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Magiging abala ang Pangulong Aquino sa pagsisimula ng
‘official year’ |
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Magiging abala sa maraming gawain ang Pangulong Benigno
S. Aquino III sa pagsisimula ng Official Year sa taong 2014, alinsunod sa
Tagapagsalita ng Pangulo Edwin Lacierda Lunes.
Sa pulong balitaan sa Malacanang, sinabi ni Lacierda na uunayan ng Pangulo
ang Official Year sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa katibayan ng non-resident
ambassadors buhat sa Botswana, Ethiopa, Lithuania, Portugal, Zambiq, Samoa,
Sudan, Zambia at Suriname “upang lalo pang isulong ang magandang pakikisama
ng bansa sa pandaigdig na komunidad tungo sa higit na kapaki-pakinabang na
mga pagkakataon sa taong kasalukuyan.
Nakatakda ring idaos ang kinaugaliang Vin D’Honneur na pagtitipong handog ng
Pangulo sa Diplomatic Corps o mga embahador ng iba-ibang bansa sa Pilipinas
na dadaluhan din ng matataas na pinuno ng pamahalaang Pilipno.
Sinabi ni Lacierda na “ito ang unang pagkakataong ipababatid ng Pangulo ang
mga uunahin niya at inaasahan para sa bagong kapapasok na taong 2014.”
Pagkatapos ng mga pagsubok na buong tatag na hinarap ng sambayanang Pilipino
na nagpamalas ng ibayong pagkakaisa at pagdadamayan, ang dalawang
pagtitipong nabanggit ang magsisimula ng opisyal na taon ng Pangulo sa
linggong ito.
Idinugtong ni Lacierda na nakatakda ring daluhan ng Pangulo sa linggong ito
bilang panauhing pandangal ang paglulunsad ng bagong MMDA Traffic Signal
System ang Command and Control Center.
“Ang mga ito ang tampok ng magiging abalang linggo ng Pangulo, bukod sa
laging pakikipag-ugnayan niya sa mga kagawad ng kanyang Gabinete upang
matiyak na maipagpapatuloy ngayong Bagong Taon ang mahahalagang bagay na
dapat tapusin sa unang apat na buwan ng 2014,” dagdag pa ni Lacierda.
Kabilang sa mga ipagpapatuloy na mahalagang gawain, sabi ni Lacierda ay ang
pagbabagong tatag sa mga pook na pininsala ng napakalakas na bagyong
Yolanda, gayundin ang paglagda sa Annex on Normalization of the Framework
Agreement on the Bangsamoro. PND (rck/zaf) |
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Hindi babayaran ang mga kontratista na magtatayo ng ‘substandard
bunkhouses,’ tinikyak ng puno ng DPWH |
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Hindi babayaran ang mga kontratistang inatasang magtayo
ng bunkhouses para sa mga biktima ng napakalakas na bagyong "Yolanda" kung
ang kanilang ginawa ay substandard.
Ito ang binigyang diin ni Kalihim Rogelio Singson ng Kagawaran ng Pagawaing
Bayan at Pambansang Lansangan (DPWH) Lunes sa pulong balitaan sa Malacanang
at sinabing kaya nga siya pupunta sa Lungsod ng Tacloban Martes ay upang
ispeksiyunin ang mga bunkhouses na itinatayo roon para matuluyan ng mga
nakaligtas sa Yolanda.
“Pupunta ako roon bukas para mag-ispeksiyon. Kapag nakita kong substandard
ang mga ito, hindi sila babayaran,” sabi ni Singson.
“Wala pa kaming binabayarang sino man sa mga kontratista sa sandaling ito.
Hiniling namin sa kanila at boluntaryo naman silang pumayag. Kung hindi
sinunod ng mga kontratista ang mga itinakda naming mga bagay, hindi sila
babayaran hangga’t hindi nila inaayos ang dapat ayusin o ituwid ang ano man
salig sa aming pamantayan. Samakatuwid, habang hindi nila tinutugunan ang
aming itinakdang pamantayan, hindi sila babayaran,” sabi pa ni Singson.
Idinugtong pa ni Singson na pumayag ang mga kontratista na itayo ang
bunkhouses nang kaltas o hindi kasama ang kanilang overhead at profit
margins.
“Ang mga kontratistang matuklasang hindi maayos ang pagkagawa ng mga
bunkhouses ay may saguting kumpunihin ang mga ito para makaalinsunod sa
pamantayan o kung ibig nila, ibigay na lamang nila ang mga ito,” sabi pa ng
Kalihim ng DPWH.
Sinabi ni Singson na napag-usapan nila ni Presidential Adviser on
Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson ang tungkol sa substandard
bunkhouses.
“Tiniyak ko sa kanya na hindi pa namin nababayaran ang sino mang kontratista.
Kung ibig ng mga kontratista na mabayaran sila, sundin nila ang
ispesipikasyon ng DPWH,” wika pa ng Kalihim.
Ayon kay Singson,walang ano mang overpricing subali’t maaari namang may mga
kontratista na hindi sumusunod sa itinakda ng DPWH na ispesipikasyon.
Sa orihinal na disenyo ng DPW#H, bawa’t bunkhouse ay para sa 24 na pamilya,
subali’t kinailangan nilang baguhin ang disenyo na ang mga bunkhouses ay
para sa 12 pamilya bilang pag-alinsunod sa mungkahi ng mga kinatawan ng mga
pandaigdig na ahensiya dahil napakaliit ng isang kuwarto lamang.
Dapat sanang sa pagtatapos ng Enero, sabi ni Singson, hanggang 6,000 pamilya
na ang nasa mga bunkhouses, subali’t dahil sa pagbabagong ginawa, nabawasan
ang bilang ng mga pamilyang makatutuloy sa mga mayayaring tuluyan nila.
Gayunman, tahasang sinabi ng Kalihim na kayang tapusin ng DPWH ang paggawa
ng mga bunkhousesa sa nalalabing dalawa at kalahating taon ng termino ng
Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Ginagawa namin ang lahat ng aming makakaya na tapusin ito sa dalawa at
kalahating taon. Ayokong sabihing matatapos namin ang programang pabahay na
ito sa loob ng dalawang taon,” dugtong pa ni Singson. PND (jl/zaf) |
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Nagbabala ang puno ng PCOO sa mga gumagamit ng
pangalan niya para makapanghingi ng 'donasyon' para sa biktima ng bagyong
'Yolanda' |
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Pinag-iingat ng isang pinuno ng Malacanang ang madla
tungkol sa mga tiwaling taong gumagamit ng pangalan niya para makahingi ng
abuloy para sa mga umano ay nakaligtas sa napakalakas na bagyong "Yolanda" (Haiyan).
Sinabi ni Kalihim Herminio “Sonny” Coloma, Jr. ng Presidential
Communications Operations Office na nalaman niya ang ginagawang paggamit sa
kanyang pangalan matapos ipabatid ito sa kanya ng Management Association of
the Philippines (MAP).
“May mga tiwaling tao na nagpapanggap na ako o umano ay kumakatawan sa akin
at sa tanggapan ko, para makahingi ng donasyon sa mga biktima ng Bagyong
Yolanda,” sabi ni Coloma.
Salig sa mga impormasyong nakarating sa kanya, tinangka ng mga
mapagsamantalang ito na biktimahin ang MAP at ang Financial Executives
Institute of the Philippines.
Sa kabilang dako naman, sabi ni Coloma, ginamit din ng “scammer” na ito ang
pangalan niya nang tawagan ang isang kaibigan at ialok na ikukuha niya ng
iskedyul ang kaibigan sa Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Ibig kong bigyang diin na hindi ako---at hindi ko gagawin—ang ganoong
pagtawag kanino man, at lalong wala akong pinahihintulutang katawanin ako sa
bagay na ganito,” pahayag pa ni Coloma.
“Maliwanag na kagagawan ito ng mga mapagsamantala. Dahil dito, maglalabas
ako ng karampatang pahayag sa mass media at sa website ng aming opisina
upang mababalaan ang lahat,” mariing pahayag ng Kalihim ng PCOO.
Samantala, hiniling ni Coloma sa MAP na tandaan ang caller information na
ginagamit ng impostor “upang matukoy kung sinu-sino ang mga ito at kung saan
sila matatagpuan upang mapanagot sila sa kanilang ginagawang labag sa batas.
PND (jl/zaf) |
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| Baldoz, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Dialogue, offers
stronger cooperation on labor migration with Sri Lankan Labor
Minister Perera, Chairman of Colombo Process |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
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| Labor and
Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, Chairman of the Abu
Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), yesterday met with Sri Lanka Minister of
Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Bodiyabadigue Dilan
Priyanjan Anslem Perera, Chairman of the Colombo Process, at the
Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, Manila, and discussed areas of mutual
concern between the member-countries of the ADD and the Colombo
Process. Minister Perera is in the country on an official visit,
accompanied by Nissanka Naomal Wijerratne, Mahalingan Somasundran,
Nanayakkara Kanaka Nishani Abeygunawardana, all of the Sri Lanka
Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, and Manisha
Gunasekera, Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN
Office in Geneva. "We welcome Minister Perera to the Philippines as
the DOLE's first dignitary-visitor for the new year. As Chairman of
the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, we attach great importance to his visit and
hopes this will pave the way for greater cooperation on labor
migration between the ADD and the Colombo Process," said Baldoz,
adding: "I am very glad to note that a partner in pushing for
migration and development agenda is our first visitor in 2014."
Baldoz said Sri Lanka and the Philippines stand on a common ground
with respect to issues in migration and development which serves as
a reason why both countries need to build a stronger bilateral
relationship. "While we are both developing our human resources
toward positively contributing to economic and social development in
our respective countries through employment in the global labor
market, I appreciate that Sri Lanka is also a place of employment
for some Filipino workers," Baldoz said. There are 438 Filipinos--35
percent of whom are professionals; 5 percent are in administrative
and managerial positions; and 25 percent agricultural workers-- in
Sri Lanka, based on the 2012 DFA Report to Congress. She noted that
the thrust of the Colombo Process under Minister Perera match very
well the focused projects of the ADD under the chairmanship of the
Philippines. Under the Chairmanship of Sri Lanka, Baldoz said the
Colombo Process is focused on the following areas: (1) review of the
international qualifications recognition process; (2) promote
cheaper, faster, and safer transfer of remittances; (3) foster
ethical labor recruitment practices; (4) effective pre-departure
orientation and empowerment; and (5) promote a standard employment
contract. The Colombo Process is a conglomeration of eleven
participating states--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India,
Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
and Vietnam--whose aim is to provide a forum for labor-sending
countries to share experiences, lessons, and best practices on
overseas employment, consult on issues faced by overseas workers and
labor-receiving and labor-sending states, and propose practical
solutions for those problems, and optimize development benefits from
organized overseas employment and enhance dialogue with countries of
destination. On the other hand, the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, hosted by
the United Arab Emirates, brings together the members of the Colombo
Process with the Gulf Cooperation Council states, plus Yemen and two
additional countries of destination, Malaysia and Singapore, in a
forum for the discussion of new ideas and concrete activities
towards the development of a comprehensive and practical framework
for the effective management of labor migration in Asia. "The
practical focus of the ADD is on promoting the welfare and
well-being of workers, on the development of both origin and
destination countries through labor mobility, and on fostering
greater inter-governmental cooperation and collaboration, with the
active support of international and regional partners," explained
Baldoz. While in Manila, Minister Perera and party will discuss with
the officials of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration,
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Professional Regulation
Commission, and the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority four areas of Sri Lankan interest. These are (1)
pre-departure orientation; (2) process of worker qualification
recognition; (3) comprehensive information and orientation program;
and (4) promoting ethical recruitment standards. Undersecretary
Danilo Cruz, POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, OWWA
Administrator Carmelita Dimzon, Dr. Jose Cueto, Chairman of the
PRC's Board of Medicine, and TESDA Deputy Director General Irene
Isaac, POEA Deputy Administrator Liberty Casco, OWWA Deputy
Administrator Josefino Torres, and Director Rodolfo Sabulao of the
DOLE's International Labor Affairs Bureau, joined Baldoz in the
meeting with the Sri Lankan delegation. |
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| Filipinos trace footsteps of Dr. Jose Rizal
in Paris |
| Source:
https://www.dfa.gov.ph |
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06 January 2014
– As part of the celebration of the 117th anniversary of the
martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Knights of Rizal, the Kababaihang
Rizalistas, and Las Damas de Rizal, together with the Philippine
Embassy in Paris, organized a walking tour of the various places
where Dr. Jose Rizal lived in Paris, France.
After a flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony at the Embassy
grounds, the Filipino community proceeded to 65 Boulevard Arago in
the 13th arrondissement (district), where Dr. Jose Rizal briefly
stayed with Filipino painter Juan Luna. Other famous painters such
as Gauguin and Modigliani lived in the same address.
The next stops were various hotels Dr. Jose Rizal stayed in, such as
the Hotel de Paris in 37 Rue De Maubeuge in the 9th arrondissement,
as well as the building currently occupied by Hotel Aramis in 124
Rue De Rennes in the 6th arrondissement.
Another stop was the former clinic of renowned ophthalmic surgeon
Dr. Louis de Wecker in 55 Rue Du Cherche-Midi just a few steps from
Hotel Aramis. This is where Dr. Jose Rizal trained under Dr. de
Wecker for four months from November 1885 to February 1886 and where
he learned the cataract-surgery technique which he used on his
mother, Teodora Alonzo.
Last stop was Place Jose Rizal in the 9th arrondissement, located in
front of 55 Rue De Maubeuge.
Dr. Jose Rizal first arrived in France in the summer of 1883 and
ended up staying for three months before embarking on his studies in
Madrid, Spain. He later returned to train under Dr. de Wecker in
1885-1886 and then travelled to France intermittently up to 1891
when he finished writing his second novel El Filibusterismo in
Biarritz, France.
