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President Aquino meets Miss
Tourism International Angeli Dione Gomez
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The last Filipina to win an international beauty title
in 2013 paid a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III on
Monday.
President Aquino shook hands with Miss Tourism International 2013/2014
Angeli Dione Gomez Monday morning at the Music Room of Malacañan Palace.
With Gomez at her courtesy call on the President was Mutya ng Pilipinas
president Jacqueline Tan.
Gomez, 20, bagged the international title in the last hours of 2013 in
Malaysia.
She will now be a traveling ambassador to promote tourism and cultural
exchanges.
Miss Tourism International is touted by its organizers to be the only New
Year's Eve pageant "that plays host to more than 59 international
beauty queens from around the world."
It started in 1994 and has set its mark in more than 76 countries.
Angeli Dione Gomez, the third Filipino to win the title succeeds Rizzini
Alexis Gomez, the 2012 Miss Tourism International who also happens to be
from Cebu City, but the two are not related.
In Year 2000, it was Maria Esperanza Manzano who first won the title.
With Angeli wearing the crown this year, the Philippines now holds the
record with the most number of titles in this pageant. PND (jl)
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Investment forum, ISF model building inauguration, meet with SF mayor to
highlight President Aquino's week
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Attracting more foreign investments at a forum and
inaugurating a medium-rise building model unit for informal settlers will
highlight President Benigno S. Aquino III's week, Malacañang said Monday.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President will attend the
third Euromoney Philippines Investment Forum, where he will highlight his
administration's economic achievements stemming from good governance.
"The President will also talk about the administration's continued
commitment to making our economic growth sustainable and even more
inclusive," Lacierda said.
Also this week, President Aquino will inaugurate the Estero de San Miguel
medium-rise building model unit for informal settler families.
Lacierda said the new unit has an "innovative" design that can
fit into the available narrow lot outside the three-meter easement along
the estero.
Such a structure can house up to 16 families in its initial phase, he
said.
"This is part of the administration's strategy to help more informal
settlers live dignified lives in safer communities," he added.
Also this week, the President will meet San Francisco City Mayor Edwin
Lee and the San Francisco-Manila Sister City Committee delegation, as
they pay him a courtesy call.
Lacierda said Lee is the first Asian American to head San Francisco, and
played a major role in "fostering a sense of solidarity among the
many immigrant groups in the city, one of which is the growing
Filipino-American community."
He noted Lee and the committee expressed their support for the survivors
of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
"Their visit to our country reaffirms their solidarity and
friendship with our people," he said.
Lacierda said this week's activities seek to reaffirm the Aquino
administration's policy "to leave no one behind, as we tread the
straight path to greater progress and development." PND (jl)
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Give retired PNP Exec
chance at Human Rights Board, Palace asks public
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Malacañang on Monday appealed to the public to give
retired police Director Lina Sarmiento a chance to prove herself as head
of a board overseeing the distribution of some P10 billion in
compensation to Martial Law victims.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Sarmiento is considered a
"security sector reformist," and deserves at least a chance to
show her worth as head of the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board.
"Let's give her a chance. Kasama niya rito sa board maraming
narekomendang human rights advocates (Let's give her a chance. Besides,
the board also has many human rights advocates who had been highly
recommended)," Lacierda said at a media briefing.
Some former political detainees had questioned Sarmiento's appointment to
the board, noting her job is to deal with victims of alleged abuse by
state forces - including the police - during Martial Law.
During her stint in the Philippine National Police, Sarmiento had been
assigned to head the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office.
Sarmiento also has the distinction of being the police force's first
female police general. She was later promoted to a two-star rank. PND
(jl)
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President Aquino declares February 28 as a
special non-working day in the City of Escalante,
Province of Negros Occidental in celebration of its 13th Charter Day
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President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared February
28, which falls on a Friday, as a special (non-working) day in the city
of Escalante in the province of Negros Occidental in celebration of its
13th Charter Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 718
signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on February 7 to give
the people of Escalante City the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
On February 28, 2001, Escalante became a city by virtue of Republic Act
No. 9014. The cityhood was ratified by its residents in a plebiscite held
on March 31, 2001. PND (js)
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Philippine Development Plan midterm update
aims to ensure sustainability and inclusiveness of the country's economic
growth, Balisacan says
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The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
has updated the Philippine Development Plan: 2011-2016 (PDP) to ensure
sustainability and inclusiveness of the country's rapid economic growth,
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.
Balisacan presented during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on
Monday the updates on macroeconomic policy, financial sector, good
governance and the rule of law, industry and services, agriculture and
fisheries, infrastructure, environment and natural resources, social
development, among others.
The Philippine Development Plan Midterm Update spells out the
government’s roadmap for inclusive growth, Balisacan said.
"Overall, the ultimate goal of the updated Plan is inclusive growth.
Accomplishments will be measured primarily in terms of economic growth,
to an average of 7-8 percent until 2016, reduction in unemployment to
6.5-6.7 percent in 2016 and the incidence of income poverty to 18 to 20
percent," Balisacan said.
"In addition, we are committing to quality of life targets: raise
the quality of employment and overall quality of life. The former will be
reflected as a reduction of underemployment to about 17 percent in 2016
and the latter, as a reduction of the incidence of multidimensional
poverty incidence to 16-18 percent," the Socioeconomic Planning Secretary
said.
The PDP midterm update will highlight high and sustained economic growth;
growth that generates mass employment; and growth that reduces poverty
and facilitates the achievement of the millennium development goals.
"Multidimensional poverty incidence, unlike income poverty, looks at
deprivation in various dimensions – health, education, access to water,
sanitation, secure housing, etc. This indicator can then track the
supposed outcomes of the different human development strategies, which
impact on future income poverty." he said.
"Accelerating job creation requires building up of capital.
Investments must continually rise for the economy to continue to grow and
this requires a stable and predictable market environment. Thus, we
should maintain positive expectations of consumer and business sectors
through macroeconomic stability, a strong financial system, and a healthy
external sector," Balisacan said.
Balisacan emphasized the need to raise productivity and sustain growth in
the agriculture, industry, and services sectors.
"Reducing the cost of doing business in the country will continue to
be a priority, consistent with the platform of good governance, and in
order to encourage more investments. This requires addressing
infrastructure bottlenecks, improving connectivity and increasing the
availability of highly trainable and skilled labor," he said.
The plan aims to substantially reduce poverty by improving the skill sets
of the poorest families and undertake more aggressive employment facilitation
for better job-skills match especially concerning the poor.
"We believe that the key is to directly address the constraints
faced by the poor, set against a backdrop of rapid and sustained growth.
These constraints operate in a highly diverse, fragmented and hazard
prone environment," he said.
"Some cities or provinces have been experiencing economic growth,
but the poorest families are being left behind perhaps because the
growing sectors do not require the goods or services that the poor can
provide," he said.
