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Philippine Economy posts 7.0 percent GDP growth in Q3 2013 |
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| The domestic economy grew by 7.0 percent in the third quarter of 2013 from 7.3 percent recorded the previous year boosting the 2013 first nine months growth to 7.4 percent from 6.7 percent last year. The third quarter growth was driven by the Services sector with the robust performance of Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities, Trade and Financial Intermediation sustained by the accelerated growth of the Industry sector.
On the demand side, growth in the third quarter of 2013 came from increased investments in Fixed Capital, reinforced by consumer and government spending, and the robust growth in external trade.
With accelerated growth of the Net Primary Income (NPI) from the Rest of the World in the third quarter of 2013 by 11.9 percent, the Gross National Income (GNI) expanded by 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2013 from 7.3 percent in the third quarter of 2012.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, GDP posted a positive growth of 1.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013 but this was a deceleration from 1.6 percent in the previous quarter while GNI accelerated by 1.8 percent in the third quarter of 2013 from 1.1 percent in the second quarter of 2013. The entire Agriculture sector rebounded its seasonally adjusted growth to 0.7 percent from a decline of 0.7 percent in the previous quarter while Industry decelerated to 0.3 percent from 1.4 percent. On the other hand, the Services sector recorded a 1.6 percent seasonally adjusted growth for the third quarter of 2013 from 2.1 percent in the previous quarter with the positive growth of all its subsectors.
With projected population growing by 1.6 percent to a level of 97.6 million, per capita GDP grew by 5.2 percent, per capita GNI accelerated by 6.0 percent while per capita Household Final Consumption Expenditures (HFCE) decelerated by 4.5 percent. |
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Critical immediate actions needed to alleviate adverse effects of disasters on poor families - NEDA |
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| MANILA - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) presented yesterday to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III a set of critical immediate actions to rehabilitate areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda. These will alleviate the adverse effects of the disaster on poor families and prevent them from resorting to desperate measures just to survive, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
In a cabinet meeting in Malacańang on Wednesday, NEDA outlined the urgent priorities as follows: housing, livelihood and employment, and restoration of public infrastructure and facilities. Balisacan said actions in these areas will restore normalcy and revive economic activities in the affected regions.
“It is important to complete these critical actions as soon as possible,” said Balisacan, who is also Director-General of NEDA. “Otherwise, the already adverse impact of the disaster on poor families could be permanent and intergenerational, especially for families with small children deprived of health and education services,” Balisacan added.
In an earlier statement, Balisacan stressed the importance of proper sequencing and coordination of government actions.
While the recovery and rehabilitation plan consists of immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term actions, the Wednesday cabinet meeting focused on critical actions to be immediately implemented.
President Aquino approved these in principle but instructed cabinet members to further refine the implementation and disbursement plan for these critical immediate actions. The cabinet will meet again within the week for this.
The critical immediate actions include:
· Site development to provide housing and basic amenities, prioritizing families that live in “no-build zones” and thus need to be permanently resettled;
· Housing assistance for the purchase of housing materials for affected families to be identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of the Interior and Local Government;
· Cash-for-work programs integrated in clearing and construction operations in the affected areas;
· Seedlings and other assistance to farmers and fishermen to restart agriculture and fishing activities; and
· Repair of classrooms, public market, hospitals and other public facilities.
Balisacan said these are part of a unified post-Yolanda recovery and rehabilitation plan, which is a work in progress, as different government agencies continue to conduct damage and loss assessments, gathering more detailed information and validating available data, in cooperation with local government units and development partners working on the ground. The plan is being prepared by an inter-agency group led by NEDA. NEDA is tasked to consolidate and integrate government plans to ensure coherence and proper coordination among agencies. |
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| To accommodate more in-kind donations for Typhoon Yolanda victims, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has opened a Donations Desk at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium located at M. Adriatico St. corner Leveriza St., Manila.
