UNICEF promotes breastfeeding for infants in
evacuation centers
(TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) has urged nursing mothers to practice exclusive
breastfeeding for infants currently housed in evacuation centers here following
the devastation wrought by super typhoon "Yolanda" in the Eastern
Visayas region.
UNICEF spokesperson Kate Donovan said mothers in
crowded evacuation centers hardly have access to clean, potable water therefore
it would be safer if they rely solely on breastfeeding than preparing formula
milk.
"The babies should be breastfed exclusively
until six months," Donovan said.
She stressed that breast milk gives infants
complete nutrition, promotes good health and dramatically reduces their
vulnerability to diseases like diarrhea, which is common in the aftermath of a
calamity.
She said the UNICEF is already coordinating with
the government regarding the plan to launch a campaign encouraging lactating
mothers in Metro Manila to donate breastmilk for babies in typhoon-hit areas in
Eastern Visayas.
She added that UNICEF is also working on
re-establishing cold chain, which was damaged during the typhoon.
Aside from breastfeeding, UNICEF also encouraged
evacuees to religiously practice hand-washing to avoid an outbreak of diseases.
"It's the best vaccination anybody can take
against disease. Just in the critical moments, before eating, hand wash with
soap and we really sending message out to the population," Donovan said.
UNICEF has so far vaccinated at least 9,000
children against measles and polio. Typhoon survivors were also given vitamin A
and other health supplement.
Donovan has urged mothers to get their children
immunized to strengthen their immune system.
"Some 200,000 people died during the
tsunami of 2004 in Indonesia's Aceh region. In the post period, not a single
child died from a disease. So it can be done," she said. PND (jb)
5M galvanized sheets eyed to be distributed in
Eastern Visayas
(TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The government along with
the private sector is targeting to distribute some five million pieces of
galvanized iron (GI) sheets to families affected by super typhoon
"Yolanda" in Eastern Visayas.
Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said the
government will be providing shelter kits to families with damaged houses as
part of the rehabilitation efforts in the region.
Each shelter kit will contain a kilogram of
standard and umbrella nails, with groups of families sharing saws and hammers.
The GI sheets will be distributed depending on
the "actual assessment" being done by the social workers, municipal
engineer, and municipal and provincial welfare officers on the ground.
The government will provide a maximum of 24
pieces of GI sheets to families whose houses were totally damaged while private
donors will give a maximum of 20 iron sheets.
As of Monday, the government already distributed
2,335 pieces of galvanized roofs to two barangays in Guiuan, Eastern Samar and
some 3,000 pieces to Barangay San Isidro, Tanauan.
The first batch of GI sheets distributed came
from private donors facilitated by Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, said
Loreto.
He said they are expecting more GI sheets to be
provided by both government and private sectors.
Social Welfare assistant secretary Vilma Cheche
Cabrera said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also committed
to provide 75,000 GI sheets to be distributed in areas ravaged by the typhoon.
PND (jb)
President Aquino declares December 10 as special
non-working day in Meycauayan, Bulacan in celebration of 'Araw ng Lungsod ng
Meycauayan'
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
December 10, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working) day in the
city of Meycauayan in the province of Bulacan in celebration “Araw ng Lungsod
ng Meycauayan.”
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 686 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on November 18 to give the people of Meycauayan the full opportunity to
celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Meycauayan became a component city by virtue of
Republic Act No. 9356 issued on October 2, 2006. The law was subsequently
ratified through a plebiscite conducted on December 10, 2006.
It became the province's third city, joining San
Jose del Monte and Malolos. PND (js)
Despite recent major woes, President Aquino
lauds Filipinos for ‘never-say-die’ spirit
Despite recent major woes that hit the country
in past months, President Benigno S. Aquino III said Tuesday he is thankful for
- and heartened by - the never-say-die spirit of Filipinos in coping with such
tragedies.
In his speech at the Christmas gathering of the
Bulung-Pulungan forum in Pasay City, the President said he is heartened by the
spirit shown by those affected by September's failed siege in Zamboanga City,
October's magnitude 7.2 quake in Bohol and super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in
Eastern Visayas.
