President Aquino receives 8 non-resident
ambassadors to the Philippines
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
received eight non-resident ambassadors to the Philippines in ceremonies at
Malacañan Palace.
In his address to the envoys, the President said
he looks forward to strengthened ties between the Philippines and the nations
they represent.
"The Philippines is entering another year
in steady pursuit of the mission we collectively embarked on, three and half
years ago. That mission is to strive to put an end to the vicious cycle of
corruption and negativism, and to focus our resources and efforts in creating a
true regime of opportunities for the Filipino people," he said.
He added the Philippines seeks to do this by
fostering beneficial and meaningful relations with nations of goodwill, which
he said is key to building a Philippines and a community of nations "where
no one is left behind."
According to the President, a fundamental change
in the Filipinos' attitude has been taking place since 2010, where they now
reject cynicism and apathy and instead embrace cooperation and positive
engagement.
The country faces this year with "a
strengthened sense of solidarity among Filipinos, and between Filipinos and the
wider community of nations," he added.
"We intend to build on this: by working
hand-in-hand with your respective nations in advancing a rules-based global
order, by addressing the threats of climate change as one global community, and
by promoting greater understanding and stability in our respective regions. Let
us do so not only through traditional partnerships, but also by enhancing
cooperation in areas of shared interest and by deepening our engagements
through more people-to-people exchanges. I am confident that this will redound
to the growth and development of all our peoples," he said.
Also, the President invited the ambassadors to
"experience the warmth of the Filipino people" and see for themselves
that "indeed, our country works, and that indeed, it is more fun in the
Philippines."
The ambassadors who presented their credentials
included:
H.E. Titi Amina Pardi, Suriname
H.E. Dr. Dibaba Abdetta, Ethiopia
H.E. Jacob Dickie Nkate, Botswana
H.E. Joaquim Alberto de Sousa Moreira de Lemos,
Portugal
H.E. Khalid Abdelgadir Shukri, Sudan
H.E. Miles Kaweche Banda, Zambia
H.E. Leiataua Tuitolova'a Dr. Kilifoti Eteauati,
Samoa
H.E. Egidijus Meilunas, Lithuania. PND (jl)
Government keen on monitoring prices in calamity
areas to protect consumers
The government continues to monitor prices of
food and other basic commodities to protect consumers from unjustified price
increases particularly those living in calamity areas, a Palace official said
on Tuesday.
“In the calamity-affected areas, government is
restoring supply lines disrupted by typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake to
stabilize prices of food items and eventually bring these back to pre-disaster
levels,” Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in a
statement Tuesday.
Coloma also said that as noted by the National
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), December prices are seasonally high
due to Christmas spending.
“Hence, NSO reported that headline inflation for
the whole country increased from 3.3 per cent in November 2013 to 4.1 per cent
in December 2013,” he said.
“In areas outside of the NCR (including Eastern
and Central Visayas), headline inflation were even higher at 3.8 per cent in
November 2013 and 4.6 per cent in December 2013.”
He also pointed out, however, that year-to-date
headline inflation rate for the entire country as of December 2013 was 3 per
cent, or at the low end of the 3-5 per cent annual inflation projections of the
government’s Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).
In a press briefing also on Tuesday, Coloma said
that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Agriculture
(DA) as well as other government agencies are monitoring the situation to
prevent inflation.
Government agencies have been studying many
areas especially those affected by calamities to know if there are shortages of
raw materials and whether transport cost or communication are affecting prices,
Coloma said.
“At kung meron ngang napansin na spike doon sa
mga calamity areas, gagawin po ang lahat para maibalik ito sa normal na range
ng inflation at ng price movement sa mga lugar na ‘yan,” he noted.
The Palace official also warned those jacking up
prices that the government is ready to enforce the law and punish violators if
there is evidence of price manipulation. PND (as)
Palace: President Aquino listens to constructive
criticism
While he will ignore baseless criticisms against
him, President Benigno S. Aquino III and his administration will listen to
those that are constructive, Malacañang maintained Wednesday.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that
while the President would ignore baseless accusations as a New Year's
resolution, he will heed those that can lead to a solution.
"Let's be clear... There are criticisms
that are very constructive and can be a source of encouragement for us. Not all
criticisms are bad but there are those that do not contribute to the national
discourse," he said at a media briefing.
He said the administration may study criticisms
that "can help us in furthering good governance."
On Tuesday, the President told high school
students who called on him at the Palace that he would ignore baseless
criticisms.
Meanwhile, Lacierda said the Cabinet has gotten
used to the high standard of governance set by the President.
The President had said he would be more
understanding of his Cabinet secretaries this year. PND (jl)
Palace appeals to Nazarene devotees for
discipline on eve of procession
Malacañang on Wednesday appealed to devotees of
the Black Nazarene to practice discipline as they show their faith at
Thursday's yearly traslacion (procession).
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda made the
appeal as he said authorities will maintain health stations at strategic points
of the procession route.
"This is another opportunity for them to
come together and offer their supplications for the coming year. We ask them to
please observe discipline," he said at a media briefing.
He also advised the devotees to rest if they
feel tired during the procession, which he said may take hours.
On Thursday, devotees of the Black Nazarene are
expected to flock to Manila to take part in the traslacion, which highlights
the yearly event.
Meanwhile, Lacierda said there is no information
of any threat to this year's festivities, though he maintained police have to
be present due to the sheer number of people.