Donations (bulk and small items) can be brought there starting today. It is open 24 hours.
For inquiries, please call Emelito Sotto at telephone numbers 852-8081 or 851-2681.
The Donations Desk (for small items) in the South Conservatory of De La Salle University at 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila is still open.
Meanwhile, as part of the transition, the following locations will continue to accept in-kind donations until Sunday, December 1:
DSWD- National Resource Operations Center (NROC)
NAIA Chapel Road, Pasay City
Contact Number: 852-8081
Sucat Warehouse
JY & Sons Compound, Km 23, West Service Road
Cupang, Muntinlupa City
Contact Person: Nilo Macabulos
Contact Number: +63917-8145230 |
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Two licensed recruitment agencies to assist Yolanda victims by recruiting 500 workers for abroad free of charge |
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| Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday said two top-notch licensed recruitment agencies in the country have committed to assist Typhoon Yolanda worker-victims by recruiting them for overseas jobs free of charge.
One of the two companies, Skills International Co., Inc., has written Baldoz a letter expressing sadness over the devastating effect of the typhoon to the Visayans and expressed readiness to initially "help 200 affected families by sending a family member to work abroad free of charge".
Marivic Daas, President of Skills International Co. Inc. personally visited Baldoz in her office and delivered relief goods for the typhoon victims.
"We would like to work in partnership with the DOLE in any project to help the Filipinos," Daas said.
The second company, one of the leading licensed recruitment agencies in the country, has also pledged to the DOLE, through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, to recruit more than 300 workers in typhoon-ravaged areas, specifically Samar and Leyte, for its overseas client in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac reported to the Secretary that International Skills Development (ISD), a major player in overseas recruitment, has pledged to hire over 300 workers for ABV Rock Group, one of its principal clients in the Kingdom.
Cacdac reported that ISD President Levi S. De Mesa wrote to inform him that ISD recruitment personnel will be in Cebu City to coordinate worker recruitment from Samar and Leyte.
"We will need more than 300 workers," de Mesa said in his letter.
The ISD official said ABV Rock Group's manpower requirements include a worker for each of the following positions: electrical supervisor; tiling foreman; civil engineering supervisor; finishing supervisor; assistant civil engineer; civil engineer; mechanical engineer; finishing marble works foreman; finishing for doors, gypsum and ceiling foreman; assistant supervisor, finishing group assistant supervisor; finishing supervisor; general foreman; technician; and welder.
The company also needs to hire electrical foremen (2 personnel); mason block works and plastering foremen (3); masons, block works and plastering workers (25); tiling and finishing masons (15); marble fixers/installer masons (15); finishing carpenters for doors, gypsum and ceiling (34); shuttering carpenters (62); painters (27); steel fixers (52); scaffolders (15); scaffolding foremen (2); and steel fixers (35).
"This is a magnanimous and timely offer of employment assistance," said Baldoz of the ISD pledge.
"It complements our thrust to intensify the provision of local and all other employment services through the DOLE’s regional offices, Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), and attached agencies," she added, expressing thanks to the two companies for the gesture of support.
Last week, Baldoz had directed all DOLE regional offices and PESOs to exert all-out effort in providing victims of the calamity employment facilitation, livelihood, and training assistance.
Founded in 1981, the ISD enjoys the stature as “one of the premiere and top recruitment companies of the Philippines”. It is a recipient of POEA’s Hall of Fame Award, the recruitment industry’s prestigious Award of Excellence, and the Presidential Award, the highest award, for sustained, outstanding and exemplary performance.
On the other hand, its principal, ABV Rock Group of Sweden, is a global construction industry leader employing many highly skilled Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia, where the company is noted for its sustained quality reliability, both as a principal and specialist contractor in interlinked sectors of the Saudi economy covering buildings and civil works, construction of highways and pipelines, airports, hospitals, industrial plants, dams, bridges, and underground storage and tunneling.
