Monday 3 February 2014

PIA News Dispatch - Friday, January 17, 2014

President Aquino declares January 18 as special non-working day in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna in celebration of its 222nd Foundation

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared January 18, which falls on a Saturday, as a special (non-working) day in the city of Santa Rosa, Laguna in celebration of the the 222nd its Foundation Day.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 701 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on January 7 to give the people of Santa Rosa the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Santa Rosas historical past can be traced to 1571 when Spanish Conquistador Juan de Salcedo while exploring the Laguna Lake region, discovered the town of Biñan which was annexed as a barrio to Tabuco (now the town of Cabuyao).

In 1688, Biñan, together with Barrio Bukol (now Santa Rosa) was separated from Cabuyao.

Barrio Bukol became an independent municipality on January 18, 1792. The town was named after Saint Rosa of Lima, Peru. PND (js)


President Aquino creates committee to speed up completion of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project

President Benigno S. Aquino III created the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project Coordinating Committee to accelerate the completion of the project to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and the major roads in Metro Manila.

The Chief Executive formed the committee by virtue of Memorandum Order No. 66 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on January 6.

Under the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, the government aims to accelerate the provision of safe, efficient, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable infrastructure.

"One of the major thematic areas in transport set as the primary focus of both public and private investment is the decongestion of Metro Manila," the President said

The Skyway Stage 3 Project is projected to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and major roads in Metro Manila.

President Aquino emphasized the need to create a Coordinating Committee to ensure the fastest possible completion of the construction of the Project, and coordinate the various government agencies, local government units and private entities concerned.

The President said a representative from the Office of the Executive Secretary will chair the committee.

Representatives from the Department of Transportation and Communications – Toll Regulatory Board, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Energy, Office of the Solicitor General, National Power Corporation, National Transmission Corporation, Metropolitan Manila Sewerage System, National Telecommunications Commission, National Housing Authority, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Commission on Human Rights and Metro Manila Development Authority as members of the committee.

The Chairperson may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations, local government units, non-government organizations and the private sector for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require.

The committee shall act as the coordinating body between the various government agencies, local government units and private sector to facilitate the completion of the construction of the project. It shall identify bottlenecks and measures to address them.

It shall identify specific ways, and perform every act necessary and expedient to facilitate the completion of the construction of the project within the accelerated schedule.

The committee shall establish a Secretariat to service its technical and administrative requirements which shall be composed of personnel detailed to the Committee from member agencies with the Committee Chairperson determining the number desired and duration of their assignment.

It shall perform such other functions and activities as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Order, or as the President may direct.

The Committee shall cease to exist upon the completion of the construction of the project.

The member-agencies of the Committee are authorized to charge against their current appropriations such amounts as may be necessary for the implementation of this Order.

Additional funds and possible fund sources as may be necessary for the implementation of this Order shall be identified and provided for by the Department of Budget and Management subject to the approval of the President.

The Committee shall submit a report to the Office of the President (OP) on the status of the implementation of the Project within 30 days from the date of effectivity of this Order, and every quarter thereafter.

This Order shall take effect immediately. PND (js)


No increase in compensation to Government Owned or Controlled Corporations officers and employees

The Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG) has not approved any increase in compensation, bonuses, allowances and other benefits for government owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) directors, officers and rank-and-file employees, GCG Chairman Cesar L. Villanueva said.

Villanueva issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday following reports that the Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered officials and employees of 31 GOCCs to reimburse the government in the amount of some P2.3 billion equivalent to the sum of alleged excessive bonuses and allowances paid to them in 2012.

The COA's findings showed GOCCs paid "bonus(es), allowances, and benefits to the board of directors and employees without or in excess of legal basis or proper authority."

"Apart from putting into effect the Performance-Based Bonus or PBB for officers and employees, which was directed by the President Benigno S. Aquino III himself under Executive Order 80 in 2012; and the grant of Performance-Based Incentives or PBI for Appointive Directors pursuant to the President’s EO 24 issued in 2011 and he emphasized this: “GCG has not granted nor authorized much less has it recommended to the President any increase in the rates of compensation, bonuses, allowances and other benefits within the GOCC sector,” Villanueva said.

"In fact, it (GCG) has consistently denied various applications made for such increase in rates including those that resulted from collective bargaining process. Such position of the GCG is, in fact, in line with the moratorium dictated by the President under Executive Order 7," Villanueva stressed.

Villanueva said the GCG had actually reviewed the COA reports released in September, 2013. The GCG has subsequently directed the GOCCs mentioned by the COA to submit a concrete response within 24 hours.

"Therefore, the bulk of the COA-reported unauthorized allowances, bonuses and benefits amounting to P2.313 billion granted to 30 GOCCs relate to practices or existing rates that were carried over from the previous administration, and were therefore inherited by the GOCC Governing Boards appointed by the current administration," Villanueva said.

"When the GCG was constituted in October 2011, the work that it had to undertake in this area was to sort out the legal issues involved as the claim of employees for non- diminution of benefits granted was an issue that had to be resolved," Villanueva said. PND (js)


President Aquino monitoring flood situation in Mindanao, says official

President Benigno S. Aquino III instructed government agencies to ensure that communities affected by the floods in the Agusan region get the assistance they need, a Palace official said on Friday.

“Primarily, his directive was to ensure that they get the proper help,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang Friday.

Valte said the President issued the instruction even at the time that the low pressure area in the region has not yet been upgraded into a typhoon.

Forecasters said the LPA turned into Tropical Depression Agaton Friday.

“Noong LPA palang, nagbibigay na si Pangulong ng directives sa NDRRMC to work very closely with the local DRRMCs, to make sure that the proper technical assistance is rendered when it is requested,” Valte said.

It was reported that many people have fled from the rising floodwaters along the banks of the Agusan River on Mindanao in the past 24 hours.

The evacuees temporarily sought shelter in schools and government buildings in the Agusan region, reports said.

Weather forecasters had earlier reported that the LPA will become a full-pledged tropical storm and is expected to cause the heavier-than-usual rains over Mindanao.

The bad weather has already disrupted local aviation and shipping schedules, with several dozen domestic flights cancelled over the past week with ferries and a cargo vessel reported to have run aground in Cebu and Bohol this week. PND (as)


Palace: Fighting Metro crimes need public cooperation

Malacanang asked the public to help law enforcers maintain peace and order in Metro Manila in the midst of the rising number of victims falling prey to motorcycle-riding criminals.

The National Capital Region Police Office has instructed all its police units to conduct round-the-clock checkpoints to deter would-be criminals using motorbikes.

“Tulungan ninyo kami sa pagbabantay, siguraduhin po natin na magtutuluy-tuloy iyong kanilang (police) mga paggalaw,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.

And as a result of the recent crimes that happened in Quezon City, some police commanders were relieved from their posts because of their inability to address the problem, she said.

This is also a way of sending a message that the government is serious in addressing criminality in Metro Manila, Valte added.

NCRPO has ordered all district directors to form three teams for every city police office to man checkpoints in their areas of responsibility to intensify the anti-criminality campaign round-the-clock. Policemen will tighten inspection on motorists boarding motorcycles.


Most crimes happening in Metro Manila recently and in the provinces were perpetrated by motorcycle-riding armed men, which the government said alarming. PND (as)