He also said there is no plan to jam phone
signals as a response to possible terrorist threats. "Walang ganoong plano
this year (There is no such plan this year)," he said.
But Lacierda also said there is no plan to
declare a holiday in Manila on Thursday due to the expected difficulties in the
flow of traffic.
"All of us learned have through the years
to adjust to the occasion. I am not aware of any intention to declare it a
special holiday," he said. PND (jl)
Malacanang sees no reason to declare Feast of
the Black Nazarene a holiday
Malacanang sees no reason to declare the Feast
of the Black Nazarene a holiday despite calls from the work force for
compassion as the Feast has been known to be a cause for being stranded because
of the traffic it generates.
Speaking to reporters at a press briefing in
Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said there was no reason
to declare a holiday for the Feast of the Nazarene as “we have learned through
the years to adjust to the Feast of the Black Nazarene.”
“You know we’ve been doing this since I was a
baby. I grew up in Quiapo so, we’ve never had a holiday for the Feast of the
Black Nazarene. Its understandable that traffic will be bad but we’ve learned
through the years to adjust to the Feast of the Black Nazarene. So, I’m not
aware of any move to declare it a holiday,” Lacierda said.
He called on the devotees to exercise discipline
and be wary of the people around them so that no one will be hurt.
“This is another opportunity for the devotees to
come together and offer their supplications for the coming year. We would ask
them to please observe discipline. I know it’s a very difficult procession. It
is now 18 hours, It used to be six hours. So, we would like to ask the devotees
to please take care of the person beside you baka mahimatay although we have
our health stations to be on alert we ask the devotees themselves, kung hindi
na kaya, to take It upon themselves to rest a while. This is an opportunity to
pray to the Black Nazarene,” Lacierda said. PND (rck)
Aquino inaugurates MMDA’s new Traffic
Signalization System
President Benigno S. Aquino III led Wednesday
the launching of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Traffic
Signalization System and Command and Control Center that will ease traffic flow
and enhance safety and security.
The launch of the project is just in its initial
phase which is worth P295 million, the President said. The government targets
to complete Phase 3 of the project in 2016.
“Kasabay po ng pagpapabuti natin sa mga
mekanismong direktang gumagabay sa mga motorista, tinututukan din natin ang mas
malaking sistemang kokontrol sa lahat ng mga ito,” the President said in a
speech during the project launch.
“Ang makabagong Command and Control Center pong
ito ang magsisilbing utak sa pagmonitor at pagkilos ng MMDA sa masusing
pangangasiwa ng sitwasyong pang-trapiko, at magiging pang-kalamidad at
pampublikong seguridad.”
The new system can man 400 intersections in
Metro Manila. Among the priorities in the project include the upgrade of
traffic signal facilities in 85 priority intersections, as well as the
installation of 25 high-definition CCTV cameras in strategic locations in the
metro.
With the use of CCTV cameras, the MMDA can
control the flow of traffic at different locations through pre-planning and use
of traffic lights. The control center uses, Hermes, a new traffic signal system
that has the ability to track traffic and monitor various control system and
future sub-systems in real-time.
“Naniniwala pa rin po tayo: Sa mga komplikadong
problemang tulad ng traffic sa Metro Manila, ang pinakamainam na solusyon ay
dapat nakaayon ang pondo, kakayahan, at panahon na mayroon tayo,” the President
said.
“Sa pagtugon sa traffic, ang kailangan natin ay
isang epektibong sistema kung saan mas magiging proactive po tayo, kaysa
reactive lamang.”
The project is a partnership of MMDA,
Spain-based technology firm Indra and the Meralco Industrial Engineering
Services Corp. (MIESCOR). PND (as)
Aquino asks public to observe traffic rules
President Benigno S. Aquino III asked the public
to observe discipline and follow traffic rules to ease traffic woes in the
country.
“Kahit may pribilehiyo po tayong maging
prayoridad sa daan, pinipili ko pa ring hindi gumamit ng 'wang-wang.' Alam kong
hindi lang pansariling oras ang mahalaga, kaya nagbibigay-daan tayo at
inirerespeto ang oras ng iba,” the President said during the launch of the
MMDA’s new traffic system on Wednesday.
But while his convoy observes traffic rules, the
President said it doesn’t give anyone a privilege to violate the law.
“Ang pakiusap ko po sa ating mga kababayan: sana
naman ay magkaroon tayo ng disiplina sa daan. Kahit pa minsan natutukso
tayo—dahil na rin siguro sa init ng ulo o sa inip sa kalsada—huwag sana natin
itong gawing dahilan upang baluktutin ang batas, o lusutan ang sistema,” he
said.
This is for the benefit of everyone—the motorist
and simple pedestrian, he said.
The President also said that as long as the
country doesn’t have an efficient rapid transport system or public rapid
transport system like the LRT and MRT, the metropolis will continue to
experience the influx of new vehicles.
For this reason, the government continues to
think ways to ease traffic in Metro Manila, like the creation of the Metro
Manila Integrated Transport System, the President said.
In addition to this initiative, government
agencies are working together to carry out Uniform Ticketing System, truck ban,
flood control, rerouting and road reblocking.
The President also said that in 2013, the
national capital region has more than two million registered vehicles. There
are 7.6 million registered vehicles in the country.
The NEDA had previously reported that the
country losses around P2 billion a day as a result of heavy traffic. PND (as)
