President Aquino fetes honorary envoy to Syria
for helping OFWs during conflict
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday feted
the Philippines' honorary consul general to Syria for helping protect overseas
Filipino workers amid the conflict there.
The President conferred the Order of Sikatuna
(Grand Officer) on Mohamad Wassim Nanaa, the Philippines' honorary Consul
General in Aleppo, at Malacañan Palace's Music Room.
Nanaa's jurisdiction includes Idlib, Hama and
Latakia in the Syrian Arab Republic.
In his citation, the President commended Nanaa
for "promoting and protecting the welfare and safety of overseas Filipino
workers in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama and Latakia" in Syria's northern region.
He also thanked Nanaa for his "selfless and
untiring efforts in helping bring to safety and in repatriating hundreds of
OFWs from his jurisdiction."
Also, President Aquino commended the honorary
envoy for his "countless personal sacrifices, even at great risk to
himself and his family," in ensuring his service to Filipinos despite the
"challenges and dangers arising from the armed conflict" in Syria.
This is aside from Nanaa's vital work in
promoting Philippine cultural and economic diplomacy in Syria and for bringing
the people of Syria closer to the people of the Philippines, he added. PND (jl)
Aquino governments remains focused on improving
the overall quality of life in the country, Coloma says
The Aquino government remains focused on
improving the overall quality of life in the country following the release of
the Pulse Asia Research's Survey on Quality of Life and State of the National
Economy, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
“Sonny” Coloma Jr. said.
"The government remains committed on
improving the overall quality of life of the Filipino by translating the gains
of good governance into direct, immediate, and substantial benefits that will
empower the poor and marginalized segments of society," Coloma said in a
statement.
The survey was conducted from December 8 to 15,
2013 following the rising death toll from super typhoon "Yolanda,"
the on-going rehabilitation efforts in Leyte and other areas hit by the
typhoon, the resignation of Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, the power rate
hike to be implemented by the Manila Electric Company, the investigation into
the alleged fake special allotment release orders (SAROs), the agreement on the
Annex on the Power Sharing forged between the government and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front, among others.
The Pulse Asia survey showed 43% of Filipinos
consider their personal quality of life has deteriorated in the last 12 months,
while 41% say there is no change in their situation in December 2013 than in
2012.
The survey also revealed that 15% claimed that
they are in a better situation in December 2013 than a year ago.
Pulse Asia also asked respondents whether they
expected any change in the personal quality of life by 2014. The December
survey showed 45% of Filipinos expect no change in their personal circumstances
in the next 12 months.
Optimism on the matter is more pronounced than
pessimism as 37% of those who were interviewed were optimistic that their
personal circumstances in the coming 12 months would be better and 19% were
pessimistic and said it would worsen.
Coloma said the government remains committed to embrace
the principle of “building back better” following the massive devastation
wrought by typhoon “Yolanda” last November 2013.
Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and
Recovery Secretary Panfilo Lacson Jr. and his staff are speeding up efforts for
the rehabilitation, recovery and development of the areas affected by Yolanda,
Coloma said.
"We remain committed to strengthening our
efforts to provide shelter and livelihood for residents affected by super
typhoon "Yolanda," Coloma said. PND (js)
Heherson Alvarez named as new chair of the U.S.
Climate Institute's Advisory Board
Former Senator Heherson T. Alvarez was named as
new chairman of the United States Climate Institute's Advisory Board.
The election of Alvarez, the first Asian to be
named as chairman of the institute's prestigious advisory body, was announced
by John Topping, President of Climate Institute in Washington D.C.
Prior to his election as chairman of the board
of advisers of the institute, Alvarez was serving as commissioner of the
Climate Change Commission.
Alvarez, who has been with the institute's
advisory board for over two decades, said he assumed the new post at a time
"when the world is reeling from the disastrous impacts of climate
change."
He is a recipient of the Order of Lakandula with
the rank of Grand Cross (Bayani), one of the highest awards of the Republic of
the Philippines to a citizen whose "life is worthy of emulation by the
Filipino people."
A delegate to the 1971 Constitutional
Convention, Alvarez served the maximum two terms as senator, chairing the
Senate committee on environment.
He later won as congressman of Isabela province
and occupied five Cabinet positions during the administrations of former presidents
Corazon C. Aquino and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, including stewardship of the
departments of natural resources and agrarian reform.
In Congress, Alvarez authored major agrarian,
social and economic development laws. But it was his role in advocating
landmark environmental legislation that brought him to the fore in the
Philippine ecological movement in mid-1990s.
In 1995, Alvarez organized and chaired the
Manila Asia Pacific Leaders Climate Summit, the first climate conference in the
Philippines and the world, for which he received the Outstanding Public Policy
Achievement award from the Climate Institute.
To protect the public from health hazards and
reduce pollution, he asked the oil companies to remove lead from gasoline,
reducing sulphur content.
