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| 29 AUGUST 2007 | ||
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| 29 AUGUST 2007 | ||
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye Re: Jose Maria Sison |
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This is a major breakthrough in the quest for
peace and justice shared by millions of Filipinos. This administration seeks an end to decades of armed struggle that has kept many rural areas inaccessible and thus, unprogressive. Joma Sison has much to answer for, and now the truth shall be known about atrocities committed in his behalf by those who stubbornly cling to an outdated and discredited ideology. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye Re: Madrigal Singers |
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The President congratulates
the Madrigal Singers as our minstrels of goodwill and Filipino excellence. The “Madz” is our gift to the world, representing voices of hope and music that mirrors the Filipino soul. The Madrigal Singers truly deserve our accolade for lifting the nation up with their historic victory. |
| PGMA inaugurates new facilities of two call centers in Lipa City |
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LIPA CITY -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated here today the new facilities of two of the
country’s leading business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, marking
another major expansion of BPO operations from Metro Manila to the
countryside. Visibly happy over the opening of the new facilities of Advance Contacts Solutions (ACS), and TeleTech Lipa here, the President exclaimed that the two BPO centers would enable Batanguenos to “conquer the world without leaving their hometown.” The biggest call center operating in Southern Tagalog with more than 7,000 seats region-wide, ACS’s Lipa center has a seating capacity of 800. TeleTech, on the hand, is the country’s biggest BPO firm with more than 13,000 employes in 10 call centers nationwide. Both situated along the J.P. Laurel Highway, the ACS offices are located at the SM Mall, about a kilometer away from TeleTech at the Robinsons Mall The President led the ribbon-cutting and marker-unveiling ceremonies of the two call centers. She was assisted by Trade Secretary Peter Favila, ACS president Victor Endaya, ACS chairman Tarsi Medalla, and TeleTech vice president for Asia and general manager Maulik Parekh. Also present were Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, Lipa City Mayor Oscar Gozos, and 4th District Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza. The President also toured the state-of-the art facilities and work stations of the two call centers both of which provide superior customer inbound services to their clients. In her brief speech at the TeleTech Center, the President said Batanguenos are noted for their trade skills and the establishment of the two BPO facilities here ushers the province into the global trade. "There is no better salesman than a Batangueno. The lynchpin of this province's growth has always been its human capital. Next to its products, the made-in-Batangas professional or tradesman is the province's number one export," she said. The President has been pushing to make the Philippines one of the preferred destinations of BPO companies and call centers, considering the country's strategic location, coupled with the Filipino’s worldwide repute as a world-class, highly productive, and English-proficient worker. The Chief Executive arrived here today from a two-day visit to Cagayan de Oro City, where she held a series of meetings on security and development with local officials and residents in the area. A 100 percent wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Systems (PAXYS) Inc., ACS was incorporated in November 2003. Its first year operations registered an exponential growth from 990 seats to 1,080 seats the following year. On the other hand, TeleTech is the first BPO center in Batangas province, with employes coming from Batangas and the nearby provinces of Laguna and Cavite. The TeleTech Lipa delivery center occupies three floors of the Robinsons Mall with a total floor area of 7,000 square meters. The site has close to 1,000 work stations and supports more than 1,200 workers. |
| PGMA receives Catalonian Regional Parliament President |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed today
in Malacañang President Ernest Benach Pascual of Spain’s Regional Parliament
of Catalonia, a place where some 15,000 Filipinos are working in service and
tourism industries. “Muchos gracias. Welcome to the Philippines. Ti reciprocar visitar of our House Speaker (Jose de Venecia Jr.) to your country,” the President said. The President received the Catalonian leader at Malacañang’s Music Room this afternoon along with members of his official delegation that included Alvaro Trejo, charge d’affaires, Spanish Embassy; Marina Garcia, head of the President’s Office; Eva Calvet, head of the President’s Press Office; and Eduardo Triay, head of Protocol Office. The visiting Catalonia Parliament president thanked President Arroyo for the warm reception she gave to him and his official party. Pascual arrived in Manila last Aug. 28 and is set to leave the country on Aug. 31 Earlier, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. bestowed on Pascual the Congressional Medal of Achievement in recognition of his “distinguished record as a political and civic leader” of the autonomous region of Spain. Pascual came to the Philippines to reciprocate Speaker De Venecia’s visit in Catalonia, Spain last April 2006. The Catalonian leader founded a political movement known as Nacionalistes d’ Esquena (Nationalists of the Left) for which he stood as candidate at the age of 20 during the first Parliament elections in Catalonia in 1980. Pascual was elected President of the Catalonian Regional Parliament in December 2003. He is now chairman of the Conference’s working group on subsidiary. Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona, is home to thousands of Filipinos who by their works contribute significantly to the Catalonia economy. |
| LGUs to play major role in anti-insurgency drive |
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From mere supporting casts in the past, local
government units (LGUs) will soon play high-profile roles in the
government’s campaign to end the communist insurgency that has hounded the
