24-Hour Public Weather Forecast
Issued at 5:00 a.m., 11 December 2014
Valid beginning: 5:00 a.m. today until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow
 Predicted Mean Sea Level Pressure Analysis for 8 a.m., 11 December 2014 |  Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind Analysis for 8 a.m., 11 December 2014 |  |
At
4:00 AM today, the Low Pressure Area (LPA) was estimated based on all
available data at 1500 km east Southeast of Mindanao (6.5°N, 140.0°E).
Northeast monsoon affecting Northern Luzon.
The Regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and
Ilocos will experience cloudy skies with light rains. Metro Manila and
the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated
rainshowers or thunderstorms.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will
prevail over Luzon and the eastern section of Visayas and the coastal
waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds
will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to east with slight
to moderate seas.
GMA resident meteorologist Nathaniel Cruz:
Re: Typhoon Ruby
-Wala nang banta sa bansa ang bagyong Ruby at inaasahang tutungo na ito ng katimugang bahagi ng Vietnam.
-Binabantayan naman ng PAGASA ang isang LPA na nasa labas pa ng PAR. Base sa wind forecast ng The Weather Company, bukas ng hapon posibleng pumasok ito ng PAR. Sa ngayon, bumababa ang tiyansa nitong maging isang bagyo.
-Hanging Amihan pa rin ang nakakaapekto sa Northern Luzon.
-Sa Metro Manila, mataas ang tiyansa ng ulan pagdating ng hapon hanggang gabi.
-Hapon din makararanas ng ulan sa Mindanao, partikular na sa Zamboanga Peninsula, ARMM at SOCCSKSARGEN.
Re: Typhoon Ruby
-Wala nang banta sa bansa ang bagyong Ruby at inaasahang tutungo na ito ng katimugang bahagi ng Vietnam.
-Binabantayan naman ng PAGASA ang isang LPA na nasa labas pa ng PAR. Base sa wind forecast ng The Weather Company, bukas ng hapon posibleng pumasok ito ng PAR. Sa ngayon, bumababa ang tiyansa nitong maging isang bagyo.
-Hanging Amihan pa rin ang nakakaapekto sa Northern Luzon.
-Sa Metro Manila, mataas ang tiyansa ng ulan pagdating ng hapon hanggang gabi.
-Hapon din makararanas ng ulan sa Mindanao, partikular na sa Zamboanga Peninsula, ARMM at SOCCSKSARGEN.
PIA-4A/BATANGAS:
May 53 miyembro ng PNP Special Weapons and Tactics Group ang
nagsipagtapos sa mahigit dalawang buwang pagsasanay upang mas mapalakas
at mapaunlad ang kasanayan sa pangangalaga sa kaligtasan at kasiguruhan
ng publiko.
|
 |
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ex-Marinduque solon charged with graft, malversation in Fertilizer Fund Scam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the filing of
Informations for Malversation and violation of Section 3(e) of
Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act)
against former Marinduque Representative Edmundo Reyes,
Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, namely: Regional
Executive Director Dennis Araullo, Regional Accountant Raymundo
Braganza, Regional Technical Directors Balagtas Torres and
Rodolfo Guieb, Legislative Coordinator Lucille Odejar, Cashier
II Dory Iranzo, and Margie Tajon Luz, President and Chairman of
the Board of Trustees of the non-government organization (NGO)
Gabaymasa Foundation, Inc. In 2004, the Department of Budget and Management released P728 million for the implementation of the Farm Inputs and Farm Implements Program, otherwise known as the “Fertilizer Fund,” with the province of Marinduque as one of the identified beneficiaries of the program. In the Resolution, the Special Panel on Task Force Abono Cases found that in 10 March 2004, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was entered into between the DA Regional Field Unit IV (DA-RFU IV) represented by Araullo, Reyes (representing the lone district of Marinduque) and Luz of Gabaymasa as project implementor for the procurement of fertilizers worth P5 million with B.T. Mangrubang as supplier. In finding probable cause against Reyes, et al., Ombudsman Morales stated that the selection of Gabaymasa as project implementor violated Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 96-003 which specifically provides for the process of accreditation, verification and validation of NGOs. The Resolution stated that Gabaymasa is not based in the community where the project was implemented as its place of business is in Quezon City; only the 2003 Financial Statements (FS) were submitted in violation of the COA Circular which requires the submission of FS for the last three years to ensure that the NGO is in stable financial condition; and Gabaymasa has no proven track record in the field of the agriculture. Ombudsman Morales concluded that “public officers Reyes, Araullo, Braganza, Torres, Guieb, Odejar, and Iranzo, in conspiracy with Luz consented or, through abandonment or negligence, permitted Gabaymasa to take the P5M fund in the guise of lawful disbursement” exhibiting “a deliberate lack of care or diligence in the performance of their respective duties…to achieve a common design of defrauding the government.” Meanwhile, the criminal charges against Gabaymasa representatives Concha Idica, Ma. Cristina Vizcarra, Caridad Tajon, Melencio Punzalan, Rodolfo Luz, and Bernard Mangrubang of B.T. Mangrubang Enterprises were dismissed for lack of probable cause. Insofar as the related administrative case is concerned, Araullo, Braganza, Torres, Guieb, Odejar and Iranzo were found guilty of Serious Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and were dismissed from the service with accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DSWD delivers relief to island-villages in E. Samar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To hasten the distribution of relief goods to families affected
by Typhoon Ruby in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) established a new hub at the
National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Borongan, Eastern
Samar. The hub will serve the hard- to-reach areas or isolated island-barangays in the province. Military trucks and choppers will bring goods to these areas. Initially, food packs good for three days were given to the families in the island villages. Additional relief goods coming from DSWD-Field Offices XI and CARAGA are expected to arrive in the Tacloban City relief hub anytime today to augment the food packs being repacked there. In a press conference in Borongan this morning, DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that DSWD is now assessing the need for the implementation of Cash-for-Work in the province to speed up the recovery of the survivors. Likewise, in other regions which were hit by ‘Ruby’, DSWD social workers are now conducting rapid damage and needs assessment to determine other appropriate services that survivors would need to return to normalcy. As of press time, some 7,818 houses were totally damaged while 34,854 were partially destroyed. Evacuation centers To date, 5,890 evacuation centers are still operational in all regions affected by ‘Ruby’ serving 325,463 families or 1.3 million individuals. DSWD social workers continue to assist local government units (LGU) in managing these centers by distributing relief goods, providing hot meals, profiling of evacuees, and conducting play therapy for children. The DSWD-Central Office also deployed staff to complement the Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in Regions IV-A and B, VII and VIII. A total of 23 staff will be deployed in these regions to render 24/7 duty on a shifting basis. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DSWD brings more goods to CALABARZON, MIMAROPA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Repacking at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in
Pasay City continues to meet the food needs of survivors in
CALABARZON and MIMAROPA where Typhoon Ruby also made a landfall.
