Coloma keynotes opening of this year’s
‘Salubungan’ workshop in Malacanang
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. keynoted Thursday in Malacanang the opening of
the second Salubungan Workshop being spearheaded by the EDSA People Power
Commission (EPPC).
“Sa susunod na buwan ay ika-28 taon na ng
paggunita natin sa diwa ng EDSA. Kaya’t mahalaga ang Salubungan. Ang EDSA 1986
ay salubungan ng maraming personalidad, puwersa at pangayayari,” Coloma said in
his keynote message. “Yun ay salubungan sa pagitan ng diktadurya at
demokrasya.”
Coloma said the real challenge to everyone today
is how to create a better Philippines for the next generation of Filipinos.
The Salubungan Workshop is being held so that
participants could exchange views on important issues and plan on how to relive
the spirit of the EDSA People Power revolt, he said.
Coloma told the participants to make their
experiences and personal views to become their guide during the discussions in
the workshop and craft things that they would want to contribute for general
welfare.
“Importante po dito yung nararamdaman po ninyo,
yung saloobin ninyo, yung matibay ninyong paniniwala na ‘yun ang dapat na
maganap,” he said, noting that the workshop is not an academic exercise.
The discussions will be more meaningful if the
participants could feel that they were able to contribute in making the country
a better place, he said.
“Magiging makabuluhan po itong ginagawa natin
ngayon kung ang bawat isa sa inyo, pagkatapos nitong Salubungan, nararamdaman
ninyo na naipahayag ninyo ang inyong saloobin, nararamdaman ninyo na naibahagi
ninyo ang inyong paniniwala. At nararamdaman ninyo na kayo ay nakapag-ambag,
that you have made a personal contribution in shaping a better future for our
country,” he said.
The Salubungan Workshop, an annual three-day
event, is a venue for groups from different parts of the country to come
together and celebrate the Filipino spirit of volunteerism and love for
country.
Participants in the workshop are expected to
gain skills in funding and marketing their advocacies from experts in the field
in the formal workshop to be held in La Consolacion College Manila.
Among the participants in the discussions will
be EPPC commissioners, leaders and achievers in advertising, media, community
development, and business sector. Members of the EDSA People Power Network will
also be in attendance in the workshop.
The event is also supported by the Department of
Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the Technical Education Skills
and Development Authority and the Department of the Interior and Local
Government.
The workshop has for its theme: “Tatak EPPN Ako,
Ito ang Taya Ko”. PND (as)
President Aquino commends DSWD staff who
survived chopper crash during typhoon Yolanda
President Benigno Aquino III commended the two
employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who
survived a helicopter crash last year while undertaking a relief operation for
Yolanda victims.
The DSWD awarded special citation to Danny
Franco Bitara and Noemi Mongaya, employees from Region V and VIII,
respectively, during the celebration of the agency’s 63rd Founding Anniversary
at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City on Thursday.
“Hayaan ninyong espesyal kong banggitin sina
Ginoo Danny Franco Bitara at Bb. Noemi Mongaya, na nalagay sa bingit ng
kamatayan habang isinasabuhay ang misyon at layunin ng Department of Social
Welfare and Development. Kayo ang ehemplo ng mga tunay na tagapaglingkod ng
mamamayang Pilipino,” the President said in his speech.
Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman said the
special citation is the “best way to express our gratitude to these dedicated
workers who risked their lives in service of others.”
Mongaya and Bitara sustained multiple injuries
when the Huey helicopter they were riding in, together with two pilots, crashed
last December 6 while on their way to a relief work for Yolanda victims in La
Paz, Leyte.
The victims were rescued by concerned citizens
and were given first aid treatment by volunteer-doctors from Spain.
Bitara underwent stomach surgery due to the
incident.
The DSWD provided financial and medical
assistance to their employees.
Aside from the two, the DSWD also recognized
several outstanding and loyal employees of the department in time for their
anniversary celebration.