"Mabigat po ang taong ito pero mabigat rin
ho itong sunod-sunod na sakunang umabot sa atin gawa ng kalikasan o gawa ng
tao. Pero palagay ko po, isa lang ang mapapagmalaki natin: Hindi tayo dumaing
at hindi mangunguna ang gobyerno n’yo na sabihing 'panahon nang sumuko.'
Palagay ko itong gobyernong itinatag ng taumbayan, lalo na mga taumbayan mismo
ay nagpapakita ng kaganapan ng paglaban, ay dapat naman pong tumugon at sumuporta
dito sa paglaban na ito (This year has been a very challenging one due to the
disasters we faced, both natural and man-made. But we can take pride in that
the people and the government never surrendered. This is a government that
draws strength from the people)," he said.
In September, followers of Moro National
Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari tried to occupy parts of
Zamboanga City by taking hostages but government forces eventually repelled
them.
On Oct. 15, a magnitude 7.2 quake jolted Central
Visayas and devastated Bohol province.
Last November, Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated
Visayas and Southern Luzon, leaving more than 5,500 dead.
But President Aquino said that when he revisited
Bohol recently, he was awed to see the people remaining resilient and getting
back on their feet.
"May brownout pa rin sila na six hours a
day, pero, maski may kahirapan, talagang palaban na palaban (Bohol still
experiences brownouts of six hours a day but the people continue to
cope)," he said.
The President also said he is thankful to
security forces, including the police and military, for defending Zamboanga
City from rogue Misuari followers.
He said the government's troops fearlessly
repelled the attackers even if they knew their armored vehicles could be
vulnerable to powerful weapons like recoilless rifles.
"At ang ginawa po nila ay talagang
lumantad, pinagtanggol ang hindi man lang kakilala, ‘di man nila kamag-anakan,
‘di man nila kaibigan, dahil ‘yon po ang tungkulin nila at hindi nagkulang, at
nakita naman po ninyo ang resulta. Kakaunti ang nawala sa ating hanay, at ‘yung
hostages po ay na-rescue, at marami pong tayo naaresto dito sa mga salaring ito
(Despite the odds, they defended people they do not personally know or who are
not related to them. They managed to rescue the hostages and repel the
attackers)," he said.
Also, President Aquino lauded the Air Force for
flying over areas affected by Yolanda despite warnings that flying conditions
may not have been safe and for making Tacloban Airport operational so flights
bearing relief can come in.
Meanwhile, the President lauded members of his
Cabinet for being on the ground and on the frontlines.
He likewise lauded the Philippine Atmospheric
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration for its accurate
prediction of the weather, so government can preposition personnel and
resources.
Also, the President thanked the international community
for helping those affected by the typhoon.
"Napakaraming pong apektado nitong
trahedyang ito, pero ngayon pa lang ho, masasabi ko na sa inyo, tila may
liwanag na kung paano natin ibabangon muli. Hindi sa kagustuhan lang, ngunit,
sa talagang may plano at may kakayahan, at mayroon tayong resources na inipon o
tangan na, para nga ho maibalik ang ating mga kababayan, hindi lang sa dati,
pero kung pupuwede, mas maganda pa kaysa dati (So many had been affected by
this tragedy. But now I can say there is light at the end of the tunnel. We
have the plan and we have the resources to help our people recover and be
better than they were before)," he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino wants NAIA-1 refurbishing,
other key infrastructures in place before stepping down in 2016
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants the
refurbishing of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 to be
completed and work on key infrastructure projects to start by the time he steps
down from office in 2016.
Speaking at the Christmas gathering of the
Bulung Pulungan forum in Pasay City, the President said this is aside from
seeing the people get involved in matters affecting the nation instead of being
apathetic.
"In terms of concrete manifestations of the
same, perhaps NAIA Terminal 1 I think the refurbishing will be finished by that
time," he said when asked what he would like to see the day before he
steps down from the presidency on June 30, 2016.
He also said he wants to see the connection of
the North and South Luzon Expressways, as well as the Tarlac to La Union
Expressway (TPLEX).
The President added he wanted to see as well the
substantial completion of work on airports such as those in Panglao and Mactan.
He added he also wanted to see at least the
start of work on the light rail transit systems.
But President Aquino said what is still most
important to him is seeing the can-do attitude of Filipinos.
