President Benigno S. Aquino III's Lenten Message
Ngayong Semana Santa, ginugunita po natin ang
dakilang sakripisyo ng ating Panginoong Hesukristo: ang pag-aalalay ng kanyang
buhay para sa kaligtasan ng sangkatauhan.
Batid po natin ang tindi at bigat ng bawat
pagdurusang kanyang pinagdaanan. Humarap siya sa sangandaan: bilang tao,
iwinaksi niya ang tukso, at kusang-loob na tinanggap ang bawat parusa't
pang-aalipusta.
Sa kanyang pagpapakasakit sa hardin ng
Gethsemani, ipinaubaya niya ang lahat sa kalooban ng Diyos-Ama. Hinarap niya
ang mga kalbaryo upang mabigyan tayo ng pagkakataon sa buhay na walang hanggan.
Magsilbi po sanang inspirasyon sa atin ang
ipinamalas na pagmamahal ni Hesukristo. Ito ang naging sandigan ng kanyang mga
disipulo sa pagpapatuloy ng mabuting gawain. Ito ang gabay natin ngayon bilang
mga kristiyano sa pagharap sa sarili nating mga sangandaan at sa pagsisilbing
tanglaw sa mga kristiyano ng kinabukasan.
Sa atin nga pong pagtahak sa "Tuwid na
Daan", humaharap tayo sa mga pagsubok. Ang panawagan po sa atin: bilang
kanyang mga tagasunod, nawa'y maging handa rin tayong tumanggap ng sarili
nating mga sakripisyo. Tiyak naman pong lahat ng ating pinaghirapan ay may
positibong ambag para sa ikabubuti ng mas nakakarami. At di po ba, napakaliit
lamang ng hinihingi sa atin kumpara sa ibinigay ni Hesukristo?
Huwag po sana nating kalimutan: ang
pagpapakumbaba, pagmamalakasakit, at paggawa ng matuwid ay hindi lamang para sa
mahal n araw. Ang ginagawa nating pagninilay at panalangin ay paghahanda lamang
para sa isang buong buhay ng pagsunod sa halimbawa ni Kristo.
Hangad ko po ang isang makabuluhan at mapayapang
Mahal na Araw para sa bawat Pilipino.
President Aquino joins fellow Christians in
observing Holy Week
President Benigno S. Aquino III emphasized the
sacrifices made by Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity, as he joined
fellow Christians in observing this year’s Holy Week.
In his Lenten message released on Holy
Wednesday, President Aquino said that the love of Christ should serve as an
inspiration to everyone so we could all be guided toward a better Christian
life.
“Ngayong Semana Santa, ginugunita po natin ang
dakilang sakripisyo ng ating Panginoong Hesukristo: ang pag-aalalay ng kanyang
buhay para sa kaligtasan ng sangkatauhan.
“Batid po natin ang tindi at bigat ng bawat
pagdurusang kanyang pinagdaanan. Humarap siya sa sangandaan: bilang tao,
iwinaksi niya ang tukso, at kusang-loob na tinanggap ang bawat parusa't
pang-aalipusta,” the President said.
“Like the savior Jesus Christ, each one of us
must be prepared to make his own sacrifices for the good of the others, even as
we are faced with many obstacles en route to the straight and narrow path.
“Tiyak naman pong lahat ng ating pinaghirapan ay
may positibong ambag para sa ikabubuti ng mas nakakarami. At ‘di po ba,
napakaliit lamang ng hinihingi sa atin kumpara sa ibinigay ni Hesukristo?” he
said in his message.
President Aquino underscored that the values of
humility, zealousness, and trustworthiness should be practiced not only every
Holy Week but throughout one’s lifetime, as embodied by Jesus Christ.
“Ang ginagawa nating pagninilay at panalangin ay
paghahanda lamang para sa isang buong buhay ng pagsunod sa halimbawa ni Kristo.
Hangad ko po ang isang makabuluhan at mapayapang Mahal na Araw para sa bawat
Pilipino,” the President said. PND (hdc)
President Aquino: Death of MILF members in
Basilan clash has no effect on Bangsamoro agreement
President Benigno S. Aquino III said Wednesday
that the death of four members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in
an encounter with the military in Basilan will have no effect on the
Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
“Iyong napatay na miyembro nila (MILF) ay hindi
nandoon sa engkwentro bilang miyembro ng MILF kundi dahil mga kamag-anak ng mga
Abu Sayyaf na hinahabol. Mas personal rather than political or ideological,”
President Aquino explained.
“So, hindi natin nakikita na magiging problema o
balakid ito sa napirmahang Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.”
This was the response of President Aquino when
asked by reporters during an ambush interview while the Chief Executive visited
the North Port Passenger Terminal Complex at the Manila North Harbor in Tondo,
Manila.
President Aquino said the MILF has been informed
that there will be an operation against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan.
“Ginamit natin ang mga mekanismo para hindi nga
magkaroon ng hindi pagkaka-unawaan at na-inform ang MILF tungkol sa operation na
ito,” he said.
The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro
signed in Malacanang Palace last March 27, concluded 17 years of peace
negotiations between the government and the MILF.
News reports said the military launched an
operation on April 11 to capture two top leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group blamed
for beheadings and kidnappings in southern Philippines.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General
Emmanuel Bautista said in Zamboanga City on Tuesday that the MILF members were
supposedly “acting on their own” to help ASG members who were reprtedly their
relatives. PND (ag)
President Aquino to do 'Visita Iglesia' with
family during Holy Week
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
said he will be spending the rest of the Holy Week with his family.