As of press time, NROC released some 5,000 food packs for Region IV-A. Two wing vans and one flatbed truck from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) transported the food packs to the province of Cavite for distribution to affected families in Bacoor City, Cavite City, Kawit, Noveleta, Rosario, and Ternate. Another 1,789 food packs for Quezon Province will be picked up today for the towns of Dolores, San Antonio, and Candelaria. For MIMAROPA, NROC also released 10,800 food packs today. Two wing vans from World Food Programme (WFP) and four trucks from LTFRB transported these to Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Culion, Palawan, and Marinduque. On top of these, 6,800 food packs for the Region are already prepared for loading. Ten trucks will transport these today to the MIMARIPA relief hub in Batangas. Volunteers DSWD is able to deliver enough relief goods to typhoon-affected areas on time because of the help of volunteers who continue to troop to NROC to help repack goods. From 7am to 12 noon today, some 417 volunteers have arrived to help in repacking. Since DSWD made the call for volunteers on Sunday, some 1,766 volunteers have rendered their invaluable service. “Thank you to all the volunteers in NROC and in the Cebu Hub at the Cebu International Convention Center and Sacred Heart Gymnasium. As always, you never failed us,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Church, HULMA support UBAS launching in ZamBaSulta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dilg.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zamboanga City- The launching of the Ugnayan ng Barangay at
Simbahan (UBAS) and Huntahan ng mga Ulama at Liga para sa
Mamamayan (HULMA) in Region IX and ARMM gained support from the
barangays and interfaith leaders by formally signing the
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and the Unity Statement recently
at the Garden Orchid Hotel here. An initiative of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), UBAS is a collaboration between and among the national government, barangays and interfaith organizations to encourage active community participation among residents to be watchdogs for good governance particularly in the monitoring of government projects in Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (ZamBaSulTa) areas. Participants to the launching were Mufti and Uztadz from the provinces of Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi, members of the interfaith of Zamboanga City, and Liga ng mga Barangay representatives of ZamBaSulTa. The event was graced by DILG Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero representing Secretary Mar Roxas, Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) National President Atty. Edmund Abesamis, Rev. Fr. William D. Quiamjot representing Most Reverend Romulo T. Dela Cruz of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga City and Dr. Aboulkhair S. Tarazon, chairman of Regional Darul Ifta, all of whom were signatories of the Memorandum of Agreement. Also in attendance were Fr. Tony Labiao, representing the National Technical Working Group of UBAS; National Barangay Operations Office Dir. Leocadio A. Trovela, Zamboanga City Mayor Hon. Ma. Isabelle Climaco Salazar, and DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil. In her opening message, Climaco commended the DILG and the participants for coming together in pursuit of peace and harmony in diversity, stressing that Zamboanguenos notwithstanding their different faiths, cultures and traditions are united for peace. She also stressed that through UBAS and HULMA, the roles of civil society organizations and non-government organizations in advocating and promoting good governance and people’s participation at the local level have been recognized in scaling up the practice of good governance at the local level. Meanwhile, Roxas, in his message delivered by Panadero, said that the goal of UBAS and HULMA is to institutionalize the reforms of the Aquino administration and ensure that these reforms remain in force even after the term of the President. “Together, we tell them that those who cheat the people will not just go to jail, but will go to hell as well. The wrath of the people and the wrath of God will hound them to the damnation they deserve. Let us bury the hatchet of old enmities. We all believe in the welfare of our people, and let’s work together towards achieving the best we can for them. Let us work for a peace that is not just the absence of conflict, but a peace that brings prosperity to all.” he said in closing. Panadero also turned-over the detailed list of Grassroots Participatory Process (GPP) projects implemented in Region IX and ARMM to the representatives from the Liga ng mga Barangay, Archdiocese of Zamboanga City and the ARMM Regional Darul-Ifta. Lemuel C. Mejares, Regional Info. Officer/ LGOO II |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DOST-PNRI boosts nuclear safety & research facilities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dost.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute - Department of
Science and Technology (PNRI - DOST) strengthened its capability
in monitoring and irradiation through the latest additions in
its stable of nuclear facilities. Particularly, PNRI inaugurated
its Electron Beam Facility and received the Environmental
Radiation Monitor during the opening of the Atomic Energy
celebration this week at the PNRI Compound in Commonwealth
Avenue, Quezon City. Warming up the event, DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo opened the celebration with the weather update on Typhoon Hagupit. "When we speak about the weather, let's believe in PAG-ASA, when it's about nuclear, let's believe in PNRI. Let's believe in ourselves," he cheered the audience composed of institutional partners, stakeholders, media, students, DOST-PNRI personnel, as well as foreign dignitaries from Argentina, Russia, France, USA and Japan. Secretary Montejo also thanked the Korean Government for the turnover of the radiation monitor, and the international community including the USA, Japan, Russia, and Argentina for supporting the PNRI's project on the Electron Beam Facility. This facility, the first of its kind in the country, will be useful for research, semi commercial electron beam services, and other radiation processing related applications. Meanwhile, the Environmental Radiation Monitor System called EFRD-3300 provides continuous and real-time monitoring of ambient gamma radiation. It will be part of a nationwide early-warning system for monitoring radiation emergencies such as that which transpired at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Station in 2011. According to PNRI Director Dr. Alumanda M. Dela Rosa, "The additional facilities and equipment will be very helpful in improving our capabilities, not only in nuclear research but also in radiation protection and nuclear safety." Congressman Francis Gerald Aguinaldo-Abaya, First District Representative of Cavite and Keynote Speaker during the opening program, said, "You might be wondering what a congressman and an architect are doing in this highly scientific occasion. To be honest, it is my brother Sec. Jun Abaya who is the science wiz in the family,” referring to Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya of the Department of Transportation and Communication who himself is also a former House representative. “In the 14th Congress, one of (my brother’s) legacies to me is the pursuit of the passage of the Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Law,” beamed Abaya who is a member of the House committees on information and communications technology, and science and technology. House Bill 147 or the Comprehensive Nuclear Law will create a separate Regulatory Body independent of PNRI. On the said law, he said, “I am proud to work with PNRI in shepherding (its) passage... in Congress …the bottomline is, there is a need for the Philippines to be internationally compliant with our nuclear regulatory practices.” He then pledged to the audience that he will “continue to work hard to push for its passage during this congress.” The ceremonies were attended by Dr. Sunil Sabharwal, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical officer, Dr. Young Yong Ji, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute senior researcher, and Dr. Bumsoo Han, CEO EB Tech., Co. Ltd. Running until Friday this week, the Atomic Energy celebration will feature the Philippine Nuclear Science Quiz (PNSQ) for high school students on December 11 (Thursday), and closing/awarding ceremonies with A Night at PNRI on December 12 (Friday). (S&T Media Service) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DA-BFAR deploys floating assets for #RubyPH quick response and relief operations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.da.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In light of the onslaught of Typhoon Ruby (international name
