PIAQuezon: Dispatch for April 3 , 2014 (Thursday) , 6 PIA Calabarzon PRs , 2 Weather Watch , 5 Reg’l. Watch , 2 OFW Watch , 15 Online News , 40 Photonews (Apr.2)

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24-Hour Public Weather Forecast

Issued at 5:00 a.m., 03 April 2014
Valid beginning: 5:00 a.m. today until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow

Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind
Analysis for 8 a.m., 03 April 2014

Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind
Analysis for 8 a.m., 03 April 2014

Satellite Image

Synopsis:

Easterlies affecting the eastern section of the country.

Forecast:

The entire archipelago will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Light to moderate winds from the east will prevail throughout the achipelago and the coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate.

2. Farm Weather Forecast

ISSUED: 8AM, THURSDAY, APRIL 03, 2014
VALID: 8AM, FRIDAY, APRIL 04, 2014 FWFA: N0. 14-091

SYNOPSIS: EASTERLIES AFFECTING THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE COUNTRY.

FORECAST AREA	WHOLE COUNTRY
AGRI-WEATHER	PARTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED RAINSHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS MOSTLY IN THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING
WINDS	LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS FROM EAST
TEMPERATURE	24 – 36⁰C - LOWLAND FARMS 16 – 25⁰C - UPLAND FARMS
RELATIVE HUMIDITY	52 – 92%
LEAF WETNESS	0 TO 4 HOURS
SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS: WET – SAMAR MOIST – BOHOL, QUEZON, SOUTHERN LEYTE, , CARAGA REGION ,ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE DRY - REST OF THE COUNTRY

FARM ADVISORIES:

IRRIGATE, WATER PLANTS, FERTILIZER APPLICATION, AND WEEDING ;
MONITORING OF PESTS AND DISEASES;
STRENGTHEN FARM STRUCTURES LIKE BARNS AND ANIMAL HOUSES, REPAIR IF NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN GOOD QUALITY OF PRODUCTS.
DELIVER GOODS IN THE MARKET PLACES USING COVERED VANS OR VEHICLES.
CONTINUE DOING YOUR FARM ACTIVITIES.

FISHING ADVISORIES:

THE COASTAL WATERS OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WILL BE SLIGHT TO MODERATE.

FISHERMEN ARE ADVISED ALWAYS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES IN GOING OUT THE SEA AND BE UPDATED FOR THE LATEST WEATHER

AND FARM ADVISORIES.

RED TIDE ALERT (Courtesy of BFAR, Shellfish Bulletin No. 08, Issued on 01 April 2014)

ALL TYPES OF SHELLFISH AND ALAMANG COLLECTED FROM DUMANQUILLAS BAY (ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR),BATAAN COASTAL WATERS (MARIVELES, LIMAY, ORION, PILAR, BALANGA, ORANI, ABUCAY AND SAMAL), COASTAL WATERS OF BOLINAO AND ANDA PANGASINAN, AND MILAGROS MASBATE ARE NOT SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. FISHERMEN ARE ADVISED NOT TO GATHER OVER THESE AREAS.

PREPARED BY: DTB / SCF / RAAM / MAM / DPO / RMM

April 3 , 2014 ( Thursday ) as of 6:00-7:00 AM

CAVITE : Sunny

LAGUNA : Sunny

BATANGAS : Sunny

RIZAL : Sunny

QUEZON : Fair Weather

1. PIA Regional Watch

16 hours ago

PIA-4A/RIZAL: Information Officers of Rizal Province together with Vice Governor Frisco San Juan Jr. are currently working with the Department of Trade and Industry-Rizal for the 2014 Consumer Welfare Advocacy Plan in order to give locals in depth information on their rights as consumers.

2. PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/CAVITE: DepEd Division in Imus City vowed to adhere and campaign for good governance among its educational leaders which is in line with Transparency, Ethcal and Accountable (TEA) governance advocacy of DepEd IV-A CALABARZON under the leadership of Dr. Diosdado M. San Antonio.

3. PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/CAVITE: The 4-day workweek in city government of Bacoor (E. O.14 Seris of 204) shall not apply to Bacoor Traffic Management Division, garbage collection, health, maintenance of public oder, and maintenance of BDRRMC, CSWDO, Command Center and Maintenannce Group under engineering department. Said oder shall not cover the state universities and colleges, judicial courts, PNP, BFP, BJMP and other national agencies within the city.

4. PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA IV-A/CAVITE: The city government of Bacoor issued an Executive Order No. 14 Series of 2014 adopting a 4-day workweek scheme effective April 1 from 8am to 7pm from Monday to Thursday except on holidays for the months of April, May, September, October and November. This is in line wih city gov't's austerity masures to help minimize energy and fuel consumption.

5. PIA Regional Watch

22 hours ago

PIA-4A/LAGUNA: The Office of the Provincial Field Agricultural and Extension Services through the Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center recently conducted a "Package of Technology Training on Organic Agriculture for FITS Center Promotion. This aims to promote the Magsasaka Siyentista and FITS Center as information and technology service provider.

1. PIA OFW Watch

17 hours ago

DFA spokesman Charles Jose on DZMM:
Re: 8.2-magnitude quake in Chile
-183 ang mga Pinoy na nasa Chile.
-So far, wala pa tayong ulat na may Pinoy na naapektuhan sa lindol.
-Karamihan sa kanila (Pinoy sa Chile) ay mga professional, engineers at iba pa.
-Maayos naman po ang kanilang kalagayan.

PIA OFW Watch

22 hours ago

DFA spokesperson Charles Jose on DZBB:
Re: Kung may naapektuhang Pilipino sa naganap na paglindol sa Chile
-Tinatayang may 183 Filipinos sa Chile at less 700 sa total na nasa Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Nicaragua. Lahat ng mga bansang ito ay humaharap sa Pacific Ocean kung saan naganap ang lindol na may bantang tsunami.
-Ang ating Konsulada sa Santiago, Chile at mga Embassy na nagko-cover ng mga nabanggit kong mga bansa ay nagbigay na po ng instruction na makikipag-coordinate sa kanilang local authorities sa mga affected area at aalamin ang mga kondisyon ng ating mga kababayan.
-Wala pa pong report na may mga Pinoy ang naapektuhan ng lindol at tsunami.
-Mga professional pong Filipino ang nasa mga lugar na ito (Chile).
-Wala naman po (kung may report na nadamage na mga tanggapan ng Pilipinas).

1. Tagalog news: 88 loose firearms, nakumpiska ng Batangas PPO

Thursday 3rd of April 2014

LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS, Abril 3 (PIA) --Inihayag kamakailan ng Batangas Police Provincial Office (BPPO) na may 88 loose firearms ang nakumpiska ng kanilang mga tauhan mula sa may 86 katao sa unang kwarter ng taon.

Sinabi ni BPPO provincial director PSSupt.Omega Jireh Fidel, na ito ay umpisa lamang ng kanilang mas pinalawak at pinalakas na kampanya sa mga nagkalat na loose firearms sa lalawigan.

“Mas pinag-iibayo naming mga kapulisan ang pagsawata sa pagkalat ng mga armas na ito na walang kaukulang lisensya at karaniwang ginagamit ng mga kawatan sa pagsasagawa ng mga krimen,” sabi ni Fidel.

Bunga nito, binigyan ng parangal noong Marso 31 ang mga natatanging police stations na nagpakita ng karampatang serbisyo at paglilingkod sa kanilang nasasakupan.

Ang Lipa City Police Station ang nahirang na “Best Performing City Police Station” dahil sa maigting na kampanya nito kontra loose firearms at pagpapatupad ng focused police operations tulad ng kampanya laban sa mga wanted persons, service of search warrant at kampanya kontra illegal na sugal gayundin ang Batangas City Police Station dahilan sa kampanya nito laban sa illegal na droga.

Nahirang namang Best Performing Class A Municipal Police Station (MPS) ang Sto. Tomas MPS at Bauan MPS, Best Performing Class B Police Station ang Calaca MPS at Balayan MPS, Best Performing Class C Police Station ang Taal MPS at Talisay MPS. (MPDC, PIA-Batangas)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681396425090#sthash.iAaCSaLh.dpuf

2. Tagalog news: PCG Southern Tagalog, pinagkalooban ng mga bagong search and rescue equipment

Thursday 3rd of April 2014

LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS, Abril 3 (PIA) --Binasbasan ang mga bagong search and rescue equipment na ipinagkaloob sa Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Southern Tagalog sa okasyon ng pagdiriwang ng ika-31 taong anibersaryo nito noong Marso 18 sa tanggapan nito sa barangay Sta. Clara ng lungsod na ito.

Ang mga kagamitan na kinabibilangan ng rubber boat, outrigger boat, tatlong multicab service vehicles at isang truck ay ipamimigay sa mga iba’t-ibang mga istasyon ng PCG sa buong Timog Katagalugan.

Sinabi ni PCG Commandant Vice Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, na nagpapasalamat siya sa 31 taong kasipagan, pagseserbisyo at pagtupad ng lahat ng kawani ng PCG upang makamit ang mithiin nito na maglingkod sa bansa.

Binigyang-diin ni Isorena na patuloy ang PCG sa pagpapaigting ng kampanya para sa mas malinis na karagatan at pagsusulong ng mga kapabilidad sa disaster risk reduction management.

Idinagdag pa nito na patuloy ang pagsusulong ng moderisasyon ng kanilang tanggapan kung saan parating na ang apat na 24 meter vessels mula sa Pransiya gayundin ang karagdagang sampung 40 meter vessel mula sa Hapon, at search and rescue vessel mula sa Pransiya sa susunod na taon.

Ang mga kagamitang ito ay bago at bahagi ng programa ng administrasyong Aquino upang makapagbigay ng karampatang serbisyo ang PCG sa publiko.

Sinabi pa ni Isorena na binibigyang pansin din nila ang pagbuhay at muling pagsasaayos ng iba’t-ibang light stations na malaki ang nagagawang tulong sa mga manlalakbay sa mga karagatan sa buong bansa.

Sa kasalukuyan may anim na istasyon, 41 sub-stations at 1 mobile team ang bumubuo sa buong PCG District Southern Tagalog. (MPDC, PIA-Batangas)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681396066506#sthash.Q4drDvv7.dpuf

3. Tagalog news: Kinatawan ng Batangas City, hinirang na 2013 Most Outstanding Day Care Worker ng lalawigan

Wednesday 2nd of April 2014

LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS, Abril 2 (PIA) --Itinanghal na 2013 Most Outstanding Day Care Worker sa lalawigan ng Batangas si Criselda A. Manansala ng barangay Bucal sa lungsod na ito.

Si Manansalay ay 49 taong gulang at may 27 taon nang day care worker ng City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

Mula sa 112 daycare workers sa lungsod, si Manansala ang kinatawan ng Batangas City sa patimpalak kung saan humigit kumulang sa 10 ang naglaban-laban sa titulo.

Sinabi ni Manansala, na itinuturing niya na malaking factor sa pagkakapili sa kanya ang kanyang dedikasyon sa trabaho, tagal sa serbisyo, mga pagsasanay na kanyang isinagawa at dinaluhan at ang accreditation ng kanilang day care center na nabigyan ng highly satisfactory rating ng DSWD regional office.

Nagkamit ng P20,000 na cash prize at plaque of recognition, sinabi ni Manansala na kalahati ng kanyang premyo ay ipagkakaloob niya bilang pondo ng Bucal Day Care Center upang maisakatuparan ang planong pagbili ng airconditioning unit para dito.

Ang naturang patimpalak ay taun-taong isinasagawa ng Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) kung saan pinipili ang pinakamahusay na day care worker mula sa ibat-ibang lungsod at munisipalidad ng apat na distrito ng Batangas.

