South Korea donates $300,000 for Bohol and Cebu
following magnitude 7.2 earthquake
(SEOUL, South Korea) The Republic of Korea is
donating $300,000 for the two provinces severely affected by the magnitude 7.2
earthquake that struck earlier this week.
President Benigno S. Aquino III and South Korean
President Park Geun-hye held Summit Talks at the Blue House on the first day of
President Aquino’s State Visit here Thursday.
“Damang-dama natin ‘yung kagustuhan nilang
pagtulong sa ating bansa,” President Aquino said in a recent coffee meeting
with the members of the Philippine media.
The President said that President Park informed
him that the government of South Korea is donating $300,000 for the victims of
the recent earthquake in the towns of Bohol and Cebu.
During their Summit talks, President Aquino said
that President Park also informed him that the Korean government has also
extended its assistance for the rehabilitation of Zamboanga City. PND (co)
President Aquino confers 'Order of Lakandula' on
first Filipino South Korean National Assembly member Jasmine Lee
(SEOUL, South Korea) President Benigno S. Aquino
III on Friday conferred the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Officer on
Jasmine Bacurnay-Lee, South Korea’s first ever National Assembly member of
multicultural background.
Lee, accompanied by her two children, received
the Order of Lakandula award during President Aquino’s meeting with the
Filipino community in Seoul held at the Lotte Hotel before departing for Manila
after his successful two-day State Visit here.
The award is in recognition of Lee’s
"contributions to fostering warm and cordial bilateral relations between
the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, and promoting the rights of migrant
women through her civil society work and public service.”
It is also "for her leadership of the
Filipino community in Korea by promoting multiculturalism and migrant women’s
rights; and "for bringing pride to the Philippines through her election to
the 19th National Assembly, and becoming the first naturalized Korean to be a
member of the Korean parliament.”
The award is also for Lee's "role as a
member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Trade and Unification and the
Committee on Gender Equality and Family of the National Assembly; and “for her
participation as a Korean legislator and promoting the rights and welfare of
migrant communities in Korea.”
She is also being recognized “for her efforts in
securing the approval of relief and rehabilitation assistance from the Republic
of Korea for the victims of Typhoon Pablo in the Philippines; and for fostering
goodwill and friendship between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.” PND
(co)
Aquino reports successful state visit to South
Korea
President Benigno S. Aquino III reported a
fruitful visit to South Korea saying the Philippines could learn from that
country to be progressive.
In his arrival message at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Friday evening, the President
said he went home from South Korea with strong determination to continue
pursuing national transformation that his administration has been spearheading.
“Nakita po natin ang isang bansang dumaan din sa
napakatinding pinsala, at ngayo’y talagang tumatamasa na ng kahanga-hangang
kaunlaran. Ang matibay ko pong paniniwala: Kung kaya nilang maabot iyon, tiyak
ko po, kaya rin itong maabot ng Pilipino,” the President said in his message.
The President likewise asked the support of
every Filipino to join the collective effort to transform the country into a
more progressive nation.
“Nakakataba po talaga ng puso ang pagkakataong
maging kinatawan ng aking mga Boss sa ating mga karatig-bansa—dahil talaga nga
pong ibang-iba na ang mukhang maihaharap natin sa mundo ngayon. Hindi po ako
magsasawang sabihin: Talagang napakasarap maging Pilipino sa mga panahong ito,”
he said.
Also in his message, the President said he got
the support of President Park Geun-Hye for the country’s quest for stability in
its disputed territory.
There was fruitful discussion on the issues of
defense, disaster response, trade, maritime dispute and sports, the President
said.
President Park committed South Korea’s
assistance to Zamboanga City, which was devastated by recent violence as well
as to the Visayas region affected by a strong earthquake this week.
South Korean companies like Hanjin have
committed to intensify its investment in the country, he reported. The Korea
Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), which contributes to around 10 percent of power
generated in the country, wanted to widen its operations in the Philippines.
Lotte, company engaged in hotel business, wants
to put up hotel projects in the Visayas region, the President said. It also
eyes to invest in other parts of the country to build more hotels, theme park,
office space, and others.
South Korea’s National Pension Service has an
available $50 billion that could be invested in the Philippines each year,
according to the President.
The extraordinary developments in the Philippine
economy have generated a lot of interest in South Korea to bring its money here
and invest, he said.
The President also said he had a successful
interaction with Filipinos leaving or staying in South Korea while in his
two-day state visit to that country. PND (as)
Aquino lauds Filipino community in South Korea
for their support
(SEOUL, South Korea) President Benigno S. Aquino
III lauded the members of the Filipino community for support in his government
reforms and the various changes he has made in his administration.
The Chief Executive made this statement during
his meeting with the Filipino community at the Lotte Hotel here.
"Maraming salamat po dahil kayo ang gumawa
ng pagbabago. Kayo pa rin ang boss ko ---kayo ang magsasabi kung tutuloy tayo,
o babalikan ang lumang kalakaran kung saan iilan lang ang nakikinabang,"
he said.
