PIA Dispatch - Friday, July 10, 2009

PGMA lead healing Mass for former President Aquino

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday lead the whole nation in offering prayers for the immediate recovery of former President Corazon Aquino.

The former President was diagnosed with colon cancer in March last year.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez said it was the President who thought of a healing mass for President Cory.

Government officials that included Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya,Jr., and Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio joined the President in the healing mass officiated by Fr. Jimmy Giron, Fr. Pedro Galando, Fr. Mark Ulysseus Castor and Fr. Lorenzo Ruggiero at Malacanang’s Heroes Hall.

The mass was also attended by former President Aquino’s relatives led by Lupita Kashiwahara, Tingting Cojuangco and daughter Cheena,and Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

Mrs. Aquino’s spokesperson Deedee Sytangco, said the children of the former President could not attend the Malacanang mass as they are busy attending to the former President’s needs.

She said the Aquino family is very grateful for the holding of a healing mass in Malacanang.

Novena masses for President Aquino’s healing were held after she was brought to the Makati Medical Center about two weeks ago for loss of appetite and the build-up of fluid in her stomach.

Reports reaching Malacanang said that the former President is slowly recovering.


PGMA formally switches-on Abucay pumping station in Tondo

“You will no longer experience flooding in your homes,” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo proudly told residents of Barangay Abucay in Tondo, Manila today after she formally switched-on the P78-million Abucay pumping station.

The facility will act as a receptacle for floodwaters that pass through the 2.9-km Blumentritt Interceptor, a series of culverts that collects floodwaters coming from Quezon City.

It will complement the Quiapo pumping station so perennial flooding in Sampaloc, Manila, where several universities are located, would be lessened.

The President was assisted by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in switching-on the button signalling the full operation of the Abucay pumping station.

Hydraulics analysis show that floodwater from Banaue in Quezon City flows down to Dimasalang, spreading out to other parts of Sampaloc.

The MMDA said that with the Abucay pumping station fully operational, flooding along España, Dimasalang and the whole Sampaloc area will be lessened.

The new facility, adjacent to the Estero de Maypajo was the MMDA’s solution to the yearly flooding problem in the area of Sampaloc.

Conceptualized in October 2007, the Abucay pumping station was built at a cost of P78 million, part of which went to the purchase of a 630-hectare private lot on which the facility stands.

The pumping station has three axial-type pumps, each of which has a capacity of 2.0 cubic meters per second – faster than the old ones being operated by the MMDA.

Aside from España Boulevard, the pumping station will also service other main thoroughfares in Manila like Dapitan, Laong-Laan and Morayta and Recto Streets in the University Belt.


PGMA lauds DOJ for conviction of shabu “Tiangge” maintainers

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lauded the five female prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the conviction of Pasig City Shabu “Tiangge” operator Amin Imam Boratong and his wife Sheryl Molera Boratong.

“Congratulations to the DOJ and the prosecutors, dapat headline ito,” the President said in a cellphone conversation with Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera following the guilty verdict rendered by the Pasig Regional Trial Court on the Boratong couple.

Devanadera was commending at that time the five prosecutors, namely, Amor Robles, Marlette Balagtas, Anjanette Ortile, Eden Wakay-Valdez, and Elizabeth Berdal for their perseverance and determination in pursuing the case despite the threats on their lives.

Devanadera acknowledged the vital role of the media, the Philippine National Police AIDSOF, the National Bureau of Investigation and the community for their support and continued vigilance against illegal drugs.

Judge Abraham Borreta of the Pasig Regional Trial Court's Branch 154 found the Boratong couple guilty beyond reasonable doubt of jointly running the shabu “tiangge” in the Mapayapa Compound on F. Soriano Street, Pasig City. Each of them was sentenced to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment for violating Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act).

The Court also meted another life imprisonment to Sheryl Boratong for violation of Sec. 11 (possession of dangerous drugs). She was ordered to pay a fine of P1 -million while accused Imam Boratong was meted to pay a fine of P10-million. It also set a hearing on Aug. 20 relative to the confiscation/ forfeiture of the properties of the couple covered by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Meanwhile, Judge Borreta immediately ordered the turn-over of the illegal substance to the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for proper action and disposition and the transfer of the couple to the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City and to the Correctional Institute for Women.


