President Aquino appoints four new ambassadors
to Republic of Korea, Argentine Republic, Canada and Singapore
President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed
four new ambassadors to various countries.
In a transmittal letter to Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said
the Chief Executive signed the appointment letters of the new ambassadors on
January 20.
The Chief Executive named Raul S. Hernandez as
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea: Ma.
Amelita C. Aquino as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Argentine Republic with concurrent jurisdiction over the Pluri-national State
of Bolivia, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay;
Petronila P. Garcia as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada
and Antonio A. Morales as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Republic of Singapore.
Hernandez served as Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
since July 2011 until his appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea. After joining the DFA in 1993, he held
various positions in Philippine diplomatic and consular missions in China,
Canada and the Hague, Netherlands.
Prior to her appointment, Aquino served as
Executive Director of the Office of American Affairs since January 2009. She
held various positions in Philippine diplomatic and consular missions in China,
Mexico, Chile, among others.
Garcia served as Assistant Secretary of the
Office of Middle East and African Affairs since September 2011 until her
appointment as Ambassador to Canada. She held various positions in Philippine
diplomatic and consular missions in Tel Aviv, Israel; Cairo, Egypt; Seoul,
Korea; Pretoria, South Africa; Sydney, Australia, and Singapore.
Morales served as Deputy Chief of Mission in
Peninsula Beijing as Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General since March
2013 until his appointment as Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore. PND (js)
President Aquino thanks Canada for helping the
Philippines in the aftermath of Yolanda
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his appreciation
to Canada for standing in solidarity with the Philippines during the disaster
relief operations in the aftermath of supertyphoon “Yolanda” (internationally
known as Haiyan).
In his remarks during the courtesy call of the
“Winter Escapade—It’s More Fun In The Philippines” Tour held at the Rizal
Ceremonial Hall in Malacanang Palace on Friday, the Chief Executive assured the
Canadian donors that resilience and strength underpin rehabilitation efforts to
build back better.
Thus far, official Canadian contribution to the
emergency effort is estimated at USD 40 million, in addition to the private
donations channelled through Canadian charities.
"Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda was really bad
and it came on top of several crises. You had the Zamboanga; you had the
Bohol-Cebu earthquake; you had ‘Santi’ in between them before ‘Yolanda’ struck.
And then now you have ‘Agaton,’" the President said.
"The Philippines is visited by about 20
typhoons every year. We have gone a long way....Now, we have a weather bureau
who can actually tell you precisely where it will fall, what the wind strength
will be, what the rainfall will be but, more importantly, we have a Department
of Science and Technology that is able to translate all of this data (and) can
make our citizens even more prepared than what they were," he said.
He thanked the Canadian and Filipinos for
helping the communities recover from the devastation wrought by Yolanda.
"And again, on their behalf, I thank all of
you for this really tremendous effort that enabled us to overcome and continue
to overcome the challenges besetting our country as we try to recover,
reconstruct, rehabilitate, and build back better," he said.
Winter Escapade is a tour program launched by
the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Tourism aimed at
attracting balikbayans to visit the Philippines during the cold season in the
West.
The program is also a big boost to the country's
tourism sector, particularly in the Western Visayas.
On Friday, 24 Canadian visitors, many of them of
Filipino heritage, paid a courtesy call on President Aquino. They toured Panay
Island from January 18 to 23. PND (js)
President Aquino vows to stay on the straight
path to continue the country's economic growth
President Benigno S. Aquino III vowed to stay on
the straight path to overcome challenges and continue the country’s economic
growth.
In his remarks during the courtesy call of the
“Winter Escapade—It’s More Fun In The Philippines” Tour held at the Rizal
Ceremonial Hall in Malacanang Palace on Friday, the Chief Executive said the
country is now enjoying stellar economic performance and continuing positive
outlook for economic growth.
"We have gotten so many accolades from
credit ratings agencies that have given us investment grades status already as
a country," he said.
"For those of you who have not been back to
the country in quite a while, I think you will notice that there are
significant changes in our country today. I dare say that when I step down by
2016, perhaps a lot of you will no longer recognize the skyline of the National
Capital Region as well as that of Cebu and so many other areas. You will be
pleasantly surprised by the infrastructure that will be wrought on the
country," he said.
President Aquino said the government launched on
Wednesday the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 that will connect South Luzon
Expressway (SLEX) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
"The domestic-tourism program has already
breached the target for 2016 as early as 2011. So that has necessitated
practically doubling the targets by 2016, and I am confident that we will reach
that," he said.
The President said tourist dollars spent for
goods and services generate income that create jobs, stimulate the local
economy and boost confidence in tourism.
