President Aquino weighs in on price hikes
(HIROSHIMA, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino
III has said he continues to mobilize concerned government agencies to come up
with “definitive answers” as to what is causing the recent spike in the prices
of various commodities, among them rice and garlic.
President Aquino told the Philippine media
delegation on board a chartered flight from Tokyo to Hiroshima on Tuesday that
a meeting has been scheduled, either this week or next week, to discuss this
particular matter.
The President said he would like to find out
whether the effects of typhoons ‘Yolanda’ and ‘Santi’ last year, as well as the
country’s territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea have factored in the
reported shortage on rice and other commodities.
“Ano ba ang epekto talaga ‘non? Nagka-delay ba,
et cetera… ‘Yung laban natin—laban sa Spratlys—ay nagpapataas ba ng presyo? We
need definitive answers,” President Aquino told reporters.
“There will be a meeting, perhaps this week—if
not, at the latest by next week—che-check-in rin ‘yung (presyo), especially
rice, pati na rin sa garlic to determine exactly what is causing this price
spike or price spikes.”
In the interim, President Aquino said the
country has imported 800,000 metric tons of rice, given the expected shortfall
during the lean months of June and July, and 12,000 of that figure already came
in.
He had also tasked the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) about a month or two ago to check whether it is possible to
use satellite imagery to determine arable lands devoted to planting rice and
their tonnage per hectare capacity to get a real and accurate picture of the
rice supply situation.
The National Food Authority (NFA) has already
doubled its normal supply of rice to ensure that there is adequate stock in the
market to avoid panic buying among consumers, as this might further induce
price increases.
President Aquino said he was informed that only
the well-milled rice showed very significant spike in prices and not the
low-end ones, thus, it is not accurate to say that a vast majority has been
affected by this situation.
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. earlier reported that the prices of regular
milled and well-milled rice of the NFA remain at 27 pesos and 32 pesos per
kilogram respectively, while the prices of premium or commercial well-milled
rice range from 40 pesos to 50 pesos per kilo.
Coloma has also given repeated assurances that
the government will not let any irregularity over the supply and price of basic
commodities to continue and will go after those who are behind it. PND (hdc)
Reforms ongoing in police, military to ensure public
safety, says Aquino
(HIROSHIMA, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino
III said reforms are being made in the country's law enforcement system, as
well as in the military to ensure public security.
In an interview with members of the Philippine
media on Tuesday, the President said that while there are concerns on the way
the police do their jobs, they also have many achievements.
One of the reforms in the police force is
increasing the number of policemen patrolling the streets, he said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is training
15,000 policemen who were previously tied up with clerical work especially in
Camp Crame. Office work will be taken over by civilian employees, he said.
The government is also working to fix problems
in the pension of the police and the military because this is a major stumbling
block in hiring of more policemen and soldiers, he said.
One of the laws on pension reforms is now in
Congress, he noted.
The President emphasized the need to increase
the number of policemen and soldiers, saying that the figure has remained at
250,000 since the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution.
To make communities safer, the ideal policeman
to civilian ratio is 1 to 500, he said.
There is also massive funding for both the
police and the military, which is called “shoot, scoot, and communicate,” he
said, adding that the government is investing on transportation— motorcycles,
vans and trucks— as well as communication systems for both the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP for them to be more effective.
The police is also regularly conducting
checkpoints and stepping up their operations against unlicensed firearms, he
said.
The Chief Executive further reported
developments in recent sensational killings. He said several arrests have been
made in connection with the murders of Pangasinan Mayor Ernesto Balolong and
hotel owner Richard King.
The police is also pursuing a number of leads in
the murder of car racer Ferdinand Pastor, he said. PND (as)
President Aquino pays respect to victims of
wartime Japan
(HIROSHIMA, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino
III on Tuesday paid his respects to the Japanese victims of World War II at the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, referred to by the locals as the Atomic Bomb
Dome.
The President’s trip to the historic site served
as his last stop during his one-day working visit to Japan. He was welcomed by
Hiroshima City Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum director
Kenji Shiga.
Hiroshima was one of two Japanese cities
destroyed when allied forces led by the United States dropped atomic bombs
during the final stages of World War II in 1945.
Reflecting on that dark chapter in the world
history, President Aquino said in his speech at the Consolidation for Peace for
Mindanao Conference, “The tragedy that was the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, seven decades later, only reminds us of the futile results of
conflict, and impress upon us the collective responsibility we hold in
defending the rights of our respective peoples to live not only without fear,
but to live in a world where peace is a shared reality by all nations.”
