Palace hopes for smooth passage of Bangsamoro
Law in Congress
Malacanang said on Sunday that the government
panel and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are working together to make
sure that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be passed into law smoothly.
Presidential Communication Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., told reporters in a press briefing over dzRB
Radyo ng Bayan that both panel will utilize “appropriate language” to ensure
compliance with the Constitution.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives
will deliberate the BBL in their respective plenary sessions and will stipulate
in the proposed law. During the sessions the language used and
constitutionality is often debated.
“Sa ganitong paraan maiiwasan ang pagkakaroon ng
mahabang panahon ng pagkuwestiyon sa Kongreso hinggil sa pagiging
konstitusyonal ng mga nilalaman ng panukalang batas,” Coloma explained.
"Batid ng magkabilang panig na dadaan ang
BBL o Bangsamoro Basic Law sa Kongreso kaya tinitiyak nila na ito ay hindi na
mangangailangan ng pagbabago sa Konstitusyon para maging tuluy-tuloy ang
pagdaloy ng prosesong ito na naaayon sa peace process roadmap,” he added.
Coloma noted that Senate President Franklin
Drilon said they needed sufficient time to discuss the BBL in both House of
Congress.
The Communications Secretary added the President
Benigno Aquino III and MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim has both expressed their
determination to have peace in Mindanao.
“Ito ang pinakamalinaw na pagpapahiwatig ng
kagustuhang maipasa ang Bangsamoro Basic Law sa lalong madaling panahon,” said
Coloma.
Last week, the President gave Congress the
government's priority list of proposed laws, the BBL is one of those bills.
In March 27, the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro was signed after the MILF and the Philippine government panel came
up with an agreement. PND (ag)
Palace renew calls for Filipinos in Libya to
repatriate themselves
Malacanang on Sunday renew its call for Filipinos
in Libya to repatriate themselves as the conflict there continues.
“Tinatawagan po muli ang ating mga kababayang
nasa Libya at pati na rin ang kanilang mga kamag-anak dito na pagtulungan po
natin ang paghikayat sa kanila na lumikas na sa lalong madaling panahon para sa
kanilang kaligtasan,” said , Presidential Communication Operations Office
Secretary Hermio Coloma, Jr., in a press briefing over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
He said Charges d’ Affaires Adelio Angelito
Cruz, the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Rapid Response Team
is still in Tripoli, Libya to make sure that all Filipinos in Libya returned
home.
DFA confirmed last week that a Filipino
construction worker was beheaded in Benghazi, while a Filipina nurse was
released by unidentified gunmen in Tripoli after she was abducted and raped.
Coloma is also urging the relatives of Filipinos
working in Libya to coordinate with DFA here in Manila.
“Maaari din pong tumawag ang mga pamilya ng
ating mga mamamayang Pilipino sa DFA 24-hour hotline at ito po ay ang mga
sumusunod: 552-7105 at 834-4685 para i-rehistro ang kanilang mga kamag-anak sa
Libya para sila ay mailikas at madala sa ligtas na lugar,” Coloma said.
“Maaaring kumontak ang mga Pilipino sa ating
embahada sa Tripoli sa pamamagitan ng mga teleponong ito—ang prefix po ay
00218—at ang mga numero ay ang mga sumusunod: 918-244-208 / 914-370-399 /
945-348-481; at ang mga email address naman po ay tripoli.pe@gmail.com at
tripoli.pe@dfa.gov.ph,” he added. PND (ag)
Government efforts in battling media killings
remain unabated
The government is laying down reforms to promote
protection of journalists, a Palace official said on Sunday.
“Pagtunton at pagkumpiska sa loose firearms,
pagpapahusay sa kapabilidad ng mga alagad ng batas, pagpapatatag sa sistema ng
katarungan, pagsuporta sa pagpapalaganap ng media ethics and standards—‘yan ang
mga haligi ng programa ng pamahalaan upang mapigil ang karahasan laban sa mga
mamamahayag,” said Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary
Herminio Coloma, Jr., in a press briefing over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
The latest journalist killed was Nilo Baculo
Sr., 67, a broadcaster from Capalan, Mindoro. He is the host of the radio
program “Isumbong Mo Kay Ka Nilo” at the local radio station dwIM.
Baculo was reported to be the 29th journalist to
be killed since 2010.
Coloma assured the public that the government is
stepping up measures to protect journalists in coordination with the National
Press Club and other concerned entities.
“Patuloy na nakikipag-ugnayan at
nakikipagtulungan ang pamahalaan sa National Press Club at iba pang samahang
nakatuon sa pangangalaga ng karapatan ng mga mamamahayag upang labanan at
wakasan ang karahasang humantong sa pagpaslang at pagsugat sa mga kasapi ng
kanilang hanay,” said Coloma. PND (ag)
Palace: 2015 proposed national budget aims to
benefit the poor
The Palace said on Sunday that the proposed 2015
national budget aims to lift the million of Filipinos out of poverty.
“Ang pambansang budget para sa 2015 ay may
temang “kaunlaran para sa lahat” sapagkat naglalayon itong isulong ang
pag-angat at pag-asenso ng milyon-milyong Pilipinong nasa laylayan ng lipunan.
Matatamo ito sa pamamagitan ng wastong paggugol ng pondo ng bayan,” said
Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., in
a press briefing over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
President Benigno Aquino III reported during the
State of the Nation Address that based on the annual poverty indicator of the
National Economic and Development Authority there are now 2.5 million Filipinos
out of poverty.
Moveover, 37.2 percent or the bulk of the P2.6
trillion proposed national budget is dedicated for the social services of the
government, which is for the education and health of the citizens.
Coloma said the Aquino administration has
instituted reforms since 2010, like the early submission of the proposed
National Expenditure Program to ensure that the General Appropriation Act (GAA)
is passed before the year ends.
“Malayong-malayo ito doon sa nakaraan na kung
saan ay hindi naipapasa ang budget at puro reenacted budget ang ginamit na
batayang batas sa paggastos ng pondo ng bayan,” Coloma explained.
The Communications Secretary noted the comment
of the civil society advocacy group—Movement for Good Governance—which is
composed of leaders in the academe, when they said: “the programs of the
administration in improving governance are sincerely acknowledged. The
government proved its intent to pursue ‘tuwid na daan’ through the institution
of reforms in budgeting such as zero-based management, the results-based
performance management system, and providing the public with broad access to
information, especially on how the budget has been disbursed.”
“Malinaw na ang pambansang budget para sa 2015,
katulad ng mga sinundan nito sa ilalim ng administrasyong Aquino, ay tumatalima
sa mga prinsipyo ng matuwid na daan,” Coloma said.
“Para sa mga nag-iisip na ito ay gagamitin sa
pamumulitika, tunghayan na lang po ang kongkretong record. Aksyon, hindi
salita, ang pinakamabuting pamantayan,” he added. PND (ag)