"Nakamtan na po natin ang pagbabago --- at
nasa atin na pa rin po, nasa kagustuhan nating magkaisa, nasa kamay natin kung
paanong gagawing permanente ang pagbabagong tinatamasa natin ngayon," he
added.
President Aquino said that he would remain
faithful to his duties, adding that the Filipinos could expect him to continue
doing what is good for the Filipino people.
The President said that all the reforms he has
instituted in the government are designed to put everything in the righteous
path for the benefit of the people.
While the President told them about the
recently-concluded standoff in Zamboanga City, the impeachment of the former
Chief Justice and the filing of charges against the former president, including
the calamities such as typhoons and earthquake that struck the country, the
President also mentioned the positive developments in the country.
President Aquino cited the positive developments
in the education sector, PhilHealth, the Conditional Cash Transfer Program, as
well as his efforts to improve the economy of the country.
"Bago matapos ang taong ito, sarado na ang
backlog natin sa classroom, at patuloy pa tayong makakapagpagawa nito para sa
mas dadaming estudyante dahil sa K to 12," he said.
On PhilHealth, the President said that 84
percent of Filipinos have been enrolled to the said program.
"Narinig na rin po siguro ninyo ang ating
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Sa programang ito, may cash transfer na
natatanggap ang mga mahihirap na pamilya, kapalit ng pagpapapasok sa eskuwela
ng kanilang mga bata, at pagpapa-check up kung buntis--mga kundisyong sila rin
ang matutulungan," he said.
President Aquino urged the Filipinos to join the
government in its efforts to tread the righteous path. "Makiisa naman po
sana ang lahat at makiambag tungo sa pagbabago," he said.
"Kung maipapakita po natin ito sa mundo na
sa Pilipinas, lahat sumusunod sa batas, baka po pati ang ating GDP growth na
7.6 percent sa first half ng taong ito, ay lalo pang tumaas," he said.
In closing, the President encouraged the
Filipinos living and working in Seoul to help South Korea in the performance of
their duties as Filipino community. PND (rda/co)
Palace says relief operations continue in Bohol,
Cebu
Relief operations in Cebu and Bohol are
continuing with the use of the country’s air and naval assets, Malacanang said
on Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan that the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) was able to provide 10,310 food packs to Antequera, Calape, Carmen,
Catigbian, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, San Isidro, Tagbilaran and Tubigon in
Bohol.
The DSWD is also sending 1,000 family food packs
to Tagbayan, Valte said.
A Philippine Air Force’s C-130 landed in
Tagbilaran airport from Cebu bringing in relief goods and other non-food items
such as tents that are needed for disaster relief, she said.
“Dagdag din dito iyong mga barko ng Philippine
Navy na pabalik-balik mula Cebu papuntang Tagbilaran para magdala ng mga relief
goods at binabagsak ‘yan lahat sa Bohol,” Valte said.
The Palace official also said the Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority (MMDA) rescue team was able rescue 60 persons
yesterday that include 10 senior citizens, three infants, 31 children including
one critically injured in Tanauan and Loon in Bohol.
The MMDA also sent its fourth rescue team to
assist in the ongoing rescue efforts in different municipalities in Bohol,
Valte said.
“Ang mga efforts natin ay magpapatuloy today. We
expect to identify more areas that require continuous relief from the
provincial and from the national government as well as we also expect some
progress in the clearing of the roads that have been rendered impassable
because of landslides,” she said.
President Aquino, who arrived from South Korea
last night, continues to coordinate with his Cabinet officials tasked to
oversee the ongoing relief efforts in Bohol and Cebu, Valte added. PND (as)
Palace: Preparedness is best way to shield Metro
from quakes
The government, the private sector and the
public must work together to prepare for quakes that could occur in Metro
Manila, the Palace said on Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday that the best way for
the people to ensure their safety is by having adequate preparation for
disasters.
Valte also said the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has been studying the West Valley fault
in Marikina that indicated critical movements every 200 or 400 years.
“Ang pinakamagandang panangga natin dito ay
ihanda natin ang ating mga pamilya. Ang Phivolcs kasi ngayon ay
nakikipagtulungan sa mga komunidad at nagdi-distribute ng mga geohazard maps,”
she said.
“Tingnan natin kung nasaan ba ang ating mga
kabahayan at siguraduhin natin na structurally sound ang mga ito, she noted.”
The Palace official also said that disaster
preparedness starts at home so she encouraged everybody to review every
family’s disaster preparedness measure.
“Kung lahat tayo maihahanda natin ang ating
pamilya ay malaking bagay yun dahil, of course, the government cannot do this
alone when it comes to disaster preparedness,” Valte said.
The government can continue to identify
hazardous places, put them on the map, distribute them to local government
units but the citizens must cooperate to carry out effective safety measures.
Valte also underscored the importance of private
sector assistance in disaster preparedness.
She said the government continues to coordinate
with the private sector when it comes to preparedness. The Philvocs has been in
constant communication with a particular institution near the West Valley fault
in Marikina.
With regards to retrofitting the metro’s
structures, Valte said that once institutions are given the information it is
their responsibility to make sure that their structures are sound at the
soonest possible time. PND (as)