All of the stops visited above had markers erected by the National
Historic Commission in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in
Paris and the Filipino community.
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| Phl Embassy in Lebanon commemorates Rizal Day |
| Source:
https://www.dfa.gov.ph |
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06 January 2014
– The Philippine Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, together with the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA), commemorated Rizal Day last 27 December 2013.
Vice Consul Dennis John Briones, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., led
Embassy, POLO and OWWA officers and staff, as well as Filipinos
sheltered in the Embassy’s Migrant Workers and Overseas Filpinos
Resource Center (MWOFRC) in commemorating the event. A simple flag
ceremony was held for the occasion. The celebration was also joined
by 27 Filipino repatriates transiting from Syria via Lebanon.
The event started with the singing of the national anthem “Lupang
Hinirang” led by Consular Staff Melissa Mancenido and the recitation
of the “Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas” led by Cultural Officer
Gladys Perey and followed by a brief message by Vice Consul Briones.
Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officer Dexter Macaraig’s reading of
the original Spanish version of “Mi Ultimo Adios,” a poem written by
Dr. Jose P. Rizal on the eve of his execution, capped the event.
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| Simultaneous flag ceremony to kick off
first ever National Time Consciousness Week |
| Source:
http://www.dost.gov.ph |
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As kick off
activity for the first ever observance of the National Time
Consciousness Week from January 1 to 7, government offices, led by
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will hold their
first flag ceremony of the year simultaneously on Monday, January 6,
at exactly 8AM, Philippine Standard Time (PhST).
Along with the simultaneous flag ceremony, all government offices
will display the PhST in prominent areas, per Civil Service
Commission announcement No. 1,s. 2014. PhST is provided by the
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA), the country’s official timekeeper.
The activity is part of the government’s campaign for the usage of
PhST, which was enacted through Republic Act 10535 or the Philippine
Standard Time Act of 2013, signed into law by President Benigno
Simeon Aquino III on May 15, 2013. The newly-enacted law assigns
every first week of the year as the National Time Consciousness
Week.
DOST’s PhST campaign, dubbed as Juan Time (Pinoy Ako On Time Ako)
aims to synchronize all timepieces in the country and promote the
new definition of “Filipino Time” which is on time. The highlight of
the campaign was the New Year countdown using PhST, which was
adopted by major television networks and telecommunication giants.
“Our Juan Time campaign seeks to reverse the negative connotations
of ‘Filipino Time’ from tardiness to punctuality, discipline, and
utmost regard for other people’s time. Lateness often leads to
missed opportunities. What we want is for Filipinos to arrive on
time as the new norm,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said.
Know more about the Juan Time campaign. Visit our official social
media pages. |
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| Protecting OFWs a priority in 2013 |
| Source:
http://ovp.gov.ph |
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The office of
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay acted on 1,369 requests for help
from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in 2013, helping repatriate 71
distressed Filipinos while also handling requests for assistance on
salary and benefit claims, legal assistance for detained OFWs and
grievances against recruiters and agents.
In its year-end report, the OVP said among those assisted by the
Vice President was household worker Bolaya Dabpagan who was deported
from the United Arab Emirates. Dabpagan has been in a coma since
September 2011. Binay shouldered all the expenses of Dabpagan and
brought her back to the Philippines.
Binay also took a direct hand in ensuring the safe and speedy
repatriation of workers affected by the Saudization policy.
He called on Philippine Embassy officials in Riyadh to fast-track
the processing of exit papers for undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia
as the Saudi government started the crackdown on illegal workers who
violated iqama and visa laws.
When the November 3, 2013 deadline for undocumented migrants to fix
their status came, Binay closely coordinated with the Philippine
embassy officials in Saudi Arabia in ensuring the protection of
Filipino workers.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), almost
40,000 illegal overseas Filipino workers have already been
repatriated while 160,000 undocumented OFWs were able to legalize
their stay either by transferring to a new employer or by changing
their profession.
Except for those with derogatory records, the Saudi government
assured the repatriated OFWs will still be welcome to work in the
kingdom.
Binay also made appeals to stay the executions of OFWs in Saudi
Arabia and China.
The Vice President worked alongside private groups and various
government agencies in saving Rodelio Lanuza, who was jailed for 13
years in Saudi Arabia. The 38-year-old Lanuza has been on death row
in Dammam, Saudi Arabia since 2000 after killing Saudi national
Mohammad bin Said Al-Qathani.
Currently, Binay is pursuing a last-ditch effort to stay the
execution of Joselito Zapanta after the deadline for the payment of
his blood money lapsed in November last year.
Zapanta is currently in death row in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for
killing Imam Ibrahim, a Sudanese national.
Ibrahim’s family originally demanded SAR 5 million for the execution
of a tanazul or affidavit of forgiveness and prevent the imposition
of the death penalty, but later reduced the amount to SAR 4 million.
Binay also appealed for the commutation of the death sentence of a
Filipina convicted of drug smuggling in China. The Filipina was
sentenced to death by the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing for
smuggling 6.198 kilos of heroin in a Shanghai airport in January
2011.
Binay was supposed to go to China to personally deliver a letter
from President Benigno Aquino. III However, he was advised by the
Chinese Foreign Ministry not to proceed, saying it would not be a
"convenient time” for him to visit the country. |
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| VP Binay renews call VS text scams
bearing his name |
| Source:
http://ovp.gov.ph |
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Vice President
Jejomar C. Binay renewed his call to the public to be wary of text
scams bearing his name.
"Be careful of text messages claiming you won a cash prize or a
housing unit from my office or a certain Binay foundation," the Vice
President said.
"We do not engage in any raffle contests. Do not allow yourselves to
fall victim to unscrupulous individuals," he added.
A concerned citizen informed Binay of receiving the following text
message:
< D/ JEJOMAR "BINAY" Foundation, nforming u dat ur CP# Won! Worth
Php870,000. only, in Pabahay ni ‘BINAY’ 2014! DTI NCR prmit#5410s13,
to claim, Pls. Call me now!! Im, Atty. Vic A. Acosta. Thanks>"
Last year, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested a woman in
Bago City for allegedly using Binay’s name to swindle P500,000 from
two contractors.
NBI said Ma. Cristita Tortogo claimed to facilitate a housing
contract from the Vice President and extorted money from two
contractors.
Tortogo is facing charges for violating The Anti-Bouncing Check Law
and falsification of public documents. She is also facing other
charges before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office filed by the NBI.
The NBI had also arrested a man posing as the Vice President and
tried to extort P300,000 from business magnate Lucio Tan. |
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| PhilHealth strengthens benefit package for
disease prevention and early detection |
| Source:
http://www.philhealth.gov.ph |
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To be able to
respond to the growing health care needs of its members especially
of the poor, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)
has recently re-introduced its Primary Care Benefit Package under a
new brand called TSeKaP or Tamang Serbisyong Kalusugang Pampamilya.
TSeKaP aims to make the said benefit package more endearing to its
beneficiaries which include indigent and sponsored members, members
of organized groups, and land-based OFWs. PhilHealth extended the
said benefit to employees of the Department of Education last year
as part of a pilot test.
"Gone are the days when PhilHealth is just remembered when one is
sick because our TSeKaP package is here to encourage entitled
members and their qualified dependents to avoid getting sick or to
even arrest sicknesses early on" PhilHealth President and CEO
Alexander A. Padilla said, adding that "disease prevention and early
detection saves money, and strengthens the gate-keeping function of
primary care facilities which allows tertiary hospitals to maximize
their resources on complicated cases."
In due time, PhilHealth said that TSeKaP will be extended to other
member categories after careful studies have been made.
TSeKaP consists of essential services aimed at prevention, early
detection of diseases and even interventions for healthy living. It
includes consultations, visual inspection with acetic acid, regular
blood pressure monitoring, periodical breast examination, and health
promotion like education on breastfeeding, counseling on lifestyle
modification and smoking cessation.
Preventive services also cover body measurements and digital rectal
examination while diagnostics such as complete blood count,
urinalysis, fecalysis, sputum microscopy, fasting blood sugar, Lipid
profile and chest X-ray are also available upon the recommendation
of the physician.
"TSeKaP even provides medicines for asthma, acute gastroenteritis
with no or mild dehydration, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection"
Padilla added.
Qualified beneficiaries can avail of these services at their
designated rural health units, health centers or at outpatient
departments of government hospitals nearest them in the case of
DepEd employees. Land-based OFWs have the option to choose their
TSeKaP providers.
Beneficiaries should enlist themselves with TSeKaP providers and be
assigned to a primary care physician to enjoy the services within
the validity period as indicated in their PhilHealth cards or Member
Data Record in the case of land-based OFWs.
The said benefit was first introduced in 2000 to provide adequate
access to quality outpatient services and has undergone several
enhancements until its re-introduction as TSeKaP to help encourage
usage especially among the poor.
"TSeKaP is PhilHealth’s concrete and lasting contribution to
ensuring a level of care that is ‘effective, safe, person-centered,
comprehensive, integrated and with continuity by a regular and
trusted provider" stressed Padilla, partly quoting the World Health
Organization’s definition of primary care.
To date, a total of 2,482 outpatient clinics covering at least 93
percent of all cities and municipalities in the country have been
accredited as TSeKaP providers and some P2.9B has already been paid
for the said package from 2012 to 2013 alone. |
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| 2012 Flow of Funds reports savings across sectors; Household sector
remains as top Net Funds Provider |
| Source:
http://www.bsp.gov.ph |
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The BSP has
released the 2012 Flow of Funds (FOF) Report. The FOF presents a
summary of financial transactions among the different institutions
of the economy, and between these institutions and the rest of the
world. It identifies which institutions are net borrowers and net
lenders after a series of financial transactions for the year.
Institutions are categorized into four, namely: 1) financial
corporations, 2) non-financial corporations, 3) the general
government, and 4) the households.
The economy’s savings momentum is sustained amid solid overall
revenue performance of all sectors and the country’s sound
macroeconomic fundamentals.
Domestic savings continued to expand by 6.8 percent to ₱2,001.3
billion. The household sector remained the top saver in the economy
for the fifth consecutive year accumulating ₱928.9 billion in
savings. This was partly brought about by the steady stream of
overseas Filipinos’ remittances. The non-financial corporations
sector trailed behind, generating savings amounting to ₱713.4
billion due to the broad-based growth in savings across sub-sectors.
The general government sector registered the highest growth in
savings at 33.5 percent to reach ₱252.2 billion due to sustained
generation of savings of the National Government (NG), Local
Government Units (LGUs), and Social Security Agencies (SSAs). The
financial sector also registered an impressive growth in savings of
17.5 percent at ₱100.6 billion due to increased revenue generation
of top private life insurance companies and the steady stream of
income of the other depository corporations.
Real investment continues to expand as the National Government
infuses huge investments in infrastructure and other capital
outlays.
The economy’s gross capital accumulation expanded by 7.7 percent to
reach ₱1,691.9 billion in 2012. The household sector continued to be
the economy’s largest real investor, accounting for 41.6 percent of
the total gross capital accumulation. The non-financial corporation
sector’s capital accumulation grew due mainly to business expansions
and modernization and rehabilitation projects. Real investments of
the financial sector fell by 19.5 percent to ₱31.2 billion on the
back of sustained disposal of foreclosed properties by the banking
sector. The slowdown in the sector’s capital accumulation was
likewise reflected in the sharp drop in real investments of the
monetary authority as purchases of non-monetary gold in the BSP’s
gold buying stations significantly plunged by 91.6 percent.
Meanwhile, capital accumulation of the general government sector
rose markedly by 27.4 percent to ₱318.4 billion in 2012 as the NG
accelerated disbursements for infrastructure projects and capital
outlays.
All sectors are net lenders, except for the general government.
The household sector continued to be a net lender, with loans
receivables as the desired form of asset acquisition. The
non-financial corporation sector maintained its net lending
position, with fund provisioning activities largely reflected in the
build-up of trade receivables, currency holdings and deposit
placements. The financial sector’s net lending surged by 48.2
percent to ₱69.4 billion as the assets of rural and cooperative
banks, other deposit-taking institutions, and the insurance
sub-sector increased. The general government sector retained its net
borrowing position at ₱59.9 billion on the strength of NG’s faster
capital accumulation.
The domestic economy’s net lending to the rest of the world (ROW)
aggregated ₱309.4 billion, a modest increase of 2.1 percent from the
₱302.9 billion in 2011.
The lower deficit in the country’s trade-in-goods account
contributed to the overall net fund provision of the domestic
economy to the rest of the world. The most preferred financial
instruments were currency and deposits and securities other than
shares, particularly, the depository corporations as main holders
and the NG as the top issuer. |
|
|
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| FAQs on the Power Sharing Annex |
| Source:
http://www.opapp.gov.ph |
|
Frequently asked questions on the Annex on
power sharing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
1. What is the Annex on Power Sharing? Why is it crucial to the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro?
The Annex on Power Sharing is the third of the four Annexes to the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) that will complete the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
It is composed of four parts:
-Part I on Intergovernmental Relations enumerates the principles
that will govern the relationship between the Central Government and
the Bangsamoro Government, as well as with the local governments in
the Bangsamoro;
-Part II on
Governance Structure provides some details on the ministerial form
of government for the Bangsamoro, including the composition of the
Bangsamoro assembly;
-Part III on
Delineation of Powers identifies the powers under the three lists of
powers – reserved, concurrent, and exclusive; and
-Part IV on Other Matters provides guiding principles in relation to
taxation, transportation and communication, mineral and energy
resources, and powers already devolved to the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The Annex on
Power Sharing will guide the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC)
in the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that will be
submitted to the Philippine Congress. Together with the Annex on
Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, it aims to ensure that the
Bangsamoro Government will enjoy meaningful autonomy based on the
inhabitants’ “distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic
and social structures, and other relevant characteristics” (Sec. 15,
Art. X, 1987 Constitution). Moreover, it provides the Bangsamoro
with the competencies to be able to exercise accountable and
effective self-governance.