Hagupit), the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) has deployed its multi-mission
boats for quick response and relief operations in typhoon
affected areas. A total of 10 units of MCS and 26 units of
30-footer patrol boats located in strategic areas along the Ruby
“corridor” are ready for use in relief activities. The DA-BFAR has coordinated with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to extend the use of the floating assets to the said agencies for faster and more efficient delivery of relief packs and other basic services to typhoon affected communities. DA Undersecretary for Fisheries and BFAR National Director Asis Perez said that the bureau’s multi-mission boats have been secured and prepositioned early on to help in rescue and relief efforts of the government. “This is part of our proactive measures in relation to calamities like this. We want to mitigate any damage the typhoon may cause and we also want to be able to respond to emergencies at the earliest time possible,” Perez said. ### References: Dr. Alma Dickson Chief, BFAR National Marine Fisheries Development Center (NMFDC)  (02) 929-6668 | +63917-8350884Information and Public Relations Group Telefax: (02) 454-5863 Mobile Number/s: 0917-8914233Website: BFAR On-line Information System |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 2014 employment figures reveal better quality jobs generated, unemployment lowest in 10 years – NEDA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.neda.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MANILA — Significant gains were registered by the country’s
labor market as employment figures for October 2014 revealed
that better quality jobs were generated and unemployment dropped
to its lowest in 10 years, according to the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA). This statement came after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the results of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) for October 2014. The survey showed that the number of employed Filipinos increased by 2.8 percent to reach 38.8 million from 37.8 million in the same period last year, translating to 1.05 million jobs generated. “The improved employment numbers also translated to better quality jobs as around 1.03 million of the total employment generated in October 2014 were considered full time. Consistent with this is the increase in remunerative wage and salary workers, particularly in private establishments,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. All major sectors posted increased employment with services as the main driver of growth. It accounted for more than half (53.7%) of employed workers and had the level of employment increased by 3.3 percent or by 675 thousand workers over a year ago. “With the broad-based growth in employment, we are provided an optimistic outlook on the country’s economic performance in the fourth quarter of 2014,” the Cabinet official said. The labor force participation rate (LFPR) also expanded further to 64.3 in October 2014 from 63.9 in October 2013. This indicates that the labor market grew to about 41.3 million, absorbing 925 thousand new labor entrants. “The consistently high LFPR for the past three quarters sends a strong signal that more Filipinos are encouraged to join the labor force. This could largely be attributed to the momentum created by the strong economic growth performance over the past four years,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General. Moreover, the unemployment rate of 6.0 percent for the October 2014 survey round of the LFS is thus far the lowest recorded since April 2005. It is worth noting that workers with higher educational attainment registered higher unemployment rates compared to workers with lower grade completion. This further supports the view that the lower income group (or those whose workers with lower educational attainment) can not afford to be unemployed while the more educated can prolong the time spent looking for work,” he said. On the other hand, underemployment, which is the proportion of those who are already working but still wanted more work, rose further to 18.7 percent (or approximately 7.3 million underemployed workers), compared to the 18.0 percent registered in October 2013. “Challenges to uplift the quality of employment across sectors remain. Hence, the government needs to sustain the implementation of multidimensional approach to raise investments, particularly in the rural areas, and improve productivity as well as income per capita in the country. It is also important to encourage income diversification and labor mobility in and out of agriculture,” said Balisacan. He noted that the labor and employment data for the October 2014 LFS round still excludes Leyte, as the province was devastated by typhoon Yolanda and no survey was conducted in the province. To be comparable, the PSA also excluded the labor and employment data of the said province in the October 2013 LFS round. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President Aquino to Visit South Korea for ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 08 December 2014 —President Benigno S. Aquino III and other
leaders of ASEAN Member States (AMS) will gather in Busan to
mark the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) 25th Anniversary
Commemorative Summit on December 11 and 12. President Aquino and other nine AMS leaders will deliver their respective country statements building on the theme “Building Trust, Bringing Happiness,” reflecting ROK’s commitment to strengthen its relationship with ASEAN through trust, which should result in happiness for the citizens of ASEAN and the ROK. Two Commemorative Summit Sessions on December 12 at the Busan Exhibition Convention Centre (BEXCO) will cover the review of the ASEAN-ROK cooperation and its future direction, and the cooperation on non-traditional security issues with emphasis on climate change and disaster risk management On December 11, President Aquino will also have a bilateral meeting with ROK President Park Geun-hye, who will host a Welcome Dinner and Cultural Performance to officially welcome ASEAN Leaders. Aside from the Commemorative Summit Sessions on December 12, sideline events where President Aquino is set to attend include an exhibition on Korean traditional arts and crafts, a special exhibition on public governance, and a meet-and-greet with the CEO of Korea Aerospace Industries and ROK officials. President Park will likewise host the Leaders’ Luncheon on the second day. Before his departure, President Aquino will meet the Philippine media in a one-hour coffee meeting at the Paradise Hotel Busan. During the Summit, President Aquino will be joined by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and other Members of the Cabinet, ASEAN-Philippines Director-General Luis T. Cruz and other officials from executive departments. Reflecting on how ASEAN-ROK dialogue partnership matured in 25 years, ROK has engaged ASEAN in various areas of cooperation of mutual interest, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), labor and migration, trade and investment, development cooperation and people-to-people exchange. In 2013, about five million Koreans visited ASEAN, one million of whom went to the Philippines. After being a sectoral dialogue partner in 1989, ROK became a full dialogue partner in 1991. In 2010, the ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations were upgraded to a strategic partnership. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DFA, IOM to Hold Regional Anti-Trafficking in Persons Workshop for Philippine Foreign Service Posts in Asia-Pacific | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 December 2014 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) join forces
