More bunkhouse units to be completed before
Christmas, reports DPWH
(PALO, Leyte) Public Works and Highways
Secretary Rogelio Singson reported to President Benigno S. Aquino III that 159
bunkhouse units in the provinces of Leyte and Eastern Samar will be completed
before Christmas.
During the ceremonial turn-over of two bunkhouse
units for 48 displaced families at the Regional Government Center, Barangay
Candahug here, Singson reported on Sunday to the Chief Executive that 159
bunkhouse units will be turned over to 3,816 families who were displaced by
super-typhoon "Yolanda" (internationally known as Haiyan).
The bunkhouse units will be used as the
temporary shelter of the families displaced by Yolanda which devastated central
Philippines on November 8.
"Mr. President, nakikita niyo naman iyong
mga ginawa na ng DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highway), hanggang ngayon
po at narito pa ang mga DPWH (personnel) coming from several regions that we
brought to Leyte and Samar para lang makatulong sa paglilinis at pagtatayo ng
bunkhouses," Singson said.
Singson said the DPWH is now working on the
construction of bunkhouse units at the Government Center in Brgy. Candahug and
Brgy. Takuranga.
He said a total of 19 bunkhouse units in Palo
have already been completed while nine more bunkhouse units would be finished
before Christmas.
Aquino visited anew the calamity-stricken city
to inspect and turn-over bunkhouses to residents last Sunday. PND (js)
President Aquino vows to build better future for
typhoon 'Yolanda'-affected families
(PALO, Leyte) President Benigno S. Aquino III
said on Sunday the government remains committed to work together with
international partners, local non-government organizations and various
stakeholders to build a better future for the families affected by super
typhoon "Yolanda" and other calamities.
In his message during the inspection and
turn-over of bunkhouse units ceremony at the Regional Government Center,
Candahug, Palo in Leyte, the Chief Executive said the government is
accelerating efforts aimed at helping the typhoon-ravaged provinces recover
from the calamity.
The government, working in close cooperation
with international partners, rapidly mounted an unprecedented humanitarian
response to deliver relief assistance to more than 4 million people displaced
by the typhoon.
"Mahigit isang buwan na nga mula ng huli
tayong magkita dito sa Palo at talagang marami nang positibong pagpababago.
Hindi lang eto makikita sa mas maayos na kapaligiran at sa nakumpuni na mga
infrastraktura kundi maging sa mga mukha at kilos ng mga kababayan nating
Palonon," President Aquino said.
The President commended his constituents for
displaying resilience and strength in the aftermath of "Yolanda."
"Gaano man katindi ang pagsubok at
pinsalang dinulot ang bagyong Yolanda sa inyong munisipilidad, bakas na ang
bumabalik niyong sigla at kumpyansa," he said.
"Mula nga po sa madilim na yugto na ating
pinagdaanan itong nakalipas na buwan hanggang sama-sama nating pagtugon sa mga
hamon, nabuo ang matibay nating samahan," the President said.
The President vowed the government would not
only rebuild calamity-ravaged areas, but make new structures that are more
disaster resilient.
On December 18, the Reconstruction Assistance on
Yolanda (RAY) was launched to restore the economic and social conditions of the
affected areas "at the very least to their pre-typhoon levels and to a
higher level of disaster resilience."
The RAY strategic plan includes housing,
infrastructure, facilities and utilities; employment opportunities; assistance
with livelihood, especially with vulnerable workers in the agriculture and
service sectors; and support for cross-cutting social and environmental
objectives. PND (js)
Show light and hope of Christ, President Aquino
urges Filipinos in Christmas message
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday urged
Filipinos to show the light and hope of Christ, especially in the wake of
recent calamities that tested the nation this year.
In his Christmas message, the President said
this year's Christmas should be a reminder of how God so loved the world.