2. The Bangsamoro shall have a ministerial form of government. Is
such a government structure possible under the 1987 Constitution?
Yes. The Constitution provides for a structure of government for the
national government, i.e. the presidential system and its three
branches of government.
At the same time, consistent with the principles of devolution and
autonomy, the Constitution left it to the wisdom of Congress to
determine the appropriate government structures for local government
units and the autonomous regions. The government structure of the
Bangsamoro shall be provided in the Bangsamoro Basic Law, or the
organic act for the Bangsamoro.
On local governments, Sec. 3, Article X stipulates that “The
Congress hall enact a local government code which shall provide for
a more responsive and accountable local government structure… .”
On the autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera,
Sec. 18, Article X, states that “The organic act shall define the
basic structure of government for the region consisting of the
executive department and the legislative assembly… .”
3. Who will head the Bangsamoro Government? Will the leaders be
democratically elected?
Notably, the Constitution requires that the members of the executive
and legislative departments of autonomous regions be elective and
representative of the constituent political units.
The Annex on Power Sharing ensures that these requirements are met.
Registered voters in the Bangsamoro shall elect their
representatives in the Bangsamoro assembly. These representatives,
in turn, will elect among themselves the Chief Minister. The Chief
Minister will then choose the deputy and other ministers that will
form the Cabinet. Most of these ministers shall come from the
assembly.
This system of election encourages the formation of political
parties because usually, the political party that wins the majority
of seats and/or is allied with the other political parties is able
to secure the post of Chief Minister. It is very different from the
current set up wherein the ARMM regional governor and vice- governor
are elected directly by the people.
4. Who will sit in the Bangsamoro assembly? How do we make sure that
other groups will be represented in the assembly?
The Annex on Power Sharing states that the Bangsamoro assembly will
be made up of at least 50 members. Through different kinds of seats
–- district, reserved, party-list and sectoral – it ensures that the
Bangsamoro assembly shall be “representative of the Bangsamoro’s
constituent political units, as well as non-Moro indigenous
communities, women, settler communities, and other sectors.”
The Bangsamoro Basic Law shall define how the people will vote for
and how the winners in the district, sectoral, party-list and
reserved seats shall be determined. The system of election may
combine diverse modes of proportional representation, alongside the
current set-up of geographic/district seats where the candidates
with the highest number of votes secure the district seats.
5. In the event of conflict between the laws, programs and standards
of the Central Government and that of the Bangsamoro Government,
which shall prevail? Is there a mechanism to address these
conflicts?
Part I of the Annex on Power Sharing enumerates the principles that
will govern the relationship between the Central Government and the
Bangsamoro Government. One of these principles is the creation of
Central Government – Bangsamoro Government Intergovernmental
Relations mechanisms that will serve as venue for the resolution of
any issues that may arise on the exercise within the Bangsamoro of
the respective powers of the Central Government and the Bangsamoro
Government.
The objective is to resolve any conflict and to harmonize and
coordinate Central Government and Bangsamoro Government actions
through regular consultations and continuing negotiations in a
non-adversarial manner.
The Annex also provides for a Philippine Congress – Bangsamoro
assembly forum for purposes of cooperation and coordination of
legislative initiatives.
6. What are reserved powers? Why are these reserved to the Central
Government?
Reserved powers are authorities that are by their nature to be
exercised only by a state, and are thus retained by the Central
Government. They apply to the Bangsamoro as part of the Republic of
the Philippines.
For example, defense and external security, which involves the
actions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is within the full
control of its Commander- in-Chief, the President. Foreign policy,
which affects the overall relations of the Philippines with other
states, also remains the reserved power of the Central Government.
By the same token, jurisdiction over citizenship and naturalization,
immigration, customs and tariff, common market and global trade, and
intellectual property rights – matters which inherently impact on
the Philippines’ dealings with other nations – are retained by the
Central Government.
Other reserved powers that must be centrally administered if these
are to remain effective are coinage and monetary policy and postal
service.
7. What are concurrent powers?
The term “concurrent” is used generally to refer to powers that the
Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government will share or
jointly exercise within the Bangsamoro, or where ways and means for
cooperation and coordination shall be further defined in the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
For example, in the exercise of powers over quarantine, land
registration, pollution control, penology and penitentiary,
coastguard, disaster risk reduction and management, and public order
and safety, the Bangsamoro Government and the Central Government
will work closely and will cooperate and coordinate to
Ensure the effective execution of these functions within the
Bangsamoro. The exercise of concurrent powers over the enforcement
of customs and tariff laws and regulations and funding for the
maintenance of national roads, bridges, and irrigation systems
likewise calls for cooperation and coordination between the two.
Concurrent powers can also mean “shared” powers wherein the
Bangsamoro Government can establish its own systems and policies,
without diminishing the authorities of the existing Central
Government bodies. This is true in the case of social security and
pensions, human rights promotion and protection, auditing, civil
service, and administration of justice.
In all, there are 14 concurrent powers listed in the Annex.
8. There are 58 items under the list of exclusive powers of the
Bangsamoro. What do “exclusive powers” mean and what are these
powers?
The list of exclusive powers refers to those matters over which
authority and jurisdiction pertain, or are effectively devolved, to
the Bangsamoro Government. They cover diverse concerns ranging from
education, history and culture to regulation of trade, manufacturing
and public utilities, as well as management of the environment.
Altogether they provide a set of responsibilities and functions, the
meaningful and effective exercise of which will prove the true worth
of an autonomous government.
The list of exclusive powers can be found on pages 7-12 of the
signed Annex.
9. Is the Central Government prevented from intervening on matters
that are within the exclusive powers of the Bangsamoro Government?
The Bangsamoro Government is still a governmental unit within the
ambit of the Philippine state. As such, the provisions in the Annex
on Power Sharing are subject to all constitutional guidelines
including the general supervision of the President over the
autonomous regions (Sec. 16, Art X. 1987 Constitution). However, the
President’s general supervision over the Bangsamoro, especially in
the exercise of its exclusive powers, will be with due deference to
its regional autonomy, a notion likewise guaranteed in the
Constitution.
Moreover, it is understood that standards and programs pertaining to
matters such as education, trade, labor, budgeting, financial and
banking system, etc. shall be harmonized.
It must be stressed that these exclusive governmental powers are to
be exercised by the Bangsamoro Government within its jurisdiction.
When there is impact beyond its territorial jurisdiction, other
concerned government units shall exercise their respective
authorities.
10. Will the powers of the constitutional bodies (Commission on
elections, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, and
Commission on human rights) be affected by the Bangsamoro
Government’s powers over the same subject matters?
No. The Annex on Power Sharing does not at any instance diminish the
powers granted to these bodies under the Constitution.
In the exercise of the concurrent power over human rights and
humanitarian protection and promotion, the Bangsamoro government’s
human rights body will work cooperatively with the national
Commission on Human Rights (CHR). Notably, this is the on-going
arrangement between the current Regional Human Rights Commission in
the ARMM and the CHR.
Likewise, the creation of their own auditing bodies and own civil
service code are expressly without prejudice to the authorities of
the national Civil Service Commission and the national Commission on
Audit. In the same manner, the Bangsamoro Government may enact
regional laws that will operationalize the electoral system suitable
to a ministerial form of government as provided in the Bangsamoro
Basic Law. The COMELEC shall still enforce and administer all laws
and regulations relative to the conduct of elections.
11. What would the administration of justice look like in the
Bangsamoro? Will the power of the Supreme Court be diminished?
Justice institutions in the Bangsamoro shall consist of regular
civil courts in accordance with national laws, Shari’ah courts that
would enforce the Shari’ah justice system within the Bangsamoro, and
institutions that would operationalize the recognition of indigenous
processes as alternative modes of dispute resolution.
The adoption of Shari’ah and customary justice in the overall
justice system in the Bangsamoro is not novel as these are already
recognized in the current ARMM Organic Act (Republic Act No. 9054).
Personal and family laws for Muslims are already codified under the
Code of Muslim Personal Laws (Presidential Decree No. 1083). Current
alternative dispute resolution practice accommodates any process,
including indigenous dispute resolution, used to resolve a dispute
other than by court action.
These arrangements do not diminish the judicial power of the Supreme
Court. The Supreme Court may also institute the necessary offices
that will administer the courts in this region, such as a deputy
court administrator, and inform its own processes, such as the
jurisconsult which renders legal opinions on Shari’ah matters.
12. Will non-muslims in the Bangsamoro be affected by Shari’ah law?
The FAB provides that the Shari’ah and its application shall only be
to Muslims.
However, given that the Bangsamoro shall be the only region in the
country where majority of the population are Muslims, matters
important to the practices and way of life of Muslims (hajj, umrah,
halal certification, Islamic banking systems, awqaf, hisbah and
Shari’ah courts) shall form part of the offices and programs of the
Bangsamoro Government.
13. How will the Bangsamoro Government’s exclusive powers over
trade, barter trade and countertrade, registration of business
names, and other items relevant to trade affect the Central
Government’s reserved powers over foreign policy and common market
and global trade?
Only the Central Government, through the President, can enter into
international agreements, set foreign policy, and represent the
country in matters dealing with foreign relations. International
treaties, moreover, need the ratification of the Philippine
Congress. It follows that only the Central Government can make
commitments to trade organizations and establish diplomatic and
economic ties with other states. These are consistent with the
reserved powers of the Central Government over foreign policy and
common market and global trade.
The Bangsamoro Government may promote business investments and
engage in trade (and cultural activities) among foreign entities,
including the traditional barter trade and countertrade with the
ASEAN countries. Such endeavors are to be guided by the country’s
international commitments and obligations, diplomatic relations, and
relevant national laws.
14. How are the rights of indigenous peoples (IPs) protected by the
Annex on Power Sharing?
The Annex on Power Sharing contains a provision obligating the
Bangsamoro Government to protect the rights of IPs under its
administrative jurisdiction. The reference to the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples indicates the
commitment to upholding IP’s rights to self-determination, non-
discriminatory treatment, and their traditional lands, among others.
Moreover, individual and community property rights, cultural
integrity, customary beliefs, historical and community traditions
are recognized. These parameters are to be observed by the
Bangsamoro Government.
The IPs are likewise guaranteed representation in the Bangsamoro
assembly and the council of leaders.
15. In all, how can women, indigenous peoples and other sectors in
the Bangsamoro directly participate in governance? How can their
welfare be promoted?
The Annex on Power Sharing specifically provides that the Bangsamoro
assembly shall be representative of its constituent sectors. Seats
for IPs, women, and other sectors shall be allocated in the
Bangsamoro assembly and ministers responsible for promoting their
rights and welfare may be appointed. The Bangsamoro council of
leaders shall include their representatives.
Moreover, the Annex on Power Sharing compels the Bangsamoro
Government to establish appropriate mechanisms for consultations
with women and
16. In what ways does the Annex on Power Sharing build on the Final
Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)?
The Annex on Power Sharing stipulates that specific powers already
contained in other peace agreements such as the FPA and already
provided by Republic Act No. 9054 or the Organic Act for the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, may be adopted in the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Moreover, the recommendations from the review process of the 1996
FPA that is being facilitated by the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation shall be taken into account for possible incorporation
in the Bangsamoro Basic Law. The recommended amendments of the ARMM
Regional Legislative Assembly to R.A. No. 9054 shall also be
considered.
Following the passage of the Basic Law and the conduct of the
plebiscite, the Bangsamoro can have a potentially expanded core
territory. As provided in the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth
Sharing, there shall be a much- enhanced wealth sharing arrangement
between the Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government in the
form of additional taxes devolved and new sharing formula from
government revenues. The Bangsamoro Government will likewise receive
an automatically appropriated and regularly released Bangsamoro
block grant. In addition, a Special Development Fund for
rehabilitation and development purposes shall be released to the
Bangsamoro Government upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic
Law.
The short transition period under the Bangsamoro Transition
Authority and the broad-based representation in the Bangsamoro
assembly will open many spaces for enhanced collaboration between
those coming from the MILF and the MNLF leadership and membership, a
well as with other social and political groups. All of them are
encouraged to form their respective political parties so that they
can ably and peacefully compete in the first regular election for
the Bangsamoro assembly in 2016, and amicably share political power
in the legislative body and the other governance institutions that
will make up the Bangsamoro Government. |
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|
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| 2012 Flow of Funds Reports savings across
sectors; household sector remains as top net funds provider |
| Source:
http://www.bsp.gov.ph |
|
The BSP has
released the 2012 Flow of Funds (FOF) Report. The FOF presents a
summary of financial transactions among the different institutions
of the economy, and between these institutions and the rest of the
world. It identifies which institutions are net borrowers and net
lenders after a series of financial transactions for the year.
Institutions are categorized into four, namely: 1) financial
corporations, 2) non-financial corporations, 3) the general
government, and 4) the households.
The economy’s savings momentum is sustained amid solid overall
revenue performance of all sectors and the country’s sound
macroeconomic fundamentals.
Domestic savings continued to expand by 6.8 percent to ₱2,001.3
billion. The household sector remained the top saver in the economy
for the fifth consecutive year accumulating ₱928.9 billion in
savings. This was partly brought about by the steady stream of
overseas Filipinos’ remittances. The non-financial corporations
sector trailed behind, generating savings amounting to ₱713.4
billion due to the broad-based growth in savings across sub-sectors.
The general government sector registered the highest growth in
savings at 33.5 percent to reach ₱252.2 billion due to sustained
generation of savings of the National Government (NG), Local
Government Units (LGUs), and Social Security Agencies (SSAs). The
financial sector also registered an impressive growth in savings of
17.5 percent at ₱100.6 billion due to increased revenue generation
of top private life insurance companies and the steady stream of
income of the other depository corporations.
Real investment continues to expand as the National Government
infuses huge investments in infrastructure and other capital
outlays.