"For this reason, we will make use of the data from the National
Household Targeting System which identifies the poor households in these
provinces by name. We will begin with the growth sectors present in these
provinces, then focus on providing auxiliary and ancillary services that
could be provided by the poorest families in the province. Based on our
growth experience, these sectors could be IT-Business Process Management,
tourism, construction, manufacturing, and logistics," he said.
The goverment acknowledges that the overall development of the country is
ultimately a product of the dynamism of the private sector, Balisacan
said.
"The role of government is to set the necessary policy and
regulatory framework and provide public goods and services to catalyze
private initiative and encourage efficiency improvements," he said.
The Plan emphasizes the government’s facilitative role in promoting
competition and making it easy for firms and entrepreneurs, regardless of
size, to do business in the country.
"The updated Plan specifies indicators of efficiency and
effectiveness to measure success. The real measure of efficiency is the
extent to which private effort has been steered towards the direction
laid out in the Plan; effectiveness is the extent to which the well-being
of Filipinos has been improved," he said. PND (js)
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Naging panauhin ng Pangulong Aquino sa Palasyo si Miss Tourism
International Angeli Dione Gomez
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Nagbigay-galang sa Pangulong Benigno S.
Aquino III sa Malacanang Lunes ang Pilipina na kahuli-hulihang nagwagi ng
international beauty title noong 2013.
Masiglang tinanggap at kinamayan ng Pangulong Aquino sa Music Room ng
Malacanang si Miss Tourism International 2013/2014 Angeli Dione Gomez.
Kasama ni Bb. Gomez nang maging panauhin ng Pangulo si Jacqueline Tan,
pangulo ng Mutya ng Pilipinas.
Napanalunan ni Gomez, 20, ang lnternational title sa Malaysia ilang oras
bago namaalam ang taong 2013.
Maglalakbay siya sa iba-ibang bansa bilang embahador na magsusulong ng
tourism and cultural exchanges.
Ipinagmamalaki ng mga tagapamahala ng Miss Tourism International na ito
ang katangi-tanging timpalak-kagandahang ginanap noong bisperas ng Bagong
Taon kung saan “mahigit na 30 mga pandaigdig na reyna ng kagandahan buhat
sa iba-ibang panig ng mundo ang mga lumahok.”
Sinimulan noong 1994 ang timpalak-kagandahang ito na mahigit na 76 na
bansa na ang kumikilala at nagpapadala ng kalahok taun-taon.
Si Angeli Dione Gomez ang ikatlong Pilipino na nagwagi rito. Ang sinundan
niyang 2012 Miss Tourism Internstional na si Rizzini Alexis Gomez ay
taga-Lungsod ng Cebu rin, ngunit silang dalawa ay hindi magkamag-anak.
Noong taong 2000, si Maria Esperenza Manzano ang kauna-unahang Pilipina
na nagwagi ng titulong nasabi. Ngayong matamo ni Angeli ang korona sa
timpalak-kagandahang ito para sa kasalukuyang taon, ang Pilipinas ngayon
ang nakatalang may pinakamaraming kinatawang nagwagi ng titulo ng
pandaigdig na timpalak-kagandahang ito. PND (jl/zaf)
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Pagdalo sa ‘Investment Forum,’ pasinaya sa pabahay ng
‘informal settlers’ at pulong sa alkalde ng San Francisco, ang
aasikasuhin ng Pangulo
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Pag-akit pa ng mga puhunang dayuhan sa
dadaluhang forum, pasinaya ng isang medium-rise building model para sa
mga informal settlers ang pagkakaabalahanan ng Pangulong Benigno S.
Aquino III sa linggong ito, alinsunod sa pahayag ng Malacanang Lunes.
Sinabi ng Tagapagsalita ng Pangulo Edwin Lacierda na dadaluhan ng Pangulo
ang ikatlong Euromoney Philippines Investment Forum kung saan bibigyang
diin niya ang mga nagawa na ng kanyang administrasyon sa larangan ng
ekonomya bunga ng ipinatupad na mabuting pamamahala.
“Nakatakda ring talakayin ng Pangulong Aquino ang walang puknat na
pagsisikap ng administrasyon na patuloy na umunlad ang ekonomya at maging
higit itong malawakan,” sabi pa ni Lacierda.
Sa linggong ito rin, pasisinayaan ng Pangulong Aquino ang Estero de San
Miguel medium-rise building unit para sa mga pamilyang informal settlers.
Ipinaliwanag ni Lacierda na ang kakaibang desenyo ng bagong yunit na ito
ay magkakasya sa makipot na loteng nasa labas ng tatlong metrong easement
ng estero.
Ang istrakturang ito ay maaaring tirahan ng hanggang 16 na pamilya, wika
ni Lacierda.
“Bahagi ito ng istratehiya ng administrasyon upang matulungan ang higit
na maraming informal settlers na mamuhay sa higit na maayos na mga bahay
sa mga mga ligtas na pook,” sabi ni Lacierda.
Sa linggong ito rin, magiging panauhin ng Pangulo si Alkalde Edwin Lee ng
Lungsod ng San Francisco sa Estados Unidos, gayundin ang delegasyon ng
San Francisco-Manila Sister City Committee sa Malacanang.
Si Lee ang kauna-unahang Asyano-Amerikano na nahalal na alkalde ng San
Francisco. Mahalaga ang ginampanan niyang papel sa “pagsusulong ng
pagkakaisa ng maraming grupong migrante sa nasabing lungsod, kabilang na
ang komunidad ng Pilipino-Amerikano.
Idinugtong niya na si Lee at ang komite ay nagpahayag ng suporta sa mga
nakaligtas sa matinding hagupit ng napakalakas na bagyong Yolanda sa
Pilipinas.
“Ang pagdalaw nila sa bansa ay katibayan ng pakikiisa, pagdamay at
pakikipagkaibigan nila sa ating mga kababayan,” dagdag pa ni Lacierda.
Sinabi rin ni Lacireda na ang mga nakatakdang gawain ng Pangulong Aquino
sa linggong ito ay nagpapatunay sa patuloy na pagsasagawa ng patakaran ng
administrasyon na “walang maiiwang sino man habang tinatalunton natin ang
tuwid na landas patungo sa ibayong kasaganaan at kaunlaran.” PND (jl/zaf)
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Idineklara ng Pangulong Aquino na pista opisyal ang pebrero 28
na ‘Charter Day’ ng Lungsod ng Escalante sa Negros Occidental
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Kaugnay ng pagsapit ng 13th Charter Day ng
Lungsod ng Escalante sa lalawigan ng Negros Occidental, idineklara ng
Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na pista opisyal ang ika-28 ng Pebrero
para sa nabanggit na lungsod.
Ang deklarasyon ay ginawa ng Pangulong Aquino sa pamamagitan ng
Proklamasyon Blg. 718 na nilagdaan ni Kalihim Tagapagpaganap Paquito N.
Ochoa, Jr. noong Pebrero 7 upang mabigyan nang lubos na pagkakataon ang
mga mamamayan ng Lungsod ng Escalante na makiisa at lumahok sa mga
seremonya at palatuntunang may kaugnay sa anibersaryo ng kanilang
lungsod.