Ang evaluation at validation ay ginanap mula Agosto hanggang Disyembre noong nakaraang taon kung saan binisita at nagsumite ng dokumentasyon at ibat-ibang requirements

Ang Bucal Day Care Center ay may backyard gardening, medicinal garden at sariling stage.

Ito ang ikalawang pagkakataon na kinatawan ng lungsod ang nagwagi sa kumpetisyon. Magugunita na ang nanalong 2012 Outstanding Daycare Worker si Gemma Frane mula sa barangay Sico.

Lubos ang pasasalamat ni Manansala sa karangalang kanyang natamo sa Panginoon at sa suportang ipinagkaloob ni CSWD chief Mila Espanola gayundin ng kanyang mga kapwa day care workers, ang kanyang pamilya at maging sa mga magulang ng mga day care children.

Payo ni Manansala sa ibang day care worker na naghahangad din na maging outstanding tulad niya na ibigay ang buong puso at pagbutihin ang kanilang trabaho. (Ronna Endaya Contreras-PIO Batangas City)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681395896854#sthash.VZYBFIBP.dpuf

4. Tagalog news: P4.6M halagang Ibaan Municipal Police Station, pasisimulan na

Wednesday 2nd of April 2014

IBAAN, Batangas, Abril 2 (PIA) --Nagdaos ng groundbreaking ceremony bilang hudyat ng pagsisimula sa itatayong bagong Ibaan Municipal Police Station (MPS) kamakailan ang pamunuan ng Philippine National Police (PNP) sa bayang ito.

Ang pondo ng naturang proyekto na nagkakahalaga ng P4.6 milyon ay magmumula sa lokal na pamahalaan ang 14 porsyento (P644,000.00) habang ang 86 na porysento (P3,956,000.00) ay manggagaling sa PNP.

Mayroong kabuuang 288 metro kwadrado ang lawak ng lupang pagtatayuan ng dalawang palapag na gusali na inaasahang matatapos sa loob ng ilang buwan.

Sinabi ni PSSupt. Omega Jireh Fidel, Batangas police provincial director na ang proyekto ay bahagi ng Integrated Transformation Program ng PNP na naglalayong ipakita ang seryosong pagpapalakas at pagsasaayos ng serbisyo publiko ng mga kapulisan.

"Matagal na panahon ng hindi naipaayos ang gusali ng kapulisan sa bayang ito kung kaya’t panahon na upang magbagong bihis ito at ipakita na alinsabay sa pagbabago ng hitsura ng gusali ay ganundin ang pagbabago sa mga negatibong pagkilala sa ating mga kapulisan," wika ni Fidel.

Malaki naman ang pasasalamat ni PSInsp. Ramises L. De Castro, hepe ng Ibaan MPS sa proyektong ito sapagkat mas lalong mapapabuti nila ang paglilingkod sa kanilang mga nasasakupan.

Dumalo din sa seremonya sina PSSUPT Florendo S. Saligao, hepe ng Regional Police Community Relations Division, PRO 4A, PCINSP Joseph Adelbert A. Alino, hepe ng Regional Engineering Office 4A, PINSP Alberto F. Fabregas, Chief, Provincial Logistics Branch, Batangas PPO, Mayor Juan “Danny” Toreja ,Vice Mayor Sixto I. Yabyabin, at Municipal Councilor Venus De Castro .(BHaby P. De Castro-PIA Batangas)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681396419547#sthash.1zUSRQUm.dpuf

5. Tagalog news: Lungsod ng Batangas,isa sa Top 10 Asian cities in climate change resilience network

Wednesday 2nd of April 2014

LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS, Abril 2 (PIA) --Inaasahang mapapalakas ng pamahalaang lunsod ang pagtugon sa climate change sa pagkakapili nito bilang isa sa mga 10 Asian Cities in Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN), isang proyektong sinusuportahan ng Rockefeller Foundation at ipinapatupad ng ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability.

Ang ICLEI ang nangungunang samahan ng mga lungsod at lokal na pamahalaan sa buong mundo na naglalayong mag promote ng local action para sa global sustainability at masuportahan ang mga lungsod upang maging “sustainable, resilient, resource-efficient, biodiverse, low-carbon”. Layunin din nito na makagawa ng “ smart infrastructure’ at maka develop ng “inclusive, green urban economy” sa layuning makamtan ang malusog at masayang komunidad.

Bukod sa Pilipinas, kabilang din sa mga bansang napili ang India, Indonesia at Bangladesh. Sa Pilipinas, kabilang sa 10 lungsod ang Baguio, Iloilo, Makati, Marikina, Naga, Quezon, Sta Rosa, Tuguegarao, San Fernando at La Union.

Ang ACCRN ay naglalayong makabuo ng resilience to climate change, makatawag ng atensyon sa problemang ito at magkaroon ng pondo at aksyon upang mapalakas ang “cities’ resilience to climate change impacts”.

Kaugnay nito, isang pagpupulong ang ipinatawag ng City Environment Office na ginanap sa Gusali ng Kalikasan at Kapayapaan noong ika-25 ng Marso para sa ibat-ibang departamento ng pamahalang lungsod ng Batangas, pribadong sektor at ibat-ibang ahensya hinggil sa pagbuo ng Batangas City Climate Core Team. Nakatakda ring magsagawa ng workshop sa Abril 22 upang makabuo ng climate change communication plan ang grupo. (Ronna Endaya-PIO Batangas City/PIA Batangas)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681395923882#sthash.8pLPMIPj.dpuf

6. DSWD 4A, E. Zobel Foundation unite for livelihood training for 4Ps beneficiaries

Wednesday 2nd of April 2014

CALATAGAN, Batangas, April 1 (PIA) --The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the E. Zobel Foundation, Inc. recently formalized partnership for the implementation of livelihood training intended for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in this municipality.

DSWD 4A regional director Leticia T. Diokno and Dee Anne Hora Zobel, chairperson of E. Zobel Foundation board of trustees signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the livelihood training.

The E. Zobel Foundation, even prior to the signing of the MOA, has been serving Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in the said municipality through its livelihood trainings. To date, 14 Pantawid mother-grantees had been trained on basic cosmetology while 11 are engaged in Nutrimix Livelihood project, a mongo-based food snacks sold to students in public schools in the municipality.

“The Department acknowledges E. Zobel for entering into a partnership with us. Most of the services we offer complement each other, and we hope that this partnership will be a start of the collaboration of our services to ensure that every poor household is served [even those not covered by Pantawid Pamilya],” Diokno said during the simple MOA signing ceremony.

Besides the provision of livelihood training and opportunities for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, the E. Zobel Foundation, Inc. will also help in ensuring the availability of supply side requirements in health and education, e.g. provision of chairs to public schools.

“We are pleased that we are finally formalizing the partnership with the DSWD. Our goals are so much in line with each other and we believe that we can help each other in bringing the best results for our target beneficiaries,” Hora Zobel said.

The E. Zobel Foundation, Inc. is a community based development organization that is committed to contribute in the transformation process of the Filipino poor and disadvantaged sectors of the society. It offers various programs aiming to improve the quality of education particularly in Calatagan. It also provides public school infrastructure development, learning support, teacher training and school health and nutrition program and engages in special programs such as livelihood, medical allowance, social pension and scholarship for selected beneficiaries in the municipality. (DSWD IV-A/PIA-Batangas)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=681395795636#sthash.AfJ2kKXm.dpuf

02 APRIL 2014.

Philippines ready for any backlash from filing of case against China: Palace

Palace to let rule of law take its course on PDAF case

Lacson says 85 percent of ‘Yolanda’ rehabilitation can be achieved by 2016

Philippines ready for any backlash from filing of case against China: Palace

The government is prepared to face any backlash following its filing of a case against China in an international court over the dispute of the two countries in the West Philippine Sea, the Palace said on Wednesday.“We will protect our national interest, which includes the economy,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press briefing in Malacanang.
“It is the duty of government to promote the welfare of its citizens and to ensure the orderly and stable growth of the national economy,” he said.
On Chinese charge d’affaires Sun Xiangyang’s statement that what the Philippines did “seriously damaged bilateral relations with China”, Coloma quoted President Aquino, who said during his 2011 state visit to China that “the totality of Philippine-People’s Republic of China relations is not defined by the West Philippine Sea.”
“Sa pananaw po ng ating bansa, iyong pakikipag-ugnayan natin sa People’s Republic of China ay mayroong kasaysayan na batay din sa pakikipagkaibigan at pakikipagtulungan. Marami pong larangan na maaaring maisulong o maitaguyod ang kooperasyon at ang pakikipagkaibigan ng dalawang bansa.
“Kaya hindi po tayo nagsasabi na iyon lamang usapin sa West Philippine Sea ang dapat maging batayan ng ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa bansang People’s Republic of China,” he said.
Manila and Beijing are quarreling over the clusters of island in the West Philippine Sea. Both are laying claim to the Kalayan Group of Islands, Ayungin and Scarborough Shoals.
Last March 30, the Philippines filed a memorial at the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) against China. PND (ag)

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Palace to let rule of law take its course on PDAF case

The government will let the rule of law take its course regarding the Office of the Ombudsman‘s decision to hold three senators liable for plundering the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the Palace said.“When the 1987 Constitution was promulgated, the Filipino people affirmed fidelity to the rule of law. We are a government of laws, not of men. Let the rule of law take its course,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing held in Malacañang on Wednesday.
The Ombudsman, in its April 1 ruling, charged Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla Jr., and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles with plunder and graft over the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
The office will give each of them five days to file a Motion for Reconsideration after receiving the decision. It will then evaluate and resolve the Motions within 60 days, and file the information with the Sandiganbayan.
The Sandiganbayan will issue warrants of arrest after evaluating the information and records of the cases, and a trial will be held, Coloma said.
“‘Yung mga proseso pong ito ay pangangasiwaan ng hukuman. Ang tungkulin po namin sa sangay ng ehekutibo ay sundin ang mga direktiba ng hudikatura na patungkol sa proseso ng batas,” Coloma told reporters when pressed for details on the possible detention of the senators.
He reiterated that the executive body’s participation in this case is limited to prosecution, spearheaded by the Department of Justice.
All other processes beyond it lie in the hands of the judiciary, he said.
Coloma stressed that the government continues to share the people’s fervent hopes on the final resolution of these cases but it won’t encroach on independent constitutional bodies tasked to resolve this matter.
“Mahalaga po rito ‘yung prinsipyong sinusunod natin hinggil sa paggalang sa pagiging hiwalay na opisina ng Ombudsman at ng hudikatura dahil ito po ang tinatadhana ng batas. Hindi dapat manghimasok ang ehekutibo doon sa sakop ng kapangyarihan ng Ombudsman at doon sa hudikatura. Malinaw po ‘yang nakasaad sa batas,” he said. PND (hdc)

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Lacson says 85 percent of ‘Yolanda’ rehabilitation can be achieved by 2016

At least 85 to 90 percent of the rehabilitation work in ‘Yolanda’-affected communities can be accomplished before President Benigno S. Aquino III steps down from Malacañang in 2016.Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson made the statement Wednesday, nearly five months since the super typhoon destroyed most parts of the Visayan region.
“I am very confident that we can accomplish this job… by 2016,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s ‘Headstart’.
Lacson said he is set to present the ‘master rehabilitation plan’ for the President’s approval this June and that its full implementation may be expected by the end of the year.
He said permanent houses for displaced families are already being built with the help of private sector sponsors, such as Gawad Kalinga, Habitat Community, and the ABS-CBN Foundation.
He estimated that more than P20 billion has poured in from private sector companies and multilateral agencies in aid of the government’s rehabilitation program, but noted that the amount did not pass through the administration.
Lacson said he no longer minds the criticisms they get from the public every once in a while, and that they will just do their job as best as they could to meet the 85 percent target.
“Mga 85 percent. I’ll be fully satisfied. Para naman may maiwan doon sa next administration na tapusin nila… Basta’t sige lang trabaho,” Lacson said. PND (hdc)

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01 ABRIL 2014

	Darating ang Pangulo ng Singapore para sa apat na araw na ‘state visit’
	Malacanang: May sapat na garantiya laban sa maaaring panghihimasok ng Tsina sa mahahalagang istalasyon ng bansa
	Pinarangalan ng Pangulong Aquino ang ‘outstanding policemen’
	Sinusubaybayan ng gobyerno ang ‘oil price’ sabi ng Palasyo
	Patuloy ang pagbalangkas sa ‘Bangsamoro Basic Law’ ayon sa Palasyo
	Pinagpugayan ng Pangulong Aquino ang mga katangi-tanging babaing pulis
	Hindi na kailangan ang ‘peacekeepers’ sa West Philippine Sea—Malacanang

Darating ang Pangulo ng Singapore para sa apat na araw na ‘state visit’

Nakatakdang dumating sa Miyerkoles ng umaga ang Pangulong Tony Tan Keng Yam ng Singapore para sa apat na araw na state visit sa Pilipinas, ayon sa pahayag ng Malacanang.

