Japan External Trade Organization executives call
on President Aquino
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed several
officials of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) during a courtesy
call at Malacañang’s Music Room on Thursday.
JETRO is an independent government agency
established to promote trade and investment between Japan and other countries.
The President received JETRO Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Hiroyuki Ishige, JETRO Senior Coordinator Seiya Sukegawa,
Executive Director Tomohiro Ando, and Tetsuro Amano, Minister and Deputy Chief
of Mission of the Japanese Embassy.
On the Philippine side, present were Department of
Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado, and the Department of Foreign Affairs’
Assistant Secretary Hellen Barber dela Vega, and Special Assistant Marcos
Punsalang.
Last year, JETRO lauded the Philippines for
outpacing its Southeast Asian neighbors in attracting Japanese investments,
citing robust economic development.
The agency projected that the interest of Japanese
companies to invest in the country will remain at a “high level” in the coming
years.
Established in Osaka in 1951, JETRO assists
foreign companies in investing and expanding businesses in Japan.
The agency provides a wide range of services, such
as business development support, effective marketing strategy, and relevant
business events that would attract new business to invest in Japan.
It also provides information on laws and
regulations regarding new business operations to help companies expand their
businesses. PND (jb)
Malacañang reiterates Disbursement Acceleration
Program helped boost economy
The Palace on Thursday maintained that the
government’s implementation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) has
helped spur the economy.
"Makailang pagkakataon ng ipinahayag mismo ng
ating Pangulo ang kanyang paninindigan na nakabuti ang Disbursement
Acceleration Program sa pagtamo ng layunin na pabilisin ang pag-unlad ng ating
bansa habang ito ay ipinapatupad," Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during a press briefing.
Coloma was responding to a comment that according
to a Commission on Audit (COA) report, the administration’s controversial
economic stimulus program was ineffective because the funds allotted for
government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCC) were not used properly.
In its 2013 Annual Financial Report, the COA
ordered four GOCCs to return more than P2.4 billion in unused DAP funds to the
national coffers.
The Supreme Court has struck down portions of the
savings-impounding measure as unconstitutional.
On the money that has to be returned by GOCCs to
the national treasury, Coloma said that based on existing regulations, these
entities are given enough time to explain the audit findings and observations.
Asked to cite DAP programs that have helped the
economy grow, Coloma quoted the President as saying that even the World Bank
had acknowledged the benefits of DAP to the national economy.
He noted that the administration realized in 2011
that there were hindrances in carrying important government programs.
“Kaya nagkaroon ng resolusyon na hindi papayagan
na ang mga balakid na ito ay makahadlang sa paglago ng ating inaasam,” he said,
adding that this is why the DAP was formulated. PND (as)
President Aquino receives officials of GMR Group
of Companies of India
President Benigno S. Aquino III met with
executives of the GMR Group of Companies, a firm based in India, during a
courtesy call at Malacañang’s Music Room on Thursday.
The GMR Group is a global infrastructure company
that specializes in projects related to airports, energy, highways, and urban
infrastructure.
Through public-private partnership (PPP), the
Bangalore-based company has been able to secure several projects in the
Philippines in partnership with building contractor Megawide Construction
Corporation.
The President received GMR Chairman G.M. Rao; GMR
business chairman Srinivas Bommidala; chairman and CEO of Megawide Construction
Michael Consiquien; president of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation Louie
Ferrer; and Meena Raghunathan of the GMR Foundation.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph
Abaya joined the President during the meeting.
Also present were Transportation Undersecretary
Jim Feliciano, Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado, PPP Deputy Executive Director
Sherry Ann Austria, and Foreign Affairs Special Assistant Marcos Punsalang.
GMR-Megawide won the P14.404 billion project for
the expansion and maintenance of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which
will start this month.
Part of the deal is the construction of a new
passenger terminal for international flights passengers starting January 2015.
The project is expected to be completed by January 2018. PND (jb)
National government ready to help Negros Occidental
town hit by tornado
The Palace said Thursday it will let the local
government respond to the devastation caused by a tornado in the town of
Isabela in Negros Occidental province.
The national government however is ready to extend
assistance through concerned national government agencies, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. told reporters
during a press briefing.
Agencies will work together to help the people
return to their daily routine after the devastation, he added.
"At nais nating mabigyan ng atensyon kung
meron mang nasaktan, sa kanilang pagpapagamot, at kung merong nasirang tahanan
ay maitayo muli ang kanilang mga tahanan. Ito ay sakop ng Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management activities," Coloma said.
It was reported that the tornado struck Isabela on
Wednesday afternoon, damaging some 100 houses, the town's public market, as
well as day care and health centers, and cutting off electricity in the town.
PND (as)
Government coordinating with MILF to neutralize
Abu Sayyaf, Palace says
Malacañang said Thursday the government is
coordinating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in neutralizing the
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
"Masinsin ang ginagawang pakikipag-ugnayan ng
pamahalaan sa MILF dahil sila ang partner ng pamahalaan sa pagtamo ng
katahimikan at kaayusan sa Bangsamoro,” Presidential Communications Operations
Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. told reporters during a press briefing at
the Palace.
“At hindi lang naman kondemnasyon ang inaasahan
nating ibibigay nilang suporta, lalung-lalo na ‘yung tinutukoy nating lugar ---
sentro ng operasyon ng mga bandidong elemento --- ay sakop ng Bangsamoro. Kaya
sa aking palagay ay given na ang pagtutulungan at nandoon na ‘yung aspeto na
tinutugis at sinasabat ng pamahalaan ang mga bandidong elemento,” he added.
Secretary Coloma further noted that the government
is also coordinating with the local governments and the people at large.
"Mahalaga ang suporta ng mga mamamayan, lalo
na’t kumikilos ang mga bandidong elemento sa paligid o doon sa palibot ng mga
komunidad ng mga residente. Kaya hinihimok ng pamahalaan ang kooperasyon ng mga
mamamayan," he said.
He said that according to Armed Forces Chief of
Staff General Gregorio Catapang, they have initiated civil military cooperative
activities to encourage the local people to join the peace efforts carried out
by the military and law enforcement agencies. PND (ag)
