No plans to apologize to Hong Kong, President
Aquino tells New York Times
President Benigno Aquino III this week
reiterated the Philippines' stand not to apologize to Hong Kong over the death
of eight Hong Kong tourists in a hostage crisis in Manila in 2010.
The President made his first public response to
Hong Kong's latest demand for an apology in an interview published Wednesday on
The New York Times.
In the interview, the President was quoted as
saying he had no plans to apologize, adding that this could create a legal
liability.
He was also quoted as saying in the interview
that China had not paid compensation to the families of Filipinos who died in
episodes on the mainland.
On Wednesday, the latest sanctions by Hong Kong
against Manila took effect - a visa requirement on holders of red and blue
official passports.
The move is expected to affect only Philippine
government officials and not holders of regular passports.
Hong Kong's demands for an apology stemmed from
the August 2010 crisis where a dismissed policeman took a busload of tourists
hostage to demand his reinstatement.
The policeman and eight of the tourists were
killed in a failed rescue operation. PND (jl)
President Aquino seeks international help vs
China's claims over West Philippine Sea
President Benigno Aquino III this week sought
international support in contesting China's claims over the West Philippine
Sea, warning of the consequences of "(saying) yes to something we believe
is wrong now."
The President, in an interview with The New York
Times also cited a lesson from history where the West failed to support
Czechoslovakia against Adolf Hitler’s demands for the Sudetenland in 1938.
"If we say yes to something we believe is
wrong now, what guarantee is there that the wrong will not be further
exacerbated down the line?..... At what point do you say, ‘Enough is enough?’
Well, the world has to say it," he said.
"Remember that the Sudetenland was given in
an attempt to appease Hitler to prevent World War II," he added.
He maintained in the interview that the
Philippines will not give up its territories in the disputed area.
The New York Times described President's
Aquino’s remarks as "among the strongest indications yet of alarm among
Asian heads of state about China’s military buildup and territorial
ambitions."
The Philippines is among the Asian countries
that have territorial disputes with China over the West Philippine Sea (South
China Sea).
During the interview, the President also said he
is optimistic the Philippines and the United States are very close to an
agreement that could enhance the Philippines' security.
“We are very optimistic that will happen,” he
said.
On the other hand, the President expressed
reluctance to increase military spending, if that means sacrificing social
concerns.
“I’m not sure if I would be willing to sacrifice
social concerns to try to improve the military capabilities,” he said. PND (jl)
Filipino-Chinese reaffirm commitment to help in
rehabilitation of Yolanda-hit areas
The Filipino-Chinese community on Wednesday
reaffirmed its commitment to help the Philippine government in its
rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in areas hit by super Typhoon
"Yolanda" (Haiyan).
Filipino-Chinese business groups signed an
agreement with the local government of Leyte province to build 500 houses and
five barrio schools in Palo town, one of the areas hit hardest by Yolanda.
"Your Excellency, the Chinese-Filipino
community reaffirms its full support to our Filipino brothers and sisters and
to government efforts on the road to rehabilitation and recovery,"
Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. president Dr. Alfonso
Siy told President Benigno Aquino III, who witnessed the signing ceremony at
Malacañan Palace.
He also assured the President the FFCCCII and
the Chinese-Filipino community "are fully behind you in serving our
beloved country and fellow Filipinos."
Siy added the Chinese-Filipino community's
donation for Yolanda relief and rehabilitation efforts has amounted to nearly
P150 million.
President Aquino witnessed the signing of the
memorandum of agreement between Siy and Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico
Petilla.
Also witnessing the signing are Secretaries
Carlos Jericho Petilla (energy) and Manuel Roxas II (interior), Palo town mayor
Remedios Petilla, and FFCCCII Chairman Emeritus Lucio Tan.
Under the agreement, 500 houses will be built on
a five-hectare lot in Barangay Barayong in Palo, with the project costing P40
million.
Five barrio schools with 10 classrooms costing
P2 million will also be constructed.
The relocation site will be dubbed the
Filipino-Chinese Friendship Village.
The fund for the projects came from:
- FFCCCII and FFCCCII Foundation Inc.
- Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of
the Philippines
- World News Daily
- Filipino-Chinese Amity Club
- Overseas Chinese Alumni Association of the
Philippines
- Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association
- Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Inc.
Before Wednesday's signing, Siy noted the
Filipino-Chinese community had been active in relief operations, health
intervention, and support in terms of finances, fishing boats, and welding
generator sets.