Ito ang kauna-unahang opisyal na pagdalaw ng Pangulong Tan na magsisilbing reciprocal visit sa state visit ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III sa Singapore noong 2011. Inaasahang puspusang tatalakayin ng dalawang lider ang pagtutulungan sa larangan ng tanggulan, kalakalan at pamumuhunan.

Mag-aalay ng bulaklak ang Pangulong Tan sa bantayog ni Dr. Jose Rizal sa Luneta Huwebes ng umaga. Pagkatapos ay tutuloy siya sa Malakanyang kung saan hahandugan siya ng Pangulong Aquino ng isang state luncheon.

Biyernes naman nakatakdang makipagpulong ang Pangulo ng Singapore sa Philippine-Singapore Business Council sa hangaring lalo pang mapasigla ang ugnayang pangkalakalan ng dalawang bansa.

Pagkatapos ay tutuloy ang Pangulong Tan sa mga pook na malubhang sinalanta ng bagyong Yolanda sa Tacloban, Leyte at Basey sa Kanlurang Samar upang ipagkaloob ang medical supplies sa Basey District Hospital. Ang naturang ospital ay magkatuwang na isinasailalim sa rehabilitasyon ng Singapore Red Cross at ng International Committee of the Red Cross.

Ang Singapore ang pang-apat sa pinakamalaking kabalikat ng Pilipinas sa kalakalan noong nakalipas na taon na umabot sa $8.22 bilyon ang kabuuang naging halaga. PND (as/zaf)

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Malacanang: May sapat na garantiya laban sa maaaring panghihimasok ng Tsina sa mahahalagang istalasyon ng bansa

Tiniyak ng Malacanang Martes na ang sektor ng telekomunikasyon at enerhiya ay ligtas sa ano mang uri ng pagkontrol o panghihimasok ng mga dayuhang bansa, lalo na sa Tsina.

Dahil tumitindi ang sigalot sa West Philippine Sea, may pangambang makontrol at mapang-himasukan ng mga kompanyang Tsino o ng pamahalaan ng Tsina na may mga puhunan sa Pilipinas ang mahahalagang istalasyon sa bansa.

Sa pulong balitaan sa Malacanang, sinabi ni Kalihim Herminio Coloma, Jr. ng Presidential Communications Operations Office na isang dating pinuno ng Kagawaran ng Enerhiya ang tumiyak sa kanya na nagawa na ng pamahalaan ang mga karampatang hakbang upang matiyak na nasa ayos ang National Grid Corporation ng Pilipinas (NGCP). Ang korporasyon ay may contractual agreement sa isang Tsino na service provider.

“Sa lahat ng saglit, ang mga Pilipinong tagapamahala at mga pinuno ang may hawak ng mahahalagang operasyon ng NGCP. Iyan ang mga nagawa na natin tungkol sa nasabing bagay. Gayundin naman sa sektor ng telekomunikasyon,” paliwanag ni Coloma.

“Mayroon tayong National Telecommunications Commission na siyang gumagawa ng mga karampatang hakbang upang tiyaking nasa ayos ang ating sistema ng telekomunikasyon,” dugtong pa ni Coloma.

Binanggit din ang mga bagay na may kaugnayan sa pagdagsa ng mga mamamayang Tsino sa Pilipinas kaya hinihiling ng ilang grupo sa pamahalaan na suriin at rebisahin ang mga luma nang batas sa pandarayuhan sa bansa.

“Tiniyak natin ang kaukulang hanggahan ng ating batas sa pandarayuhan. Bukod dito, puspusan at mabisa ang pagpapatupad ng ating Kawanihan ng Pandarayuhan at Deportasyon sa naturang batas,” pagbibigay-diin pa ni Coloma.

Nag-iibayo ang tensiyon sa pinag-aagawang mga teritoryo sa West Philippikne Sea (Sourh China Sea), dahil sa agresibong ginagawa ng Tsina sa nakalipas na mga taon.

Noong nakaraang linggo, tinangka nguni’t nabigong hadlangan ng Tsina ang isang bapor ng Pilipinas na may dalang pagkain at kagamitan para sa mga tauhan ng militar na nasa Ayungin Shoal.

Nagharap ang Pilipinas ngayong linggong ito ng memorial o nakasulat na panawagan sa international arbitration tribunal bilang suporta sa paghahabol ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea. PND (as/zaf)

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Pinarangalan ng Pangulong Aquino ang ‘outstanding policemen’

Tatlumpu’t pitong (37) tauhan ng Pambansang Pulisya (PNP) ang pinarangalan at binigyan ng gawad ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. bilang pagkilala sa namumukod-tanging katapatan nila sa tungkulin sa idinaos na Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan na idinaos sa Kampo Crame sa Lungsod ng Quezon Martes ng umaga.

Ang mga pinarangalan ay pinangunahan ni PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas, Jr., na pinagkalooban ng Special Service Medal. Ganito ring medalya ang iginawad kay National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director Carmelo Valmoria at Chief Superintendent Juanito Vano, na mga bahagi ng PNP Special Action Force (SAF) at Police Regional Office (PRO) IX units na buong giting na sumaklolo at nagtanggol sa nangyaring Zamboanga siege noong nakalipas na taon.

Tumanggap din ng Special Service Medal si Senior Superintendent Ronald de la Rosa sa pagdigma sa terorismo at si Senior Superintendent Teodoro Basa ng PRO VIII sa maagap na pagsaklolo sa kasaksaan ng hagupit ng napakalakas na bagyong Yolanda.

Pinagkalooban naman ng Medal of Bravery dahil sa kanilang magiting na pagtupad sa tung-kulin nang nagaganap ang krisis sa Zamboangga sina Chief Inspector Reynaldo Arino at PO3 Alfredo Guinaat, Jr. ng 5th Special Action Battalion, gayundin sina Inspector Marlon Ancheta, PO3 Ismael Hussin , at PO2 Jimkristene Bagioeng ng Rapid Development Battalion.

Medalya ng Kabayanihan naman ang natanggap nina Inspector Jones Asilan, SPO1 Isidro Martus, PO3 Gilbert de Leon, Superintendent William Gadayan, Senior Inspector Juliuzar Asdani, Inspector Rey Tolosa, Jr., PO2 Edgardo Gamutin, at PO1 Ebba Baguinda, samantalang Medal of Merit naman ang ipinagkaloob kay SPO1 Jonathan Nodado. Pinarangalan sila dahil sa kagitingan sa pagtupad sa tungkulin sa Zamboanga standoff.

Medalya ng Kabayanihan din iginawsad kina Senior Inspector Jacinto Mandal, Jr. ng PRO VII na tumulong sa pagliligtas ng buhay nang kasaksaan ng lindol sa Bohol at ang mga tauhan ng PR VIII na sina SPO1 Rodrigo Redona, Jr., PO3 Jomacsigel Ogdoc, PO2 Gilbert Lopera, Inspector Marjorie Manuta, at PO3 Rommel Basinang na pumasok sa kabila ng pananalanta ng bagyong Yolanda sa Leyte.

Ang non-uniformed personnel na si Noli de la Cruz ay pinagkalooban ng Outstanding Conduct Medal’dahil sa ipinamalas na kabayanihan habang nananalanta ang Yolanda.

Tinanggap naman ni PO1 Roel Armecin ng PR XII ang Distinguished Conduct Medal dahil sa ipinamalas na katangi-tanging tapang at giting sa paglupig sa 15 nasasandatahang mabuting mga lalaking sumalakay sa T’boli Community Assistance Center sa Sinolon, T’boli, Timog Kotabato noong nakaraang taon.

Dahil naman sa mahalagang kontribusyon sa kampanya ng pamahalaan laban sa illegal na droga kaya binigyan ng Medalya ng Kabayanihan ng PNP sina Chief Inspector Roque Merdiaga, Jr., SPO3 Lito Pirote at PO3 Lawrence Perida.

Dahil sa puspusang pagsisikap na humantong sa pagkadakip sa pinaghahanap na umanong swindler na si Delfin Lee, Medlaya ng Kabayanihan ng PNP ang iginawad kina Chief Inspector Rafael Lero, SPO1 Dante Cabalquinto at PO3 Eugene Amoyo.

PNP Wounded Personnel Medal naman ang iginawad kina Inspector Sherwin Rey Cadungog at PO1 Nelbert Legaspi na nasugatan dahil sa buong giting na pagsagupa nila sa may 100 tulisang sandatahang sumalakay sa Himpilan ng Pulisya ng Matanao, Davao del Sur noong Marso 10.

Pinuri at pinasalamatan ng Pangulong Aquino ang mga tumanggap ng medalya at karangalan dahil sa kagitingan at hindi pag-alintana sa sariling buhay sa pagtupad sa tungkulin kasabay ng panawagang ipagpatuloy ang ganitong uri ng paglilingkod habang inaalagata naman ng pamahalaan ang kanilang kapakanan.

“Tutugunan namin ang lahat ng problemang minana namin katulad ng inyong pensiyon at tityakin ng pamahalaan na may pondo ito,” sabi pa ng Pangulo.

“Binago na namin ang mga sistema at patakaran upang tiyaking hindi kayo nabibigyan ng mga imposibleng misyon. Narito kaming lagi sa inyong likuran upang manindigan para sa inyo. Ang pakiusap ko lamang, gampanan sana ninyo nang ubus-kaya ang inyong mga sinumpaang tungkulin na pangangalagaan at paglilingkuran ang komunidad na umaalagata sa inyo at kayo ang inaasahan,” dugtong ng Pangulo. PND (hdc/zaf)

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Sinusubaybayan ng gobyerno ang ‘oil price’ sabi ng Palasyo

Masusing sinusubaybayan ng pamahalaan ang galaw ng presyo ng langis sa bansa at nakahanda itong tulungan ang sektor ng transportasyon kung kakailanganin.

Binigyang diin ni Kalihim Herminio Coloma, Jr. ng Presidential Communications Operations Office na matamang nakasubaybay ang Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) sa kalagayan at magpapasiya ito kung makatarungan ang pagdaragdag ng pamasahe.