Employees who excelled in their respective
fields were awarded through the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service
Excellence (PRAISE) while those who have rendered 10 to 35 years of service to
the department received the Loyalty Award. PND (jb)
Malacanang extends invite to Filipinos to join
National Day of Prayer
Malacanang extended the invitation on Thursday
to all Filipinos to join President Benigno S. Aquino III as he leads the nation
in the National Day of Prayer and Solidarity to “remember the lives lost to the
tragic incidents of 2013, to thank the Almighty for the nation’s strength and
resilience, and to seek divine guidance as the country moves forward to rebuild
the affected communities.”
The invite was extended by Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. in a press
briefing in Malacanang.
“We call on all citizens to pause and join “One
Nation in Prayer” in their respective homes, communities, places of work and
worship on Monday, January 20. We thank the members of the Kapisanan ng mga
Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) for their coverage of this event that will enable
more Filipinos to participate and join ‘One Nation in Prayer,’ Coloma said.
He said those expected to join the President on
Monday will be “representatives of the affected communities of the Zamboanga
standoff, the Bohol earthquake, and typhoon ‘Yolanda’, and representatives of
various faiths: Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Police Superintendent Imam Ebra
Moxsir of the Imam Council of the Philippines, Commissioner Zenaida Pawid of
the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples, Isaias Samson of Iglesia ni
Cristo, and a representative of the Philippine Council of Evangelical
Churches.”
“Also invited to join the prayer at the
Malacañang Palace grounds are leaders and members of Congress, government
officials, and representatives of civil society and various faith groups,”
Coloma added. PND (rck)
Survey results show government determination to
eradicate corruption, says Palace official
Recent survey findings manifest the government’s
effective efforts to carry out reform in the country’s bureaucracy and
eliminate corruption, a Palace official said.
In the SWS Survey of Enterprises on Corruption
conducted from July to November 2013, Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said perception on corruption in the
public sector remains low among those surveyed.
One of the findings of the survey is that there
is an increase in the number of respondents who see “a lot” of corruption in
the public sector, from the record low of 43 percent in 2012 to 56 percent in
2013. SWS notes that the 56 percent is the second lowest since 2000, Coloma
said in a statement he read during the Thursday press briefing in Malacanang.
Coloma also noted that according to the same
survey, those saying that the administration’s steps in eradicating corruption
are “somewhat/very effective” fell slightly to 73 percent in 2013 from 78
percent a year ago.
It is evident that the perception on seeing a
lot of corruption is balanced by the perception that the government is taking
steps to eradicate corruption, he said.
The Palace official also pointed out that the
Philippines’ ranking in the International Finance Corporation’s “Doing Business
2014” report jumped 25 places to 108 from 133 in 2013, citing marked improvements
in areas such as getting credit, dealing with construction permits, paying
taxes and resolving insolvency.
The Transparency International also reported in
2013 that the Philippines’ ranking improved significantly to number 94 from 105
the previous year.
These findings are recognition of the
government’s determination to carry out reforms that will promote good
governance pursuant to its commitment to implement the United Nations
Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) through the 21-point agenda announced by
the President last December.
The initiative was also supported by the leaders
of both Houses of Congress, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the
Ombudsman. PND (as)
Palace says government agencies working to stop
human trafficking
The government expressed its determination to
fight human trafficking and has instructed concerned agencies to intensify
their efforts in addressing it.
“I would like to emphasize that our government
is determined to stop human trafficking in all its forms and manifestations
through concerted action by all concerned government agencies in cooperation
with other countries,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary
Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing on Thursday in Malacanang.
Reports said Australia, the US, and the UK are
investigating child sex abuse cases in the Philippines.
Asked if the Palace will instruct the NBI and
the PNP to look further into the child sex abuse issue, Coloma said that even
before the publication of the report, the government has been working to
address it.
“Let me point out that even before the
publication of this report, the government has already committed itself to
doing everything that needs to be done through an inter-agency effort, through
legislation, and through other administrative measures to stop this
trafficking,” Coloma said noting that the matter is a top priority for the
government.
The government is also addressing cyber crimes
happening in the country, he said.
One of the major initiatives is the crafting of
the Cyber Crime Prevention Law which has been brought to the attention of the
Supreme Court for clarifications. PND (as)
Palace: Local professionals need not worry about
losing their jobs
Malacanang allayed the fears of local professionals
who worry about the entry of foreign workers in the country as the labor
department announced the hiring of foreigners to fill some domestic jobs.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing on Thursday in
Malacanang that the government continues to prioritize job creation to reduce
unemployment by working closely with the local industry.
