UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon arrives in the
Philippines
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I to assess the damage
of Typhoon "Yolanda" and express sympathy to the survivors of the
disaster in the Visayas region.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Luiza Carvalho welcomed the UN
secretary general who arrived 10:20 p.m. Friday.
The UN chief will be in the Philippines from
December 20 to 22 to have firsthand assessment of the devastation of the typhoon
as well as to express solidarity to the affected communities.
Ban met President Benigno S. Aquino III at the
Palace Saturday morning as well as the country’s senior government officials.
After that, Ban was scheduled to travel to the
Tacloban City to visit communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda, considered as
one of the most, if not the most powerful, typhoon in history to make landfall.
On Sunday morning, Ban will hold a joint press
conference with Secretary del Rosario at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati
City. PND (as)
President Aquino meets with United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in Malacanang
President Benigno S. Aquino III received United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a courtesy call at the Malacanang
Palace on Saturday morning.
The UN Secretary-General arrived in the country
Friday evening.
Ban was welcomed by the President and Foreign
Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario upon his arrival at the Palace.
Ban will stay in the country from December 20 to
22 to assess the damage of Typhoon Yolanda and express sympathy to the
survivors of the disaster in the Visayas region.
The UN chief wants to have firsthand assessment
of the devastation of the typhoon as well as to express solidarity to the
affected communities.
After his meeting with the President and other
top government officials, Ban is scheduled to travel to Tacloban City to visit
communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda, considered as one of the most if not
the most powerful typhoon in history to make landfall.
Among the Cabinet members who joined the
President in his meeting with the UN Secretary-General were Secretary del
Rosario, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,
Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and NEDA chief Arsenio Balisacan.
On Sunday morning, Ban will hold a joint press
conference with Secretary del Rosario at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati
City prior to his departure. PND (as)
Aquino appoints new Immigration Commissioner
President Benigno S. Aquino III appointed
Siegfred B. Mison as the new commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI),
Malacanang announced on Saturday.
Mison’s appointment was signed by the President
December 18, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio
interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.
The President also appointed lawyer Nonnatus
Cesar R. Rojas as Regional Prosecutor for the Office of the Regional Prosecutor
in Ilocos Region.
The Office of the Regional Prosecutor is under
the National Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice. Rojas became the
chief of the National Bureau of Investigation but he eventually resigned.
The President also designated Vicente B. Malano
as acting administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), and Florita R. Villar as
undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Other appointees include Gregorio Ramon A. Tingson
as commissioner of the National Youth Commission in Luzon, and Dominador Santos
Jr. as new member of the Board of Dentistry under the Professional Regulations
Commission. PND (as)
Regulators inspecting Metro buses to ensure
public safety, says Palace
The Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board (LTFRB) continues to check the road worthiness of buses plying
Metro Manila roads to ensure public safety following a tragic Skyway accident
this week, Malacanang said.
In a radio interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Skyway
management has been carrying out measures to avoid the repeat of the incident.
“On the side of government more importantly, I
received word from Chair Gines of the LTFRB that they are continuing their
garage inspection, their physical inventory and road worthiness inspection of
buses that are operating in Metro Manila,” she told dzRB radio.
The LTFRB as of the moment is conducting road worthiness
inspection on other buses plying the metro such as Pascual Liner, she said. As
of Saturday, the LTFRB is checking 151 units of Pascual Liner, she added.
“”Kahit palapit na ang Pasko, patuloy iyong
trabaho ng LTFRB at ng LTO para siguraduhin na mabawasan ang pagkakataon ng mga
pangyayaring ganyan,” Valte said.
A bus being operated by Don Mariano Transit
Corp. plummeted from the Skyway on Monday, killing 18 people and injuring
others. Criminal complaints were filed Tuesday against the owner of Don Mariano
Transit Corp. and the bus driver, according to reports.
The police also reported that the driver figured
in the incident was tested negative for drug use. PND (as)
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon vows to work
closely with government in the rehabilitation of communities affected by
'Yolanda'
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon commended on Saturday the courageous leadership
of President Benigno S. Aquino III in dealing with various concerns following
the massive destruction of super typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan).
"I appreciate and commend the very
courageous leadership of President Aquino and his ministers, and his team and
his people, who have been courageously addressing this tragedy. This is tragedy
that can be overcome when we are united," Ban said in his message in
Barangay 75 here.
The UN Secretary-General praised the Filipino
people, especially the affected families, for displaying resilence and strength
in the aftermath of Yolanda.
Ban said the UN is currently mobilizing at least
US$800 million in funds to help the Philippines to speed up the rehabilitation
efforts for the communities affected by Yolanda.
"We are trying to mobilize at least US$800
million in funds over 12 months. But this will be just to complement the help
your government will do... We will try to provide life-saving support, water,
sanitation, food, water and shelter, and also in a long-term development
strategy," Ban said.
The UN is fully supportive of the Aquino
government's Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY), Ban said.
He said the Philippine government is now working
on projects for resettlement, integration and infrastructures.
"The United Nations and the Philippine
government will work very closely," Ban said.
Launched on December 18, RAY is designed to take
rapid action to address critical immediate needs of the typhoon-affected
communities and to develop and implement a full set of recovery and
reconstruction interventions over the short to medium term.
Ban visited on Saturday the typhoon-stricken
city to assess the devastation caused by super-typhoon Yolanda and express
solidarity with the affected communities and the Filipino people. PND (js)
