More understanding for Cabinet, ignoring
baseless criticism top President Aquino's New Year resolutions
Being more understanding toward his Cabinet and
ignoring baseless criticisms top President Benigno S. Aquino III's list of
resolutions for the New Year.
In an interaction with high school students from
Miriam College at Malacañang, the President said he will take care to ensure
his Cabinet members do not suffer from burnout.
"The Cabinet is very hardworking, very
dedicated. Perhaps I should begin to give them a little more breathing room,
baka ma-burnout (lest they suffer from burnout)," he said.
He said that when he got back from his break
during the holidays, he called his Cabinet members to a meeting on New Year's
Day.
The President said that while his Cabinet
members could have earned bigger salaries in the private sector, they chose to
sacrifice for the country.
Also, President Aquino said he will ignore those
who keep churning baseless criticisms against the administration.
He cited the case of Energy Secretary Jericho
Petilla, who he said missed by mere hours his target of restoring power to Typhoon
Yolanda-hit Visayas.
President Aquino said that while Petilla
achieved more than 99 percent of his goal, some still called for his
resignation.
"We have a cottage industry of people who
make a living criticizing me," he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino to youth: Help us make sure we
will not pass on problems we faced to next admin
President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday asked
the youth to help his administration ensure it will not pass on to its
successor the problems it faced when it assumed office in 2010.
The President, in an audience with students from
Miriam College High School in Malacañang, stressed all Filipinos must pitch in
to achieve this goal.
"We will not bequeath to the next
administration the problems we had to face," he said, but added no single
Filipino can effect change by himself or herself. "It takes a collective
effort," he added.
The President added he hopes the youth will
"join us in the solution" to the problems the present administration
faces, adding that his administration remains committed not to allow the
perpetuation of the wrongdoings.
"The things we see wrong, we are committed
not to perpetuate," he said.
During the audience, the President disclosed
History was among his favorite subjects in high school.
He said the subject, especially Biblical
history, "helps us understand not only the past but the context of the
present."
But he also stressed the abuses of Martial Law
should not happen again.
He recalled his high school days were spent
during Martial Law, where instead of soirees, the youth had to put up with
curfews.
"We had a curfew not by our parents but by
the state," he said.
The President also recalled his father, former
Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., was among the first to be arrested when Martial Law
was declared in 1972.
"(At the time), how can you plan for the
future if you are not convinced you have a future?" he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino: Administration working to
increase opportunities for Filipinos as population nears 100M mark
As the Philippine population continues to near
100 million, President Benigno Aquino III said his administration is working to
enhance employment opportunities for Filipinos by focusing on education.
In an audience with high school students from
Miriam College at Malacañang, the President said the focus is to "increase
opportunities for everybody to make growth inclusive."
"We believe education is the key, give
everyone a chance to learn skills that are employable," he said.
He said that while the economy is growing by
seven percent a year, "we want the growth to be inclusive."
The President said that under his
administration, the Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority has
improved its batting average of graduates finding work.
While only 20 to 26 percent of TESDA graduates
had managed to find jobs in past years, this jumped to 62 percent last year.
He noted 85 percent of graduates found jobs in
the semiconductor industry while 77 percent found jobs in the Business Process
Outsourcing industry.
Also, the President said his administration is
trying to reach out to nomadic groups as well, putting teachers in areas where
such groups are situated. PND (jl)
Aquino government commits to embrace 'building
back better’ principle to help typhoon victims recover from crisis
The Aquino government remains committed to
embrace the principle of “building back better” following the massive
devastation wrought by typhoon “Yolanda” last November, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said on
Tuesday.
The Communications Secretary said during the
regular press briefing in Malacanang that President Benigno S. Aquino III had
issued a directive to devise a comprehensive program to help communities
recover from the crisis.
Aquino directed the creation of a task group to
hasten the transition of relief efforts into the full-scale rehabilitation and
rebuilding of the areas damaged by Yolanda.
The task group focuses on five priorities
namely, shelter and reconstruction, livelihood and employment, resettlement and
psycho-social care, environmental protection, and resource generation and
allocation.
