PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, July 7, 2009

PGMA calls for integration, strengthening of social welfare programs 

MANILA, July 7 - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today all agencies dealing with social welfare to integrate and strengthen all their existing social welfare and protection programs so as to liken it to Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Program or BFP. 

In her message at the conclusion of the two-day Strategic Conference on Social Welfare and Protection, the President cited the BFP’s success in cutting down poverty and improving the lives of the poor in Brazil, a similar endeavor she wanted for the Filipinos. 

The President stressed that although the Arroyo administration’s national social welfare program is like the BFP in most aspects, there is still a need to institutionalize the Philippines’ equivalent — the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) so as to widen its coverage and bolster its effectiveness, as well as to integrate into it other existing social and protection programs. 

Thus, during her recent state visit to Brazil, the President asked Congress to enact a law that will institutionalize the 4Ps to ensure funds for the poverty-reduction program. 

Brazil has allotted a percentage of its gross domestic product to the program but in the Philippines, revenues generated from the implementation of the value added tax and budget allocations of departments concerned on social welfare are being utilized. 

Among the programs the President wanted to be strengthened and integrated to the national welfare program include the government’s Hunger Mitigation Program, a massive school feeding scheme that has been successful in bringing down hunger. It is now being implemented by the National Nutrition Council. 

The President also wanted the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System’s salary loans, health insurance and scholarships to also form part of a strengthened social welfare and protection program. 

“It is very important for us to integrate all these programs. Many agencies, departments are involved and we must put them all together… fill in the gaps and you have to consolidate these programs, see to it that these are implemented under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” the President said. 

The 4Ps, established two years ago, is similar to the BFP as both provide additional income for the poor. 

Established in 2003, the BFP was formed through four federal conditional income transfer programs, namely: Bolsa Escola (school grant), Bolsa Alimentacao (food grant), Auxilio Gas (cooking gas grant) and the Cartao Alimentacao (food card). 

The 4Ps, meanwhile, is a poverty reduction strategy that provides grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly children aged 0-14. 

With the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as implementor, 4Ps is a flagship project of the Arroyo administration for poverty reduction through investment in human capital. 

Household-beneficiary can receive as much as P1,400 for a maximum of three children plus P500 per month for nutrition and health expenses and P300 per month per child with a maximum of three children per household for educational expenses. 

Household-beneficiaries, however, must comply with certain conditions to continue receiving the cash grants. The conditions are: parents must ensure that their children attend school at least 85 percent of the time, and receive vaccinations and health care. 

Furthermore, pregnant women are entitled to pre- and post-natal care and the service of a skilled health professional during childbirth. Parents are also required to attend responsible parenthood seminars, mother's classes, and parent effectiveness seminars. 

To date, 511,207 households were surveyed in 162 municipalities in 23 provinces and six cities, wherein 244,057 were processed and identified as potential beneficiaries through a process called Proxy Means Test. 

The list of potential beneficiaries is downloaded to the regional offices for validation through the conduct of community assemblies. 

Some 203,587 household beneficiaries have been receiving cash assistance of more than P357 each since January last year. 

The main difference, however, between the BFP and the 4Ps is that the former was created by virtue of a Federal Law of Brazil with a yearly budget and implemented by Brazils government agencies.


PGMA will be ASEAN’s voice at 15th NAM Summit 

MANILA, July 7 - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will speak for the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations in the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit to be held in Sharm El Sheikh at the southern tip of Egypt. 

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, in a radio interview this morning, said the President will be in Egypt July 15 to 16 to attend the Summit, aimed at strengthening regional and global cooperation on political, economic and social issues affecting developing countries. 

“The President will be ASEAN’s spokesperson. She will speak for all the member-nations of the ASEAN,” the Press Secretary stressed. 

The ASEAN is composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. 

The President has been a leading voice of developing nations, to which most of the ASEAN-member nations are. 

She has always been on the forefront in combating domestic and international terrorism, promoting interfaith dialogue to achieve lasting peace, and advancing peace and development to fight poverty. 

It was during the President’s recent working visit to Cairo that Egyptian President Muhamed Hosni Sayid Ibrahim Mubarak invited the President to attend the NAM Summit. 

Egypt, which is hosting the event for the second time since 1964, is one of the most important founding countries of the Non-Aligned Movement which accounts for two-thirds of the United Nations membership.


PGMA, back to normal activities- Palace

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday wentback to normal activities after her self-imposed quarantine and medical check-ups at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City on June 30. 

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the President’s schedule is so full, a clear manifestation that the Chief Executive is in the pink of health.

