President Aquino commemorates Apolinario
Mabini's 150th birth anniversary in Batangas
(TANAUAN CITY, Batangas) President Benigno S.
Aquino III on Wednesday led the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of
Apolinario Mabini, whose contributions strengthened the foundation of
Philippine democracy.
"Si Mabini ang kumakatawan sa talino ng
Pilipino—talinong ibinuhos niya sa pagpanday ng mga prinsipyo at sistemang
nagbigay-hugis sa isang malayang lipunan," the President said in his
speech at the Apolinario Mabini Shrine in this city.
He cited three concepts by Mabini that the
present administration tries to follow.
First, Mabini highlighted the importance of
following a mandate as the foundation of governance, the President said, noting
that the strength of the state emanates from the people.
Looking back, he said Mabini spearheaded the conduct
of the first local election in the country in August 1898.
Mabini also led the formation of the country’s
first legislature in Malolos, Bulacan in 1898, he said, noting that this body
elected Emilio Aguinaldo as president in January 1899 to replace the
revolutionary government that declared Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite
on June 12, 1898.
Second, Mabini instilled the concept of public
service in the Filipino people's consciousness, President Aquino said.
"Ang paniniwala niya: Kung sa taumbayan
nagbubukal ang kapangyarihan, dapat lang itong gamitin sa ikabubuti nila,"
he said.
And third, according to Mabini, public
institutions were formed to serve the interests of the people, and as such, the
government must not hold back in providing services to the people, he said.
"Sa harap ng Malolos Congress, idiniin ni
Mabini ang pangangailangan ng ehekutibong maging mabilis, maliksi, at buo ang
loob, dahil trabaho nitong matugunan ang pangangailangan ng taumbayan sa lalong
madaling panahon," President Aquino said.
Pointing out that Mabini had once called on the
legislators to work with the executive branch of the government in fulfilling
its mandate to the people, the Chief Executive said that Mabini's concept on
governance is relevant to modern times, such as in the implementation of the
Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
While parts of the DAP were declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, the President said the program has
benefited the people in many ways.
As Mabini said, whatever power a leader possesses,
he must always bear in mind that the people's welfare is his paramount concern,
President Aquino said.
With the President during Wednesday's event were
Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila
de Lima, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma,
Jr., Congressman Sonny Collantes, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando
Tetangco, Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gregorio
Catapang, and Philippine National Police Chief Director General Alan Purisima.
PND (as)
President Aquino cites more projects funded by
DAP
(TANAUAN CITY, Batangas) President Benigno S.
Aquino III on Wednesday identified more projects funded by the Disbursement
Acceleration Program (DAP).
In his message during the commemoration of the
150th birth anniversary of Apolinario Mabini here, the President said the
government had allotted P1.6 billion in DAP funds for TESDA programs to train
223,615 scholars, spending more than P7,000 per person.
Some 66 percent or 146,731 of the graduates are
now employed, he said.
"Ang natitira pong 34 percent, tinutulungan
na rin ngayon at tinutulungan pa rin ng TESDA na makahanap ng kani-kanilang mga
trabaho. Lahat po sila, nakalista ang pangalan, tirahan, at telepono; bukas po
ito sa lahat at puwedeng siyasatin ninuman," he said.
The public also benefited from the DREAM-LiDAR
project under Project NOAH of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
which received funding from the DAP, the Chief Executive said, adding that
through the project, experts are now able to disseminate reliable information
on weather disturbances.
This gives local government units enough time to
evacuate people from danger zones, as what Albay Governor Joey Salceda did during
the recent onslaught of Typhoon ‘Glenda,' the President explained, noting that,
as a result, Albay posted zero casualty during the storm.
In the tourism sector, of the 202 roads that
were constructed to connect priority destinations in the country to major hubs,
66 were built in 2012, using P5 billion in DAP funds, he said.
