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| 17 AUGUST 2007 | ||
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| 17 AUGUST 2007 | ||
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye Re: Suspension of gov't offices in NCR |
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On the recommendation of the Office of Civil
Defense, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita has authorized the suspension of
government offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) starting at 1 p.m.
today. Not covered are frontline agencies performing health, relief and protective services. |
| Ombudsman kicks off rally for integrity |
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The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), through its
Multi-sectoral Anti-Corruption Council (MSACC), kicked off today its
roadshow priority project dubbed “Rally for Integrity“ designed to showcase
the gains and progress made in the government’s intensified campaign against
corruption. The launch, attended by key people from the public and private sectors led by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, was held at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni this morning with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita gracing the occasion. Also in attendance were Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Teresita de Castro, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, and representatives from the Supreme Court, National Youth Commission (NYC) and the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance. The MSACC, which serves as the implementing arm of the government’s National Anti-Corruption Program of Action (NACPA), aims to raise awareness that the government and the private sector are collaborating to stamp out corruption and show that there are good and honest people committed to eradicate the menace. The council also aims to integrate into one coherent framework all anti-corruption initiatives of the public and private sectors. The MSACC plans to hold a roadshow in at least one key city in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. At about 6:30 a.m. this morning, sectoral representatives from the media, youth, business, civll society and participating government agencies converged at the Quezon Memorial Circle and marched to the UP Bahay ng Alumni in Diliman to stage the first-ever “Rally for Integrity.” |
| Immigration Bureau beefs up measures against illegal aliens |
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The Bureau of Immigration (BI), touted as the
country’s first line of defense against foreign terrorists, has put in place
several measures to curb the entry of illegal aliens. Newly-installed BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said these measures include a thorough check of foreigners entering the country to ensure that they are not listed in the “deregatory list” of aliens. The “derogatory list” contains the names of various nationals tagged by the intelligence community as terrorists and other undesirable elements. Libanan said he has ordered BI regional offices all over the country to strictly enforce regulations governing the entry of aliens into the country. “Our mandate is to protect the sovereignty of the Filipinos. A well-equipped immigration bureau is our first line of defense,” Libanan said at “The Cabinet Speaks” television program hosted by Press Undersecretary for Broadcast Martin Antonio Crisostomo and aired over NBN 4. “We have to ‘profile’ everyone and check their identity against derogatory list,” he said. The BI has also put up “border crossing patrols” particularly in Mindanao, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to forestall the entry of undesirable aliens. “We already wrote the DFA that we have to post at least 15 immigration personnel on the three islands near our borders with Indonesia,” he said. Libanan said that on Sept. 3, the immigration bureau will launch “Operation Coastal Seal” in coordination with the Bureau of Customs, to strengthen measures against the entry of illegal aliens. He said that under “Operation Coastal Seal,” BI personnel will guard the country’s coastal areas around the clock. New BI hires would be strictly screened by the Immigration Academy to ensure that “extortionists” are not employed by the agency, he added. Libanan, however, said that the BI operations are hampered by lack of personnel and budget problems as he urged Congress to pass the New Immigration Law. “We are undermanned…there are only 997 permanent employes and 900 contractuals…our budget of P300 million is equivalent to the budget of a small town considering that we are the country’s first line of defense” against the entry of illegal aliens, he said. |
| PGMA tells barangay leaders it's their duty to declog their own drainage systems |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo advised today
barangay officials in the metropolis to declog their own drainage systems so
that the national government can focus on the widening of the main waterways
