President Aquino arrives in Manila after
five-nation official tour
President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived in Manila
Thursday evening after a working visit that covered five nations.
His Philippine Airline PR001 flight from San
Francisco, California, United States touched down at the Manila International
Airport past 10:00 p.m.
In his arrival speech at the NAIA Terminal 2, the
President reported his accomplishments during his visits to Spain, Belgium,
France, Germany, and the US.
"Labindalawang araw po tayong nawala, at
talaga naman pong sinulit natin ang mga araw na ito: 94 engagements ang atin
pong dinaluhan. Kinausap natin ang mga pinuno ng iba’t ibang bansa at
institusyon upang isulong ang mas mabuting ugnayan; nakipagpulong tayo sa mga
negosyante upang imbitahin silang mamuhunan sa ating bansa; kinita natin ang
ating mga kababayan, at dinalhan sila ng mabuting balita," said President
Aquino.
During his engagements abroad, he expressed the
country's gratitude for the assistance extended to the Philippines after
Typhoon Yolanda, for the support for the peace process in Mindanao, and for
allowing our local carriers to once again travel to Europe.
He also invited investors to set up businesses in
the country, or for those with existing businesses in the Philippines, increase
their capital investment. Moreover, he explained the country's position in the
West Philippine Sea.
The President said he was struck by an idea tabled
by an international banking official, who suggested to make the Philippine Peso
a global currency.
"Baka raw po dapat ay i-globalize natin ang
piso. Ang ibig pong sabihin, kumpiyansa siya sa stabilidad ng ating ekonomiya;
naniniwala siyang sulit ang tumaya sa Pilipinas. Nabigla po tayo sa mungkahing
ito; kahit kailan po ay hindi dumapo sa isip natin ang ganitong hakbang,"
said the Chief Executive.
"Talagang kailangan ng mas malalim na
pag-aaral ng ganito kalaking mga hakbang, pero hindi po maikakaila ang
sentimyentong dala ng kanyang mungkahi: Ang dating 'sick man of Asia,' ngayon,
bukal na ng kumpiyansa sa ekonomiya; ang dating pahirapan kung mapansin,
ngayon, marami nang nag-uunahang kausapin. Napakataas na po talaga ang tingin
ng mundo sa Pilipinas," he added.
There to welcome the President were Vice President
Jejomar Binay, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Justice Secretary Leila
de Lima, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Public Works and Highways Secretary
Rogelio Singson, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Environment Secretary Ramon
Paje, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio
Abaya, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montero, Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Metro Manila
Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, Political Adviser Rolando
Llamas, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Manuel Mamba,
Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis
Pangilinan, and Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto. PND (ag)
President Aquino says he got updates, gave
instructions as typhoons hit the country
President Benigno S. Aquino III said he was
constantly given updates and he gave instructions when Typhoons Luis and Mario
hit the country while he was on his 12-day five-nation working visit.
"Matagal-tagal din po tayong nawala. Alam ko
po, habang ibinibida natin ang Pilipinas sa ibang bansa, habang pinagtutuunan
natin ang ating mga pangmatagalang pangangailangan ay hinagupit ng ilang mga
bagyo ang Pilipinas. Nais ko pong magpasalamat sa bawat Pilipinong nakiambag
upang tugunan ang mga pangangailangan sa panahon ng kalamidad," the
President said in his speech upon arriving at the NAIA Terminal 2 on Thursday
night.
He noted that members of his Cabinet kept him
abreast while he was away on his working visits to Spain, Belgium, France,
Germany and the United States.
"Hindi po nagkulang ang ating mga kasamahan
sa gobyerno sa pagtawag sa telepono, sa pag-text, at sa pakikipag-usap sa akin
habang tayo ay nasa biyahe. Tuloy-tuloy po ang pagbibigay natin ng direktiba sa
kanila upang masigurong ang bawat Pilipino ay mabibigyan ng sapat na pagkalinga
sa harap ng sakuna," he added.
The President has said that at one point, he
contemplated on cutting his working visit short due to Typhoon Mario but was
assured that there was no need to return immediately.
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. led other
Cabinet members in dealing with the effects of the storm when the President was
abroad. PND (ag)
President Aquino generates U.S.$2.35 billion in
investment during visits
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday night
reported that his 12-day five-nation official trip has generated US$2.35
billion worth of investment.
"Aabot po ng 2.35 bilyong dolyar ang halaga
ng nakalap nating mga panata at tiyak na investment, na tinataya namang lilikha
ng 33,850 trabaho," the President said in a speech he delivered shortly
after he arrived at the NAIA Terminal 2 in Pasay City from San Francisco,
California, the United States.