Pebrero 28, 2001 nang maging lungsod ng Escalante alinsunod sa Batas ng
Republika Blg. 9014. Pinagtibay naman ng mga mamamayan ng lungsod sa
isang plebisito noong Matrso 31, 2001 ang pagkalungsod ng Escalante. PND
(js/zaf)
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Bigyan ng pagkakataon sa ‘Human Rights Board’ ang retiradong
puno ng PNP, hiling ng Palasyo sa madla
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Hiniling ng Malacanang sa madla na bigyan
ng pagkakataon ang retiradong Direktor Lina Sarmiento ng Pambansang
Pulisya na ipakita ang magagawa nito bilang puno ng isang lupong
mangangasiwa sa pamamahagi ng bayad-pinsala sa mga biktima ng Martial
Law.
Ipinaliwanag ni Lacierda sa pulong balitaan sa Malacanang Lunes na si
Sarmiento ay kinikilala bilang security sector reformist at karapat-dapat
mabigyan ng pagkakataong ipakita ang kanyang kakayahan bilang puno ng
Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board.
“Bigyan po natin siya ng pagkakataon. Kasama niya rito sa board ang
maraming narekomendang mga tagapagtaguyod ng karapatang pantao,” wika ni
Lacierda sa pulong balitaan,.
Ilang dating political detanees ang kumuwestiyon sa pagkatalaga kay
Sarmiento sa lupon at sinabi pang ang tungkulin niya rito ay may
kinalaman sa mga biktima ng umano ay kalupitan ng mga alagad ng batas ng
pamahalaan, kabilang ang pulisya noong panahon ng Martial Law.
Bilang tauhan ng Pambansang Pulisya, ang retirado nang si Sarmiento ay
natalaga sa PNP Human Rights Affairs Office.
Si Sarmiento ang nag-aangkin ng karangalan bilang kauna-unahang heneral
na babaing pulis. Two-star rank ang rango niya nang magretiro sa
tungkulin sa PNP. PND (jl/zaf)
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Retired firemen safer with P167-M pension release
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The Department of Budget and Management
(DBM) today announced the release of P167 million to cover pension arrears
for 380 retired firemen from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Charged under the FY 2013 Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF), the release will
benefit pensioners who retired from 1991 to 2001, and who were not
previously covered by the BFP Retirement and Separation Benefit System
(RSBS).
“When these firemen retired between 1991 to 2001, the system that could
have facilitated the timely release of their retirement and pension benefits was not fully established. Now that we’ve
established that system, it’s only appropriate for our pensioners under the
fire protection bureau to receive their unpaid pension benefits
immediately, especially as they’ve served their respective communities very
faithfully in the course of their work,” Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch”
Abad said.
Republic Act No. 6975 or the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) Act of 1990, which in itself provides retirement
provisions, required the BFP to establish an RSBS that would serve as a
guideline to effectively determine and account for BFP personnel benefits.
However, it was only in 2001 that the fire protection bureau was able to
flesh out and finalize their pension benefits system. Pensioners who thus
retired from 1991 to 2001 were instead covered by Republic Act 1616 or the
GSIS law, and were not provided with the superior retirement provisions as
stated in the DILG Act of 1990.
Eventually, these pensioners were allowed to avail of the RA 6975 benefits.
However, due to budget constraints, they were given their monthly pension
effective only in January 2007.
The latest P167-million release addresses this pension backlog,
specifically by funding the pension arrears beginning three years after the
date of said the pensioners’ retirement up to December 2006.
Abad added that the Budget Department is also currently processing the
pension arrears of 212 BFP survivorship pensioners amounting to another P66
million, pending the actual determination and validation of said
pensioners.
“Even while we sustain our support for the President’s priority programs
and projects, it’s important not to lose sight of the needs of our public
servants, without whom the work of reform cannot be done. Responding to
their needs includes not just the quick and faithful release of their
salaries, but also of the benefits that allow them or their surviving
families to remain financially independent once they retire. It’s the least
we can do for them,” Abad said.
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The Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 1
of Manila convicted Barangay Chairmen Arkie Rosales, Roque Castro and
Carlos Salvador in a criminal case initiated by the Office of the Ombudsman
upon sworn complaint of Numeriano Posecion, Jr. and Norberto Posecion.
Based on the Joint Decision of Judge Ma. Ruby Camarista, Rosales was found
guilty of violating Article 269 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) for the
unlawful arrest of Norberto Posecion. In addition, Rosales together with
Castro and Salvador were found guilty of violating Article 128 (Violation
of Domicile) of the RPC.
Numeriano positively identified Rosales as the person who arrested Norberto
at gun-point without any judicial order. It was also proven that private
complainants were not in the act of committing an offense at the time of
the arrest.
The conviction for Unlawful Arrest carries the penalty of imprisonment of
six (6) months and a fine of P500.00, while the penalty for Violation of Domicile
is imprisonment ranging from six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2)
years and four (4) months.
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In continuing efforts to simplify frontline
services and improve access by the traveling public, the Department of
Justice today announced the issuance of newly designed and printed Bureau
of Immigration (Bl) Arrival and Departure Cards. These cards are used to
document passengers, for border management and compilation of tourism
statistics.
"Consistent with Presidential instructions, these cards are funded by
government, distributed by authorized personnel and free of
advertisements," Secretary of Justice Leila M. De Lima said.
The airlines used to print the cards sometimes even photocopied when forms
run out. Advertisers used to pay to be featured in these cards which are
circulated globally.
"The design and data fields of the cards are aligned with our existing
computer systems - the upgraded BI Information System (BUS)," said BI
Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison. "Even the size of the color-coded
forms is aligned with that of the standard passport page," he added.
The BUS is a major component of the flagship National Justice Information
System (NJIS) to link and share information among justice sector
institutions.
Living up to the BAYANIHAN spirit of teamwork, the Department of Tourism
(DOT) and Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) provided
valuable inputs to the new cards while the National Printing Office (NPO)
was tapped to print the cards and to ensure regular supply.
The use of the new Arrival and Departure Cards will begin in March 2014.
Old cards will be phased out.
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Personal and Cash Remittances reach new record highs
in December 2013, full-Year 2013 levels highest to date
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Personal remittances from overseas Filipinos
(OFs) registered a new record high of US$2.4 billion in December 2013, up
by 12.5 percent relative to the level posted in the same month last year.
This marks the ninth consecutive month in 2013 that personal remittances
breached the US$2 billion mark, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando
M. Tetangco, Jr. announced today.1 As a result, full-year personal
remittances from OFs reached US$25.1 billion in 2013, higher by 7.6 percent
than the previous year’s level. The sustained rise in personal remittances
during the year was driven by the robust growth in remittances of
land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more (6.1 percent)
and transfers of sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term
contracts (7.8 percent).
