amounting to US$7.408 billion last
year. Korea remains the country’s top source of tourists reaching more than one
million in 2012.
During his visit there, President Aquino will
also have a chance to meet with the Filipino community living and working in
Seoul. During the said event, the President will confer the Order of Lakandula
on Representative Jasmine Bacurnay-Lee of the Korean National Assembly.
Representative Lee, who hails from Cavite and
Davao City, is the first naturalized Korean to be elected to the National
Assembly. “The award is in recognition of this achievement, as well as her
advocacies in promoting migrant women’s rights and multiculturalism,” Hernandez
said.
The Philippines and Republic of Korea
established relations in March 1949. During the Korean War in 1950, the
Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea joined the UN-led coalition in
defending the freedom of the Korean people. Until today, both countries
recognize this as the bedrock of Philippine-Korean relations.
The President’s visit to South Korea is his
third trip for this month. Last week, the President embarked on a five-day trip
to Indonesia and Brunei to attend the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Summit and the 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit,
respectively. PND (co)
Expansion of Philhealth coverage to reach more
poor people says Padilla
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(PhilHealth) is continuously expanding its benefits to serve more Filipinos
especially the poor based on President Benigno S. Aquino III’s pro-poor agenda,
its chief operating officer said.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday,
Padilla said that the agency benefits include room and board, medicines,
supplies, laboratories and diagnostics, operating room fees as well as
professional fees.
For out-patients benefits include minor surgical
procedures, chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis and other ambulatory-surgical
procedures including primary care benefits for sponsored members and dependents
of overseas Filipino workers members.
Aside from its previous packages, Padilla said
PhilHealth introduced five more catastrophic benefit packages such as coronary
artery bypass; tetralogy of fallot, closure of ventricular septal defect,
cervical cancer chemo-radiation and lower lymprostesis at P15,000.
Special benefits include the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) benefit packages such as out-patient HIV package,
animal bite package, malaria, TB-DOTS package, blood transfusion, and
leptospirosis.
Padilla added that primary care benefit package
would soon include maintenance medicines for diabetes and hypertension, and
there will be a sheet to provide a payment mechanism to all case-rates
expanding the no-balance billing for the sponsored members to all cases in
government facilities.
“This is in line with our President’s
declaration sa kanyang SONA na ang sabi n’ya ‘lahat ng mga mahihirap na
magpupunta sa ating mga pampublikong ospital ay dapat walang bayaran ni singko’
sa kanilang serbisyo na ibibigay sa kanilang in public hospitals,” Padilla
said.
There are currently 23 illnesses being paid
through case rates with no-balance billing for sponsored members said Padilla.
These include room as well as medicines, radiation treatment, diagnostics and
others, Padilla explained.
In 2012, PhilHealth introduced Type-Z benefits,
providing for four catastrophic benefit packages that include pediatric
leukemia; P210,000, breast cancer and prostate cancer; both at P100,000, and
end stage renal requiring kidney transplant at P600,000, Padilla said. PND (as)
DOH: Leptospirosis cases waning in Olongapo
Olongapo residents affected by leptospirosis
could be treated easily through PhilHealth based on the President’s instruction
to make medical care accessible to every Filipino especially the poor according
to Health Secretary Enrique Ona Monday adding that, cases of leptospirosis in
Olongapo have been waning.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday the
Health Secretary Enrique Ona indicated that 80 percent of those afflicted by
leptospirosis are males because they are the ones left in their homes during the
floods as most of the housewives and children are temporarily housed in
evacuations centers.
According to Ona, many of the cases were
reported in barangays occupied by informal settlers.
As of yesterday, Ona said the number of cases is
631. And those admitted to hospitals with suspected cases of leptospirosis are
249. Only 178 patients now remain in the hospitals and 40 are expected to go
home.
“In short, iyong peak ay naabot na and we don’t
expect any increase anymore except itong dumaang bagyo naman na mukha namang
mabilis iyong pagkabaha na naalis kaagad,” he said.
The total number of fatality is 11, and Ona said
the case fatality rate is 1.7 percent, which is lower in severe cases of
leptospirosis.
In the total number of patients, 57 need dialysis,
which means their condition are complicated by renal failure, he said noting
however that renal failure in cases of leptospirosis is temporary.
Failing kidneys of patients will last two or
three days, but their condition would usually normalize following dialysis, Ona
explained.
“Just to also assure iyong ating mga kababayan
na may mga sakit doon sa Olongapo, meron na tayong order from PhilHealth na
iyong lahat nung mga pasyente na nagkasakit at na-admit sa ospital are going to
be covered by PhilHealth,” he said. PND (as)
President Aquino welcomes beauty queens to
Palace
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed Megan
Young for winning the Miss World beauty competition that was held in Bali,
Indonesia on September 28.
Young, who made history as the first Miss World
winner from the Philippines, paid her courtesy call on the Chief Executive in a
simple ceremony at the Malacanang Palace' Reception Hall on Monday.
President Aquino congratulated the 23-year-old
actress and television host who bested 126 contestants from around the world to
win the coveted crown.
The top five finalists include contestants from
France, Brazil, Ghana, Spain and Philippines.
For her part, Young, who wore a Filipiniana
gown, expressed her gratitude to the President for personally welcoming her in
the Palace. Joining Miss World was Julia Morley, the chairperson of the Miss
World Organization which runs the annual Miss World competition and Cory
Quirino, chairperson of Miss World Philippines.
President Aquino also welcomed Mutya Johanna
Datul, the first Asian and Filipino to win the title Miss Supranational 2013,
which was recently held at Minsk Sports Palace in Belarus in Europe.
The 21-year-old beauty queen, who hails from
Isabela, looked elegant in her plain pistachio-colored dress.
The President congratulated Datul, who was
joined by Binibining Pilipinas chair Stella Marquez-Araneta. PND (js/jb)
