Thursday 30 October 2014

PIA News Dispatch - Saturday, October 25, 2014

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)