The economy’s gross capital accumulation expanded by 7.7 percent to
reach ₱1,691.9 billion in 2012. The household sector continued to be
the economy’s largest real investor, accounting for 41.6 percent of
the total gross capital accumulation. The non-financial corporation
sector’s capital accumulation grew due mainly to business expansions
and modernization and rehabilitation projects. Real investments of
the financial sector fell by 19.5 percent to ₱31.2 billion on the
back of sustained disposal of foreclosed properties by the banking
sector. The slowdown in the sector’s capital accumulation was
likewise reflected in the sharp drop in real investments of the
monetary authority as purchases of non-monetary gold in the BSP’s
gold buying stations significantly plunged by 91.6 percent.
Meanwhile, capital accumulation of the general government sector
rose markedly by 27.4 percent to ₱318.4 billion in 2012 as the NG
accelerated disbursements for infrastructure projects and capital
outlays.
All sectors are net lenders, except for the general government.
The household sector continued to be a net lender, with loans
receivables as the desired form of asset acquisition. The
non-financial corporation sector maintained its net lending
position, with fund provisioning activities largely reflected in the
build-up of trade receivables, currency holdings and deposit
placements. The financial sector’s net lending surged by 48.2
percent to ₱69.4 billion as the assets of rural and cooperative
banks, other deposit-taking institutions, and the insurance
sub-sector increased. The general government sector retained its net
borrowing position at ₱59.9 billion on the strength of NG’s faster
capital accumulation.
The domestic economy’s net lending to the rest of the world (ROW)
aggregated ₱309.4 billion, a modest increase of 2.1 percent from the
₱302.9 billion in 2011.
The lower deficit in the country’s trade-in-goods account
contributed to the overall net fund provision of the domestic
economy to the rest of the world. The most preferred financial
instruments were currency and deposits and securities other than
shares, particularly, the depository corporations as main holders
and the NG as the top issuer.
View 2012 FOF Table
View 2011 FOF Table
View Report |
|
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| OWWA Family Day 2013 in Kidapawan City elates
OFWs and families in SOCCSKSARGEN region |
| Source:
http://www.owwa.gov.ph |
|
Over 1,600 OFWs
and their families coming from the four provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN
region participated in the festive celebration of OFW Family Day
2013 held on December 2, 2013 at the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College
in Kidapawan City.
Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista and Department of Labor and
Employment XII Dir. Ofelia Domingo graced this year’s celebration
with the theme, “Pamilyang sama-sama, ipagdiwang Paskong kay saya”
hosted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional
Welfare Office XII in cooperation with the City Government of
Kidapawan.
OWWA’s social partners from government and private sectors set up
booths exhibiting a one-stop hub to showcase their programs and
services, alongside merrymaking, entertainment, and fun-filled
activities for the OFW circles.
OWWA RWO12 Officer in Charge Marilou Sumalinog said, “OFW Family Day
is an annual celebration aimed at providing avenue for OFWs and
their families to spend quality time together, strengthen family
ties and values, and develop camaraderie among OFW communities.”
Among the highlights of the event was the induction of the newly
elected OFW Family Circle (OFC) officers from North Cotabato and
Sultan Kudarat. Adding amusement to the festivity was the Sayawit or
song and dance contest which proclaimed the Mlang OFW Family
Association as winner. It bagged the cash prize and trophy.
The most anticipated part of the event, the raffle draw, had
everyone in joyous uproar as winners were called in through raffle
draw. Prizes ranging from grocery items to mobile phones and
appliances were given away.
Sponsors for the event were LGU-Kidapawan, PhilHealth, Globe
Telecoms Inc., Land Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine
Islands, MMML Recruitment Services Inc., Jamal Human Resource
International Employment Agency, Non Stop Overseas Employment
Corporation, GBMLT Manpower Services, Inc., and M.R. International
Manpower Services. |
|
|
|
| DSWD year-end report: Looking back, moving
forward |
| Source:
http://www.dswd.gov.ph |
|
“The year 2013
has been an exhilarating year which left us breathless but we
stepped up to the challenge.”
This was the gist of the New Year message of Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman.
“We responded with the best of our knowledge and experience as we
began the year stepping up the work in Typhoon Pablo-stricken areas
and responding to the different disasters namely: the Sabah crisis,
‘Habagat’ (or monsoon rains), [Typhoon] ‘Labuyo,’ Zamboanga siege,
[Typhoon] ‘Santi,’ the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol, and the
fury of Yolanda.”
“As each event unfolded, the practices and systems we had in place
were put to the test and we had to develop new strategies and
tactics to respond to the different disasters since the nature and
magnitude kept intensifying,” the Secretary expounded.
Sec. Soliman commended the men and women of the Department who
continued to walk the extra mile in rendering matapat, mahusay at
magiliw na paglilingkod to victims of disasters, and to vulnerable
individuals, families, and communities.
Disaster response
As of December 27, DSWD provided more than a billion worth of
assistance to disaster victims, including the survivors of ‘Habagat’
which plagued NCR (P25.24 million), ‘Santi’ which lashed Region 3 in
September (P22.14 million), the Zamboanga armed conflict (P278.77
million), earthquake in Central Visayas (P96.87 million), and
Typhoon Yolanda which devastated the Visayas region on November 8
(P1.17 billion).
This assistance includes relief, early recovery, and rehabilitation
efforts.
Pro-poor programs
While the Department dealt with a number of disasters of huge
proportions this year, it did not lose track of its basic programs.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is already on its fifth year
of implementation.
As of November 27, the program is being implemented in all 1,627
cities and municipalities in 79 provinces in 17 Regions.
It provides education and health cash grants of as much as P1,400 to
a family with three qualified children provided they comply with the
conditions of sending them to school and in health centers for
check-up, and attending Family Development Sessions.
A total of 3,839,259 households are covered by the regular Pantawid
Pamilya program while 94,247 are covered by Modified Conditional
Cash Transfer (MCCT). The MCCT targets Families in Need of Special
Protection (FNSP), Homeless Street Families (HSF) and Extended Age
Coverage Program (EAP) for Children 15-17 years old.
The total cash grants paid to eligible and compliant beneficiaries
from January to November is P33,854,742,700. Of this,
P16,354,685,600 was for education and P17,500,057,100 was for
health.
Community-driven development
The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated
Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) which uses the
community-driven development (CDD) approach to reduce poverty
continues to fund community projects.
Kalahi-CIDSS expanded its coverage to reach up to 50% of poorest
municipalities in targeted provinces, utilizing the Additional
Financing (AF) of the World Bank (WB) and a grant from the United
States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
To date, both projects have already covered 7,593 barangays in 328
municipalities in 48 poorest provinces in the country.
As of September, AF and MCC funded a total of 4,042 community
sub-projects amounting to P4.698 billion that will benefit
approximately 928,377 households.
Livelihood
On the other hand, the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)
continues to provide entrepreneurial and employment opportunities to
the poor, mostly Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
From January to November, some 144,115 Pantawid Pamilya households
were served through the Micro-enterprise Development Track. A total
of P562,152,738.00 was disbursed from the Capital Seed Fund as
non-interest and non-collateral loans for the enterprises of these
families.
Likewise, some 17,772 non-Pantawid Pamilya households were served
through the Micro-enterprise Development Track. They have received
P96,706,094 from the Capital Seed Fund as non-interest and
non-collateral loans for their enterprises.
A total of 12,329 households were provided employment.
Social pension for seniors
The DSWD likewise continues the implementation of its Social Pension
for Indigent Senior Citizens in all the regions of the country.
The program covers 77 years old and above who are frail, sickly, or
has disability; who are not receiving pension; and have no permanent
source of income or regular support from their relatives.
As of December 27, some 254,175 senior citizens have received their
monthly stipend worth P500.
The program has a budget of P1.4B for 2013 and P3.1B for 2014 .
Feeding program
For the children enrolled in day cares and supervised play session,
DSWD provides food supplementation to improve and sustain their
nutritional status.
This comes in the form of hot meals to be served during break or
snack time in the morning or afternoon session.
The feeding program is managed by parents based on a prepared meal
cycle using available indigenous food supplies.
Children beneficiaries will be weighed at the start of the feeding
and three months thereafter. After the completion of 120 feeding
days, the improvement and sustenance in their nutritional status
will be determined.
The actual start of feeding started in June, in time for the start
of the school year.
For 2013-2014, a total of 1,451,655 children out of 1,778,274 were
already served as of December.
Victims of trafficking
The Department gives a comprehensive package of programs and
services to enhance the psychosocial, social and economic needs of
victims of trafficking. It is implemented in coordination with other
concerned agencies such as the Department of Justice.
This includes provision of financial assistance while awaiting
employment or while undergoing training, and of capital assistance;
referral to employers and/or business partners; auxiliary services
such as board and lodging, documentation, and other incidental
expenses; and, DNA testing if needed.
The DSWD also offers temporary shelter to victim-survivors to help
them cope with their traumatic experiences.
As of November 30, a total of 1,228 human trafficking cases (338
males and 890 females) have been served. Region VII has the highest
number of reported cases with 12.7%, and CAR the lowest with 1.22%.
Forced labor as a purpose for trafficking ranked the highest with
419 cases or 34.12 %, while sexual exploitation ranked next with 236
or 19.21%.
On all cases, more females (72.48%) than males (27.52%) become
victims of trafficking.
Aid for street children, street families
The DSWD likewise provides financial and technical support, in
partnership with the local government units (LGUs), for the
implementation of comprehensive program for this sector including
their families.
In 2013, some 1,087 street children were provided with educational
assistance. A total of 635 were served in 33 activity centers where
they participated in literacy program, values formation,
recreational skills building and orientation on the rights of the
child.
Likewise, 200 street adults were provided with cash-for-work
assistance in the amount of P303 pesos per day as sweepers, park
patrol and greeters. Most of them are now renting their houses and
living with their families.
Some 214 families have undergone skills training on dishwashing,
power soap making, jewelry and beads making, and throw pillow
making, in coordination with LGUs. Of this, 165 were provided with
capital assistance.
Housing for informal settlers
For this year, DSWD received P374.4 million for the implementation
of the Interim Shelter Fund for Informal Settler Families. The
amount covers the necessary allocations for the subsidies, as well
as the fund requirement for the mobilization cost of the project.
The program seeks to benefit 16,695 families validated as informal
settlers.
As of December 6, some 1,232 families have been resettled. These
families came from San Juan City (San Juan River), Quezon City (Tullahan
River), Pasay City (Maricaban Creek and Tripa de Gallina), and
Manila (Pasig River).
The resettlement sites are in Barangay Muzon, San Jose del Monte
Heights, Bulacan; Southville Phase 3 Brgy. Aguado Trece Martires
City Cavite; and Golden Horizon, Brgy. Hugo Perez, Trece Martires
City, Cavite.
Priorities for 2014
Sec. Soliman is hopeful that 2014 is even more exciting with the
unfolding of many programs to empower and improve lives of
Filipinos.
The Department will expand and strengthen its core poverty-reduction
programs.
Pantawid Pamilya will cover all eligible poor households from the
database of the poor and sustain the gains of the program by
brokering access of graduated set 1 beneficiaries to other social
protection services particularly sustainable livelihood
opportunities.
Kalahi-CIDSS will cover an additional 323,325 households in 10,714
barangays in 486 poor municipalities nationwide, and facilitate
environmental protection through Community Driven Development (CDD)
by implementing a CDD Modality for ARMM and Bangsamoro in
cooperation with the Regional Government Unit and DSWD-ARMM.
The Micro-Enterprise Development and Guaranteed Employment Tracks
will serve 405,902 Set 3 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries and cover an
additional 23,660 beneficiaries.
It also seeks to reduce the number of street children/families by
80% in Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), capacitate partners to reach
more victims of trafficking, locally and globally
It will provide food supplementation to 2,006,549 children in day
care centers and supervised neighborhood play and to fully implement
the new Guidelines in the Accreditation of Day Care Service.
In an effort to help more seniors, DSWD will expand the Social
Pension to cover additional 46,954 beneficiaries and lower age
category to 70.
It also hopes to provide shelter assistance to 472 informal settler
families living in danger areas and waterways of Metro Manila.
For 2014, the target number of Interim Shelter Assistance as per
DILG is 26,000. And these ISFs will either be resettled or use the
assistance as interim shelter (for renting) while their permanent
housing units are under construction.
On the Estero project, to date, the model unit for Estero de San
Miguel is already completed. Building of medium-rise buildings will
soon rise that will benefit 160 informal settler families. For 2014,
medium-rise buildings shall also rise in Estero de Quiapo, P.
Casals, and San Sebastian.
For disaster response, DSWD will evaluate and enhance disaster risk
reduction strategies, programs, services and partnerships to ensure
readiness and achieve zero casualty in future calamities.
“As 2014 is the year of the wooden horse, we will be galloping to
positive change, institutionalizing reforms to make it irreversible.
Tuloy-tuloy ang mahusay, matapat at magiliw na paglilingkod sa
sambayanan,” Sec. Soliman ended. |
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| In 2013, DOLE's ECC grants P1.4 million worth
of prosthesis to 21 workers |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
|
On 6 November,
Christopher Oliquino, 38, and a resident of Antipolo City was able
to walk again, thanks to a new above-knee prosthesis.
A former wire saw operator at a quarrying site in Teresa, Rizal,
Oliquino figured in an industrial accident in January 2012, when the
cable of the wire saw he was using suddenly snapped. He sustained a
grave injury, receiving an above-the-knee amputation.
Because it was work-related, the Employees Compensation Commission
granted him above-knee prosthesis worth P65,500.
Ronnel Miguel Tolentino, 26 years old, and a resident of Malabon
City could not thank the ECC enough after he was able to continue
working with a new leg.
An amputee, he was granted by the ECC above-knee prosthesis worth
P62,000 sometime this year, which enabled him to move around again.
