 |
|
|
|
 |
Message of Sec. Balisacan at the 5th Meeting of the APEC
Policy Partnership in Science, Technology, and Innovation
(PPSTI5) |
|
|
Study to aid
post-commercialization monitoring of Bt corn |
|
|
PRDP Board approves 7
FMRs in Visayas |
|
|
DA launches projects
promoting agriculture in Muntinlupa City |
|
|
Right attitude
leads to progress, Korean partner confirms |
|
|
Gov’t launches
accelerated anti-poverty initiative |
|
|
Composite Team from
PHL Embassy in Riyadh and PHL Consulate General in Jeddah
meets with Filipinos in Najran |
|
|
Roxas inspects
razed factory in Valenzuela City, condoles with victims |
|
|
Roxas to
visit rehab efforts in Leyte towns affected by Yolanda |
|
|
SEC integrated
business registry system makes incorporation faster, easier |
|
|
Personal
remittances post stronger growth in March 2015; first
quarter kevel rises to US$6.4 billion |
|
|
Bukidnon ex-mayor charged
with graft |
|
|
Palawan ARBs to receive
P3.1-M common service facility |
|
|
Roxas lauds
Candaba for proper use of dev't funds, turns over BuB funds
to Pampanga LGUs |
|
|
Delinquent gas
retailer, beverage and software companies charged with
willful failure to pay tax |
|
|
Casualties of
Valenzuela factory fire to get EC benefits—Baldoz |
|
|
DTI taps
multi-stakeholders in business and E-commerce outlook
seminar |
|
|
DPWH-NCR May 15-18 road
repair schedule Top |
|
|
DOF, BIR, DBM,
DOTC, DOT Post 3,320 vacancies online |
|
|
NEDA hosts APEC seminar
on the ‘Middle Income Trap’ |
|
|
Doctors reminded to report
physical injury cases |
|
|
OWWA, LBP approved
P865.12M reintegration fund for 1,257 OFW-entrepreneurs as
of end of 2014 |
|
|
SSS hosts DevComNet |
|
|
| Study to aid
post-commercialization monitoring of Bt corn |
| Source:
http://www.da.gov.ph |
|
A UPLB study conducts screening of Bt resistance allele in Bt
corn sentinel sites to gather baseline information for
monitoring possible development of ACB resistance to Bt corn.
This will potentially enable efforts to counter possible
impending resistance; thereby, prolonging the usefulness of the
Bt technology and all the benefits in terms of yield and farmer
income along with it.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of
Agri-biotech Applications, 18 million farmers in 28 countries
planted 181.5 million hectares of biotech crops, including Bt
corn, in 2014. In the Philippines, Bt corn with herbicide
tolerance is planted to over 600,000 hectares as of March this
year according to the Bureau of Plant Industry.
Self-sufficiency in yellow corn in the country was achieved in
2013 because of improvements in yellow corn production,
attributed largely to the introduction and increasing adoption
of modern biotech corn. The Philippines was also able to export
corn silage to South Korea totaling to 1,144 metric tons by 2014
despite limitations by natural calamities, port congestion and
increasing shipping costs. Initially in 2002, Bacillus
thuringiensis or Bt corn was approved for commercial planting in
the country. Bt, a species of bacteria naturally found in soil,
kills certain insect pests, such as the Asiatic corn borer
(ACB), by producing crystal (Cry) protein that is toxic to them.
Other insects and animals are not harmed by these Cry proteins.
In 2005, a herbicide tolerant modern biotech corn was
commercialized as well as modern biotech corn varieties
possessing both traits were approved for commercialization.
The permit to plant Bt corn in commercial scale was granted by
the Bureau of Plant Industry subject to oversight measures,
including compliance to insect resistant management (IRM)
strategy and monitoring of development of insect resistance and
other unintended effects.
Scientists and regulators are aware of the possibility of
development of ACB resistance to the Cry protein incorporated
into Bt corn since researchers have ascertained that ACB as a
species has the genetic flexibility to adapt towards resistance
to the Cry protein.
A research project focusing on the screening of Bt resistance
allele in the ACB population is currently being supported by the
Biotech Program of the Department of Agriculture that ultimately
aims to develop a monitoring system for resistance to Bt cry
protein. The study is being conducted by researchers at the Crop
Protection Cluster of the College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños
led by Dr. Barbara Caoili using representative samples collected
from Bt corn sentinel sites in Isabela. The research team
targets to come up with a system to screen for and detect any
resistance at an early stage. In due course, the goal is to
design appropriate insect resistance management strategies to
prevent or delay such resistance. This would enable further
research to counter the impending resistance, prolonging the
usefulness of Bt technology, and all the benefits in terms of
yield and farmer income along with it.
The Bureau of Plant Industry, for its part, has developed a
manual on insect and weed resistance management data collection
for post-commercial monitoring of biotech corn in the
Philippines to guide regulators, local monitors, local officers,
technology developers, and biotech corn farmers. This initiative
is part of the effort to enhance our regulatory capacity to
ensure the safe and responsible utilization and
commercialization of modern biotechnology and its products.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Barbara L. Caoili
Professor 1 and Project Leader Crop Protection Cluster,
College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños
Tel No. (049) 536-1315
Email Address: blcaoili@up.edu.ph; blavina_caoili@yahoo.com
Dr. Antonio Alfonso
Director, Biotechnology Program Office
Department of Agriculture
Tel No. (632) 922-0057 / 927-0426
Email Address: tonyalfonso2002@yahoo.com / biotechpiu@yahoo.com |
|
|
|
| PRDP Board
approves 7 FMRs in Visayas |
| Source:
http://www.da.gov.ph |
|
At least 49-kilometers of new road projects, connecting farms
and markets in the Visayas, have been approved by the Department
of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project’s (DA-PRDP)
advisory board in Region 6.
After the approval on May 8, the seven farm-to-market road
subprojects to be constructed in Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and
Aklan will be subjected for another level of review for funding
the PRDP.
The P481.1million (M) projects will include the rehabilitation
of the Gomez-Zamora FMR (P32 M ) in Pontevedra; rehabilitation
of the Hinicayan-Violeta FMR in Silay City (P100 M); and the
rehabilitation of the Crossing Martinez-Sto. Intaplan FMR in
Sagay City (P36.59 M) all located in Negros Occidental.
For Iloilo, the approved sub-projects are the rehabilitation of
the Parara-Jamog FMR in Tigbauan (P75.75 M); rehabilitation of
Poblacion-Tacuyong Norte FMR in Leon (P113.45 M); and
rehabilitation of Gines-Inagdangan Norte FMR in Zarraga (P23.59
M).
Aklan projects include the rehabilitation and improvement of the
12.74 km Banga-Libacao Road and Bridges worth P99.72 M. The said
bridges connecting the road from the municipalities of Banga and
Libacao, Aklan were destroyed by the typhoons Frank and Yolanda
that struck the country in 2008 and 2013 respectively.
During the review, DA Regional Field Office Director Roy M.
Abaya emphasized that, “the proponent must clearly show the
linkage between the FMR and its enterprise component.”
Under the PRDP, FMRs and other infrastructures to be constructed
are aimed as support to the enterprise activities in their
respective areas.
PRDP is a six-year project under the Department of Agriculture
that aims to establish a modern, inclusive, value-chain
oriented, and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries
sector.
The PRDP will fund 90% of the project cost of these FMRs, while
LGUs will provide 10% equity. Abaya added that through the
construction of infrastructures, the PRDP aims to reduce average
travel time from farm to markets by half. FMRs will also improve
traffic count by at least 60%. ### (Remy Soqueño, DA-PRDP RPCO
6) |
|
|
|
| DA launches
projects promoting agriculture in Muntinlupa City |
| Source:
http://www.da.gov.ph |
|
The Department of Agriculture continues to campaign for the
greening of the Metropolis as as its partners with the City of
Muntinlupa as part of its efforts to ensure safe and sufficient
food supply in urban areas.
DA, on May 14, 2015, launched several agriculture and fisheries
projects in various locations throughout the city including
vegetable planting in elementary schools, aquaculture of tilapia
in ponds and dams, urban vegetable and fruit gardens in
subdivisions, and agri-enterprise development for women.
Representing Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Mr. Felix
Joselito Noceda (NCR and Region-4A Coordinator of Urban
Agriculture Program of DA-BPI) turned over agricultural
assistance to the Muntinlupa City LGU led by Mayor Jaime R.
Fresnedi and Congressman Rodolfo G. Biazon.
During the launch of the Gulayan sa Paaralan, Noceda emphasized
the importance of encouraging young children to take part in
food production.
According to Noceda, the DA has finished crafting a training
manual that teaches students from all over the country the
fundamentals of vegetable farming.
Gulayan sa Paaralaan, a vegetable gardening project initiated by
DA and DepEd, will be managed by the schoolchildren to encourage
them to plant and eat healthy vegetables.
During the project launch at the F. De Mesa Elementary School,
Putatan, Muntinlupa City, hundreds of students, teachers, school
principals, city workers, LGU officials, and DA attached agency
employees recited and signed the “Pledge of Commitment” in
support of the Gulayan sa Paaralan.
“Small actions will add up to make a difference for the
well-being of our people and the environment,” said a line from
the Pledge.
“Hindi lamang sa mga rural areas, dapat maski sa mga urban areas
gaya ng Muntinlupa ay nagtatanim rin ng pagkain. Di lamang
matatanda, pati mga estudyante’t bata ay maaring makiisa sa
produksyon ng pagkain,” Noceda said.
To boost agricultural production in the barangays of Muntinlupa
City, DA provided assistance including two complete composting
facilities for organic fertilizer production, solar pump for
corn production, 6000 seedlings of assorted fruit trees (calamansi,
rambutan, cacao, and coffee), 16,000 vegetable seed packets,
greenhouse for seedling production, and farm tools.
The DA-Bureau of Animal Industry provided animals such as quail,
chicken, and ducks while the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources provided thousands of fish fingerlings that will be
grown in urban ponds and Magnetic Hill dams.
Katarungan Village Homeowners Association President Josie
Savedia said the idle lot measuring more than a hectare inside
their village was converted into an integrated urban agriculture
site and has been gaining popularity as the village's food
basket as it serves as a source of commodities that sustains
supplementary feeding within the community.
For more than a year now, residents of the village reap the
harvest of cacao, papaya, tanglad, malunggay, lettuce, red chili,
string beans, tomato, and major vegetables from their urban
agriculture project.
The harvest from the project is either given to needy villagers
or sold at an affordable price.
Savedia adds that, “hito (catfish), dalag (mudfish), and tilapia
are also abundant in the ponds inside the urban agri site.”
She said that the urban agriculture project has tremendous
benefits to Katarungan Village homeowners.
“It taught us to be responsible. Now we are more conscious of
our environment and continue to transform small vacant spaces
into productive agricultural areas,” she said. ###Marlo Asis,
DA-AFID |
|
|
|
| Right
attitude leads to progress, Korean partner confirms |
| Source:
http://www.da.gov.ph |
|
To inspire the Filipinos on their campaign for rural
transformation, the Korea Project on International Agriculture
(KOPIA) Center based at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)
emphasized the values that have helped Korea become one of the
world’s richest countries.
Dr. Jeong Taek Lee, KOPIA director, said in a recent seminar
that self-help, diligence, and cooperation, led to the success
of Saemaul Undong, a rural transformation movement spearheaded
by President Park Jeong Hee, which reduced the poverty from 34
to 6 percent of the population.
Under the movement, participating villages were given free raw
materials to build community structures such as houses and
infrastructures such as roads, bridges, buildings, and
irrigation systems. Following Saemaul Undong, which was said to
be the basis of the Korean economy’s resurgence in the 1970s,
KOPIA promotes the strategy to help the Philippines achieve rice
self-sufficiency.
In the Philippines, KOPIA helps Filipino farmers increase their
income by giving more than 600 bags of good seeds to farmer
cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, Iloilo, and Bohol. Among the sites,
Nueva Ecija has the highest yield of 10t/ha.
Lee said that by practicing the values, “there is no doubt that
the Philippines can also transform its rural communities as long
as the Filipinos embrace the same spirit of self-help,
diligence, and cooperation.”
Meanwhile, Ronan Zagado, campaign leader of PhilRice’s Rural
Transformation Movement said that rural transformation can also
be achieved through proper social mobilization.
“Currently, PhilRice has conducted an intensive campaign to
enable positive and relevant change not only in farmers’ but
also in researchers’ and extension workers’ perceptions,
attitudes, practices, and life chances. Rice-based agriculture
is the driver of inclusive and sustainable growth in rural and
farming areas,” Zagado said. # # # (PhilRice Development
Communication Division)
Reference: Charisma Love B. Gado
Senior Science Research Specialist
Development Communication Division
Philippine Rice Research Institute (www.philrice.gov.ph)
Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, PHILIPPINES
(044) 4560258 loc 512 (telefax); 0928-3703328
Be a rice fan: http://www.facebook.com/rice.matters
Follow rice: http://twitter.com/rice_matters |
|
|
|
| Gov’t
launches accelerated anti-poverty initiative |
| Source:
http://www.dswd.gov.ph |
|
The government is making rounds in various regions across the
nation to launch the Accelerated and Sustainable Anti-Poverty
Program (ASAPP) initiated by the National Economic Development
Authority (NEDA) Board – Social Development Committee and the
Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster, chaired by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The program aims to significantly reduce poverty incidence in a
sustainable manner. It targets that by 2016, poverty incidence
will be down by 18-20 percent. This will be done by creating
employment opportunities, including self-employment for the
poor. It will be implemented in cities and municipalities that
have the potential to grow economically, but may be constrained
by having a population with limited skills, limited expansion
opportunities for businesses, and huge in-migration.
The government is working closely with the private sector and
local government units (LGUs) to operationalize the program
particularly on the provision of business and job opportunities
to target households.
Recently, DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Secretary to
the Cabinet Rene Almendras, and Economic Planning Secretary and
NEDA Director General Arsenio Balisacan launched the program in
Cebu. Governor Hilario Davide III welcomed the three cabinet
officials.
During the launch, Sec. Soliman presented the administration’s
commitment to address poverty in the country.
In her presentation, she said that the Philippine government’s
response to poverty is seen through the lens of human
development. This response is embodied in the Human Development
and Poverty Reduction Cluster Framework, which boils down to two
things: expanding people’s choices, and capacitating them to
access these choices to ensure inclusive growth.
“All of these are realized through employment and livelihood;
education; health; and, asset reform or the equitable
distribution of resources, housing, and food security,” Sec.
Soliman said.
She added, “These steps are meant to bring out the human in us
so that we can create a society that cares for one another,
where development is a process that protects and promotes equal
opportunities, empowerment of the people, good governance,
equity, and restorative justice in order to transform society.”
For his part, Sec. Balisacan presented the Rationale for the
ASAPP while NEDA Assistant Director General Rosemarie Edillon
discussed the ASAPP Framework.
Dubbed as ‘Salubungan’, the activity was attended by
representatives of various national government agencies, civil
society organizations, private sector and LGU officials of Sta.
Fe, Tuburan, and Dalaguete which are the target areas for
implementation in Cebu.