Shell, Seaoil roll back petroleum prices by P1.50/ltr

MANILA, July 10 —Two oil companies will rollback the prices of their petroleum products tonight.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Seaoil Philippines said they would reduce the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene by P1.50 per liter.

Roberto Kanapi, spokesman for Shell said their roll back would take effect 12:01 am of Saturday while Rey Jimenez of Seaoil said the company's price cut would start at 10pm tonight.

The price cut, Kanapi said, “is to reflect the decline in international product prices.”

Dubai crude prices dropped by US$ 2 from US$ 69 per barrel in June to US$ 67 per barrel while diesel decline to US$ 74 per barrel this month from US$ 77 per barrel last June.

Unleaded gasoline were sold at P36 to P43.47 per liter; diesel between P27 to P31 per liter and kerosene between P36 to P40 per liter.

Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes earlier said he expected local pump prices to drop again this week.


PGMA allots P45M for A(H1N1), dengue diagnostic kits

MANILA, July 10 (PNA) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has allocated P45 million for the development of confirmatory diagnostic kits that will provide quicker identification of the A(H1N1) influenza and dengue virus, particularly with the possible increased prevalence of the two diseases this rainy season.

The President ordered the immediate development of the confirmatory diagnostic kits and granted P25 million for the A(H1N1) and P20 million for dengue during a meeting in Malacanang Wednesday with Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro.

Also present were U.P. president Emerlinda Roman and a group of scientists and policy makers.

At present, it was found out that commercially available tests allow only presumptive diagnosis of the A(H1N1) and delayed diagnosis for dengue.

While A(H1N1) started in mild to moderate virulence, the scientists recommended the designing of kits taking into account the genetic make-up of Filipino patients particularly if the disease mutates into a more severe form.

It has been shown that the A(H1N1) mutates very quickly so there is a need for continuous surveillance using the kits and genomic library to be developed by Filipino scientists.

On the other hand, dengue claims many lives every year peaking in January to February and from June to August.

With the present commercially available diagnostic test for dengue, patients have to wait for four to seven days before diagnosis is confirmed.

Filipino scientists were tasked to develop a diagnostic kit which will yield results within the first 72 hours from the emergence of symptoms.

The genomic research approved by the President for immediate implementation will require sequencing and genotyping of circulating pandemic strain in the country.

This will provide the genomic platform that will be the basis for designing the appropriate diagnostic tests for confirming the presence of the virus of a higher sensitivity and specificity.

Meanwhile, in a media briefing this afternoon in Malacanang, Duque said the World Health Organization (WHO) has now classified the A(H1N1) virus as “seasonal influenza,” and the DOH will follow the usual strategies for seasonal flu.

Duque said the usual seasonal flu cases for the public sector alone reach 400,000 a year. The H1N1 cases have reached 2,000 and Duque said this is even far from the usual seasonal influenza cases.

WHO guidelines have shifted from surveillance to the known standards for monitoring seasonal influenza, Duque said.


Duque, Abante dismiss conspiracy allegations
By: Bradley de Leon

Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Manila sixth district Congressman Bienvenido Abante on Friday dismissed all accusations of a “conspiracy” between Malacanang and the pharmaceutical companies over drug prices. The accusations were made by Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

According to Roxas, President Arroyo met behind closed doors with drug companies to circumvent the cheaper medicines law by delaying the signing of a maximum retail price (MRP) list. He said that they agreed to defer the imposition of ceilings on most commonly used drugs.

Both Duque and Abante dismissed off Roxas’ accusations.

“How could it be a conspiracy when the President even called in a security guard and two other ordinary employees to inquire if they could afford medicines at their present rate?” Abante asked.

The said meeting took place last July 8 after the President inspected the future site of the Dr. Eva Macaraeg Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health in the former Singian Hospital in San Miguel, Manila.

Abante also said “for the sake of truth and honesty, if Roxas truly believes there is conspiracy, then he must reveal the identity of the very reliable source he was referring to because I was a part of this meeting and I do not want to be a part of any conspiracy. I am a bishop of a very big evangelical denomination.”

Duque said the President gave the drug manufacturers 10 days or until July 18 to reduce by 50 percent or more the prices of their prescriptive medicines.

He denied that the DoH did not hold consultations with the drug companies in coming out with the draft EO on cheaper medicines.

“This is not true because when we were just drafting the EO we already held four consultations, which were attended by representatives from the member companies of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.

The meetings were called to reduce the prices of 21 specific drugs and medicines.”


