President Aquino enjoins Ateneo professionals to
help build better nation
President Benigno S. Aquino III urged fellow
Ateneans to join hands in building a better nation for the country’s future
generation.
In his speech during the 40th anniversary of the
Ateneo Professional Schools (APS) Wednesday night, President Aquino reminded
Ateneo professionals about their ultimate goal of “collectively” building the
nation through their skills and expertise.
“Kasabay ng pagdiriwang at pagsasariwa sa Four
as One, nawa’y huwag nating makaligtaan na itong Four as One ay Four as One for
Others. Manindigan sana tayo na ang ating pagpapakadalubhasa ay hindi para sa
ating mga personal na interes kundi para sa mga nasa labas ng bakod at pader ng
Professional Schools,” he said referring to the APS theme “Four as One,” which
reflects the collective nature and identity of APS.
The APS is the collective entity gathering four
graduate schools of the Ateneo: the Ateneo Graduate School of Business (AGSB),
the Ateneo Law School (ALS), the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), and the
Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH).
During the ceremony, the President witnessed the
signing of the four commemorative bricks, inscribed with the Ateneo seal and
brand, by the dean of four schools as well as the President of the Ateneo
University. The four bricks represent the strong foundation of the APS and
their existence over the last forty years.
The deans were Dr. Antonio G.M. La Viña (ASOG),
Mr. Alberto L. Buenviaje (AGSB), Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit (ASMPH), and Associate
Dean Lily K. Gruba (Officer-in-Charge, Ateneo Law School).
President Aquino entertained three questions
from the deans where he recounted the problems he and his officials had to face
in steering the country towards the straight path.
“In my mind, ‘baka pwede pa akong go another 20
rounds of the — everything that has to deal with this job’ pero I don’t think I
am prepared to sacrifice everybody else’s lives,” he said when thinking about
his stint as President.
The President believed that he has done so much
in reforming the government and yet he wanted to do more with God’s grace.
“I pray to God and say ... I ask that we be made
instruments of His will; That we be able to create His kingdom here on earth;
and the third is to shield us [from harm],” he said.
President Aquino ended his speech by recalling
Padre Roque Ferriols’ words saying: “Nasabi na ang dapat masabi, pero ang
pinakamahalaga ay hindi pa rin nasasabi, ito’y magagawa lamang.” PND (jb)
President Aquino tells youth to join
government’s efforts for change
President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the
importance of “collective effort,” particularly the participation of the youth,
to effectively implement reforms in government.
In an interview with students of Ateneo
Professionals Schools (APS) in Makati City Wednesday night, President Aquino
stressed that the youth will determine the country’s future and they have the
power to change the government system, which has been tainted by corruption
over the years.
“If the youth do not participate in trying to change
society and you would be the inheritors of this society, did you, by
non-participation, guarantee that that which is wrong continues? Hindi ba,
iyong tutol hindi sumali e o di lahat ng natira sumang-ayon. Tuloy ang ligaya
ng iilan, kawawa yung nakakarami,” he said.
He refused to describe corruption in the country
as “very rampant” saying that he himself has not been tagged in any corrupt
practice.
“If the top is corrupt, then everybody will have
a justification to be corrupt, okay. Now, kailangan ko naman sabihin, nahihiya
naman ako kay Leila de Lima and others, the Ombusman, et cetera, who have been
filing the necessary cases and we are awaiting adjudication of [these cases],”
he further said.
President Aquino reminded the youth that people
on the good side are often pilloried and besmirched but these should not
discourage them to fight for what is right.
“The fundamental question is ‘You see something,
it's wrong. You have two choices: you fight against it or you accept it’,” he
said.
He noted that in the end, the youth are the ones
who will chart the future of the country and it will be up to them how to make
it a better place to live in.
“Your generation really should provide the
necessary muscle, the energy that drives, because at the end of the day, you
really will inherit that, which is better or worse, due to our collective
efforts or lack of effort,” the President said referring to a third year law
student of APS who asked him question during the event. PND (jb)
President Aquino thanks ADB for supporting
government recovery efforts after typhoon ‘Yolanda’
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his
gratitude to the Asian Development Bank for helping the country recover from
the devastation by Typhoon Yolanda last year by extending grants and loans
amounting to billions of dollars.
“In the aftermath of the storm, the ADB reached
out to our government and to the Filipino people—in a sense, clearing paths
through the rubble, and showing us where we could pick ourselves up and
continue to journey towards inclusive growth,” the President said in his
message during ADB’s reception in its headquarters in Mandaluyong City
Wednesday.
