Aquino joins People Asia awarding rites; thanks
foreign dignitaries for continuing support
President Benigno S. Aquino III once again
expressed his gratitude to foreign dignitaries who assisted the Philippines
following the devastation of major calamities last year.
“Here, we have the ambassadors and heads of
mission who represent countries that have proven to be friends of the Filipino
people—countries who have shown their support and solidarity with the
Philippines in the wake of recent calamities,” the President said during the
People Asia’s People of the Year Awards 2014 held in Makati City Tuesday night.
“I ask you to join me in thanking them once more
tonight. Excellencies, may I ask you to receive the applause—the gratitude and
the friendship of our country.”
The country was hit by major disasters in 2013
most notably the earthquake in Bohol and Cebu and the super typhoon Yolanda
that devastated the Visayas region.
The President said that Tuesday’s event is a
celebration of a life dedicated to the pursuit of excellence that has tangible
effects on others.
Tuesday’s event recognized the recipient of
People Asia’s highest honor, Mrs. Socorro C. Ramos, the founder and general
manager of National Book Store.
For 14 years, People Asia magazine has annually
recognized people who have inspired others by exhibiting competence and
excellence in their chosen fields.
“Whether in business, media and entertainment,
medicine, or the many other sectors represented here today, our awardees for
2014 have indeed accomplished so much, and in so doing, have brought honor to
the Philippines. To all of you: my sincerest congratulations,” the President
said of the awardees.
Among this year’s People of the Year are Miss
World 2013 Megan Young, actress and singer Nora Aunor, Rizal Banking Commercial
Corp. chair Helen Yuchengco Dee, five-time PBA coach of the year Chot Reyes,
film director Brillante Mendoza, actor Coco Martin, Shell Philippines country
chair Edgar Chua, ABS-CBN channel head Cory Vidanes, Cavite Gov. Jonvic
Remulla, pop divah Kuh Ledesma, fashion designer Criselda Lontok,
prosthodontist Dr. Steve Mark Gan, education advocate Fr. Gerard Deveza and
Australian hotelier Thomas Meyer of Raffles and Fairmont Hotel. PND (as)
President Aquino says Metro Manila Skyway Stage
3 project will be completed by 2017
President Benigno S. Aquino III said on
Wednesday the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 that will connect South Luzon
Expressway (SLEX) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is expected to be completed
by 2017.
In his speech during the launching of the Metro
Manila Skyway Stage 3 at the Buendia-end of the elevated section of the Skyway
System in Makati City, the Chief Executive said the project aims to decongest
traffic in Metro Manila.
"Hudyat ang paglulunsad nating ito ngayon
sa pagsisimula na ng kostruksyon, na ayon kay Transportation Secretary Jun
Abaya ay talagang raratsada naman pagdating ng Abril ng taong ito. Inaasahan
natin ang tuluyang pagkumpleto ng proyekto sa 2017—at malamang mamamasyal kami
ni President (Fidel) Ramos ‘pag ito po ay nakumpleto na—samantalang mayroon
naman pong accelerated construction target para sa June 2016," the
President said.
The Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway starts at
the end of Skyway Stage 1 along Buendia Avenue, running the length of Osmeña
Highway, Quirino Avenue, Paco, Sta. Mesa via the Nagtahan flyovers, traversing
Aurora Blvd and Araneta Ave. up to Sgt Rivera Road and A Bonifacio Ave. toward
North Luzon Expressway.
"Sa halagang mahigit 26 na billion piso,
ikokonekta po ng lampas labing-apat na kilometrong kalsadang ito ang Buendia at
Balintawak," he said.
The 14.8 km 6-lane elevated expressway will help
decongest the major thoroughfares of Metro Manila, particularly EDSA and C-5,
the President said.
"Tinatayang 55,000 sasakyan araw-araw ang
ikaluluwag ng mga kalsadang ito. Siguro rin po, karamihan sa atin, dumaan na sa
matinding kalbaryo ng pagbibiyahe mula Buendia hanggang Balintawak," he
said.
The skyway will reduce the travel time from
Buendia to Balintawak from two hours to 15 to 20 minutes, the President said.
After the project launching, the Citra Central
Expressway Corporation will start mobilizing for its advance works along Osmeña
Highway in Manila.