Oliquino and Tolentino are two of the 21 workers who sustained
work-related disabilities the ECC has granted P1,437,500-worth of
artificial prosthesis in 2013 to facilitate their integration into
the economic mainstream.
In a report to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda
Dimapilis-Baldoz, ECC Executive Director Stella Banawis said the
agency made the grant of the benefits under its Katulong at Gabay sa
Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program.
"We are pleased to report that the ECC's KaGabay Program was able to
make 21 workers with work-related disabilities happy and able to
re-integrate themselves in the economic mainstream. Through the
benefits of modern prosthesis, the likes of Oliquino and Tolentino
were able to work and become productive again," said Banawis in her
report.
The ECC's KaGabay Program is an economic assistance program for
persons with work-related disabilities. Its objectives are to
facilitate integration of the persons with work-related disabilities
into the economic mainstream through physical restoration and
training for re-employment or entrepreneurship in order to provide
them with equal access to livelihood opportunities and
micro-enterprises or home-based business.
"The ECC's KaGaBay program is a friend to occupationally-disabled
workers, or ODWs. It helps them find productive careers that will
enhance their quality of life and restore them to their highest
level of functioning," Baldoz said in describing the program that
demonstrates the Philippines’s strong commitment on the protection
of ODWs.
The Kagabay Program also provides ODWs access to skills training for
possible re-employment and entrepreneurship training for small or
home-based business.
“ODWs should not be a loss to society. They can be mainstreamed into
regular employment and productive activities if properly re-trained
or re-skilled to perform specific tasks given their particular
disabilities. This is the objective of this program—the re-skilling
of ODWs and their placement in new jobs,” Baldoz said.
“The ECC is an effective agency that unlocks the potential of our
ODWs. Through the KaGaBay Program, our ODWs will be at par with the
rest if they are given a fair chance to start new lives and make use
of their abilities to the fullest,” she added.
Banawis says one of the goals of the ECC in 2014 is to reach out to
more ODWs who can avail of its programs and services. This, she
believes, can be achieved by increasing ODWs' awareness of and
understanding about the ECC's employees’ compensation programs. |
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| On OFW Family Day, OWWA regional office holds
financial literacy seminar for OFW Family Circles |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
|
| On OFW Family
Day, OWWA regional office holds financial literacy seminar for OFW
Family Circles The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional
Welfare Office 3, in partnership with the Provincial Government of
Pampanga, recently concluded a two-day financial literacy seminar
for OFW Family Circles in Pampanga. In a report to Labor Secretary
Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz through OWWA Administrator Carmelita
Dimzon, OWWA Regional Director Ma. Lourdes V. Reyes said the
seminar, held on the occasion of the annual OFW Family Day at the
Event Center of SM City Pampanga, was attended by 278 OFWs and their
families from all over the region. "The financial literacy seminar
was the highlight activity of the OFW Family Day in the region,"
said Reyes, who explained that the seminar aimed to empower OFW
dependents in managing money they receive from their working loved
ones or relatives abroad. The OFW Family Day is an annual nationwide
celebration that brings together OFW communities to foster
camaraderie among OFWs dependents. It is intended to strengthen
family ties and values through different stimulating activities.
According to Reyes, the financial literacy seminar used a
developmental approach in empowering OFWs and their families by
providing them access to additional tools in building their
financial literacy skills, and in teaching them how to manage their
money more sensibly. Baldoz commended the OWWA regional office,
saying the financial literacy seminar is an important part of the
OWWA’s strategy and commitment to help OFWs and their families learn
the financial issues and challenges that affect their day-to-day
lives. “Our aim is to help OFW dependents learn how to measure and
manage the money their OFW relatives make and teach them to
appreciate and value the fruits of the hard work their relatives and
loved ones are doing," said Reyes. The seminar included modules on
saving and saving options, earning additional money, planning and
creating a personal mission, and setting a time-line for financial
activities and accomplishments. With the growing number of OFWs and
dependents becoming more sensitive of economic management methods,
the regional welfare office expects the number of successful OFW
businesses in the region to rise. Reyes said the regional welfare
office is ready for this development. Last year, she said the
office, through its Family Welfare Offices and in partnership with
established OFW Family Circles, conducted other related training and
seminars, such as entrepreneurial development training, values
re-orientation, and organizational development training for OFWs and
their dependents across the region. |
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| Baldoz, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Dialogue, offers
stronger cooperation on labor migration with Sri Lankan Labor
Minister Perera, Chairman of Colombo Process |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
|
| Labor and
Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, Chairman of the Abu
Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), yesterday met with Sri Lanka Minister of
Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Bodiyabadigue Dilan
Priyanjan Anslem Perera, Chairman of the Colombo Process, at the
Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, Manila, and discussed areas of mutual
concern between the member-countries of the ADD and the Colombo
Process. Minister Perera is in the country on an official visit,
accompanied by Nissanka Naomal Wijerratne, Mahalingan Somasundran,
Nanayakkara Kanaka Nishani Abeygunawardana, all of the Sri Lanka
Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, and Manisha
Gunasekera, Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN
Office in Geneva. "We welcome Minister Perera to the Philippines as
the DOLE's first dignitary-visitor for the new year. As Chairman of
the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, we attach great importance to his visit and
hopes this will pave the way for greater cooperation on labor
migration between the ADD and the Colombo Process," said Baldoz,
adding: "I am very glad to note that a partner in pushing for
migration and development agenda is our first visitor in 2014."
Baldoz said Sri Lanka and the Philippines stand on a common ground
with respect to issues in migration and development which serves as
a reason why both countries need to build a stronger bilateral
relationship. "While we are both developing our human resources
toward positively contributing to economic and social development in
our respective countries through employment in the global labor
market, I appreciate that Sri Lanka is also a place of employment
for some Filipino workers," Baldoz said. There are 438 Filipinos--35
percent of whom are professionals; 5 percent are in administrative
and managerial positions; and 25 percent agricultural workers-- in
Sri Lanka, based on the 2012 DFA Report to Congress. She noted that
the thrust of the Colombo Process under Minister Perera match very
well the focused projects of the ADD under the chairmanship of the
Philippines. Under the Chairmanship of Sri Lanka, Baldoz said the
Colombo Process is focused on the following areas: (1) review of the
international qualifications recognition process; (2) promote
cheaper, faster, and safer transfer of remittances; (3) foster
ethical labor recruitment practices; (4) effective pre-departure
orientation and empowerment; and (5) promote a standard employment
contract. The Colombo Process is a conglomeration of eleven
participating states--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India,
Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
and Vietnam--whose aim is to provide a forum for labor-sending
countries to share experiences, lessons, and best practices on
overseas employment, consult on issues faced by overseas workers and
labor-receiving and labor-sending states, and propose practical
solutions for those problems, and optimize development benefits from
organized overseas employment and enhance dialogue with countries of
destination. On the other hand, the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, hosted by
the United Arab Emirates, brings together the members of the Colombo
Process with the Gulf Cooperation Council states, plus Yemen and two
additional countries of destination, Malaysia and Singapore, in a
forum for the discussion of new ideas and concrete activities
towards the development of a comprehensive and practical framework
for the effective management of labor migration in Asia. "The
practical focus of the ADD is on promoting the welfare and
well-being of workers, on the development of both origin and
destination countries through labor mobility, and on fostering
greater inter-governmental cooperation and collaboration, with the
active support of international and regional partners," explained
Baldoz. While in Manila, Minister Perera and party will discuss with
the officials of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration,
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Professional Regulation
Commission, and the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority four areas of Sri Lankan interest. These are (1)
pre-departure orientation; (2) process of worker qualification
recognition; (3) comprehensive information and orientation program;
and (4) promoting ethical recruitment standards. Undersecretary
Danilo Cruz, POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, OWWA
Administrator Carmelita Dimzon, Dr. Jose Cueto, Chairman of the
PRC's Board of Medicine, and TESDA Deputy Director General Irene
Isaac, POEA Deputy Administrator Liberty Casco, OWWA Deputy
Administrator Josefino Torres, and Director Rodolfo Sabulao of the
DOLE's International Labor Affairs Bureau, joined Baldoz in the
meeting with the Sri Lankan delegation. |
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| Filipinos trace footsteps of Dr. Jose Rizal
in Paris |
| Source:
https://www.dfa.gov.ph |
|
06 January 2014
– As part of the celebration of the 117th anniversary of the
martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Knights of Rizal, the Kababaihang
Rizalistas, and Las Damas de Rizal, together with the Philippine
Embassy in Paris, organized a walking tour of the various places
where Dr. Jose Rizal lived in Paris, France.
After a flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony at the Embassy
grounds, the Filipino community proceeded to 65 Boulevard Arago in
the 13th arrondissement (district), where Dr. Jose Rizal briefly
stayed with Filipino painter Juan Luna. Other famous painters such
as Gauguin and Modigliani lived in the same address.
The next stops were various hotels Dr. Jose Rizal stayed in, such as
the Hotel de Paris in 37 Rue De Maubeuge in the 9th arrondissement,
as well as the building currently occupied by Hotel Aramis in 124
Rue De Rennes in the 6th arrondissement.
Another stop was the former clinic of renowned ophthalmic surgeon
Dr. Louis de Wecker in 55 Rue Du Cherche-Midi just a few steps from
Hotel Aramis. This is where Dr. Jose Rizal trained under Dr. de
Wecker for four months from November 1885 to February 1886 and where
he learned the cataract-surgery technique which he used on his
mother, Teodora Alonzo.
Last stop was Place Jose Rizal in the 9th arrondissement, located in
front of 55 Rue De Maubeuge.
Dr. Jose Rizal first arrived in France in the summer of 1883 and
ended up staying for three months before embarking on his studies in
Madrid, Spain. He later returned to train under Dr. de Wecker in
1885-1886 and then travelled to France intermittently up to 1891
when he finished writing his second novel El Filibusterismo in
Biarritz, France.
All of the stops visited above had markers erected by the National
Historic Commission in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in
Paris and the Filipino community.
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| Phl Embassy in Lebanon commemorates Rizal Day |
| Source:
https://www.dfa.gov.ph |
|
06 January 2014
– The Philippine Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, together with the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA), commemorated Rizal Day last 27 December 2013.
Vice Consul Dennis John Briones, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., led
Embassy, POLO and OWWA officers and staff, as well as Filipinos
sheltered in the Embassy’s Migrant Workers and Overseas Filpinos
Resource Center (MWOFRC) in commemorating the event. A simple flag
ceremony was held for the occasion. The celebration was also joined
by 27 Filipino repatriates transiting from Syria via Lebanon.
The event started with the singing of the national anthem “Lupang
Hinirang” led by Consular Staff Melissa Mancenido and the recitation
of the “Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas” led by Cultural Officer
Gladys Perey and followed by a brief message by Vice Consul Briones.
Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officer Dexter Macaraig’s reading of
the original Spanish version of “Mi Ultimo Adios,” a poem written by
Dr. Jose P. Rizal on the eve of his execution, capped the event.
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| Simultaneous flag ceremony to kick off
first ever National Time Consciousness Week |
| Source:
http://www.dost.gov.ph |
|
As kick off
activity for the first ever observance of the National Time
Consciousness Week from January 1 to 7, government offices, led by
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will hold their
first flag ceremony of the year simultaneously on Monday, January 6,
at exactly 8AM, Philippine Standard Time (PhST).
Along with the simultaneous flag ceremony, all government offices
will display the PhST in prominent areas, per Civil Service
Commission announcement No. 1,s. 2014. PhST is provided by the
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA), the country’s official timekeeper.
The activity is part of the government’s campaign for the usage of
PhST, which was enacted through Republic Act 10535 or the Philippine
Standard Time Act of 2013, signed into law by President Benigno
Simeon Aquino III on May 15, 2013. The newly-enacted law assigns
every first week of the year as the National Time Consciousness
Week.
DOST’s PhST campaign, dubbed as Juan Time (Pinoy Ako On Time Ako)
aims to synchronize all timepieces in the country and promote the
new definition of “Filipino Time” which is on time. The highlight of
the campaign was the New Year countdown using PhST, which was
adopted by major television networks and telecommunication giants.
“Our Juan Time campaign seeks to reverse the negative connotations
of ‘Filipino Time’ from tardiness to punctuality, discipline, and
utmost regard for other people’s time. Lateness often leads to
missed opportunities. What we want is for Filipinos to arrive on
time as the new norm,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said.
Know more about the Juan Time campaign. Visit our official social
media pages. |
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| Protecting OFWs a priority in 2013 |
| Source:
http://ovp.gov.ph |
|
The office of
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay acted on 1,369 requests for help
from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in 2013, helping repatriate 71
distressed Filipinos while also handling requests for assistance on
salary and benefit claims, legal assistance for detained OFWs and
grievances against recruiters and agents.
In its year-end report, the OVP said among those assisted by the
Vice President was household worker Bolaya Dabpagan who was deported
from the United Arab Emirates. Dabpagan has been in a coma since
September 2011. Binay shouldered all the expenses of Dabpagan and
brought her back to the Philippines.
Binay also took a direct hand in ensuring the safe and speedy
repatriation of workers affected by the Saudization policy.
He called on Philippine Embassy officials in Riyadh to fast-track
the processing of exit papers for undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia
as the Saudi government started the crackdown on illegal workers who
violated iqama and visa laws.
When the November 3, 2013 deadline for undocumented migrants to fix
their status came, Binay closely coordinated with the Philippine
embassy officials in Saudi Arabia in ensuring the protection of
Filipino workers.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), almost
40,000 illegal overseas Filipino workers have already been
repatriated while 160,000 undocumented OFWs were able to legalize
their stay either by transferring to a new employer or by changing
their profession.
Except for those with derogatory records, the Saudi government
assured the repatriated OFWs will still be welcome to work in the
kingdom.
Binay also made appeals to stay the executions of OFWs in Saudi
Arabia and China.
