National Economic Development Authority approves
major infrastructure projects in 15th board meeting
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
Board approved several infrastructure projects during its 15th board meeting
presided by President Aquino on Friday, Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said.
Among the approved projects include the Cagayan de
Oro River Flood Risk Management Project, P8.55 billion; Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue /
Makati Avenue / Paseo de Roxas Vehicles Underpass Project, P1.27 billion;
Restoration of the Bohol Circumferential Road bridges, P0.81 billion; and Metro
Manila Interchange Construction Project Phase VI, P4.01 billion and the Laguna
Lakeshore Expressway-Dike Project, P122.81 billion.
Under the transportation department, among those
approved were Airport operations, maintenance and development projects of the
following airports: Iloilo airport, P30.40 billion; Bacolod Airport, P20.26
billion; Davao Airport, P40.57 billion; and Puerto Princesa Airport, P5.23
billion.
The NEDA board also approved the P18.9-billion
Davao Sasa Port Modernization project.
Also approved Friday was the P50.1-billion
Regional Prison Facilities under the Department of Justice. The project will be
implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
The board also approved the P1.8 billion
Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Livelihood Project for the Department of
Agriculture, as well as the P2.2-billion Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement
for Rural Growth and Empowerment Project under the Department of Agrarian
Reform.
The Communications Secretary said the President
also directed the Cabinet and NEDA members to focus on completing similar
ongoing projects and on laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term
economic development and inclusive growth. PND (as)
Military to step up campaign against Abu Sayyaf
after release of German hostages, says Palace
Government forces will intensify its campaign
against the Abu Sayyaf Group after the release of two German nationals it held
captive for several months.
"With the release from captivity of the two
German nationals, our security forces will continue efforts to stem the tide of
criminality perpetrated by bandit elements," Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a statement Saturday.
"Kasunod ng pagligtas ng mga binihag na
dalawang mamamayang Aleman, ipagpapatuloy ng mga puwersang pang seguridad ang
pagtugis at pagsabat sa mga grupong bandido."
In a radio interview Saturday morning, Deputy
Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Aquino was glad that the
foreign hostages were release on Friday evening.
"Natuwa naman po ang Pangulo sa magandang
balita na na-release ang mga German hostages," Valte told dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan.
"As we have said in the past, the primary
concern is the safety of the hostages and the President was happy to receive
the news yesterday when he was informed that the two German hostages have
already been recovered at around 9:00 p.m. last night," she added.
According to Valte, the President's concern was
about the physical condition of the German hostages and the President was
informed that the hostages will undergo medical check up at a military camp in
Jolo.
After that they will be transported to Zamboanga
City where they will be given more medical attention before they are arranged
for a flight to Manila, Valte added.
Asked about the payment of ransom for the release
of the hostages, Valte said she cannot confirm that information noting that the
government has a longstanding policy for non-payment of ransom to terrorist
groups.
The ASG released Stefan Okonek, 71, and Henrite
Dielen, in her 50s, on the day the group had threatened to kill one of them.
The rebels had demanded ransom and for Germany to
stop supporting US-led air strikes in Syria and Iraq. They threatened to kill
Okonek on Friday if their demands were not met.
The Germans were seized by the ASG in April when
their yacht broke down near the southern island of Palawan en route to Sabah in
eastern Malaysia. PND (as)
Palace says DOJ's inquiry on Binays within its
mandate
The Palace said it supports the investigation
being done by the Department of Justice on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the
Binay family noting that the department is just doing its mandate.
"Si Secretary (Leila) de Lima po at ang DOJ
ay ginagawa lang naman ang kanilang mandato—klaruhin po natin ‘yon—dahil,
katulad po ng nabanggit natin last week, mahirap naman pong mayroong nagiging
isyu na hindi nila ginagawa ang kanilang mandato," Deputy Presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview Saturday.
"The DOJ is only executing its mandate; and
as such, siyempre, sinusuportahan natin ang DOJ at ang kahit anong ahensya na
ginagawa lamang ang kanilang trabaho and that they are only carrying out their
duty and their mandate under relevant laws," Valte told dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan.
The Palace official denied that politics is
involved in the ongoing inquiry, adding that Secretary de Lima does not work
based on personality but on the facts and circumstances that have been
presented.
Asked to comment on De Lima's statement saying
that only the President can stop her, Valte said it is logical because the
President is De Lima's direct superior.
