PGMA to join ASEAN
CHA-AM, HUA HIN, Thailand - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will join tomorrow (Saturday,Oct. 24) other ASEAN heads of state in a series of meetings that hopefully, will lead to changes in the economic, social, educational, and environmental fabric of South East Asia and the rest of Asia.
The 15th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Related Summit started this morning here at the Royal Dusit Grand Ballroom of the Royal Dusit Hotel with an opening statement by Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, but without four of the 10 leaders.
The ASEAN Secretariat said that apart from President Arroyo, the three other ASEAN leaders who skipped the opening ceremony were Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
ASEAN is composed of
In a text message, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Arroyo and her delegation will arrive here Saturday morning in time for a series of meetings with ASEAN leaders and their counterparts from
These leaders chose to attend to pressing matters at home.
Other meetings scheduled today are three informal meetings with representatives from the ASEAN youths and civil society, the inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission, and a working lunch with representatives from the regional business sector.
At the gala dinner tonight, the ASEAN leaders are expected to discuss regional and international issues of common concern.
A declaration is expected to be issued by ASEAN leaders to strengthen regional cooperation on education.
Among many others, they will pledge to "develop a common content on ASEAN for schools as a reference for teacher training and teaching." They will also seek greater mobility of skilled workers within the region.
On Saturday, they will meet their counterparts from
On Sunday, leaders from
The ASEAN leaders are setting in place the legal, financial, and structural framework for the realization of a single ASEAN Community by 2015, along the lines of the European Union (EU).
Expected highlights of the summits are the adoption of a declaration on climate change as well as the adoption of a declaration on education cooperation to achieve an ASEAN Community.
The leaders will discuss the formation of a Network of East Asian Think-Tanks (NEAT) and ways to enhance social and cultural cohesiveness among the young people of ASEAN. Also on the agenda are the feasibility study on East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA), a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing the ASEAN-China Centre, and a MoU between ASEAN and
During the summits, ASEAN leaders will also meet with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Youth, and ASEAN Civil Society Organizations in a clear reflection of ASEAN’s committment to promote people’s participation in the ASEAN Community-building process.
PGMA signs landmark Climate Change law
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed today an act that institutionalizes response to climate change.
The Philippine Climate Change Act of 2009 or Republic Act No. 9729 makes it a government policy to formulate and establish a strategy and program to deal with the effects of typhoons and other weather disturbances, which have increased in frequency and intensity as a result of changes in the climatic pattern.
The new law calls for the establishment of a National Framework Strategy and Program on Climate Change, which will focus on mitigation and adaptation – the two instruments to battle climate change – from the highest levels of government down to the barangay.
Under the law, an autonomous policy-making body, known as Climate Change Commission, to be headed by the president, will set up, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate action plans for the express purpose of preparing the country against heavy rainfall that bring floods and landslides, as well as strong winds, as a result of typhoons.
The law also calls for the creation of a roadmap to reduce risk of disasters on one hand and keep local carbon emissions within manageable levels on the other.
Called Disaster Risk Reduction or DRR, this program includes emergency preparedness and rescue and relief operations.
The Climate Change Commission will have as members the presidents of the League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, and the Liga ng mga Barangay, to mark the crucial involvement of local communities in addressing climate change.
Immediately after the signing, the president ordered Secretary Heherson Alvarez, presidential adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change, to ask developed nations to reduce global carbon emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, which is scheduled for a renegotiation after it expires in 2012.
Sen. Loren Legarda, the law’s principal author, said the signing is very timely in the aftermath of destructive typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.” She added that as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget she will work for the allocation of resources for the immediate implementation of the law.
“This pioneering landmark bill is the first in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and probably in
Apart from Alvarez and Legarda, the historic signing was witnessed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Atienza, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Also present were members of the House of Representatives, local government executives, the diplomatic corps, environmental organizations, and the religious and business sectors.