“Iyon pong pagbabago ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo, dekada na po ang lumipas simula nang maging deregulated ang sistemang ito. At kapag sumapit naman doon sap unto na kinakailangang magsagawa ng kongkretong aksiyon ang ating pamahalaan ay gagawa ng katulad na ginawa nang magpatupad tayo ng Pantawid Pasada para matulungan ang mga may-ari at tsuper ng mga pamasaherong sasakyan,” sabi ni Coloma.

Niliwanag ni Coloma na may sinusunod na proseso ang LTFRB at iyon ang ipatutupad.

“Kaya daanin po natin sa tamang proseso at ginagawa naman po ng pamahalaan ang nararapat,” dugtong ng Kalihim ng PCOO.

Sa mga mungkahi ng Kongreso na suspendihin ang value added tax (VAT) sa mga produktong petroleo, sinabi ni Coloma na bahala rito ang mga mambabatas.

Ipatutupad ng Malacanang ang mga patakarang pinagtitibay ng Kongreso kung inaakala nilang kailangan ang naturang batas para sa kapakanan ng taong bayan, dugtong pa ni Coloma. PND (as/zaf)

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Patuloy ang pagbalangkas sa ‘Bangsamoro Basic Law’ ayon sa Palasyo

Nasasaayos ang pagbalangkas sa Bangsamoro Basic Law bagaman hindi ito natapos Marso 31, na itinakdang araw ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), sabi ni Kalihim Herminio Coloma, Jr. ng Presidential Communications Operations Office.

“Dumadaloy ang proseso ng pag-aaral na hahantong sa pagsusumite ng draft ng Bangsamoro Basic Law sa panahong nasa loob ng pinagkasunduan. Kaya’t panatag naman sila na umuusad ang prosesong ito sa tamang bilis,” paliwanag ni Coloma.

Sinabi ni Coloma na naglabas si Kalihim Teresita Deles, Tagapayo ng Pangulo sa Prosesong Pangkapayapaan, ng pahayag na galing kay Mohaquer Igbal, Punong Negosyador ng MILF, na sinisikap ng MILF na tapusin ang nasabing “draft.”

“Ayon kay G. Iqbal, sinisikap tapusin ang dapat gawin at ang proseso ay magpapatuloy alinsunod sa inaasahan,” wika pa ni Coloma.

Tiniyak ni Coloma sa madla na mapagtitibay ang Bangsamoro Basic Law at hindi papayagan ng pamahalaan na magkaroon ito ng ano mang sagabal.

“Hindi naman po natin papayagang madiskaril kaya nandoon po ang sense of urgency na nilakipan ng determinasyon ng pamahalaan na gawin ang kailangang gawin,” dugtong pa ni Coloma. PND(ag/zaf)

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Pinagpugayan ng Pangulong Aquino ang mga katangi-tanging babaing pulis

Bagaman tapos na ang National Women’s Month, sa ganang Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ay walang katapusan ang pagpupugay at pagpaparangal sa lahi ni Eba nang kilalanin niya ang mga katangi-tanging kababaihan sa pulisya na ang nakararami ay kalalakihan.

Sa kanyang talumpati sa Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan ng Pambansang Pulisya Martes, kinilala ng Pangulong Aquino ang pambihirang propesyonalismong ipinamalas ni Police inspector Marjorie Manuta na ginawaran niya ng Medal of Merit.

Si Manuta ang City Operations Officer ng Pulisya ng Lungsod ng Tacloban, ay isa sa 20 pulis na nagmamadaling pumasok para saklolohan ang mga biktima ng kalupitan ng napakalakas na bagyong Yolanda sukdulang maglakad siya ng lima hanggang anim na kilometro mula sa kanilang tahanan hanggang sa himpilan ng pulisya upang may matakbuhan ang sino mang taong nais humingi ng tulong. Ginawa niya ito sukdulang nasalanta rin ng bagyo ang sarili niyang pamilya.

“Nang dumating po tayo sa Tacloban, siya ang isa sa unang nag-briefing sa akin. Ang napuna ko, una, alam niya kung ano ang kanyang sinasabi. Ikalawa, talaga namang kitang-kita mo ang malasakit niya sa pagtupad ng tungkulin. Mantakin ninyo, mula sa lima hanggang anim na kilometro ang nilakad niya dahil kailangan ang mga alagad ng batas, lalo na sa panahong nagkakaroon na ng nakawan doon sa Tacloban,” salaysay ng Pangulo.

Binigyang diin ng Pangulo na sa 200 pulis na nakatalaga sa Tacloban, 20 lamang ang dumating sa himpilan ng pulisya nang araw na iyong manalanta ang bagyong Yolanda.

“At ang butihing babaing ito, sukdulang masuong sa panganib pati ang sarili niya, gayundin ang panganib na kakaharapin ng kanyang mga mahal sa buhay na nangangailangan din ng tulong, minarapat niyang unahin ang pagtupad sa kanyang sinumpaang tungkulin at iyan ang kinikilala at pinararangalan natin dito ngayon,” dugtong pa ng Pangulo.

Sa pagkakataong ito, itinampok din ng Pangulong Aquino ang katapangang ipinamalas ng apat na babaing pulis na ito na walang takot sumagupa sa mga magnanakaw na nanloob sa isang tindahan ng alahas sa SM Mall of Asia sa Lungsod ng Pasay noong nakalipas na Linggo ng magdarapit-hapon.

“Hindi sila nagdalawang isip o tumakbo kaya para hintayin na lamang tumigil ang kaguluhang nanghahari sa loob ng mall. Mabilis silang sumugod. Lumapit para ipagtanggol ang ating mga mamamayan. Kaya naman, karapat-dapat sila sa parangal at pagkilala bilang mga ulirang alagad ng batas na dapat pamarisan,” wika pa ng Pangulo.

“Sana kapag tinitingnan ng ating mga kababayan ang kapulisan ang larawan ng apat na magigiting na babaing pulis na ito na role model ang makita nila. Kapag mayroong pulis diyan, panatag ang kalooban natin,” dagdag ng Pangulong Aquino. PND(hdc/zaf)

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Hindi na kailangan ang ‘peacekeepers’ sa West Philippine Sea—Malacanang

Hindi na kailangang dumulog sa Bansang Magkakaanib (UN) para humingi ng tulong kaugnay ng sigalot ng Pilipinas at ng Tsina tungkol sa West Philippine Sea.

Sinabi ni Kalihim Herminio Coloma, Jr. ng Presidential Communications Operations Office na malamang namang hindi magpadala ng peacekeepers ang UN sa West Philippine Sea sa kabila ng mga pangyayari kamakailan sa pinag-aagawang Ayungin Shoal.

“Titingnan natin. Tinitimbang naman natin ang sitwasyon. Pero, pansinin naman natin sa larangang iyan nagkakaroon lamang ng ganyang sitwasyon kapag ito ay isang bagay na inilahad na mismo sa United Nations General Assembly, saka lamang gumagawa ng aksyon ang UN. Sa ngayon naman, hindi pa humahantong sa ganyang antas ang sigalot na pinag-uusapan natin,” sabi ni Kalihim Coloma.

Ayon kay Coloma, walang katotohanang pinalalaki lamang natin ang bagay na ito sa liwanag ng paratang ng Ministro ng Ugnayang Panlabas ng Tsina na ang pagsasama natin ng media sa Ayungin Shoal ay para lumikha ng media hype o mabalita sa buong mundo ang tungkol dito.

“Palagay ko ay hindi totoong labis ang coverage tungkol sa bagay na ito. Ang ginawa lamang namin ay bigyan ng pagkakataon ang ilang kinatawan ng media na makita ang tunay na kalagayan doon. At ang ibinalita nila ay ang kanilang nasaksihan,” sabi pa ni Coloma,.

Pinawi rin ni Coloma ang ispekulasyon na nagiging agresibo ang Tsina dahil sa kasalukuyang Visiting Forces Agreement sa pagitan ng Estados Unidos at Pilipinas.

“Bahala ang ibang bansa kung ano ang palagay nila sa ginagawa natin. Ang mga hakbang natin ay naaayon sa hinihingi ng ating kapakanang pambansa at hindi sagot sa ano mang ibig makita o mangyari ng ibang bansa,” dugtong ni Coloma.

Bukod sa Ayungin Shoal, hindi magkasundo ang Maynila at Beijing tungkol sa Scarborough Shoal at Kalayaan Group of Islands. PND(ag/zaf)

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INTERVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY SONNY COLOMA

RMN / Kamandag at Latigo by Rojie
Sanding and Melchor Balawas

02 April 2014

ROJIE: Magandang umaga ho sa inyo, Sec. Coloma. Good morning, sir. Kumusta
po kayo, sir?

SEC. COLOMA: Magandang umaga sa inyo, Archie at Melchor.

MELCHOR: Yes, sir. Sir, si Ka Melchor po ito. Sir, kaya po kami tumawag,
sir, dahil kahapon nga po ay parang may bandera po diyan sa China na sinumon
(summoned) daw po ng Chinese Foreign Ministry ang ating ambassador diyan po
sa China na si Ambassador Erlinda Basilio hinggil daw po sa umano’y
panghihimasok daw po natin diyan sa mga teritoryo daw ng China, sa South
China Sea. Sir, ano po ang magiging reaksiyon ngayon ng Malakanyang hinggil
po sa pag-summon China kay Ambassador Basilio?

SEC. COLOMA: Iyon pong pagtawag sa ambassador ay bahagi ng normal na proseso
ng diplomasya. Hindi po natitinag ang ating posisyon hinggil sa usapin sa
West Philippine Sea dahil diyan.

MELCHOR: Oho, I see, oho. So, sir, with this latest development, sir, ang
ating bansa ay tumatalima pa rin po sa sinasabing international rules?

SEC. COLOMA: Tama iyon. Patuloy ang pagtalima natin sa rule of law, at ang
paghahanap natin ng kalutasan sa usapin na iyan sa pamamagitan ng diplomasya
at matahimik na paraan.

MELCHOR: Opo. Sir, ano po ang mga reaksiyon ng Malakanyang hinggil din po sa
panawagan din po ng Amerika sa pamamagitan ng kanilang embahada na nanawagan
din po sa China na tigilan na ng China itong parang ginagawa nilang
probokasyon? At nanawagan din ang Amerika na hayaan daw ng China na
ipagpatuloy ng ating bansa iyong routine na paghahatid ng tropa at iyong
rotational ng mga tropa sa Ayungin Shoal at iyong paghahatid ng mga pagkain
doon.

SEC. COLOMA: Bahagi po iyan sa konsepto ng Freedom of Navigation at Freedom
of Aviation, at pagkilala nga doon sa konsepto ng Expanded Economic Zone na
pinapaniwalaan hindi lamang ng Estados Unidos, kung hindi mga bansa ng ASEAN
at pati ng Japan. At naipahiwatig na po ito sa maraming pagkakataon na dapat
pairalin iyong mga prinsipyong iyan sa pagturing sa issue ng West Philippine
Sea o South China Sea.

MELCHOR: Yes, sir. Sa kabila ng mga kaganapang ito, Secretary Coloma, sir,
kumusta na po iyong pinag-uusapan natin sa Amerika na Enhanced Defense
Cooperation, sir? Tapos na po ba iyon, sir?

SEC. COLOMA: Hindi pa. Mayroon pang isang round na gaganapin daw dito na rin
sa Maynila, ayon kay Ambassador Eduardo Malaya na kasama sa (unclear)

MELCHOR: So, bago po dumating si President Barack Obama dito sa atin, sa
tingin po ninyo, sir, ayon po sa mga impormasyon na nakakarating sa
Malakanyang, matatapos po kaya iyon?

SEC. COLOMA: Wala po tayong specific na impormasyon hinggil diyan. Ang atin
lang pong alam ay ipagpapatuloy pa iyong pag-uusap at negosasyon hinggil
diyan.