once again to conduct the third Regional Workshop on
Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) from December 11 to 15 in
Osaka, Japan. Around 55 Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officers and staff from the 28 Philippine Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) in the Asia-Pacific region will receive legal, psychological and practical training that will enable them to properly identify situations of trafficking, render appropriate assistance with due regard to the victims’ rights, safety and special needs, effectively advocate anti-TIP measures in their respective regions and host countries and assist in the prosecution of traffickers. “As the world community marks the International Day against Human Trafficking on December 12, the DFA brings this Workshop to the Asia-Pacific region where, historically, we registered the second highest incidence of trafficking of Filipinos. We believe that providing continuous training to our Foreign Service personnel is a significant step towards enhanced protection of our nationals," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said in his keynote speech to be delivered by DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jesus I. Yabes. “With this workshop, I am confident that we will be able to make great strides in confronting and combating this scourge. Your efforts overseas is necessary to complement the dedication of our partner-agencies in the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Persons in order to ensure that this modern-day slavery will find no refuge anywhere in the world," the Secretary added. In 2013, the FSPs assisted a total of 2,947 Filipino TIP and illegal recruitment victims worldwide. Of this number, 298 were assisted by FSPs in Asia and the Pacific. The speakers’ roster is composed of experts from the IOM, DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, DFA-Office of Personnel and Administrative Services, DFA-Office of Consular Affairs, DFA’s partner-agencies in the Philippine Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT) such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and other relevant international and local organizations. The third Regional Workshop follows the success of the training programs for FSPs in the Middle East and Africa, held in Turkey last April in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and IOM, and for the FSPs in the Americas, held in partnership with UNODC last September in Mexico. The next Regional Workshop will be organized for FSPs in Europe. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PH only Asia-Pacific country which made significant efforts against worst forms of child labor—US DOL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dole.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Philippines is the only country in Asia and the Pacific
Region which received an assessment of “significant advancement”
for making several tangible efforts to eliminate the worst forms
of child labor. This is according to the United States’ Department of Labor study , “2013 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor”, a copy of which has been provided the DOLE, said Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday. Baldoz, citing the study, said that the Philippines is the only country in the Asia-Pacific and one of 13—out of 143 countries—assessed by the United States Department of Labor which made significant advancement in efforts to eliminate the forms of child labor in 2013. “In 2013, we continued to make notable progress in combating the worst forms of child labor, particularly in the area of legislation on trafficking in persons, which, according to the US DOL Report, is of particular concern in the Asia and the Pacific Region,” said Baldoz. She said that compared with the suggested actions reported in 2012, the Philippines has significantly made advances in all relevant areas covering laws and regulations, coordination and enforcement, policies, and social programs. “The findings and recommendations in the US DOL study can be an important tool in the prevention and elimination of child labor, especially its worst forms,” she said. The study identifies places where the worst forms of child labor are prevalent and discusses ways in which governments and organizations around the world can help stop child labor. The study is divided into five parts. Part 1 describes the method for compiling the report and a description of the features of each country profile, including country assessments to provide the US President with clear indications of the US Secretary of Labor’s findings on whether each beneficiary country has advanced efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Part 2 reviews highlights and gaps in government actions to address the worst forms of child labor as described in the particular year report, with emphasis on progress by region. Part 3 provides an overview of the U.S. experience on child labor. Part 4 contains reference material for data on child labor and education that appear in the report and a glossary of terms used. Part 5 covers the individual profiles of the TDA beneficiary countries. Based on the study, there are about 168 million children as young as five years old working worldwide, and 5.8 million of these children are in the worst form of child labor. Baldoz particularly noted that the study cited the efforts of the administration of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III in reducing and eliminating exploitive child labor, identifying the implementation of the “Convergence Program Against Child Labor, 2013-206” that assists local governments in creating child-labor free communities. It also cited President’s Aquino III issuance of Executive Order No. 138, entitled, “Adopting the Comprehensive Program Framework for Children in Armed Conflict, Strengthening the Council for the Welfare of Children and for other Purposes”. The executive order formalized the establishment of a Monitoring, Reporting, and Response System for Grave Child Rights Violations in Situations of Armed Conflict (MRRS-GCRVSAC). Baldoz said that during the reporting period, the DOLE worked with stakeholders to update the country’s hazardous work list for children, through the issuance of Department Order No. 4. In conjunction with the update, the Institute of Labor Studies and the Occupational Safety and Health Center conducted in-depth studies in hazardous work in agriculture, specific to child labor. “The result of this study will be used to inform future interventions to reduce child labor in agriculture in the Philippines,” Baldoz said. She recalled that in February 2013, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 was signed into law as Republic Act No. 10364. The Act amends Republic Act No. 9208 of 2003 to establish a permanent Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking with a secretariat to carry out the mandate; create a database on trafficking cases; expand provisions to protect victims of trafficking; and establish stronger penalties for violations, including those against children. The study also cited the efforts of the government in establishing institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor, including its worst forms. In January 2013, the President approved the hiring of 372 more Labor Law Compliance Officers to be added to