"Ngayong Pasko, pag-alabin nawa natin ang
liwanag ng pagmamahal na alay ni Hesukristo. Maging tanglaw tayo ng pagasa sa
ating kapwa Pilipino (This Christmas, let us keep alive the flame of Christ's
love. Let us serve as a source of hope for our fellow Filipinos)," he
said.
President Aquino said Filipinos had shown this
year they can serve as an inspiration to others, through their efforts to
recover from great tragedies.
Last September, followers of Moro National
Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari tried to occupy parts of
Zamboanga City and were eventually repulsed.
In October, a magnitude-7.2 quake devastated
Central Visayas, while Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) battered Visayas and
Southern Luzon last November.
"Katulad ng Bituin ng Bethlehem na
nagsilbing liwanag at ispirasyon sa tatlong hari, napuno rin tayo ng sigla at
pagasa sa katatagan ng ating mga kababayan, sa kabila ng trahedyang kanilang
naranasan (Like the Star of Bethlehem that served as an inspiration for the
Three Kings, our fellow Filipinos affected by recent tragedies gave us
inspiration and hope)," the President said.
He said that in the case of residents of Bohol
after last October's quake, they showed fellow Filipinos what is possible.
"Marahil ito po ang isa sa pinakamahalagang
aral sa atin ng Poong Maykapal. Gawin lamang natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya
at ang Diyos Ama na ang pupuno sa ating mga kakulangan (This is one of the most
important lessons from God. Do your best, God will do the rest)," he said.
Meanwhile, the President said Filipinos have
also shown they could be united, even if they are thousands of miles away.
He said he acknowledges this is a difficult time
for many overseas Filipinos who have to spend Christmas away from their loved
ones.
"Sa kabila nito, iisang lahi pa rin tayong
nagdiriwang tuwing Pasko, saan man tayo sa mundo, iisang pamilya pa rin tayong
mga Pilipino (Despite this, we celebrate Christmas as one people, regardless of
where we are)," he said.
"Malinaw natin itong naipamalas sa mga
nagdaang trahedya at pagsubok sa bansa (We have time and again shown this
especially in the wake of tragedies)," he added. PND (jl)
Palace: President Aquino will continue to work
through holidays
President Benigno S. Aquino III will continue to
work through the holidays though he may take a one-day break this weekend,
Malacañang said Monday.
In a media briefing, presidential spokesman
Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino remains focused on issues like the
rehabilitation for areas hit by Typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan).
"The President will continue to work. I
think the President has been going through a lot of work and ... his concern
has been focused on the Yolanda rehabilitation. We have had several meetings
with respect to that," he said.
Only last Sunday, President Aquino had visited
calamity-hit areas, including areas in Eastern Visayas hit by Yolanda.
The President also visited residents of
Compostela Valley hit by Typhoon Pablo last year, and residents in Zamboanga
City affected by fighting between government troops and the followers of Moro
National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari last September.
Lacierda said the President may take a break
"sometime on the 27th" but will continue working after that. PND (jl)
Chinese envoy pays farewell call on President
Aquino
Outgoing Chinese ambassador to the Philippines
Ma Keqing on Monday paid her farewell call on President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Ma, who is ending her tour of duty, was
accompanied by officials of the Chinese embassy in Manila.
With her were deputy chief of.mission Sun
Xianyang and political counselor Wu Zheng Ping.
On the Philippine side were Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario, undersecretary Laura del Rosario and assistant
secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
During her stint in the Philippines, Ma helped
maintain multilateral ties between the two countries. PND (jl)
President Aquino optimistic about
Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway
President Benigno S. Aquino III said Monday the
completion of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway or TPLEX will help
boost trade and tourism in central and northern Luzon provinces.
President Aquino led on Monday the inauguration
of the Tarlac City-Gerona-Paniqui Section of the TPLEX Project, which is under
a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) program being undertaken by an all-Filipino
consortium.
During his speech, the President said that the
opening of the Tarlac City-Gerona-Paniqui Section of the expressway would
provide faster, safer, and convenient travel for motorists.