to help stem flooding. The President explained that the national government’s responsibility is to widen the major water systems – especially the Pasig River and its tributary, the San Juan River – and to give notice to owners of illegal structures to vacate the area. Braving super typhoon “Egay,” the President motored to the San Jose Elementary School at the corner of Mauban and Tendido Streets in Barangay San Jose in Quezon City’s first district. There, she met with officials of six of the lowest-lying barangays in the city – San Jose, Pag-ibig sa Nayon, Damar, Maharlika, St. Peter and N.S. Amoranto. Dressed in a brown-cream dress with necklace accent of stones of the same color and same-colored open-toed wedge sandals, the President said: “Dapat barangay na ang gumagawa nun (the cleanup of clogged barangay drainage)… Kayo na yun…” She explained that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is presently widening the Pasig River and the San Juan River to prevent backflows which cause floods along low-lying areas. The MMDA, she announced, is “nag re-reclaim sa mga tabi-tabi, pati sa Malacanang, nagtatanggal ng mga bahagi” of illegal structures which impede the natural flow of water on its way down and out to the Manila Bay. The MMDA is also giving out notices to affected residents because “kailangang linisin na natin…” For himself, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte explained to the President and to the officials present, including the barangay chairmen themselves, that QC’s District I is the lowest-lying area of the city, just above sea level, thus the inevitable flooding during strong rains. Belmonte added that the city government had earlier built several drainage systems in the area, and that it is already the responsibility of the barangays to clean them up instead of neglecting them and just waiting for the national government to do it for them. “Huwag tayo turo ng turo, dito mismo, solusyunan ninyo…” he urged. Waterways spill into low-lying barangays alongside them during heavy rains and high tide. Continued siltation has also caused the decrease in the water-carrying capacity of rivers, thus the need for a comprehensive dredging operation which is national government’s call. “Dun natin ilagay ang budget. Widen rivers which is one comprehensive solution to the flooding,” the President said. The President also asked the MMDA to check the source of flooding along F. Torres St. and Abad Santos St. where barangay officials say the higher level of the drainage system in Caloocan City is causing the flooding of the neighboring QC barangays. As for requests for playgrounds and basketball courts, the President stressed that “ang priority natin, magtayo ng public parks. Bahala na kayo kung gusto ninyo ng basketball court…” The President said lots could be bought by the government at reasonable prices, and the congressmen could build the basketball courts for them. “Basta reasonable (ang price), bibili tayo, Sonny. Kayo na (the barangays) and bahala sa staff work,” the President urged, saying the national and local governments shall share in the lot cost. The President also told local officials about “Kilos Asenso” program where LGUs “with initiative” could just shoulder 50 percent of their infra projects, and the national government will fork out the other 50 percent. Among those in the barangay interaction was Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya who was asked by the President to explain to the audience how the government, particularly the MMDA, would fund flood-control projects. Andaya said local governments get five percent of the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) which, this year, reaches P190 billion in the metropolis. He said there will be a 17-percent increase next year to P218 billion, thus, “lalaki ang share ng LGUs at ng MMDA.” “Direkta po ang bigay sa LGU,” said Andaya. For his part, MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando asked for a higher budget for the MMDA, saying that the MMDA funds have decreased because there is only one remaining municipality in the metropolis, with all the rest having turned into cities. “Kailangan ko ng dagdag, Ma’am,” he said. Mayor Belmonte said the city alone gives P250 million a year to the MMDA from its IRA but Fernando said the amount is hardly enough for garbage collection which, he said, runs to P1.3 billion a year. “Kulang pa sa basura kaya ang budget para sa drainage, galing na lahat sa Presidente,” Fernando reported. Meanwhile, the President informed the barangay officials that she had transferred the flood-control funds of the NCR offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-NCR) to the MMDA, pointing out that MMDA’s mandate is garbage collection, traffic management and flood control, and that “sabi ko, mahirap naman kung hindi nila asikasuhin ang pagtatayo ng (flood-control) infrastructure.” Officials from the DPWH-NCR said the budget runs up to P920 million from both local and foreign funds. The President added that even flood-control projects in the CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela) area are now under the MMDA. The DPWH-NCR’s flood-control funds were placed under the DPWH as early as last year, according to Budget Secretary Andaya who explained that there was a need for coordination among local governments who were earlier doing their own “piece-meal” flood-control projects. In a press briefing after the President’s visit, Andaya said the government is coming up with a “menu” for the P1-billion “Kilos Asenso” program for major infrastructure projects where national government could shoulder 50 percent of LGU projects with local counterpart funds. The President then requested the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) to schedule a barangay visit where connecting C-5 and the North Luzon Expressway will be discussed. Before the interaction, the President issued scholarship vouchers of P100,000 to each of the six barangays; but not one of the six barangays was given a “Botika sa Barangay” for lack of pharmacists to supervise them. However, Mayor Belmonte said the city will use “common pharmacists” based at City Hall to supervise all QC barangays. Belmonte’s suggestion was well-taken by the President who ordered the erecting of the “botikas” in the barangays in the area. Also with the President in the joint barangay interaction were QC Rep. Vincent Crisologo (1st District) and Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral. |
