BARANGAY NABUCLOD, Floridablanca, Pampanga – Six hundred one Aeta families in this remote village in Pampanga now have a land to call their own after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday awarded to them Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles at the Sitio Centro
The President distributed CADTs to 454 Aeta families in Floridablanca, Pampanga and 147 Aeta families in Hermosa, Bataan covering a total of 11,800 hectares.
The CADT for Floridablanca, which covers an area of 7,440 hectares, will benefit 454 families or 1,423 individuals, while the CADT for Sitio Pastolan, Tipo, Hermosa, Bataan that covers an area of 4,356 hectares will benefit 147 families or about 759 individuals.
Receiving the CADTs for Bgy. Nabuclod were Aeta leaders Parham Santos, Roger Apang and Romeo Bacani while the CADTs for Hermosa, Bataan were received by Bonifacio Florentino.
Santos , Apang, Bacani and Florentino were unanimous in expressing their thanks to the President for awarding the CADTs to the Aeta people, saying the lives and livelihood of the next generation of Aetas are now secure.
The President had directed the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) to undertake the delineation and titling of the ancestral domain nationwide and the provision of socio-economic programs to uplift the living standards of the indigenous peoples in the country, including the Aetas who were displaced by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.
As a result of the volcanic eruption, the Aetas in Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales were forced to abandon their ancestral lands, while others resorted to begging to survive.
But with support of government programs such as the food for work, funding assistance for livelihood projects and marketing assistance for their agricultural produce, the number of mendicant-Aeta families in Metro Manila went from 369 in 2001 to zero in 2004.
PGMA fulfills IP’s long cherished dream
MABALACAT, Pampanga -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) to some 798 Aeta and Dumagat families involving 3,526 individuals during her visit here.
The Aetas and Dumagats are among the country’s indigenous people (IPs).
The President awarded the CADTs covering 5,648 hectares to the Dumagats of Dibut, Aurora Province , and 10,323 hectares to Aetas of Bamban, Tarlac, and Mabalacat, Pampanga.
“Now you can start developing your land. No one will disrupt you now. If anyone wants to invest in your land, then they have to pay rental,” the President said in the Pampango dialect.
“It’s a dream come true. We waited for four Presidents to award us the CADTs but only you Madam President made that come true,” Anita Manalad, an IP widow told the President.
National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Commissioner Felecito Mansagnay said all the CADTs awarded by the President today are “all clean titles.”
“It’s a must, an instruction from the President,” he explained.
The awarding of CADTs, a symbol of land security for the IPs, is a commitment of the President even when she was still a senator when she co-authored the Ancestral Domain Bill.
The Senate Bill led to the enactment of R.A. No. 8371, otherwise known as the “Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.”
The law addressed the aspirations of the IPs and the Indigenous Cultural Communities through the recognition, protection and promotion of the Rights to Ancestral Domains and Lands, Self-governance and Empowerment, Social Justice, Human Rights and Cultural Integrity.
When she became President, Mrs. Arroyo signed Executive Order 1, series of 2001 which institutionalized her meaningful legacy for the indigenous people.
The ancestral domain in Bamban and Mabalacat is within the Clark Freeport Zone.
For more than a decade, there was a conflict between the Aetas and the Clark Development Authority, making the land unproductive.
The Aetas started their struggle when former President Ferdinand Marcos established the Sacobia Development Authority in their area without consulting them. They continued their advocacy when their land was transferred to the CDC.
The NCIP said several mechanisms were instituted to settle the controversy, but all in vain until President Arroyo ordered Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman to settle the issue.
A Joint Memorandum of Agreement was signed on December 6.2007 between the CDC and the Aetas.
The document provides for the respect of the ancestral domain rights of IPs and the mandate of the CDC, with sharing of benefits at 80-20 in favor of CDC and priority employment to IPs for locators within their ancestral domain.
Capital, consumer goods buoy up month-on-month import growth
In a report to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, National Economic and Development Authority Director-General Ralph Recto said that compared to the previous month, the value of inward shipments of capital goods and consumer goods increased significantly by 20.7 percent and 18.6 percent, respectively.