the existing 237 officers employed by the DOLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions. As of October 2014, a total of 282 new officers had been hired. The LLCOs are authorized to monitor and enforce the Labor Code of the Philippines, including child labor laws. The DOLE regularly includes a child labor component in its training for labor inspectors. Baldoz also said the DOLE has strengthened the Sagip Batang Manggagawa (SBM) Quick Response Team which in 2013 conducted 11 rescue operations in eight regions that led to the rescue of 37 child laborers. These child laborers were referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for rehabilitation and reintegration. The US DOL study also stated that during the reporting period, the National Child Labor Committee and its subcommittees met several times to plan and develop the NCLC Strategic Plan, 2014–2016. The NCLC had supported the national celebration of World Day Against Child Labor in Manila with DOLE and ILO-IPEC. DOLE also conducted training for the NCLC sub-committee members on the use of the Child Labor Knowledge Sharing System (CLKSS), an information technology tool used by child labor program coordinators to serve as an anti-child labor data hub. The Aquino administration also established policies related to child labor, including its worst forms. These includes the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan, 2011-2016; Philippine Labor and Employment Plan, 2011-2016; National Strategic Framework Development Plan for for Children, or Child 21 (2000-2025); Philippine Program Against Child Labor Strategic Framework; and the National Strategic Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons, 2012-2016. “These policies are aimed at strengthening mechanisms for the prevention, eradication, and monitoring of child protection laws, developing strategies to respond to child trafficking and pornography, and implementing an enhanced program for preventing children from being engaged in armed conflict and other worst forms of child labor.” The study also mentioned that in 2013, the Philippines funded and participated in programs such as the Conditional Cash Transfer; Alternative Learning System; Social Amelioration Program; DOLE Child labor Prevention and Elimination Program; Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons; Special Social Services for Children in Armed Conflict; National Plan of Action for Children; Towards a Child Labor-Free Philippines Supporting the Philippine Program Against Child Labor In Building on Past Gains and Addressing Challenges; Philippines ABK3 LEAP-Livelihoods, Education, Advocacy, and Protection to Reduce Child Labor in Sugarcane; Global Action Program on Child Labor Issues; and Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce (CLEAR) Child Labor. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DOLE offers job fairs to jobseekers on its 81st Anniversary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dole.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Department of Labor and Employment will offer jobseekers
employment opportunities in four regions as part of its
week-long celebration of its 81st Foundation Day on 8 December. “The job fairs will start 1 December,” said Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, who was apprised of the regional activities relative to the celebration by Undersecretary Rebecca C. Chato, Chairperson of the Executive Committee for the 81st DOLE Foundation Anniversary . Job fairs are DOLE’s regular employment facilitation services which bring jobseekers and employers together in convenient venues to match labor demand and supply. It shortens job search and facilitates employers’ search for qualified workers. Four of DOLE’s 16 regional offices—in Regions 6, 7, 9, and 11—have lined up the jobs fairs as part of their celebration of the DOLE 81st anniversary, and will hold the activities in cooperation with their Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs). The jobs fair in Region 6 will be held in Iloilo and Negros Oriental, according to Regional Director Ponciano Ligutom, while in Region 7, the job fair will be conducted in Cebu City as reported by Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga. In Region 9, Regional Director Sisinio Cano invited job seekers in the region to visit the job fair in Zamboanga City, and in Region 11, Regional Director Joffrey Suyao said the regional office will hold the job fair in Davao City. During the job fairs, the DOLE will offer one-stop shop services of various national government agencies to expedite job seekers’ compliance with employment requirements. These agencies are the Bureau of Internal Revenue for income tax registration number, Social Security System for social security registration, PhilHealth for health coverage, and the Philippine Statistics Authority for birth, marriage, and other allied certificates. Aside from the job fairs, the DOLE’s 16 Regional Offices will also conduct community services, environment preservation initiatives, gift-giving, and other outreach activities to celebrate the occasion. Also, regional offices of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will offer an array of direct services and facilities, such as counselling for those hired-on-the-spot to work overseas, and skills retooling and retraining for those who lack the necessary skills required by employers. The DOLE regional offices will also award outstanding personnel who have demonstrated exemplary service in each of the core values described in the DOLE Code of Conduct. The core values are duty above all; objectivity and integrity; loyalty above personal interest; and excellence. DOLE Regional Offices No. 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 will celebrate the anniversary with their social partners. In Region 2, the regional office will give gifts to child workers under the Project Angel Tree on 5 December. In Region 5, a Family Day will held evacuation sites in Albay on 4 December, while in Region 7 will convoke a meeting of the Regional Coordinating Committee on 9 December. In Region 8, the regional office will distribute livelihood starter kits to beneficiaries on 8 December. In Region 11, a general assembly of the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council will be gathered on 3 December, and in Region 13, the regional office will conduct a forum for recruitment agencies on 3 December and a seminar for OFW entrepreneurs on 4 December. There will be Diskwento Caravans and trade fairs in Regions 2 and 13 on 8 December. The DOLE observes its 81st foundation anniversary with the theme, “Higit pa sa Tagumpay at Reporma, ang DOLE Mas Makabuluhan, Mas Nadarama”, which conveys the message that beyond the reforms and its achievements, the DOLE has ushered in an era of self-transformation which impacts on the very lives of its clients and stakeholders in terms of decent and productive employment, sustained industrial peace, competitive and productive enterprises, social protection for vulnerable workers, and efficient and effective leadership and management. “The regions and other DOLE frontline agencies have, this year and in the previous four three years under the Aquino III administration, joined the Central Office in pursuing with zeal and vigor the reforms we have set to deliver the most beneficial labor and employment programs and services to our people. We are on our way to making the DOLE a 21st century DOLE—caring, excellent, and innovative. It is proper and fitting that we celebrate another milestone in the best tradition of public service,” said Secretary Baldoz. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BSP Rediscount Rates for December 2014 and Availments as of November 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.bsp.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The BSP announced today the applicable Peso Rediscount Facility
and Exporters Dollar and Yen Rediscount Facility (EDYRF) rates
for the month of December 2014 and loan availments as of end
November 2014.