In an interview with members of the media on
Wednesday, President Aquino said he and his family will perform the traditional
Visita Iglesia.
“Kasama ko iyong pamilya ko, Visita Iglesia...
malamang bukas. Magkikita-kita kami Easter Sunday. Siyempre, iyong misa sa
Easter Sunday,” he said.
The President said he will be staying either at
his house on Times Street in Quezon City or at Bahay Pangarap throughout the
Holy Week.
President Aquino led the inspection of airports,
seaports and bus terminals on Wednesday to ensure smooth traffic during the
Holy Week when many Filipinos return to their provinces or go abroad.
The President began his inspection at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport Terminals 3 and 4 in Pasay City.
From there, he proceeded to the North Port
Passenger Terminal Complex at the Manila North Harbour in Tondo.
President Aquino also inspected the Five Star
Bus Terminal and JAC Liner Bus Terminal in Quezon City. PND (co)
President Aquino inspects public transport
terminals for Holy Week
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
personally inspected some of the major transportation hubs in Metro Manila in
preparation for the exodus of travelers during the Holy Week.
President Aquino first inspected the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 3 in Pasay City where he checked
security facilities, such as X-ray machines for baggage, check-in counters, the
airport’s new lounge, immigration facilities and even comfort rooms.
He was briefed by NAIA Terminal 3
officer-in-charge Vicente Guerzon on security operations and passenger volume
and traffic while touring the airport vicinity.
The President then proceeded to NAIA Terminal 4
where he inspected the improvements and rehabilitation being done there. He was
briefed by NAIA Terminal 4 Manager Enrico Gonzales on the ongoing construction
in the terminal.
After his visit to the airport, President Aquino
went to the North Port Passenger Terminal Complex in Manila to see the security
preparations in place.
He inspected the pier’s baggage and passenger
screening area, pre-departure gates and other facilities. He also witnessed how
the pier’s ticket scanning process works as he called one passenger to try it.
The Chief Executive also took a brief tour
inside a ship docked at the port. He inspected the cargo area of the ship and
the cabins and other facilities inside.
His last stop were two bus terminals in Quezon
City --- Five Star Bus Terminal and JAC Liner Terminal.
Among the officials who accompanied the
President were Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya,
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, Presidential Communication
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., Metro Manila Development
Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss
and Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima. PND (jb)
President Aquino inspects bus terminals in
Quezon City
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
inspected two bus terminals in Quezon City to ensure the comfort and safety of
people going to the provinces for the Holy Week.
President Aquino visited the terminals of Five
Star Bus Co. and JAC Liner Bus in Cubao, Quezon City, to oversee preparations
as hordes of people travel back to the provinces to spend their vacation.
The President arrived at the Five Star Bus
terminal at about 4:20 p.m., and was received by Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Winston Ginez, Five Star Bus
Vice President Katrina Hernandez-Cauton, and Five Star Bus operations
supervisor Modesto Mendoza Jr.
The President inspected the terminal and talked
to some passengers.
Passenger volume from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. was
projected at 1,200 to 1,400, to be accommodated by Five Star buses in 25 to 30
trips.
Three-hundred Five Star Buses, equipped with GPS
and Wifi, ply the Pangasinan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and northern
Zambales routes.
The Five Star Bus Co. is one of the leading bus
companies in the Philippines, and has been operating for the last 25 years.
After inspecting the terminal of Five Star Bus,
the President went to JAC Liner Bus terminal to do a similar inspection.
JAC Liner Inc. President Jaime Chua and JAC
Liner Executive Vice President Gerald Chua received him when he arrived at the
terminal.
The JAC Liner management projected the total
number of passengers between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at more than 1,000.
JAC Liner has a total of 140 buses plying the
routes of Southern Tagalog, including Lucena, Marinduque, and Batangas. JAC
Liner buses are also equipped with Wifi and GPS.
Accompanying the President during the bus
terminal inspections were Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson,
Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr, and Metro Manila
Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino. PND (as)
President Aquino asks Luzon consumers to save
electricity
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
asked the public to conserve energy as major power generation plants in Luzon
undergo a scheduled maintenance shutdown.
In an interview with reporters at the Manila
North Harbor, the President said the scheduled maintenance shutdown of power
plants in Luzon will however not result in brownouts.
There could be problems in power supply in Luzon
if some plants, which are not scheduled to go on maintenance shutdown, bog
down, the President said, citing information from the Department of Energy.
A delay in preventive maintenance of the plants
that are running at this time could result in breakdowns, he said.
Consumers could do their share by conserving
energy, the President said. For instance, households should adjust the
temperature settings of their air conditioning units to save electricity, he
said.
Air conditioning units use up about 3,000 watts
per day compared to a refrigerator, which uses up only 180 watts, he said,
adding that making adjustments on the use of air conditioners would be a big
thing.
He noted that the small gap between power
reserves and the anticipated peak in power use could lead to brownouts.
Energy supply will be critical in May, the
President said.
He however assured that the government is
addressing the situation and one of the measures it is taking is to make the
Malaya power plants operational.
“Yung Malaya is actually the standby. Malaya,
this is in Pililla, Rizal; pinapatakbo na ‘yan. Hindi normally pinapatakbo ‘yan
pero ngayon medyo matagal-tagal na ring nakatakbo to supplement (the available
power supply),” the President said.
“So, hopefully the maintenance will go on
schedule. Matatapos ‘yon at makaka-online ulit lahat ng mga hindi scheduled na
mag-offline, tapos samahan na rin natin ng pagtitipid ng paggamit ng kuryente,
hindi tayo aabot ng brownout,” the President added. PND (as)