Import payments of capital goods were buoyed by land transport equipment (56.5 percent), telecommunication equipment and electrical machineries (38.2 percent), office and electronic data processing (EDP) machines (21.9 percent), and power generating and specialized machines (3.9 percent).
Meanwhile, the increase in imports of telecommunication equipment and electrical machinery from the previous month, coupled with the decline in materials/accessori es for the manufacture of electronic equipment made the former the country's top import commodity.
The month-on-month increase in consumer goods was broadly supported by both durable and non-durable goods which improved by 7.2 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively, while imports of miscellaneous durable manufactures (70.7 percent), fish and fish preparation (77.9 percent), beverages and tobacco (49.7 percent), other food and live animals (33.3 percent), rice (32.7 percent), and articles of apparel and accessories (28.2 percent) posted remarkable month-on-month growth rates.
In a memorandum to President Arroyo, Recto, however, added that “despite the positive performance in March, the negative effects of the global financial crisis continued to wear down the local appetite for foreign goods” as the country’s merchandise imports fell by 36.2 percent year-on-year.
“But the country’s imports statistics compared reasonably well with that of our Asian neighbors. Japan ’s imports for March year-on-year dropped by 36.6 percent while imports in Korea and Thailand fell by 36 percent and 29.7 percent, respectively,” Recto said.
Cumulatively, payments for imported goods reached only $9.6 billion in the first quarter of 2009, a 34.3-percent decline from the same period last year.
The trade deficit, on the other hand, reached $1.7 billion for the first three months of the year, about $394 million less than what was accounted for in the same period last year.
On the downside, major commodity groups continued to post negative growth rates for at least five straight months led by the double-digit declines in capital goods (-34.9 percent), raw materials and intermediate goods (-29.9 percent), and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (-60.1 percent).
Raw materials and intermediate goods and mineral fuels and lubricants continued to contract, registering 0.3 percent and 3.5 percent decline vis-à-vis February 2009.
The United States remains the biggest source of imports in March this year with a 12.2-percent share, followed by Japan with 11.5-percent share. Other major sources of imports were People’s Republic of China (9.1 percent), Singapore (8.0 percent) and Taiwan (7.4 percent).
RP’s gains despite global recession
The Philippines has continued to reap in more gains though the world economy has come into a recession.
Job generations in the country’s growing business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism industries have provided Filipinos more employment opportunities. Record shows that the number of employees in the BPO industry has ballooned to 400,000 workers in February 2009 from 101,000 in 2004, while 1.22 new jobs are continuously being created with every additional tourist arrival in the country as shown in a study conducted by McKinsey & Co. for the department of tourism (DOT). The influx of tourists has soared to more than 6 million in the central Philippines alone since 2004.
Backing these opportunities in employment are the efforts of the Arroyo government that help fuel the nation’s economic momentum and weather the ill-effects of the global financial crunch.
With President Arroyo’s support to wider access to communications and information services through broadband services in cities and growth areas, the BPO industry has boomed from almost nothing in 2001 with only about 4,000 workers.
For the tourism industry, the national government has already developed 13 airports, seven roads and 19 Roll-On, Roll-Off (RoRo) ports in the central Philippines to boost its tourism potential destinations. To further develop the Philippine tourism, President Arroyo has signed into law the Tourism Act of 2009 or RA 9593 on May 12, 2009, declaring tourism as an engine of investment, employment, growth, and national government.
With these gains in the BPO and tourism industries, alongside the increase in investments in infrastructure, the putting up of small-and-medium enterprises, and the implementation of necessary economic measures by the Arroyo administration, the Philippine economy has remained resilient and robust amid the challenges brought about by the plunging of world markets.
In fact, Filipinos are feeling these gains, attesting them to be real benefits and not just mere statistics.
In a statement, Ms. Mic Cruz, Convergys’ cyber agent, has thanked President Arroyo for her support to the BPO industry. On one hand, Ms. Yolanda Marasigan, Viewsite Restaurant Tagaytay owner, says “kinakailangan naming mag-expand ng isa pang branch ng Viewsite para ma-accommodate ang mga turista sa Tagaytay”.
