Palace appeals to public: Heed DOH warning on
firecrackers
Malacañang on Saturday appealed to the public to
heed the Department of Health's warnings against using firecrackers to welcome
the New Year.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
particularly appealed to parents to keep fireworks out of children's reach,
lest they get hurt.
"We wish to remind the public to heed the
warnings and advisories of the DOH against the use of firecrackers, especially
when it comes to children," she said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
She added the Palace is throwing its support
behind DOH Secretary Enrique Ona's call that children should not be allowed to
handle fireworks.
Also, she suggested that parents and guardians
promote the use of alternative noisemakers such as sound systems.
The DOH had called on the public to shun the use
of fireworks for the New Year. PND (jl)
Palace: Funds, plans to address calamities in place
for 2014
Funds and plans to address possible calamities
in 2014 are already in place, Malacañang assured the public on Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said various agencies including the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
have planned calamity and contingency funds for next year.
"Pinagplanuhan nang maayos ng ating mga
ahensya kasama ang DBM sa calamity at contingency fund natin next year. So
meron naman tayong sapat na paghahanda para rin sa parating na 2014 (Our agencies
including the DBM have planned calamity and contingency funds for next year. So
we have made preparations for 2014)," she said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan.
Also, she said President Benigno Aquino III and
his Cabinet had been busy in past weeks planning the rehabilitation of areas
affected by super Typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan).
Yolanda left more than 6,100 dead after it
battered the Visayas and Southern Luzon last November.
The Philippines had drawn up a rehabilitation
plan for areas affected by Yolanda. PND (jl)
Palace reminds DOJ to build airtight cases vs
figures in SARO syndicate
Malacañang on Saturday reminded the Department
of Justice to ensure airtight cases against the personalities linked to the
photocopying of documents that would secure the release of congressional pork
barrel funds.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said President Benigno Aquino III had already made this clear when he said
earlier that cases should stand on firm evidence and should not be for show only.
"Ang laging bilin ng Pangulong Aquino, ang
resulta ng imbestigasyon ay dapat tumatayo sa matibay na ebidensya at hindi yan
pina-file para PR lang kundi dapat magkaroon ng conviction (President Aquino
had always said the investigation should be based on evidence and cases should
not be filed for show)," Valte said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
On Friday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was
quoted as saying the National Bureau of Investigation has identified some
members of the “SARO Gang.”
De Lima added they were looking at a driver and
a janitor in the office of Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos.
The gang is linked to the photocopying of
Special Allotment Release Orders, documents needed to secure the release of
Priority Development Assistance Funds for government projects.
Valte said de Lima should have strong basis for
her pronouncement linking some people to the gang. PND (jl)
Palace backs Commissioner Sevilla in reforming
Bureau of Customs
Malacanang is confident that newly appointed Customs
chief John Sevilla can carry out reform measures at the bureau and asked for
the public’s patience to give him time to do his job.
Sevilla said he was receiving reports about the
rampant anomaly in the bureau but those reports have to be validated.
In a radio interview Saturday, Deputy
Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they are confident about Sevilla’s
capability in fixing the bureau.
“Kaya ni Commissioner Sevilla iyan. I think he
was talking about the reports that he was getting,” Valte told dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan on Saturday.
Valte said Sevilla also spelled out his plans
for the bureau and that reports he has been getting should thoroughly be
validated.
Reporters also asked Valte if the Palace
believes that Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jessie Dellosa is
effective in his job, Valte said the people should give him, together with
Sevilla, enough time to show their competence.
“Both of them are new to their posts,” Valte
said of Sevilla and Dellosa. I think let's give them time. Maraming kailangang
gawing trabaho diyan. Bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon na mabuo ang kanilang
team at magawa ng kanilang grupo ang ibinigay sa kanilang mandato ng Pangulong
Aquino.” PND (as)
Aquino administration to focus on the economy,
poverty alleviation, fighting graft in 2014
The Aquino administration will focus on the
economy, poverty alleviation and fighting graft and corruption in 2014, a
Palace official said on Saturday.
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said that the continuing priority of the administration is attaining inclusive
growth, which should eventually translate into new jobs for the people and
improvement in the lives of the poor, Valte told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Kasama na diyan ang pagpaparami ng trabaho para
sa ating mga kababayan, pati ang pagpapabuti ng kanilang kondisyon,” she said.
“It’s continuing. Ito talaga ang pinagtutuunan pa rin ng pansin ng ating
Pangulo.”
Everything is interconnected, she said, adding
that for instance in the tourism sector, when there’s a lot of tourists coming
in more jobs are also generated. To attain this, the government also has to
build or improve the country’s infrastructures.
The government is also looking at intensifying
its anti-graft program given its direct correlation to poverty alleviation,
Valte said.
“Dahil kapag nangyayari na iyong dalawang iyon,
mas dumadami ang taong nakakapag-share doon sa fruits, or at least, doon sa mga
nagiging epekto ng ating magandang ekonomiya,” the Palace official said.
Valte also thanked the public and the media for
their support to the administration. The Palace looks forward to a fruitful
2014 with the continuing support of the people, she said. PND (as)