country for the past 35 years. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said today that although talks between the government and the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (NDF-CPP-NPA) have been stalled since 2004, the government will continue to pursue its peace initiatives through the LGUs. He pointed out that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is determined to put an end to the communist insurgency. “Our initiative now is really to go to the locals (LGUs) and emulate the Bohol experience,” Dureza said. He was referring to Bohol’s success in combating the local communist rebellion through the “hard power of the military” and the “soft power of development.” The end-goals of the so-called soft power of development are the reduction of poverty, alliance-building, convergence, community organizing, capability–building and self-reliance. From 284 in 2001, the number of armed NPA rebels in Bohol has dwindled to only 42 at present. In a related development, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said the government is now studying the proposal of the Local Peace and Security Assembly (LPSA) for Central Visayas for the grant of amnesty to the NPAs. A number of communist rebels have expressed interest in returning to the folds of the law and live normal lives, but they are afraid of being arrested and prosecuted for non-political crimes. Saludo said the National Security Council (NSC) held preliminary discussions last night on the proposed amnesty, but further consultations would be held with major peace stakeholders, including members of Congress, before Malacanang comes up with a decision on the issue. The “process has started… we are still working it out,” Saludo said, referring to the amnesty proposal. The President is expected to reconvene the NSC next week, with local executives and lawmakers in attendance, to discuss the implementation of the local peace initiatives as a component of an amnesty proclamation. The President signed last March Administrative Order 172 creating the National Committee on Social Integration to strengthen government efforts to help rebel returnees. |
| RP to keep hands off Sison case in Netherlands |
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The government is keeping its hands off the
double-murder case against Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding
chairman Jose Ma. Sison who was arrested by Dutch authorities yesterday in
the Netherlands. In a television interview over NBN-4 this afternoon, Presidential Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said Sison’s arrest was “essentially an effort of the Dutch government.” “What is important is for us to let the Dutch authorities finish investigating the case. Let’s not interfere with what the Dutch are doing with his double-murder case. Otherwise, we will be interfering with the justice system of the Netherlands,” he added. In a statement, Malacañang said Sison’s arrest was a “major breakthrough in the quest for peace and justice shared by millions of Filipinos.” “This administration seeks an end to decades of armed struggle that has kept many rural areas inaccessible and thus, unprogressive.” The statement was issued by Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye. He added that Sison, who has been on self-exile abroad for more than 20 years, has “much to answer for, and now the truth shall be known about atrocities committed in his behalf by those who stubbornly cling to an outdated and discredited ideology.” Gonzales said he has “no details” about Sison’s arrest although he revealed that the Dutch government had requested that the details of the case against the CPP founder “be kept secret as much as possible.” He said the families of the two victims of New People’s Army (NPA) bloody purge – the late Romulo Kintanar and Antonio Tabara -- had filed a double murder case against Sison, and all that his office did was to “help them transfer the case from the Philippines to the Netherlands.” It is against Dutch laws for any Netherlands resident to order the killing of anyone, according to Gonzales, adding that Sison could not have ordered the killings if he is no longer the head of the CPP as he has been claiming. Gonzales said his office helped the Dutch prosecutors who came to the Philippines several times to interview the victims and several witnesses. “This has been going on for several months,” he said when media questioned the timing of Sison’s arrest. “You think Netherlands will engage in political gimmickry in the Philippines? I do not think so,” he said in repose to a reporter’s question. He said the Philippine government will extend assistance to the Dutch government only if the latter requests assistance, “no more, no less.” He pointed out that the Dutch government had worked with the Philippine government on the Sison case through the Interpol Section of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); and that the Philippines gave the “usual things that we give… including security.” Meanwhile, Secretary Jesus Dureza of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Peace Process (OPAPP) revealed that the Netherlands had rejected Sison’s repeated requests for political asylum in that country. “Let’s see how things will settle down. Our talks with them (CPP-NPA) have been off since August 2004,” Dureza said, adding that the government is going down to the local level to pursue peace efforts. “Wait till we get all the details,” the OPAPP head said. He explained that the government is now discussing with local government units (LGUs) and members of Congress a proposal to grant amnesty to the communist rebels. Gonzales also said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been placed on red alert since last night following Sison’s arrest. “It is important that we are prepared on this matter.” As to charges that Sison’s arrest in the Netherlands is illegal or unfair, Gonzales countered: “That’s Europe we are talking about…” He also pointed out that charges against Sison are being filed only now because the victims refused to come out into the open for fear of their lives. “Lahat ng may kaso natatakot, baka patayin sila... Knowing how it happened, very, very thorough ang Dutch authorities, many witnesses were interviewed.” Gonzales said the government is set to “have a thorough review of all the (CPP-NPA) cases… We will start with the poorest victims.” |
| PGMA to grace Malaysia's 50TH Independence Day rites |
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As a show of solidarity with a fellow Southeast
Asian nation, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will fly to Kuala Lumpur
tomorrow to attend Malaysia’s National Day which marks 50 years of freedom
from British colonial rule. The President will depart via a chartered Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane, which will take off from the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City Thursday afternoon. She will be accompanied by some top government officials, lawmakers and staff in the three hours and 45 minutes flight to the Malaysian capital city. Upon her arrival in Kuala Lumpur, the President will meet with the Filipino community at the Hotel Nikko. The Malaysian King invited the President last May 31 and she conveyed her acceptance of the invitation last June. President Arroyo is among the leaders from the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and foreign governments who have conveyed their attendance to Malaysia’s Grand Merdeka celebration in the spirit of ASEAN’s Vision of a Sharing and Caring Community. On Friday morning, the President will grace the National Day Parade to be held at the Merdeka Square where the Malaysian flag was raised in 1957 to symbolize its declaration of independence. She will also attend a Hi-Tea ceremony hosted by their Majesties, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong at Istana Negara. The President will also grace on Friday night the Grand Celebration of Malaysia's 50th Anniversary of Independence, the culminating activity of the year-long rites. |