“The President is very well and good and she has been working as hard as usual and she has full day today,” Remonde said. 

From a regular 8 a.m. mass, the Press Secretary said, the President will go Manila Memorial Park and then attend to full Cabinet meeting where issues to be tackled include the results of the monitoring and evaluation of State-of-the-Nation (SONA) priority infrastructure programs and projects; Global Recession Impact Report (GRIM); economic resiliency program performance and the status report on handling the A(H1N1) cases. 

After lunch, he said, the Chief Executive will also attend the Strategic Conference on Social Welfare and Protection in Malacanang and the awarding for outstanding policemen. 

Likewise, he said, the President will preside the National Security Council (NSC) session where topics to discussed include the recent Cotabato City bombing incident. 

Lastly, Remonde said, the Chief Executive will inaugurate a new enticement at the Manila Ocean Park. 

Controversy surrounding the Chief Executive’s medical condition built up she has not been seen in public since checking out from the hospital last July 2. 

Critics accused Malacanang for not having been transparent about the President’s health condition. 

Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc wrote that the President checked in at the hospital for a “mammoplastic repair of her leaking breast implants done in the '80." 

But, Malacanang denied such absurd report and said that President Arroyo had undergone breast and groin biopsies and that the lumps found in said areas were benign. 

Remonde also denied allegations that the Palace has something do with the reported investigation being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to Asian Hospital for the alleged leakage of the President’s medical condition. 

“Kung meron man ganun ay that is the initiative of the Asian hospital. Walang kinalaman ang Malacanang (If there is, that is the initiative of the Asian Hospital. Malacanang has nothing to do with it),” he said. 

“In so far as we are concerned what is important to us ay naging matagumpay at maganda ang result ng checkups ng Pangulo (In so far as we are concerned what is important to us is the successful and good results of the President’s checkups).


Bomb exploded in Iligan, 13 hurt
By Bradley De Leon

At least thirteen persons were injured, including three soldiers, after a bomb exploded in Iligan City on Tuesday morning. 

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said that according to reports reaching the AFP, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), placed in a car, exploded at about 10:30 a.m. today near Exquisite Pawnshop, corner Sabayle-Cabili Rotonda, Iligan City. It was believed to have been planted by lawless members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Burgos identified the wounded soldiers as Capt. Edito Ancheta, Pfc Patarlas and Pfc Ela. They all belong to Forward Support Battalion of the Light Armor Division (LAD).They were on board a mini cruiser jeep when the bomb exploded.

The three, along with the other victims, are presently undergoing treatment at the Dr Uy Hospital in Iligan.

"Initial investigation disclosed that the bomb was made from an 81 mm mortar ammunition similar to the one used in the Cotabato bombing," said Burgos.
Bangit condemned the latest bombing "as he ordered the troops to remain vigilant and punish those responsible for this terrorist act." 


Mindanao PNP in full alert status

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa on Tuesday ordered all police regional offices (PROs) in Mindanao to be on full alert status in the aftermath of a series of bomb attacks in the region during the past three days. 

The Chief PNP instructed police units in affected areas to coordinate closely with the local crisis management committees for an organized response to the incidents, including post-blast investigation and identification of suspects responsible for the attacks. 

“Our immediate concern is to extend assistance to casualties hurt in the incidents, and to prevent the situation from getting out of hand,” he said. 

The series of bombings started Sunday when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Cotabato City that resulted in the killing of five people while nearly 50 others were wounded. 

Today, two bombing attacks erupted in Jolo, Sulu and in Iligan City that resulted in the killing of at least three innocent civilians while more than 40 others were wounded. 

“Post-blast investigation will continue after we have rendered the crime scene safe for our technicians. The investigation will gather evidence and seek to determine any peculiar signature in the improvised explosive devices (IED), and to determine if the three incidents in Cotabato, Jolo and Iligan were coordinated,” Verzosa said. 

Verzosa assured local government executives of the support and cooperation of PNP units in extending assistance to casualties and to normalize the situation in affected areas. 

Verzosa urged the public to remain calm despite these emergencies, and to be vigilant against any threat to public safety and security. 

Senior Supt. Leonardo Espina said the PNP has already sent bomb experts in southern Philippines to assist in the ongoing investigation of the strings of bombings. 

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tagged the lawless elements of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as responsible for the Cotabato City explosion, citing the signature MILF bomb used in the attack. 

The AFP also warned the public of more bombings with the discovery of the lawless MILF group’s grand plan to sow terror in Mindanao region to ease pressure from the group of MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato, which is the subject of intensified AFP operations in Maguindanao province.