The Vice President worked alongside private groups and various
government agencies in saving Rodelio Lanuza, who was jailed for 13
years in Saudi Arabia. The 38-year-old Lanuza has been on death row
in Dammam, Saudi Arabia since 2000 after killing Saudi national
Mohammad bin Said Al-Qathani.
Currently, Binay is pursuing a last-ditch effort to stay the
execution of Joselito Zapanta after the deadline for the payment of
his blood money lapsed in November last year.
Zapanta is currently in death row in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for
killing Imam Ibrahim, a Sudanese national.
Ibrahim’s family originally demanded SAR 5 million for the execution
of a tanazul or affidavit of forgiveness and prevent the imposition
of the death penalty, but later reduced the amount to SAR 4 million.
Binay also appealed for the commutation of the death sentence of a
Filipina convicted of drug smuggling in China. The Filipina was
sentenced to death by the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing for
smuggling 6.198 kilos of heroin in a Shanghai airport in January
2011.
Binay was supposed to go to China to personally deliver a letter
from President Benigno Aquino. III However, he was advised by the
Chinese Foreign Ministry not to proceed, saying it would not be a
"convenient time” for him to visit the country. |
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| VP Binay renews call VS text scams
bearing his name |
| Source:
http://ovp.gov.ph |
|
Vice President
Jejomar C. Binay renewed his call to the public to be wary of text
scams bearing his name.
"Be careful of text messages claiming you won a cash prize or a
housing unit from my office or a certain Binay foundation," the Vice
President said.
"We do not engage in any raffle contests. Do not allow yourselves to
fall victim to unscrupulous individuals," he added.
A concerned citizen informed Binay of receiving the following text
message:
< D/ JEJOMAR "BINAY" Foundation, nforming u dat ur CP# Won! Worth
Php870,000. only, in Pabahay ni ‘BINAY’ 2014! DTI NCR prmit#5410s13,
to claim, Pls. Call me now!! Im, Atty. Vic A. Acosta. Thanks>"
Last year, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested a woman in
Bago City for allegedly using Binay’s name to swindle P500,000 from
two contractors.
NBI said Ma. Cristita Tortogo claimed to facilitate a housing
contract from the Vice President and extorted money from two
contractors.
Tortogo is facing charges for violating The Anti-Bouncing Check Law
and falsification of public documents. She is also facing other
charges before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office filed by the NBI.
The NBI had also arrested a man posing as the Vice President and
tried to extort P300,000 from business magnate Lucio Tan. |
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| PhilHealth strengthens benefit package for
disease prevention and early detection |
| Source:
http://www.philhealth.gov.ph |
|
To be able to
respond to the growing health care needs of its members especially
of the poor, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)
has recently re-introduced its Primary Care Benefit Package under a
new brand called TSeKaP or Tamang Serbisyong Kalusugang Pampamilya.
TSeKaP aims to make the said benefit package more endearing to its
beneficiaries which include indigent and sponsored members, members
of organized groups, and land-based OFWs. PhilHealth extended the
said benefit to employees of the Department of Education last year
as part of a pilot test.
"Gone are the days when PhilHealth is just remembered when one is
sick because our TSeKaP package is here to encourage entitled
members and their qualified dependents to avoid getting sick or to
even arrest sicknesses early on" PhilHealth President and CEO
Alexander A. Padilla said, adding that "disease prevention and early
detection saves money, and strengthens the gate-keeping function of
primary care facilities which allows tertiary hospitals to maximize
their resources on complicated cases."
In due time, PhilHealth said that TSeKaP will be extended to other
member categories after careful studies have been made.
TSeKaP consists of essential services aimed at prevention, early
detection of diseases and even interventions for healthy living. It
includes consultations, visual inspection with acetic acid, regular
blood pressure monitoring, periodical breast examination, and health
promotion like education on breastfeeding, counseling on lifestyle
modification and smoking cessation.
Preventive services also cover body measurements and digital rectal
examination while diagnostics such as complete blood count,
urinalysis, fecalysis, sputum microscopy, fasting blood sugar, Lipid
profile and chest X-ray are also available upon the recommendation
of the physician.
"TSeKaP even provides medicines for asthma, acute gastroenteritis
with no or mild dehydration, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection"
Padilla added.
Qualified beneficiaries can avail of these services at their
designated rural health units, health centers or at outpatient
departments of government hospitals nearest them in the case of
DepEd employees. Land-based OFWs have the option to choose their
TSeKaP providers.
Beneficiaries should enlist themselves with TSeKaP providers and be
assigned to a primary care physician to enjoy the services within
the validity period as indicated in their PhilHealth cards or Member
Data Record in the case of land-based OFWs.
The said benefit was first introduced in 2000 to provide adequate
access to quality outpatient services and has undergone several
enhancements until its re-introduction as TSeKaP to help encourage
usage especially among the poor.
"TSeKaP is PhilHealth’s concrete and lasting contribution to
ensuring a level of care that is ‘effective, safe, person-centered,
comprehensive, integrated and with continuity by a regular and
trusted provider" stressed Padilla, partly quoting the World Health
Organization’s definition of primary care.
To date, a total of 2,482 outpatient clinics covering at least 93
percent of all cities and municipalities in the country have been
accredited as TSeKaP providers and some P2.9B has already been paid
for the said package from 2012 to 2013 alone. |
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| 2012 Flow of Funds reports savings across sectors; Household sector
remains as top Net Funds Provider |
| Source:
http://www.bsp.gov.ph |
|
The BSP has
released the 2012 Flow of Funds (FOF) Report. The FOF presents a
summary of financial transactions among the different institutions
of the economy, and between these institutions and the rest of the
world. It identifies which institutions are net borrowers and net
lenders after a series of financial transactions for the year.
Institutions are categorized into four, namely: 1) financial
corporations, 2) non-financial corporations, 3) the general
government, and 4) the households.
The economy’s savings momentum is sustained amid solid overall
revenue performance of all sectors and the country’s sound
macroeconomic fundamentals.
Domestic savings continued to expand by 6.8 percent to ₱2,001.3
billion. The household sector remained the top saver in the economy
for the fifth consecutive year accumulating ₱928.9 billion in
savings. This was partly brought about by the steady stream of
overseas Filipinos’ remittances. The non-financial corporations
sector trailed behind, generating savings amounting to ₱713.4
billion due to the broad-based growth in savings across sub-sectors.
The general government sector registered the highest growth in
savings at 33.5 percent to reach ₱252.2 billion due to sustained
generation of savings of the National Government (NG), Local
Government Units (LGUs), and Social Security Agencies (SSAs). The
financial sector also registered an impressive growth in savings of
17.5 percent at ₱100.6 billion due to increased revenue generation
of top private life insurance companies and the steady stream of
income of the other depository corporations.
Real investment continues to expand as the National Government
infuses huge investments in infrastructure and other capital
outlays.
The economy’s gross capital accumulation expanded by 7.7 percent to
reach ₱1,691.9 billion in 2012. The household sector continued to be
the economy’s largest real investor, accounting for 41.6 percent of
the total gross capital accumulation. The non-financial corporation
sector’s capital accumulation grew due mainly to business expansions
and modernization and rehabilitation projects. Real investments of
the financial sector fell by 19.5 percent to ₱31.2 billion on the
back of sustained disposal of foreclosed properties by the banking
sector. The slowdown in the sector’s capital accumulation was
likewise reflected in the sharp drop in real investments of the
monetary authority as purchases of non-monetary gold in the BSP’s
gold buying stations significantly plunged by 91.6 percent.
Meanwhile, capital accumulation of the general government sector
rose markedly by 27.4 percent to ₱318.4 billion in 2012 as the NG
accelerated disbursements for infrastructure projects and capital
outlays.
All sectors are net lenders, except for the general government.
The household sector continued to be a net lender, with loans
receivables as the desired form of asset acquisition. The
non-financial corporation sector maintained its net lending
position, with fund provisioning activities largely reflected in the
build-up of trade receivables, currency holdings and deposit
placements. The financial sector’s net lending surged by 48.2
percent to ₱69.4 billion as the assets of rural and cooperative
banks, other deposit-taking institutions, and the insurance
sub-sector increased. The general government sector retained its net
borrowing position at ₱59.9 billion on the strength of NG’s faster
capital accumulation.
The domestic economy’s net lending to the rest of the world (ROW)
aggregated ₱309.4 billion, a modest increase of 2.1 percent from the
₱302.9 billion in 2011.
The lower deficit in the country’s trade-in-goods account
contributed to the overall net fund provision of the domestic
economy to the rest of the world. The most preferred financial
instruments were currency and deposits and securities other than
shares, particularly, the depository corporations as main holders
and the NG as the top issuer. |
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| FAQs on the Power Sharing Annex |
| Source:
http://www.opapp.gov.ph |
|
Frequently asked questions on the Annex on
power sharing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
1. What is the Annex on Power Sharing? Why is it crucial to the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro?
The Annex on Power Sharing is the third of the four Annexes to the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) that will complete the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
It is composed of four parts:
-Part I on Intergovernmental Relations enumerates the principles
that will govern the relationship between the Central Government and
the Bangsamoro Government, as well as with the local governments in
the Bangsamoro;
-Part II on
Governance Structure provides some details on the ministerial form
of government for the Bangsamoro, including the composition of the
Bangsamoro assembly;
-Part III on
Delineation of Powers identifies the powers under the three lists of
powers – reserved, concurrent, and exclusive; and
-Part IV on Other Matters provides guiding principles in relation to
taxation, transportation and communication, mineral and energy
resources, and powers already devolved to the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The Annex on
Power Sharing will guide the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC)
in the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that will be
submitted to the Philippine Congress. Together with the Annex on
Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, it aims to ensure that the
Bangsamoro Government will enjoy meaningful autonomy based on the
inhabitants’ “distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic
and social structures, and other relevant characteristics” (Sec. 15,
Art. X, 1987 Constitution). Moreover, it provides the Bangsamoro
with the competencies to be able to exercise accountable and
effective self-governance.
2. The Bangsamoro shall have a ministerial form of government. Is
such a government structure possible under the 1987 Constitution?
Yes. The Constitution provides for a structure of government for the
national government, i.e. the presidential system and its three
branches of government.
At the same time, consistent with the principles of devolution and
autonomy, the Constitution left it to the wisdom of Congress to
determine the appropriate government structures for local government
units and the autonomous regions. The government structure of the
Bangsamoro shall be provided in the Bangsamoro Basic Law, or the
organic act for the Bangsamoro.
On local governments, Sec. 3, Article X stipulates that “The
Congress hall enact a local government code which shall provide for
a more responsive and accountable local government structure… .”
On the autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera,
Sec. 18, Article X, states that “The organic act shall define the
basic structure of government for the region consisting of the
executive department and the legislative assembly… .”
3. Who will head the Bangsamoro Government? Will the leaders be
democratically elected?
Notably, the Constitution requires that the members of the executive
and legislative departments of autonomous regions be elective and
representative of the constituent political units.
The Annex on Power Sharing ensures that these requirements are met.
Registered voters in the Bangsamoro shall elect their
representatives in the Bangsamoro assembly. These representatives,
in turn, will elect among themselves the Chief Minister. The Chief
Minister will then choose the deputy and other ministers that will
form the Cabinet. Most of these ministers shall come from the
assembly.
This system of election encourages the formation of political
parties because usually, the political party that wins the majority
of seats and/or is allied with the other political parties is able
to secure the post of Chief Minister. It is very different from the
current set up wherein the ARMM regional governor and vice- governor
are elected directly by the people.
4. Who will sit in the Bangsamoro assembly? How do we make sure that
other groups will be represented in the assembly?
The Annex on Power Sharing states that the Bangsamoro assembly will
be made up of at least 50 members. Through different kinds of seats
–- district, reserved, party-list and sectoral – it ensures that the
Bangsamoro assembly shall be “representative of the Bangsamoro’s
constituent political units, as well as non-Moro indigenous
communities, women, settler communities, and other sectors.”
The Bangsamoro Basic Law shall define how the people will vote for
and how the winners in the district, sectoral, party-list and
reserved seats shall be determined. The system of election may
combine diverse modes of proportional representation, alongside the
current set-up of geographic/district seats where the candidates
with the highest number of votes secure the district seats.
5. In the event of conflict between the laws, programs and standards
of the Central Government and that of the Bangsamoro Government,
which shall prevail? Is there a mechanism to address these
conflicts?
Part I of the Annex on Power Sharing enumerates the principles that
will govern the relationship between the Central Government and the
Bangsamoro Government. One of these principles is the creation of
Central Government – Bangsamoro Government Intergovernmental
Relations mechanisms that will serve as venue for the resolution of
any issues that may arise on the exercise within the Bangsamoro of
the respective powers of the Central Government and the Bangsamoro
Government.
The objective is to resolve any conflict and to harmonize and
coordinate Central Government and Bangsamoro Government actions
through regular consultations and continuing negotiations in a
non-adversarial manner.
The Annex also provides for a Philippine Congress – Bangsamoro
assembly forum for purposes of cooperation and coordination of
legislative initiatives.
6. What are reserved powers? Why are these reserved to the Central
Government?
Reserved powers are authorities that are by their nature to be
exercised only by a state, and are thus retained by the Central
Government. They apply to the Bangsamoro as part of the Republic of
the Philippines.
For example, defense and external security, which involves the
actions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is within the full
control of its Commander- in-Chief, the President. Foreign policy,
which affects the overall relations of the Philippines with other
states, also remains the reserved power of the Central Government.
By the same token, jurisdiction over citizenship and naturalization,
immigration, customs and tariff, common market and global trade, and
intellectual property rights – matters which inherently impact on
the Philippines’ dealings with other nations – are retained by the
Central Government.
Other reserved powers that must be centrally administered if these
are to remain effective are coinage and monetary policy and postal
service.