Other launchings
Aside from the launching in Cebu, ASAPP was also launched in
Pangasinan, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Davao del
Sur, and Sulu.
There will also be project launchings in Quezon, Iloilo, and
Zamboanga Del Sur. ### |
|
|
|
| Composite
Team from PHL Embassy in Riyadh and PHL Consulate General in
Jeddah meets with Filipinos in Najran |
| Source:
http://www.dfa.gov.ph |
|
15 May 2015 – The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the
Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah conducted an open forum
with members of the Filipino community in Najran at the King
Khalid Hospital Auditorium on May 13.
The aim of the forum was to discuss the present situation in
Najran, validate reports on the ground, hear the concerns of the
Filipino workers, and brief them on the plans being made by both
the Embassy and the Consulate General.
Around 200 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from different
hospitals, clinics and commercial establishments in Najran
attended the forum. Present were Minister and Consul General
Marshall Louis Alferez of the Philippine Embassy, and Vice
Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague, Labor Attache Jainal Rasul, Jr. and
Welfare Officer Amelito Adel of the Philippine Consulate
General.
“Filipinos in Najran are safe and in good condition. While they
rightfully have concerns over the Houthi mortar attacks in the
past week, the situation is now calm and the first day of the
ceasefire has largely been observed by both sides. Public
services are still being delivered and commercial establishments
are still open. We also noted that Filipinos are able to go
about their daily routines with minimal disruption.
Nevertheless, we have advised Filipinos to remain calm and ever
vigilant, and to always monitor the advisories of the Philippine
Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah”,
remarked Minister and Consul General Alferez.
The forum allowed the attendees to further clarify labor-related
concerns vis-à-vis the situation on the ground. The team
informed the group that the Saudi Government still requires all
regular labor and immigration rules and procedures for departing
expatriates to be followed, especially for those with irregular
status.
At the end of the forum, the Filipino workers expressed their
appreciation to composite team for going to Najran and helping
them better understand their present situation. END |
|
|
|
| Roxas
inspects razed factory in Valenzuela City, condoles with victims |
| Source:
http://www.dilg.gov.ph |
|
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas on
Thursday inspected the two-story rubber slippers factory of
Kentex Manufacturing, which was gutted by fire on May 13.
According to Roxas, officials from the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that a
total of 72 bodies have already been recovered from the site.
Kentex Manufacturing has more than 200 employees and Roxas
ordered an inquiry that aims to identify the employees present
when the fire broke out. As far as initial reports are
concerned, Roxas said that the ember from welding equipment fell
on some rubber and other inflammable materials, causing the fire
that razed the factory.
"Bakit may welding na isang flammable activity sa isang lugar na
maraming flammable chemicals," asked Roxas, referring to one of
the crucial subjects of the investigation.
He also observed that the chemicals and materials inside the
factory made it difficult for the firefighters to extinguish the
fire.
According to the BFP, the fire was called in at around 11:23
a.m., May 13, was declared under control at 4:11 p.m., and was
finally put out at 6:47 p.m. Around 200 firefighters aboard 42
fire trucks responded to extinguish the fire.
Roxas entrusted the investigation to the PNP Crime Laboratory,
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), and the BFP-Anti-Arson
Unit to investigate the incident. He has also previously ordered
that officers of BFP-Valenzuela City be relieved to ensure a
fair and credible investigation.
After the inspection, Roxas met with the families of the victims
at the Maysan Barangay Hall where he expressed his sincerest
sympathies.
"Habang nagdadalamhati ang pamilya, kailangan itawid natin sila,"
Roxas assured the families of the victims of fire.
He also announced that President Aquino has committed the
President’s Social Fund to help the victims. Employing the
"whole of government" approach, Roxas said that the Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the local government of
Valenzuela City will also provide assistance.
As of now, the families' main concern is knowing when their
relative’s bodies will be turned over to them.
According to Roxas, each family will be given their turn to
identify the bodies only after the charred remains have
undergone DNA testing and positive identification, to ensure
that the families will accurately receive the bodies of their
loved ones.
But while authorities are undertaking the tedious process, Roxas
assured the victims’ families that the government will take good
care of them. |
|
|
|
| Roxas to visit rehab efforts in
Leyte towns affected by Yolanda |
| Source:
http://www.dilg.gov.ph |
|
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas will
visit the province of Leyte on May 15 to assess the ongoing
rehabilitation efforts in several areas devastated by super
typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) that hit the
country in November 2013.
Roxas will also meet with barangay and community leaders as the
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) prepares to
release financial assistance for the rehabilitation projects at
the barangay level under the second phase of the P2-billion
Recovery Assistance on Yolanda (RAY-II) fund.
During his visit, Roxas will inspect towns and cities with
projects already completed under the first phase of RAY, which
focused on the repair and/or construction of crucial town
infrastructure such as city/municipal halls, public markets, and
civic centers, amounting to another P2 billion.
These include the municipalities of Dulag, Mayorga, and the city
of Baybay in Leyte, which is among the 17 provinces in five
regions severely affected by Yolanda.
In line with the government’s thrust to “Build Back Better,”
President Aquino tasked Roxas to lead the government’s
post-Yolanda rehabilitation efforts, particularly in the repair
of damaged local government facilities necessary to delivery
crucial goods and services. |
|
|
|
| SEC
integrated business registry system makes incorporation faster,
easier |
| Source:
http://www.dof.gov.ph |
|
Technology and inter-connectivity driving competitiveness
reforms; successful roll-out figures posted
15 May 2015 Manila, Philippines—Reforms launched last 14 April
2015 easing the conduct of doing business in the country have
been rolled out successfully in its first month of operation,
with Integrated Business Registry System (IBRS), its flagship
initiative handled by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC), outperforming expectations for the initial roll-out by
processing and approving 84.22% of corporations within 1
business day (24 hours or less), while applications not needing
secondary licenses have a success rate of 96.87% from 15-30
April 2015. Incorporation at the SEC now includes registration
with the social agencies (Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, and the SSS)
within a single step.
The aforementioned reforms brought down the steps and days to
starting a business from 16 and 34 to 6 and 8, respectively.
These were achieved through synergizing government transactions
as well as establishing the technological infrastructure to
support inter-connectivity across national, local, and social
agencies. The set of reforms announced last month expects to
contain the process for registration or incorporation at the SEC
to a single (1) day (at 100% for applications not requiring
secondary licenses) as the roll-out nears completion this month.
Of the 1160 total applications processed from 15 to 30 April
2015, 626 corporations (53.97%) were approved within 8 hours,
and another 351 corporations (30.26%) within one (1) business
day (24 hours). This brings the total number of corporations
processed within one day to 977. Meanwhile, 148 corporations
(12.76%), 17 corporations (1.47%), and 3 corporations (0.26%)
were approved within 2, 3, and 4 business days, respectively.
Process improvement trended positively with each day of the
roll-out. In the first set of data compiled by SEC from the
period 15-24 April, 646 out of 806 total applications were
approved within a single day, registering an 80.15% success
rate. The second report submitted to the DOF, covering the
period 27-30 April, 331 out of 342 applications were approved
within a single day, resulting in a 96.78% success rate.
Notably, for 22, 23, and 30 April, 289 of 289 or 100% of
applications received their certificates of incorporation within
1 day.
SEC Chairperson Teresita Herbosa said, “We are pleased to show
that the IBRS, a flagship component of our Ease of Doing
Business reforms, is delivering speedy service for our clients.
We expect the figures to reach a consistent 100% as we perfect
our systems and processes. The IBRS is an innovation in
governance; we are encouraged by the results and will work
harder to make starting a business here in the Philippines
simpler, quicker, and better.”
Mr. Nervie Ternura of The Good Shepherd Inc. was the very first
individual to receive the certificate of incorporation with the
Unified Registration Record (URR) form of the IBRS, on 17 April
2015. Approved on the day of the application, The Good Shepherd
Shelter for Children, Incorporated operates in Cagayan and
carries out the ministry of the Philippine Mission Churches of
Christ of Northern Luzon, Inc. in establishing, maintaining, and
operating charitable institutions for the care of the aged,
orphans, the homeless, abused, and other persons needing
charitable assistance.
A certain Atty. Javier Flores of the Catindig, Flores, Palarca,
and Ofrin Law Offices gave positive feedback on the
implementation of the IBRS when they applied for the
incorporation of the Camera Club of the Philippines Center, Inc.
Flores said he was “pleasantly surprised” to receive the
certificate of incorporation an hour after they paid the filing
at 1:30pm of 21 April 2015, reporting that their “paralegal was
still in the premises of the SEC when it (the certificate of
incorporation) was released.”
Flores added, “We were likewise pleasantly surprised to receive
along with the Company Registration Number, not just the Tax
Identification Number, but also the registration numbers with
Pag-IBIG, Philhealth, and the SSS. Obtaining these registration
numbers from those government agencies usually take a lot of
post-incorporation work hours.”
Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, who brought together 12
different government institutions and led the push for the game
changing reforms, lauded the results from the SEC and said, “We
continue to make good on our promise to millions of enterprising
Filipinos: that we will make the business of realizing your
dreams ever easier, leveraging technology and synergy across
government. Transforming the Philippines to a country of renewed
opportunity for our young and ambitious population underpins our
mission to simplify and improve the conduct of business in the
country.”
“Reform is never-ending work. This forms part of a continuum of
initiatives in shaping a more competitive Philippines. Expect to
see more as we continue to roll our Ease of Doing Business
reforms out.”
Purisima also noted how Shinhan Bank, a Korean bank, filed their
application for a Manila Branch Office last 6 May 2015, and and
subsequently had its certificate of registration and URR
approved, released, and claimed within one (1) business day, on
7 May 2015. Shinhan Bank is one of the foreign banks allowed
entry into the country following the reforms set by President
Benigno S. Aquino III’s signing of Republic Act (RA) 10641, or
An Act Allowing the Full Entry of Foreign Banks in the
Philippines.
“The SEC proved how it can deliver on single-day integrated
incorporation with social agencies, whether the applicant is a
charitable institution, a camera club, or a huge foreign bank.
Reform and its benefits do not discriminate; everyone wins.
I know the SEC, along with the other government institutions in
the EODB initiative, will work harder to make it easier to do
business here in the Philippines,” Purisima added.
The SEC previously had a Green Lane Unit in late 2014 where most
applications were approved within 1 business day. The IBRS
ensures the single business day incorporation to include
registration with the social agencies (Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, and
the SSS). |
|
|
|
|
Personal remittances post stronger growth in March 2015; first
quarter kevel rises to US$6.4 billion |
| Source:
http://www.bsp.gov.ph |
|
Personal remittances from overseas Filipinos (OFs) rose by a
double-digit rate (11 percent) in March 2015 to reach US$2.3
billion. This was the highest monthly growth registered in 15
months, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco,
Jr. announced today.1 As a result, growth in cumulative
remittances for the first quarter of 2015 accelerated to 5.1
percent from 2.1 percent in the first two months of the year.
This brought the cumulative remittances level to US$6.4 billion.
The continued increase in personal remittances during the
quarter was driven by robust inflows from both land-based
workers with work contracts of one year or more (5.3 percent),
as well as sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts
of less than one year (6.1 percent).
Cash remittances from OFs coursed through banks increased by
11.3 percent year-on-year to US$2.1 billion in March 2015. For
the first three months of the year, cash remittances reached
US$5.8 billion, 5.5 percent higher than the level posted in the
comparable period in 2014. Cash remittances from land-based
(US$4.4 billion) and sea-based (US$1.4 billion) workers expanded
by 5.3 and 6.1 percent, respectively. Primary sources of cash
remittances were the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United
Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong,
and Canada.2
Remittances remained strong partly on account of sustained
demand for skilled Filipino manpower overseas. Preliminary data
from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
indicated that approved job orders reached 243,045 for the first
quarter of 2015, of which 31.2 percent were processed job orders
that were intended mainly for service, production, and
professional, technical and related workers in Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Taiwan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Likewise,
the POEA reported that a total of 519,029 contracts were
processed for the first quarter of 2015.
Similarly, the initiatives of banks and non-bank remittance
service providers to expand their international and domestic
market coverage through tie-ups abroad as well as the
introduction of innovations in their remittance products
continued to provide support to the steady flow of remittances.
As of end-March 2015, commercial banks’ established tie-ups,
remittance centers, correspondent banks and
branches/representative offices abroad reached 4,840 from 4,771
in the comparable period in 2014.
--------------
1 The BSP started to release data on personal remittances in
June 2012. As defined in the Balance of Payments Manual, 6th
Edition (BPM6), personal remittances represent the sum of net
compensation of employees (i.e., gross earnings of overseas
Filipino (OF) workers with work contracts of less than one year,
including all sea-based workers, less taxes, social
contributions, and transportation and travel expenditures in
their host countries), personal transfers (i.e., all current
transfers in cash or in kind by OF workers with work contracts
of one year or more as well as other household-to-household
transfers between Filipinos who have migrated abroad and their
families in the Philippines), and capital transfers between
households (i.e., the provision of resources for capital
purposes, such as for construction of residential houses,
between resident and non-resident households without anything of
economic value being supplied in return).
2 There are some limitations on the remittance data by source. A
common practice of remittance centers in various cities abroad
is to course remittances through correspondent banks, most of
which are located in the U.S. Also remittances coursed through
money couriers cannot be disaggregated by actual country source
and are lodged under the country where the main offices are
located, which, in many cases, is in the U.S. Therefore, the
U.S. would show up to be the main sources of OF remittances
because banks attribute the origin of funds to the most
immediate source.
View Table |
|
|
|
| Bukidnon
ex-mayor charged with graft |
| Source:
http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph |
|
Former mayor Stewart Leonardo of Quezon, Bukidnon faces a graft
charge before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3(e) of
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Investigation disclosed that Leonardo, representing the
municipality of Quezon, joined an auction in 2010 at the Subic
Freeport Zone where he purchased four units of surplus dump
trucks, 10-wheeler trucks, road grader, one unit cargo truck,
one unit brand new vibratory compactor, and one unit surplus
bulldozer totaling P6,287,500.00. In the same auction, Leonardo
bought for his personal use several pieces of equipment
consisting of a 10-wheeler truck and excavator, using the bid
book and bid deposit of the municipality. It was also shown that
Leonardo appropriated for his benefit the municipality’s bid
deposit of P 100,000.00 which was supposed to be deducted from
the total price of the equipment purchased by the municipality.
The 9-page Resolution ruled that Leonardo took advantage of his
position when he had these equipment shipped and transported,
together with the equipment procured by the municipality from
Subic to his residence in Bukidnon.
Leonardo did not deny the charges and claimed that it was “an
honest mistake.”
Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 prohibits public officials from
causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government,
or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage
or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or
judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad
faith or gross inexcusable negligence.
The criminal charge against Municipal Accountant Miraflor
Divinasflores was dismissed for insufficiency of evidence. |
|
|
|
| Palawan ARBs to
receive P3.1-M common service facility |
| Source:
http://www.dar.gov.ph |
|
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is set to turn over a
Massey Ferguson tractor to Lapu Lapu multi-purpose cooperative
(MPC) to boost the agricultural productivity of
farmer-beneficiaries in the municipality of Narra, Palawan.