Similarly, cash remittances from OFs coursed through banks reached the
highest level to date of
US$2.2 billion in December 2013, representing a 9.1 percent increase from
the level registered in the same period a year ago. For full-year 2013,
cash remittances posted a 6.4 percent increase to reach
US$22.8 billion, exceeding the BSP’s projection of five percent growth for
the year. Cash transfers from both land-based and sea-based workers grew by
6 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively. Moreover, cash remittances from
land-based workers accounted for more than three-fourths (77.1 percent) of
total cash transfers. The major sources of cash remittances were the United
States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates,
Singapore, Canada, and Japan.2
The solid growth of remittances from OFs remains supportive of economic
activity, with cash remittances accounting for 8.4 percent of the country’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013. Remittances remained robust on the
back of strong demand for skilled Filipino manpower abroad, particularly in
the Middle East. Preliminary data from the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA) indicated that the number of deployed OF workers for
the year reached 1.8 million. Moreover, the POEA reported that approved job
orders totaled 793,415 for 2013, of which about two-fifths (40.9 percent)
were processed job orders mainly for services, production, and
professional, technical, and related workers. These job orders were
intended for the manpower requirements of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Qatar. Meanwhile, the continued
presence of financial service providers in foreign countries that cater to
the various needs of OFs facilitated sustained remittance flows. As of
end-December 2013, commercial banks’ established tie-ups, remittance
centers, correspondent banks, and branches/representative offices abroad reached
4,740.
--------------------------
1 As defined in
Balance of Payments Manual, 6th Edition (BPM6), personal remittances
represent the sum of net compensation of employees (i.e., gross earnings of
overseas Filipino (OF) workers with work contracts of less than one year,
including all sea-based workers, less taxes, social contributions, and
transportation and travel expenditures in their host countries), personal
transfers (i.e., all current transfers in cash or in kind by OF workers
with work contracts of one year or more as well as other
household-to-household transfers between Filipinos who have migrated abroad
and their families in the Philippines), and capital transfers between
households (i.e., the provision of resources of capital purposes, such as
for construction of residential houses, between resident and non-resident
households without anything of economic value being supplied in return).
2 Data may not be truly reflective of the actual source of remittance of
OFs. The common practice of remittance centers in various cities abroad is
to course remittances through correspondent banks mostly located in the
U.S. On the other hand, remittances coursed through money couriers cannot
be disaggregated into their actual country source and are lodged under the
country where the main offices are located, that is, Canada. Therefore,
U.S. and Canada appear to be the main sources of OF remittances because
banks attribute the origin of funds to the most immediate source.
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DSWD launches Adoption Consciousness Week
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The Department of Social Welfare and
Development launched over the weekend the observance of Adoption
Consciousness Week by setting-up Help Desks in selected SM and Ayala Malls
to provide information on adoption to interested individuals and families.
The Help Desks are manned by social workers
from DSWD Central Office, Field Offices IV-A, IV-B, and National Capital
Region,
as well as accredited child-placing
agencies, such as Norfil Foundation Inc. and Kaisahang Buhay Foundation
(KBF). Information about adoption including the processes, requirements,
and its benefits and effects are discussed here.
Prospective adoptive couples may visit the following malls on February 15,
16, 22 and 23: SM City Manila, SM City Fairview, SM City Marikina, SM City
Southmall, SM Megamall, Market Market Mall, Glorietta and Greenbelt.
With this year’s theme, “Legal na Pag-aampon sa Lahat ng Pagkakataon,” the
awareness week aims to highlight the importance of adhering to the legal
adoption process in every situation, including during disasters
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DOLE holds 7 jobs fair this Valentine’s Day; to
conduct 46 more in February’s remaining days
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If seven is a lucky number, then
jobseekers may look forward to a sweet Valentine’s Day with DOLE hosting
seven job fairs in 4 different regions in Luzon this 14 February.
So said Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
yesterday, as a fresh reminder to workers who are looking for work.
"We announce our job fairs with regularity through the media and
through our Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) nationwide; and I
encourage all jobseekers, including fresh graduates, and new entrants to
the country’s labor force to these job fairs," Baldoz said.
According to an update report of the DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment, the
schedules and venues of the job fairs this Valentine’s Day are as follows:
National Capital Region: New Valenzuela City Hall, Valenzuela City PESO;
and Navotas City Hall, Navotas City PESO;
Region I: Bolinao Mega Job Fair, LGU-Bolinao;
Region III: Bataan Peninsula State University (BSPU) Main Campus, BSPU
PESO; and Silver CRT Founding Anniversary Job Fair, PESO-College for
Research and Technology;
Region IV-A: Escuela Pia, Taal, Batangas, Taal PESO; and
Cordillera Administrative Region: PGO Compound, Bulanao, Tabuk City,
Kalinga, PGO Kalinga.
"Following this, I might as well announce our job fair schedule for
the remaining days of July so that our job seekers can plan and prepare
early if they are inclined to try their luck at these job fairs," said
Baldoz.
For the last 14 days of the current month, the job fairs are as follows:
NCR—Feb 19: Caloocan South City Hall, Caloocan City PESO; Feb 20: Malabon
City Hall, Malabon City PESO; Taguig City University, PESO Taguig; Feb 21
and Feb 24: Navotas City Hall, Navotas City PESO; Feb 24: PESO Taguig
Office; Brgy. Bagong Tanyag, PESO Taguig; and Feb 28: Brgy. Western
Bicutan, PESO Taguig; Caloocan North City Hall, Caloocan City PESO;
Region 1—Feb 17: Municipal Kiosk, Sta. Maria, Pangasinan, LGU-Sta. Maria;
Feb 21: Infanta Covered Court, Bani, Pangasinan, LGU-Infanta; Feb 24: Hon.
Francisco Sapigao Sports Center, LGU Asingan; Feb 25: Union Christian
College, San Fernando City, La Union, Provincial Gov't. of La Union; Feb
28: Divine Word College of Vigan, Vigan City; Leopoldo Sison Auditorium,
PASS College, Alaminos City, Pangasinan; and University of Northern
Philippines, Vigan City;
Region 2—Feb 19: Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Complex, Centro, Sta. Ana,
Cagayan; and Feb 26: Divine Word College of Vigan, Vigan City;
Region 3—Feb 18: Marikit Park Olongapo City, PESO School Based - Olongapo
City; Feb 20: St. Nicolas College of Business and Technology, St. Nicolas
College of Business and Technology; Feb 21: Columban College Olongapo City,
PESO School Based; Feb 28: Wesleyan University, Cabanatuan City, PESO
School Based;
Region 4A—Feb 21: Valley Golf, PESO Cainta, Rizal;
Region 4B—Feb 23: Albay Astrodome, PESO PG/Bicol University;
Region 5—Feb 26: St. Louise De Marillac College of Sorsogon, Sorsogon City;
Region 6—Feb 27: Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod Gym, Bacolod City; and
Escalanate City Hall, Escalante City, Neg. Occidental;
Region 7—Feb 20-21: University of The Visayas, Mandaue City; and Feb 28:
University of Cebu, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue;
Region 8—Feb 20: DOLE Regional Office 8 Compound, DOLERO8/PESO Tacloban;
Region 9—Feb 20: Mother Ignatia Gymnasium, Pilar College of Zamboanga City,
Inc.; Feb 22 and 26: Capitol Podium, Capitol Hills, Ipil Heights, Ipil,
Zamboanga Sibugay; and Feb 23-24: Buug Central School;
Region 10—Feb 28: City Tourism Hall, Cagayan De Oro City, PESO;
Region 11—Feb 15: Dizon Elem. School Covered Court, Bacaca Road, Davao
City;
CARAGA—Feb 22: Father Saturnino Urios University, Butuan City; and
CAR—Feb 18-20: University of the Cordilleras, Baguio City
She said the DOLE will have a total of 46, or almost three job fairs per
day, for the remaining days of February. The fairs would be conducted in
accessible venues including city halls, municipal halls, PESO offices,
schools, sports gyms, and malls across the 15 regions under the supervision
of the Bureau Local Employment and the DOLE regional offices, in
coordination with public employment service offices (PESOs).