In a related development, Cacdac reported that the POEA, in partnership with the licensed overseas employment sector, will visit Ormoc City from 13-14 December to conduct a relief and medical mission and profile candidates for a January 2014 job fair.
"Aside from the relief and medical mission, we will already profile prospective OFWs, see to it that they have basic documents, such as birth certificates and clearances, and alert them of the overseas job fair. In that way, we will already know their basic skills and inclination and so tailor the job fair vacancies that our partners will bring," said Cacdac.
For any inquiries about this release, please call the POEA Hotlines 722-11-55 or 722-11-44 or the DOLE Hotline 527-8000. |
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4,000 job vacancies up for grabs in DOLE-led December job fair and relief mission for Yolanda victims |
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| Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday announced that the DOLE, in partnership with the country’s overseas recruitment sector and local private employers, will make available 4,000 jobs in a job fair and relief mission to be held 13-14 December in Ormoc City. "Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has reported to me that the plan for the job fair and relief mission for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas are in the finishing touches. Initially, 30 licensed overseas recruitment companies have lined up 4,000 job vacancies. There will be private sector employers, too," Baldoz said. Baldoz noted that this is the first major job fair that the DOLE will hold in Eastern Visayas following the strike of super Typhoon Yolanda which wrought havoc and destruction in the region, its people, and its economy. "After Ormoc, the DOLE and its partners will conduct a series of job fairs in coordination with the other LGUs in the rest of Leyte, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, and other affected areas in Central and Western Visayas as part of its stronger effort to facilitate the employment of those rendered jobless by the calamity. The idea is to attain long-term job stability for the displaced workers to ensure their steady rehabilitation and recovery," Baldoz explained. The venue of the job fair and relief mission will be the City Hall of Ormoc. The city’s local government unit (LGU), headed by Mayor Ondoc Codilla, other government agencies, private sector employers in the region, as well as licensed recruitment companies, are working together to ensure the success of the event. The job fair will have both a local and overseas component, with the Bureau of Local Employment, DOLE Regional Office No. 8, and the Ormoc City Field Office cooperating in preparatory work to encourage local companies to participate in the job fair and relief mission. The relief mission will be held on the first day of the two-day event, with the job fair to be held the following day, 14 December. "On the first day, members of the job fair and relief mission will distribute relief assistance in the form of food and basic household needs, medicines and vitamins, tents, and materials for building/rebuilding shelters. A medical mission will also be conducted, including free dental/optical consultation, free hair grooming, and feeding of fresh egg caldo courtesy of Bounty Fresh and Gripo juice. There will also be free psycho-social counseling to children affected by the super typhoon. Toys, as well as slippers, will be distributed to them," said Cacdac. He explained that each of the participating recruitment companies had pledged donations in cash or in kind, with the minimum of P10,000 each if donation is in cash, or relief bags with pre-determined contents, if in kind. Baldoz acknowledged the support of the overseas employment sector and private employers to the activity, saying that in this time of crisis, support in whatever way acquire deep meaning, particularly to those who receive the assistance. She emphasized that applicants who will troop to the job fair will absolutely not be charged with any placement fee, and ordered the POEA and the BLE to conduct a pre-registration of participants in the job fair and to provide them with pre-employment services. "Also assist those applicants whose employment documents have been destroyed or lost," she instructed. Companies that have indicated their participation in the job fair and relief mission include Maiden Way; Lead Resources Management Corporation; LWV Corporation; MPL International Corporation; Manpower Resources of Asia, Inc.; Omanfil International Manpower Development Corporation; Placewell International Services; Questcore, Inc.; RRJM International Resources Corporation; Staffhouse International Resources Corporation; STD-DJL Human Link, Inc.; Tuem