Regional Director Erlinda Pearl V. Armada said the P3.1-million
four-wheel drive, 90-horsepowered tractor including the farm
implements-trailing harrow, disc plow and trailer, would greatly
encourage farmers to work harder in their farms in the said
municipality.may 15 2015 2
“The Lapu Lapu MPC was picked as a recipient of the equipment
after meeting all the required specifications, in good condition
and functional based on actual hands-on-training recently
conducted by the Equity Machineries, Inc. in Palawan
Agricultural Center, Irawan, Puerto Princesa City,” Armada said.
Farm equipments, like tractors, are being provided to
farmer-beneficiaries under the government’s Agrarian Reform
Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS).
may 15 2015 3Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Conrado
S. Guevarra told the agrarian reform beneficiaries to take care
of the equipment because it will be their partner in boosting
their agricultural land.
On the other hand, Lapu Lapu MPC Chairman Rudy Concepcion
expressed gratitude to the Department for all the CSFs delivered
to their cooperative. “Our rice productivity will certainly
improve. As a cooperative, CSF rental can now be one of our
additional services to our members”, Concepcion said.
The delivery of the tractor to the Lapu Lapu MPC will make it as
the first in MIMAROPA Region to avail itself of a complete
package of ARCCESS Program – CSFs and Professional Service
Providers. |
|
|
|
| Roxas
lauds Candaba for proper use of dev't funds, turns over BuB
funds to Pampanga LGUs |
| Source:
http://www.dilg.gov.ph |
|
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas cited
the municipality of Candaba in Pampanga yesterday as one of the
most organized local government units when it comes to the
prioritization and implementation of projects for its
constituents.
Roxas said that the Candaba municipal government, through its
mayor, Rene Maglanque, knows what programs and projects its
constituents really need such as roads, bridges, day care and
health centers, and the latest addition, the P32-million
municipal hospital.
He lauded the municipality for the proper utilization of the
local development fund, which is allotted for purposes that
cater to citizens' needs and welfare.
The new municipal hospital in barangay Pasig, Candaba, which
Roxas inaugurated, features modern equipment that will
effectively address the medical needs of the patients.
Before the completion of the municipal hospital, local
constituents had to travel as far as 20-30 kilometers to seek
medical attention in other cities or municipalities.
"Ang ospital na ito ay simbolo ng pag-asa at pagbangon ng
Candaba. Ngayon, makikita na talaga natin ang sigla dahil
nandito na mismo ang ospital sa lugar ninyo. Kayo ang gumawa
nito at kayo ang boss sa tinatahak nating tuwid na daan," he
told the people of Pampanga.
The local government unit - funded hospital was built on a
sprawling 6.7-hectare land owned by the municipality along
Pansol road in Barangay Pasig. The hospital is classified as a
Level 1 hospital or an emergency hospital, which will primarily
handle emergency cases and prevalent diseases for the
constituents of the municipality and nearby towns.
During the inauguration, Roxas also turned over several checks
to its beneficiaries to fund various projects funded through the
Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) program in six local government units
(5 towns and San Fernando City) in Pampanga. These projects
include infrastructure for disaster risk reduction management,
construction of canals and a bridge, and a provision of potable
water supply.
These BuB projects in various barangays are the government’s
testament to inclusive growth and the government makes sure that
development initiatives are reaching all Filipinos, even
far-flung municipalities in the country. |
|
|
|
| Delinquent
gas retailer, beverage and software companies charged with willful
failure to pay tax |
| Source:
http://www.dof.gov.ph |
|
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) today filed separate
criminal complaints with the Department of Justice against three
(3) delinquent taxpayers from Makati City and Parañaque City –
one (1) individual and two (2) corporate (including their
responsible corporate officers) – for Willful Failure to Pay
Taxes under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
amended (Tax Code).
Charged for violating Section 255 of the Tax Code was VIVIAN B.
MAWIS (MAWIS). She is engaged in the gasoline retailing business
under the name and style ACTIVE PETRON SERVICE STATION with
registered address at No. 16 J.P. Rizal Street, Makati City.
MAWIS was sued for deficiency tax liabilities for taxable year
2007 in the aggregate amount of P35.55 million, inclusive of
increments, consisting of P25.78 million in Income Tax (IT),
P9.72 million in Value Added Tax (VAT), P14,060.77 in Expanded
Withholding Tax (EWT), P29,151.90 in Withholding Tax on
Compensation (WTC),and Compromise Penalty (CP) – P10,000.00.
Likewise charged were two (2) corporations for violating Section
255 in relation to Sections 253(d) and 256 of the Tax Code.
MANGOSTEEN BEVERAGE CORPORATION (MBC) and its responsible
corporate officers – Chairman of the Board NATHAN DANIEL BROWN,
President ANTHONY CRAIG HALE, and Treasurer MARC WENDELL WALKER
– were sued for failing to pay deficiency tax liabilities for
taxable year 2007 in the sum of P54.69 million, inclusive of
increments, broken down as follows: IT – P44.38 million; VAT –
P9.24 million; and EWT – P1.07 million. MBC is a domestic
corporation with business address at No. 4 Sabrina Compound, Km.
19, West Service Road, Sucat, Parañaque City.
On the other hand, SOFTWARE LABORATORIES, INC. (SLI) and its
responsible corporate officers – President MIGUEL F. CERVANTES
and Chief Financial Officer GIDEON DANTE T. GALANG – were
charged for failing to pay deficiency tax liabilities for
taxable year 2010 in the sum of P34.25 million, inclusive of
increments, broken down as follows: IT – P15.99 million; VAT –
P17.96 million; Improperly Accumulated Earnings Tax (IAET) –
P0.29 million; and CP – P16,000.00. SLI is a domestic
corporation primarily engaged in electronic data processing and
related services with business address at 5/F Vicente Madrigal
Bldg., 6793 Ayala Ave., Salcedo Village, Makati City.
BIR Makati City records of investigation showed that the
abovementioned respondents were served the requisite Letters of
Authority (LOA), Preliminary Assessment Notices (PAN), Formal
Letters of Demand (FLD) with Details of Discrepancies, and Final
Decision on Disputed Assessments (FDDA) but failed to protest
said assessments, hence making the same final, executory, and
demandable.
The subsequent issuance of Preliminary Collection Letters, Final
Notices Before Seizure, and Warrants of Distraint and/or Levy
were ignored by the respondents, as the said tax assessments
remained unpaid. The respondents’ obstinate failure and
continued refusal to pay their long overdue deficiency tax
assessments, despite repeated demands, constitute willful
failure to pay the taxes due to the government.
The cases against VIVIAN B. MAWIS, MANGOSTEEN BEVERAGE
CORPORATION & its Chairman of the Board NATHAN DANIEL BROWN,
President ANTHONY CRAIG HALE, and Treasurer MARC WENDELL WALKER,
and SOFTWARE LABORATORIES, INC. & its President MIGUEL F.
CERVANTES and Chief Financial Officer GIDEON DANTE T. GALANG –
are the 353rd, 354th, and 355th, respectively, filed under the
RATE program of the BIR under the leadership of Commissioner Kim
S. Jacinto-Henares. These are likewise RATE cases of Revenue
Region No. 8, Makati City. |
|
|
|
| Casualties of
Valenzuela factory fire to get EC benefits—Baldoz |
| Source:
http://www.dole.gov.ph |
|
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
yesterday said that employees who died, or were injured, in the
fire incident that destroyed the Kentex Manufacturing
Corporation facility in Valenzuela City the other day are
entitled to benefits under the Employees Compensation Program of
the Employees Compensation Commission, an attached agency of the
DOLE.
“They should file claims for corresponding benefits and we will
assist them in facilitating their claims,” Baldoz said.
Under Presidential Decree No. 626, or the State Insurance Fund,
a sickness and a resulting disability, or death, to be
compensable, must be the result of accident arising out of and
in the course of the employment. In short, it should be
work-related.
Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis of the Employees
Compensation Commission, in a report to the Secretary, said the
injured victims of the fire accident may claim (1) loss of
income benefits and (2) medical reimbursements.
“On the other hand, the families of those who died may claim
funeral and death benefits,” she reported.
Under the Employees Compensation Program, a worker who was
unable to work because of a work-related injury is entitled to
receive cash benefit to compensate for loss of income.
For medical benefits, workers will be reimbursed for the cost of
medicine for the illness or injury; payments to providers of
medical care; hospital care; surgical expenses; and the costs of
appliances and supplies that they availed from accredited
hospitals.
For those who suffered permanent partial, or total, disability
arising out of the fire accident, the ECC will provide carer’s
allowance, the extent of which is such that he could not attend
to his basic personal needs on his own.
“Once the EC claim has been approved, the claimant is qualified
to enrol under the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may
Kapansanan (KaGabay),” Banawis added.
The KaGabay offers free physical restoration services, which
refers to the provision of physical or occupational therapy
services, including assistive devices, such as prosthesis,
hearing aid, braces, and wheelchair, to name a few.
It also offers skills training for re-employment so that the
worker can acquire new competencies or skills, but subject to
his potential and residual functional capacity. KaGabay also
offers entrepreneurship training to enable the worker to set up
home-based business.
“The families of those who died as a result of the said fire
incident are entitled to receive funeral benefits worth P20,000
and death benefits, in the form of monthly pension. This is
granted to the surviving spouse and a maximum of five dependent
children of the said worker,” Banawis said.
Banawis also added that once all missing employees are accounted
for, the ECC Quick Response Team (QRT) will be dispatched to
provide psycho-social counseling to their families. QRT members
assist and guide worker-victims and their families in the
processing of their EC claim,” Banawis said. |
|
|
|
| DTI taps
multi-stakeholders in business and E-commerce outlook seminar |
| Source:
http://www.dti.gov.ph |
|
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) E-Commerce Office
convened stakeholders from different sectors last 11 May 2015 at
the Board of Investments (BOI) building to develop a 10-year
E-commerce Roadmap.
Supervising Undersecretary for E-Commerce Office Dr. Prudencio
M. Reyes Jr. launched an open forum, which brought together
government and private enterprises to provide inputs on the
draft E-Commerce Roadmap.
“Simply put, E-Commerce or online business is the current trend.
I am confident that this will have a positive impact on Small
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This roadmap will also be useful
in coming up with new strategies that will propel us to
maximize—and take advantage of—the growth of Philippine
e-commerce,” Reyes said in his opening remarks.
Dr. Nick Fontanilla of I-Metrics Asia-Pacific Corporation
discussed the Purchase Managers Index (PMI) and its advantages
in the business decision-making process. The tool is a monthly
economic indicator, which measures purchase managers’ activities
in three fronts, namely: manufacturing, retail/wholesale and
services sectors.
“PMI has a high correlation with GDP, making it a reliable
indicator of development, and is trusted globally. It affects
the decisions of companies, and a very useful tool for immediate
trend spotting. It is present in 32 countries including the
Philippines,” Fontanilla declared.
PMI is one tool used as a growth indicator by
DigitalFilipino.com owner Janette Toral in coming up with the
Philippine E-Commerce Intensity Index. Both show the business
cycle per month, current trends, ups and downs in purchases as
well as online revenues.
The Philippine E-Commerce index is supported by I-Metrics
Asia-Pacific Corporation, Philippine Institute of Supply
Management (PISM), and Foundation of the Society of Fellows in
Supply Management. It is a monthly tracking and measurement
study that determines the extent of e-commerce activities on
manufacturing, retail/wholesale and services.
“More and more activities have gone online, from online job
communities, people working from home, online purchases and the
list goes on. This is a tool that we can use to address the
needs especially in the revenue area. E-Commerce is an important
benchmark for corporations and executives," Toral said.
“If we start creating measures for the Philippines, there is a
much bigger impact. We need to touch more sectors," she added.
According toToral, it is also important to invest in the
education sector. BS E-Commerce in colleges and Diploma in
E-Commerce at TESDA level could help build a pathway in the
E-Commerce economic development.
“Competition is bigger. Challenge is bigger. Let us validate
these opportunities to come up with our very own E-Commerce
roadmap," Reyes concluded.
There will be a follow through activity for the Business sector
on 18 May 2015. Participants are expected to provide inputs on
the first draft of the E-Commerce roadmap. |
|
|
|
| DPWH-NCR May
15-18 road repair schedule Top |
| Source:
http://www.dpwh.gov.ph |
|
The Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital
Region (DPWH-NCR) will undertake reblocking and road repair
effective 10 PM of May 15, Friday to 5 AM of May 18, Monday on
the following roads in the cities of Quezon, Pasig and Caloocan:
Quezon City
1.Along Along E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue/C-5 from Calle Industria
St. to Greenmeadows Ave. (1st lane from sidewalk, South bound);
2.Along Mindanao Avenue from Road 3 to Congressional Ave. (4th
inner lane, North bound);
3.Along Payatas Road from Majaas St. to Amlacville St. (2nd
lane, North bound); and
4.Along Batasan Road from Filinvest I to Sinagtala St. (2nd
inner lane, East bound).
Pasig City
1.Along C-5 Road Pasig Blvd from Dr. M. Flores St. to Immaculate
Hospital ( North bound); and
2.Along C-5 Road from SM Warehouse to Lanuza St. (3rd outermost
lane, North bound).
Caloocan City
1.Along EDSA from BDO to M. Ponce St. (2nd lane from sidewalk,
North bound). |
|
|
|
| DOF, BIR, DBM, DOTC, DOT Post 3,320
vacancies online |
| Source:
http://www.dotc.gov.ph |
|
The Department of Finance (DOF), Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of
Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and Department of
Tourism (DOT) have posted 3,320 vacancies online, in an effort
to radically open up and widen the reach of government
recruitment and to invite more young Filipinos to join the civil
service.
As of today, 3,320 vacancies have been posted at Kalibrr.com, a
jobs matching site, in partnership with the Bagumbayani
Initiative, a program by Young Public Servants (YPS) that aims
to promote positive change and integrity in the government by
sustainably recruiting young people into the civil service.
Bagumbayani Initiative started with a group of friends who come
from different government agencies, and who decided to meet
every Wednesday to talk about their experiences and stories in
the civil service.
Of the 3,320 vacancies, 3,211 entry-level positions are from the
BIR, 41 positions from the DOF, 31 positions from the DBM, 33
positions from the DOTC, and 4 positions from the DOT. Since the
vacancies were published in an initial soft launch in April, the
DOF has received 244 applications, BIR – 154 applications, DBM –
152 applications, DOTC – 18 applications, and DOT – 59
applications.
Applicants can now view the government agencies’ Kalibrr
accounts through the Bagumbayani Initiative’s Facebook page, and
through the following links:
1. DOF - https://www.kalibrr.com/c/department-of-finance/jobs;
recruitment.dof.gov.ph
2. BIR -
https://www.kalibrr.com/c/bureau-of-internal-revenue/jobs
3. DBM -
https://www.kalibrr.com/c/department-of-budget-and-management/jobs
4. DOTC - https://www.kalibrr.com/c/dotc-npmo/jobs;
https://www.kalibrr.com/c/department-of-transportation-and-communications_ppp_implementation/jobs
5. DOT - https://www.kalibrr.com/c/department-of-tourism/jobs
“To ensure the sustainability of President Aquino’s good
governance initiatives, we need a constant flow of young,
talented Filipinos entering government with a critical eye and a
hopeful heart. I had the privilege of meeting the late Lee Kuan
Yew of Singapore a few years ago, and I agree with him when he
says that the only way to change government is from within. To
young Filipinos: your country needs you. We hope that you
respond to this call to service,” Finance Secretary Cesar V.