The project aims at improving the accessibility,
mobility and connectivity in and out of the metropolis via 8 strategic access
points. It provides an alternate route to decongest EDSA and the major
thoroughfares around its vicinity. PND (js)
President Aquino says Metro Manila Skyway Stage
3 project will create 18,000 jobs
President Benigno S. Aquino III said on
Wednesday the P26.7-billion Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project will create
some 18,000 jobs.
"Makakapaghatid ang proyektong ito ng halos
6,000 na direktang trabaho, at karagdagang 10 hanggang 12 libong indirect jobs
sa panahon ng kostruksyon," the Chief Executive said in his speech during
the launching of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at the Buendia-end of the
elevated section of the Skyway System in Makati City.
The project is expected to attract more
investments not only to Metro Manila but also in the CALABARZON (Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Central Luzon, the President said.
The project will enhance the economic
interaction of the CALABARZON, Metro Manila and Central Luzon that contribute
to over 60% of the country's gross domestic product.
"Sa totoo lang po, hindi madali ang
pinagdaanan natin para marating ang araw na ito. Isipin po ninyo: Dekada 70 pa
nang ilatag ang planong noo’y tinawag nilang Manila North at Manila South
Expressways," the President said.
"Makalipas po ang mga dekada, ngayon pa
lang tayo maglulunsad ng ikatlong bahagi Metro Manila Skyway na inumpisahan
noong dekada 90. Isa pong malinaw na dahilan: ang Construction and Development
Corporation of the Philippines noon, na ngayo’y Philippine National
Construction Corporation (PNCC), ay kulang sa kakayahang gawin ang
proyekto," he said.
"Sa harap po ng constitutional at legal
issues na ito, malinaw po ang ating ginawa: Humanap tayo ng solusyon na
alinsunod sa lahat ng batas, lalo na sa Saligang Batas. Kinausap natin ang mga
katuwang na kompanya upang magkasundo sa implementasyon ng proyektong ito, at
para hindi na maipit pa ang benepisyong ihahatid nito sa mamamayang
Pilipino," President Aquino stressed.
The Citra Central Expressway Corporation will
start full-scale construction this April and complete the project in 36 months.
Team Skyway Stage 3 will exhaust all efforts to
keep motorists, commuters and workers safe and the traffic moving at all
possible time, especially in the vicinity of its work sites.
The Stage 3 alignment will mostly use existing
road medians and, as much as possible, utilize Indonesia's unique construction
method of "Sosrobahu," a frictionless rotating pierhead device, which
allows for the construction of the elevated road without major traffic
disruption.
"Sa atin pong mga kababayan, humihiling
naman po ako ng kaunting pasensya at pang-unawa...Mahalaga po ang pakikiisa ng
lahat sa anumang adjustment na ating gagawin para mabigyang-daan ang
kostruksyon nito. Hinihiling ko rin ang suporta’t kooperasyon ng ating mga
LGUs, partikular na sa isyu ng right of way," the President said.
"Taos-puso ang pasasalamat natin sa bawat
indibidwal at ahensiyang nakiambag sa tagumpay na ito—mula sa ating national
agencies, local government units, hanggang sa pribadong sektor na naghahanda ng
kanilang kapital, sa kabila ng mga naranasang pagsubok, dahil desidido silang
makatulong," he said. PND (js)
Palace: Reforms in GOCC system to keep bonuses
of executives from getting too high
Malacañang on Wednesday reassured the public
that reforms in the rules in the operation of government-owned and controlled
corporations (GOCCs) will prevent the bonuses and other incentives of the
GOCCs’ executives from getting too high.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said
GOCCs are now more transparent as they are mandated to list the details of
bonuses given to officials on their websites.
"If you compare, under the previous
administration... the highest you can get under the previous administration is
(between) P1.8 to P13.5 million. Under this administration, the GCG (Governance
Commission for GOCCs) Law (the highest) incentive is only P3 million,"
Lacierda said at a media briefing.
He also said the GCG continues to improve its
rules based on information and complaints from the public.
Also, he said the GCG's own website can give the
public an idea of incentives and bonuses GOCC executives can get.
"It's no secret to the public as all these
bonuses and incentives are posted. We have basis how much each director
received," he said. PND (jl)
President Aquino welcomes US Senator Marco Rubio
in Malacanang
President Benigno S. Aquino III met with US
Senator Marco Rubio in Malacanang on Wednesday to discuss financial and security
issues.
