President Aquino says government addressing
human rights
(BRUSSELS, Belgium) President Benigno S. Aquino
III on Tuesday assured the international community that the Philippine
government is addressing human rights complaints and is ready to apply the full
force of the law against those who are found guilty of abuses and
extra-judicial killings.
President Aquino told the Egmont Institute where
he delivered a policy speech that his administration has taken steps to uphold
human rights in the country and bring to the bar of justice the culprits.
“We have instituted a task force whose primary
mission is to take cognizance of all of these extrajudicial killings or alleged
extrajudicial killings with the end in view of arresting every culprit
regardless of whether it was a media individual, an activist, or any other
individual,” the President said.
“Bottom line is, you commit a crime in our
country, there has to be certainty of punishment and that is the focus,” he
added, when asked about the state of human rights in the Philippines during the
forum.
The President also stressed that it is not in
the policy of the Aquino administration to encourage any transgressions of the
law. “And towards that end, we have been investigating all of these
allegations,” he said.
One of these is the case of retired Major
General Jovito Palparan, who was arrested on August 12 in Sta. Mesa, Manila, by
the authorities after almost three years in hiding, he said. He is facing
charges for the disappearance of two students of the University of the
Philippines in 2006. PND (co)
Philippines, France agree to continue addressing
climate change
(PARIS, France) The Philippines and France have
agreed on the need for concrete and effective results for climate talks in
order to move forward efforts in dealing with the threats of climate change.
During a bilateral meeting between President
Benigno Aquino III and French Republic President Francois Hollande here on
Wednesday, both leaders committed to work closely to adopt a new agreement
applicable to all countries during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21)
to the Framework Convention of the United Nations on Climate Change to be
hosted by France in 2015.
“Mindful of the need for rational and
responsible action, the President and I talked about the threat of climate
change and the need for concrete and effective results for climate talks,”
President Aquino said in his statement following the meeting.
Both leaders affirmed the importance of
continuing efforts to address climate change, with the overall objective of
limiting the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius, and
reiterated the invitation to parties who are ready to do so to provide their
contributions to the 2015 agreement by the end of the first quarter next year.
President Aquino and President Hollande
underscored during their talks the need to push the adaptation and means of
implementation in order to meet the needs and concerns of countries most
vulnerable to climate change.
“We live in a single planet; and it is incumbent
upon all of us—especially for the countries that have the capacity to
contribute significantly to combating climate change—to come up with an
equitable mechanism that every nation, every corporation and every individual
will adhere to,” President Aquino said.
“Typhoon Haiyan should not be the new norm, and
it is our collective responsibility, therefore, to ensure that we bequeath a
safer, more inclusive, and more resilient world to the next generation,” he
added.
They also discussed the focus of the work of the
Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) in supporting Philippine efforts in
fighting climate change, helping in the protection of the environment and
contributing to sustainable development programs and projects in line with the
country’s development priorities.
Recalling the devastation caused by Super
Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in November 2013, President Aquino expressed
the appreciation of his administration and the Filipino people for the timely
and generous response of the French government, non-government organizations,
private companies and individuals to help the victims of the natural disaster.
On the efforts to rebuild areas devastated by
the super typhoon, the two leaders expressed their common interest to continue
French support for reconstruction and rehabilitation of typhoon-hit areas as
determined by the Philippine government. PND (jb)
Philippines, France ink bilateral agreements to
strengthen ties
PARIS, France) The Philippines and France
further strengthened its bilateral relations with the signing of several
agreements on transportation and communications, culture and education.
In a statement delivered after his meeting with
French President François Hollande, President Benigno S. Aquino III said these
agreements “will facilitate meaningful dialogue and fruitful exchanges between
our two countries.”
One of these is the agreement on air services,
which was signed by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and French
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius.
President Aquino and President Hollande
witnessed the signing during a simple ceremony held at the Elyseé Palace.
According to President Aquino, the air services
agreement would “open more doors of opportunity for both our peoples, as we
strengthen tourism, trade, business activity and our people-to-people ties.”
The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a
memorandum of understanding between the École Nationale d’Administration and
the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the 2014-2017 Administrative
Agreement on Cultural Cooperation.
“The agreement between the École Nationale d’Administration
and the Development Academy of the Philippines looks into the establishment of
training and exchanges that will benefit our many civil servants in the
Philippines, as they work to provide improved services,” President Aquino said.
“In the same manner, cooperation in the cultural
field will, without doubt, promote heritage conservation, language and arts
training, and cultural management—areas that are of vital importance in
fostering greater understanding, thus, adding to the reservoir of goodwill
between our peoples,” he added.