Purisima said.
“We need a critical mass of young, honest Filipinos who love the
country to join the BIR. The 3,211 vacancies we have posted are
around a fifth of the Bureau’s workforce: this is our chance to
transform the Bureau into a vibrant organization that can
respond to the changing times and demands of the modern
taxpayer,” Commissioner of Internal Revenue Kim S.
Jacinto-Henares said.
“The presence of young people in government has opened new
spaces for innovation in our agencies. The natural skill and
creativity of so many young Filipinos has already contributed
much to nation-building, and we now call on our youth to join us
in our pursuit of crucial budget reforms. We can all play a more
active role in public leadership and service, and there’s no
better place to kick-start positive change than in government
itself,” Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio “Butch”
Abad said.
“There is much to be hopeful for in public transportation. As
one transport expert said, the true test of a developed country
is not when the poor get to ride cars, but it is when the rich
take public transportation. We encourage the youth to come
aboard ‘daang matuwid’ and help us prove that even
transportation can be more fun in the Philippines,” said
Secretary of Transportation and Communications Joseph Emilio T.
Abaya.
“Over the past few years, we have proven that the Philippines is
a country we can truly be proud of. Tourism has now become a
national industry, generating billions in terms of revenue and
creating millions of jobs for our people. And although we have
achieved where we are now, this is only the beginning. The
biggest responsibility of the youth is to ensure the future. We
invite our young people to join the public service and help
continue the story of our country’s success,” Secretary of
Tourism Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said.
“Kalibrr is excited at the opportunity to partner with
government to help them fill their vacancies with the best
talent the Philippines has to offer. With Kalibrr’s technology
and social media reach, we’re confident we will help the
government achieve its national recruitment goals,” says Kalibrr
Chief Executive Officer Paul Rivera. Kalibrr is the sole
Philippine-based startup that aims to solve recruitment in the
Philippines. The company is backed by Y Combinator – the Silicon
Valley giant behind tech giants AirBnB, 9Gag, Reddit and Scribd.
Other strong patrons of the firm include EBay’s Pierre Omidyar,
and Globe Telecom’s Kickstart Ventures. With only six months of
full operations, Kalibrr has already provided over 1,500 jobs to
seekers and has gained the trust of almost 4,000 companies.
“Young Public Servants is proud to take part in the Bagumbayani
Initiative, and we support its mission of bringing the best and
the brightest young Filipinos to directly take part in nation
building through the civil service. Good governance lives
because of the hope and energy of our youth,” Natalie Cristine
Jorge, Lead Convenor of Young Public Servants said. |
|
|
|
| NEDA hosts
APEC seminar on the ‘Middle Income Trap’ |
| Source:
http://www.neda.gov.ph |
|
BORACAY, AKLAN— The National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Seminar on the “middle income trap” tomorrow, May 15, at
the sidelines of its second Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM2).
“The seminar will discuss the constraints of middle income
economies in sustaining economic growth to become high income
economies. We will review the implications of these constraints
and the role of innovation for structural reform and inclusive
growth,” said NEDA Deputy Director-General Emmanuel F. Esguerra,
who also serves as the leader of the Philippine delegation to
the APEC SOM2.
The “middle income trap” is a term used to describe the
situation of an economy that has escaped poverty but still
unable to graduate into high income status due to uncompetitive
industries and underdeveloped human capital, among others.
According to the Asian Development Bank, middle-income economies
are classified into two brackets – lower middle-income, which
has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of at least
US$2,000 but less than US$7,250, and higher middle-income, which
has a GDP per capita of at least US$7,250 but less than
US$11,750.
Nine APEC economies, including the Philippines, are currently
classified by the World Bank as middle-income and have remained
as such since 1987, when formal income-based classifications
began. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, per
capita GDP of the Philippines in 2014 is estimated at
PhP71,867.00 in constant prices.
“The concept of a middle income trap remains the subject of an
ongoing debate,” Esguerra said. “But we would like to take a
closer look and assess whether there are pressing issues and
real challenges that middle income countries like ours need to
address,” he added.
“Through the event, we are bringing together experts to reflect
on current research and work on the middle income trap so as to
inform future APEC work in the area. In particular, we would
like to have clearer and more specific areas for cooperation
that APEC leaders can discuss in the upcoming APEC Structural
Reform Ministerial Meeting in Cebu in September,” Esguerra said.
Aside from the seminar, NEDA will also host the APEC Economic
Committee Preparatory Meeting for the Structural Reform
Ministerial Meeting and the Structural Reform Roundtable
Discussion on May 16 and 17, 2015, respectively. |
|
|
|
| Doctors reminded
to report physical injury cases |
| Source:
http://www.pnp.gov.ph |
|
The Philippine National Police will make representations with
the Department of Health (DOH) to constantly remind public and
private hospitals and its medical staff of the administrative
responsibility to report to local health authorities all medical
cases involving patients admitted or treated for physical
injuries.
Lawyer Senior Superintendent Bartolome C Tobias, PNP
Spokesperson, said the move seeks to remind administrators of
medical facilities and medical practitioners regarding the
specific provisions of Executive Order No. 212 which require
them to make a report regarding a medical case involving
physical injuries especially those inflicted with the use of
firearms.
Tobias cited Section 1 of EO 212, to wit: “The attending
physician of any hospital, medical clinic, sanitarium or other
medical establishments, or any other medical practitioner, who
has treated any person for serious or less serious physical
injuries as these injuries are defined in Articles 262, 263, 264
and 265 of the Revised Penal Code shall report the fact of such
treatment promptly to the nearest government health authority:
Provided, that no fee shall be charged for the transmission of
such report through government communication facilities:
Provided, further, That records of the reports kept by said
health authorities shall, upon written request, be made
available to law enforcement agencies.”
Tobias cited in particular the alleged failure of attending
physicians of Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa
City to submit a report to local health authorities about the
hospital admission for treatment of gunshot wound of Cavite
Vice-Governor Ramon “Jolo” Revilla last February 28, 2015.
The Muntinlupa Police Station has filed administrative cases
before the Professional Regulations Commission against the three
doctors.
PRC Legal and Investigation Division Chief, Atty. Eugene Riego
announced on Wednesday the issuance of official summons to Edgar
Mendiola, Gracita Ybiernas and Eden Lasala, who were allegedly
involved in the medical treatment of Vice Gov. Revilla at the
AHMC.
Riego said, the three have been verified to be licensed doctors
and official summons were issued on Wednesday via registered
mail.
The PRC legal chief said the three doctors are given 15 days
upon receipt of the mail to respond to the summons, afterwhich,
the PRC legal division will hold a pre-trial conference and the
Board of Medicine will convene to discuss the case. (PNP-PIO) |
|
|
|
| OWWA, LBP
approved P865.12M reintegration fund for 1,257 OFW-entrepreneurs as
of end of 2014 |
| Source:
http://www.owwa.gov.ph |
|
Since its launch in June 2011 up to December 2014, the business
projects of 1,257 members of the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA) were approved under the 2-Billion OFW
Reintegration Program, a joint undertaking of the Land Bank of
the Philippines and of OWWA. The total amount of loan extended
to the proponents reached P865,118,529.80.
The approved business projects are a mix of agricultural and
non-agricultural enterprises. Non-agricultural business projects
are slightly higher than agricultural projects comprising 59% of
all the project grantees during the period. Among these are
groceries, apartment construction and rental, general
merchandise stores, UV Express, hardware, water-refilling
stations, internet café, restaurant, auto and motor parts,
ready-to-wear, pharmacy and gas station.
Agricultural projects are mostly linked to the food chain. These
are grains, fruits and vegetables farming, grains trading,
livestock- and poultry-raising, fishery, post-harvest activities
like milling, and bakery.
Most of the approved business projects of OFW availees came from
Region 3 followed by Regions 4-A, 6, 12, 5, NCR and 2, 11, 7, 1,
CAR, 4-B, 10, 9, ARMM, 8 and CARAGA.
These enterprises generated 5,634 jobs. |
|
|
|
| SSS hosts
DevComNet |
| Source:
http://www.sss.gov.ph |
|
The Social Security System (SSS) hosted the Development
Communication Coordinating Network (DevComNet) last April 29,
2015 at the Ramon Magsaysay Hall, SSS Main Office Diliman,
Quezon City.
The event, which was attended by government Public Relations
Officers, aims to enhance their communication and crisis
management skills as well as to further strengthen the network
of various government agencies to provide better services to
Filipinos.
Photo shows Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Sonny Coloma (standing, left) answering questions from
the participants during the open forum with Media Affairs
Department Assistant Vice President Ma. Luisa Sebastian
(standing, right) facilitating the forum. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|  |
|
|
|
|
|   |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
President Benigno S. Aquino III’s Speech at the
conferment of a doctorate in humanities from the Tarlac State University
|
Reception Hall, Malacañan Palace
|
14 May
2015
|
|
Normally ho, Tagalog ang talumpati natin. Inisip ko sana Kapampangan, kaya
desisyonan po ng ating mga writer gawing English. Democracy ho to, kaya kung
minsan sila na susunod.
I am indeed grateful to Tarlac State University for conferring on me this
honorary degree in humanities, which is an incredibly meaningful gesture.
After all, I am a son of Tarlac, and it warms my heart knowing that none
other than my fellow Tarlaqueños recognize what the entire nation has
achieved these past four years and eleven months.
Let me begin by sharing a situation I encountered early on in my term that I
believe shows the importance of education. I am not sure how many of you are
aware of this, but until our administration came along, none of the
universities in our country offered a bachelor’s degree in Meteorology.
Naturally, I found this quite strange—especially for the Philippines, which
is beset by so much weather phenomena on a yearly basis. Fortunately, the
situation has since changed. We now have four state universities that offer
a bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, and I am told that the first batch of 16
students is graduating this year, 15 of whom are joining PAGASA. Rest
assured we will do everything we can to ensure the sustainablity of these
programs in the long term so we can truly say that our hope is justified in
PAGASA.
I can never forget what my father told me: education, once possessed, is
yours for life. Knowledge will always enable us to build better lives for
ourselves and our families; more importantly, it allows us to render service
to our fellowmen.
I was fortunate to have parents who knew the value of education, and to have
attended an institution that did not simply give us the facts to decide, but
insisted on cultivating in us the ability to think for ourselves, combined
with a healthy curiosity about the world. Perhaps for this reason, I have
made a habit of asking questions, most of which begin with the word “why.”
For instance, why are so many Filipinos leaving the country? Why do they
have to leave a country so blessed with natural resources, with such a
talented, hardworking, and capable people? On an even broader scale: Why do
we have to accept things as they are, when we have the ability to change
them? It is my belief that the day one stops asking why is the day one stops
growing, and begins stagnating.
This litany of questions is what has driven the progress that the
Philippines has made these past few years. They characterized our refusal to
be defeated by the broken status quo we found when we came into office, and
they characterize our continuing refusal to become satisfied with all the
achievements we have made.
For instance, one question that has been asked by many, not only in
government: Why can’t the Filipino people break free from the shackles of
poverty? In the past, most subscribed to the idea of the trickle-down
effect: to focus on growing the economy and simply hope that the benefits
eventually make their way to the citizenry. My administration has abandoned
this way of thinking. Our answer to this question lies in the idea of
empowerment. We have relentlessly pursued every manner in which we can
capacitate our people, so that they can take part and contribute to growth.
One example of this can be seen in the Conditional Cash Transfer Program.
When we took office, the CCT covered around 800,000 beneficiary households
and was largely considered to be a dole-out program. Today, it covers more
than 4.4 million households. Under our watch, the deal is simple: We provide
monthly cash grants to less fortunate households, with one of the primary
conditions being that children attend school regularly. The CCT has recently
been expanded to cover beneficiaries with high-school aged children, and the
rationale for this is based on a study that discovered that high school
graduates earn around 46 percent more than those who finished some years in
grade school.
This agenda of empowerment also includes government’s own efforts to improve
the quality of education that Filipinos have access to. The Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has forged partnerships
with the private sector to improve the way we train scholars for future
employment. A partnership with the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries
in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) yielded an 91.26 percent employment rate,
just to give you one example. Take a look, also, at our admonition to state
universities and colleges (SUCs) to be more relevant to their communities.
This is part of our effort to avoid, if not completely eliminate, the
phenomenon of students enrolling in courses that may have been popular when
they entered, but are no longer relevant by the time they graduate. We are
instead guiding them towards courses that will redound to real job
opportunities, which is all the more significant, as more investors enter
the country.
Even better news is the fact that we are not alone in asking, “Why?” One
person I am reminded of is Dr. Justino Arboleda, from Bicol State
University. He noticed something amiss with the status quo, and he
questioned it. His question was: “Why is this institution fostering so many
studies devoted to rice and corn, when the primary product and
income-generating activity of Bicol is coconut?” That question started it
all. He embarked on research in coconuts, and discovered even more uses for
it—for instance, the use of coco coir, which is extracted from coconut husk,
in preventing erosion. This is now being used by our own Department of
Public Works and Highways for slope protection and soil erosion control. May
I add that it is also turning out to be a major export item.
Dr. Arboleda’s question continues to yield benefits for the country. His
Coco Technologies Corporation is now working with Bicol University to
establish a model processing plant that will undertake the research,
training, and further development of non-oil coconut products and byproducts:
copra, coconets, cocopeat, coco charcoal, and cocowater, just to name a few.
The good news is that this will benefit the local community and the farmers
who will supply the facility with coconuts. On top of this, the projection
is that, within just four years and nine months, the income from the sale of
products will be enough to cover the original investment of 38.8 million
pesos—and perhaps even contribute to the replication of this facility for
other parts of the country. The ultimate goal being that the farmers will in
turn own these factories and have the means to increase their incomes
several fold.
The power of asking why can also be witnessed in the rise of what has become
one of our nation’s booming sectors: the IT-BPM sector. Back when he was the
Secretary of Trade and Industry, Mar Roxas wondered why our nation, with its
talented and English-speaking work force, couldn’t compete in the IT-BPM
industry. For this reason, he worked with industry leaders and launched a
program called Make IT Philippines, inviting companies from all around the
world to invest in the Philippines and in the Filipino people. The fruits of
his efforts are clear as day. From an industry with just a few thousand
workers in the year 2000, the IT-BPM sector is now directly responsible for
over a million jobs. This does not include the three to five more indirect
jobs created for each direct employee. On top of this, the DTI projects that
by 2016, the industry will be employing more than 1.3 million
employees–direct employees–and making revenues of around $25 billion.
Of course, I must emphasize that the effects of this industry’s success
expands far beyond the National Capital Region. As long as schools can
supply the necessary talent, companies will have no qualms about setting up
shop in the countryside. This will help so many other industries. It will
necessitate more housing, which helps our construction sector; it means more
people will be taking public transport, and buying merchandise from various
merchandisers in their localities. Ultimately, it accelerates development in
our rural areas, which increases the capacity of families to send their
children to colleges, subsequently deepening the talent pool that can
attract even more businesses to set up shop. This leads to a virtuous cycle
where growth leads to more growth, where the benefits of progress do not
simply trickle down, but are immediately felt by all.