President Aquino offered a floral wreath and
silent prayers at the Memorial Cenotaph, which was built in honor of the
hundreds of thousands of people who were directly and indirectly killed by the
explosion.
The President was then guided to a tour of the
museum. He was given a copy of the Peace Declaration by Mayor Matsui before he
signed the Museum Guestbook, signaling the end of the tour.
President Aquino left Hiroshima later than
expected at about 8:45 p.m. and arrived in Manila at around midnight. PND (hdc)
President Aquino returns home after fruitful
Japan trip
(HIROSHIMA, Japan) President Benigno S. Aquino
III returned to Manila Tuesday night following his one-day working visit to
Japan, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, addressed
a peace seminar and visited a memorial for wartime victims in Hiroshima.
During their meeting, President Aquino and Prime
Minister Abe exchanged views on current developments in the West Philippine Sea
(South China Sea) and the East China Sea.
The President said the Philippines wants to
advance the defense and security dialogue with Japan to boost its cooperation
with its closest Asian strategic ally.
He noted that the agreement with Japan will not
necessarily be similar to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)
with the United States, but it will address the Philippines’ needs during
emergencies.
On the West Philippine Sea issue, the President
told his Japanese counterpart about the Philippines' move to push for the
strict observance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South
China Sea, to which claimant countries and China agreed in 2002.
He expressed hope that the ASEAN and China
immediately agree on a binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
After the summit meeting, President Aquino
proceeded to Hiroshima to address the Consolidation for Peace for Mindanao
Conference, where he renewed his commitment to bring lasting peace to Southern
Philippines after the signing of an accord with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front last March.
He said his administration will work hard to
ensure an orderly and democratic election in Mindanao in 2016.
At the same time, he thanked the countries and
organizations that helped the Philippine government and the MILF agree on a peace
pact. He expressed his gratitude to the US, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei,
Norway, Libya, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, Sweden, and the European Union.
He also thanked the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its continuing efforts for development and
stability in Mindanao.
After the conference, the President led a
wreath-laying ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to remember the
victims of the nuclear attack in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
The President and his delegation left Hiroshima
at about 8:45 p.m. and arrived in Manila at midnight. PND (as)
President Aquino returns from Japan visit with
‘positive results’
President Benigno S. Aquino III has returned from
his one-day working visit to Japan with “positive results”.
“Tunay po. Talagang napakasarap na makipagpulong
sa ating mga strategic partners. Kitang-kita nga po natin ang positibong bunga
ng ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa kanila,” President Aquino said in a speech
delivered shortly after he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Terminal 2 at 12:09 a.m. early Wednesday.
He reported that Japan is planning to open its
doors to foreign domestic workers, nurses and caregivers, as well as offer
apprenticeship programs to foreigners.
The Chief Executive also took the opportunity to
personally thank Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the “visa relaxation”
for Filipinos who would want to visit Japan.
“Ang resulta po nito: mas malakas na ugnayang
bumubukal sa pagkakaunawaan at hangaring buksan ang mas maraming pinto ng
oportunidad para sa kapwa Pilipino at Hapon, sa pamamagitan ng turismo,” he
said.
He said that the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) is studying Metro Manila’s transportation system for the
possibility of constructing a subway system.
Japan plans to invest in the Philippines’
manufacturing and banking sectors, he added.
President Aquino further said his Japanese
counterpart has expressed support for the Philippine initiative to resolve its
disputes in a peaceful manner and in accordance with international laws.
“Ang hangad po natin: humupa ang mga tensyon sa
makatwiran at komprehensibong pamamaraan sa tatlong antas—immediate,
intermediate, at final approaches. Ito po ang nilatag ng ating bansa,” he said.
“Sa immediate na antas, isinusulong natin ang
moratorium sa mga gawaing direktang nagdudulot ng tensyon. Sa intermediate
naman, muli nating inilalatag ang panawagan para sa buong pagpapatupad ng
ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, or DOC,
at ang agarang pagbubuo ng isang binding Code of Conduct, o isang binding COC.
Sa final approach naman, naniniwala tayong bibigyang-linaw ng arbitration ang
maritime entitlements ng lahat ng partido, na siya namang magiging matibay na
basehan para maresolbahan ang maritime disputes para sa kapakanan ng lahat,” he
explained.
The President was welcomed by members of his
Cabinet and other government officials, among them Transportation and
Communication Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky
Soliman, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Communications Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr., and Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino.
PND (ag)