Some officials of the FFCCCII even extended
personal assistance, giving not only financial help but much of their time.
For his part, Leyte Gov. Petilla assured the
people of his province continue to recover from Yolanda, saying the provincial
government is focusing on shelter so the people can later on concentrate on
making a living.
The governor called on the private sector and
the international community to continue their support even as his
administration focuses on long-lasting intervention. PND (jl)
Government renews unwavering commitment to combat
graft, corruption
The government will continue carrying out
reforms in the bureaucracy to sustain recent economic gains for the benefit of
all Filipinos, a Palace official said on Tuesday.
“The Aquino administration shall continue to
pursue and institutionalize these reforms anchored on principles of good
governance and to build stronger public institutions,” Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in
response to a report noting tremendous government losses as a result of rampant
corruption in government.
In a report, the Global Financial Integrity, a
Washington, DC-based research and advocacy organization, said the Philippines
has suffered $132.9 billion in illicit financial outflows from crime, corruption,
and tax evasion, while $277.6 billion was illegally transferred into the
country over a 52-year period.
Coloma noted that while the report only covers
the first year of the Aquino administration, the government is committed to
continue eliminating corruption in the bureaucracy.
The study made by the Global Financial Integrity
covered the administrations of seven Presidents from Carlos P. Garcia to Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, he said noting that it is important to address the concerns
expressed in the report because it affects the country’s reputation in the
global stage.
To address these concerns, Coloma said that
since 2010, the government has undertaken reforms to curtail smuggling and curb
money laundering activities. Last year, the Financial Action Task Force
excluded the Philippines in its blacklist citing “significant progress to
improve anti-money laundering” measures.
He also said several international agencies have
cited considerable improvements in the country, especially in the areas of governance,
transparency, government and business efficiency and economic performance.
For instance, the Philippines’s ranking in the
International Finance Corp.’s “Doing Business 2014” report, jumped 25 places to
108 from 133 in 2013 while its standing in Transparency International last year
improved significantly to number 94 from 105 the previous year.
Also, in the latest 2013 World Economic Forum,
the Philippines’ ranking rose to 59th spot from the previous year’s 65th out of
148 countries, while the 2013 Grant Thornton Global Dynamism Index showed the
Philippines ranking rising to 25 places to 21st among 60 countries.
The Philippines also achieved consecutive
ratings upgrades to investment grade status from prominent credit ratings
agencies such as Standard and Poor, Fitch, Moody’s and Japan Credit Agency.
These ratings agencies are globally recognized as credible endorsers of
countries attaining seal of good financial housekeeping and management. PND
(as)
Government reports 97-percent rice
self-sufficiency last year
The government said it attained 97-percent rice
self-sufficiency last year and it is not abandoning its rice self-sufficiency
target.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said that since rice is the staple food,
the country cannot attain food security if there is no rice sufficiency.
He noted that the Department of Agriculture
reported attaining 97 percent rice sufficiency in 2013.
The DA is also concentrating on promoting and
producing high value crops that have potential in the global market such as
bananas and pineapples, he said. The DA is also developing organic fruit
products such as dragon fruit.
The DA initially targeted to attain rice
self-sufficiency in 2013. To attain its goal, the DA has partnered with the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for the production and
distribution of high-quality, stress-resistant seeds that can adapt to climate
change; the prioritization of the development of new and modern technologies;
and the dissemination of best agricultural practices and support tools,
including skills-training for extension and field workers. PND (as)
President Aquino says ‘inclusiveness’ remains
government’s guiding principle in efforts to help typhoon survivors
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
said “inclusiveness” will remain as government’s guiding principle in its
efforts to help the survivors of super Typhoon "Yolanda" recover from
the disaster.
President Aquino witnessed the signing of the
memorandum of agreement between the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Inc. and the Provincial Government of Leyte for the
construction of 500 houses and five units of barrio schools for the survivors
of the typhoon.
During his speech, the President thanked the
Chinese-Filipino community for its efforts to help the survivors of Yolanda.
“I assure you that what you are doing on the
community level, my government has been doing, and will continue to do so, on a
national scale. Inclusiveness remains our guiding principle, as we build a
regime of opportunities, and empower those who have lost so much to the
tragedies that befell our country in the past year,” he said.
President Aquino said the various disasters that
struck the country last year, such as the Zamboanga siege, the Bohol earthquake
and Typhoon Yolanda, were “a true test of our capabilities as a nation.”
Typhoon Yolanda has caused extensive damage to
infrastructure and left thousands of people dead in the Visayas in November
last year.
