Malacanang welcomes US' support in pushing West
Philippine Sea claim
The Palace welcomed the support from the US after
an American navy official said the US military is ready to respond to threats
by China in the Asia Pacific region.
“Lahat naman po ng nag-aalay ng suporta ay malugod
nating tinatanggap at napatunayan na po sa mga nakaraang pagkakataon na ang
Estados Unidos ay isa sa mga kaibigang bansa ng Pilipinas na nagbibigay ng
kongkretong suporta at nakita po natin ito noong tayo ay dumaan doon sa mga
hamon ng Typhoon Haiyan o ‘Yolanda’ at ng iba pang mga naunang kalamidad,”
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said
in a radio interview Sunday.
Asked to comment whether the Philippine government
considers China’s building of structures in the West Philippine Sea a threat,
Coloma insisted that all claimants must observe the status quo until maritime
entitlements are resolved.
The country’s position is the crafting of a
binding Code of Conduct in West Philippine Sea to ease the tension in the
contested territory, Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Sa bahagi ng lahat ng mga bansang mayroong
maritime entitlement claims sa South China Sea o West Philippine Sea, ang
panawagan natin ay dapat na magkaroon muna ng malinaw at maipatutupad na Code
of Conduct,” he said.
China’s so-called reclamation activities that lead
to the constructions of permanent structures are contrary to the Philippines’s
basic principle, he added.
“Dahil hindi pa naman nareresolba ang mga maritime
entitlement claims, hindi dapat na nagkakaroon ng mga ganyang aktibidad, at
malinaw din po ang ating pahayag na ang posisyon ng Pilipinas ay para sa
mapayapa at diplomatikong pagturing sa mga usaping katulad ng inyong
nabanggit.”
Admiral Harry Harris of the US Pacific Fleet said
his country is prepared to respond to threats against the security and
stability of the Asia-Pacific region in the face of China’s undisputed land
reclamation in the West Philippine Sea.
He said the US will act on threats against its
national interests as well as its allies from a position of strength.
China claims most of the sea and its coral reefs,
rocks and sandbars competing with other claimants such as the Philippines,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Aside from pushing for an enforceable Code of
Conduct, the Philippines has filed an arbitration case in the international
tribunal. China opposed the move saying it will not participate in the
arbitration being spearheaded by the Philippines. PND (as)
Philippines backs United Nations iniative in
raising safety awareness against disasters
Malacanang said it supports a United Nations
initiative raising awareness on disasters to make vulnerable communities much
safer.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction head, Margareta Wahlström, have
urged disaster-prone countries like the Philippines to make "disaster risk
reduction" a household word.
In a radio interview on Sunday, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said such an
initiative is already being done by the Aquino administration.
Disaster risk reduction has been the priority of
the Aquino government and has incorporated it in the pillars of its Philippine
Development Plan.
“Kaya nga po hanggang sa pinakamataas na antas ng
pamamahala, mayroon po tayong climate change Cabinet cluster na binubuklod
lahat ng mga ahensya na mayroong responsibilidad para harapin ‘yung mga hamon
ng climate change mitigation and adaptation,” Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Among the government agencies involved in the
initiative include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the
Climate Change Commission.
The President heads the Climate Change Commission
and is being supported by Secretary Lucille Sering, its vice chairperson.
“At sa loob po ng administrasyon ni Pangulong
Aquino ay nakapaglatag na po tayo ng pambansang istratehiya para harapin ang
mga hamon ng climate change adaptation at mitigation, at ito po ang
pinanggagalingan ng mga programa sa disaster risk reduction and management ng
ating bansa,” Coloma explained.
The government has also implemented the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, he said noting that the
Aquino government is the first administration to implement such law.
One of the law’s provisions is the conduct of
review of government initiatives after five years with a main objective of
creating a national organization and infrastructure for disaster risk
reduction, Coloma stressed.
The President heads the hierarchy of responders
from national to local levels to get everyone involved, according to Coloma.
The objective is to inculcate a culture of safety
to communities and make them more disaster-resilient during calamities, he
noted. PND (as)
'War crime' Designations for media killings must
be studied, says Palace
Designating media killing as war crime must be
studied thoroughly the Palace said on Sunday underscoring it has not changed
its resolve in protecting journalists.
“Sa pagiging ‘war crime' ng media killing...ay
kailangan po sigurong isailalim pa ito sa masusing pag-aaral,” Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio
interview.
“Hindi naman po ito makukuha lamang sa isang
pagturing lang, dapat po siguro ay mas malalim na pagturing,” he said over dzRB
Radyo ng Bayan.
Coloma reiterated that the Aquino government
adheres to the principle of recognizing press freedom and will do everything to
ensure the safety of journalists in doing their jobs.
The Palace official condemns all attacks against
media practitioners acknowledging the importance of the life of every
individual.
“Mahalaga po ang buhay ng bawat mamamahayag at
nais pong magbigay ng proteksyon ang ating pamahalaan sa paggamit ng kalayaan
ng pamamahayag,” he said.
And whenever an attack is committed against media
men, Coloma said the government will swiftly respond to it to ensure that
perpetrators are brought to justice.
The National Press Club of the Philippines said it
welcomes the proposal of Associated Press president Gary Pruitt to classify the
killing of journalists and media workers as "a war crime." PND (as)
President Aquino calls on people to be one in
building a peaceful country
President Benigno S. Aquino III joined the
celebration of Easter on Sunday, calling on the people to be one in building a
country that is peaceful, full of opportunities, free from corruption, and
devoted to God.
In his Easter message, President Aquino reminded
that strong faith and choosing to do what is right help people in their daily
struggles in life.
“Katulad ito ng pinagdaanan ng ating bayan: Sa
mahabang panahon, nagpasasa ang iilan sa butas-butas na sistema, walang tiwala
ang mamamayan sa kanilang pamahalaan, at mababa ang pagtingin ng mundo sa ating
bansa. Subalit hindi nagpatalo ang sambayanan. Pinagsama-sama nila ang kanilang
tinig, at nagpasyang tahakin ang tuwid na landas,” the President said.
He attributed the resurgence in the economy, which
has led to the country’s transformation from being the Sick Man of Asia to
Asia’s Rising Tiger, to the people’s trust and support.
“Narating natin ang lahat ng ito dahil sa inyong
suporta at pagtitiwala. At habang nananatili kayong tagapagbigay ng lakas,
maaabot natin ang mas matatayog pang pangarap,” he said.
He however warned that there are those who would
seek to discredit the administration, despite its numerous successes.
"Asahan na rin ninyo: Habang papalapit ang
eleksiyon ay dodoble kayod ang mga gustong maghasik ng pagdududa at sirain ang
tiwala natin sa isa't isa," he said.
The President further noted that the country is at
the crossroads regarding the talks to bring lasting peace in Mindanao.
“Magpapadala ba tayo sa galit at takot, o pipiliin
nating tapusin ang siklo ng kahirapan at karahasan sa Mindanao?” he asked.
He said that so long as the people continue to
trust the government and shun corruption, they could make the country’s
transformation permanent.
“Sa pagbubunyi natin sa pagbabalik ni Kristo, at
sa pag-alala natin sa mga nakamit nating tagumpay, magkakaroon tayo ng lakas na
ituloy ang ating laban. Sama-sama nating pandayin ang isang Pilipinas na mas
mapayapa at hitik sa oportunidad, tunay na malaya sa katiwalian, at higit na
malapit sa ating Panginoon,” President Aquino said. PND (cl)