The results of all our efforts are becoming increasingly clear. Unemployment
has gone down to just six percent—the lowest it has been in a decade.
Furthermore, the Social Weather Stations Survey has reported that the
proportion of families experiencing involuntary hunger has gone down to 13.5
percent in March 2015. Again, this is the lowest recorded rate in ten years,
and it is equivalent to 800,000 families no longer experiencing hunger. All
of this, we achieved, because we dared to ask why.
At this point, I cannot help but recall an exchange I had with my father
when we were in exile in Boston. And I asked: “Why are we the ones in exile
if we are in the right? Why is it so difficult to fight for what is right?”
His answer was: “How can those who cannot even eat think of concepts such as
freedom and dignity?” He said: “The first freedom that has to be won is the
freedom from hunger. Otherwise, all other freedoms are meaningless.”
This was one of the earliest instances where I saw the value of asking
“why.” My father’s answer, and that also of my mother’s guidance, has guided
all the decisions I have made as a public servant, and the results are
clear. I am hopeful that, having seen our resurgence these past four years
and eleven months, our countrymen will protect the progress we have made;
that before I step down from office, they will have cast their votes for a
successor who will build upon our achievements.
Nevertheless, until the very last day of my term, I will continue working
with my countrymen—who are my strength—towards building a greater Philippine
nation; I will continue to ask why; I will continue to show that, indeed,
the Filipino is worth fighting for.
Thank you, good day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| President Benigno S. Aquino III's Interview with Mr. Edgardo Jun
Desca of Bombo Radyo |
| President's Hall, Malacañan Palace |
| 13 May 2015 |
|
JUN: Maraming salamat mga kaibigan. Mula dito sa Palasyo ng Malacañang, ang
inyong Anchorman si Bombo Jun Desca. Mga kaibigan ngayong araw na ito ay
espesyal para sa ating palatuntunan. Sapagkat makakasama po natin ang
pinakamataas na opisyal ng ating bansa, no less than the President, His
Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino. Ginoong Pangulo, sir. Magandang araw po sa
inyo.
PRES. AQUINO: Magandang araw rin.
JUN: Sir, unang-una
iyong katanungan po natin ay may kinalaman sa sikmura at kabuhayan ng ating
mga kababayan. I understand Ginoong Pangulo, kayo po ay nasa limang taon na
sa inyong panunungkulan. Meron na kayong mga achievements, may mga tagumpay
na kayo. Maari ba ninyong ilahad sa taumbayan ito, Mr. President?
PRES. AQUINO: Ilalabas natin sa SONA iyan, pero subukan kong magbigay ng
sample. Number one, iyong tinatayang average GDP growth, Gross Domestic
Product - iyong growth rate niya - inilagay sa 6.3% ‘no. At lumalabas na for
the past 40 years ito ang pinakamataas na rate of growth. Ngayon kung makuha
natin iyong 7 to 8% growth this year, tatalunin natin iyong for the past 60
years - 60 years na growth na naitala ng bansa. So, ito iyong pinakamabilis
na pag-unlad.
Ano ang ibig sabihin noon? Sa mga kababayan natin,
iyong net new jobs na na-create doon sa last Labor Force Survey ay
tinatayang nasa 1.04 million na bagong trabaho. Ano ba ang tinatanim natin
sa kinabukasan? Meron tayong Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, hindi ba.
At ang pangunahing kondisyon noon manatili ang anak mo sa eskuwelahan.
Nag-umpisa tayo walong daan libong (800,000) kabahayan ang tinutulungan,
ngayon nasa 4.4 million nang pamilya ang tinutulungan. Ngayon ang ikinaganda
pa noon, last year inumpisahan natin iyong high school; na kung saan
tinaasan iyong edad - dati grade school lang eh - hanggang high school
tinutulungan ngayon. Napa-graduate natin iyong first batch over 300,000.
Tapos ang dami dito mga nag-graduate ng may honors - salutatorian,
valedictorian. Iyong dalawang nagsalita para sa kanilang lahat, humarap ako
sa kanila, humigit-kumulang mga kinse mil (15,000) dito sa 300,000 na ito.
Iyong dalawang nagsalita sa kanila, sabi nung isa - hindi ko maalala ngayon
kung iyong babae o iyong lalaki pero ang tatay niya driver ho ng jeep, tatlo
na ang napa-kolehiyo. Pero itong dalawa nga natanggap sa UP, sa School of
Engineering…Pero ang iniisip lang natin, kung hindi sila natulungan na
magpatuloy ng pag-aaral nila, ano kaya ang napala nila. Pero ngayon, after
siguro another five years, dahil four-year course iyong engineering, tapos
may board exam, meron kang panibagong mga…pagkatanda ko Civil Engineer ang
pinasukan nitong dalawa eh, at baka bago noon puro casual na trabaho lang.
Siguro gusto ko lang idiin—ang dami nating ginagawa para palakihin ang
ekonomiya. Noong araw, sinasabi ng ating pinalitan na ang daming sinasabing
successive quarters na lumalaki ang ekonomiya. Sa totoo, totoo iyon. Pero,
saan nagmumula iyong growth? Iyong growth karamihan doon nanggaling sa
consumption, iyong pagbibili ng kung anuman, ng serbisyo at ng ibang mga
goods and services na sinasabi. Saan nagmumula iyon, remittances karamihan
nung ating mga kababayan na walang mahanap na trabaho dito, nagpadala sa
kanilang mga pamilya, iyon ang pinaggugol na pambili ng kung anuman na
pangangailangan. Ngayon ano ang problema doon? Eh minsan sa ibang bansa,
isang araw sabihin nung mga ibang bansang iyon, ‘ayaw na namin ng Pilipino.’
Tapos na ang ekonomiya natin.
Iyong growth na nararanasan natin
ngayon nagmumula sa infrastructure spending natin, nandoon na rin iyong
manufacturing na bumabalik, iyong growth sa agriculture. Siguro parang pang
last na parti na lang ito. Nung nandoon nga kami sa Vancouver, sa Canada,
nakausap namin itong isang malaking firm, maraming interes ito. Ang ginagawa
ngayon sa Pilipinas ngayon waste to energy. Ang ginagamit na raw nila iyong
pulbo na nanggagaling sa paggawa ng coco coir. Unang proyekto nila iyon.
Gusto nilang pumasok rin sa mga tourism related. Nabanggit nga niya sa akin,
pati iyong Manila Hotel gusto raw nilang bilhin. Sabi ko medyo naging
masalimuot po iyong pagbebenta ng Manila Hotel nung araw na iyon eh. Pero
iyong pinakanagulat ako sa lahat nung sinabi niya, “sa agrikultura - iyong
mais normal.” Pero mabigat, sabi nila gusto raw nila magtanim, iyong mga
prutas na hindi pangkaraniwan sa tropical country, blueberry at saka
cranberry. So, medyo nag-pause ako, sa totoo lang ng mga dalawang minuto.
Sabi ko, “did I hear you right, you’re gonna plant cranberries and
blueberries in the Philippines?” Kasi in the Philippines the only time we
see blueberries are on top of cheesecakes, iyong frozen. Tapos sabi niya,
“yes.” Lalo na iyong cranberries, parang ano yata iyong antioxidant, na
sinasabi ang lakas ng market raw talaga niyan. So tinanong ko, “if you can
grow strawberries, can you grow this?” Sabi niya, “yes.” Eh alam ko sa
Pilipinas may tatlong lugar lang tayong gumagawa ng strawberry. So, ang
sinasabi niya nakapasok na siya at it’s in the matter of mga 20 million
dollars sa waste to energy. Ang next expansion nila in the next five years
is another billion dollars. Just from one firm.
Tapos iyon na nga,
iyong dating produktong waste, gagawin mong kuryente, mag-i-improve doon sa
resource, pati yung agriculture. Ni minsan hindi ako nakapag-isip ng gagawa
tayo ng blueberries. Pero sila siguradong-sigurado. So at the end of the
day, iyong parang nakikita naman natin sa attitude ng ating mga kababayan
eh. Pati iyong mga bibili ng installment, may kumpiyansa sila may trabaho
matatapos nila iyong installment. Kapag ganoon namang may kumpiyansa,
talagang iyong mga gumagawa nitong mga appliances na kinukuha doon sa
installment gaganahan na gumawa ng imbentaryo, dagdag iyong trabaho nung
manggagawa nila. So, meron tayong virtual cycle.
Ngayon—idagdag ko
lang ‘no, iyong spending nga natin dito, hindi politics ang nagdedesisyon eh
- saan ba ako popogi pag pinagawa iyong karsada, iyong tulay, ganiyan, saan
ba may pangangailangan? So, lahat itong mga infrastructure na ginagastusan
natin, kunwari mga airports, nag-umpisa tayo 3 million na tourist, over 5
million na yata last year kung hindi ako nagkakamali. Target natin next year
10 million na foreign.
So paano naman pupunta iyong turista sa atin
kung hirap na hirap dumaan sa mga airport natin. So, hindi bababa ng walong
airport natin ang pina-ayos, ina-upgrade. At meron tayong dalawang bago - sa
Daraga at saka Panglao. Panglao iyong sa Bohol. Tinatayong susunod na
Boracay. Actually puwede tayong mag-usap ng taltong araw para sabihin ko sa
iyon. Kaya lang baka maubos iyong oras nakakahiya naman iyo.
JUN:
Sir, may last year pa kayo eh, next year before 2016 iyong termino. Ano
iyong pinakatutukan po natin sa huling taon ng inyong termino?
PRES.
AQUINO: Problema nitong trabahong ito kailangan tutukan lahat, hindi ba. May
isang araw—parang isang minuto agriculture, susunod iyong turista, iyong
pangatlo peace and order, pang-apat ekonomiya. Kung minsan sabay-sabay sila.
So, hindi puwedeng nag-aasikaso ako ng isa at pababayaan lahat nung iba.
So, for instance, kanina lang ‘no. Nag-uusap tayo noong sa—kanina, itong
araw na ito kasi iyung Dividends Day. Iyong mga dividends ng mga
Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporation. Sabi ko pinataas natin iyong
Philhealth. Noong bago tayo umupo kasi, iyong Philhealth, hindi ba ang
trabaho niyan health insurance, tulungan iyong kalusugan ng ating mga
kababayan. Pero bago tayo umupo, iyong by law kailangan nang two years
operating expenses na reserve. Pero lampas-lampas doon iyong kanilang cash
worth. So, imbes na naging serbisyo sa tao, parang naging financial
institution sila. So inutos natin na, ‘teka muna, ang papel niyan ay
pangalahagan iyong kalusugan nang taumbayan, hindi palakihin iyong kaban ng
bayan. So, kailangang asikasuhin iyong services.’
Kanina naman,
bagong nung version ng tanong, pinalawak na natin 63 naging 87% na yata
ngayon ang covered ng Philhealth. Pinalakihan pa iyong dami ng tao at saka
iyong dami ng saklaw ng mga karamdaman, pati na iyong catastrophic illnesses
na tinatawag na C. Anyway, marami tayong ginagastos dito. Ano iyan eh,
parang pension system, kailangan iyong supisyenteng pumapasok para sa doon
sa gugugulin. Sagot sa akin, dahil nilaki pa iyong coverage, lumaki iyong
base nila, lumaki pa iyong pondo nila at lumaki iyong serbisyo at the same
time. So, nandiyan iyong kundisyones para magpatuloy siya ng pagpapalawak ng
pagpapalawak nung kanilang mga serbisyo na kapaki-pakinabang sa ating mga
kababayan.
JUN: Sir, pag-usapan natin iyong Bangsamoro Basic Law. Sa
Lower House ngayon na-extend ata iyong botohan ng committee level. Kasi sabi
nila pagbigyan daw iyong mga Kongresista na pag-aralan pa. Eh iyong sinasabi
ng liderato ng Kamara, maaring magkaroon ng amendments. Sinasabi nga walong
probisyon iyong tatanggalin. Sa Senado naman ay may mga senador naman diyan
na ang sabi nila hindi natin maipapasa ito, as is. Ibig sabihin magkakaroon
ng amendments. Pinagbabatayan iyong Citizens Peace Council aminado mismo na
may mga probisyon na dapat i-tono sa Saligang Batas.
PRES. AQUINO:
Hindi. Sandali, mahirap iyong i-tono sa Saligang Batas dahil parang lumabag
doon sa Saligang batas. Ang pagkaintindi ko sa iprinisinta sa atin nung
ating consultative council, lalong pinapaganda iyong lenguwahe para
maliwanag na malinawag, iyon ang tinutungo. Hindi nagbabago iyong gustong
pairalin - pero paano mong sinabi - pinapaganda, para mas maliwanag na
maliwanag. Iyong sa kung nade-delay naman, hindi actually na-delay. Dahil
kung tutuusin—ako hindi ako sang-ayon doon sa sinabi Congressman Rufus
Rodriguez, na masipag nating Chairman dito ‘no. Sabi niya June 15, kako teka
muna, bakit naman June. Eh nasa Mayo pa lang tayo at wala pang May 15.
Talagang on schedule siya doon sa ipinagako sa atin.
Ngayon, balikan lang
natin, by a few weeks ago, hindi ba puro mga ano, ‘tigilan na natin ang
usaping ito. Hindi natin puwedeng pagkatiwalaan yan,’ parang tapos na eh.
Ngayon pinag-uusapan natin schedule. Kaya sa akin positive development at
mukhang imbes na i-highlight na na-delay, para bang humps sa barangay, hindi
tuluy-tuloy, medyo umalsa ka lang kaunti. Pero sa ipinangako sa atin ng
liderato nang - lalo na House - mukhang nasa schedule sila.
JUN: Oo.
Sa schedule, sir, medyo mahahabol ang sabi nila, kahit sa Senado, pero iyong
mga amendments, paano natin…may mga pursigido kasing mga mambabatas na
kailangan nila…
PRES. AQUINO: Siyempre ano eh, historical document
ito. Siyempre lahat gustong malagay sa kasaysayan, eh normal na lang iyon.
Pero palagay ko lalo na iyong ginagawa ng consultative council, nandoon si
Chief Justice Davide na hindi lang siya Chief Justice ng Supreme Court,
miyembro pa siya ng Constitutional Commission. Iyong hinaylight (highlight)
nila na talagang ibang klase itong mga autonomous regions, both yung
itinatayo sa Cordillera at saka dito nga sa Mindanao. At niliwanag niya niya
na constitutionally sound at defensible. Ipinaliwanag niya kung paano dapat
iyong pananaw.
Alam mo iyong with all due respect to all parties
concerned at aminin ko pati ako noong umpisa na tinatalakay ito, medyo sabi
ko, “teka muna itong ibang provision ito, sobra naman yata.” Magiging ganoon
ang pananaw mo ‘pag tinignan mo iyong dokumentong iyon as is. Iyon bang
stand alone. Pero pag babalikan natin na marami nang pinagkasunduan bago pa
pinag-usapan ito eh, na ibinigay na sa kanila. So, kailangang idagdag, doon
maiintindihan mo, ‘ah kaya pala kailangang dagdagan.’ Kahit hindi naman
pumasok iyong MILF na liderato at sabihin sa mga kasamahan niya, “o nakuha
na natin iyong gusto natin na binawasan. Paano mo sasabihing nagtagumpay
tayo na bawas. Hindi. Dapat talaga dagdag. Normal lang naman iyon.