The ADB provided the country with assistance in
the form of loans and grants, which is expected to exceed one billion dollars.
At the same time, the bank set up an office in Tacloban City to coordinate the
use of funds, and to give guidance to local governments, the President said.
“Indeed, with this kind of help from your
organization—and from the rest of our friends in the international
community—affected communities will be back on their own feet in the soonest
possible time.”
In the wake of previous disasters, the ADB
provided the Philippines grants after the massive mudslide in Southern Leyte in
2006. It also helped the country in crisis recovery efforts in the aftermath of
Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, he noted.
Extending this assistance is an act of a true
partner, he said, an ally that exhibits concern for the welfare of the Filipino
people. This gives Filipinos great confidence that they have a partner they can
rely on to rebuild.
The relief, rebuilding, and reconstruction
phases that follow calamities are only one aspect of Philippines and ADB
partnership, he said.
“The true essence of these is found in our joint
undertakings over the years: our combined work to accelerate the Philippines’
journey on the path of true and holistic development. From the very beginning,
you have helped us to take great strides along this path,” he added. PND (as)
Aquino: ADB, government’s partner for national
development
The Asian Development Bank is a major partner
that helped the Philippines set the momentum to continuous economic growth,
President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday.
During a reception at the ADB’s headquarters in
Mandaluyong City Wednesday, the President spelled out its assistance to the
Philippines.
He said that from 1966 to the end of 2012, the
ADB has loaned the country with more than $13 billion, which was used by the
government to build vital infrastructure projects such as roads, airports, and
power plants.
Currently, the ADB is the country’s sixth
largest source of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), with overall net
commitment reaching more than $833 million, he added.
The President noted that with ADB’s help, the
government was able to push its flagship conditional cash transfer program and
has registered 4.3 million households in 2014. More than 600,000 were financed
through ADB loans.
Under the program, families receive cash grants
on the condition that children are sent to school, pregnant mothers are
assessed regularly, and infants and children are vaccinated.
Another ADB-funded project in the country is the
Philippine Energy Efficiency Project, he said. The ADB loaned the Philippines
more than $30 million for the program, helping the government distribute 8.6
million compact fluorescent lamps to more than 3.5 million Filipino households.
The projects reduced the country’s annual
electricity demand by 321 gigawatt hours and has shrunk its carbon footprint,
he said.
“And with organizations like you supporting our
efforts, we have been able to work with our people to turn those collective
aspirations into reality,” the President said.
The country was previously considered the Sick
Man of Asia, but today there is optimism among Filipinos, he said.
With the reforms being initiated in government,
the administration has done away with the vicious cycle of dishonesty,
corruption, and self-interest that crippled the economy.
Today, there is empowerment, transparency and integrity
that foster confidence and true participation of the people, he said.
“Today, we have the social and economic momentum
towards becoming one of the world’s most dynamic economies in the years to
come.”
If the ADB and the government further strengthen
their partnership and work shoulder to shoulder towards one goal, they could
empower millions of Filipinos for national development, the President said. PND
(as)
Next President must be competent, selfless, says
President Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino III advised young
people to vote for a presidential candidate who is competent, selfless and
firm.
During a question and answer portion with Hope
Christian High School students in Manila Thursday, the President was asked
about the major qualities of a presidential candidate that first-time voters
must look for.
President Aquino said the next president should
be competent, should not flip flop with his positions, and should put people’s
interest first.
“Alam n’yo ba kung ano 'yung ampaw na pagkain?
Yung ampaw malasa pero sa loob hangin,” the President said in describing an
incompetent leader.
He also told students that a leader must be firm
in his positions and shouldn’t change his views. A president should also earn
the respect and trust of the people for everyone to follow.
A leader must also be selfless, he said.
Yung third value, talagang ito bang taong ito
na-demonstrate ang pagiging para sa iba as opposed to para sa sarili?” he
asked.
”Klaro ba na 'yung gawain niya tungo sa
kapakanan ng iba o kapakanan ng sarili? Kung manonood lang tayo ng commercial
niya noong panahon ng kampanya kulang ang ginawa natin.”
The President also mentioned his fear about a
leader who is over confident.
“Siguro kakabahan ako 'pag sumama kayo sa akin
gagawin ko ito, gagawin ko 'yan, gagawin ko 'yon’—para bang masyadong bilib sa
sarili. Kailangan may humility rin,” he said.