Palace still hopeful on poll automation

Despite a petition filed in the Supreme Court asking to stop the poll automation deal, Malacanang remained optimistic that its vision of an “honest, peaceful, orderly and credible” elections next year will still be achieved.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the move of certain quarters to stop the Commission on Elections from signing the contract between SmartMatic and Total Information Management is part of a democratic process “so we trust that the Supreme Court will resolve this issue expeditiously and judiciously.”

“I have heard some people say it is obstructionism of the highest order and a publicity gimmick of some people, but everybody has a right to do that,” he said in a press briefing.

“We will continue to hope that we will be able to succeed in achieving our vision of a more honest, peaceful, orderly and credible elections in 2010 through poll automation,” he added.

The group of lawyer and administration critic Harry Roque filed for a temporary restraining order (TRO) before the Supreme Court Thursday, alleging that the joint venture between SmartMatic and TIM violated Republic Act 9369 otherwise known as the automated elections law.


Comelec, Smartmatic sign P7.2-B poll automation deal

MANILA, July 10 (PNA) - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and joint venture-firm Smartmatic Corp. Total Information Management (TIM) Corp. signed on Friday billion poll automation contract.

Comelec chairman Jose Melo led the signing of the 25-pages contract with TIM senior vice president Salvador Aque; Smartmatic International Corp. chief financial officer Armando Yanes; and Smartmatic TIM Corp. chairman Juan Villa Jr.

The contract signing was delayed by more than an hour, as it was signed by the parties at 4:45 pm, the contract signing was original scheduled at 2 pm.

Melo said that “minor editorial changes” on the contract delayed the signing of the contract.

“We can go on automating the elections of 2010,” Melo said after signing the contract.

Melo said the Comelec was confident that the Supreme Court would not issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) following a taxpayers’ suit filed by a group of lawyers from the University of the Philippines, led by Professor Harry Roque Thursday.

He said the Comelec would answer the petition properly if the High Court issued an order and required them to answer the petition filed by the Concerned Citizens Movement.

Namfrel chairman Henrietta de Villa, representatives from the Ombudsman and members of the Special Bids and Awards Committee also signed the contract as witnesses.

Poll Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Nicodemo Ferrer, Armando Velasco and Elias Yusof were also present during the signing.

Melo said the Comelec proceeded with the contract signing despite a pending petition for TRO.

He said that the poll automation could not be set aside like other government projects since it followed a timeline.

“Here we cannot do that because we have to meet some timeline…things have to be set at a particular time,” Melo said.

Cesar Flores, international project director of Smartmatic, said that the months ahead would be very busy for them as the signing of the contracts signals that they would start at full-speed with the project.

“We will be conducting meetings with the teams, familiarized each others on our responsibilities, start communicating and start understanding the project,” he said.

They are also set to meet with the members of the project management team of the Comelec.

Flores said the company would start manufacturing the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in September. The first batch of the machines is to be delivered in November.

More than 80,000 pcs. machines will be utilized in the first-ever automated machines in the country.

Comelec Law Department chief Ferdinand Rafanan said that the mode of payment for the P7.2 billion contract will be in 13 tranches, with the final payment of 15 percent, or P1.08 billion, after the May 2010 polls.


Palace urges calm, vigilance in wake of blasts

Malacanang urged the public today to remain calm but vigilant as police and military authorities continue to investigate the series of bombings in Mindanao.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde made the appeal while urging the people “not to yield the day to political harlots who wish to profit from the unsettled situation.”

Remonde said the move of big business establishments in Cotabato City to shut down operation is meant to protest the recent bombing in the city where six civilians, including a one-year old boy, had been killed.

He said Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema has informed him that the closure of the establishments is a gesture of sympathy for the victims.

Last Sunday (July 5), at least five persons were killed, two on the spot, while at least 30 others, mostly churchgoers, were wounded when an improvised explosive device went off in front of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral along Quezon Avenue in Cotabato City.

Remonde assured Cotabato residents that police and military authorities are closer to identifying the terrorists and pinpointing those responsible in the bloody attack.

Two days after the Cotabato blast, at least four persons were killed and 40 injured in the Jolo bombing, while seven innocent civilians were seriously hurt in a separate attack in Iligan City.

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz who attended the briefing, said Iligan has recovered, pointing out that “it is business as usual” in the city.