International Manpower Corp.; Uniplan Overseas Employment, Inc.; United Placeman Philippines, Inc.; United Global Manpower Resources; YHMD International Manpower Services Inc.; YWA Human Resource Corporation; 7107 Islands Placement and Promotions; ABBA Personnel Services, Inc.; Admiral Overseas Employment Corp.; Ameinri Overseas Employment Agency; Aram Enterprises, Inc.; Batangueño Human Resources, Inc.; Concept Placement Resources, Inc.; East West Placement Center, Inc.; EEI Corporation; Eureka Personnel Management Services, Inc.; Euro Asia Phil., Inc.; Farland Personnel Management Corp.; F.I.R. International Service Corp.; Gulf Asia International Corp.; Industrial Personnel & Management Services, Inc.; ISD Inc.; and JobsManila International, Inc. "I expect many other companies are expected to join as the day of the job fair and relief mission approaches," said Cacdac. Any question on this release? Call the POEA Hotlines 527-11-55 and 527-11-44; DOLE Hotline 527-8000; infor@mbp-yolanda.org; ceo@e-recruitment.com.ph cc: cherubmanpower3ki@gmail.com; poea_employmentbranch@yahoo.com; and the Bureau of Local Employment at 527-2539 or 527-2453. |
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Quezon City gasoline dealer rapped for willful failure to pay tax |
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| The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) today filed a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice against MA. ROWENA ROSE N. VILLAVICENCIO(VILLAVICENCIO) for willful failure to pay tax for taxable year 2006 pursuant to Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended (Tax Code).
VILLAVICENCIO is the sole proprietress of WHITE GOLD PETROLEUM, a gasoline station located at New York corner Cambridge Villas, Cubao, Quezon City. She is a resident of Unit 18 Stella, Maybunga, Pasig City and was the subject of investigation pursuant to Letter of Authority (LOA) No. 00021376 issued by the BIR authorizing the examination of her books of accounts and other related accounting records for taxable year 2006.
The charges against VILLAVICENCIO stemmed from her willful failure to pay deficiency taxes for taxable year 2006 in the aggregate amount ofP30.72 million, inclusive of surcharges and interests, broken down into Income Tax – P1.33 million; Value Added Tax – P29.38 million; and Expanded Withholding Tax - P12, 535.73.
BIR records of investigation showed that in spite of the service and receipt of the requisite notices and Subpoena Duces Tecum, VILLAVICENCIO failed to present her books of accounts and other related accounting records for taxable year 2006. Subsequently, the BIR issued the corresponding Preliminary Assessment Notice (PAN), Final Assessment Notice (FAN) and Formal Letter of Demand (FLD). She failed to protest said assessments, hence making the same final, executory, unappealable and demandable.
The subsequent issuance of the Preliminary Collection Notice, Final Notice Before Seizure, Warrant of Distraint and/or Levy, and Warrant of Garnishment by the BIR proved futile as the subject taxpayer still failed to settle her tax liabilities. A Demand Before Suit likewise proved useless as the said tax liabilities remained unsettled.
Despite such fact of finality and the exhaustion of administrative remedies, VILLAVICENCIO still failed to pay the deficiency taxes due.
The obstinate failure and refusal of VILLAVICENCIO to pay her long overdue deficiency tax assessment/s despite repeated demands, together with her non-compliance with the notices for presentation of records and with the Subpoena Duces Tecum issued by the BIR, constitute the crime of willful failure to pay the taxes due to the government.
The case against MA. ROWENA ROSE N. VILLAVICENCIO is the 200th filed under the RATE program of the BIR under the leadership of Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares. It is likewise a RATE case of Revenue Region No. 7, Quezon City. |
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Biazon inspects seized fire arms |
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| Customs Commssioner Ruffy Biazon inspects firearms seized by the Bureau of Customsthat are ready for disposition by the government. The firearms and other gun parts were declared as abandoned goods by the BOC last February 9, 2012 and have been under their custody since then.
The abandoned firearms shipment, composed of two Colt Defense Infantry Automatic Assault Rifles, four Colt Defense M4 Carbine Rifles, 30 magazines and various gun parts, with an estimated value of over P500,000, was purchased from Colt Defense and shipped by a certain James Battaglini with registered address at 547 New Park Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA purportedly to the Philippine National Police. The PNP did not claim the shipment.