This, he said, is the fruit of his meetings with
22 corporations in Spain, Belgium, France, Germany and the United States.
The Chief Executive also noted that Coca-Cola has
already expanded its investment in the country.
"Nariyan po ang Coca-Cola: Ipinangako nila sa
atin noon ang pagpasok ng karagdagang isang bilyong dollars sa bansa bago
sumapit ang taong 2015. Sa biyaheng ito, iniulat nilang naipasok na ang lahat
ng puhunang ito, at hindi pa tayo umaabot sa 2015," he said.
"Ang Volkswagen din po, halimbawa, inengganyo
nating dito magtayo ng kanilang global manufacturing hub; malaking bentahe ang
lumalaki nating middle class, pati na rin ang maganda nating lokasyon at ang
husay ng ating manggagawa, at ipagpapatuloy po natin ang pang-eengganyo sa
kanila," he added.
He however declined to give more details.
“Hindi na po natin idedetalye ang bawat isa sa
kanila at baka po mausog, pero ang masasabi ko lang po: Nagkakaisa sila sa
kanilang tiwala sa gumaganda nating ekonomiya at sistemang panlipunan. Alam
nila ang bunga ng ating mga reporma; at umaasa sila sa patuloy nating
pag-angat,” he said, assuring that these investment would turn into more
opportunities for the Filipino people. PND (ag)
Government agencies are given leeway to decide to
implement four-day workweek, says Palace
In line with the Civil Service Commission (CSC)
circular that paves the way for the adoption of a four-day workweek in
government offices, a Palace official said it is up to government agencies
whether or not to implement this scheme.
“The particular agency would be in a better
position to address this... While the Civil Service Commission (CSC) provides
the guidelines, the particular implementing agency has to also look at the
guidelines vis-à-vis their work activities and also their interaction with the
public sector,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters in a
press briefing at the Palace on Friday.
The CSC Memorandum Circular No. 22 encourages
government agencies in Metro Manila to carry out a four-day workweek scheme,
which aims to reduce the volume of traffic as the Metro Manila Skyway project
enters its third phase; increase employee efficiency and organizational
performance; promote work-life balance among employees; and enhance employee
engagement, morale and productivity.
Under the scheme, the normal workweek is reduced
to four days – from Monday to Thursday or from Tuesday to Friday – but working
hours are increased to 10 hours a day, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a one-hour
lunch break.
“There are requirements in order for one to use
the four-day workweek, that has not yet been discussed. Most likely,
magkakaroon ng discussion diyan,” said Lacierda.
Government agencies in Metro Manila can adopt the
scheme provided their frontline services can be accessed by the public online;
they have a one-stop shop; they have a functional call center/PABX telephone
system that allows calls to be diverted to the Officers-of-the-Day; and they
have baseline data on their overall performance, as well as on absenteeism,
tardiness, state of health, and turnover of employees, and satisfaction of
clients.
As for the Office of the President, Lacierda said
one of the deputy executive secretaries is studying the scheme.
“It will be studied by the Office of the Executive
Secretary first before we make any decision on the matter,” he said. PND (ag)
Pope Francis will have the same protection as
President Aquino, says Palace
Pope Francis will have the same kind of protection
given to President Benigno S. Aquino III when the Pontiff comes to visit the
Philippines next year, a Palace official said on Friday.
“The President said that the kind of protection
that has been provided to him will be provided to the Holy Father,”
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters during a press briefing
in Malacañang.
Lacierda however declined to give further details,
saying only that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) will coordinate with the
Swiss Guard.
“But as always, the Pope will be as visible as the
other Holy Fathers who had come before,” he said.
Pope Francis is expected to go to areas devastated
by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Eastern Visayas when he visits the country on
January 15 to 19, 2015. PND (ag)
Palace says government is talking with U.S.
regarding Islamic State
Malacañang said on Friday that the Philippine
government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is coordinating
with the United States (US) regarding the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).
In a press briefing at the Palace, Presidential
Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters that the DFA is “meeting” the US
State Department.
“I may just quote si Assistant Secretary Charles
Jose, that’s why the DFA is meeting the US State Department to find out what
the US needs and what the Philippines can provide,” he said. “Talagang
nagmi-meeting sila precisely to identify ano ba ang pwede nating gawin.”
Lacierda called the beheadings carried out by IS
militants as “totally unacceptable”.
“And so, we agree with the principle laid out by
the US government, and a number of countries have joined in this effort against
the ISIS or the ISIL,” he added.
The IS is also known as the Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria (ISIS) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). PND (ag)