The Peso Rediscount Facility rates for Rediscounting Windows
(RWs) I and II for December 2014 are as follows:
The Peso rediscount rates for RW I and RW II are effective
starting 15 September 2014 up to the next policy rates revision
and are based on the applicable BSP one-month repurchase rate
and overnight reverse repurchase rate, respectively, plus term
premia for longer maturities per Circular No. 806 dated 15
August 2013.
The following are the rates for the month of December for loans
under the EDYRF:
The EDYRF rates are based on the respective 90-day London
Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as of 28 November 2014 plus 200
basis points plus term premia for longer maturities pursuant to
Circular No. 807 dated 15 August 2013.
Under the Peso Rediscount Facility, the total availments of
thrift and rural banks amounted to P1,227 million for the period
01 January to 30 November 2014, which is 93.1 percent lower than
the P17,735 million total in the same period last year. Out of
the aggregate availments for the period, 79.5 percent went to
commercial credits; 5.6 percent to agricultural and industrial
credits; and 14.9 percent to other credits consisting of
permanent working capital (4.9 percent), CAPEX (4.7 percent),
other services (4.2 percent), and housing (1.1 percent).
Under the EDYRF, aggregate dollar availments of a universal bank
and a thrift bank for the period 01 January to 30 November 2014
amounted to US$9.2 million and benefitted three exporters. This
represents a 91.6 percent decrease in availments compared to the
US$109.4 million grants for the same period last year.
On the other hand, there was no Yen-denominated availment under
the EDYRF for the period 01 January to 30 November 2014.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Foreign Direct Investments More than Doubled in September; First 9 Months Level Reaches US$4.9 Billion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.bsp.gov.ph/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign direct investments (FDI) posted net inflows amounting to
US$680 million in September 2014, more than twice the year-ago
level of US$314 million. Increases were posted in all FDI
components.1,2 The sustained increase in net inflows during the
month reflects continued investor confidence in the country’s
solid macroeconomic fundamentals. In particular, net inflows of
equity capital increased significantly to US$161 million from
US$7 million last year. This was due to the rise in equity
capital placements by 252.4 percent to US$178 million, coupled
with the decline in equity capital withdrawals by 59.8 percent
to US$17 million. The bulk of equity capital investments in
September 2014—coming largely from the United States, Singapore,
Taiwan, Japan, and Germany—was channeled to the manufacturing;
real estate; wholesale and retail trade; financial and
insurance; and transportation and storage sectors. Moreover,
investments in debt instruments issued by local affiliates,
consisting of intercompany loans, grew by 73.8 percent to US$458
million from US$263 million in the previous year. Reinvestment
of earnings reached US$61 million, higher by 41 percent than the
US$43 million recorded last year. On a cumulative basis, net FDI inflows grew by 61.3 percent to US$4.9 billion for the first nine months of 2014 from US$3 billion during the comparative period in 2013. The significant rise in FDI during the period was driven by the sustained growth in investments in debt instruments which rose by 54.5 percent to US$3.1 billion from US$2 billion. This developed as a result of higher lending of parent companies abroad to their local affiliates to fund existing operations and business expansion plans in the country. Net equity capital inflows also rose by 77.3 percent to US$1.1 billion as the decline in equity capital placements by 27 percent (to US$1.6 billion from US$2.2 billion) was accompanied by a bigger reduction of 69.7 percent (to US$475 million from US$1.6 billion) in equity capital withdrawals. Equity capital investments in January to September—which came mostly from the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan—were channeled mainly to the financial and insurance; manufacturing; real estate; wholesale and retail trade; and transportation and storage sectors. Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings increased by 70.3 percent to US$650 million during the period from US$382 million. --------------- 1 The BSP adopted the Balance of Payments, 6th edition (BPM6) compilation framework effective 22 March 2013 with the release of the full-year 2012 and revised 2011 BOP statistics. On 21 March 2014, the BSP released the BPM6-based series from 2005-2013. The major change in FDI compilation is the adoption of the asset and liability principle, where claims of non-resident direct investment enterprises from resident direct investors are now presented as reverse investment under net incurrence of liabilities/non-residents’ investments in the Philippines (previously presented in the Balance of Payments Manual, 5th edition (BPM5) as negative entry under assets/residents’ investments abroad). Conversely, claims of resident direct investment enterprises from foreign direct investors are now presented as reverse investment under net acquisition of financial assets/residents’ investments abroad (previously presented as negative entry under liabilities/non-residents’ investments in the Philippines). 2 BSP statistics on FDI covers actual investment inflows, which could be in the form of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and borrowings between affiliates. In contrast to investment data from other government sources, the BSP’s FDI data include investments where ownership by the foreign enterprise is at least 10 percent. Meanwhile, FDI data of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) do not make use of the 10 percent threshold and include borrowings from foreign sources that are non-affiliates of the domestic company. Furthermore, the BSP’s FDI data are presented in net terms (i.e., equity capital placements less withdrawals), while the IPAs’ FDI do not account for equity withdrawals. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DepEd exec sued for unremitted GSIS premiums | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Department of Education (DepEd) official faces charges of
violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft
and Corrupt Practices Act) and 15 counts of violation of Section
52 of Republic Act No. 8291 (GSIS Act of 1997) for failing to
timely remit the GSIS premiums of teachers and employees from
the DepEd-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In an Order that denied the Motion for Reconsideration, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales affirmed the finding of probable cause against Leovigilda Cinches, former Officer-in-Charge Regional Secretary of DepEd-ARMM. Documents show that from October 2001 to November 2004, DepEd-ARMM failed to timely remit the GSIS premiums/contributions amounting to P232.9 million resulting to the suspension of employees’ loan privileges and other benefits. The Joint Resolution cited that as OIC Regional Secretary and Director II for Administrative, Finance and Other Support Services, “these two positions are mandated to ensure that the monthly GSIS premiums were collected and remitted to the GSIS within thirty (30) days from the time each monthly contributions fell due.” Aside from criminal indictments, Cinches was also found guilty of Grave Misconduct and was ordered dismissed from the service with the accessory penalties of forfeiture of benefits and disqualification from reemployment in any branch of government. The complaints against Accountant III Pangalian Maniri, Budget Officer III Mosbicak Ibrahim and Cashier Norensa Arimao, all of DepEd-ARMM were dismissed for insufficiency of evidence. Similarly, the complaints against former GSIS officials, namely: President and General Manager Winston Garcia, members of the Board of Trustees: Leonora De Jesus, Elmer Bautista, Florino Ibanez, Reynaldo Palmiery, Fulgencio Factoran, Jr. and Aida Nocete were dismissed for lack of merit |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DBM presents P22.47-B supplemental budget to congress; Abad: Budget addresses urgent funding requirements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dbm.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) presented to the