Ngayon tayo tinatanggap natin na napag-iwanan sila, kailangan naman ng
dagdag-tulak para makahabol sila. Hindi makapaglampas ang hinahabol mo lang
‘no, makapantay man lang. At palagay ko naman ang pangkaraniwang Pilipino,
iyon lang naman ang pananaw. Bakit natin pababayaan itong mga kababayan
nating itong forever after humabol na lang ng humabol, na hindi
makahabol-habol.
Talagang kung may malasakit tayo sa kanila at sa
palagay natin magiging…hindi ba parang partner natin sila, hindi puwedeng
kung ano iyong kakayahan nila na makisabayan sa buong Pilipinas.
JUN: Mr.
President, sir, tunguhin na natin iyong katanungan ng ating mga provincial
station. Standby ang Bombo Radyo Cauayan. Unang magtatanong sa Ginoong
Pangulo ang Bombo Radyo Iloilo. Iloilo with your question to the President.
Come in please.
BOMBO HENRY/ ILOILO: Bagama’t patapos na ang peace
process sa MILF. May mga umuusbong namang bagong rebeldeng grupo gaya ng
Justice for Islamic Movement o JIM at ang hindi pa ganap napupuksang
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters o BIFF. Anong reports po ang natatanggap
ninyo rito sa JIM and how do you plan to deal with them? Hindi ba mawawalang
saysay ang peace deal sa MILF kung meron namang papalit na galing din sa
kanilang hanay o mga breakaway group?
PRES. AQUINO: Maayong aga muna
ano. At maganda iyong tanong mo. Pero siguro iyong binabanggit mong
grupo…kung hindi ako nagkakamali, hindi ba kamakailan lang natin nahuli
iyong isang taong ngalan ay Tambako na siyang nagdeklarang siya ang hepe
nitong bagong grupong ito. So, habang nagtatayo siya arestado na siya. So
kung makakapagpatuloy pa iyong tinatayo niya, napakagaling naman niyang
maitayo sa loob ng piitian.
Number two, iyong sa BIFF talagang
significantly na-reduce na iyong capabilities nila, na-recover natin iyong
mga dating parang maluwag silang kumikilos-kilos na teritoryo. Ayaw ko nang
banggitin iyong gaano karaming napaslang, nahuli, etcetera. Dahil baka naman
sasabihin natutuwa tayo sa namatay na kapwa natin Pilipino. Pero ang report
sa atin nga ay talagang significantly reduced iyong capacity nung BIFF, na
hindi naman ganoon kalaki to begin with, na maghasik ng kaguluhan dito sa
Mindanao. Aminin ko sa inyo, mangyari nang mangyari, meron talagang mga
bubukod na grupo dahil nakikinabang sila doon sa kaguluhang nangyayari sa
parte ng Pilipinas na kung saan sila iikot.
Ngayon, habang paganda ng
paganda ang nangyayari namang tinatawag nating delivery of basic services,
na talagang iyong ating mga kababayan doon may nakikitang liwanag, pakonti
ng pakonti ang susuporta dito sa mga grupong ito at kapag wala silang
suporta, itong mga naghahasik ng gulong ito ay talagang magiging pakonti ng
pakonti at makukuha na natin silang lahat at wala nang papalit sa kanila.
Example lang, ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng services na dapat ibibigay ng
gobyerno. Ang problema parati sa Sulu, iyong Huwes, iyong Judge. Parang ang
pagkaintindi ko, kasabay ko pa si Nene Pimentel sa Senado nagmumungkahi ng
combat pay para sa judge. Kapag pinakinggan mo naman, bakit magko-combat pay
iyong judge, eh hindi naman nakiki-combat. Pero ganoon nung araw ang
sitwasyon sa Sulu, iyong judge kapag nagdesisyon, siyempre may dalawang
nagtatalong panig, kung sino ang matalo, galit kay Judge, si Judge
nape-personal. So, kailangan ng combat pay. So iyong bawat Judge kailangang
mag-apply para doon sa sala na tinatawag, iyon bang korte. Doon bihirang
mag-apply kaya nag-aalok pa tayo ng incentives. So, ikaw nasa Sulu meron
kang gustong idemenada, pupunta kang korte, wala kang Judge. Saan ka kukuhan
nung hustisya. Kaya nagiging taking the law into their own hands.
So
iyon walang tigil ang operations natin diyan sa Sulu, diyan sa Basilan.
Sinabay na natin dito sa Central Mindanao, lalo na iyong sa Maguindanao na
parang iyon ang parte ng military, pero parte ng rest of government, iyong
services kailangan lahat ‘yan talaga at marami nang achievement katulad nung
mga Rural Health Units na naibalik na sa halos sa lahat ng munisipyo, iyong
mga Barangay Health Stations nandoon na rin, teachers na nagdatingan,
eskuwelahan na naitayo nandoon sa report po ni Governor Hataman.
Parang ang point, ultimo iyong investment dito sa lugar nila talagang medyo
significant iyong itinaas. Meron ng mga nag-i-invest at naniniwalang papunta
na sa katahimikan dito at iyong negosyo puwede nang mangyari diyan sa lugar
na iyan. Kaya iyong land of promise magiging promises fulfilled na.
BOMBO HENRY/ILOILO: It’s almost the same, sir, sa Justice Islamic Movement,
doon sa problema natin sa Abu Sayyaf.
PRES. AQUINO: Iyong Abu Sayyaf
kasi parang tumatayo na…iyong mga komunidad bago sila may suporta, wala
ngang kabuhayan, walang makukuhanan ng hustisya. Sila ang pumapapel na
gobyerno doon. Sila ang namumudmud ng pera diretsuhan. At kung wala ka ngang
pagkakakitaan, may darating na merong mag-aalok sa iyo nito, parang
nagkakaroon ka ng amor, simpatya. Pero kung gagawin naman ng gobyerno iyong
dapat niyang gawin, tapos tutugusin mo nga itong mga kriminal na ito. At
kapag nakita nilang meron namang napapala sa pagtaguyod dito sa sistemang
umiiral, sinong mananatiling taga-suporta nung Abu Sayyaf, at wala sila
suporta sa komunidad eh… mahirap na iyong buhay na ganun, lalo pang magiging
imposible.
BOMBO MARIEL/CAUAYAN: Ginoong Pangulo, wala na ba talagang
tiyansa para bumalik sa negotiating table ang CPP-NPA-NDF at gobyerno sa
loob ng inyong administrasyon? Sa pinakahuli pong pagkakaantala o bigong
pag-usad, ano po ang dahilan kaya napako nanaman ang usaping pangkapayapaan
sa mga rebeldeng komunista?
PRES. AQUINO: Iyong instant na dahilan o
iyong pinaka-instant reason for termination. Nagkaroon ng…yung listahan eh,
at ang ngalan ay JASIG. Ibinigay iyon dekada na ang lumipas, ipinatago sa
isang Protestanteng Ministro sa Europa. Nung ne-recover—itong listahan na
ito sinasabi ito ng mga consultant namin, tapos merong tinatawag na
immunities. So, nung hiningi natin iyong listahan, at iyong listahan
kailangan may litrato, tunay na pangalan, etcetera. Iyong mga file hindi na
raw ma-recover doon sa pinatago nilang mga diskette dito sa Protestanteng
Ministro. Kaya sabi nila ngayon gagawa sila ng bagong listahan. So, sagot
naman natin ngayon, parang lahat naman yata ng ginagawa ninyong listahan
iyong mga nahuli na ng gobyerno at bigla na ngayon, parang kumbaga sa larong
Monopoly nung araw ay may get out of jail card free. At kapag iyong meron
naman kaming nahuli, baka naman maisama nanaman diyan sa listahan at hindi
naman iyon ang pinag-usapan. Anyway, iyon ang ginawa nilang dahilan para
umalis doon sa usapan. May inalok silang Special Track, pati si Joma Sison
may inalok na Special Track na kayang-kayang gawin, binawi rin nila.
So, ang gobyerno parating bukas makipag-usap ng kapayapaan. Pero kailangan
naman makita natin sinseridad. Sa totoo lang ang nire-report sa atin ng
Adviser on the Peace Process noong kainitan ng Mamasapano, imbes na
magkaroon lang ng pinakasentrong mga demands, pinalaki ng pinalaki ng
pinalaki, parang sinabi na rin imposible itong mga demand na gugustuhin
namin para hindi matuloy iyong usapan. Tapos magpo-propaganda silang gusto
naming mag-usap ng kapayapaan. So, hinihintay lang natin iyong sinseridad
nila para may patunguhan. Hindi iyong para bang mekanismo lang, para
pakinabangan “lang nila” at hindi ng sambayanan. So, mapakita iyong
sinseridad, bakit hindi tayo mag-umpisa ng usapan uli.
JUNEL
UCAT/BOMBO RADYO CDO: Maayong Buntag, Mr. President. Bombo Junel Ucat po ng
Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro. Ano po ang reaksiyon ninyo na imbes na
pasasalamat ay panunumbat o sisingilin daw kayo ng nanay ni Mary Jane
Veloso? Iyon naman pong mag-live in na recruiter ni Mary Jane, makakaasa daw
ba ng patas na pagtrato at proteksyon sa batas dahil may ilang
kumukuwestiyon sa proseso ng DOJ, lalo na iyong pag-inquest, bagama’t walang
warrant of arrests, at saka iyong impresyon na masakripisyo sila para maging
pogi at hindi mapahiya sa Indonesia?
PRES. AQUINO: Sagutin ko iyong
pangalawang bahagi ng katanungan, at Maayong Buntag nga pala. Iyong
recruiter, hindi naman natin inaresto. ‘Di ba siya ang humingi ng protective
custody? Tapos ngayon magrereklamo siya, ‘Nasaan iyong warrant?’ Parang may
mali naman yata doon. At nandoon na siya sa kamay ng awtoridad, marami doon
sa alleged na mga biktima niya ang nag-usbungan para mag-file o maghain ng
kani-kanilang mga kaso.
Doon sa nanay naman po ni Mary Jane, basta
ako ito na lang ang sasabihin ko ‘no: May obligasyon tayong pangalagaan ang
kapakanan ng lahat ng mga Pilipino. At iyon po ang ginawa ng gobyerno mula
pa nang 2011 – kung hindi ako nagkakamali, nag-umpisa rin ng 2010. Pero
maliwanag na maliwanag, noong 2011, tuluy-tuloy tayong nakikiusap para sa
kapakanan ni Mary Jane, at mailabas iyong kaniyang mga problema,
Kung
palagay ng nanay niya kulang ang ginawa namin, basta ako, hindi ko na
aaksayahin iyong oras ko makipagsagutan. Ang importante sa akin, ano ba ang
magagawa natin para mapangalagaan iyong buhay nitong si Mary Jane,
lalung-lalo na para doon sa mga anak niya.
EVELYN PASCUA/ BOMBO
RADYO VIGAN: (Dialect) Ang kababayan po namin na si dating PNP Chief Alan
Purisima ay sinisi sa madugong kinahinatnan ng Mamasapano encounter. May
napaulat ding sinabi ninyo nagsabi si Purisima ng maling impormasyon sa
encounter. Ano ba talaga ang naging papel na iniatas ninyo kay Purisima, at
totoo bang nagsinungaling sa inyo? At kumusta na po ang inyong
pagkakaibigan?
PRES. AQUINO: (Dialect) Okay, number one, ano ba ang
naging papel niya? Noong umpisa, ‘di ba siya ang Chief PNP, at sa larangan
ng PNP, ‘pag may operation sila dito sa mga high-valued targets, lalo na
dito kay Usman at saka kay Marwan, siya ang nagbi-brief sa atin ng mga
impending operations. Noong nasuspinde siya, nanatili siya sa akin; parang
tinatawag na iyong matter expert, the subject matter expert. Iyong imbes na
iyong pinasahan niya ng impormasyon ang magle-lecture sa akin o magtuturo,
magpapaliwanag kung anong nangyayari, minabuti ko na iyong nakakaintindi ng
iba’t ibang variation nitong mga operation na ito ang magpatuloy na
magpaliwanag sa akin.
Ngayon, hindi na siya—noong suspindido
siya—sorry, isa pang naging papel niya, si Director Napeñas, kinu-course
iyong kaniyang mga reports, iyong iba’t ibang mga operations sa pagtugis
nitong mga high-valued targets kay Director General Purisima noong siya ay
active pa. Pero maski na nitong araw noong January 25, meron pa ring mga
ibang impormasyon na idinaan kay Director General Purisima.
Ngayon,
wala naman kaming napasama doon dahil parang iyon ang normal na naging flow
for quite a number of years, mga 2012 yata, kung hindi ako nagkakamali,
iyong mga involved si Alan Purisima dito sa paghahabol ng mga high-valued
targets.
Ngayon, nagsinungaling ba siya? Iyong … siguro parang
pag—sabi nga ng mga Amerikano, ‘pag tumingin ka ng baso na kalahati ang
laman, iyong pessimist sasabihin, half empty; iyong optimist sasabihin, half
full. Dito, noong sinabi niya sa akin na may mga artillery support at
mechanized support, parang ang naging impression ko, nandoon na, tumutulong
na. Pero ang talagang nangyaring sitwasyon, paalis pa lang ng kampo iyong
tutulong. Siguro sa magandang pananaw, medyo iyong support na text niya sa
akin, baka akala niya – wala naman siya doon sa lugar – na talagang nandoon
na o malapit na. Pero ang naging resulta nga nito, imbes na nadama ko medyo
matindi iyong panganib, lalo na ng SAF na 55, parang nagkaroon ng
kapanatagan ang loob ko na iyong dapat gawin dahil inutos ko na
mag-coordinate silang lahat lalo na kay Napeñas, sinabi ko sa kaniya
‘mag-coordinate ka days ahead,’ nandoon na iyong tulong na ki-noordinate
nila previously at nangyayari na at tapos na iyong problema. So mali iyong
impormasyong umabot sa akin.
Nagsinungaling ba? Baka masyadong
mabigat namang sabihin kung nagsinungaling. Pero baka naman iyong
information, nagkaroon ng konting wishful thinking on his part.
Ngayon iyong kay Napeñas, hindi natin masasabing parehong situwasyon dahil
siya ang ground commander, siya ang dapat may situational awareness. Kumbaga
iyong sa kaniya, hindi puwedeng ‘baka ganito’ or ‘sana ganyan’. ‘Pag
nag-report si Napeñas bilang ground commander, nandoon siya sa lugar, dapat
nire-report niya facts. At iyon, hindi rin natin (unclear) kay Napeñas na
nagsabing ‘extraction ongoing’. Eh wala pa iyong mag-e-extract, paano naman
niya nasabing ongoing? Nasa akin pa nga pala iyong telepono, nandoon iyong
mga text nila kung kailangan nating makita.