The schedule of the job fairs can also be viewed or downloaded from the
website of the DOLE, at www.dole.gov.ph, or at the new and enhanced
Phil-Job.Net website, at http://phil-jobnet.dole.gov.ph/. Any questions
about this release? Please call the BLE at tel. nos. 527-2453 or 528-0087.
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POEA Governing Board lifts deployment ban on OFWs
returning to Yemen; ban on new hires stays
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Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda
Dimapilis-Baldoz, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration, yesterday announced the lifting of the
ban in the redeployment of overseas Filipino workers to Yemen, two months
after the ban was re-imposed on 10 December 2013, but maintained the
deployment ban on newly-hired OFWs "until further advice."
"The POEA Governing Board, in a meeting duly convened, has approved
yesterday Governing Board Resolution No. 2 Series of 2014 allowing the
redeployment of Filipino workers returning to Yemen, subject to proof of
existing employment as determined by the POEA," Baldoz said.
"However, the board is maintaining its ban on newly-hired OFWs until
further advice," she added. The approval of the resolution was
unanimous, with Felix Rodolfo M. Oca, Estrelita S. Hizon, Alexander E. Asuncion,
and Milagros Isabel Cristobal all signing the resolution, together with
POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Governing Board Vice Chairman, and
Secretary Baldoz. The lifting of the ban came after the Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) recommended on 1 February the lowering of the crisis
alert level from Crisis Alert Level 3 to Crisis Alert Level 2, citing a
general improvement of the political situation and environment in that
country after the Southern Yemen Solutions Document was signed and a truce
between the warring Houthis and Salafis tribes was declared. Crisis Alert
Level 3 entails the voluntary repatriation of Filipinos in a country, while
Crisis Alert Level 2 entails a restriction in travel to and inside Yemen.
The bomb attack at the Yemeni defense ministry complex on 5 December 2013
that resulted to the death of seven Filipinos and injury to 11 others had
OFWs prompted the POEA to impose a ban on both returning and newly-hired
OFWs to Yemen. The POEA said deployment of OFWs to Yemen in 2013 reached
only 646, with 571 of them re-hires and 75 new hires. Baldoz said that with
the lifting of the ban on returning OFWs to Yemen, she has instructed the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Riyadh, which exercises jurisdiction
over OFW affairs in Yemen, to closely coordinate with Philippine Embassy
officials in Riyadh and in Yemen in continually monitoring the situation
with the end in view of securing the welfare and protection of OFWs in that
country.
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PH working on Yolanda Multi Donor Trust Fund with ADB
and WB
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The Government of the Republic of the
Philippines is working with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank
to establish a Yolanda Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), envisioned to serve
as an overall platform in mobilizing reconstruction resources from a wide
range of development partners, including overseas private sector and
philanthropic foundations/ organizations.
The facility will support priority investment projects, livelihood
initiatives and technical assistance for capacity building geared towards
rehabilitation and recovery guided by the principle, “Build Back Better.”
The Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda will be the main anchor for the
MDTF. The completion of project implementation and utilization of MDTF proceeds
are expected within a span of four (4) years.
“The MDTF will facilitate transparent and efficient utilization of
resources as well as harmonization of various approached being adopted by
ensuring that all standards are complied,” said National Treasurer Rosalia
de Leon.
“Strong interest has been conveyed from both our multilateral and bilateral
development partners,” she added.
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Bridge along Msr Quezon re-opens
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After bearing with the temporary inconvenience
is a quality bridge that now safely connects motorists and commuters of
Southern Tagalog Region. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
re-opens on February 13, 2014 the rehabilitated Lalig Bridge at kilometer
94+635 along Manila South Road (MSR) - Daang Maharlika in Tiaong, Quezon.
All vehicles going to and from Manila, Batangas, Quezon, and Bicol area may
now pass at the 15 lineal meters Lalig Bridge which was strengthened to
cope with the increasing load and volume of passing vehicles. Based on
latest data generated in the DPWH Road Traffic Information Applications,
the annual average daily traffic at the bridge location in Daang Maharlika
was recorded at over 8,600 vehicles including loaded trucks and buses bound
for Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao. The old Lalig Bridge was closed to
vehicular traffic on July 17, 2013 to facilitate replacement works for the
superstructure with DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson directing Quezon
Second District Engineer Celestial S. Flancia to closely supervise
activities of contractor towards quality completion including monitoring of
compliance to construction safety standards. Flancia said that despite the
series of weather disturbances that brought completion delays, the P9.63
Million bridge rehabilitation project was done by contractor Jemak
Construction & Supply in accordance with the prepared plans and
specifications of the Department including the need to undertake additional
works to strengthened two (2) abutments.
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417 add to DTI’s list of Philippine National
Standards
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Four hundred seventeen newly developed and
adopted Philippine National Standards (PNS) add to the list of the Bureau
of Product Standards (BPS) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as
the National Standards Body of the Philippines.
“In its continued standardization activities with other government offices,
industries, test institutions, and, consumer organizations, the DTI-BPS has
developed and adopted 417 PNS for the year 2013. To date, there are 8,663
ready PNS at the BPS Standards Data Center and 79.54% or 6,891 of these
have been aligned to the international standards of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), and the Codex Alementarius (Codex)," DTI-BPS
Officer-in-Charge Engr. Gerardo P. Maglalang affirmed.
Philippine National Standards (PNS) are documents established by consensus
through technical committees and approved by the DTI-Bureau of Product
Standards. All PNS undergo a series of deliberations including a
circulation to all sectors concerned for their technical views and
comments. Also, the PNS, prior to its approval, is further circulated among
the 159 member-countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for
transparency, particularly on PNS that are used as references for technical
regulations that are bases for mandatory conformity assessment procedures.
“These PNS make enormous and positive contributions to the many aspects of
our lives. They ensure desirable characteristics – such as performance,
environmental friendliness, safety, reliability, efficiency and
interchangeability – of products and services that we consume daily,"
Maglalang added.