“The challenge that confronted us was enormous;
and it was only through our people’s resilience and solidarity that we overcame
it. It was through the commitment and the hard work of those in government who
dealt with relief, recovery, and reconstruction; of those from private entities
who conducted relief operations either on their own or shoulder-to-shoulder
with government; and of those citizens who sacrificed their time in volunteer
centers,” he said.
“Now, a different—but no less
formidable—challenge lies ahead of us. As we rebuild the communities affected
by Typhoon Yolanda, we must do so in a way that can unshackle us from the
vicious cycle of destruction and reconstruction. This is precisely why we are
building-back-better. Instead of simply rebuilding what was lost, we are
building in a way that makes our communities more resilient in the face of
disaster; and everyone’s participation makes this a reality,” he added.
President Aquino welcomed the partnership
between the FFCCCII Foundation and the Provincial Government of Leyte to
construct 500 houses and five units barrio schools for the survivors of the
typhoon.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Alfonso Siy for
the FFCCCII and Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla for Leyte province on
Wednesday in Malacanan Palace. It was witnessed by President Aquino, FFCCCII
Chairman Emeritus Dr. Lucio Tan, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla, DILG
Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla.
President Aquino, also during his speech,
expressed confidence that the houses and the classrooms that will be
constructed in Palo, Leyte, will be a boost in the government’s efforts to
empower those affected by the typhoon.
“This project of yours comes at the heels of
your enormous contributions in the aftermath of Yolanda, where you, your
members, and six other organizations distributed more than 50,000 relief packs
and provided welding sets, fishing boats, water purifying systems, and
medicine, among other resources needed by those who were affected,” the President
said.
The Chinese-Filipino community has undertaken
various relief and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda.
In total, the Chinese-Filipino community’s donation for typhoon-affected areas
is close to P150 million.
“All that you have done serves to underscore the
compassion that you hold for your fellow Filipinos: You will never hesitate to
step in and assist our countrymen in times of need, whether it is through
helping them recover after a major disaster, or helping our Department of
Education build classrooms, or funding your own volunteer fire brigades,” the
President said. PND (jl)
Aquino government institute reforms to curtail
illicit financial outflows from crime, corruption and tax evasion, Coloma says
The Aquino government has undertaken reforms to
curtail illicit financial outflows from crime, corruption, and tax evasion that
beset the country from 1960 until 2011, Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said on Wednesday.
The Communications Secretary issued the
statement following the release of the report of the Global Financial Integrity
(GFI) that the Philippines had suffered US$132.9 billion in illicit financial
outflows from crime, corruption, and tax evasion for the period of over five
decades.
"In yesterday’s briefing, we discussed the
report of Global Financial Integrity, a Washington, DC-based research and
advocacy organization that pointed out the “...Philippines (had) suffered
US$132.9 billion in illicit financial outflows from crime, corruption, and tax
evasion, while US$277.6 billion was illegally transferred into the country...”
over a 52-year period from 1960 to 2011," Coloma said.
"We note that while this study covers only
the first year of the Aquino administration, it addresses vital issues
pertaining to quality of governance spanning more than five decades and
covering the administrations of seven Presidents from Carlos P. Garcia to
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Hence, it is important to address the concerns
expressed in the report as it affects the country’s reputation in the world
community," Coloma said.
Since 2010, Coloma said the government has
undertaken reforms and has made headway to curtail smuggling and curb money
laundering activities.
According to Coloma, the Financial Action Task
Force excluded last year the Philippines in its blacklist citing “significant
progress to improve anti-money laundering” measures.
Several other international agencies have cited
considerable improvements in the country, especially in the areas of
governance, transparency, government and business efficiency and economic
performance, Coloma said.
"The country’s ranking in the International
Finance Corporation’s 'Doing Business 2014' report, jumped 25 places to 108
from 133 in 2013 while its standing in Transparency International last year
improved significantly to number 94 from 105 the previous year," Coloma
said.
In the latest 2013 World Economic Forum, Coloma
said the Philippines’ ranking rose to 59th spot from the previous year’s 65th
out of 148 countries, while the 2013 Grant Thornton Global Dynamism Index
showed the Philippines ranking rising to 25 places to 21st among 60 countries.
"In addition, the Philippines achieved
consecutive ratings upgrades to investment grade status, which was granted by
prominent credit ratings agencies Standard and Poor, Fitch, Moody’s and Japan
Credit Agency that are globally recognized as credible endorsers that a country
has attained the seal of good financial housekeeping and management," he
said.