The importation of firearms, ammunition and gun parts require a permit from the Firearms and Explosive Office of the Philippine National Police prior to arrival of the shipment in the country and the importation of these items in commercial quantity is strictly regulated.
“By law, abandoned shipments are forfeited in favor of the government. In the case of the firearms, we are studying our options—we can turn-over the firearms and gun parts to the Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law enforcement agencies. Alternately, these can also be put to use by our Customs Police,” said Biazon.
Meanwhile, the BOC is set to auction-off 54 shipments containing various items that had earlier been declared abandoned and forfeited in favor of the government onDecember 5 and 6. The items to be sold range from abandoned shipments of books and brochures to household items, cosmetic samples tires, assorted steel and plastic materials and medical equipment. These are under the custody of the BOC-NAIA Collection District. They are to be sold in seven lots with a total minimum floor price of P5.4-Million.
Last August, the BOC raked-in over P360-Million from the public auction of 256,000 bags of smuggled rice from Vietnam seized in Cebu and Legazpi. |
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Employ local residents - Contractors told |
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| Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio L. Singson has strictly ordered private contractors now undertaking reconstruction works on damaged infrastructure in Central Visayas and the construction of temporary shelters in Eastern Visayas to employ local labor. “See to it that the private contractors must utilize local labor especially those affected by these calamities to enable them to bounce back to their normal lives,” Secretary Singson said as he directed DPWH Regional Directors and District Engineers, now temporarily assigned to oversee the construction works of temporary shelters in Eastern Visayas. Those DPWH Regional Directors temporarily assigned are: NCR Director Reynaldo Tagudando in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte; Region IV-A Director Huillio Belleza in Ormoc City; and, Region V Director Danilo Dequito in Eastern Samar. Tagundando has reported that construction works for the temporary shelters in Barangay Abucay, Tacloban City and in the Government Center in Palo, Leyte are now on-going, while the others are just awaiting the delivery of construction materials on site. With the additional four (4) new sites in Tacloban City, the DPWH is now undertaking the construction of 230 units of temporary shelters or bunkhouses in 21 sites in Tacloban City; Palo, Leyte; Ormoc City; municipalities of Basey, and Marabut in Samar; and in the municipalities of Guian, Hernani and Giporlos in Eastern Samar. Meanwhile, DPWH Region 8 Director Rolando Asis has reported the deployment of a total of 379 units of heavy equipment and other construction equipment, 306 units from DPWH and 69 units from private contractors, comprising of dumptrucks, payloaders, backhoe, bulldozer, barges, water truck, shuttle buses, generator sets, etc. in various areas in Eastern Visayas. |
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Statement by DBM Sec. Florencio B. Abad on Q3 GDP growth |
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| In times like these of unremitting crises—with calamities bearing down on the country and the challenges of reform as formidable as ever—the announcement on the country’s seven-percent GDP growth for the third quarter comes as welcome, encouraging news. We’re pleased to note that government spending continues to play a key role in the quick pace of our economic growth, in much the same way that public expenditures helped buoy our GDP expansion in the first two quarters of the year.
With the Aquino administration’s ongoing efforts to institute long-term and far-ranging budget reforms, we can look forward to more efficient, high-impact expenditures—with the full cooperation of major implementing agencies, of course—so that the economic gains we are now making will ultimately translate to genuine, substantial benefits to all Filipinos. |
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GPH-MILF policing body for Bangsamoro arrives in Mindanao for stakeholders’ consultation |
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| COTABATO CITY – The Independent Commission on Policing (ICP) has started Monday a five-day consultation with the different stakeholders of the peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The ICP, which is composed of representatives of the GPH, MILF and foreign countries, is chaired by Randall Beck, the assistant commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The other commissioners are Australian international expert Cedrick Netto, retired Police Director Ricardo de Leon, Police Dir. Lina Sarmiento, MILF military spokesperson Von Al Haq, retired Police Chief Superintendent Amerodin Hamdag, and Japanese international expert Yuji Eusugi.