In addition to the three bilateral agreements,
the two leaders witnessed on Wednesday the signing of a contract entered into
between 4G Alcatel Lucent and GLOBE Télécom for the purchase of equipment.
President Aquino and President Hollande also
welcomed the forthcoming signing of the updated Philippines-France Arrangement
on Defense Cooperation by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Minister
of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.
“We have made significant strides as well
towards updating our bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement,” the President
said. “The Philippines is in the process of modernizing our armed forces and
improving our defense capability, and we believe that France will be a reliable
partner in this regard,” he added. PND (co)
President Aquino meets top French firms
(PARIS, France) President Benigno Aquino III and
his official delegation began a series of meetings with leading French
corporations that have significant investments in the Philippines.
Upon his arrival here Wednesday, President
Aquino sat down with Pierre Jaffre, executive vice president for Asia Pacific,
and Pierre Lanore, vice president for Philippines Airbus, during which the two
businessmen pledged to continue to actively participate in the AFP
modernization program. They also offered newly-designed aircraft for disaster
management.
Airbus Helicopters Philippines, Inc. has been
operating in the country since 1978 as a service facility for helicopter
maintenance and a training center for technicians.
Airbus also provided technical assistance to the
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in its successful efforts to
meet the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) that enabled Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to secure the lifting
of the ban previously imposed by the European Union.
Airbus has also been assisting the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) in promoting the Philippines as a hub for aircraft
parts manufacturing and for maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
The President also met with Schneider Electric,
which offered several innovations in energy conservation that could
substantially cut power consumption, along with other energy solutions for
various major power plant projects all over the Philippines.
Schneider has been in the Philippines since 1995
with four manufacturing facilities employing nearly 3,000 workers. It also
operates a shared services center for human resources and finance.
Another company, Teleperformance, which is known
in the BPO industry also met with the Chief Executive.
Daniel Julien, board chairman and founder of
Teleperformance, informed the President of his company’s plans to double their
existing workforce from 26,000 to 50,000, saying the Philippines is a strategic
location for the companies they serve in the US, the UK and Canada, including
the largest multinationals in these countries.
Julien commended the Filipino workers of
Teleperformace, describing them as “in-country heroes” on account of their
exemplary work ethics and well-developed skill sets.
He was joined by Allan Truitt, president for
global business development, and David Rizzo, president of Asia-Pacific region.
PND (jb)
Government continues to monitor prices of basic
commodities, says Palace
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
continues to monitor the prices of basic commodities, a Palace official assured
on Thursday.
“Ang Consumer Protector Group ng DTI continues
to conduct their monitoring,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
told reporters during a press briefing in Malacañang.
She was commenting on reports that the price per
kilogram of pork is now P200, and the price per kilogram of ginger is P300.
“Kapag nakikinig tayo sa radio tuwing umaga,
nakikita nating bumababa ang presyo, minsan may tumataas,” she said.
Valte noted that the prices of canned sardines
have increased, as most manufacturers have switched to the easy-open pull-tab
cans.
“Some of the increases in the prices of canned
sardines are attributed to the fact that most of the manufacturers are shifting
to the easy-open cans… So, talagang tumataas daw po,” she said.
She however assured that the DTI is not letting
up in monitoring the prices of commodities. PND (ag)
Philippines, France agree on peaceful settlement
of South China Sea dispute
(PARIS, France) The Philippines and France have
agreed on the peaceful settlement of the disputes in the South China Sea in
accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea.
President Benigno S. Aquino III and French
President François Hollande discussed peace and security in the region,
particularly the increasing tension in the South China Sea, during a bilateral
meeting held at the Elyseé Palace.
“As President, I believe that with these
concerns come the necessity for all countries in the region to commit to the
peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. This is the
path my nation has chosen to take,” President Aquino said.
In a joint statement, the two leaders expressed
their opposition to any acquisition or claim--either by coercion or force--of any
or all territory of a state by another state, in violation of international
law, especially the charter of the United Nations.
“Both leaders underscored the importance of
maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and promoting maritime
security, freedom of navigation and the peaceful settlement of disputes in
accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea,” the joint statement read.
President Aquino and President Hollande also
emphasized the importance of the full and effective implementation of the
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as well as the
early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in fostering peace
and stability in the region.
Meanwhile, President Aquino and French Prime
Minister Manuel Valls also met to discuss issues involving the Filipino
community here in France and developments in the Philippine economy on
Wednesday at the Hotel Matignon here in Paris. PND (co)
President Aquino says a foreign bank wants to
globalize Philippine peso
(PARIS, France) President Benigno Aquino III
said that a big foreign bank had broached the idea of globalizing the
Philippine peso as a currency just like the US dollar.