7. What are concurrent powers?
The term “concurrent” is used generally to refer to powers that the
Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government will share or
jointly exercise within the Bangsamoro, or where ways and means for
cooperation and coordination shall be further defined in the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
For example, in the exercise of powers over quarantine, land
registration, pollution control, penology and penitentiary,
coastguard, disaster risk reduction and management, and public order
and safety, the Bangsamoro Government and the Central Government
will work closely and will cooperate and coordinate to
Ensure the effective execution of these functions within the
Bangsamoro. The exercise of concurrent powers over the enforcement
of customs and tariff laws and regulations and funding for the
maintenance of national roads, bridges, and irrigation systems
likewise calls for cooperation and coordination between the two.
Concurrent powers can also mean “shared” powers wherein the
Bangsamoro Government can establish its own systems and policies,
without diminishing the authorities of the existing Central
Government bodies. This is true in the case of social security and
pensions, human rights promotion and protection, auditing, civil
service, and administration of justice.
In all, there are 14 concurrent powers listed in the Annex.
8. There are 58 items under the list of exclusive powers of the
Bangsamoro. What do “exclusive powers” mean and what are these
powers?
The list of exclusive powers refers to those matters over which
authority and jurisdiction pertain, or are effectively devolved, to
the Bangsamoro Government. They cover diverse concerns ranging from
education, history and culture to regulation of trade, manufacturing
and public utilities, as well as management of the environment.
Altogether they provide a set of responsibilities and functions, the
meaningful and effective exercise of which will prove the true worth
of an autonomous government.
The list of exclusive powers can be found on pages 7-12 of the
signed Annex.
9. Is the Central Government prevented from intervening on matters
that are within the exclusive powers of the Bangsamoro Government?
The Bangsamoro Government is still a governmental unit within the
ambit of the Philippine state. As such, the provisions in the Annex
on Power Sharing are subject to all constitutional guidelines
including the general supervision of the President over the
autonomous regions (Sec. 16, Art X. 1987 Constitution). However, the
President’s general supervision over the Bangsamoro, especially in
the exercise of its exclusive powers, will be with due deference to
its regional autonomy, a notion likewise guaranteed in the
Constitution.
Moreover, it is understood that standards and programs pertaining to
matters such as education, trade, labor, budgeting, financial and
banking system, etc. shall be harmonized.
It must be stressed that these exclusive governmental powers are to
be exercised by the Bangsamoro Government within its jurisdiction.
When there is impact beyond its territorial jurisdiction, other
concerned government units shall exercise their respective
authorities.
10. Will the powers of the constitutional bodies (Commission on
elections, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, and
Commission on human rights) be affected by the Bangsamoro
Government’s powers over the same subject matters?
No. The Annex on Power Sharing does not at any instance diminish the
powers granted to these bodies under the Constitution.
In the exercise of the concurrent power over human rights and
humanitarian protection and promotion, the Bangsamoro government’s
human rights body will work cooperatively with the national
Commission on Human Rights (CHR). Notably, this is the on-going
arrangement between the current Regional Human Rights Commission in
the ARMM and the CHR.
Likewise, the creation of their own auditing bodies and own civil
service code are expressly without prejudice to the authorities of
the national Civil Service Commission and the national Commission on
Audit. In the same manner, the Bangsamoro Government may enact
regional laws that will operationalize the electoral system suitable
to a ministerial form of government as provided in the Bangsamoro
Basic Law. The COMELEC shall still enforce and administer all laws
and regulations relative to the conduct of elections.
11. What would the administration of justice look like in the
Bangsamoro? Will the power of the Supreme Court be diminished?
Justice institutions in the Bangsamoro shall consist of regular
civil courts in accordance with national laws, Shari’ah courts that
would enforce the Shari’ah justice system within the Bangsamoro, and
institutions that would operationalize the recognition of indigenous
processes as alternative modes of dispute resolution.
The adoption of Shari’ah and customary justice in the overall
justice system in the Bangsamoro is not novel as these are already
recognized in the current ARMM Organic Act (Republic Act No. 9054).
Personal and family laws for Muslims are already codified under the
Code of Muslim Personal Laws (Presidential Decree No. 1083). Current
alternative dispute resolution practice accommodates any process,
including indigenous dispute resolution, used to resolve a dispute
other than by court action.
These arrangements do not diminish the judicial power of the Supreme
Court. The Supreme Court may also institute the necessary offices
that will administer the courts in this region, such as a deputy
court administrator, and inform its own processes, such as the
jurisconsult which renders legal opinions on Shari’ah matters.
12. Will non-muslims in the Bangsamoro be affected by Shari’ah law?
The FAB provides that the Shari’ah and its application shall only be
to Muslims.
However, given that the Bangsamoro shall be the only region in the
country where majority of the population are Muslims, matters
important to the practices and way of life of Muslims (hajj, umrah,
halal certification, Islamic banking systems, awqaf, hisbah and
Shari’ah courts) shall form part of the offices and programs of the
Bangsamoro Government.
13. How will the Bangsamoro Government’s exclusive powers over
trade, barter trade and countertrade, registration of business
names, and other items relevant to trade affect the Central
Government’s reserved powers over foreign policy and common market
and global trade?
Only the Central Government, through the President, can enter into
international agreements, set foreign policy, and represent the
country in matters dealing with foreign relations. International
treaties, moreover, need the ratification of the Philippine
Congress. It follows that only the Central Government can make
commitments to trade organizations and establish diplomatic and
economic ties with other states. These are consistent with the
reserved powers of the Central Government over foreign policy and
common market and global trade.
The Bangsamoro Government may promote business investments and
engage in trade (and cultural activities) among foreign entities,
including the traditional barter trade and countertrade with the
ASEAN countries. Such endeavors are to be guided by the country’s
international commitments and obligations, diplomatic relations, and
relevant national laws.
14. How are the rights of indigenous peoples (IPs) protected by the
Annex on Power Sharing?
The Annex on Power Sharing contains a provision obligating the
Bangsamoro Government to protect the rights of IPs under its
administrative jurisdiction. The reference to the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples indicates the
commitment to upholding IP’s rights to self-determination, non-
discriminatory treatment, and their traditional lands, among others.
Moreover, individual and community property rights, cultural
integrity, customary beliefs, historical and community traditions
are recognized. These parameters are to be observed by the
Bangsamoro Government.
The IPs are likewise guaranteed representation in the Bangsamoro
assembly and the council of leaders.
15. In all, how can women, indigenous peoples and other sectors in
the Bangsamoro directly participate in governance? How can their
welfare be promoted?
The Annex on Power Sharing specifically provides that the Bangsamoro
assembly shall be representative of its constituent sectors. Seats
for IPs, women, and other sectors shall be allocated in the
Bangsamoro assembly and ministers responsible for promoting their
rights and welfare may be appointed. The Bangsamoro council of
leaders shall include their representatives.
Moreover, the Annex on Power Sharing compels the Bangsamoro
Government to establish appropriate mechanisms for consultations
with women and
16. In what ways does the Annex on Power Sharing build on the Final
Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)?
The Annex on Power Sharing stipulates that specific powers already
contained in other peace agreements such as the FPA and already
provided by Republic Act No. 9054 or the Organic Act for the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, may be adopted in the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Moreover, the recommendations from the review process of the 1996
FPA that is being facilitated by the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation shall be taken into account for possible incorporation
in the Bangsamoro Basic Law. The recommended amendments of the ARMM
Regional Legislative Assembly to R.A. No. 9054 shall also be
considered.
Following the passage of the Basic Law and the conduct of the
plebiscite, the Bangsamoro can have a potentially expanded core
territory. As provided in the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth
Sharing, there shall be a much- enhanced wealth sharing arrangement
between the Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government in the
form of additional taxes devolved and new sharing formula from
government revenues. The Bangsamoro Government will likewise receive
an automatically appropriated and regularly released Bangsamoro
block grant. In addition, a Special Development Fund for
rehabilitation and development purposes shall be released to the
Bangsamoro Government upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic
Law.
The short transition period under the Bangsamoro Transition
Authority and the broad-based representation in the Bangsamoro
assembly will open many spaces for enhanced collaboration between
those coming from the MILF and the MNLF leadership and membership, a
well as with other social and political groups. All of them are
encouraged to form their respective political parties so that they
can ably and peacefully compete in the first regular election for
the Bangsamoro assembly in 2016, and amicably share political power
in the legislative body and the other governance institutions that
will make up the Bangsamoro Government. |
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| 2012 Flow of Funds Reports savings across
sectors; household sector remains as top net funds provider |
| Source:
http://www.bsp.gov.ph |
|
The BSP has
released the 2012 Flow of Funds (FOF) Report. The FOF presents a
summary of financial transactions among the different institutions
of the economy, and between these institutions and the rest of the
world. It identifies which institutions are net borrowers and net
lenders after a series of financial transactions for the year.
Institutions are categorized into four, namely: 1) financial
corporations, 2) non-financial corporations, 3) the general
government, and 4) the households.
The economy’s savings momentum is sustained amid solid overall
revenue performance of all sectors and the country’s sound
macroeconomic fundamentals.
Domestic savings continued to expand by 6.8 percent to ₱2,001.3
billion. The household sector remained the top saver in the economy
for the fifth consecutive year accumulating ₱928.9 billion in
savings. This was partly brought about by the steady stream of
overseas Filipinos’ remittances. The non-financial corporations
sector trailed behind, generating savings amounting to ₱713.4
billion due to the broad-based growth in savings across sub-sectors.
The general government sector registered the highest growth in
savings at 33.5 percent to reach ₱252.2 billion due to sustained
generation of savings of the National Government (NG), Local
Government Units (LGUs), and Social Security Agencies (SSAs). The
financial sector also registered an impressive growth in savings of
17.5 percent at ₱100.6 billion due to increased revenue generation
of top private life insurance companies and the steady stream of
income of the other depository corporations.
Real investment continues to expand as the National Government
infuses huge investments in infrastructure and other capital
outlays.
The economy’s gross capital accumulation expanded by 7.7 percent to
reach ₱1,691.9 billion in 2012. The household sector continued to be
the economy’s largest real investor, accounting for 41.6 percent of
the total gross capital accumulation. The non-financial corporation
sector’s capital accumulation grew due mainly to business expansions
and modernization and rehabilitation projects. Real investments of
the financial sector fell by 19.5 percent to ₱31.2 billion on the
back of sustained disposal of foreclosed properties by the banking
sector. The slowdown in the sector’s capital accumulation was
likewise reflected in the sharp drop in real investments of the
monetary authority as purchases of non-monetary gold in the BSP’s
gold buying stations significantly plunged by 91.6 percent.
Meanwhile, capital accumulation of the general government sector
rose markedly by 27.4 percent to ₱318.4 billion in 2012 as the NG
accelerated disbursements for infrastructure projects and capital
outlays.
All sectors are net lenders, except for the general government.
The household sector continued to be a net lender, with loans
receivables as the desired form of asset acquisition. The
non-financial corporation sector maintained its net lending
position, with fund provisioning activities largely reflected in the
build-up of trade receivables, currency holdings and deposit
placements. The financial sector’s net lending surged by 48.2
percent to ₱69.4 billion as the assets of rural and cooperative
banks, other deposit-taking institutions, and the insurance
sub-sector increased. The general government sector retained its net
borrowing position at ₱59.9 billion on the strength of NG’s faster
capital accumulation.
The domestic economy’s net lending to the rest of the world (ROW)
aggregated ₱309.4 billion, a modest increase of 2.1 percent from the
₱302.9 billion in 2011.
The lower deficit in the country’s trade-in-goods account
contributed to the overall net fund provision of the domestic
economy to the rest of the world. The most preferred financial
instruments were currency and deposits and securities other than
shares, particularly, the depository corporations as main holders
and the NG as the top issuer.
View 2012 FOF Table
View 2011 FOF Table
View Report |
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| OWWA Family Day 2013 in Kidapawan City elates
OFWs and families in SOCCSKSARGEN region |
| Source:
http://www.owwa.gov.ph |
|
Over 1,600 OFWs
and their families coming from the four provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN
region participated in the festive celebration of OFW Family Day
2013 held on December 2, 2013 at the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College
in Kidapawan City.
Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista and Department of Labor and
Employment XII Dir. Ofelia Domingo graced this year’s celebration
with the theme, “Pamilyang sama-sama, ipagdiwang Paskong kay saya”
hosted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional
Welfare Office XII in cooperation with the City Government of
Kidapawan.
OWWA’s social partners from government and private sectors set up
booths exhibiting a one-stop hub to showcase their programs and
services, alongside merrymaking, entertainment, and fun-filled
activities for the OFW circles.
OWWA RWO12 Officer in Charge Marilou Sumalinog said, “OFW Family Day
is an annual celebration aimed at providing avenue for OFWs and
their families to spend quality time together, strengthen family
ties and values, and develop camaraderie among OFW communities.”
Among the highlights of the event was the induction of the newly
elected OFW Family Circle (OFC) officers from North Cotabato and
Sultan Kudarat. Adding amusement to the festivity was the Sayawit or
song and dance contest which proclaimed the Mlang OFW Family
Association as winner. It bagged the cash prize and trophy.
The most anticipated part of the event, the raffle draw, had
everyone in joyous uproar as winners were called in through raffle
draw. Prizes ranging from grocery items to mobile phones and
appliances were given away.
Sponsors for the event were LGU-Kidapawan, PhilHealth, Globe
Telecoms Inc., Land Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine
Islands, MMML Recruitment Services Inc., Jamal Human Resource
International Employment Agency, Non Stop Overseas Employment
Corporation, GBMLT Manpower Services, Inc., and M.R. International
Manpower Services. |
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| DSWD year-end report: Looking back, moving
forward |
| Source:
http://www.dswd.gov.ph |
|
“The year 2013
has been an exhilarating year which left us breathless but we
stepped up to the challenge.”
This was the gist of the New Year message of Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman.