MELCHOR: I see, yes, sir.

KA ROGIE: Sir, si Ka Rogie po ito. Kahapon nga po ay inanunsiyo na ng
Ombudsman ang resolusyon nila na nagrerekumendang sampahan ng plunder itong
mga sangkot sa PDAF scam. Ano po ang reaksiyon ng Pangulo dito, sir?

SEC. COLOMA: Hindi pa po kami nag-uusap. Ang akin pong nilahad ay iyong
pangkalahatang posisyon ng ating pamahalaan na ang resolusyon ng Ombudsman
ay nagpapakita ng pagkilos o pagsulong ng mga gulong ng katarungan at mga
gulong ng hustisya, at kaisa tayo na mga mamamayan sa pag-asa na
makukumpleto at masasapinal ang resolusyon ng mga kasong ito.

KA ROGIE: Ano po ang pangkalahatang posisyon din ho ninyo na nagbigay na ng
kaniya-kaniyang reaksiyon itong mga napapatungkulan dito? Sinasabi parang
sadya daw na minamadali sila na yariin lalo’t lalo na maging ang Senate Blue
Ribbon Committee kahit hindi pa tapos ang imbestigasyon ay nagrekumenda na
rin ng pagsasampa ng kaso particular dito sa tatlong senador na nasa
oposisyon?

SEC. COLOMA: Iyon pong proseso ng Ombudsman ay iginagalang natin sapagka’t
ito ay independyenteng tanggapan sa ilalim ng ating Konstitusyon. Iyon naman
pong sa Senado, sila po ay hiwalay at independyenteng sangay. Para sa atin
po ang pinakamahalaga dito ay iyong pagsulong ng mga gulong ng katarungan at
iyon pagtupad sa pagnanasa ng ating mga kababayan na makamit ang katarungan
sa usapin na umano’y maling paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.

MELCHOR: Yes, sir. Secretary Coloma, sir, si Ka Melchor po ito ulit. Sir, so
mayroon na pong rekumendasyon ang Ombudsman na masasampahan itong tatlong
senador at iyong mga mahigit tatlumpung iba pa ng kasong plunder at iba pang
mga kaso. Sir, ano na po ang mangyayari doon po sa bahagi ng P10 billion na
sinasabi na PDAF scam na iyan dahil iyong nauugnay lang sa Napoles group ay
more or less P2 billion? So, what will happen to the P8 billion?

SEC. COLOMA: Pakiulit lang at medyo nawala iyon … mag-umpisa ka doon sa P10
billion, pakiulit lang.

Q: Opo. Yes, sir. Sir, ano na po ang mangyayari dito po sa kabuuan ng PDAF
scam dahil sinasabi ng mga imbestigador na itong Napoles group lang ay P2
billion lang daw po ang nauugnay sa Napoles scam, eh ang kabuuan po ay P10
billion? So, ano na po ang mangyayari sa natitirang P8 billion?

SEC . COLOMA: Pagpaumanhin mo ‘no hindi ko masyadong kabisado iyong mga
binabanggit na datos diyan. Ang focus natin ngayon ay iyong mismong
resolusyon sa Tanggapan ng Ombudsman. At kung anuman ang iniharap sa kanila,
sila ay nagsagawa nang masusing pagaaral, validation, verification, at
humantong ito sa kanilang resolusyon. Kaya’t iginagalang natin ang
pagpapasya ng Office of the Ombudsman.

Q: Yes, sir. Secretary, sa iba pang mga isyu. Mayroon lang po kaming concern
sa ating himpilan po, eh sa tingin po namin medyo seryoso po ata itong
usaping ito dahil kahapon po, noong nagtalumpati po itong si Pangulong
Noynoy Aquino diyan po sa Kampo Crame sa Araw ng Parangal sa mga pulis po
natin ay wala po iyong pangalan ni Sr. Superintendent Conrado Capa. At
mayroon siyang pinasaringan na isang opisyal na sinasabi na hindi ho dapat
puwedeng mamili iyong isang opisyal. Sir, ito po bang nangyari kay … iyong
hindi pagkakasali ni Col. Capa diyan po sa award kahapon eh, ito po ba ay
parang punishment po ba sa kanya iyon, sir?

SEC. COLOMA: Ang sinabi po ng Pangulo ay iyong kahalagahan ng disiplina,
iyong kahalagahan ng pagsunod sa mga panuntunan, at sa tamang asal ng mga
opisyal at kagawad ng pambansang kapulisan sapagka’t ang audience po niya ay
buong kapulisan at ang buong bansa. At ang Pangulo ay ginagampanan po ang
kanyang tungkulin bilang punong tagapagpaganap . Siya po ang may
hurisdiksyon sa Department of Interior and Local Government na kung saan ay
bahagi nito ang Pambansang Kapulisan. Kaya iyon po ang konteksto ng kanyang
mga pananalita kahapon.

MELCHOR: Opo. Kaya po namin natanong iyon, Secretary, dahil mayroon po
tayong tinututukan na kaso na kahalintulad din nang nangyari kay Col. Capa
na na-relieve matapos ang pagkahuli ng isang tao. Kung maalala po ninyo
iyong kaso ni Inspector Cesar Teneros, ang Deputy Intelligence Chief ng
Pasay City Police Office. Siya po ay na-relieve, nasibak din at mayroon na
siyang kaso ngayon sa PNP noong hinuli nila ang isang Chinese national na
hindi marunong mag-Ingles na wala pang passport na nagpapakita na siya ay
ligal na pumasok sa Pilipinas; nahulihan daw po siya ng 15 grams of shabu.
Eh ang nangyari po, imbes na parangalan siya, sinibak siya at may kaso siya.
Mayroon pang P1 million na nakunan ng ating reporter na allegedly na panuhol
sana kay Inspector Teneros pero tinanggihan. Ang nangyari, imbes na
pangaralan, sinibak din at siya ang mayroong kaso. At hindi lang ito iyong
nangyari, sir, iyong nangyari din doon sa CIDG, iyong head ng Anti-Organized
Crime Task Force na si Col. Jose Mario Espino, na-relieve din siya noong
hulihin nila si Jackson Dy, iyong tinaguriang isang Chinese drug
personality; tapos ngayon, si Col. Capa naman, na-relieve naman noong mahuli
si Col. Capa [Delfin Lee]. Parang medyo nababahala tayo, sir, dahil bakit
iyong mga ilang pulis na nakakahuli ng mga malalaking tao ay nare-relieve?

SEC.COLOMA: Kung maaari lamang ay huminahon tayo.

MELCHOR: Opo. (Laughs)

SEC. COLOMA: Kaya ko lang nasabi iyon,m kung maaari lang po ay igalang naman
po natin ang posisyon ng ating Pangulo. Siya ay punong tagapagpaganap.
Mayroon naman po siyang katuwiran na magbahagi ng kanyang saloobin, at
malinaw po iyong kanyang deklarasyon. Kung maaari ay huwag nang idawit iyong
ibang mga kasong sinabi ninyo dahil sa pagkaalam ko po ay wala naman siyang
partikular na pagkaalam ukol doon. Kaya hindi po makatuwiran na iuugnay
ninyo pa iyon o idadawit n’yo pa. (Unclear) ng ating Pangulo sapagka’t
makatuwiran naman po iyon.

MELCHOR: Actually, sir, sumulat po iyong ating himpilan kay PNP Director
General Alan Purisima, kay Senator Grace Poe hinggil po sa kaso sa Pasay
City na iyong drugs nga na iyon, at mayroon na rin po tayong sulat diyan sa
Office ni Secretary Mar Roxas. At ‘pag wala pang aksiyon diyan, susulat po
tayo sa tanggapan mismo ng Pangulo, sir.

SEC. COLOMA: Sige po, mainam po iyan. Pero baka mas okay nga po iyong ating
kahilingan na huminahon lang tayo, huwag naman po nating …pati po iyong mga
partikular na iyon na wala namang kinalaman ang Pangulo, huwag na po nating
idadawit sa usapan.

MELCHOR: Opo. Hindi po, sir, hindi po iyong parang may kinalaman pero iyong
para at least mabigyan sana ng parang linaw ito dahil baka … hindi naman
natin sinasabi na ma-whitewash ito, pero at least mas maganda rin po na
malaman po ninyo at malaman mismo ng ating Pangulo dahil alam po natin na
hindi po tinu-tolerate ng ating Pangulo ang mga hindi po magandang gawain sa
loob ng gobyerno.

SEC. COLOMA: Tama po iyon. Kaya lang ilagay lang natin sa lugar ‘no. Kung
ano iyong binanggit ng Pangulo, iyon lamang po iyon. Kung ano iyong alam
ninyo na iba pang kaso, idaan po natin sa tamang proseso, at iyan naman ay
haharapin at bibigyan din ng katarungan.

KA ROGIE: Sir, singit lang nang kaunti, si Ka Rogie, panghuli na lang.
Mukhang madalas na hindi nagugustuhan ng Pangulo ang mga inihahandang
talumpati para sa kanya at nag-i-impromptu speech ang ating President?

SEC. COLOMA: Pagpapasya na po ng ating Pangulo iyon. Wala pong dapat na
basahin pang ibang klaseng interpretasyon. Karapatan po niyang sabihin iyong
gusto niyang sabihin sa takdang panahon.

Q: Sige po. Salamat po, Secretary Sonny Coloma. Magandang umaga pong muli.

SEC. COLOMA: Maraming salamat, Rogie at Melchor. Maraming salamat sa
pagkakataong ito.

SOURCE: News Information Bureau - Data
Processing Center

[HOME]

02 APRIL 2014

Domestic Liquidity Growth Remains Strong in February

75% of barangays now with VAW desks DILG

Press statement of Sec. Mar Roxas

Roxas: Additional fire trucks, fire stations to be geo-located for faster response time

Typhoon Yolanda, a ‘game changer’ in poverty alleviation strategies – DSWD official

Housewife earns first million despite disability

DFA Undersecretary Underscores Rule of Law at ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

DOE encourages judicious use of electricity

New UNFPA Country Representative Presents Credentials to Secretary Del Rosario, Affirms Commitment to Work With Phl in Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health

Enrile, Revilla, Estrada, Napoles, et al. face plunder graft raps

NEDA highlights opportunities for PH business sector in ASEAN integration

Community Leadership Training conducted to OFC inTuboran, Mawab

OWWA announces names of qualifiers for Scholarship

Statement of Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on the decision of the Ombudsman to file plunder cases against three senators

File cases against all involved in PDAF scam, other irregularities - VP Binay

Domestic Liquidity Growth Remains Strong in February

Source: http://www.bsp.gov.ph

Domestic liquidity (M3) grew by 36.4 percent year-on-year at end-February 2014 to reach P6.9 trillion. This increase was slower than the revised 37.3-percent expansion recorded in January. Month-on-month, seasonally-adjusted M3 rose slightly by 0.9 percent, following the revised 5.1-percent growth in the previous month.

Money supply continued to expand due to the sustained demand for credit in the domestic economy. Domestic claims rose by 14.3 percent in February as bank lending accelerated further, with the bulk going to real estate, renting, and business services, utilities, wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, as well as financial services. Meanwhile, public sector credit grew at a slower pace of 11.9 percent as the deposits of the National Government (NG) increased, reflecting in part the proceeds from the auction of government securities as well as revenue collections from various agencies.