"These are important by and of themselves,
but I think, more importantly is I really want an expression—to see the
expression on the faces of our people the ‘can do’ attitude, that nothing is
beyond our grasp and our reach, and that is what I am hoping to see, hopefully,
not just the day before I leave, but more importantly after I leave, that it
continues and become stronger," he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino: Lacson's no-nonsense approach
to speed up recovery from ‘Yolanda’
President Benigno S. Aquino III said Tuesday his
appointment of former Sen. Panfilo Lacson to head rehabilitation efforts after
super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) will speed up the recovery process.
Speaking at the Christmas gathering of the
Bulung-Pulungan forum in Pasay City, the President said Lacson strikes him as a
no-nonsense person who can focus on the rehabilitation process.
"Now, having Ping Lacson at the center
wherein he’s a no-nonsense guy, focused solely on Yolanda’s rehabilitation will
undoubtedly achieve the targets sooner," he said.
Besides, he said the other members of his
Cabinet also have their daily duties to attend to.
Also, the President reiterated the government's
efforts toward ensuring transparency in harnessing international aid to help
those affected by Yolanda recover.
Yolanda had blown through the Visayas and
Southern Luzon last November, leaving behind at least 5,500 dead.
Meanwhile, the President maintained he does not
let himself get affected by survey approval ratings, saying he thinks more of
what is right for the people.
"At the end of the day, the only criteria I
have is: Did I do right? And sometimes the right decision may be unpopular.
Sometimes ... conversely the wrong decision is immensely popular," he
said.
"But I really have to stick with doing what
I believe is right. Our people, I believe, are fair judges," he said. PND
(jl)
President Aquino: Inclusive growth remains
administration’s mantra
Achieving inclusive growth by enabling Filipinos
to take a more active role in improving their lot remains a mantra for
President Benigno S. Aquino III's administration.
The President stressed this Tuesday at the
Christmas gathering of the Bulung-Pulungan forum in Pasay City.
"Our mantra is inclusive growth and that’s
why we are striving. Number one, we don’t subscribe to the trickle-down theory.
We are trying to find all interventions where people can participate in the
economic growth of our country," he said.
He said the government is doing this with
massive investments in education, including the K to 12 basic education scheme,
as well as higher education.
The President also said they are hoping Congress
will support a bid to expand the Conditional Cash Transfer program where
assistance can extend up to high school.
President Aquino also cited a study by the
Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies that indicated a 40-percent
premium on income, or an ability to generate income for a high school graduate
over that of a grade school graduate.
As for farmers affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda
(Haiyan), the President said the government will encourage these farmers to
inter-crop various crops such as coffee, cacao, and corn.
"So if I want to be remembered for
anything, (it would be that) we enabled people to really participate in the
economic growth of this country, and it is exhibited by having this attitude of
‘can do’, and nothing is impossible, and nothing is beyond our reach," he
said. PND (jl)
President Aquino: "Para sa Bayan"
mantra keeps me going
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday said
the mantra "Para sa Bayan (for the country)" is what keeps him going
even on so-called bad days.
The President, speaking at the Christmas gathering
of the Bulung-Pulungan forum in Pasay City, said this keeps him from backing
out of the challenges facing him.
"May mantra rin ako e. Pag iyong talagang
ayaw mo nang bumangon, lalo na bago ipasok iyong dyaryo na naghahanap ka ng
good news, parang ang mantra namin—at saka parang marami ring nag-adopt yata—
'para sa bayan (I have my mantra on days that I really could use some good
news. And many people appear to have adopted this mantra, For the
country),'" he said.
He said backing out of the challenges facing him
would be tantamount to letting himself be defeated by the challenges facing the
presidency.
Even the Presidential Security Group is aware of
such a mantra as they have to be prepared to sleep on an open field or be out
of town indefinitely, he said.
Some even have to think ahead should they be
excluded from flights returning to Manila, he said.
Yet, he said the mantra of doing something for
the country keeps them going.
"Bottom line, everything we do affects so
many people, and there is no time like the present, preferably, to have done
things in the past already. Dahil nga, at the end of the day, para sa bayan
lahat ito and the bayan has faces (At the end of the day, all of this is for
the nation and the nation has so many faces). There are people that are
directly affected by our acts and by our missions," he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino praying for critics'
enlightenment
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday said
he prays for the enlightenment of some of his critics who he said try to put
him down.