On Monday afternoon, the ICP commissioners paid a courtesy call to the office of MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
They conducted a meeting with MILF commanders also at Camp Darapanan Tuesday morning and in the evening with police officials from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Region 12 in Cotabato City.
On Wednesday, the ICP commissioners held a community consultation, also attended by leaders from the academe and religious sectors, at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute at Crossing Simuay in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
The ICP commissioners are also set to consult community stakeholders from the academe, religious and civil society organizations recommended by the GPH peace panel tomorrow (Thursday) in Cotabato City.
The creation of the ICP is contained under the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed by the GPH and the MILF on October 15, 2012.
The envisioned Bangsamoro police force, which is civilian in character, shall be professional and free from partisan political control. It is aimed to be effective and efficient, fair and impartial as well as accountable for its action, and responsible to both the National Government and the Bangsamoro Government, according to ICP’s Terms of Reference (TOR).
The TOR was agreed by the GPH and MILF peace panels last February 27 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The ICP’s main function is to conduct studies and produce a set of recommendations on the appropriate policing for the Bangsamoro, the entity that would replace the ARMM government in 2016.
The recommendations will be based on a needs-assessment that will reflect public’s perception of the police, the needs and demands of communities in the Bangsamoro and the human rights situation, among others.
The ICP’s task is aligned with the work to settle the annex on Normalization, which is still being negotiated by the peace panels, along with the annex on Power Sharing.
Earlier this year, the GPH and MILF peace panels signed the annexes on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities, and Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing. |
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| 27 November 2013 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia who headed the Philippine delegation to the 3rdASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Meeting called for the ASEAN-GCC dialogue process to discuss labor cooperation, particularly the promotion and protection of workers’ rights and welfare.
The meeting was held in Manama, Bahrain from November 25 to 26.
The Ministers agreed that labor cooperation will be in the agenda at the ASEAN-GCC workshop to be hosted by Singapore next year.
All ASEAN and GCC states expressed their condolences and sympathies to the Philippine Government and the Filipino people for the devastating loss of lives and property caused by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
The Ministers emphasized further collaborations in the areas of economy and trade, including agriculture to address food security, culture, tourism, media, education and people-to-people activities. The Ministers also condemned all acts of violence, terrorism and piracy that threaten maritime security, safety of navigation and international trade.
The Ministers also welcome the decision to choose Manama as the first Asian capital of tourism for 2014. Bahrain will be the GCC’s country coordinator for ASEAN-GCC relations for the next three years, in coordination with the GCC Presidency.
GCC established ties with ASEAN in 1990 to promote closer collaboration with the Gulf countries. The Gulf Cooperation Council is made up of the States of Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates. |
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| 26 November 2013 - The Philippines and the United Kingdom (UK) held their fourth High-Level Meeting in Manila on November 21. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario for the Philippines and by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Director General for Economic and Consular Ms. Barbara Woodward for the UK side.
The two sides discussed the broad range of bilateral relations. Both sides welcomed the increasing high-level political engagements as these strengthen both bilateral relations and partnership in international fora.
As well, both sides agreed to exert greater efforts to build on the achievements of a number of economic missions conducted this year, such as the UK business mission to the Philippines in September led by UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment Lord Stephen Green of Hurstpierpoint and the high-level Philippine economic mission to the UK in October led by Trade Secretary Gregorio Domingo and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. In 2012, bilateral trade stood at US$928 million and British investments in the Philippines totalled US$160.3 million.