JUN: Si-nave (saved)
ninyo, Ginoong Pangulo. But parang kanina may sini-share kayo sa amin diyan
sa ano nila—generally, ano na lang siguro, Ginoong Pangulo, ano po iyong
partikular napuna ninyo diyan?
PRES. AQUINO: Well, number one, meron
silang plan ‘no sa Exodus na composed of 72 slides. Noong humarap sila sa
akin noong January 9 – si Napeñas, Director Mendez at saka si Purisima –
ipinakita iyong … ‘pag may tanong ako, magri-refer sila dito sa slides, one
of the 72. Dito sa buong planong ito, makikita natin, for instance, mapa
kung saan pinin-point bawat bahay nitong mga hepe noong mga grupong hindi
atin – si BIFF, si MILF at saka iyong private armed groups. Talagang tinukoy
‘Si Kumander ganito, nakatira diyan,’ ilan ang tao kasama niya, ilan ang
armas. Kaya talagang noong pinapakita sa akin, noong sinabi sa akin, ‘Pipili
ho tayo, tatahak tayo ng ruta na iiwasan natin lahat nitong mga bahay na ito
para hindi ma-detect iyong puwersa nating pag-i-inflitrate,’ napaniwala
tayo.
May isang table dito, nakalagay “coordination table”, sinasabi
sinong tatawagan sa 6th Infantry, sa 1st Mechanized, lahat nitong mga …
AHJAG, kung anu-anong grupo—tao, telephone number, nakalagay. Naniwala rin
tayong reding-ready nang mag-coordinate nila sa plano nga rin. Tapos yung …
72 pages ito, ni-review ko na lang after. Noong una hindi ako humingi ng
kopya, nasa laptop lang ni Napeñas ito eh. Pero noong nangyari nga sa
[January] 25, sabi ko, ‘Reserve ninyo iyong laptop para wala ng hocus-pocus
na mangyari dyan, at magkakaroon ng imbestigasyon.’
Pinagmamalaki
niya kasi iyong time on target, iyong nire-report niya na concept. Time on
target, sabi niya, pagdating nila doon sa lugar, sa mismo kung saan
magbabakbakan, doon sila makikipag-coordinate. At parang sinasabi doon sa
testimonya na nabasa ko doon sa mga report, tahimik raw ako. Hindi ko
maaalala iyong tahimik ako dahil unang-una, hindi namin pinag-usapan iyong
time on target. Sabi niya kasi, “We will coordinate with the AFP at jump
off.” Jump off, iyong mula sa staging area, kikilos papunta doon sa target
area, doon magsasabi sa AFP. Sabi ko nga eh, “Teka muna, paano naman iyong
kumikilos na kayo, doon pa lang maghahanda ang AFP na tutulong sa inyo?
Masyadong manipis iyong oras na iyan, kailangan days before.”At doon sa
dalawa na mag-coordinate, “Yes, sir.” Noong sinabi niya jump off, “Hindi
puwede,” sabi ko, “days before,” nag-yes, sir na naman siya. Tapos biglang
nagtetestimonya siya ngayon, time on target na after. Parang after na
nakaalis na kami at kapag nakarating na doon sa pupuntahan, doon lang kami
mag-uumpisang mag-coordinate. Kalokohan iyon ‘no.
Siguro para lalong
maintindihan ng taumbayan: Linggo ‘to, siyempre Linggo ‘di mo masabi iyong
kampo ng mga sundalo [ay] punung-puno ng sundalo – may nagsimba, may
nabigyan ng leave sa pamilya niya – tapos bigla na lang, ura-urada,
mabibigay lahat ng saklolong kailangan mo. At mapanganib iyong lugar.
Uulitin ko lang ha, 160 lang raw silang papasok, tinatayang tatlo hanggang
apatnalibo iyong potensyal na maging kalaban doon. Alam naman dapat ni
Napeñas hindi sila si Superman na hindi tinatablan. Hindi puwedeng ganoon
ang plano. Kaya iyong pinagdiinan ko, ni-yes sir niya ako, balewala pala
iyong ‘yes, sir’.
BOMBO RADYO DAGUPAN: (Dialect) Patuloy pa rin po ang
pagtatayo ng China ng mga istraktura sa mga pinagtatalunang isla sa West
Philippine Sea sa kabila ng naging deklarasyon o statement laban dito ng
ASEAN. Ano na po ba ang update sa negosasyon sa China o sa ating inihaing
kaso sa International Tribunal, o sadyang pahabain na lamang tayo ng tiis at
pasensya dahil apektado sa tensyon ang mga mangingisda namin dito sa
lalawigan ng Pangasinan?
PRES. AQUINO: Well, ginagawa po natin ang
lahat ng puwede nating magawa sa abot ng ating kakayahan. At pumasok nga
tayo diyan sa—dalawa po ang ginagawa natin ‘no. Iyong una ho, meron tayong
konseptong tinatawag na ASEAN Centrality , kung saan may kasunduan ang ASEAN
at saka ang China na nandoon po sa Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the
South China Sea o DOC, iyon pong 2002 pa na naglagdaang dokumento. At iyon
sinasaad paano ba tayo dapat makikipag-ugnayan sa bawat isa.
Ang
hinahabol nung 2002 iyong tinatawag na Code of Conduct, isang listahan ng
mga alituntunin ng bawat spanning ‘no para nga ma-manage iyong tensions dito
sa tinatawag na South China Sea o West Philippine Sea, iyong parteng
inaangkin natin. Nakalagay po sa Number 5, ito iyong declaration sa Conduct
of Parties in the South China Sea: The Parties undertake to exercise
self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or
escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others,
refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands,
reefs, shoals, cays, and other features, and to handle their differences in
a constructive manner.
So na-achieve po sa ASEAN. Sa chairman’s
statement, inulit itong buong Declaration of Conduct, nandoon na iyong
panawagan doon sa pagmamadali ng Code of Conduct at paalala sa China na
nakipaglagda ka sa aming ASEAN, kaming sampung bayan na ito ang dapat na …
paano kayo dapat kumilos. Ngayon, sinundan natin ito, at kasabay nito iyong
arbitration nga na ginagawa. At inaasahan natin baka … siguro, at the
latest, by the first or second quarter of next year ay magkaroon ng
desisyon. Ngayon may nagsasabi naman na iba, ‘Eh kung may desisyun na, ni
wala namang power of enforcement,’ tama po iyon. Pero parating sinasabi ng
lahat ng panig na nagtatalo dito sa tubig na ito na marami ngang pangalan,
na lahat kami ay nagku-conform sa international law. Doon tayo,
International Tribunal ang magsasabi ganito ibig sabihin ng batas, magiging
maliwanag ho ang liwanag iyong sumusunod at hindi sumusunod.
Ngayon,
inaasahan natin na paglabas ng kaliwanagan na iyon, obligasyon ng bawat isa
at karapatan ng bawat isa ay talagang huhupa ang tensyon na nangyayari dito
sa karagatang parteng ito.
BOYET PAULAN/BOMBO RADYO DAVAO: Maayong
Buntag, Mr. President. Si Boyet Paulan po ng Bombo Radyo Davao. Marami pong
mga panawagan, pinakahuli dito ay galing kay Supreme Court Associate Justice
Antonio Carpio, na dapat palakasin pa natin ang military at defense
capability dahil hindi raw maiiwasan ang military confrontation sa China
pagdating ng araw, at hindi maaaring aasa na lamang tayo sa US. Sa tingin
ninyo po, Mr. President, dumating na ba tayo sa puntong maghanda laban sa
mas matinding military pressure ng China?
PRES. AQUINO: Maayong
Buntag. Number one, hindi ako sumasang-ayon na inevitable or hindi maiiwasan
na magkaroon ng military confrontation. Ngayon, assuming tama iyong pananaw
na iyon, pag-isipan lang po natin ‘no, siguro para mas magaan naman nating
pag-isipan, parati kong binibigyan ng halimbawa, kunwari magboksing na lang
tayo. May Manny Pacquiao tayo, pero ang problema, 1.3 billion sila eh,
isandaang milyon tayo. Sabi nga ng mga bata, magpitikan tayo ng ilong –
isang pitik natin, labintatlo ang pitik nila, medyo maagang mamamaga ang
ilong natin.
Having said that, hindi naman puwedeng pabayaan natin
ang capabilities ng ating Sandatahang Lakas. Sa totoo nga lang, nandiyan
naman ang records, talagang pinantayan nitong administrasyon at nilampasan
ang lahat ng nagawa mula [noong] nagkaroon tayo ng AFP Modernization Law. At
tayo na rin ang nagtulak na palawigin pa iyong modernization. So ano ba ang
mga resulta? Nandiyan na nga iyon Hamilton-class cutter na binabanggit
natin, nandiyan iyong higit-kumulang na mga …nasa process na, either
binibigay na doon sa mga units involved or papunta na sa kanila, about
70,000 new rifles. Merong mga helicopters na brand new at saka refurbished
na dumating. Iyong dalawang FA50 natin, no later … dalawa doon sa isang
dosena, no later than December; no later than December of 2015 [ay] nandito
na.
At saka, alam ninyo—sorry ha, medyo nahirapan akong sabihin sa
inyo ang buong listahan ng ating mga bibilhin dahil parang sinabi na rin
natin, ‘Ito, kaya namin,’ at lalabas sa (unclear), ‘Ito hindi namin kaya.’
Parang hindi mo naman yata binibigyan dapat nang napakalawak na impormasyon
iyong mga potential na katunggali.
Pero bottom line diyan ‘no,
siguro isuma ko na lang doon sa sinabi nitong kaka-graduate sa PMA na
napunta sa Air Force. Sabi niya sa akin noon sa question and answer portion,
sabi niya, ‘Sir, salamat sa inyo, yung Air Force – meron ng force, hindi na
puro air.’ At makikita naman ninyo … sa Davao, palagay ko magla-landing
diyan iyong mga bago nating medium lift na eroplano, na talagang mas
magiging cost efficient at saka mas angkop doon sa mga pangangailangan
natin. At sana ‘no, huwag nating kailanganin para sa humanitarian assistance
kung may darating na disaster. Pero taas-noo kong masasabi sa inyo at walang
takot na may kukontra sa atin na talagang ang laki ng capabilities ng AFP
kaysa noong dinatnan natin.
BOMBO RADYO KALIBO: (Dialect) May
pangamba ang ilan turista na pumunta sa ating isla sa Boracay dahil sa serye
ng nakawan sa mga foreign tourists,lalo na sa mga tiga-Korea, at maging sa
illegal drugs. Ngayong linggo ay ginaganap ang 2nd Senior Officials’ Meeting
of the APEC Oceans and Fisheries Working Group. Maaari bang ipag-utos sa
PNP, Ginoong Pangulo, ang special na pagtutok dito dahil nakakahiya at
nakakaalarma na ang ganitong mga pangyayari?
PRES. AQUINO: Well,
hindi natin maiiwasan na isa sa pinakatanyag na puntahan ng turista talaga
ay ang Boracay. At ang problema noon ay nag-a-attract din nang hindi maayos
na mga tao dahil sa dami nga ng potential na magagawa nila iyong mga krimen.
Pero having said that, mayroong 120 personnel ng PNP Boracay, at 96
of 120 ang nakatalaga doon sa tabing dagat para mabantayan nga ang
kaligtasan ng ating mga turista. At sigurado ko sa pangunguna ni Secretary
Roxas – Secretary of Interior and Local Government – kung ginagawa po dito
sa Metro Manila and others ‘no, iyong sa kanilang pagrereporma sa kapulisan,
napababa iyong incidents – umpisa kalahati, ngayon yata ay nasa one third
lang ang natira talaga. Ngayon siyempre nakita natin iyong dami ng mga
insidente sa Boracay, 1,086 iyong January to April of 2014. Ngayon po sa
January to April of this year, naging 982 – nabawasan. Pero palagay ko—ako,
hindi kontento. Palagay ko, lalong hindi kontento si Secretary Roxas na
ganoon kaliit pa lang ang binaba.
So hindi kakaiba sa inyo dyan sa
region, si Secretary Roxas at talagang maaasahan ninyo na talagang
tinututukan ito. Alam ninyo, nakita nga sa eksperiyensa dito sa National
Capital Region, ‘pag nahuli at talagang nakulong, hindi pa sapat dahil
nakakapiyansa kaagad. Kapag nahuli, nakulong iyong pinaka-most wanted, hindi
commensurate iyong percentage nila doon sa dami ng pagbaba ng krimen. Parang
masasabi siguro na kadalasan itong mga most wanted ang dahilan ng
overwhelming number of these crimes, kaya kapag natanggal sila, ang laki ng
binababa ng crime rate At ngayon pa lang sigurado akong maaasahan natin si
Secretary Roxas na talagang nakatutok siya dito. At iyong natutunang
magandang leksyon sa ibang lugar ng Pilipinas ay talagang ibubuhos rin dito
sa Boracay.
BOMBO RADYO BACOLOD: Maayong Aga, Mr. President. Nitong
nagdaang mga araw, magkakasunod po ang mga rally at petisyon laban sa K to
12 Program kung saan nangunguna pa rito ang kaibigan at kaalyado mong si
Senator Trillanes. Bagama’t ilang beses at kung sinu-sino na ang
nagpapaliwanag sa panig ng gobyerno, ayaw pa rin nilang matanggap, at
hinihingi pa rin na isuspinde muna ang implementasyon nito. Ano po ba ang
masasabi ninyo rito? Sadyang kailangan na ba talagang ipatupad, at sapat na
ba ang kahandaan ng mga magpapatupad na ahensiya kagaya ng DepEd at CHEd?
PRES. AQUINO: Sa unang parte ng katanungan mo muna, pinipilit natin ang
CHEd na iyong facilities, iyong pagkukuha ng titser will be ready by 2015 –
libro, silya, classroom, pagkuha ng titser. Number two, iyong sa unang parte
ng tanong mo, may mga tumututol. Siyempre para bang kung magsasalita ka sa
taumbayan at sabihin mo, ‘Oh, mababawasan ang gastos dahil next two years,
talagang malapit na ang eleksyon, parang pogi iyon.’ Pero problema naman
nito, kinukuwestiyon na iyong mga credential natin ng ibang bansa –
supisyente ba o hindi?
So hindi natin inaayos iyong problema na
pagdating doon—for instace, last week lang yata, kung hindi ako nagkakamali,
may nag-report sa akin sa Middle East, pati iyong mga engineer natin na
talagang sila naman iyong, kumbaga, pangunahing mga pahinante talaga,
binalik iyong transcript of record, kulang ng isang taon diumano o dalawanf
taon, hindi sila napu-promote. Napu-promote iyong subordinate nila na mas
konti ang kaalaman. So hindi mawawala iyong problema kung hindi natin
isu-solve. Hindi lang naman sa Middle East, marami ibang lugar ang
nagsasabi—balikan natin ha, Pilipinas na lang ho ang isa sa tatlo na may
basic education program na ten years. So kaagad, parang yung nasa ibang
lugar, papasok ng college, sasabihin, ‘Teka muna, kulang ang preparation mo
dito,’ etc.