He also crafted the national climate change
framework and founded the Earthsavers Movement, an organization of young
Filipinos engaged in climate awareness. PND (js)
Senator Revilla should have explained his PDAF
allocation, says Palace
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. should have told the
people how he spent his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocation
instead of diverting the real issue to the impeachment of former chief justice
Renato Corona last year, Malacanang said on Tuesday.
“The privilege speech of Sen. Revilla could have
been a good opportunity for responding to the people’s clamor for a full
explanation on what happened to the PDAF allocation that he received from
2007-2009,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr. said in a statement.
“What the people heard and saw was a plain
attempt to divert public attention from the real issue. As an elected public
official, the senator is expected to fully account for the PDAF allocation that
he received.”
The main issue is PDAF and the people’s right to
know where Revilla spent his PDAF allocation, Coloma said.
The public is awaiting the outcome of
Ombudsman’s review of the complaints filed by the Department of Justice and the
answer of the respondents.
Aside from Revilla, other senators who were
implicated in the pork barrel scam were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy
Estrada. Estrada delivered his privilege speech on the issue last year.
Coloma said President Benigno S. Aquino III met
with Revilla to ask him to vote based on the merits of the evidence but not to
influence him. PND (as)
President Aquino declares February 12 as a
special (non-working) day in the City of Kidapawan, Cotabato in celebration of
16th Foundation Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
February 12, which falls on a Wednesday, as a special (non-working) day in the
city of Kidapawan in the province of Cotabato in celebration of its 16th
Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 705 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on January 8 to give the people of Kidapawan City the full opportunity to
celebrate and participate in the occasion.
Kidapawan became a city on February 12, 1998 by
virtue of Republic Act No. 8500 signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos.
Kidapaweños overwhelmingly ratified the cityhood
in a plebiscite on March 21, 1998. PND (js)
Aquino government earmarks P1.4 trillion to
improve the lives of Filipinos, Coloma says
The Aquino government is actively taking steps
to improve the Filipino lives by creating more economic opportunities for
Filipinos through earmarking more than P1.4 trillion for social and economic
services in this year's national budget, Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma Jr. said.
Coloma said in a regular press briefing in
Malacanang on Tuesday that the government started taking steps to address the
concerns raised in the latest survey of Pulse Asia Research.
The 2014 national budget allocated funds for
social and economic services in a bid to improve the overall quality of life of
the Filipino, the Communications Secretary said.
"The amount represents 63.4 percent of the
total P2.265 trillion budget, which includes the P62.6 billion for the
Conditional Cash Transfer program, the P35.3 billion for the National Health
Insurance Program and the P10.7 billion for technical support services for
farmers," he said.
Coloma said this year's budget also includes a
P100 billion allocation for the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of
communities affected by the Bohol earthquake and typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas
region, which registered the biggest change in the perception of the Filipinos
interviewed by Pulse Asia on the quality of life during the last quarter of
Year 2013. PND (js)
Government continues to engage stakeholders to
ensure Mindanao peace
The government remains hopeful that groups
opposing the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will
eventually support the Mindanao peace process, the Palace said on Tuesday.
It was reported that the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) rejected proposals to unite with the MILF in crafting
the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement with the government.
“Patuloy po ang pagpupunyagi at pagsisikap ng
ating pamahalaan na matamo ang kabuuan ng pakikipagsunduang pangkapayapaan na
makakatulong po sa pagpapaunlad ng buong Kamindanaoan,” Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in
a press briefing in Malacanang.
Coloma said the Aquino government wants to
persuade all the stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process to join the
initiative for the benefit of the region.
“Kaya patuloy rin po iyong ating pag-asa na
makikita ng ating mga kapatid na hindi pa sumasang-ayon at hindi pa lumalahok
ang kabutihan na matatamo natin kapag nagkaroon na ng kabuuang kasunduang
pangkapayapaan hinggil sa Mindanao,” he added.
The government continues to talk with the MNLF
being one of the stakeholders in Mindanao, he said.
Coloma also noted that even before the Zamboanga
standoff last year, there were ongoing discussions between the Philippine
government and the MNLF in Indonesia. Both sides were discussing the remaining
issues of the Tripoli agreement. PND (as)
President Aquino rewards Insurance Commission
employees' performance, propriety with milestone bonus
Citing their efficiency and sense of propriety,
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday announced a "milestone
bonus" for employees of the Insurance Commission, the government agency
that regulates and strengthens the country's insurance industry.
Speaking at the agency's 65th anniversary in
Manila, the President cited a law that allows him to grant every five years
such a bonus that he can increase to P10,000.
"There is a law that authorizes me to
grant, on every five years, what they call “milestone bonuses,” at least a
P3,000 amount, which I can increase to P10,000. I think you deserve it,"
he said.
But he added the IC employees deserve the bonus
especially because of their sense of propriety, in not immediately asking for
it.