House of Representatives on Tuesdaythe proposed P22.47-billion
supplemental budget that would address urgent funding
requirements for priority infrastructure, socio-economic, and
rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said, “These priority projects were identified as urgent this year but only after the 2015 National Expenditure Program (NEP) had been sent to Congress last May. As such, there is no truth to misgivings that these projects are funded by any existing appropriations law, much more the proposed 2015 National Budget.” The supplemental budget will fund urgent projects like the housing component required by the Comprehensive Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan (CRRP) for Typhoon Yolanda, which had been approved only this July. Though P11 billion of the funding requirement for housing was covered by the 2014 National Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRMMF) and released to the National Housing Authority (NHA), it would still draw P8 billion from the supplemental budget for a total of P18.9 billion as required by the CRRP. On the other hand, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will receive P1.94 billion to update their National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). Also known as Listahanan, this is a nationwide database of the poor who urgently need support, especially those recently affected by Yolanda. This project update was not funded by either the 2014 or 2015 national budget because its fund source was supposed to be savings incurred this year, but this was hindered by the SC ruling that savings could only be declared at year’s end. Thus, the National Government could not fund the program until its inclusion under the supplemental budget. The P22.47-billion supplemental budget will also address valid obligations incurred by the National Government on completed or commenced projects under the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) as well as approved projects supported by the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) that need implementation. Though the enactment of both programs was halted by the Supreme Court, these projects were not ruled illegal by the high court. Abad added that, “We crafted the proposed supplemental budget under the principles of transparency and accountability under President Aquino’s Tuwid na Daan. But we were also guided by the high court ruling advising us to resort to a supplemental budget to support priority projects not funded by current or future General Appropriation Acts (GAAs).” For the reference of the legislators, the presentation of the projects listed under the proposed supplemental budget have had their appropriations disaggregated with corresponding project descriptions for transparency and accountability purposes. The proposed supplemental budget, if approved, will make appropriations available for release and obligation for the purposes specified for one year from its date of effectivity. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emergency funds ready as Ruby sweeps through Ph; Abad: affected areas to get priority relief efforts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dbm.gov.ph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Aquino administration has ample emergency funds on the ready
for 2014 and 2015 as Tropical Storm Ruby (international code
name: Hagupit) continues to move across the country, Department
of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad
said today. “Preparation is critical in ensuring the safety of Filipinos in the face of natural disasters. The current year’s budget can fully support emergency operations as they’re needed, especially in the wake of Ruby. To date, the National and local governments have been working together to ensure that pre- and post-disaster activities are executed well.” The Administration recently augmented the 2014 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) with P2.61 billion for the government’s relief and emergency response activities. Likewise, a number of government departments have Quick Response Funds (QRFs) amounting to a total of P5.34 billion ready to use specifically for this situation. Here is a breakdown of the QRFs per department:
¹The QRFs are released at the start of the year as part of the GAA-as-release document regime, allowing government agencies to make immediate use of funds for emergency response functions. In view of Tropical Storm Ruby, the DPWH received replenishment of funds worth P650 million for their QRF last Friday, December 5, 2014. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Last Updated:
10 DECEMBER 2014
|
|
| Alternative photo archive with high resolutions | |
| Please click on thumbnails to magnify | |
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Rt. Hon. Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Union Parliament of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, during the courtesy call at the President’s Hall Sala of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (December 10). Also in photo are Union of the Republic of Myanmar Ambassador to the Philippines Ye Myint Aung and Committee on National Races Affairs, Rural Development Affairs, and Internal Peace Implementation Committee chairman U Thein Zaw. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Rt. Hon. Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Union Parliament of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, during the courtesy call at the President’s Hall Sala of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (December 10). Also in photo is Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Rt. Hon. Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Union Parliament of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, during the courtesy call at the President’s Hall Sala of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (December 10). Also in photo are Union of the Republic of Myanmar Ambassador to the Philippines Ye Myint Aung, Committee on National Races Affairs, Rural Development Affairs, and Internal Peace Implementation Committee chairman U Thein Zaw and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Rt. Hon. Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Union Parliament of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, during the courtesy call at the President’s Hall Sala of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (December 10). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Del Rosario, the chair of the APEC 2015 Informal Senior Officials' Meeting, has released key APEC targets for 2015 and in the succeeding years in a briefing held at the APEC Media Center in The Peninsula Manila on Tuesday (December 9). (Rey S. Baniquet / NIB) | ||
 |