"Ang mga kalsadang ito ang maghahatid—at
ang iba nga sa kanila ay naghahatid na—ng ginhawa sa mga turista. At sa
kanilang pagdating, direktang nakikinabang ang mga kababayan nating umaasa sa
sektor ng turismo," he said.
The President further pointed out that in July
2012, the Supreme Court posted a savings of P1.8 billion, which was meant to
augment the fund for the construction of the Manila Hall of Justice.
“Ang problema lang po, nasa ilalim ng Department
of Justice ang item ng ating budget para sa proyektong ito. Karugtong po nito
ang ikalawa nating halimbawa. Noong taong pareho, 2012, may 100 million piso
ang budget ng DOJ para sa Manila Hall of Justice. Nakatanggap po tayo ng sulat
mula sa Korte Suprema, naglalaman ng isang hiling. Ipinalilipat po nila ang mga
pondo para maipatayo ang mga gusaling magbabahay ng mga korte,” he said.
The High Court however withdrew the request in
December 2013, when the implementation of the DAP became an issue.
President Aquino cited this as an example of
cross-border transfer, or the allocation of funds from one branch of government
to another.
“Ididiin ko lang po: Nang sinimulan natin ang
DAP, nariyan na ang Sections 38, 39, at 49 ng ating Administrative Code. Ang
ginawa nating pamamaraan ay ginawa na rin naman ng mga naunang administrasyon.
At dahil nga po ginawa rin ito ng Korte Suprema, lalong tumibay ang ating
paniniwala na nasa tama ang ating mga kilos,” he said.
The President reiterated that the implementation
of the DAP had a lawful basis, and as such, the Executive branch has asked the
Supreme Court to reassess its decision to declare parts of the program
unconstitutional.
The High Court has ruled that the DAP is unconstitutional,
saying the President had violated the Constitution by using or transferring
funds without proper mandate from Congress. PND (as)
President Aquino issues proclamation declaring
holidays for year 2015
President Benigno S. Aquino III has issued a
proclamation declaring all national holidays to be observed for the year 2015.
Malacañang on Wednesday released a copy of
Proclamation No. 831, which was signed by the President on July 17.
The proclamation listed 18 holidays, with eight
long weekends to be expected next year.
Regular Holidays:
New Year’s Day - January 1 (Thursday); Maundy
Thursday – April 2; Good Friday – April 3; Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9
(Thursday); Labor Day – May 1 (Friday);
Independence Day – June 12 (Friday); National Heroes Day -- August 31 (last
Monday of
August); Bonifacio Day –November 30 (Monday);
Christmas Day – December 25 (Friday); and Rizal Day – December 30 (Wednesday)
Special (Non-Working) Days:
Chinese New Year – February 19 (Thursday); Black
Saturday – April 4; Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Friday); and All Saints Day –
November 1 (Sunday)
Additional Special Non-Working Days:
January 2 (Friday); December 24 (Thursday); and
December 31 (Thursday)
Special Holiday (for all schools):
EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25
(Wednesday)
Meanwhile, the proclamations declaring national
holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be issued after
the dates have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos is
tasked to inform the Office of the President on which days the two holidays
will fall. PND (jb)
President Aquino appoints two new Central Bank
Monetary Board members
President Benigno S. Aquino III on July 21
appointed two new members of the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP).
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said Wednesday that Juan D. de Zuniga, Jr. and
Valentin A. Araneta were appointed for a six-year term of office.
De Zuniga, 66, served as BSP deputy governor
from 2010 to 2013; as BSP assistant governor and general counsel from 2003 to
2010; and as BSP general counsel from 2000 to 2003.
He was also vice president/executive vice
president of the Bank of Commerce from 1992 to 2000. He graduated from the Far
Eastern University with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Meanwhile, Araneta, 65, served as president and
chief executive officer of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation; and as
member of the Executive Council and chairman of the Audit Committee of the
International Association of Deposit Insurers.
He also worked as independent director of the
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company from 2004 to 2011.
Araneta earned his bachelor’s degree in
economics from the Ateneo de Manila University. PND (ag)