138 families evacuated in Ilocos Region due to Typhoon 'Ramil'
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Oct. 23 -- At least 378 families comprising of 1,310 persons were evacuated in La Union and Ilocos Norte due to intermittent rains and winds spawned by Typhoon “Ramil”, which is now threatening the northern part of the country.
A report of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) signed by Regional Director Eugene Cabrera showed that as of noon on Friday, the evacuees were accommodated in nine evacuation centers located in Bangar with three, two each in Agoo and Aringay, and one in Luna, all in La Union; and also one in Banna, Ilocos Norte.
Of those evacuated, 192 families or 744 persons in Bangar, 125 or 386 persons in Aringay, 20 or 69 persons in Agoo, 26 or 69 persons in Luna, all in La Union.
There were also 15 families or 47 persons who were evacuated in Banna, Ilocos Norte.
Director Cabrera said the all Disaster Coordinating Councils are now monitoring the situation in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos
No damage was reported yet.
RP infra modernization boosts investor confidence
The modernization of major infrastructure facilities that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has initiated after assuming the presidency in 2001 bolsters the confidence of American firms wishing to expand their investments in the
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said
“Ambassador Kenny said the Philippine government, by building the necessary infrastructure, has bolstered the confidence of American firms to invest in the country,” Remonde quoted Kenny as saying during the inauguration of Convergys’ biggest call center facility in the country.
At the inauguration ceremonies, Remonde noted that Marife Zamora, Convergys country manager, hailed President Macapagal-Arroyo for her unwavering support to call center firms which resulted in the industry’s phenomenal growth.
“The word ‘phenomenal’ is very appropriate. Today, the industry employs more than 400,000 young men and women, college graduates and even high school graduates,” Remonde said in his regular Friday press briefing.
Since she assumed the presidency in 2001, the Chief Executive has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) to construct and rehabilitate infrastructure projects that will have a big impact to the economy.
Among these infrastructure projects are the rehabilitation and modernization of the South and
Meanwhile, Chairman Ray Anthony Chua of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) informed the President that the number of employees in the BPO industry is expected to increase by 15 to 20 percent before the end of the year.
This prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to be on heightened alert. It is now closely checking the restive behavior of the volcano signified by high level of sulfur dioxide emission and high and low frequency volcanic quakes.
Phivolcs scientists noted the fluctuating SO2 gas disgorge levels by the volcano for the past 72 hours. It spewed 1,429 tons of gas on Thursday - a record breaking manifestation since the volcano exhibited signs of restlessness in July.
Phivolcs bulletin on Friday said the volcano disgorged 435 tons of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) for the past 24 hours, which is way below the 1,429 tons on Thursday, 586 tons on Wednesday and the 188 tons on Tuesday.
The agency seismic instruments detected only four high and low frequency volcanic earthquakes, bringing to a total of 69 the quakes recorded this month.
Scientists said the volcano’s abnormality levels are indication of a possible eruptive state.
Phivolcs said the high and low frequency harmonic quakes detected by seismic instruments signify that magma intrusion is developing in the volcano’s crater vent.
Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident volcanologist, said the agency is still assessing the abnormal state of the volcano based on given parameters like ground deformation, volcanic quakes and gas emission, and crater glow.
Precise Leveling results indicate the volcano's edifice remains inflated at
The volcano crater glow remained at intensity level II, while steam emission was at a moderate level.
These significant volcanic abnormality signs prompted disaster authorities to strictly enforce the “no entry” rule in designated danger zone areas surrounding the volcano.
Police and military personnel manning the 12 checkpoints along the danger zone at the volcano’s down slope were directed to enforce the “no human activity” rule inside the designated danger zone areas covering the towns of Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Camalig, including the cities of Ligao, Tabaco and this city.
Alert level 2 remains hoisted over Mayon Volcano. Phivolcs strongly recommended that the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone including the 7-km extended danger zones be strictly off limits to any human activity due to threat of sudden explosions and rockfalls from the upper slopes of the volcano.