Net foreign assets (NFA) in peso terms also increased by 7.5 percent partly on account of the higher valuation of foreign assets due to the depreciation of the peso relative to year-ago levels. The BSP’s NFA position rose on the back of continued robust foreign exchange inflows coming mostly from overseas Filipinos’ remittances and business process outsourcing receipts. The NFA of banks likewise increased as banks’ foreign assets expanded at a faster pace relative to the growth in their foreign liabilities. Banks’ foreign assets expanded due mainly to the growth in foreign loans and receivables, while banks’ foreign liabilities rose on account of higher deposits of foreign residents as well as placements made by foreign banks with their local branches.

The strong M3 growth reading in February reflects in large part the broad decline in the SDA placements of trust entities compared to their levels a year ago, in line with the BSP’s operational adjustments in the SDA facility that were completed in November 2013.

With the recent policy measure to adjust the reserve requirement of banks, the growth in domestic liquidity is expected to move toward its long-run trend consistent with the pace of expansion in the real sector. The BSP continues to assess monetary conditions closely to ensure that liquidity dynamics stay in line with the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives. Going forward, the BSP also remains prepared to deploy measures, as needed, to guard against potential risks to financial stability that could arise from continued strong liquidity growth.

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75% of barangays now with VAW desks DILG

Source: http://www.dilg.gov.ph

Close to 75 percent of barangays in the country have set up the Violence Against Women (VAW) desks that are ready to respond to gender-based violence cases brought to the barangay, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In a report submitted to DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero, who is also the DILG GAD Focal Point Chair, said 74.73 percent or a total of 31,408 of the 42,028 barangays all over the country including Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have established their VAW desk as of December 2013.

According to Panadero, a VAW desk in every barangay will ensure that cases involving violence against women and children are addressed in a gender-responsive manner.

Citing a report from the DILG’s National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), Panadero said the regions topping the list of barangays with VAW desks include Region IVA – all of its 4,011 barangays (100%); Region VII – all of its 3,003 barangays (100%); National Capital Region – 1,705 of its 1,706 barangays (99.94%); and Region VI – 4,034 of its 4,051 barangays (99.58%).

Other regions with established VAW desks are: Region II - 2,148 (92.95%); Region XII- 1,046 (87.53%); Cordillera Autonomous Region – 1.014 (86.22%); Region X- 1,737 (85.91%); Region III- 2,315 (74.63%); Region XIII- 912 (69.57%); Region IX- 1,266 (64.99%); Region I – 1,782 (54.58%); Region VIII – 2,237 (50.96%); Region V – 1,323 (38.12%); and ARMM being the lowest at 274 out of 2,490 barangays (11%).

Panadero said VAW desks are tasked primarily to: record and submit quarterly report on all cases of VAW to the DILG city/municipal office, keep VAW case records confidential and secure, and assist victims of VAW in securing a Barangay Protection Order (BPO) and accessing necessary services.

“The cost of the establishment and operations of the VAW desk is charged to the LGU’s gender and development budget, which shall be at least five percent of their budget allocation,” he pointed out.

A report obtained from the NBOO showed a total of 26,347 VAWC cases were reported in nine regions excluding ARMM as of December 2013.

Panadero said the establishment of a VAW desk reinforces the government’s resolve to address violence against women and children in the country.

Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004)definesVAW as "any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.”
It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

"Physical violence"refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm;
"Sexual violence"refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or her child. It includes, but is not limited to:
rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim’s body, forcing her/him to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and mistress/lover to live in the conjugal home or sleep together in the same room with the abuser;
acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm or coercion;
prostituting the woman or her child.

"Psychological violence"refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse and marital infidelity. It includes causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children.
"Economic abuse"refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent. This includes but is not limited to the following:
withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases wherein the other spouse/partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in Article 73 of the Family Code;
deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common;
destroying household property;
controlling the victim’s own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal money or properties.

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Press statement of Sec. Mar Roxas

Source: http://www.dilg.gov.ph

It is the established policy of the DILG to abide by and uphold the legal processes in the apprehension of individuals who have outstanding arrest warrants, as in the case of Mr. Delfin Lee who was arrested by PNP elements on March 6, 2014.

Mr. Lee was included in the list of five individuals wanted by the law, who each carried a monetary reward of P2 Million for information leading to their arrest. Said list and reward were outlined in DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) 2012-182.

To date, DILG MC 20120-182 has not been revoked, and so we find that the arresting officers who apprehended Mr. Lee acted consistently with said Memorandum Circular.

The DOJ has advised the DILG that the Court of Appeal’s Ruling quashing the warrant issued by the Pampanga RTC (Branch 42) for the arrest of Mr. Lee is not yet executory owing to the DOJ’s pending petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court. The DILG will abide by the DOJ.

Let me also make it clear that PNPI-3 Circular No. 98-01, as well as the executive practice of the PNP, places the authority to delist or remove a person from the most wanted list principally on the PNP Reward Valuation Committee.

The role of the DILG Secretary is limited to approving the names to be placed on the list, and its corresponding reward, as previously recommended by the Reward Valuation Committee.

Inuulit ko para malinaw: Walang natatanggap na request ang DILG galing sa PNP na nagtatanggal kay Delfin Lee sa listahan ng may arrest warrant.

Wala rin akong inaprubahan na request kaugnay sa nasabing isyu.

Wala akong inutusan o pinahintulutan na tanggalin si Delfin Lee sa listahan ng mga may arrest warrant.

Hindi trabaho ng DILG Secretary ang magpatanggal ng pangalan ng sinuman na nasa listahan ng may arrest warrant o listahan ng most wanted.

Sa katunayan, inaprubahan ng DILG paglalaan ng P2-milyong pabuya para maaresto si Delfin Lee at apat pang prominenteng tao na sangkot sa mga kasong kriminal. Hanggang sa ngayon, nananatili ang pabuyang ito.

Sinuman ang nag-utos na tanggalin ang pangalan ni Delfin Lee sa listahan ng may arrest warrant ay kailangang sumailalim sa imbestigasyon.

Ang korte na ang may hurisdiksyon sa kasong kinasasangkutan ni Delfin Lee. Susunod ang DILG sa anumang kautusan na ilalabas ng korte kaugnay ng nasabing kaso.

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Roxas: Additional fire trucks, fire stations to be geo-located for faster response time

Source: http://www.dilg.gov.ph

To ensure faster response time in case of fire, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had sought the help of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST)to identify areas where fire stations are best constructed to ensure faster response time.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas said there are 554 municipalities and one city that still have no fire trucks. There are also about 14,000 firefighters equipped with firefighting skills but shortages in equipment and firefighting gear remains a problem.

The DILG chief said these challenges are currently being addressed by the DILG. With a budget of P4 billion this year, more than half of the problem in terms of shortage in the number of fire stations and fire trucks, as well shortage in firefighting equipment and firefighting gear such as helmets, boots, trousers, and even forcible entry tools, will be addressed.

Roxas said because of the shortage of fire trucks and fire stations, firefighters have difficulty preventing fire from spreading in certain areas.

With such gaps, he said that there are certain municipalities which are currently without any fire fighting capability. This means that the nearest fire station with fire trucks will not reach a municipality without fire-fighting capability – or without its own fire truck or fire stations –within the internationally accepted period for fire response.

In areas where there are many fire stations with fire trucks, the response time is faster.

Roxas wants the response time to be reduced to comply with the internationally accepted response time of just six minutes, at most, to effectively prevent fire from spreading.

“Ang gusto natin ay i-geo-locate angpagbibigayng fire trucks at pagtatayong fire stations paramapabilisang response time. Gusto natinna from 12 minutes, maging 6 minutes langang response time from the time namaitawag o maipagbigay-alamangsunog,” he said.

According to Roxas, this year the DILG is eyeing to buy more than 300 fire trucks and construct the number of corresponding fire stations after Pres. Aquino approved the release a budget of P3.6 billion for the purpose.

With the acquisition of the more than 300 fire trucks, about 63 per cent of the problem in terms of shortage or lack of fire trucks in some municipalities are solved.

The DILG chief is confident that by the end of the year, with the proper distribution of additional fire trucks and fire stations, the whole country will sufficiently be capable to fight fire, and by 2016, all 1,490 municipalities and all the 144 cities will have at least one fire truck and fire stations with at least 14 highly-trained firefighters assigned to each fire station to effectively prevent disastrous fire, in conformity with international standards.

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Typhoon Yolanda, a ‘game changer’ in poverty alleviation strategies – DSWD official

Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary Camilo Gudmalin said that the impact of Typhoon Yolanda in the country changed the way the government views poverty alleviation and local development.

Addressing government officials who are members of the National Interagency Preparation and Implementation Team (NIAPIT) for the DSWD’s National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) during a recent meeting, Asec. Gudmalin described ‘Yolanda’ as a “game changer”.

He said that stronger disasters are likely to hit the country again because of climate change, a state which DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman refers to as the “new normal”.

The NCDDP is the scaling up of the operations of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), one of the core programs of the DSWD.

Originally designed to target poor communities all over the country, the design and coverage of the NCDDP has since been changed to also provide support to the municipalities that were affected by ‘Yolanda’.

Aside from its coverage, in which 554 of its 847 target municipalities are ‘Yolanda’-affected, the design of the NCDDP was also modified to integrate disaster response operations procedures.

Asec. Gudmalin said that responding to the issues of poverty and disaster response, recovery, and rehabilitation requires the strengthening of the overall government approach in order to build resiliency of vulnerable communities.

He emphasized that disaster recovery and rehabilitation initiatives are not solely the government’s responsibility, but should also involve the citizens.

“Central to rehabilitation is the voice of the people because they know what they really need,” he said.

He added, “We need to ask the people and get them to participate in the rehabilitation after ‘Yolanda’.

He said that NCDDP provides a good opportunity for this.

Infrastructures

NCDDP uses the community-driven development (CDD) strategy, a development approach that focuses on empowering and building up the capacities of citizens and local government.

Similar to Kalahi-CIDSS, NCDDP will provide trainings and community grants to villages in order to enable them to identify and implement sub-projects that will address their community’s needs.

In most instances, this comes in the form of small-scale infrastructures such as footpaths, school buildings, health stations, day care centers, sea walls, drainage systems, and soil erosion sub-projects.

Under the NCDDP, communities can also propose sub-projects that will address repairs of damaged structures and shelter assistance for ‘Yolanda’-affected areas.

However, Asec. Gudmalin emphasized that the infrastructures are only one aspect of what the NCDDP offers to communities.

By capacitating the people with skills and mobilizing them to work together as a community, the program will empower them, which will then help them make their local governments more accountable, move toward development, and become more resilient against disasters.

He said, “NCDDP will not only be building infrastructures, it will also be building resiliency.”

“It will be positioned as one of the major programs of the government to rehabilitate ‘Yolanda’-affected areas,” he concluded.

The NCDDP is targeted for launching on May this year.

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Housewife earns first million despite disability

Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

Naga City, Camarines Sur - Every one of us encounters hardships in our lives, but when someone with disability is able to overcome all the adversities and still finds optimism, it becomes a piece of good news.

Such is the case of Fe Caraza of Barangay Panicuason, this city, who earned her first million despite her disability. It took her a lot of commitment and a completely ‘no-fear’ attitude to achieve success.

Fe’s turning point came when she focused on selling nutritious food like soya bread, milk, carrot juice, veggie meat, tokwa, and malungay polvoron.

“Salamat sa Diyos, kung ano ako ngayon ay dahil sa tiyaga lang po (Thanks to God, what I have now is through my perseverance),” she proudly said.

The disabilities she faced

Becoming an entrepreneur is not an easy task, but Fe has managed to make her business successful despite her condition.