| PGMA welcomes new Israeli envoy |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed new
Israeli Ambassador Zvi Vapni during a brief credential presentation rites at
Malacanang’s Rizal Hall this afternoon. “I accept your letter of credentials and I am looking forward to a fruitful tour of duty. I hope our nations will have a stronger, mutual and beneficial relations. Welcome to the Philippines,” the President told Vapni. Vapni expressed gratitude to the President for the warm hospitality he had received since his arrival in the Philippines. He said he is looking forward to a stronger diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Israel. “Madam President, I have the honor and privilege to come here and thank you for the warm and wonderful hospitality I have received,” the new envoy told the President. Vapni was Counsellor of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs-North America Division from 2005-2007 and a former Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles from 2000-2005 He was accompanied by his wife Limor Aviner, Israel Embassy Second Secretary and Consul Nissin Palomo, Chief of Security Netanel Moskovich, Defense Attaché Col. Oscar Sagiv Masaad, and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Oscar Valenzuela. Vapni succeeded former Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Yehoshua Sagi who ended his tour of duty in Manila last March. |
| Statement of the President Re: Fraport |
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The Philippines has won in the international
arbitration case filed by Fraport against our government before the
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID). This is a significant milestone in our quest for modernity and progress. Work on NAIA Terminal 3 will continue with more vigor and sharp focus on safety and convenience. I commend the Office of the Solicitor-General and the Policy Group led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita for this hard-earned legal victory which has also vindicated us in the eyes of the world. |
| Fraport suit vs. gov't over NAIA-3 junked |
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The World Bank’s International Centre for the
Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has dismissed the arbitration case
filed by Fraport GA against the Philippine government over the controversial
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. This was announced today by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who welcomed the dismissal of the case as a “significant milestone in our quest for modernity and progress.” The President said that following the decision of the Washington-based ICSID, work on the NAIA-3 will “continue with more vigor and sharp focus on safety and convenience.” “I commend the Office of the Solicitor General and the Policy Group led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita for this hard-earned legal victory, which has also vindicated us in the eyes of the world.” Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, who was instructed by the President to break the news of the ICSID decision to members of the Malacanang Press Corps, said the junking of the case against the government was no less than a “victory of a sovereign state” and goes far beyond the amount at stake. Fraport, a German firm, had sued the government for P27.6 billion in the arbitration case it filed on Sept. 17, 2003 after the President rescinded the contract in November 2002 due to alleged irregularities involving the project. Fraport has a 30 percent equity in the Philippine International Airport Terminal Co. (Piatco), the winning bidder for the NAIA-3 project. “The victory of the Philippine government in the case filed by Fraport is not a victory over an airport, it is a victory of a sovereign state, of a Philippine institution which had been maligned and accused of being unfair and corrupt,” Devanadera said. Before briefing members of the media, Devanadera met with the President to tell her about the good news. “She’s very happy. She was jubilant,” the solicitor general said. The President’s decisive decision to annul the Fraport contract was subsequently affirmed by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in December 2002, and the Supreme Court in May 2003. The High Tribunal declared the contract null and void for violating bidding procedures and the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law. The filing of the arbitration case preceded a high-profile media blitz by the German firm that Malacanang said was intended to embarrass and pressure the government into handing more money over to Fraport during the negotiations to compensate the company’s legitimate investments in the project. |