A PNS provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines, or
characteristics for activities or their results of a product or service. It
makes the development, manufacturing, and supply of products and services
more efficient, safer, and cleaner. It also facilitates trade between
countries and makes it fairer as well as provides government with a
technical base for health, safety, and environmental legislation and
conformity assessment. In addition it shares technological advances and
good management practice, disseminate innovation, safeguard consumers and
users in general, of products and services plus, it makes life simpler by
providing solutions to common problems.
For the first quarter of 2013, DTI-BPS developed/ adopted 21 PNS on food;
audio, video and related equipment; glass and glass products; electromagnetic
compatibility; and, gas cylinders.
Then on the second quarter of 2013, 109 PNS were prepared on household
appliances; audio video; lamp and related equipment; medical electrical
equipment; adhesives; plastics; refractories; electronics; mining and
minerals; road vehicles engineering; construction materials and building;
and, health care technology.
On the third quarter of 2013, among the 26 developed/adopted PNS were on
non-textile floor coverings; textile; footwear; rubber; foot wear; transportation
of petroleum products; and, road vehicles. By the fourth quarter of 2013,
261 PNS were developed/ adopted on the following: Electrical products,
rubber products, footwear, textiles, assistive products for PWDs, adhesive,
nanotechnology, recreational diving devices, geometrical product
certification, ceramic tile, plastic, semiconductor devices, surface
chemical analysis, tobacco, copper alloys, glass and glass products, and,
food.
OIC Maglalang reported, “To date, the DTI-BPS administers 28 Technical
Committees for the development or adoption of Philippine National Standards
in cooperation with other government offices and the sectors of the
academe, industry, and consumer.”
To purchase copies of a PNS, visit the DTI-BPS Standards Data Center at the
third floor, Trade and Industry Building, 361 Sen Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati
City or call 751.4736.
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Bangsamoro block grant comparable to IRA of LGUs; Panel
clarifies budget not from LGU's IRA
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Kidapawan City — The Government of the
Philippines (GPH) peace panel on Thursday assured local government units (LGUs) outside the envisioned
Bangsamoro territory that the block grant that will be released to the
region will not be taken from their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA),
stressing that LGUs will even benefit from the development projects to be
brought by the peace process.
GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and peace panel members Senen
Bacani and Yasmin Busran-Lao held a consultation with North Cotabato Gov.
Emmylou Taliño Mendoza, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and several mayors
at the provincial capitol here.
“There will be a block grant to the Bangsamoro and this will not be taken
from the 40 percent IRA share of the LGUs,” said Bacani, noting it was
contained in the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing to the
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
The block grant is comparable to the internal revenue allotment of LGUs. It
will be sourced from the national revenue collections and released annually
by the Central government to the Bangsamoro government.
According to the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, the “block
grant shall be based on a formula provided in the Bangsamoro Basic Law
(BBL) which in no case shall be less than the last budget received by the
ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) immediately before the
establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.”
The annex further stated that formula “shall be subject to review by the
Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government after ten years, on the
basis of need and actual revenues generated.”
The GPH peace panel shared that it is working with the Department of Budget
and Management, Department of Finance and Department of Public Works and
Highways in determining a formula based on estimates of the cost of all
devolved functions. The panel will in turn propose options to the
Transition Commission to assist them in drafting the needed provision in the
BBL.
Currently, the allocation of the ARMM, which the Bangsamoro government will
replace once the BBL is approved by Congress and ratified by the
constituents, goes through a budget deliberation process and spelled out in
the General Appropriations Act, Bacani explained.
But since the formula for allocation will be determined in the BBL, the
Bangsamoro government will be free from the limitations of the annual
budgetary processes whereby the ARMM’s budget allocation is negotiated with
Congress every year.
However, revenues collected by the Bangsamoro from additional taxes as well
as shares in government income from natural resources will be deducted from
the annual block grants four years after the full operation of the
Bangsamoro government.
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Philippines to host 4th Philippines-Australia
Ministerial Meeting
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17 February 2014- The 4th
Philippines-Australia Ministerial Meeting (PAMM) will be held in Manila
from February 20 to 21.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and Trade and Industry
Secretary Gregory L. Domingo will meet with their Australian counterparts,
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Trade and Investment Minister Andrew
Robb, to discuss regional and global developments and priorities, areas of
mutual interest, and cooperation in international relations and trade.
A private dialogue between representatives of the private sector and the
trade ministers will also be held as one of the activities of the PAMM on
February 19.
Australia is one of the Philippines’ closest bilateral partners in the
Asia-Pacific region. The PAMM began as the Philippines-Australia Dialogue
in 1997 and was upgraded to a Joint Ministerial Meeting in 2005. It sets
the direction and vision of the Philippines-Australia bilateral relations
and serves as the forum to discuss initiatives and activities to strengthen
the bilateral partnership.
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Filipino Lawmakers promote PHL interests at
Inter-Parliamentary Forum in Mexico
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17 February 2014 - A Philippine
Congressional delegation, ably supported by a team from the Philippine
Embassy in Mexico, actively participated at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the
Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) hosted by the Mexican Senate in
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from February 12 to 16.
The Congressional group was led by Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara
together with Senator Grace L. Poe, Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd
District, Cagayan de Oro City) and Deputy Director General Esperanza P.
Ayson of the Office of International Relations and Protocol (OIRP),
Philippine Senate.
Presently comprised of 27 member-countries, the APPF was formally created
in 1993 in Tokyo, through the initiative of former Japanese Prime Minister
Yasuhiro Nakasone, to provide opportunities for national parliamentarians
of the Asia-Pacific region to identify and discuss matters of common
concern and interest and to highlight them in a global context, thereby
acting in effect as the legislative branch of the APEC.
The Philippines, as a founding member, hosted the APPF´s second annual
meeting in 1994 during which member-parliamentarians adopted the resolution
providing for the organization´s administrative rules of procedure.
Our country´s solons availed of the platform provided by this year´s
holding in Mexico of the APPF annual meeting to express their concerns on
regional issues affecting their constituencies and to project and safeguard
Philippine national interests.
In plenary session, Representative Rodriguez reaffirmed the continued
commitment of the Philippine Government to a peaceful resolution, based on
international law and legal processes, of the country´s territorial
disputes with China; and called on the latter to stop the unlawful
incursion of its military and commercial vessels in the West Philippine Sea
as well as other recent unwarranted and dangerous unilateral actions that
only raise regional tension.
At a bilateral meeting with the Japanese delegation on the margins of the
APPF, Representative Rodriguez called on the Japanese lawmakers to
reexamine certain regulations affecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in
Japan, including the Nihongo proficiency requirement for Filipino nurses
and the taxation of income earned by OFWs in Japan.
For her part, Senator Poe encouraged the delegations in plenary session to
enact Freedom of Information Legislations that will ensure government and
parliamentary transparency by making public documents and transactions open
to the public, save in cases involving national security and the need to
protect the negotiating position of a country.