"I had a battle cry during the campaign of
“Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” And what does that mean? We want growth
that is inclusive. We do invest a vast majority of the budget in education. And
one of the components is TESDA, or the TechVoc sector. Previously, it used to
hit around 26% placement rate for its graduates," he said.
"Over half a million Filipinos in our three
years, about 560,000 actually, or thereabouts, have been brought through the
process, and again at least 62% of this 500-plus thousand Filipinos have found
meaningful work," he said.
"Another program that we are proud of is—in
Tagalog, it’s called the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program. It’s called the
Conditional Cash Transfer Program in English. And the only requirement is to
keep your children in school, you will receive a stipend from government,"
the President said.
"This year, we will expand the program to
cover students in the high school arena. There is a recent study that says
graduating from high school brings a premium of 40% in your income and earning
capabilities over that of elementary school graduates," he said. PND (js)
Palace spells out corrective measures to avoid
future energy rate hikes
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said that the President is determined to find out the
cause of the sudden power rate hike to avoid it from happening again.
Citing the Senate hearing on the issue on
Thursday, Coloma spelled out during a press conference in Malacanang Friday the
corrective measures that the government should undertake.
First, industry players must prepare for the
maintenance shutdown of Malampaya gas facility and other sources of power to
avoid disruptions in the electric supply and sudden rise in energy bills.
Second, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC),
the chief regulator of the power industry, must ensure that there is no
collusion among industry players that result to unjustifiable profits.
If an anomaly is proven, based on the EPIRA, any
entity that committed abuses must be held accountable, Coloma said.
While the lawmakers investigate the issue,
government agencies, based on the President’s order, are investigating the
power rate hike by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
The DOJ is also doing a parallel investigation
and the President at the same time wants a review for possible amendment of
EPIRA.
“Government is committed to ensure the
sufficient supply of electricity to households and industries at reasonable
rates and foster a business climate that encourages continuing investments in
energy development,” Coloma said. PND (as)
Government to protect consumers from effects of
strengthening US dollar, says official
Concerned government agencies are closely
watching the strengthening US dollar against the Philippine peso to prevent
inflation and maintain the strong purchasing power of Filipino consumers, a
Palace official said on Friday.
“Tinututukan po iyan ng Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas, at ayon sa kanila, malaking bahagi nito ‘yung tinatawag nilang
rebalancing na nagaganap sa iba’t ibang ekonomiya dahil nga sa nakikitang
resurgence or recovery of the US economy,” Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Jr. Coloma said of the peso-dollar
exchange rate.
Coloma said in a press briefing in Malacanang
Friday that according to assessments made by some individuals and
organizations, there could be movements in the peso-dollar exchange rate but by
the end of the year, the peso will start to gain traction again.
The exchange rate could go back to P43 to P44 to
a dollar by year-end, he said.
“Ibig sabihin lang, meron namang dynamics iyong
fluctuations in the peso-dollar exchange rate. Sa bahagi ng pamahalaan,
lalung-lalo na ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, pangunahing layunin nila iyong
pag-control sa inflation sapagkat ayaw nilang mabawasan ang purchasing power ni
Juan dela Cruz,” he noted.
The peso has shown some weakness recently
against the dollar on expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut back
its bond-buying program, which drives corporate demand for the dollar.
The tapering policy from Federal Reserve is the
biggest factor for the peso’s decline, according to currency strategists. Not
only Asia suffers from these developments but also European countries, they
said. PND (as)
President Aquino welcomes His Majesty King Carl
XVI Gustaf of Sweden in Malacanang
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed on Friday
visiting Sweden’s reigning monarch, King Carl XVI Gustaf, to further promote
the relations between the two countries during ceremonies in Malacañang Palace
on Friday.
The Swedish King was accorded foyer honors by
members of the Presidential Security Group at the Palace main lobby at 3 p.m.
King Carl XVI Gustaf was ushered to the second
floor of the Malacañang Palace for the traditional signing of the Palace Guest
Book.
His Majesty paid a courtesy call on President
Aquino, who is the country’s Chief Scout by virtue of Republic Act 7278.
King Carl XVI Gustaf is visiting the Philippines
from January 24 to 26 as Guest of Honor at the Invitational Peace Jamboree of
the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in their centenary year. This is the first
visit of a Swedish monarch and Head of State of Sweden to the Philippines.
The Swedish King was accompanied by Klas Molin,
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Philippines; Lars Kolind, Executive
Committee member of the World Scout Foundation (WSF); Fredrik Gottlieb, WSF
Treasurer; Sven Philip Sorensen; WSF Regal Circle member, Simon Hang Bock Rhee;
World Organization for the Scout Movemement (WOSM) Chairman; Scott Teare; WOSM
Secretary-General; John Geoghegan, WSF Director and Jose Rizal Pangilinan, WOSM
Regional-Director of the Asia Pacific Regional Office.