“Nagkaroon po ako ng acute psychiatric nerve injury, pero tinanggap ko yun, hindi ko ginawang hadlang ang kapansanan ko. Naisip kong magtrabaho kesa sa walang ginagawa. Kaya naman nagsimula ako na magtinda ng mga gulay para kumita (I had an acute psychiatric nerve injury but I accepted it and did not allow this to hamper my productivity. I thought of working rather than doing nothing. So, I started selling vegetables to earn),” she said.

After a few years, Fe was engrossed in earning more money to grow her business.

With that, she failed to find time for her family.

“Nabuntis ng asawa ko ang katulong namin sa bahay. Galit na galit ako, pero inataman ko su aki ninda halos duwang taon ta kairak man, wara man kasalan su aki (My husband got our helper pregnant. I was so mad but I took care of their child for almost two years because I pitied the child. He has nothing to do with their sin),” she stated.

Fe and her husband eventually separated. Fe was left alone to take care of her four children.

“Nagdadasal ako kasi yung mga anak ko malungkot sila. Pero maganda din na mag-isa lang ako, dahil nalalaman ko yung kakayanan ko. Mas maraming oras ko na nayayakap mga anak ko at nasasabihan ko sila ng problema (I keep praying because my children are sad. But, it’s also good that Im alone, because I am able to know my strength. I also have more time to hug my children and I can talk to them about my problems),” she said.

Although struggling, Fe defied the odds and remained positive in order to provide the needs of her children.

“Noon ang hirap, from Panicuason ay 18 kilometers to Naga City kong minomotor. Nagbibitbit, naglalako ako ng mga produkto sa mga opisina kahit umuulan o tirik ang araw (Before, it was so hard. Rain of shine, I drove 18 kilometers from Panicuason to Naga City with my motorcycle to sell products in offices),” she recalled.

It was even harder for Fe whose right leg is paralyzed when her motorcycle broke down in one of her trips.

“‘Yung mga tao tinitingnan ako. Si Ma’am Lenny Robredo nakita rin ako na kailangan kong iikot yung sarili kong patalikod para paandarin yung motor. Ewan ko kung natuwa siya sa akin o naawa siya pero tinulungan niya ako sa aking negosyo (People were looking at me. Ma’am Lenny Robredo also saw how I struggled to start the motorcycle using my left leg to kick and pedal. I am not sure if she was amazed or she just pitied me but she helped me with my business),” she said.

Her success

In order to sustain the needs of her children, she continued to explore new things for her business.

She focused on making nutritious food, experimenting by adding 20% of soya pulp in her products.

Her business took a positive turn when she joined the GROW Negosyo (growing opportunities), a project of the local government providing capital assistance to micro and macro entrepreneurs in the city.

In 2010, she was awarded as “Maugmang Nagenya”, an award provided by the local government to individuals who have attained success despite all the struggles in life.

It was on the same year as well when the local government chose her nutritious products to be the main dish in the Supplementary Feeding program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Halos P20,000 a day ang kinikita ko na noon in 60 days. (I was earning almost P20,000 a day at that time for 60 days),” she said.

She then made her first P1.2-million sales.

“Sa pangatlong kontrata ko sa Supplementary Feeding, masayang masaya ako sa oportunidad na naipagkaloob sa akin ng Diyos at sa mga taong tumulong sa akin (With my third contract in the Supplementary Feeding, I am so happy with the opportunity given to me by God and the the people who helped me),” she added.

Now, instead of using a motorcycle, she was able to buy an owner-type jeepney to deliver her products.

She was also able to build two concrete houses.

“Yung isa po ay bakery na namin. May mga equipment na rin ako sa paggawa ng bread (One of my houses was converted into a bakery shop. I also have an equipment to produce bread),” Fe happily related.

In addition, she was able to set up a Grow Negosyo Stall.

“Dito lang po sa stall ay nakakabenta ako ng P2,000 a day bukod sa aming bakery (Here in the stall, I am able to earn P2,000 a day apart from my earnings in our bakery),” she enthused.

Returning the blessings

Fe is proud to say that as part of caring for the needs of fellow persons with disabilities (PWDs), she employed the parents of child-PWDs in the village.

“Nakikita ko po ang pag-angat nila dahil nabigyan sila ng trabaho (I saw their improvement because they were provided with jobs),” she said.

Two out of the nine employees in her bakery are also beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the conditional cash transfer program implemented by DSWD.

Fe said that she wanted to be an inspiration to others, especially to her fellow PWDs.

“Kailangan lang pong maging masipag. Huwag nating gawing dahilan ang ating kapansanan. Magpasalamat pa tayo dahil buhay tayo (We need to be industrious. Let us not allow our disability to hinder us from being productive. Thank God that we are alive),” she remarked.

Fe stressed that being prayerful, hardworking, and kind to your loved ones and to other people are the exact ingredients for success.

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DFA Undersecretary Underscores Rule of Law at ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Source: https://www.dfa.gov.ph

02 April 2014 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan P. Garcia renewed the call for the Rule of Law at the recently concluded ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from March 29 to April 01. He noted that the Philippine submission on 30 March 2014 of its memorial to the Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) manifested our commitment to a peaceful and durable means towards a lasting solution to the disputes in the South China Sea anchored on the rule of law.

Undersecretary Garcia further stressed the Philippines’ strong support for the building of an ASEAN community that is able to project its values and norms in the international arena. He added that Philippine advocacies on inclusive development, good governance, anti-corruption, democracy, and human rights could be important elements of ASEAN’s vision of a Community by 2015.

The Philippines and all ASEAN member states reiterated their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the expeditious conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). Undersecretary Garcia stressed the importance of these efforts in view of the increasing tensions in the region due to measures aimed at altering the status quo in violation of the DOC and international law.

Current ASEAN SOM Chair Aung Lynn of Myanmar noted that the SOM meeting came on the heels of the latest regional developments in ASEAN, including the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 incident and the recent signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which was brokered by the Government of Malaysia.

Undersecretary Garcia expressed appreciation to all ASEAN member states, particularly to Malaysia, for its support for the Philippines in its long effort to conclude a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In this context, the Undersecretary announced that the Philippines would be hosting a Symposium of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) on Peace and Reconciliation Processes and Initiatives on 7-8 April 2014 where world-renowned experts on peace initiatives would share their views on best practices on mediation, peace negotiations, preventive diplomacy, and monitoring.

The three-day SOM was held in preparation for the 24th ASEAN Summit in May 2014. Senior officials from the 10 ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat discussed ASEAN Community Building efforts as it approached ASEAN Community 2015, including the implementation of the Blueprints for the three ASEAN Community pillars, the current efforts to strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat and other ASEAN organs, and ASEAN’s relations with its external partners.

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DOE encourages judicious use of electricity

Source: https://www.doe.gov.ph

The Department of Energy (DOE) encourages the public to use fuels and electricity judiciously especially in the summer months when demand will be higher. Some simple household energy-saving tips are posted at the DOE website and www.wattmatters.org.ph.

Equally important, the DOE encourages consumer to buy products that carry an energy label. Yellow energy labels are mandatory on household air conditioners (except inverter type), household refrigerators (size range: 5 to 8 cubic feet), compact fluorescent lamps (self-ballasted), linear fluorescent lamps, circular fluorescent lamps and ballasts.

To reduce electricity bills associated with cooling your homes, look for a high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) when buying a new air-conditioner. EER refers to the cooling efficiency of the unit.

For refrigerators and freezers, the yellow energy guide bears the Energy Efficiency Factor (EEF) of the unit. The higher the energy efficiency rating, the lower the energy consumption.

For fluorescent lamps, the energy label indicates the light output in lumens, power consumption, lamp efficacy and average life. More lumens mean more light output. The higher the efficacy rating, the lower is the energy consumption. The safety tests, on the other hand, are being administered by the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry.

In addition, the DOE has recently established state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for performance testing of television sets, washing machines, refrigerators, and freezers through the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.

The DOE envisions that with the stakeholders’ cooperation, integrating energy efficiency will significantly help in achieving energy security, optimal energy pricing, and a sustainable energy plan for the country.

Further, the DOE warns the public on false claims of some companies that their products, when attached to electrical appliances or lighting products, can bring about a reduction in energy consumption.

The DOE is not endorsing uncertified “energy saving” devices for use by consumers. The agency maintains that these devices should undergo testing using the acceptable technology verification protocol to prove claims regarding the functional performance of such devices.

“We do acknowledge the inventors’ ingenuity in coming up with such energy-saving devices but we hope their products are really energy-savers so we can help the people reduce their energy consumption and thus save money, particularly at this time when the supply and cost of electricity have stirred public concern,” DOE Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson said.

She further stated that “the government continues to monitor the energy performance of appliances and lighting products covered by the energy standards and labelling program through laboratory tests,” and added that consumers should be extra cautious in purchasing energy saving devices and consult with the DOE-Consumer Welfare and Promotions Office through the following: text: 0917-581-2925/call: 840-2267/tweet: @doe_ph before making any purchase.

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New UNFPA Country Representative Presents Credentials to Secretary Del Rosario, Affirms Commitment to Work With Phl in Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health

Source: https://www.dfa.gov.ph

02 April 2014- Newly-appointed United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative Klaus Beck presented his letter of credentials to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario on March 19.

The two discussed UNFPA’s goal to empower and improve the lives of underserved populations, especially women and young people including adolescents. This empowerment is enabled by an understanding of population dynamics, human rights and gender equality, and driven by the needs of Filipinos and tailored to the Philippine context.

Mr. Beck described his organization in a sentence: “UNFPA works with the government to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality to improve the lives of the people and achieve sustainable development.”

UNFPA supports governments in gathering adequate information about population dynamics and trends to create and manage sound policies and generate the political will to address both current and future human needs by utilizing census, surveys and population and development-related research and analysis.

The Philippines, with the assistance of UNFPA, will continue to reduce and cease maternal deaths by achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health, including family planning. To accomplish these goals, the UNFPA 7th Country Programme of Assistance (2012-2016) focuses on upstream policy engagement and catalytic support in selected geographic areas based on a local development context and political commitment, as well as the availability of relevant and strategic opportunities to deliver integrated support to partners.

Even before he became the country representative, Mr. Beck was a part of the UNFPA Haiyan (Yolanda) Call for Action, which aims to raise US$16.2 million to respond to the reproductive health and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention needs of the Haiyan-affected population. The required funding consists of US$10 million for reproductive health and US$6.2 million for GBV concerns. Close to US$3.2 million or about 19% of the total requirement has been mobilized.

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NEDA highlights opportunities for PH business sector in ASEAN integration

Source: http://www.neda.gov.ph

MANILA – Local businesses will have more opportunities for regional expansion and productivity enhancement through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) integration, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“Businesses in the Philippines can engage more in intra-regional trade, increase their market access within and outside of ASEAN, and expand their production capacities in the course of the ASEAN integration,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, in a speech read by NEDA Deputy Director-General Emmanuel F. Esguerra at the Gawad Sinop Awarding Ceremonies of Supply Link 2014 on March 27, 2014.

The NEDA official said that the ASEAN region has a large market of approximately 600 million people, with a combined Gross Domestic Product of US$2.2 trillion in 2011 and liberalized tariffs.

“ASEAN is now deemed as an ideal investment site and regional production hub. As the region becomes a more dynamic economic block, it becomes more attractive to the rest of the world as investors are expected to take advantage of economies of scale and the large number of consumers,” said Balisacan.

He added that more opportunities for investors and producers of goods and services are expected due to easier movement of goods, services, investment, capital and labor in the region.

“Also, ASEAN is a major producer of palm products such as rubber, coconut, abaca, pineapple and mango products, and rice,” said Balisacan.

He also cited a report from the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) on the trade performance of the ASEAN over the years.

“The USITC noted that the region’s outward orientation in trade and investment has been particularly important in driving its international trade, growth and development,” said Balisacan.