During his meeting with the Filipino community
in Paris Wednesday night, President Aquino told his "bosses" that
such proposal only reaffirmed the strong confidence of foreign investors in the
Philippine economy.
“Nagulat po ako ng ang isang bangkong malaki ang
nagsabi sa atin baka dapat raw ho i-globalize na natin ang peso. Sabi ko,
“Globalize the peso?” Ibig ho sabihin noon, magiging currency na parang dolyar,
itene-trade ng ibang bansa,” President Aquino said.
The President said he was curious if the idea of
the foreign bank was possible and had tasked Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima
to look into it.
“Ang punto lang ho dito, ‘di ko akalaing may
magmumungkahi sa ating gano’n kaganda na at kabango ang Pilipinas, na mayroon
nang maglalagay ng kanilang puhunan sa ating salapi dahil may tiwala sa atin na
may katatagan ang ating ekonomiya, ang ating bansa, at ang ating pananalapi,’
he said.
He told the Filipino community that he had
attended at least 41 engagements since he started his visits to Spain, Belgium
and France. The President is on his second day here and is expected to hold
more business meetings with leading France-based corporations.
Aside from economic growth, the President also
shared to some 700 excited Filipinos here the other reforms the Philippines has
been experiencing since he assumed office in 2010.
He mentioned the fight against corruption by
prosecuting all crooked public officials; curtailing illegal practices like
bribery and kickbacks in government projects, which generates more savings;
assisting the welfare of indigent Filipinos through the conditional cash
transfer program; and creating more jobs.
The President said he was set to hold at least
40 more engagements during his visit here, Germany and the United States.
Prior to that, Aquino visited Spain and Belgium
where he met with high-ranking officials, including the European Union leaders.
Aquino underscored during his meeting with
French President Francois Hollande at Elysee Palace here that the Philippines
was now open for business, citing economic growth of 7.2 percent.
The Philippine economy is expected to grow
between 6.5 and 7 to 8 percent in 2015, the Chief Executive said. PND (jb)
Government committed to attain 10 million
tourist arrivals by 2016, Palace official says
The government is taking concrete measures to
make sure that the target to attract 10 million tourists by 2016 is achieved, a
Palace official said on Thursday.
“We will continue to convey our assurances that
we will maximize our efforts to keep protecting our friends who visit us. And
also, the unfortunate incidents are being given the attention when it comes to
investigation, and the appropriate police and law enforcement processes that
they deserve,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters
during a press briefing in Malacañang.
Valte was commenting on reports that Cebu
Pacific and Tiger Air Philippines have cancelled 149 chartered flights to and
from mainland China due to the Chinese government’s advisory, warning its
citizens against travelling to the Philippines.
The advisory was prompted by the recent
kidnapping of a Chinese teenager who worked in a family-run store in Zamboanga
and the arrest of a group of men who said they planned to attack the Chinese
embassy in Manila.
“Klaruhin po natin na ‘yung sinabi po ng Cebu
Pacific ay ang pagtigil ng mga chartered flights. Hindi po ‘yung mga commercial
flights from Beijing to Shanghai ang pinag-uusapan dito,” said Valte.
She noted that government travel advisories
affect tour operators who see a drop in the number of tour packages they are
able to sell.
“Of course, the citizens are still free to come
and visit us. Although nasa konsiderasyon na po nila kung gaano kabigat ang
ibibigay nilang weight doon sa travel advisory or doon sa advice na ibinigay sa
kanila ng kanilang pamahalaan,” said Valte.
She said the Department of Tourism is still
assessing the possible impact of China’s travel advisory on the country’s
tourist arrivals.
Data from the department show that tourist
arrivals hit 4.68 million last year, 9.5 percent higher than the 4.27 million
posted in 2012. Visitors from China totaled 426,352, making up the fourth
biggest group, by the end of 2013. The department aims to attract 5 million
foreign tourists by the end of this year. PND (ag)
Malacañang: U.P. is expected to promote
responsibility in freedom of expression
Malacañang said on Thursday that the University
of the Philippines (UP) should promote responsibility in exercising freedom of
expression.
In a statement sent to members of the Malacañang
Press Corps, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr. said the report that Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was “mobbed”
at the state university has reached President Benigno S. Aquino III, who is on
a four-nation official tour of Europe.
“(The President) believes that as the premier
university, the UP is expected to promote responsibility in the exercise of the
freedom of expression and civility while engaging in political discourse,” said
Coloma.
“This may be an opportune time to reassess the
implications to an institution of higher learning when a political forum
degenerates into mob rule,” he added.
A group of student activists reportedly mobbed
Abad after he discussed the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the 2015
National Budget during a forum at the School of Economics in UP Diliman on
Wednesday. PND (ag)