With the stable peso, lower inflation rate, more investments, improving export sector, strong OFW remittances, analysts are crediting President Arroyo saying, “the tough but highly criticized economic measures that the administration had adopted are probably the reasons why this country is able to weather the global financial crisis much better than many of its neighbors.” So said Babe Romualdez of the Philippine Star.
For his part, Prof. Emilio Antonio of the University of Asia and the Pacific remarked that “Mrs. Arroyo should be credited for the Philippines’ improved income and spending balance and manageable inflation rate. The reforms attributable to the Arroyo administration are probably the roots of the economy’s strong points.”
DOH: nothing to worry about the four new cases of A/H1N1
The Department of Health is doubling its efforts to trace down persons who may have been in contact with Influenza A/(H1N1)confirmed cases.
On Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque announced that DOH confirmed four new A/H1N1 cases raising the confirmed numbers to six.
The new cases are two females, aged 1 year old and 26 years old, and 2 males, aged 13 years old and 55 years old.
The 13 year old boy has fully recovered while the rest are still coughing.
The infected children had history of traveling to Hongkong and the United States which are known affected countries while the adults made contacts with the mother and daughter who tested positive upon their return to Taiwan.
DOH is expecting more confirmed cases in the coming weeks due to its intensive contact tracing and heightened awareness among the public.
Since there is continuous international travel and the number of affected countries continues to increase, the DOH has in place the pandemic preparedness and response plan and expanded its referral hospitals to all DOH Regional Hospitals and Medical Centers.
Duque urged anyone who have traveled to an affected country or have been exposed to a confirmed case of Influenza A(H1N1) and have fever, cough, sore throat or other flu-like symptoms, to consult a health facility immediately.
The DOH Hotline is (02) 711-1001 or 711-1002. People in the Visayas may use the DOH Hotline (032) 418-7636 and (032) 255-1591 while those in Mindanao may use the DOH Hotline (082) 227-2731.
OSG: audit of oil firms by government agencies is ultra vires
Government agencies tasked by a Manila Trial Court to examine the books of giant oil firms would violate law and exceed their mandates, the Office of the Solicitor General said Wednesday.
Citing provisions in the 1987 Constitution, the Administrative code and other relevant laws, Solicitor General Agnes Devenadera explained that “the examination or audit of the books of oil firms is beyond the authorities conferred to the Commission on Audit (COA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) and to demand compliance would be deemed ultra vires (improper) and unjust.”
OSG initially made its opposition known in a motion for reconsideration it filed this month at same court.
Last April, Manila RTC Branch 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. ordered COA, BIR and BOC to form a panel that will look into the books of Pilipinas Shell, Chevron and Petron which were accused of price manipulation, cartelization and other violations in the Oil Deregulation Law.
The companies denied all allegations.
Pampilo’s order covers the “opening and examination of the cash receipts, cash disbursement books, purchase orders on the petroleum products, delivery receipts, sales invoices and other related documents on the purchases of the petroleum products” from January 2003 to December 2003.
In the case of COA, Devenadera said its mandate is limited to the auditing of the government or any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations in accordance with Section 2 (1) of Article IX (D) of the 1987 Constitution.
The examination in the court order, Devenadera said, is not in any way connected with the assessment and collection of taxes, fees and charges due to the government neither to the enforcement of all forfeitures, penalties, and fines, such examination is beyond the limits of the BIR’s mandate.
As for the BoC, an examination of the books of the oil companies, as importers, are provided and outlined in the Tariff and Customs Code, as amended by the Republic Act 9135.
If the court would compel the COA, BIR, and BoC to pursue the audit, Devenadera said that such action make the results of the audit legally non-binding.
Atienza to lead nat’l Flag Day in Cavite
DENR Sec. Joselito Atienza will lead this year’s national Flag Day celebration at the Imus Heritage Park , Cavite as chairman of the Flag Advocacy Committee Chairman. Last year, President Arroyo designated Sec. Atienza as Flag czar. The Flag Day nationwide celebration this May 28 is in commemoration of Battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite in consonance with RA 8491 the Flag and Philippine Heraldic Code.