Coloma said that the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) is presently working with the private sector in reviewing the
Philippines skewed occupational shortage list, as recommend by various
industries, based on their request.
“Hindi ito unilateral action ng DOLE; at hindi
po nanggaling sa DOLE,” he said. “Ang request po ay nanggaling sa industriya.”
The industry recommended that DOLE consider the
feasibility of opening 15 categories of highly-skilled occupations to possible
foreign employment because of the shortage in the local supply.
This is evidenced by the lack of applicants for
such job openings and a survey done by the Bureau of Labor and Employment
statistics of DOLE, he said.
The move could also serve as a signal to
Filipino professionals working abroad to return to the country to fill this gap
and for schools to realign courses offered to match the demand for
highly-skilled workers in the country, the Palace official said.
The industry and the labor department continue
their consultations on this issue to validate the need raised by the industry,
Coloma added. PND (as)
President Aquino lauds DSWD’s response to recent
calamities
President Benigno Aquino III extolled the
dedication and commitment of the employees of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) in attending to recent disasters during the 63rd
anniversary of the agency held in Quezon City on Thursday.
In his speech, President Aquino lauded the
steadfastness and resilience of DSWD employees who remained focused on their
duties despite criticisms in light of the successive calamities that hit the
country last year.
“Hindi naman po kalabisang sabihin na kung
minsan, kulang sa konsuwelo ang trabaho ninyo, sana ho kung minsan lang.
Madalas, mas marami ang batikos kaysa pasasalamat, mas mahaba ang listahan ng
reklamo kaysa papuri. Sa kabila nito, natutuwa ako, nabibilib ako, na wala
akong nababalitaang isa man sa inyo na nagwagayway ng puting bandila para
sabihing ‘sumusuko na kami’,” he said.
“Marami kayong hinarap na trahedya at pasakit
pero nananatili kayong tagapagsulong ng pagbangon ng mga kapwa ninyo Pilipino.
Dahil diyan, personal kong pinasasalamatan ngayon ang bawat isa sa inyo sa
tapang at dedikasyong ipinakita ninyo habang ginagampanan ang inyong tungkulin,”
he added.
President Aquino specifically cited the
Zamboanga crisis, earthquake in the Central Visayas and the devastation of
Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Eastern Visayas as among the calamities and
problems addressed by the DSWD last year.
President Aquino likewise commended the
dedication and hard work showed by Secretary Dinky Soliman at the height of the
calamities.
“Pati ho ang ating butihing kalihim, kung minsan
nagme-meeting po kami nakapikit na siya. Pero tumatango naman at sumasagot
naman sa tamang oras. Minsan lang ho nagpa-pause ako at hinihintay ko lang hong
dumilat naman po,” he recalled.
Aside from the efforts of the agency in
promoting social welfare, the President also stressed the department’s mandate
in advancing development in the country.
He underscored the nearly 4 million households
that have been assisted by DSWD through the Pantawid Pamilya Program. He also
cited the 334,158 households that have been part the Sustainable Livelihood
Program; the P1.53-billion pension for senior citizens; P2.85-billion spent for
the Supplemental Feeding Program to feed 1.45 million children; and the 3,541
household beneficiaries of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive
Integrated Delivery of Social Services or KALAHI-CIDSS.
He noted that the government is targeting about
841,000 households that will benefit from the KALAHI-CIDSS, which aims to
empower ordinary citizens to actively participate in community projects that
will reduce poverty.
“Sana po huwag kayong magsawa na makipagtulungan
sa akin upang maibalik ang pagtitiwalang ipinagkaloob ng mamamayang Pilipino.
Sa husay ng trabaho ninyo dito, nararamdaman kong magiging mas malawak, mas
mabilis, mas pangmatagalan pa ang magagawa nating pagkalinga at pagpapaunlad sa
kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan—ang ating mga boss—kahit na gaano pa ito
kahirap,” the President said. PND (jb)