“At the end of the day there really has to be
continuity between his actions and his words, and that has to be demonstrated
consistently before he can start or you should start imparting your trust on
him or her,” he told students. PND (as)
Palace now studying PMA Cadet Cudia’s appeal
Malacanang said it is studying the appeal of
Philippine Military Academy cadet Jeff Aldrin Cudia who will not graduate for
allegedly violating the Honor Code.
“The Office of the President is currently
studying the appeal. The PMA Honor Code is an essential building block on the
character formation of future leaders and members of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr. said in a statement Thursday.
“The basic objective of the PMA honor code is to
prepare and fortify the mindset and the value set of the prospective Armed
Forces officer as these will eventually be put to a severe test in the
battlefield and arenas of conflict, where the officer will be deployed upon
commissioning.”
Assuring Cudia’s family on the Palace’s review,
he said: “Truth and fairness are the primary guideposts in deciding this
appeal.”
The PMA had dismissed Cudia and he will not be
among the March 16 graduates of the academy.
Cudia, the batch salutatorian, will be separated
from service after having allegedly violated the academy’s Honor Code, the PMA
said. It added that Cudia couldn’t acquire his degree and other distinctions.
Cudia was accused of having lied about his
reason for tardiness in class. After Cudia appealed his case, AFP Chief of
Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista ordered a reinvestigation of the incident.
The fate of Cudia will rely on President
Aquino’s decision. The beleaguered cadet is currently discharged and on
indefinite leave. PND (as)
Government spells out measures to address
Mindanao power shortage
The government is carrying out several measures
to address the power shortage being experienced in Mindanao, the Palace said on
Thursday.
In a statement, Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President met with
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla last Monday and directed him to pursue efforts
addressing the tight power supply situation in Mindanao that occurred last
February 27.
“The President also directed the Department of
Energy to coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology in
monitoring the inquiry into the causes of the unexpected breakdown. According
to the DOE, the tightness in the Mindanao power supply situation is expected to
persist through the months of March, April, and May,” he said.
Coloma said Petilla enumerated three measures to
address the Mindanao power shortage.
First is the interruptible load program that is
expected to generate around 93.71 megawatts.
Under this program, distribution utilities may
tap into their generator sets, instead of availing themselves of the system
power supply, and they will be compensated for the cost differential through a
formula already determined by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), he
explained.
The ERC approved the petition of Davao Light for
rules change on cost recovery that resulted to significant gain in capacity, he
noted.
Another measure is the Interim Mindanao
Electricity Market, which is similar to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
It is a transparency device by which the
available supply in a particular grid is made open and public, so that those
that need additional supply may buy directly from offerors of power in that
market. This scheme is expected to generate 124 megawatts, according to Coloma.
The government is also considering the Mindanao
modular generator set program that is expected to generate 48 megawatts. The
President already issued an executive order enabling the acquisition of modular
generator sets.
“Through the additional capacity of 265
megawatts that will be generated from these three measures, the DOE hopes to be
able to bridge the gap between demand and supply, and thus, lessen the
frequency and duration of the rotating brownouts,” Coloma said. PND (as)
Philippines continues to post two percent
increase in employment each year, says labor department
While the government admitted that unemployment
continues to be a challenge, the labor department said the country has posted
two percent increase in employment annually.
“Pag sinabing unemployment tinatanggap ng
gobyerno ‘yan—hanggang ngayon may problema tayo kasi bagama’t nakaka-create
tayo ng jobs in the earlier slide ay taun-taon may two percent increase din na
pumapasok annually sa labor force,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a
press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.
“So nagbabalanse lang siya, o steady ‘yung
unemployment natin, and it continues to be a big challenge sa sinuman po ang
umupo sa gobyerno.”
Baldoz said that since 2010, the country has
experienced employment increases—2.8 percent in 2010, 3.2 percent in 2011, 1.1
percent in 2012, and 0.8 percent in 2013. In the first quarter of 2014, it
posted 0.8 percent, she added.
The government continues to create absolute
employment figures—974,000 in 2010, 1.15 million in 2011, and 408,000 in 2012,
and 317,000 in 2013. In the first quarter of this year, there are 283 net
employments, she said.
Baldoz said two percent job seekers enter the
labor force while two percent of job is created annually.
The labor secretary discussed the labor
situation in the country after the Philippine Statistical Authority released
the Labor Force Survey last Tuesday.
Baldoz said the labor department does
comparisons on data each time the Labor Force Survey is released. It also
conducts more in-depth analysis on the survey results on the year-on-year
employment situation in the country, she added. PND (as)