Jaime Zobel De Ayala, ABAC Philippines Member, and CEO, Ayala Group of Companies, Ambassador Tang Guogiang, Chair, China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation and Ms. Trudy Witbreuk, Head of Division, Development Division, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are resource speakers at the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting on Monday (December 8) at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. (Rey S. Baniquet / NIB) | ||
 |
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director General Arsenio M. Balisacan speaks at the APEC 2015 Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting Monday (December 8) at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. (Rey S. Baniquet / NIB) | ||
 |
Secretary of Trade and Industry Gregory Domingo speaks at the APEC 2015 Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting Monday (December 8) at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. (Rey S. Baniquet / NIB) | ||
 |
Delegates of the APEC 2015 Informal Senior Officials' Meeting pose for an official family photo. At the front row are (from left) Megawati Manan-Brunei, Raul Patino-Peru, Laura Del Rosario-Philippines Chair, Tan Jian-China, and Quynh Mai Pham-Vietnam; (second row, from left) Doris Magsaysay Ho-Asean Business Advisory Council, Sasanee Sahussarungsi-Thailand, Carlos Pinera-Mexico, Alison Mann-New Zealand, and Mak Ching Yu-Hong Kong; (third row, from left) Ivan Pomaleu-Papua New Guinea, Susan Gregson-Canada, Andres Culogovski-Chile, and Antonio Basilio-PECC; (fourth row, from left) Tatsuo Sato-Japan (MOFA), Manuel Esguerra-Philippines, Toshiyuki Sakamoto-Japan (METI), Yuri Thamrin-Indonesia, Dato 'N Vasudevan-Malaysia, and Robert Shiao Wong-USA; (fifth row, from left) Tai Chu-Chinese Taipei, Valery Sorokin-Russia, Ark Boon Lee-Singapore, John Larkin-Australia, Allan Bollard-APEC Secretariat, Executive Director, and Young Bae Choi-South Korea. (Rey S. Baniquet / NIB) | ||
 |
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. delivers his welcome remarks at the APEC 2015 Informal Senior Officials Meeting on Monday (December 8) at the Grand Ballroom, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City. (REY S. BANIQUET/NIB) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III listens as Filipina international singer Lea Salonga renders a song as an intermission number during the presentation of awards of the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III presents the Pamana ng Pilipino Award to Lea Salonga, international singer, voice talent and Broadway theater actress, during the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas awarding ceremony at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). Salonga is cited for exemplifying the musical talent and ingenuity of Filipino. Assisting the President are Sec. Imelda Nicolas of the Commission of Filipinos Overseas and Sec. Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher education. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas awarding ceremony at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). Also in photo are Sec. Imelda Nicolas of the Commission of Filipinos Overseas and Sec. Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher education. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III shares the stage with the awardees of the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). Institutionalized in 1991 through Executive Order No. 498, the Presidential Awards is a is a biennial search for overseas-based individuals and organizations that dedicated their work in the service and improvement of lives of Filipinos worldwide, selflessly supported relief, rehabilitation and development programs in the home country, or who have excelled in their field of profession. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras exchanges pleasantries with Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). Also in photo are Sultanate of Oman Ambassador to the Philippines Munther Mahfoodh Al-Mantheri, Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs ASEAN Department Head Ambassador Aflah Suleiman Al-Tal, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya, and Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Amable Aguiluz V (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras welcomes Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). Also in photo are Sultanate of Oman Ambassador to the Philippines Munther Mahfoodh Al-Mantheri, Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs ASEAN Department Head Ambassador Aflah Suleiman Al-Tal, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya, and Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Amable Aguiluz V. (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi with Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Amable Aguiluz V arrives at the Palace during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). (Photo by Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a gift from the Bulong Pulungan core members during 28th annual Bulong Pulungan Christmas Party at the Luzon Ballroom of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Friday (December 05). The Bulong Pulungan media forum started 28 years ago on the onset of People Power by the country’s leading lifestyle journalists. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 28th annual Bulong Pulungan Christmas Party at the Luzon Ballroom of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Friday (December 05). The Bulong Pulungan media forum started 28 years ago on the onset of People Power by the country’s leading lifestyle journalists. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 28th annual Bulong Pulungan Christmas Party at the Luzon Ballroom of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Friday (December 05). The Bulong Pulungan media forum started 28 years ago on the onset of People Power by the country’s leading lifestyle journalists. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III receives the Exemplar in Government Service Award from Bulong Pulungan Media Forum co-founder and moderator Deedee Siytangco, co-founders Julie Yap-Daza, Rina Jimenez-David and Joanne Ramirez during the 28th annual Bulong Pulungan Christmas Party at the Luzon Ballroom of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Friday (December 05). Eight other public servants were awarded during the event. The Bulong Pulungan media forum started 28 years ago on the onset of People Power by the country’s leading lifestyle journalists. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III listens to the updates on the government’s pre-disaster readiness preparation for Typhoon Ruby at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) meeting at the NDRRMC headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday (December 04). (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III presides over the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) meeting on the government’s pre-disaster readiness preparation for Typhoon Ruby at the NDRRMC headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday (December 04). (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 |
President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 2nd State Conference on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation and Review at the Heroes Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday (December 02). Also in photo are Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., Executive Secretary and Presidential UNCAC Inter-Agency Committee chairperson Paquito Ochoa, Jr. and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. (Photo by Lauro Montellano, Jr. / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
No comments:
Post a Comment