Malacanang welcomes BOI-approved investment
pledges in first quarter of 2015
The Palace welcomes a Board of Investments (BOI)
report saying the country had double-digit growth in the first quarter for
investment pledges supported by registrations on big-ticket projects in the
energy sector.
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the country's investment pledges in the first quarter of the year was up
by 17 percent to P54.62-billion from P46.7 billion last year.
There's a total of 59 projects approved in the
first quarter, according to Valte and with these pledges, the administration
could generate more jobs.
"These 59 projects are expected to generate
18,174 jobs for our countrymen. So, again, very good news from the BOI and the
Department of Trade and Industry," she told dzRB Radyo Ng Bayan on
Saturday.
The DTI attributed the higher figures in the first
quarter to the approval of big-ticket projects listed under the electricity,
gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector.
The sector generated P13.76 billion in approved
investments, up 30 percent from last year’s comparable figure of P10.55
billion, the DTI said.
But it was the manufacturing sector that posted
the biggest growth as investments shoot up by a tremendous 517 percent from
P2.1 billion to P12.9 billion.
In the transportation and storage sector, approved
investments grew by 134 percent from P4.47 billion to P10.48 billion, and in
the information and communication sector, investments posted a remarkable
increase of 841 percent from P496.7 million to P4.67 billion.
The agriculture, forestry, and fishing also posted
some growth from last year having P198 million this year. The education sector
on the other hand now has P1.4 billion worth of projects. PND (as)
Government programs must first take root to
reflect on Social Progress Index
The government could use key markers in the 2015
Social Progress Index result to improve its programs that in the end will help
uplift the lives of the people, a Palace official said on Saturday.
The Philippines was ranked fifth in terms of
social progress in East Asia and Pacific region in a report by Social Progress
Imperative, a think tank based in the United States.
According to the 2015 Social Progress Index
results of the Washington D.C.-based Social Progress Imperative, the
Philippines beats Indonesia, China, Cambodia, and Laos.
Although the Philippines faired well regionally,
the country is ranked 64th among 133 countries, which the think tank labeled as
"medium low." The Philippines dropped from 56th spot in 2014 to 64th
this year.
In a radio interview on Saturday over dzRB Radyo
ng Bayan, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said government
programs must be allowed to reach the people to have an impact. Valte was asked
by reporters how the government could improve its ranking.
“Siguro bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang mga
programa natin to take root, and to actually keep helping,” she said.
The good things about the index is that it
identifies markers like “depth of food deficit,” “maternal mortality cycle,”
and “child mortality rate,” she noted.
With these markers, the government can focus on
those areas to see how its programs can help push the rankings up in terms of
these indicators, she added.
Valte also brushed off the country’s low ranking
saying the organization itself says that these results need not be compared to
2014 and 2013 because the Social Progress Imperative is refining its data and
information.
“A country’s progress on the 2015 report should
not be compared to its progress in 2014 and in 2013 for the simple fact that
the metrics are not the same,” Valte noted.
The 2015 Social Progress Index defines social
progress as "the capacity of a society to meet the basic human needs of
its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities
to enhance and sustain the quality of their lives, and create the conditions
for all individuals to reach their full potential." PND (as)
Assessment report on Mindanao may be helpful in
ensuring peace in the region
A report by a refutable organization could aid
Philippine policymakers in forging an enduring peace in Mindanao, a Palace
official said on Saturday.
In a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said a report by
International Alert UK Philippines, a partner in Mindanao peace advocacy, could
provide important inputs as lawmakers tackle proposals related to Mindanao.
International Alert is a member of the
International Contact Group and its works on conflict monitoring are partly funded
by the World Bank.
Valte said that although the group's report was
submitted in August 2014, prior to the submission of the Bangsamoro Basic Law
to Congress, it has important highlights worthy of consideration.
"One notable part of the report is that it
has very interesting data on the conflict in areas of Mindanao, in such that it
identifies new causes of violence, at hindi lang ‘yung sinasabing mga dating
ugat ng conflict sa Mindanao," Valte said.
International Alert's data can be very useful to
policymakers in discussing the peace process in Mindanao and help them craft
laws and other policies important in peace initiatives, Valte said.
The report also recognized the importance of the
ongoing peace process in Mindanao. "Without a doubt, ending the GPH-MILF
conflict as a major source of rebellion-related violence retires a significant
source of political violence with huge costs in terms of death, injury and
displacement, and will impact positively on the prospects of peace and
stability across the Bangsamoro," Valte said quoting the report.
Sen. Francis Escudero said the government has to
contend with other armed groups following a peace pact with the MILF to ensure
peace in Mindanao.
Discussions on the BBL by the lawmakers were
disrupted by the issue on the bloody Mamasapano encounter last January that
killed 44 police commandos and 17 MILF combatants.
There were doubts that the deadly incident may
derail the deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is already behind
its original timetable. PND (as)