Meanwhile, he also emphasized that the Philippine government has already set its key roadmap strategies towards AEC integration in 2015, all outlined in the Midterm Update of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.

“These strategies are aimed at building credible institutions, equalizing development opportunities, creating new growth drivers, and accelerating infrastructure development,” said Balisacan.

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Community Leadership Training conducted to OFC inTuboran, Mawab

Source: http://www.owwa.gov.ph

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration – Regional Welfare Office XI conducted a two-day community leadership training to all officers and members of OFC Tuboran, Mawab, Compostela Valley Province last February 21-22, 2014 at the Brgy. Hall of Tuboran. Twenty two (22) officers and members participated in the training program facilitated by Ms. Jely C. Lindaan, Family Welfare Officer and Mr. Cristelito Abadilla.

The training envisioned to provide essential leadership and organizational skills to potential OFC leaders who shall steer the course of their organization. It also aims to instill the participants the basic principles of community leadership, teach the basic functions of a leader, give techniques on effective communication, and to formulate an action plan of the organization. OWWA is organizing the OFWs and their families for them to become strong and self-reliant organization.

Mr. Cristelito Abadilla discussed the qualities of a good leader. He emphasized that a leader must have sense of mission, must be self-denial, must have high character, and competent in his job. “In order to become a good and efficient leader, you need to speak up, be open to others, and be a positive thinker. A good leader must possess these qualities for him to lead the organization effectively”, Mr. Abadilla said. He further discussed the elements of team building in order to have good team work in the organization. Participants were also given activities to test their ability in leading a group and how to communicate with their colleagues. Mr. Abadilla evaluated their performance in the activity and the group was able to find strategies in solving the given problem through proper communication.

Meanwhile , OIC-Regional Director Eduardo E. Bellido gave his inspirational message. He emphasized the importance of community organizing as major component in the delivery of programs and services of OWWA. In organizing, OWWA provides various livelihood trainings which are beneficial to the OFWs and their dependents. “We should focus on the training program of the OFC for them to be empowered”, Mr. Bellido said. He also gave inputs and guidelines on how to make and formulate an action plan. He said that, an organization must have sense of direction, must plan for the coming year and the objectives must be cleared and attainable. Setting of priorities is important in making a plan. The needs of the organization must be assessed for them to identify and prioritize what their real needs are. He emphasized the need for the OFC to be registered with the Department of Labor and Employment for them to avail of the livelihood projects of the Department.

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OWWA announces names of qualifiers for Scholarship

Source: http://www.owwa.gov.ph

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has recently announced the names of the top 200 qualifiers for the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) for Academic Year 2014-2015.

Out of the 4,476 total applicants from all over the country, 200 passed the qualifying examination which was given last year and was facilitated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The EDSP is a scholarship grant offered to qualified beneficiaries/dependents of OWWA members who intend to enroll in any 4-5 years baccalaureate course at any college or university. The program offers a financial assistance intended for education amounting to P30,000.00 per semester or equivalent to P60,000.00 per school year.

The applicants are advised to visit the OWWA-RWO IX office located at 3rd Floor, Goodwill Center, Mayor Jaldon St., Canelar, this city for the result of the said exam.

OWWA-9 Regional Director Hassan Gabra T. Jumdain said that applicants who did not pass the qualifying exam need not worry for all non-qualifiers for the EDSP can still apply for the OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP) where, if qualified, a student will receive an amount of P10,000.00 per semester or P20,000.00 per school year.

Concurrently, the agency also has released the names of the Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program qualifiers. The complete list of EDSP and CMWSP qualifiers will be posted on the OWWA website.

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Statement of Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on the decision of the Ombudsman to file plunder cases against three senators

Source: http://www.ovp.gov.ph

The decision of the Ombudsman to file the case against the three senators is a test of the fairness and trustworthiness of our legal system.

In the event that the ombudsman denies the motions for reconsideration and proceeds with the filing before the Sandiganbayan, I am confident that our courts will accord the three senators their right to a fair trial as provided for by the constitution.

The case will also test if the drive for reforms will be blind to political motives. If it stops with the filing of the plunder cases against three senators who are not political allies and confines itself to the Napoles case, it will create the impression of being selective, and that political partisanship – not justice – is the sole motivation behind these charges. The COA has mentioned other legislators and other fake NGOs in a comprehensive report last year. We hope the concerned government agencies will act on these findings with the same determination and focus displayed in the Napoles case. The public would want no less than full accountability from its public officials. The rule of law must prevail regardless of stature or political affiliations.

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File cases against all involved in PDAF scam, other irregularities - VP Binay

Source: http://www.ovp.gov.ph

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said the filing of cases against government officials involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam and other irregularities should not stop with those who are not allied with the administration.

“If it stops with the filing of the plunder cases against three senators who are not political allies and confines itself to the (Janet) Napoles case, it will create the impression of being selective, and that political partisanship – not justice – is the sole motivation behind these charges,” he said.

The Vice President said he hopes cases will also be filed against other officials mentioned in the Commission on Audit’s (COA) report released last year.

“The COA has mentioned other legislators and other fake NGOs (non-government organizations) in a comprehensive report last year. We hope the concerned government agencies will act on these findings with the same determination and focus displayed in the Napoles case,” he said.

“The public would want no less than full accountability from its public officials. The rule of law must prevail regardless of stature or political affiliations,” he added.

Binay said the decision of the Ombudsman to file plunder cases against the Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla, Jr. is a test of the “fairness and trustworthiness” of the country’s legal system.

“In the event that the Ombudsman denies the motions for reconsideration and proceeds with the filing before the Sandiganbayan, I am confident that our courts will accord the three senators their right to a fair trial as provided for by the Constitution,” he said.

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Last Updated: 02 APRIL 2014
Google+ Photo Releases of PNoy
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			Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson witness the turnover of the $1 million check donation for the Yolanda fund from Swami Ramakhrisnananda, member of the M.A. Center board of directors, Rene Butch Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation in a ceremony at the NAC Tower in 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City on Thursday (April 2). The M.A. Center is one of Amma’s global humanitarian organizations. Also in photo is Under sec. Danny Antonio . (Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III presents the Medalya ng Kagalingan to Tacloban City Police Office Headquarters City Operations Officer P/Insp. Marjorie Manuta during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01, 2014). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01, 2014). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties: during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. Also in photo are Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP Director General Alan Purisima. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with PNP Director General Alan Purisima during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01, 2014). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP Director General Alan Purisima during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a kris memento from PNP Director General Alan Purisima during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. Also in photo is Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III, assisted by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, presents the Medalya ng Kagalingan to Tacloban City Police Office Headquarters City Operations Officer P/Insp. Marjorie Manuta during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III, assisted by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, presents the Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod to PNP Deputy Chief for Administration P/DDG Felipe Rojas, Jr., during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. Also in photo are Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP Director General Alan Purisima. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III, along with PNP Director General Alan Purisima, lead the singing of the Philippine National Anthem during the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by PNP Director General Alan Purisima, troops the line during the arrival honors for the Philippine National Police (PNP) Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday (April 01). The President recognized policemen and policewomen for their courage in performing their duties during the Zamboanga City siege, the earthquake in Bohol, and in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, among others. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) commencement exercises of the Mandilaab Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			Jubilant members of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Mandilaab Class of 2014 celebrate during the 35th PNPA commencement exercises at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Caviteon Monday (March 31). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivers his commencement address during the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises of the Mandilaab Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). Class Valedictorian, Police Cadet Glenn Tabo Santelices, will receive the Presidential Kampilan Award, the Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Kampilan Award and a Plaque of Merit, 1st Place. The academy was established under Section 19 of Presidential Decree 1184 and became a primary component of the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) pursuant to Section 67 of Republic Act 6975 which was created to provide preparatory education and training to the three uniformed bureaus of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), namely, the PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Also in photo is Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivers his commencement address during the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises of the Mandilaab Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno Simeon Aquino III presents the Presidential Kampilan Award to Police Cadet Glenn Tabo Santelices for topping the Mandilaab Class of 2014 during the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). Also in photo is Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Benhur Arcayan / Rolando Mailo / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, together with Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr.; PPSC president Atty. Ruben Platon, Ph.D; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II; PNPA director P/CSupt. Noel Constantino; and PNP Director General Alan Purisima, lead the singing of the Philippine National Anthem during the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) commencement exercises of the Mandilaab Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, together with Vice President Jejomar Binay, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNPA director P/CSupt. Noel Constantino, lead the singing of the Philippine National Anthem during the 35thPhilippine National Police Academy (PNPA) commencement exercises of the Mandilaab Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by PNPA director P/CSupt. Noel Constantino, troops the line during the arrival honors for the 35th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) commencement exercises of the Mandilaabe Class of 2014 at the PNPA Grandstand, Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on Monday (March 31). (Photo by Ryan Lim / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the ceremony of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary Gala Night, Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). the FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Filipino-Chinese community. Also in photo are former president Joseph Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drillon and FFCCCII President Dr. Alfonso Siy, among others. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the ceremony of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond anniversary gala night at the Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Filipino-Chinese community. Also in photo are former president Joseph Estrada, Senate president Franklin drillon and FFCCCII President Dr. Alfonso Siy, among others. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the ceremony of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary gala Night at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Filipino-Chinese community. Also in photo are former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drillon and FFCCCII President Dr. Alfonso Siy. (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his message at the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary Gala Night at the Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Chinese-Filipino community. (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III Graces the ceremony of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary gala night at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Chinese-Filipino community. Also in photo are former president Joseph Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drillon and FFCCCII President Dr. Alfonso Siy, among others. ( Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his message at the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary gala night at the Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort and Casino (March 29) . The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Filipino-Chinese community. (Photo by Exequiel Supera / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the ceremony of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) 60th Diamond Anniversary gala Night at the Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort and Casino on Saturday (March 29). The FFCCCII is the largest organization of Filipino businessmen of Chinese heritage. It has been a moving force in the Chinese-Filipino community. Also in photo are former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drillon and FFCCCII President Dr. Alfonso Siy, among others. (Photo by Exequiel Supera / Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during a courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. Also in photo are JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki, JICA Director General Keizo Takenaka and Japan Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Head of Mission Tetsuro Amano. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during a courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. Also in photo are JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki, JICA Director General Keizo Takenaka, Japan Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Head of Mission Tetsuro Amano, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles and Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras. (Photo by Exequiel Supera / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during a courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. Also in photo are JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki, JICA Director General Keizo Takenaka, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during the Courtesy Call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28, 2014). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. Also in photo are JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki and JICA Director General Keizo Takenaka. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Exequiel Supera / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III greets Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president Akihiko Tanaka during a courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (March 28). JICA in the Philippines provides cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, as well as other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos. Also in photo is Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Exequiel Supera / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). (Photo by Rodolfo Manabat/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno Aquino III in a photo opportunity with the members and officials of the peace panel as GPH Peace Panel chairperson Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer holding a copy of the signed Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro during the signing ceremony at the Kalayaan Grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). Photo By Robert Viñas/Malacanang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles in a photo opportunity with the official’s of the peace panel after the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). (Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak witness MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal, GPH Peace Panel chairperson Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and Malaysian facilitator Tengku Ghafar affix their signature to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in a ceremony at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). Also in photo are MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles. (Photo by Gil Nartea/ Robert Viñas/ Rodolfo Manabat/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). Also in photo are Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim (Photo by Gil Nartea/ Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a copy of the signed Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro during the signing ceremony at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). Also in photo are Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim,MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal GPH Peace Panel chairperson Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato Abdul Ghafar.(Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

			President Benigno S. Aquino III and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim grace the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the Kalayaan Grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 27). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

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