“We responded with the best of our knowledge and experience as we
began the year stepping up the work in Typhoon Pablo-stricken areas
and responding to the different disasters namely: the Sabah crisis,
‘Habagat’ (or monsoon rains), [Typhoon] ‘Labuyo,’ Zamboanga siege,
[Typhoon] ‘Santi,’ the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol, and the
fury of Yolanda.”
“As each event unfolded, the practices and systems we had in place
were put to the test and we had to develop new strategies and
tactics to respond to the different disasters since the nature and
magnitude kept intensifying,” the Secretary expounded.
Sec. Soliman commended the men and women of the Department who
continued to walk the extra mile in rendering matapat, mahusay at
magiliw na paglilingkod to victims of disasters, and to vulnerable
individuals, families, and communities.
Disaster response
As of December 27, DSWD provided more than a billion worth of
assistance to disaster victims, including the survivors of ‘Habagat’
which plagued NCR (P25.24 million), ‘Santi’ which lashed Region 3 in
September (P22.14 million), the Zamboanga armed conflict (P278.77
million), earthquake in Central Visayas (P96.87 million), and
Typhoon Yolanda which devastated the Visayas region on November 8
(P1.17 billion).
This assistance includes relief, early recovery, and rehabilitation
efforts.
Pro-poor programs
While the Department dealt with a number of disasters of huge
proportions this year, it did not lose track of its basic programs.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is already on its fifth year
of implementation.
As of November 27, the program is being implemented in all 1,627
cities and municipalities in 79 provinces in 17 Regions.
It provides education and health cash grants of as much as P1,400 to
a family with three qualified children provided they comply with the
conditions of sending them to school and in health centers for
check-up, and attending Family Development Sessions.
A total of 3,839,259 households are covered by the regular Pantawid
Pamilya program while 94,247 are covered by Modified Conditional
Cash Transfer (MCCT). The MCCT targets Families in Need of Special
Protection (FNSP), Homeless Street Families (HSF) and Extended Age
Coverage Program (EAP) for Children 15-17 years old.
The total cash grants paid to eligible and compliant beneficiaries
from January to November is P33,854,742,700. Of this,
P16,354,685,600 was for education and P17,500,057,100 was for
health.
Community-driven development
The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated
Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) which uses the
community-driven development (CDD) approach to reduce poverty
continues to fund community projects.
Kalahi-CIDSS expanded its coverage to reach up to 50% of poorest
municipalities in targeted provinces, utilizing the Additional
Financing (AF) of the World Bank (WB) and a grant from the United
States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
To date, both projects have already covered 7,593 barangays in 328
municipalities in 48 poorest provinces in the country.
As of September, AF and MCC funded a total of 4,042 community
sub-projects amounting to P4.698 billion that will benefit
approximately 928,377 households.
Livelihood
On the other hand, the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)
continues to provide entrepreneurial and employment opportunities to
the poor, mostly Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
From January to November, some 144,115 Pantawid Pamilya households
were served through the Micro-enterprise Development Track. A total
of P562,152,738.00 was disbursed from the Capital Seed Fund as
non-interest and non-collateral loans for the enterprises of these
families.
Likewise, some 17,772 non-Pantawid Pamilya households were served
through the Micro-enterprise Development Track. They have received
P96,706,094 from the Capital Seed Fund as non-interest and
non-collateral loans for their enterprises.
A total of 12,329 households were provided employment.
Social pension for seniors
The DSWD likewise continues the implementation of its Social Pension
for Indigent Senior Citizens in all the regions of the country.
The program covers 77 years old and above who are frail, sickly, or
has disability; who are not receiving pension; and have no permanent
source of income or regular support from their relatives.
As of December 27, some 254,175 senior citizens have received their
monthly stipend worth P500.
The program has a budget of P1.4B for 2013 and P3.1B for 2014 .
Feeding program
For the children enrolled in day cares and supervised play session,
DSWD provides food supplementation to improve and sustain their
nutritional status.
This comes in the form of hot meals to be served during break or
snack time in the morning or afternoon session.
The feeding program is managed by parents based on a prepared meal
cycle using available indigenous food supplies.
Children beneficiaries will be weighed at the start of the feeding
and three months thereafter. After the completion of 120 feeding
days, the improvement and sustenance in their nutritional status
will be determined.
The actual start of feeding started in June, in time for the start
of the school year.
For 2013-2014, a total of 1,451,655 children out of 1,778,274 were
already served as of December.
Victims of trafficking
The Department gives a comprehensive package of programs and
services to enhance the psychosocial, social and economic needs of
victims of trafficking. It is implemented in coordination with other
concerned agencies such as the Department of Justice.
This includes provision of financial assistance while awaiting
employment or while undergoing training, and of capital assistance;
referral to employers and/or business partners; auxiliary services
such as board and lodging, documentation, and other incidental
expenses; and, DNA testing if needed.
The DSWD also offers temporary shelter to victim-survivors to help
them cope with their traumatic experiences.
As of November 30, a total of 1,228 human trafficking cases (338
males and 890 females) have been served. Region VII has the highest
number of reported cases with 12.7%, and CAR the lowest with 1.22%.
Forced labor as a purpose for trafficking ranked the highest with
419 cases or 34.12 %, while sexual exploitation ranked next with 236
or 19.21%.
On all cases, more females (72.48%) than males (27.52%) become
victims of trafficking.
Aid for street children, street families
The DSWD likewise provides financial and technical support, in
partnership with the local government units (LGUs), for the
implementation of comprehensive program for this sector including
their families.
In 2013, some 1,087 street children were provided with educational
assistance. A total of 635 were served in 33 activity centers where
they participated in literacy program, values formation,
recreational skills building and orientation on the rights of the
child.
Likewise, 200 street adults were provided with cash-for-work
assistance in the amount of P303 pesos per day as sweepers, park
patrol and greeters. Most of them are now renting their houses and
living with their families.
Some 214 families have undergone skills training on dishwashing,
power soap making, jewelry and beads making, and throw pillow
making, in coordination with LGUs. Of this, 165 were provided with
capital assistance.
Housing for informal settlers
For this year, DSWD received P374.4 million for the implementation
of the Interim Shelter Fund for Informal Settler Families. The
amount covers the necessary allocations for the subsidies, as well
as the fund requirement for the mobilization cost of the project.
The program seeks to benefit 16,695 families validated as informal
settlers.
As of December 6, some 1,232 families have been resettled. These
families came from San Juan City (San Juan River), Quezon City (Tullahan
River), Pasay City (Maricaban Creek and Tripa de Gallina), and
Manila (Pasig River).
The resettlement sites are in Barangay Muzon, San Jose del Monte
Heights, Bulacan; Southville Phase 3 Brgy. Aguado Trece Martires
City Cavite; and Golden Horizon, Brgy. Hugo Perez, Trece Martires
City, Cavite.
Priorities for 2014
Sec. Soliman is hopeful that 2014 is even more exciting with the
unfolding of many programs to empower and improve lives of
Filipinos.
The Department will expand and strengthen its core poverty-reduction
programs.
Pantawid Pamilya will cover all eligible poor households from the
database of the poor and sustain the gains of the program by
brokering access of graduated set 1 beneficiaries to other social
protection services particularly sustainable livelihood
opportunities.
Kalahi-CIDSS will cover an additional 323,325 households in 10,714
barangays in 486 poor municipalities nationwide, and facilitate
environmental protection through Community Driven Development (CDD)
by implementing a CDD Modality for ARMM and Bangsamoro in
cooperation with the Regional Government Unit and DSWD-ARMM.
The Micro-Enterprise Development and Guaranteed Employment Tracks
will serve 405,902 Set 3 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries and cover an
additional 23,660 beneficiaries.
It also seeks to reduce the number of street children/families by
80% in Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), capacitate partners to reach
more victims of trafficking, locally and globally
It will provide food supplementation to 2,006,549 children in day
care centers and supervised neighborhood play and to fully implement
the new Guidelines in the Accreditation of Day Care Service.
In an effort to help more seniors, DSWD will expand the Social
Pension to cover additional 46,954 beneficiaries and lower age
category to 70.
It also hopes to provide shelter assistance to 472 informal settler
families living in danger areas and waterways of Metro Manila.
For 2014, the target number of Interim Shelter Assistance as per
DILG is 26,000. And these ISFs will either be resettled or use the
assistance as interim shelter (for renting) while their permanent
housing units are under construction.
On the Estero project, to date, the model unit for Estero de San
Miguel is already completed. Building of medium-rise buildings will
soon rise that will benefit 160 informal settler families. For 2014,
medium-rise buildings shall also rise in Estero de Quiapo, P.
Casals, and San Sebastian.
For disaster response, DSWD will evaluate and enhance disaster risk
reduction strategies, programs, services and partnerships to ensure
readiness and achieve zero casualty in future calamities.
“As 2014 is the year of the wooden horse, we will be galloping to
positive change, institutionalizing reforms to make it irreversible.
Tuloy-tuloy ang mahusay, matapat at magiliw na paglilingkod sa
sambayanan,” Sec. Soliman ended. |
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| In 2013, DOLE's ECC grants P1.4 million worth
of prosthesis to 21 workers |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
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On 6 November,
Christopher Oliquino, 38, and a resident of Antipolo City was able
to walk again, thanks to a new above-knee prosthesis.
A former wire saw operator at a quarrying site in Teresa, Rizal,
Oliquino figured in an industrial accident in January 2012, when the
cable of the wire saw he was using suddenly snapped. He sustained a
grave injury, receiving an above-the-knee amputation.
Because it was work-related, the Employees Compensation Commission
granted him above-knee prosthesis worth P65,500.
Ronnel Miguel Tolentino, 26 years old, and a resident of Malabon
City could not thank the ECC enough after he was able to continue
working with a new leg.
An amputee, he was granted by the ECC above-knee prosthesis worth
P62,000 sometime this year, which enabled him to move around again.
Oliquino and Tolentino are two of the 21 workers who sustained
work-related disabilities the ECC has granted P1,437,500-worth of
artificial prosthesis in 2013 to facilitate their integration into
the economic mainstream.
In a report to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda
Dimapilis-Baldoz, ECC Executive Director Stella Banawis said the
agency made the grant of the benefits under its Katulong at Gabay sa
Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program.
"We are pleased to report that the ECC's KaGabay Program was able to
make 21 workers with work-related disabilities happy and able to
re-integrate themselves in the economic mainstream. Through the
benefits of modern prosthesis, the likes of Oliquino and Tolentino
were able to work and become productive again," said Banawis in her
report.
The ECC's KaGabay Program is an economic assistance program for
persons with work-related disabilities. Its objectives are to
facilitate integration of the persons with work-related disabilities
into the economic mainstream through physical restoration and
training for re-employment or entrepreneurship in order to provide
them with equal access to livelihood opportunities and
micro-enterprises or home-based business.
"The ECC's KaGaBay program is a friend to occupationally-disabled
workers, or ODWs. It helps them find productive careers that will
enhance their quality of life and restore them to their highest
level of functioning," Baldoz said in describing the program that
demonstrates the Philippines’s strong commitment on the protection
of ODWs.
The Kagabay Program also provides ODWs access to skills training for
possible re-employment and entrepreneurship training for small or
home-based business.
“ODWs should not be a loss to society. They can be mainstreamed into
regular employment and productive activities if properly re-trained
or re-skilled to perform specific tasks given their particular
disabilities. This is the objective of this program—the re-skilling
of ODWs and their placement in new jobs,” Baldoz said.
“The ECC is an effective agency that unlocks the potential of our
ODWs. Through the KaGaBay Program, our ODWs will be at par with the
rest if they are given a fair chance to start new lives and make use
of their abilities to the fullest,” she added.
Banawis says one of the goals of the ECC in 2014 is to reach out to
more ODWs who can avail of its programs and services. This, she
believes, can be achieved by increasing ODWs' awareness of and
understanding about the ECC's employees’ compensation programs. |
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| On OFW Family Day, OWWA regional office holds
financial literacy seminar for OFW Family Circles |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
|
| On OFW Family
Day, OWWA regional office holds financial literacy seminar for OFW
Family Circles The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional
Welfare Office 3, in partnership with the Provincial Government of
Pampanga, recently concluded a two-day financial literacy seminar
for OFW Family Circles in Pampanga. In a report to Labor Secretary
Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz through OWWA Administrator Carmelita
Dimzon, OWWA Regional Director Ma. Lourdes V. Reyes said the
seminar, held on the occasion of the annual OFW Family Day at the
Event Center of SM City Pampanga, was attended by 278 OFWs and their
families from all over the region. "The financial literacy seminar
was the highlight activity of the OFW Family Day in the region,"
said Reyes, who explained that the seminar aimed to empower OFW
dependents in managing money they receive from their working loved
ones or relatives abroad. The OFW Family Day is an annual nationwide
celebration that brings together OFW communities to foster
camaraderie among OFWs dependents. It is intended to strengthen
family ties and values through different stimulating activities.
According to Reyes, the financial literacy seminar used a
developmental approach in empowering OFWs and their families by
providing them access to additional tools in building their
financial literacy skills, and in teaching them how to manage their
money more sensibly. Baldoz commended the OWWA regional office,
saying the financial literacy seminar is an important part of the
OWWA’s strategy and commitment to help OFWs and their families learn
the financial issues and challenges that affect their day-to-day
lives. “Our aim is to help OFW dependents learn how to measure and
manage the money their OFW relatives make and teach them to
appreciate and value the fruits of the hard work their relatives and
loved ones are doing," said Reyes. The seminar included modules on
saving and saving options, earning additional money, planning and
creating a personal mission, and setting a time-line for financial
activities and accomplishments. With the growing number of OFWs and
dependents becoming more sensitive of economic management methods,
the regional welfare office expects the number of successful OFW
businesses in the region to rise. Reyes said the regional welfare
office is ready for this development. Last year, she said the
office, through its Family Welfare Offices and in partnership with
established OFW Family Circles, conducted other related training and
seminars, such as entrepreneurial development training, values
re-orientation, and organizational development training for OFWs and
their dependents across the region. |
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