President Aquino commends 'Jesus is Lord' during
anniversary, acknowledges contribution to national progress
President Benigno S. Aquino III acknowledged the
contribution of the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church on Friday during the
congregation's 36th founding anniversary celebration at the Rizal Park.
In his speech during Friday's event, the President
said Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, founded evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva,
became instrumental in fighting poverty and industry during a period when the
country was experiencing uncertainty.
"Sinisikap ng inyo pong kongregasyon na
gabayan ang inyong mga kasapi sa kanilang mga desisyon sa buhay, at humanap ng
maiging paraan upang tugunan ang problema," the President said.
At the same time, the President expressed his
gratitude to the leadership of Jesus Is Lord Church for helping his
administration fight corruption and uplift the living condition of the Filipino
people.
"Makakaasa kayong dodoblehin pa ng inyong
gobyerno ang pagsisikap nitong maghatid ng malawakan at pangmatagalang
benepisyo sa mas nakakaraming Pilipino," the President said.
"Sa tulong ng inyong lumalagong samahan,
nananalig ako sa pagdami pa ng mga Pilipinong magsasabuhay ng dakilang aral ng
Panginoon."
The President also acknowledged the contribution
of the other members of the Villanueva family such as TESDA Dir. Gen. Joel
Villanueva.
He said the agency has improved a lot. Citing data
from the Department of Budget and Management, he said that only 28.5 percent of
TESDA scholars found jobs from 2006 to 2008.
"Sa matuwid na pamamahala sa ahensya, nagtala
ng general average na 68.5 percent employment rate ang mga nagtapos ng Training
for Work Scholarship Program ng TESDA noong 2012," he said.
There is an employment rate of 96 percent for
those who graduated from tech-voc training under TESDA and Semiconductor and
Electronics Industries in the Philippines starting April until September 2014,
he added.
Rep. Sherwin Tugna, Bro Eddie Villanueva's son in
law, is also one of the administration's pillars in Congress, a government
partner in spearheading accountability in public service, he said.
The theme of JIL's 36th founding anniversary
celebration this year is "Pursue Peace and Be Holy, Without Which No One
Can See God." PND (as)
Malacanang welcomes Lonely Planet's recognition of
Philippine tourism
The Palace welcomed Saturday another recognition
for the country's tourism sector after it was named "a must-see
destination in 2015" by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet.
"Ikinagagalak natin ‘yan sapagkat talaga
namang ikinararangal ng ating bansa ang pagkakaroon ng pinakamagagandang isla
at magagandang natural endowments kaya naman dinarayo ito ng mga mamamayan mula
sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo," Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr of the
Presidential Communications Operations Office said in a radio interview
Saturday.
"At bukod pa riyan, ang likas na pagiging
mabait at pagiging hospitable ng ating mga kababayan, na kung saan ay talagang
ipinararamdam sa mga bumibisita na parang hindi sila umalis sa kanilang tahanan
o bayan. At bukod pa riyan, it’s really ‘more fun in the Philippines,'" he
told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Lonely Planet, the largest travel book guide
publisher, named the Philippines as one of the best countries to visit in 2015.
The travel guide publisher ranked the Philippines
eighth in its yearly "Best in Travel - Countries" noting that the
country's placement is long overdue.
Lonely Planet praised the country's coral reefs,
coastlines, and also noted the Philippines' love of street parades, food
festivals, and live musical events, which gave the country a "cabaret
atmosphere" almost every night.
Other countries in the Lonely Planet's "Best
in Travel" list include Singapore, Namibia, Lithuania, Nicaragua, Ireland,
Republic of Congo, Serbia, St. Lucia and Morocco. PND (as)
Government has enough measures to fend off Ebola
virus, says official
Philippine health authorities have strengthened
the mechanism to fight Ebola virus especially with the expected influx of
Filipinos returning to the country for the Christmas season.
It was reported that a health worker in New York
tested positive for Ebola virus after working in Africa. New York has a large
concentration of Filipinos.
"Pinapalakas pa ng ating pamahalaan ang
paglatag ng epektibo at matatag na depensa laban sa Ebola virus,"
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said
regarding the government response on Ebola virus.
"Palagiang binabanggit ng Pangulo na sa dami
ng Pilipinong nasa labas ng bansa, ay inaasahan nating marami rin sa kanila ang
uuwi sa panahon ng Kapaskuhan, kinakailangang palakasin natin at paigihin pa
ang mga sistema para tiyakin na tayo ay hindi maaapektuhan o hindi lalaganap
ang deadly virus na ito sa ating bansa," he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday.
He added that all concerned government agencies
are doing the necessary preparations and precautions to prevent Ebola from
affecting Filipinos.
For instance, the President instructed government
agencies to prepare for the possible repatriation of Filipino peacekeepers from
Africa, the hotbed of Ebola infections.
The Philippines has a contingent of peacekeepers
in Liberia, one of the African countries with highest number of infections.
And for Filipinos coming from other destinations
who could be possible carriers of Ebola, they will go through strict screening
and quarantine, Coloma said.
"Kung mayroon pong matutunton na mayroong
sintomas ng Ebola, ang tawag po dito ay flu-like symptoms, agad po silang dapat
na i-isolate at ilagay sa proper facilities na kung saan ay agad na matutunton
‘yung kanilang kondisyon at maihihiwalay po sila para mailayo po sa panganib
ang karamihan sa ating mamamayan," he explained.
If there are individuals who will be tested
positive, like the country's experience on MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome) coronavirus, the government will carry out extensive contact tracing,
he added.
"Kaya sa lahat po ng aspeto, pinalalakas
natin, pinatatatag natin ang kahandaan ng ating bansa simula doon sa
pinanggagalingan mismo ng Ebola na ang pinaka-hotbed nga ay ‘yung West Africa,
at inihahanda na ang mga nararapat na hakbang," Coloma said. PND (as)
President Aquino to inspect bus terminals, airport
next week prior to All Saints' Day
All concerned government agencies are already
doing the necessary preparations for the influx of people going to the
provinces for All Saints’ Day, a Palace official said.
"Siyempre po ay pinaghahanda ang lahat ng mga
ahensya na may tuwirang partisipasyon sa pagtulong sa ating mga mamamayan na
magkaroon ng ligtas at kombinyenteng pagbiyahe," Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said about the
government preparations.
Coloma said that the President will visit bus
terminals, airports and seaports like what he customarily does before the All
Saints' Day celebration.
He added that he expects that the management of
airports, bus terminals and seaports are also doing the preparations for the
expected exodus of people before All Saints' Day.
"‘Yun namang mga kompanya ng transportasyon
ay iginagayak na rin ang kanilang mga sasakyan, tinitiyak na ang mga ito ay
magiging handa para sa inaasahan nating pagkilos at paglakbay ng maraming
Pilipino," he said during an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday.
"Sa karanasan natin, ito ang panahon ng taon
na pinakamaraming Pilipino ang umuuwi sa kanilang mga hometown at
pinaparangalan ang kanilang mahal sa buhay na pumanaw."
Coloma also said that the Department of Labor and
Employment already declared November 1, All Saints’ Day, a special non-working
day in the country.
The labor department also issued a guideline on
the grant of holiday pays to employees, Coloma added. PND (as)