Coloma said the Aquino administration continues
to pursue and institutionalize these reforms anchored on principles of good
governance and to build stronger public institutions. PND (js)
Government to ensure that people will not suffer
unjustifiable price hikes, Coloma says
The Aquino government remains committed to
protect the welfare of the citizens by ensuring that the people would not
suffer unjustifiable price hikes, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said.
"As the President Benigno S. Aquino III has
pointed out, the trigger for the significant power rate increase that is now at
issue in the Supreme Court was a foreseeable event for which Meralco (Manila
Electric Company) and other industry players should have prepared," the
Communications Secretary said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang
on Wednesday.
Coloma said the Chief Executive also believes in
enforcing the provision of the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) on
possible disgorgement of profits if current investigations by the Department of
Energy and the Department of Justice will establish that there has been
collusion among the industry players," Coloma said.
"Most importantly, government believes that
unjustifiable price hikes should not be passed on to the people. Therefore, the
proposed petition for the lifting of the TRO (temporary restraining order) is
not consistent with the public interest," Coloma said.
"To recall the President’s previous
statement: “Under Article II, Section 5 of our Constitution’s General Welfare
provision, I think it is incumbent that, inasmuch as this situation greatly
affects the welfare of so many of our countrymen, we should know what actually
transpired and what corrective action should be undertaken to address that
situation,” he said.
Coloma said the electric power industry is
imbued with public interest. "Public interest dictates that electric
service be provided continuously and without unjustified interruption," he
said. PND (js)
President Aquino lauds Association of Philippine
Medical Colleges Foundation Inc. for efforts to increase competence of the
medical sector
President Benigno S. Aquino III lauded the
Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Foundation Inc. (APMCFI) for
implementing much needed reform in education, and increase the competence of
the country's medical sector.
"Given the continued evolution of our
milieu, it is imperative that we raise the bar of competence in our disciplines
and adopt more innovative approaches," the Chief Executive said in his
message to APMCFI on the occasion of the 47th Anniversary and Annual
Conference.
APMCFI is the umbrella organization of all
medical schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines.
"This gathering allows us to tap into the
academic framework in synergizing the dynamism and passion of our youth to make
advances in our pursuit of excellence," he said.
"I look forward to the success of this
conference: May it yield an enlightened, empowered collective of professionals
that will push for much needed reform in education, and increase the competence
of our medical sector. In this way, we secure the welfare of the Filipino
people," President Aquino said.
He called on the APMCFI to work together with
the government in fulfilling their duties as the builders of a just and
inclusive society.
"Let integrity, accountability, and
professionalism define the path that we are taking towards the fulfillment of
our aspirations," he said. PND (js)
Palace tells Filipinos in Hong Kong to remain
calm amid imposition of visa restrictions
Malacanang appealed for calm as Hong Kong’s visa
restrictions among Philippine government officials visiting the Chinese
territory take effect today.
“Sa kasalukuyang pagkakataon, yaman din lamang
at ito ang petsa na itinakda doon sa pagsasagawa ng restrictions, ang ating
panawagan sa ating mga kababayan na nagtratrabaho sa Hong Kong SAR ay
manatiling mahinahon,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary
Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing in Malacanang on
Wednesday.
“Ang ating pamahalaan ay handa sa mga
posibilidad na maaaring manggaling doon sa mga inaambang aksyon. At patuloy na
naninindigan ang ating pamahalaan na gagawin ang lahat ng nararapat upang
pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga Pilipino sa Hong Kong SAR,” he added.
Hong Kong cancelled visa-free arrangements for
Philippine official and diplomatic passport holders in its first sanctions
against a foreign state.
It said the cancellation of the 14-day visa-free
arrangements for the two categories of passport-holders was just the first
phase of the sanctions.
The Chinese territory imposed the measure in
retaliation for the Philippine’s failure to respond to all of its demands after
the 2010 Manila hostage crisis.
Survivors and the relatives of the victims have
been asking the Philippine government for a formal apology, compensation,
punishment of responsible officials and improvement on tourist safety.
The Philippine government maintained it won’t
issue a formal apology arguing the hostage taking was an isolated incident and
the bloodbath was a result of actions taken by a deranged individual and not by
the government.
On August 23, 2010, sacked policeman Rolando
Mendoza took hostage 22 Hong Kong tourists and three Filipinos inside a tourist
bus. Seven tourists died and several others were injured in a bungled rescue.
The hostage-taker also died in the incident. PND (as)