Rubio, who arrived on Tuesday, paid a courtesy
call on the President at the Music Room of Malacanang.
In a statement, Rubio underscored the importance
of Asia to the economic and security well-being of America and said he hoped
that the “rhetoric” about the increased presense in the region “does not come
at the expense of enduring alliances and challenges in other parts of the
world.”
Joining the Senator were US Ambassador to the
Philippine Philip Bradley, Consul for Foreign and International Security
Affairs Jamie Fly and the Senator’s Chief of Staff, Cesar Conda?
“For the Philippines, there are two main issues
that we’ll talk about, one is the South China Sea issue,” Conda said.
“We want to learn more about China’s activities
there and what the Philippines is doing and how the United States can help.”
Conda said Rubio is also set to discuss economic
issues with Aquino to strengthen the existing close trading relationship
between the two allies.
Joining the President in welcoming Senator Rubio
were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Cabinet Secretary Rene
Almendras and Rosalita Prospero of the Department of Foreign Affairs. PND (rck)
President Aquino creates an Inter-Agency
Committee for the Philippine hosting of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM)
Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change
Adaptation
President Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the
creation of an Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) to organize and implement
activities for the hosting of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference on
Technology and Innovation for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and
Climate Change Adaptation on September 8-9, 2014.
The directive was issued by virtue of Memorandum
Circular No. 61 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. last
December 23.
The AIC will be co-chaired by representatives
from the Department of National Defense, Office of Civil Defense, National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of Foreign Affairs
and Office of European Affairs.
Representatives from the Department of Science
and Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of
Social Welfare and Development, National Economic and Development Authority,
Department of Trade and Industry and Climate Change Commission will participate
in the committee as members.
The inter-agency committee shall formulate a
work program and budget plan for the hosting of the Conference.
It shall implement the work program, and
supervise and monitor all activities relevant thereto.
The IAC shall engage the support, assistance,
and cooperation of ASEM member partners, regional, inter-governmental, and
non-governmental organizations and the private sector and/or entities in the
preparations and conduct of the Conference and its related activities.
It shall enter into agreements and contracts to
implement this Circular, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations; and
undertake measures necessary for the successful conduct of the Conference.
The funding requirement for the preparation and
conduct of the Conference, amounting to P8,670,750.00, shall be charged against
the International Commitments Fund subject to applicable government accounting
and auditing rules and regulations.
The President directed all other government
agencies to cooperate with the IAC and provide full support to activities
related to the ASEM Conference.
Relative to the performance of its mandate, the
IAC, through the co-chairs, shall submit a report to the President within 30
days after the completion of the Conference, or as often as may be required by
the President.
Unless otherwise ordered by the President, the
IAC shall cease to exist thirty (30) days after the submission of its report.
The circular shall take effect immediately. PND
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Administration unfazed by recent attacks, says
Official
The Aquino administration will continue to work
to improve the lives of Filipinos despite the current attacks by some
lawmakers.
Sen. Ramon Revilla accused the President this
week saying the chief executive tried to influence him during the Corona
impeachment trial. The President denied the allegations.
In a press briefing in Malacanang Wednesday,
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said politicians from other parties are
attacking the President may be because of the 2016 presidential election.
Some people are trying to discredit him knowing
that his endorsement for a presidential candidate is crucial in the election,
Lacierda said.
“Whoever the President will endorse… The power
of the President’s endorsement is lethal. It is effective and that's the reason
why the—whoever the President would anoint, would certainly have an advantage.
So why are people doing this? There are a number of reasons,” Lacierda said.
“That’s understandable for those who are not on
his camp. But, as far as we are concerned, we're going to continue this because
this is an obligation of the President to the Filipino public to improve their
lot in life and to allow inclusive growth,” he added.
Lacierda also said that the administration has
maintained its course in the righteous path and will continue to do so.
The President also maintains high approval
rating from the people, as evidenced by recent surveys.
“Way past midterm, his numbers are still in the
70s. If you look at other heads of states, past midterm, their numbers are already
in the 40s. It shows that the President has the trust of the people, has the
faith of the people, and has the people behind him,” Lacierda said. PND (as)