"At hindi naman po natitinag ang commitment
ng pamahalaan na isagawa ang rehabilitation and reconstruction na sumusunod po
sa mga pamantayan ng integridad dahil ito naman po ang commitment ng ating
pamahalaan na gawin ang mga ito sa ilalim ng mabuting pamamahala or good
governance," Coloma said.
Residents of seaside villages in Tacloban City
in Leyte, Samar and other nearby provinces were severely affected by the
typhoon’s fury.
The President also directed Environment
Secretary Ramon Paje to impose a rule prohibiting building commercial and
residential structures along the seashore.
"Bukod pa riyan, naaalala ninyo ‘yung
pagtatakda ng mga no-build zone, na hindi na dapat maulit ‘yung pamamahay sa
tabi mismo ng pampang o sa coastline sapagkat i-strengthen po ang mga coastline
na ‘yan—magkakaroon ng seawall, magkakaroon po ng mangrove reforestation—kaya
‘yung mga permanent resettlement site ay nasa mga lugar na malalayo sa coastline,"
he said. PND (js)
Palace elated over inclusion of Philippines on
Rough Guides’ Top 10 popular destinations
Malacanang welcomed the inclusion of the
Philippines to Rough Guides’ Top 10 Countries worldwide to visit in 2014.
The country is among the Top 10 Countries
worldwide to visit this year, according to British travel guidebook Rough
Guides.
“Ikinagagalak natin iyan at pinapatunayan lang
na talagang sa hanay ng mga bansa, isa tayo sa pinaka-attractive tourist
destinations,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press
briefing in Malacanang Tuesday.
“Sana pagtulungan nating pagyamanin ang
reputasyong maganda at mainam para malaki ang magiging ambag sa ating kabuhayan
kapag dumami ang turista sa ating bansa.”
Rough Guides cited Philippines’ natural places
that must be visited, which include the islands of Boracay, the limestone
islands El Nido in Palawan, the coasts of Coron and the beaches of Puerto
Gallera.
Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, the perfectly-coned Mt.
Mayon and mountain lakes in Mt. Pinatubo, are also must-see, according to Rough
Guides.
Aside from places, tourist should also explore
the traditions and colorful festivals in the country like the Ati-Atihan
Festival in Panay to see indigenous dress and tribal dances, the travel advisor
said.
Other countries which made it on Rough Guides’
Top 10 list are Georgia in Central Asia, Turkey, Macedonia, Japan, Rwarna,
Ethiopia, Brazil, Bulgaria and Madagascar. PND (as)
Government serious in addressing causes of
rebellion in Mindanao, says Palace
The Palace said it remains committed to continue
addressing the systemic and institutional causes of rebellion to once and for
all attain a lasting peace in Mindanao.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday,
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that the Aquino
administration will continue to work to address the sentiments of the people
particularly in the Zamboanga peninsula, where a bloody conflict happened last
year.
Coloma was asked if the government is relieved
with the alleged death of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander
Habier Malik, considered as the bravest and fearsome warrior of the
MNLF-Misuari faction.
“Ang tinitingnan po natin ay iyong kabuuan ng
peace process, and we are looking at institutions or organizations, hindi lang
naman sa mga indibidwal,” Coloma said.
“Kasi kung meron pa ring dahilan na mag-himagsik
o mag-rebelde ang mga mamamayan ay hindi po ito affected ng buhay o pagkamatay
ng iisang indibidwal lamang. We have to continue addressing the systemic and
institutional causes that give rise to rebellion and to disgruntlement or
dissatisfaction with government,” he added.
Coloma said that for the peace process to be effective,
the government must pinpoint the sources of discontent among the people of
Mindanao.
With regards to the case of MNLF chairman Nur
Misuari, the Philippine government remains in pursuit of the MNLF after the
court issued a warrant of arrest against him, he said.
The Zamboanga City standoff began on September 9
last year when heavily armed insurgents from the Misuari faction arrived by
boat from outlying islands of the city but were blocked by soldiers and
policemen.
President Benigno S. Aquino III ordered an
offensive after the rebels refused to surrender and free their hostages.
The MNLF signed an autonomy deal with the
Philippine government in 1996, but the guerrillas aligned with Misuari did not
lay down their arms and accused the government of reneging on a promise to
develop Muslim regions. PND (as)