Joining the President in welcoming the Swedish
monarch and Head of State were Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, Foreign Affairs
Secretay Albert del Rosario, Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Bayani S. Mercado,
Education Undersecretary Mario Deriquito, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary
Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson.
Binay, concurrently the National President of
the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, will fête the King of Sweden for dinner
together with officials of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the
World Scout Foundation. Vice-President Binay led the Philippine delegation to
Sweden when it hosted the World Scout Jamboree in 2011.
The Swedish monarch will visit the projects of
the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in Tacloban in the aftermath of Typhoon
Yolanda (Haiyan), and other related projects of the Swedish Government
implemented through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
His Majesty’s commitment to the Boy Scout
movement has been lifelong. From being a scout himself as a young man, His
Majesty has served as the Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation (WSF)
since 1977. The WSF raises funds for various scouting projects worldwide,
including the Ticket to Life project in the Philippines.
Aside from the WSF, King Carl XVI Gustaf is
actively involved in issues related to nature and the environment, personally
instituting the King Carl Gustaf Environmental Competition and the “Royal
Colloquium," an international environmental symposium held annually in
Sweden with participants from all over the world. The King has been chairman of
the Swedish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) since 1988.
King Carl XVI Gustaf is one of the longest
serving monarchs in Europe, having celebrated the 40th anniversary of his
accession to the throne in 2013. Under His Majesty’s reign, the Swedish
monarchy has evolved to be seen as the world’s most modern monarchy. King Carl
XVI Gustaf is second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and is
related to the reigning monarchs in Europe. He is married to Queen Silvia
Sommerlath and has three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip
and Princess Madeleine. PND (js)
DFA dispatches officers to assist Filipino
workers abused in Malaysia
The Department of Foreign Affairs instructed the
country’s Consul General in Kuala Lumpur to check on the cases of some Filipino
workers being harassed or abused in the ongoing crackdown in Malaysia against
illegal workers.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday,
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
said the consul general dispatched Assistance to Nationals officers, (ATNs) to
get information on reported cases and raise them to Malaysian authorities.
Coloma said Filipino embassy officials in Kuala
Lumpur knew of the crackdown after Malaysian authorities announced the start of
the round up on January 21.
Coloma also reported that in the last quarter of
last year, with the help of the Philippine embassy in Malaysia, the government
were able to send home more than 5,000 Filipino workers staying illegally in
that country.
Philippine authorities negotiated with their
Malaysian counterparts to help overstaying Filipinos and assisted them in
fixing their documents.
Filipino officials accompanied them and provided
free transportation to the Malaysian immigration center in Putrajaya, Coloma
said.
The Philippine embassy also negotiated to lower
the fine for overstaying Filipinos—from 30 ringgit (about $10) a day to 500
ringgit for total maximum penalty, he said.
“At habang isinasagawa ang announced crackdown,
sinisikap pa rin nilang matulungan ang ating mga mamamayan; pinagpapayuhan
lahat ng mga manggagawang Pilipino doon na maging handa sa lahat ng pagkakataon
at laging dalhin ang kanilang mga dokumento,” he said.
“Gayunpaman, patuloy ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng
ating embahada at ang Department of Foreign Affairs para tiyakin na hindi
magkakaroon ng maltrato laban sa ating mga manggagawa at mamamayan sa
Malaysia.” PND (as)
King Carl of Sweden arrives in Manila for a
three-day visit
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden arrived in Manila
on Friday for a three-day official visit including a trip to typhoon ravaged
Tacloban on Sunday.
King Carl and his party touched down Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 onboard Thai Airways flight TG260 at
11:55 a.m.
He was welcomed by Department of Education
Secretary Armin Luistro, European Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Zeneida
Angara Collinson, non-resident Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Bayani Mercado,
and J. Rizal Pangilinan, regional director of the World Organization for the
Scout Movement.
This is the first visit of King Carl in the
country as he was invited as Guest of Honor at the Invitational Peace Jamboree
of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in their centenary year. Since 1977, His
Majesty has served as the honorary chairman of the World Scout Foundation,
which raises funds for various scouting projects worldwide, including the
Ticket to Life project in the Philippines.
First on his itinerary was a courtesy call on
President Benigno Aquino III, who is the country’s Chief Scout as mandated by
Republic Act 7278, in Malacanang.
He was also invited by Vice President Jejomar
Binay, who is the National President of the Boy Scout of the Philippines, to a
dinner at the Coconut Palace, Friday evening.
On Saturday, the King is scheduled to visit a
scouting centre in Mt. Makiling in Los Banos Laguna.
He will then fly to Tacloban on Sunday to visit
the various projects of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and other related
projects implemented by the Swedish Government implemented through the United
Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in the aftermath of
Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). PND (jb)