“Ang pagbubukas na ito ay maagang, at talaga
namang maagang, aguinaldo sa libu-libo nating kababayan, lalo na para sa mga
minamahal kong kapwa Tarlaqueño. Hatid nito ang ginhawa sa biyahe, hindi lang
ngayong Pasko, kundi maging sa darating pang mga taon,” he said.
“Walang duda: Ang Tarlac City-Gerona-Paniqui
section ng Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway o TPLEX project ay patunay sa
mabuting ibinubunga ng pagtutulungan ng pamahalaan at ng pribadong sektor sa
paghahatid ng serbisyo sa ating mamamayan,” he further said.
San Miguel Corporation, through its subsidiary
Private Infrastructure Development Corporation or PIDC, is eyeing the
completion of the entire length of TPLEX by 2015, three years ahead of the
original 2018 target.
Once completed, the 88.85-kilometer expressway,
from end-to-end, will traverse 17 towns and two cities—Tarlac and Urdaneta
City—across four provinces: Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija.
The total length of the TPLEX that is currently
operational is 23 kilometers with the opening of the Paniqui exit. Last
October, PDIC opened for public the project’s 17-kilometer Phase 1A from Tarlac
City to Victoria, then to Gerona.
“Oktubre pa lang, umarangkada na ang mga
benepisyong dulot ng pagbubukas natin ng bahagi ng TPLEX. Ngayon, 20 minuto na lang
ang biyahe na inaabot dati ng isang oras mula Tarlac City hanggang Gerona,”
President Aquino said.
“Para sa 8,000 motorista kada araw na
nakikinabang sa hatid nitong mas mabilis at maaliwalas na paglalakbay, talagang
napakagandang proyekto nito. Sa pagbubukas ng bahaging ito ng TPLEX hanggang
Paniqui, 30 minuto na lang ang dating isang oras at sampung minutong biyahe
mula sa Tarlac City, at iyon po’y kung walang traffic,” he added.
The 27-kilometer stretch from Paniqui to Moncada
in Tarlac, then from Carmen to Pangasinan, is currently under construction and
is expected to be completed as early as April next year. The remaining
25.83-kilometer section from Urdaneta City to Rosario, La Union, is expected to
be finished by 2015.
President Aquino said that once the Section 1 of
TPLEX is completed next year, travel time from Tarlac City to Rosales,
Pangasinan, will only take 30 minutes. The entire length of TPLEX, on the other
hand, will reduce travel time from Tarlac to La Union to only one hour.
“Talagang biyaya po ito sa humigit-kumulang
20,000 mga biyaherong maseserbisyuhan nito kada araw. At sa pagbilis ng
transportasyon dito sa Tarlac, lalong papaspas ang turismo, komersyo, at mga
serbisyo sa ating bayan at sa mga karatig-probinsya. Ang resulta: paglago ng
ating lokal na ekonomiya na magbubukas ng maraming pinto ng pagkakataon para sa
ating mga kababayan,” he said. PND (co)
President Aquino congratulates Fil-Canadian Miss
International during courtesy call
After wishing her good luck earlier this month
in Japan, President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday congratulated newly crowned
Miss International Bea Rose Santiago when she paid a courtesy call at Malacañan
Palace.
Santiago arrived at the Palace Music Room with
Stella Marquez-Araneta and Cecille Marvilla.
"Congratulations!" President Aquino
told her as he shook her hand.
Last Dec. 12, the President had wished her good
luck in the pageant when he visited Tokyo for the ASEAN Japan Commemorative
Summit.
The President at the time met with the Filipino
community in Japan.
Santiago topped the contest last Dec. 17, five
days after she met with the President Aquino during his meeting with the
Filipino Community in Tokyo.
She returned to the Philippines last weekend.
Before meeting with the President at the Palace,
Santiago gamely accommodated requests by employees to have her photo taken with
them. PND (jl)