Senator Angara spoke to the gathering on the continued need to forge strong
educational development partnerships among countries in the Asia Pacific to
meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on education and in light of
the demands imposed on the educational system by regional integration. He
called on all delegations to work together to address the job-skills
mismatch at the national and regional levels through strengthened linkages
between industries and the academe that will translate to more relevant
course offerings and curricula as well as faculty enrichment through
industrial immersions.
The 22nd APPF Annual Meeting adopted a Joint Communique and 22 resolutions
on a range of topics including terrorism, drug and human trafficking,
organized crime, corruption, food and energy security, knowledge economy,
climate change and cooperation in education, culture, science and
technology.
The Philippine Congressional delegation conveyed their sincere appreciation
to the Embassy team for their hard work and dedication in providing on-site
logistical, protocolar, administrative and substantive support to the
individual lawmakers and their accompanying spouses.
The 23rd APPF Annual Meeting is set on January 2015 in Quito, Ecuador.
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DOST develops wound dressing from honey
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Experts from the Philippine Nuclear Research
Institute – Department of Science and Technology (PNRI-DOST) have developed
an effective wound dressing from local honey sources in the Philippines.
Taking advantage of the antimicrobial properties of these local, readily
available products, the DOST-PNRI experts produced a cheaper and comparable
alternative – if not a better one already – to antibiotics for treating
exudating wounds and burns. Exudates
“Honey has, since ancient days, been used for medicinal purposes. Its
composition makes it a very effective agent for healing wounds,” said
Biomedical Research Section Head Zenaida De Guzman.
According to De Guzman, honey is ideal as a wound dressing not only for its
antimicrobial and potentially anti-inflammatory composition, but also for
its low pH level that is suitable for fast
Its sugar content helps in the granulation of wounds, while its low
moisture gives honey a longer shelf-life. Further, honey’s low water
activity helps the dressing draw out water and pus, thereby drying the
wound and reducing the chances of infection.
Among the samples obtained from the University of the Philippines Los
Baños, three indigenous types of honey stood out: the pineapple flower
honey from Bacolod which proved comparable to the average antibiotic, the
scarce coconut honey from Mindanao, and the natural dark honey found in the
highlands of Northern Luzon The latter two matched, and at times even
bested, antibiotics in dealing with pathogens such as Staphylococus aureus.
As they are readily available, these honey samples provided the material
for the research section’s honey dressings.
Results from initial testing in rabbits showed that the dressing healed the
wounds around the same time as the generic Neomycin. In some cases, the
honey treatment took effect a day ahead of the antibiotic.
Pre-clinical testing conducted in a government hospital showed that using
honey dressing, full treatment of a burn patient was achieved earlier by a
month than the usual healing time.
Sodium alginate made from brown algae, already used by hospitals for
dressings, serves as a base for the honey treatment. They are mixed and
molded into a gauze before being sprayed with calcium chloride to bind
them.
After being cured, dried and packaged in vacuum-packed aluminum foil, the
dressing is irradiated at 25 kilogray at PNRI’s Multipurpose Irradiation
Facility to keep it microbe-free and longer-lasting.The Biomedical Research
Section applied for the honey dressing’s patent last year and hopes to
eventually finish the clinical tests. Ms. De Guzman expects the product’s
commercialization to begin by 2015.
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LTO streamlines motor vehicle importation
process in line with anti-corruption reform program
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In order to ensure efficient and effective
importation of motor vehicles, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has
revised all Rules and Regulations on the Accreditation and Stock Reporting
of Manufacturers, Assemblers, Importers, Rebuilders, Dealers and Other
Entities (MAIRDOEs) authorized to import motor vehicles and/or its
components.
This is under Administrative Order No. AVT-2014-23, which was published
last January 24 and took effect on 9 February 2014.
“This is part of our reform program at the LTO to improve our services,
streamline processes, and curb corrupt or illicit practices. This will
benefit stakeholders in the automotive industry, which we hope will
translate into faster and better services to the general public,” said LTO
Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan, Jr.
Aside from providing a more detailed and organized structure of the
process, the new AO eliminates unnecessary steps which could be sources of
delays, particularly in stock reporting, which will be done by the
applicants themselves.
The current reporting system requires accredited manufacturers, assemblers,
importers and rebuilders of both brand new and second hand motor vehicles
to submit an accurate monthly stocks/sales report to the LTO Registration
Section, after which LTO personnel will check, encode and approve the
reports.
The required documents include a soft and hard copy of the stock report, a
stencil of engine and chassis, a Certificate of Payment from the Bureau of
Customs and a Certificate of Conformity from the Department of
Environmental and Natural Resources for brand new vehicles.
Meanwhile, second hand vehicles and parts are required to submit a stock
report, a stencil for engine and chassis and a BOC Certificate of Payment.
With the new system aimed to be implemented beginning on 24 February 2014,
authorized representatives of accredited manufacturers will be the ones to
encode reports and scan stencil images directly to the LTO-CSR Processing
Room which will be uploaded into the system.
If the stocks validation is correct, a transaction summary will be
generated together with the Transaction ID and Payment Order Slip which
will be printed by the representative.
The representative can easily proceed to the LTO Collection Unit for
payment and the Certificate of Stock Reported will be printed at the CSR
Processing Room—expediting the process to one to three days—depending on
the volume of transactions.
For invalid reports, the transaction will be voided and the representative
will be advised to coordinate with the BOC to rectify the discrepancy.
The LTO says this will eliminate red tape in the agency because the
approval of stock reports is not relied on the LTO employee but solely on
the authorized representative of the manufacturers, assemblers, importers
and rebuilders.
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. welcomes
the new accreditation and reporting system.
“The do-it-yourself system will be beneficial to the industry in terms of
faster processing time, especially in the light of the continued strong
demand for vehicle products.” said CAMPI President Attorney Rommel
Gutierrez.
The Philippine Automotive Association says the new AO has been debated upon
in the past LTO leaderships and is long overdue.
“The new project will further reduce the registration period. We may have
some problems during its early implementation but if properly implemented
and all will cooperate, we don’t see any reason why this program will not
succeed.” said Benjie Guererro of PAA.
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New book looks into the declining enrollment in
agriculture courses
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A new book by state think tank Philippine
Institute for Development Studies and the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development
(PCAARRD) examines the declining enrollment in agriculture, forestry, and
natural resources (AFNR) courses in the country.
Titled "Higher Education in Agriculture: Trends, Prospects, and Policy
Directions", it looks into the need to rationalize AFNR higher
educational and technical-vocational institutions. The book considers the
development gains for the country if the agricultural sector, which
represents a third of the countrys workforce, gets its much-needed boost.
The book is the result of the project "Policy Research on the State
and Future Supply of and Demand for AFNR Graduates in the Philippines"
conducted by PIDS and PCAARRD. It was edited by Dr. Roehlano Briones, PIDS
Senior Research Fellow, and Dr. Melvin Carlos, Chief Science Research
Specialist and Director of the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division
at PCAARRD.