The Philippine side expressed its sincere appreciation for the UK’s timely and significant contribution to the emergency relief operations in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). As of November 18, the UK’s ₤52-million humanitarian aid package had provided nearly 500,000 shelter kits, hygiene kits, water and sanitation equipment for up to 800,000 people. This is on top of the various British military assets currently deployed in the central Philippines, which include the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Daring with a 12-person medical team on-board, a Royal Air Force (RAF) C-130 Hercules and a RAF C-17 air transport. The Philippines also extended its thanks to the British public which has already donated a total of ₤33 million to the emergency relief operations via UK-based aid charities as of November 18.
The meeting agreed to a robust implementation of recently signed bilateral agreements, including the Philippines-UK Joint Plan of Action (JPA) and the Air Services Agreement, both signed in December 2012, and the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty which was ratified in June 2012. Both sides also expressed hope that the Extradition Treaty would be ratified soon.
Both sides further agreed to consider other bilateral agreements in the fields of consular cooperation as well as in cultural and educational cooperation.
Regional and global developments were also discussed. |
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DAR provides Mindanao farmers with cacao business |
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| GOOD news to Mindanao farmers as the DAR linked arms with the Kennemer Foods International, Inc. (KFI) to help provide them additional source of income through the production of export-quality cacao beans.
DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes said the Cacao Contract Growing Program seeks to attain two important objectives: “Provide our farmer-beneficiaries additional income and gain acccess to the international market.”
KFI President Simon Bakker said that the Philippines’ annual consumption of cocoa is 30,000 tons, yet production is only about 6,000 tons a year.
“This presents a big opportunity for your ARBs (agrarian reform beneficiaries) especially here in Mindanao where the climate is suitable for cacao growing,” Bakker said.
According to Mr. Bakker, cacao trees need a little shade which makes it an ideal intercrop with coconut.
Under the agreement, KFI will teach and train farmers in the development and scaling of cacao production. It will also assist the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in consolidating their produce through block farms. The block farms comprise agricultural lands belonging to beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
“The agreement ensures the rights of farmer-beneficiaries to retain control and possession of their awarded lands throughout the duration of the three-year project,” said de los Reyes.
The cacao project, which commenced in June this year covers 10,000 hectares of ARB lands in Mindanao.
Working in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) through the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP), De los Reyes said that DAR will be extending financial assistance through loan to cacao farmers especially the CARP beneficiaries in Mindanao hopefully by next year.
“We will provide financial assistance to interested cacao farmers. Each of them is allowed to borrow up to P60,000 per hectare,” said de los Reyes. |
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October 2013 special professional licensure board examination for Civil Engineers results released |
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| The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 33 out of 140 passed the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination given by the Board of Civil Engineering in: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Jeddah and Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in Doha, Qatar last October 2013.
The members of the Board of Civil Engineering are Engr. Apollo S. Enriquez, Chairman and Engr. Praxedes P. Bernardo, Member. |
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PDIC advises borrowers of Rural Bank of Alaminos (Laguna) to pay their obligations |
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| The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), the Receiver of the closed Rural Bank of Alaminos (Laguna), reminded borrowers of the bank to continue to pay their loans and transact only with authorized PDIC representatives.
In a statement, PDIC advised borrowers of the Rural Bank of Alaminos to pay their loans and other obligations directly at any Philippine National Bank (PNB) Branch under account name, PDIC FAO BURL – RURAL BANK OF ALAMINOS with Reference Number 373-0949-00013. The Receiver cautioned borrowers that it has discontinued the engagement of the bank’s collectors. PDIC has not engaged any person to collect the loans of the bank. To ensure proper recording of payments made by borrowers, it further advised borrowers to keep copies of the PNB Deposit/Payment Slips. The Receiver emphasized that only payments with validated PNB Deposit/Payment Slips shall be considered valid payments.
The Monetary Board (MB) placed the Rural Bank of Alaminos under the receivership of the PDIC by virtue of MB Resolution No. 1875 dated November 14, 2013. As Receiver, PDIC took over the bank on November 15, 2013. Upon takeover, all bank records were gathered, verified and validated.
