President Aquino receives credentials of three new
envoys
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed three new
ambassadors to the Philippines in a simple ceremony at the Music Room of
Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.
President Aquino first received the credentials of
Luis Lillo as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Chile. Lillo was accompanied by his wife Toni Patchett, daughter Maria Jesus
Lillo, Second Secretary and Consul Fernanda Villa, and Honorary Consul Juan
Rocha.
Next to present his credentials was Ephraim Ben
Matiyau as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel.
He was joined by his wife Lizia Zenaida Lu, Deputy Chief of Mission Adam
Michael Levene, Consul Menashe Doron Abudi, and Chief of Security Roy Artzi.
The last ambassador to submit his letter of
credentials was Jan Top Kristensen as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark. Kristensen was accompanied by his
wife Thien Kieu Thi Phung, and Attaché Pia Heide Salman.
Joining the President in welcoming the new
ambassadors was Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario.
President Aquino welcomed the three envoys to the
country. In return, the three ambassadors assured the President of their
respective countries’ commitment to further enhance bilateral relations with
the Philippines.
The President had a brief closed-door meeting with
all three envoys. PND (jb)
Palace satisfied with result of survey on people's
support for President Aquino
The Palace on Tuesday welcomed the result of the
recent Pulse Asia survey, which shows that most Filipinos continue to
appreciate the performance of President Benigno S. Aquino III.
"We are gratified that, as noted by Pulse
Asia and I quote: 'Most Filipinos remain appreciative of the President’s
performance,' and that he continues to enjoy majority performance approval and
trust ratings, as he has done so for the past 17 quarterly surveys,"
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations
Office said in a statement.
"This indication of broad support serves to
spur the administration to greater efforts towards fulfilling its reform agenda
and the President’s social contract with the Filipino people," Coloma
added.
He said the President will continue to pay close
attention to public opinion surveys to improve the quality of services extended
by the government to the people.
Coloma noted that the President continues to focus
on carrying out significant programs for the people, with the end in view of
making current reforms permanent.
Based on Pulse Asia's September 2014 Ulat ng Bayan
Survey, President Aquino got a 55 percent approval rating and a 14 percent
disapproval rating. Some 31 percent of the respondents were undecided.
The survey put the President’s approval and trust
ratings in the Visayas at 65 percent and 61 percent, respectively; in Mindanao
at 68 percent and 65 percent, respectively; among members of Class D at 54
percent and 52 percent respectively; and among members of Class E, both at 61
percent.
The President also enjoys support from the people
of Metro Manila and Luzon.
According to the survey, appreciation and trust
are the plurality sentiments toward the Chief Executive in Metro Manila (48
percent and 47 percent, respectively); the rest of Luzon (46 percent and 48
percent, respectively); and among members of Class ABC, (48 percent and 49
percent, respectively). PND (as)
Improvements being made on NAIA: Palace
The government continues to improve the facilities
and services of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), a Malacañang
official said on Tuesday.
"Patuloy naman ‘yung pagsasagawa ng mga major
physical improvements sa NAIA Terminal 1 at isa ngang mahalagang hakbang na
isinulong ng ating pamahalaan ay ang full operationalization ng Terminal
3," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr. told reporters during a press briefing at the Palace.
The website Wall St. Cheat Sheet has listed NAIA
as one of the 10 Worst Airports in the World, citing that "travelers
complained about the airport’s rundown facilities, impolite staff and
officials, and long wait times."
Secretary Coloma said the government has
transferred five major international carriers from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 to
ease the congestion at the airport.
"Because to the extent na na-ease natin ‘yung
congestion ng mga tao sa Terminal 1 ay nagkakaroon ngayon ng puwang na mas
ma-implement ‘yung mga physical improvement programs dito," he added.
Wall St. Cheat Sheet however noted that the
Philippine government is “planning to build a new one, which it hopes to have
up and running in five years."
The three other worst airports are from the United
States: New York’s LaGuardia Airport; Los Angeles International; and the Bill
and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas.
Also included in the list are the Charles De Gaulle
in Paris; Italy’s Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport; Zurich International in
Switzerland; Chad’s N’Djamena International Airport; Russia’s Moscow
Sheremetyevo Airport; and, India’s Calcutta Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
International Airport.
Wall St. Cheat Sheet described itself as a
provider of “succinct, value-added analyses for busy news consumers in a mobile
world." PND (ag)