Speaking at the Christmas gathering of the
Bulung-Pulungan forum in Pasay City, the President asked his critics if their
barbs against him have helped.
"So I’ve prayed for them also. And I mean
that not in jest, I really have prayed for enlightenment for a lot of these
people. The message simply was what you put down affects the lives of people.
And are you confident that what you put down helped them?" he said.
The President also said he is satisfied with
most of his Cabinet members.
Meanwhile, the President indicated he would
still have run for the presidency in 2010, given all the burdens that come with
the position.
He said his late parents, former Sen. Benigno
Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino, had said that "if they
could have done something and they chose not to, then they would not have been
able to live with themselves."
"Gusto kong masabi, pinilit kong gawin
lahat ng magagawa ko, at kung may resultang maganda, maraming salamat; at kung
hindi naman, ay para bang at least hindi ako sumuko at hindi ako umatras (I
would rather have said I did all I could. If there are good results, then thank
you very much. If not, at least I could say I did not surrender)," he
said. PND (jl)
President Aquino to discuss bilateral
cooperation and regional issues with Myanmar President Thein Sein
President Benigno S. Aquino III and Myanmar
President Thein Sein will meet on Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation and
regional issues, and ways to further enhance the partnership between the
Philippines and Myanmar in Malacanang Palace.
The Myanmar President will arrive on Wednesday
for a three-day state visit to Manila, upon the invitation of President Aquino.
The visiting head of state will arrive at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal II at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday.
President Thein Sein will first go to Rizal Park
on Thursday for the wreath-laying rites at the foot of the monument of the
national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, before proceeding to Malacanang Palace.
The two leaders will meet to discuss issues of
mutual concern, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, agriculture,
energy, cultural exchanges and information cooperation, among others.
They will also discuss regional issues,
including Myanmar’s historic chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) in 2014.
The two leaders will also attend the signing of
agreements such as a Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippines and
Myanmar on Information Cooperation, a bilateral agreement on visa exemption for
holders of ordinary passports and a Memorandum of Agreement between the
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Myanmar Federation of Chamber
of Commerce and Industry and another on renewable energy.
President Aquino will host a state luncheon in
honor of the visiting head of state at the Aguinaldo Room of Malacanang Palace.
The Myanmar President will then visit the
International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Laguna at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The state visit is President Thein Sein’s first
visit to the Philippines since his assumption to office in 2011. The last time
a head of state from Myanmar visited the Philippines was in 2005 when Prime
Minister Soe Win visited Manila.
President Aquino and President Thein Sein had
their first bilateral meeting in Nay Pyi Taw on June 07, 2013, when the Chief
Executive attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia hosted by
Myanmar. It will be the Philippines turn to host the said forum in 2015.
Myanmar donated seven (7) tons of relief goods
and US$100,000 to the victims of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
The Philippines and Myanmar established
diplomatic relations in 1956 and will celebrate the 60th anniversary of their
relations in 2016. PND (js)
Aquino wishes for an end to major disasters,
natural or manmade, this Christmas
For Christmas, President Benigno S. Aquino III
wishes for an end to major disasters, natural or manmade that struck the
country in the past few months.
“Sana matapos na iyong libro ng problema natin
itong taon na ito,” President Aquino said Tuesday when asked about his
Christmas wish during the 27th Bulong-Pulungan Christmas Party held in Pasay
City.
The Philippines has faced various natural and
manmade challenges in the last few months, including the Zamboanga City siege
in September, the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Central Visayas last October, and
super typhoon Yolanda that left more than 5,000 dead in Eastern Visayas and
Southern Luzon last month.
During the Bulong-Pulungan gathering, President
Aquino also expressed hopes that the Filipino people can maintain their
optimism as more opportunities await them in 2014.
“At, ‘yun nga, next year, ‘di ba, parang
especially at the start of the New Year, one says there are so many
opportunities that are coming, and I really hope that our people maintain the
optimism in the current and the ‘can do’ attitude that is already being
nurtured at this point in time,” he said.
“So the wish really centers on, hopefully, that
there be no more challenges of this magnitude this year,” the President further
said. PND (co)