So ang end point nito, hindi mawawala ang problema kung
hindi natin aaksyunan. At siguro naman ay obligasyon natin kung kaya na
natin gawin iyong solusyon ngayon, bakit pa natin ipapaliban. At higit na
nakakatulong doon sa mga susunod na salinlahi natin sa pagsasayos ng buhay
nila, bakit hindi natin i-maximize na? At palagay ko, ang mga estudyante na
bibigyan mo ng mas marami pang oras para matutunan iyong dapat niyang
matutunan sa dami ng impormasyon na tinatawag na stock knowledge ngayon, ay
papasalamatan tayo, at hindi magagalit na iyong dapat kinumpres (compress)
na lang lalo lahat nung kailangan kong matutunan.
So ulit ‘no, may
problema, hindi baka problema eh – kasalukuyan nang problema. Hindi puwede
iyong solusyon somewhere down the road. Sa kanta ni Barry Manilow, maganda
iyon, pero dito sa buhay ng mga kababayan natin, iyong problemang hindi
inaasikaso ay lumalaki; hindi lumiliit.
BOMBO LA UNION/ABSALOM: Sa
nalalapit na eleksyon sa taong 2016. Ano po sa tingin ninyo ang mga isyung
mangingibabaw sa debate ng mga kandidato sa pagka-Pangulo, Mr. President?
PRES. AQUINO: Hihingi ako ng paumanhin, baka nagtataas ako ng sariling
bangko. Pero ang dulo niyan, siyempre iyong susunod sa atin, sasabihin
lang…paniwala ko kasi karamihan ng mga kababayan natin, maliban lang iyong
nagpilit na maging bulag o napilitan na maging bingi, ay nakita nila iyong
talagang pagbabago ng bansa. So, lahat sila mag-aangkinan, ‘ako ang tamang
magpapatuloy at magpapalaki pa nung nagawa nitong papalitan.’ Ngayon palagay
ko magiging sentro ng isyu: Sino ba ang magiging kapani-paniwala na kayang
ipagpatuloy lahat nung nagawa natin sa loob nitong administrasyong ito.
BOMBO CEBU/JUN: Ilang buwan na lamang din po at mag-e-eleksyon na naman.
May napili o napipisil na ba kayong standard-bearer? At baka maari n’yo nang
ibahagi sa amin ang clue, kahit nasabi na ninyong sa Hunyo pa kayo
mag-a-anunsyo. Maari rin bang ibahagi ninyo sa amin kung ano po ang detalye
ng meeting ninyo ni Senador Grace Poe?
PRES. AQUINO: Iyong, puwede ko
bang ibahagi sa iyo? Palagay ko magagalit lahat ng ibang inaasahan na ako sa
Hunyo magsalita eh. At saka tuloy-tuloy pa iyong konsultasyon. Palagay ko
matutuwa ang mga manager ng Bombo Radyo na naghahanap pa ng scoop. Kaya
pasensiya na muna, ‘no parang hindi ako magiging totoo sa lahat ng kausap
natin kung hindi natin maabisuhan sila na may finality na iyong decision.
Ngayon, nag-usap kami ni Grace Poe, dahil hindi ba kinampanya naman
natin siya noong 2013. Naniniwala tayong tama iyong kanyang mga pananaw or
nasa tamang direksyon ang gusto niyang tahakin at yung importante sa akin na
mapanatili yung koalisyon na…talaga naman at sobrang ganda nung resulta
natin nung 2013. Siyempre, personal, lahat ito pinagpaguran, hindi ba, luha,
pawis, dugo na binuhos natin dito na magpatuloy. Hindi six years na
nagkaroon ng ganitong ginhawa ang Pilipinas. Kailangan maging permanente na
ito. At palagay natin si Senator Grace ay isa sa mga taong puwede talagang
inaasahan nating magpatuloy, talagang puwedeng magpatuloy nito. Pero hindi
pa po tapos iyong usapan at kapag meron na talagang liwanag asahan ninyo isa
kayo sa pinakaunang makaka-alam.
BOMBO CEBU/JUN: Ginoong Pangulo,
sir. I-follow up ko lamang diyan kay Senadora Grace Poe. Maliban ba kay
Senadora Poe, meron ba kayong kausap kaungay din nito, about sa election?
PRES. AQUINO: Meron pang mga iba, at marami rin namang sila na ang
nagsasabi sa akin na interesado sila sa ganitong puwesto.
BOMBO
CEBU/JUN: Tulad nino, sir?
PRES. AQUINO: Alam ninyo kanina lang
tanghalian, para maintindihan ninyo kung gaano kahirap. Pinag-uusapan namin
line up ng senador. Isa sa tao ko, sabi niya sa akin, “alam mo nung huli
kong tinignan, parang dadalawa na lang talaga iyong puwesto sa senatorial
line up na hindi pa natin napupuno.” Sabi ko, “ganoon ba?” Parang sa
listahan ko ang haba-haba pa noong…iyung parang marami pang opening, pero
siguro times five iyong dami nung nag-a-apply doon sa opening. Ang problema
ko kapag nagbanggit ako ngayon, iyong mga hindi nabanggit, palagay ko
tatawagan ako mula mamaya hanggang election day. Kaya pasensiya na
nagre-recover pa ako sa jet lag. Inaasahan ko sana ngayong gabi makatulog ng
matino-tino.
BOMBO CEBU/JUN: Sir, nasa inyo kung sagutin ninyo
itong…kasi ito iyong pinaka-latest dito sa development sa mga pasaring sa
kabila. Ang sabi kasi, kahapon lumabas iyong impormasyon na prines (freeze)
iyong mga bank accounts ni Vice President Binay. At ang sinasabi daw, ang
Liberal Party iyong may pakana. Iyon ang sinasabi nila, dahil a month before
lumabas itong freeze order ng Korte ay may hawak na iyung Liberal Party ng
AMLAC report. Kaya Liberal Party iyong tinuturo. Kung may reaksyon kayo
Ginoong Pangulo?
PRES. AQUINO: Well, number one, ako hindi ko nakita
iyong AMLAC report na iyan. Number two, isang kausap kong taga-Liberal Party
kanina sabi niya sa akin naghahanap rin siya kung sino ang may kopya ng
AMLAC report. Iyong AMLAC report, siyempre iyong Korte sguro may kaparapatan
diyan at saka iyong Council meron sila nung report nila. Pero independent
body rin iyon. So, siguro parang—alam ninyo naghahati ang kalooban ko. Sabi
kasi ng Nanay ko hindi siya naghahanap ng unsolicited advice. Dito baka
kapag nagpayo naman ako, nakakatanda pa si VP sa akin, at malaki ang tanda
sa akin. Hindi naman niya ako hiningan ng payo. Baka dapat eh, ipasa-akin ko
na lang muna iyong payo ko.
BOMBO GEN SAN/JOHN-JOHN: Ano po ang
masasabi ninyo sa kinalabasan ng laban ni Pacqiuao kay Mayweather. Ito at
nahaharap sa problema. At ngayong araw ay inabangan na rito si Pacman para
bigyan ng Heroes’ Welcome.
PRES. AQUINO: Siyempre tulad ninyo sana
panalo si Pacman. Pero at the same time, babalikan ko lang iyong sinabi ko
bago pa nung laban. Marami nang honor na ibinigay sa atin si Manny Pacquiao.
At siyempre kada laban niya diyan may potential na magkaroon siya ng injury
na for life. Hindi ba nung lumalaki ako nakita ko si Ali after nung
na-convict. At isa siguro iyong pinaka-tragic na nakita ko iyong nagsisindi
siya ng Olympic torch na nanginginig iyong kamay. Na iyong dati kung gaano
kahusay magsalita, ngayon parang hindi mo na maintindihan iyong salita.
Parang kung tinatanaw natin iyong honor na ibinigay ni Manny sa atin,
sakripisyong ginawa niya para sa ating bansa. Siguro dapat sabihin na natin,
“Manny, okay na itong nagawa mo salarangan na iyan. Dapat naman ay huwag mo
nang isugal iyong kalusugan mo. Dapat naman siguro tulungan ka namin na
mapalagahan iyong buhay mo sa kinabukasan para sa mahal mong asawa at sa
inyong mga anak.” Imbes na mag-u-udyok pa tayo, ‘hindi kailangan ng rematch,
kailangan ano isugal mo ulit.’ Parang wala naman yata tayong utang loob doon
sa tao. Ngayon makakausap ko yata si Manny pagkabalik niya at inaasahan doon
makapalitan kami ng pananaw.
BOMBO LEGAZPI/VINCE: Ano po ang reaksyon
ninyo sa pasaring ni Senator Jinggoy at JV na selective daw ang ginagawang
imbestigasyon at pagkakaso sa mga sangkot sa pork barrel scam dahil may
nakakapansing hindi na raw prayoridad ang ibang nasasangkot na mambabatas
lalo na ang mga kaalyado ng administrasyon. May tinukoy pa silang ilang
personalidad na dapat daw ay habulin. Ano po ang masasabi ninyo, mahal na
Pangulo?
PRES. AQUINO: Baka dapat tanungin ho nila iyong opisina ng
Ombudsman, dahil Ombudsman po ang nagpa-file ng mga kaso eh. At nandoon po
sa Ombudsman nakalakip ang mga batas na talagang sila lang ang may
karapatan. Ngayon kung meron silang gustong idagdag na ebidensiya, palagay
ko bukas iyong Tanggapan ng Ombudsman para tanggapin iyong kanilang mga
testimonya at saka mga pieces of evidence. Ngayon independent body po iyan,
constitutional body, tinitignan nila iyong pag-discipline po sa Ombudsman
impeachment na, hindi ba, tulad ng Presidante. So ang makakasagot po sa mga
katanungan nila palagay ko Ombudsman.
JUN: Sir, wala na pong katanungan
iyong ating mga lalawigan. Mayroon ba kayong aasahan po tayo na…may mga
appointments tayo lalo na sa PNP at iba pang tanggapan ng ating gobyerno?
PRES. AQUINO: Well, tapos na iyong sa Comelec, ‘no. Iyong sa CSC
malapit-lapit na. Sa PNP may dalawa o tatlong konsultasyon pa siguro. At
iyon nga naninigurado tayong…lalo na sa PNP, hihingi ako ng paumanhin sa
taumbayan. Number one, si Alan Purisima kasi magre-retire December. So iyong
programming natin was supposed to get a new PNP Chief after his retirement
eh, napamadali.
Number two, ang problema hindi lang naman sa PNP,
kung minsan sa AFP, pero kadalasan malimit sa PNP. Kapag merong natutunugan
na papalit, sa Bombo palagay ko parati kayong pinapadalhan ng mga kung
anu-anong panira sa isa’t-isa. Ngayon to give, hindi ba parang a fair chance
to everybody, gusto ko lang manigurado na ang i-a-appoint natin ay iyong
malaman, biktima lang ba ng tsismis o talagang may base itong mga reklamong
ito dahil hindi biro iyong puwestong iyan, lalo na dahil may eleksyon tayo
next year na napaka importante itong Chief PNP mapangalagahan iyong
katahimikan sa buong bansa. So, mabuti na iyong sigurado kaysa magsisi.
JUN: Opo sir. Mr. President, gaano po tayo kahanda sa pag-host ng APEC
Summit sa Nobyembre at paano natin gawing kakaiba ang meeting na ito sa
Pilipinas kumpara sa mga ibang miyembro na?
PRES. AQUINO: Unang-una,
parang tutok natin iyong inclusive growth. Number two, matagal nang
naghahanda ang pamahalaan para sa pagho-host nito. Iyong mga dagdag nga
iyong sinabi ko kay Prime Minister Harper, “I’ll see you in November,” dahil
miyembro rin sila. Meroong mga bansang gustong magkaroon—parang eventually
sasali ngayon hinihingi namang maging observer. So, tinatanong natin kung
nasa patakaran na puwede ba nating yayain na observer ito.
‘Yung
tapos na ba iyong paghahanda, aba’y hindi. Hanggang siguro paalis iyong
ating mga bisita, I mean year round iyan ano, on-going. Pero hindi iyong
sinasabing iyong heads of state, the heads of government na darating. Iyong
ultimong paalis na lang sila palagay ko may makikita pa akong detalye na
puwede pang imprubin. Dahil gusto natin maranasan nila: number one,
productive, number two, it was more fun in the Philippines.
JUN: Sir,
tulad ng nakagawian ng panayam ng Bombo Radyo sa inyo. May mga babanggitin
kaming pangalan at nasa ninyo kung ano ang reaksyon ninyo sa kanila.
PRES. AQUINO: Reymund Tinaza, ganoong? Umaasa.
JUN: Sir, unang-una
medyo lighter tayo, Manny Pacquiao?
PRES. AQUINO: Magaling.
JUN: Mayweather?
PRES. AQUINO: Siguro smart.
JUN: Bert Lina?
PRES. AQUINO: Inaasahan.
JUN: Cecilia Veloso, ito iyong Nanay ni
Mary Jane?
PRES. AQUINO: Unawain.
JUN: Andy Bautista?
PRES. AQUINO: Papakitang-gilas.
JUN: Sir, Pia Wurtzbach?
PRES.
AQUINO: Mabait na tao iyan, saka magaling at saka determinado.
JUN:
Secretary Coloma?
PRES. AQUINO: Aba, kita mo naman, araw-araw na
binubugbog nakangiti pa rin.
JUN: Secretary Purisima?
PRES.
AQUINO: Isa pang talagang ano, paano ba sabihin iyon, siguro to say it in
one word matagumpay.
JUN: Secretary Deles?
PRES. AQUINO:
Matiyaga.
JUN: Secretary Balisacan?
PRES. AQUINO: Iyan ang
masinop. Ano ba thorough ng tagalog, very through. Hindi lang masinop eh,
talagang very thorough.
JUN: Defense Secretary Gazmin?
PRES.
AQUINO: Ano ba ang masasabi talagang maasahan, maasahan ng several decades
na. Mula pa noong panahon ng tatay ko nung martial law.
JUN: Usec.
Marfil?
PRES. AQUINO: Nagpapagaan ng anumang problema. Ulirang asawa.
JUN: Lastly, sir. President Aquino?
PRES. AQUINO: Hindi pa
kumakapal ang buhok.
JUN: Mr. President, sir. Kami po ay lubos na
nagpapasalamat sa inyong oras dito sa Bombo Radyo. Nawa’y maulit pa ito at
hindi pa ito huli. Kasi may isang taon pa kayo. Sa pangalan ng management ng
staff ng Bombo Radyo Philippines. Siyempre sa pamumuno ng aming Chief
Executive Officer, our President Rogelio Florete, ang aming Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer at Chairman ng Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng
Pilipinas, Herman Z. Basbaño, sir. Kami po ay lubos na nagpapasalamat. Pero
bago po tayo siguro mag-paalam, Mr. President, baka gusto ninyo muling
hampasin iyong tambol namin, ‘pag hinampas ninyo ito dinig sa buong bansa.
PRES. AQUINO: Okay. At maraming salamat ulit sa inyong lahat. |
|
| SOURCE: News Information Bureau |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predicted Mean Sea Level Pressure
Analysis 8 AM 18 May 2015
Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind Analysis 8 AM 18 May 2015 
No comments:
Post a Comment