"The book will serve as a guide to policymakers, education
specialists, students, and other education stakeholders, to understand the
emerging challenges in the human resource aspect of agricultural
development," said Dr. Gilberto Llanto, PIDS President.
Dr. Patricio Faylon, PCAARRD Executive Director, said the book is intended
to dig deeper into the declining enrollment in AFNR courses and to provide
reasons for its decline, and what should be done to address this alarming
phenomenon in AFNR education.
The book is another contribution of PIDS in partnership with PCAARRD to
highlight the other key ingredient of inclusive growth which is higher
education. The trends, prospects, and policy directions of higher education
in agriculture, which is the core study of this book, provides compelling
recommendations on how the agriculture sector can stand up on its own legs.
For inquiries on the book, kindly contact the Publications and Circulation
Division of PIDS at publications@mail.pids.gov.ph or dial
893-9573/894-2584.
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President Benigno S. Aquino III congratulates 2013 Miss Tourism
International Angeli Dione Gomez during the courtesy call at the Music
Room of the Malacañan Palace on Monday (February 17). Gomez was crowned
in Putrajaya, outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on December 31, 2013,
besting 59 other candidates in the 17th edition of the Malaysia-based
pageant. It’s a back-to-back title for the Philippines, as Rizzini
Alexis Gomez won the title in 2012, and the fourth world beauty title
for the country last year. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Lauro Montellano,
Jr. / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the Philippine Travel Agencies
Association (PTAA) 21st Travel Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention
Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday
(February 14) with the theme: “Love Life, Love Travel." The Department
of Tourism (DOT) is projecting 2014 tourism revenues to hit P1.4
trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of the expected earnings from
domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a forecasted increase in
the daily expenditures by domestic tourists. Also in photo are Senator
Juan Edgardo Angara and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. (Photo by
Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the Philippine Travel Agencies
Association 21st Travel Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention Center,
Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday (February
14) with the theme: “Love Life, Love Travel." The Department of Tourism
(DOT) is projecting 2014 tourism revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher
by P110.6 billion of the expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013
due in large part to a forecasted increase in the daily expenditures of
domestic tourists. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III, ushered by PTAA secretary general and
Travel Tour Expo 2014 executive director Marciano Ragaza III, tours the
booths during the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) 21st
Travel Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall
of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday(February 14) with the theme:
“Love Life, Love Travel”. The Department of Tourism is projecting 2014
tourism revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of the
expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a
forecasted increase in the daily expenditures of domestic tourists.
(Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Tourism Secretary Ramon
Jimenez, Jr. during the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA)
21st Travel Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive,
Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday (February 14) with the
theme: “Love Life, Love Travel”. The Department of Tourism is projecting
2014 tourism revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of
the expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to
a forecasted increase in the daily expenditures of domestic tourists.
Also in photo are PTAA secretary general and Travel Tour Expo 2014
executive director Marciano Ragaza III, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara and
Travel Tour Expo 2014 president and chairman John Paul Cabalza. (Photo
by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III, ushered by Travel Tour Expo 2014
president and chairman John Paul Cabalza, tours and the booths during
the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) 21st Travel Tour Expo
2014 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex
in Pasay City on Friday(February 14) with the theme: “Love Life, Love
Travel”. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is projecting 2014 tourism
revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of the expected
earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a forecasted
increase in the daily expenditures by domestic tourists. (Photo by Ryan
Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the
Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) 21st Travel Tour Expo 2014
at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex in
Pasay City on Friday (February 14) with the theme: “Love Life, Love
Travel”. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is projecting 2014 tourism
revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of the expected
earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a forecasted
increase in the daily expenditures by domestic tourists. (Photo by Ryan
Lim / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Senator Juan Edgardo
Angara during the Philippine Travel Agencies Association 21st Travel
Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of
Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday (February 14) with the theme: “Love
Life, Love Travel”. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is projecting 2014
tourism revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of the
expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a
forecasted increase in the daily expenditures by domestic tourists. Also
in photo are Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. and PTAA secretary
general and Travel Tour Expo 2014 executive director Marciano Ragaza
III. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Senator Juan Edgardo
Angara during the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) 21st
Travel Tour Expo 2014 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall
of Asia Complex in Pasay City on Friday (February 14) with the theme:
“Love Life, Love Travel”. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is projecting
2014 tourism revenues to hit P1.4 trillion, higher by P110.6 billion of
the expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to
a forecasted increase in the daily expenditures by domestic tourists.
Also in photo is Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. (Photo by Ryan Lim
/ Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III witnesses as Interior and Local
Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II hands-over to Compostela Valley
Governor Arturo Uy the cheque for Debris Management Fund during the 2nd
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Units
Summit on Governance and Development at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in
Davao City on Wednesday (February 12). (Photo by Rodolfo Manabat /
Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III poses with the participants of the 2nd
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Units (LGUs)
Summit on Governance and Development for a group photo souvenir at the
Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday (February 12). Also
in photo are Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II,
Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu and ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv
Hataman. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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Participants in the 2nd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
Local Government Units (LGUs) Summit on Governance and Development
listen intently to the speech of President Benigno S. Aquino III at the
Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday (February 12).
(Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 2nd
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Units
Summit on Governance and Development at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in
Davao City on Wednesday (February 12). Also in photo are Interior and
Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv
Hataman, Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Luwalhati Antonino,
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority chairman Francis Tolentino. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang
Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 2nd
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Units
Summit on Governance and Development at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in
Davao City on Wednesday (February 12). Also in photo are Energy
Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles,
Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and ARMM
Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo
Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III receives from ARMM Regional Governor
Mujiv Hataman a copy of the resolution of support to the Bangsamoro
Framework Agreement during the 2nd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) Local Government Units Summit on Governance and Development at
the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday (February 12).
(Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the singing of the Philippine
National Anthem during the 2nd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
Local Government Units Summit on Governance and Development at the
Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday (February 12). With
the theme: “Strengthening Regional Stakeholders’ Partnership towards a
Revitalized ARMM in Transition to Bangsamoro," the summit will highlight
the role of ARMM government units in the Mindanao peace process and
issues on disaster management, mitigation and response. Also in photo
are ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman, Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles, Defense Secretary
Voltaire Gazmin and Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla. (Photo by
Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan, Executive
Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Social Welfare and Development Secretary
Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio
Singson, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director
general Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene
Almendras and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima share a light moment
before the cabinet meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room of the
Malacañan Palace on Tuesday (February 11). (Photo by Ryan Lim /
Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan,
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje, Executive
Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Social Welfare and Development Secretary
Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority director general Emmanuel Joel Villanueva and Finance
Secretary Cesar Purisima share a light moment before the cabinet meeting
at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room of the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday
(February 11). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III presides over the cabinet meeting at the
Aguinaldo State Dining Room of the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday (February
11). Also in photo are Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras,
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. and Finance Secretary Cesar
Purisima. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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President Benigno S. Aquino III leads his official family in prayer
before presiding over the cabinet meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining
Room of the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday (February 11). Also in photo are
Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, Executive Secretary
Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary
Leila de Lima and Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson.
(Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau) |
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