Rural Bank of Alaminos is a three-unit bank located at 99 Rizal St., Alaminos, Laguna. Its two branches are located in San Pablo, Laguna and in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Borrowers of the bank may also communicate with the PDIC – Loans Management Department I at (02) 841-4760 or 841-4992. Queries may also be sent through email at pad@pdic.gov.ph. |
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Calabarzon begins quest for top tech-voc graduates |
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| Technical vocational graduates at the Calabarzon region are competing head to head at the 2013 Regional Skills Competition for slots at the national finals.
The four-day event is aimed at tapping the new champions, who will represent the region at the Philippine National Skills Competition that will have competitors from all over the country.
It will also showcase and recognize the work excellence of young skilled workers in a competitive setting, and promote cooperation between and among technical vocational education institutions, the private sector and various local government units in raising the level of tech-voc among the youth.
The event kicked off on November 25, followed by a formal opening program on November 26, which was attended by Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA director general.
Metro Manila and CARAGA region also held their respective Regional Skills Competition while other regions are preparing to host their own.
"The competitions at the regional level are rigid, which means that those who will make it at the national finals are the best and the brightest," Villanueva said.
"It is our hope that this quest to make it to the Philippine National Skills Competition, and eventually to the ASEAN Skills Competition will become the dream of every tech-voc graduate all over the country and their participation will inspire others to discover their fullest potentials in their field of expertise," he added.
Calabarzon is one of the country's centers of manufacturing, e-services and logistics, and serves as the urban, industrial expansion area of Metro Manila. It is composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces.
The region is one of the country's top producers of skilled workers, and has actively taken part in the previous skills competitions.
For this year, the graduates competed in the following trade areas: Ref and aircon repair; Welding; Web Design; Beauty Therapy; Cooking; Fashion Technology; Graphics Design; Hairdressing; IT Networking; IT Software Solution; Restaurant Services; Cabinet Making; Electronics; Joinery (woodworking); Mechanical CAD; Mechatronics; Plumbing; and, Automotive Technology.
"This competition is imbued with dignity and reverence for our graduates and their trainers who compete to show the world how talented and competent the Filipinos are," Villanueva said. |
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MMDA resurrects Carlos P. Romulo's statue in the Leyte landing memorial |
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| PALO, LEYTE, NOV. 28- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino personally led this morning the restoration of the famous McArthur Landing Memorial here in Barangay Carandang, which was damaged by the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda on November 8.
Tolentino supervised a contingent of MMDA workers in erecting the downed statue of Carlos P. Romulo, which had been left unattended 20 days after Yolanda struck this town of 70,000 people.
"This historical monument that depicts our history should not be neglected. By restoring this memorial, we hope to inspire the Leyte people to rise again. Like General McArthur declared, we shall return," the MMDA chief said.
MMDA workers used welding torch to re-erect Romulo's statue then reinforced it with concrete. The downed statue was one of the six bronze figures comprising the Leyte Landing Memorial led by US Army General Douglas McArthur.
The Leyte Landing Memorial depicts McArthur's "I Shall Return" landing during World War II in Red Beach, Palo on October 20, 1944, which started the downfall of the occupying Japanese forces in the Philippines.
McArthur's famed march to the sandy beaches of Palo touched off the bitter "Battle of Leyte" between the US military and the Japanese Imperial forces from October 20 to December 31, 1944.
Tolentino said the MMDA is humbled to be the first one to restore the damaged memorial, which is part of the agency's repair and rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-damaged areas in Eastern Visayas.
The MMDA sent its first rescue and relief units to Tacloban City and Samar on November 10, just two days after Yolanda's onslaught. To date, the MMDA has a total of 304 men in the devastated provinces doing round-the-clock relief works.
The agency also sent vital equipment and relief goods and closely worked with local and international agencies in rehabilitating the typhoon-damaged localities. |
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