He said transmission was delayed because
Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc felt it was improper to request for it and was
waiting for his and the IC's accomplishments to be recognized by others.
"Sa Tagalog po, hindi natin ikinatutuwa
‘yung nagtataas ng sariling bangko. Kaya naman hindi lang dahil sa husay ng
trabaho ninyo, pero pati na rin sa husay ng ugali ninyo ay dapat naman talaga
ipagkaloob itong bonus na ito (We do not appreciate people boasting about their
own achievements. This is why I am giving you this bonus, because of your sense
of propriety)," he said.
During his speech, the President lauded the IC
for fostering a sense of trust from the public, and such a sense of trust
allowed the industry to grow.
He said trust is extremely vital especially in the
insurance industry, which he said is doomed to fail if the insuring public has
a gross distrust of insurance companies.
Such an industry also cannot grow when insurance
companies do not have confidence in a market, he added.
"Your agency’s regulatory work, under the
leadership of Commissioner Dooc, has fostered trust among all stakeholders; and
while there is more to be done in this regard, your performance so far has
already helped encourage the rapid growth of the industry," he said.
Citing figures from the industry, the President
said that from the end of 2009 up to 2013, insurance premiums have increased by
more than 150 percent, from P78 billion to up to P200 billion.
During this same time period, the number of
insured Filipinos increased by more than 72 percent, or 23 million Filipinos
are now insured, 10 million more than in 2009.
At the end of the third quarter of 2013, he said
insurance has grown to become an P854-billion industry, with projections that
by end-2014, it will be a trillion-peso industry in terms of assets.
On the other hand, he said every additional
Filipino insured is one more Filipino family "that can live without the
fear of one major accident destroying everything they have worked for."
"It is one more family that can sleep
better at night—that can set aside their worries and focus on building a better
life—knowing that they have authorship of the following chapters of their
lives," he said.
Meanwhile, the President said he recently
reappointed Dooc to a fresh six-year term, so he will have the time and the
breathing room to have needed reforms take full effect.
He added this new term will allow Dooc to
continue his excellent management even after the President's term ends in 2016.
"I have also approved your agency’s
reorganization plan, which will give you the resources and the manpower you
need to meet the demands of your expanding industry," he said.
"I trust that these will help your agency
further accelerate reform, and help move our country closer to our vision: a
Philippines where each Filipino can work their hardest with the belief that
someone has their back; a Philippines where the people can aspire for greater
and greater things; a Philippines where, truly, no one is left behind," he
added. PND (jl)
Palace: Creating jobs remains major priority for
government
Boosting the economy for the welfare of the
people is anchored in creating more jobs aside from other factors, Malacanang
said on Tuesday.
In a press briefing in Tuesday, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said
generating more jobs remains a high priority for the Aquino administration.
The Department of Labor and Employment has
rolled out many programs in order to maximize employment creation but the
challenges remain, according to Coloma. He noted that there are structural
adjustments to be made such as the need to match available skills in the market
with requirements of the industry, Coloma said.
He also cited the shortage in 15 occupational
categories in the country with very few or no qualified applicants that’s why
the government opts to hire foreign workers. This is one of the challenges that
the DOLE is addressing, he added.
“We remain cognizant of the fact that unless
there is sufficient job creation, we are—we will find it more difficult to
attain the economic targets. That’s why government remains determined to pursue
all possible avenues for maximizing job creation,” he noted.
The government’s declaration on the lack of
qualified applicants for certain job categories sends a signal to Filipino
workers abroad to return home, the Palace official said.
“It may be a way of signaling Filipino
professionals working abroad to consider returning to their own land because of
improved economic conditions,” he said. PND (as)
President Aquino: People expecting explanation
from Revilla on PDAF raps
People are still expecting an explanation from
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. on the use of his Priority Development Assistance Fund
(PDAF) allocation, President Benigno S. Aquino III said Tuesday.
In an interview with reporters in Manila, the
President said people would have expected Revilla to explain his side on the
matter.
"Like any other citizen, na-accuse siya,
gusto mong marinig yung panig niya at inaasahan mo yun ang tutugunan niya (Like
any other citizen, he was accused and people want to hear his side of the
matter. You would expect he would attend to that)," he said.
He was referring to Sen. Revilla's privilege
speech at the Senate Monday.
The President said he met with Sen. Revilla
during the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012, but
stressed it was not to influence his decision as a senator-judge.
At the time, the President said he had received
information that there was pressure being exerted on the senator-judges to
decide the case based not on the evidence.
"Parang napaka-irresponsible ko naman kung
pababayaan ko na lang ‘yung nagpi-pressure sa kanilang lahat na hindi naman
tutugunan—‘yung parang wala namang… ‘Yung parang—ano ba tawag
doon?—pang-counter sa pressure na ginagawa (I would have been irresponsible if
I allowed the pressure to get to the senator-judges without acting)," he
said.
"We were trying to lessen the pressures on
all of them," he added. PND (jl)