Earlier last May 25, 2009, Sec. Atienza also led the kick off rites at the QC Quadrangle and was assisted in the Flag Raising Ceremony by QC Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, NHI Exec. Director Ludovico Badoy, DOLE Usec. Arthur Sodusta, Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, Cong. Nanette Castelo Daza, Cong. Mary Anne Susano, Dep. Commissioner Emilio Gonzales III, other Q.C. national officials and about 6,000 government employees.
According to Sec. Atienza, the “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” flag theme puts stress on “pagbibigay respeto at pagmamahal sa ating bansa.” “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” the Flag Advocacy message is a good reminder for all in the midst of materialism and new technologies, now more than ever we need to enhance good citizenship practices by putting up our flags at home, giving value to the beauty of our natural resources, showing care for a clean and green environment and other practices, Atienza elaborated. “This year’s theme echoes President Arroyo’s resolve to foster unity among Filipinos under a national symbol telling of an extraordinary country blessed by God,” Atienza said.
Meanwhile, this year’s June 12 national chairman DOLE Sec. Marianito Roque said the launching activity and today’s National Flag Day coincides with the Battle of Alapan and starts the 111th Independence Day celebration set for June 12, 13 and 14, 2009. This year’s activities will be geared towards jobs generation, provision of training and livelihood opportunities here and abroad to cope with the global crisis apart from the historical and cultural events. This is in keeping with this year’s theme “Kagitingan, Kagalingan at Kasipagan, Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan” per AO 259 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo organizing the NOC for this year’s June 12 celebration.
Further, Sec. Roque said, respect and pride in the Philippine Flag are the core messages of Flag Day activities where under all NGAs, LGUs, schools, universities, embassies/consular offices abroad including private establishments are encouraged to display the Philippine Flag in appropriate ceremonies.
In the recent NOC meeting, Sec. Roque reported that memorandum circulars have been issued by the DepEd to pursue its continuous campaign to educate the public esp. in elementary schools, high schools both private and public to educate them on the proper use and display of the Philippine National Flag. Further, the DILG has issued a directive to LGUs of government, mayors, punong barangays to display the flag, streamers in all government buildings, schools, universities, hospitals, public restaurants, hotels, malls and banks, including the ringing of church bells, fog horns to signal the flag raising. Also, the PIA as member of the Flag Advocacy Committee has urged government media networks and its bureaus to provide the necessary media support to increase public awareness of good citizenship and respect for our flag and the coming June 12 events.
On the other hand, NHI Executive Director Ludovico Badoy, chair of the Technical Working Group said that after the launch, the commemoration of the Battle of Alapan event shall be re-enacted as the main event of the Wagayway Festival today in Imus, Cavite led by Gov. Erineo Maliksi, Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi, Secretary Atienza as Guest of Honor, NOC member-agencies and LGUs.
National Flag Day
Republic Act No. 8491 prescribed the period from May 28 to June 12 of every year as Flag Days. During this period, all offices, agencies and instrumentalities of government, business establishments, institutions of learning, and private homes are enjoined to display the Philippine national flag. Republic Act No. 8491 is a reminder to every Filipino that the Philippine national flag is the singular symbol of the country defining the unity of the various towns, provinces, regions, and ethno-linguistic and sectoral groups of the nation. It advocates national unity, love of country, and nationhood.
According to historical books, the Philippine national flag was a brainchild of President Emilio Aguinaldo. Our veneration of our national flag is many times more meaningful if we know the distinctive meanings embedded in each element in it.
The colors symbolize certain values: the red field means that Filipino valor is second to none. The white field means that Filipinos are capable of governing themselves. The sky blue field signifies the loftiness of the Filipino struggle for freedom.
The equilateral triangle represents the Katipunan ideals of Liberty, Equality, and the Brotherhood of Men.
The three stars represent the three major geographical subdivisions of the Philippine archipelago, namely Luzon , Visayas, and Mindanao . The points in each star represent all the islands that make up these major geographic subdivisions.
The eight rays of the sun represent the eight provinces declared by the colonial government to be in a state of war (an estado de Guerra) during the revolution.
Our national flag is further distinguished from all other national flags. When the red field is up and the blue field is below, it signifies that the country is at war.
Let us respect our national flag. It not only represents our national identity but is the flag that was colored by the blood of our forefathers and enshrined by their sacrifices.
