Palace hopes for more tourists after new survey
tags Philippines among top 10 places to visit
Malacañang on Saturday welcomed a new online
survey tagging the Philippines as among the top 10 places in the world to
visit.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the Palace hopes this would attract even more tourists to visit the
Philippines.
"Good news yan talaga (That's really good
news). We hope our inclusion in this particular top 10 will serve to draw more
tourists to our shores," she said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
She was referring to the online survey by
Huffington Post Travel 2014, which recommended the Philippines for “bargain
hunters, outdoorsy types and the food obsessed.”
It had said the “cosmopolitan affordability and
splendid nature” makes it a destination that offers a lot for the money.
The Aquino administration is turning to tourism
as it tries to recover from recent calamities, including super Typhoon Yolanda
(Haiyan). PND (jl)
Palace: EDSA spirit should not be affected by
problems of key players in 1986 revolt
The problems now facing key players in the 1986
EDSA Revolution should not change the sense of People Power among Filipinos,
Malacañang said Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said EDSA "belongs to the people" and should not focus solely on the
major players in the 1986 revolt.
"You know, EDSA belongs to the people. EDSA
will never be affected by what the problems being faced by some of the players
who are part of it because primarily EDSA belongs to the people," she said
on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
She was referring to the charges against Sen.
Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the lawmakers charged with plunder over the mess
involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund.
The events leading to the peaceful revolt 28
years ago started on Feb. 22, when then Defense Minister Enrile and then
Philippine Constabulary chief Fidel Ramos withdrew support for then President
Ferdinand Marcos.
Enrile's and Ramos' actions triggered a series
of events that catapulted the late Corazon Aquino, incumbent President Benigno
Aquino III's mother, to the presidency.
But Valte also said that for this year, the
administration is "looking beyond" the historical context of the 1986
revolt to "recognize people who quietly kept the spirit of People Power
alive" by standing by their fellow filipinos in times of need.
She said this was evident in the last quarter of
2013, when many Filipinos were affected by recent calamities including super
Typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan).
"Hindi lang nabubuhay ang diwa ng EDSA
tuwing Feb. 25 kundi buhay na buhay ang diwa ng EDSA kung dumarating ang
pagsubok sa atin bilang sambayanan sa pagtulong natin sa kapuwa (The spirit of
EDSA is alive not just on Feb. 25, but when we help fellow Filipinos in their
hour of need)," she said. PND (jl)
Government ensuring safety of Filipinos in
Ukraine, Palace assures
The Philippine government is exerting all
efforts to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Ukraine amid a political crisis
there, Malacañang said Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the Department of Foreign Affairs continues to watch out for the welfare
of Filipino workers in Ukraine.
"Because of some of the events transpiring
in Ukraine, particularly Kiev, the DFA has been monitoring the situation and
making sure they are watching out for the welfare of Filipinos there,"
Valte said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
She also said that so far, there has not been
any report of Filipinos being adversely affected or injured due to the crisis
in Ukraine.
The crisis in Ukraine began in November 2013
with anger over President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to scuttle a European
Union-oriented trade deal and turn toward Russia.
Violence escalated earlier this week with
government reporting at least 77 fatalities.
On Friday, however, reports said Yanukovych and
opposition leaders agreed to a deal to end the political crisis and the bloody
fighting, especially in Kiev. PND (jl)
Palace: New Visiting Forces Agreement Commission
Chief a strategic thinker
Former Armed Forces chief of staff Eduardo Oban
Jr. is the new head of the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission who will
replace retired Army general Edilberto Adan, Malacañang said Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said Adan is a "strategic thinker" who should be familiar with the
issues in his new assignment.
"He will be no stranger to the issues that
are being handled by the VFA Commission," Valte said on state-run dzRB
Radyo ng Bayan.
She added President Benigno Aquino III has
regarded Oban as a "strategic thinker" and is confident in Oban's
ability to get the job done.
Oban, before his appointment as head of the VFA
Commission, had been appointed as undersecretary of the Department of
Transportation and Communications in 2012.
Valte said Edwin Lopez will take Oban's place as
DOTC Undersecretary. PND (jl)
Palace: Kinks in acquisition of Korean fighter
jets ironed out
The Philippine government is moving a step
closer to acquiring 12 fighter jets from South Korea following the approval of
the payment mode for them, Malacañang said Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the Palace's approval usually means President Benigno Aquino III's
questions about the transaction had been addressed.
"Normally, kapag ganyan that means
nasasagot po ng end user or nung department that is standing for or the
proponent of the procurement. Usually po kapag ganyan that means na-ironed out
na po ang mga kinks or at least the President's questions had been sufficiently
answered by the department (Usually the approval of the mode of payment for the
jets means the department concerned has sufficiently answered the President's
questions, or the kinks have been ironed out)," Valte said on state-run
dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Earlier reports indicated the Palace is seeking
to purchase 12 FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea.
The country's efforts to beef up its military
capability come amid territorial disputes with China over parts of the West
Philippine Sea (South China Sea). PND (jl)