"Perhaps it was just a nod, kaysa naman po
sabihin ni Secretary de Lima na walang makakapigil na kahit sino. If you take
those two statements, it was just a nod and an acknowledgment that she is an
alter ego of a higher position. I don’t think she intended to drag the
President into anything," she said.
The Senate is conducting an inquiry on the alleged
overpricing of the Makati City Hall construction during Vice President Binay's
term as city mayor. Authorities are also looking at the Binays' reported
properties in Batangas. PND (as)
Palace welcomes planned training of local health
workers to fend off Ebola virus
Malacanang welcomed the plan training by foreign
experts of the Filipino health workers as nations step up their defenses
against Ebola virus.
It was reported that the first batch of foreign
experts who will train local health workers will arrive in the Philippines
soon.
"Magandang bagay ‘yan, darating na ang mga
foreign experts on infectious diseases to come and train our doctors and nurses
on how to prevent the spread of anyone infected with the Ebola virus,"
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview over dzRB
Radyo ng Bayan.
"Maganda ito, it shows that we’re being
proactive kahit wala ito, at hopefully, hindi lumanding sa ating mga shores.
Kahit po wala ito ay nagiging proactive tayo sa ating paghahanda."
Relatedly, Valte said the government is also ready
to address concerns of Filipino nurses to adjust their pay and improve their
working conditions.
Hundreds of nurses held a rally in Manila
demanding higher salary and better working condition.
Valte said that with regard to compensation issues,
it is a budgetary matter that has to be addressed and at the same time, it is a
policy issue that should be discussed by the leadership of the Department of
Health.
"But ‘yung sa better working condition,
siyempre, lahat naman tayo gusto natin na mas maganda ang working conditions ng
ating mga kababayan. At kung may specific issues, I’m sure that handa pong
makinig ang DOH sa kanila," she said.
At the same time, Valte said the government
continues to hire nurses through the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement
and Local Service (RN-HEALS).
Under the program, nurses having difficulty
finding jobs can be employed. They are given allowances while they gain
extensive experience they need, she added. PND (as)
Olongapo murder, VFA review must be treated
separately, says Palace
Malacanang clarified that the issue on Jennifer
Laude's killing and the review of the Visiting Forces Agreement must be treated
separately.
Some quarters says the quest for justice for
Laude's murder may be compromised because of the country's defense agreement
with the US.
"The issue for Jennifer should be treated
separately. Because the issue on the VFA and calls for its abrogation, (as well
as) calls for its review should be discussed on a different level," Deputy
presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview on Saturday.
"Kasi iba po ‘yung pinag-uusapan diyan,
marami hong considerations when you talk about the review of a particular
agreement that we have with another sovereign country," she added.
And as far as the investigation on Laude's death
is going, there is a process that everyone has to follow to the letter to make
sure that there are no technical aspects that are being forgotten, Valte said.
It would also be a disservice to Laude if prosecutors
rush things and in the end lose the case because of technical issues, she said.
Also on Saturday, the Department of Foreign
Affairs said the US Embassy received the subpoena for US Marine Joseph Scott
Pemberton to appear at the preliminary investigation in the Laude murder.
Pemberton is the prime suspect in the alleged
killing last week of Laude in an Olongapo City hotel. PND (as)
President Aquino to lead 70th anniversary of Leyte
Landing
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead Monday
the 70th anniversary of the Leyte Landing that liberated the country from
Japanese rule, the Palace said on Saturday.
The Philippines will mark Monday, October 20, the
70th anniversary of the Leyte landing, when US General Douglas MacArthur
returned to the Philippines to liberate it from Japanese occupation.
On the morning of October 20, 1944, American
forces led by General MacArthur landed on Red Beach in the municipality of
Palo, near Tacloban, Leyte.
The invasion of Leyte began the campaign for the
liberation of the Philippines from the Imperial Japanese forces, fulfilling
MacArthur’s promise to return to the Philippines more than two years earlier.
The Leyte landing also marked the re-establishment
of the Commonwealth Government on Philippine soil after years of
government-in-exile in the United States.
The Battle of Leyte lasted from October 20 to
December 31, 1944, resulting in a victory for the Allied forces.
It is also a milestone in the war in the Pacific
that culminated in the end of almost three years of Japanese occupation of the
Philippines. PND (as)
