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| 18 JANUARY 2007 | ||
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| 18 JANUARY 2007 | ||
| Statement of the President |
I commend the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for another milestone in the campaign against terror, which caps with glory the signing of the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism. We are resolved to work with our strategic allies in the region and with the United States to tighten the dragnet and stop the movement of terrorists, their finances and their deadly materiel across the seas and borders. We mark every high point in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) with greater resolve to move forward in strengthening domestic, regional and global security. The Philippines has a stake in a safer world where eight (8) million Filipinos work and reside, and in an East Asian region that builds shared prosperity on stability and peace. The relentless pressure we have applied in the field is taking its toll and we will keep it up until all the terrorists and their clandestine cells are accounted for. This government is determined to finish the job with a hand of steel against evil; and to usher in a durable peace through economic development, interfaith dialogue and international cooperation. |
| Government's all-out campaign vs. terrorism paying off -- PGMA |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today the all-out war waged by the government against terrorism has again paid off with the death of another senior Abu Sayyaf leader in an encounter with government troops last Monday in Talipao,Sulu. In her message at the 1st National Convention of the League of Cities of the Philippines held at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel, the President commended the Armed Forces of the Philippines for killing Abu Solaiman, the Abu Sayyaf leader tagged by the military as the mastermind behind several high-profile terror attacks such as the Dos Palmas kidnapping in Palawan in 2001 and the Super Ferry bombing off Corregidor island in 2004. "The relentless pressure we have applied in the field is taking its toll and we will keep it up until all the terrorists and their clandestine cells are accounted for," the President said. The President said the AFP’s latest feat marks another "milestone" in the fight against terrorism, which "caps with glory" the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism which was signed by the leaders of the 10-member ASEAN at the conclusion of their 12th summit in Cebu last Monday. "We are resolved to work with our strategic allies in the region and with the United States to tighten the dragnet and stop the movement of terrorists, their finances and their deadly materiel across seas and borders," the President stressed. Saying the Philippines has regained its place in the international landscape as a strong player in the fight against terror, the President vowed to relentlessly work for a lasting peace not only in the country or East Asian region but in the world as there are around eight million Filipinos working overseas. "We mark every high point in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah with greater resolve to move forward in strengthening domestic, regional and global security," she said. "The Philippines has a stake in a safer world where eight million Filipinos work and reside, and in an East Asian region that builds shared prosperity on stability and peace," she added. The President also expressed determination "to finish the job with a hand of steel against evil and to usher in a durable peace through economic development, interfaith dialogue and international cooperation." |
| PGMA orders DENR to speed up development of 4 major river basins |
| President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes to
speed up and prioritize the development of four major river basins in the country that
would supply water in the agribusiness programs of the administration. The President issued the directive to Reyes during a recent Cabinet meeting in preparation for the realization of the super regions development plan scheduled for full implementation this year. The four major basins to be developed are the Cagayan river basin for the Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, Subic-Clark area for the Luzon Urban Beltway, the Bicol river basin for Central Philippines, and the Agusan river basin for Agribusiness Mindanao. Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said the President also ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to include the development of other river basins in Leyte-Samar and the Upper Saug River in Davao del Norte under the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). In line with this, the DENR will transform the Natural Water Resources Board into the River Basin Control Office (RBCO) to handle the policy-making component of the river basins development program. The President also agreed to the proposed creation of the Water Resources Management Bureau to take charge of the operation and administrative component of the RCBO. She likewise tasked the Cabinet to discuss in a forthcoming meeting the road mapping of human rights and environment problems of the country. |
| PGMA to city mayors: Remain focused on national development |
| President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo urged today the 117 city mayors nationwide to remain focused on national
development as the country prepares to meet the challenges posed by the highly-invigorated
ASEAN and East Asia communities. In her message at the 1st League of Cities National Convention at the Manila Hotel this morning, the President also promised the city mayors that she would remain their partner for development, security and good governance. "Let us remain focused on the tasks at hand. I shall continue to wait upon your leadership to serve the people," she said, adding that the cities "have become a force to reckon with" in national development as the super regions concept relies much on the best of local leadership and resources. "Your cities are the hubs whose spokes extend along all points of the compass, to other cities and hubs of prosperity in the region," the President said. She said the country's economy, which is now on an extended bull run as seen in higher-than-ever overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remittances, a very strong peso, bullish stock market, low inflation rate, stable interest rates and increasing investments, could be sustained with support from "hardworking and dedicated city mayors." The President also said that as a result of the economic reform measures implemented by her administration, the budget for social services now is higher than for debt services for the first time in many years. "We have championed a social agenda that weaves into the spirit of one caring and sharing community that is given a tangible share in the 2007 budget," the President stressed as she urged the city mayors to be her partners in the delivery of enhanced social services to the Filipino people. |
| PGMA issues budget guidelines for gov't agencies |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered all government agencies to allocate their unutilized and unobligated capital outlays last year as their expenditure funds for 2007 before requesting for additional budget. In a recent National Security Council-National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Cabinet meeting, the President said that reports to be submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) should include the utilization of their expenditure program, Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) and National Cash Allotment (NCA). "An agency with unutilized and unobligated capital outlays in FY 2006 shall only be allowed to request for an additional budget if it has already spent at least half of its continuing fund in year 2007," she said. Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said the President stressed that the government should spend P100 billion per year on infrastructure, emphasizing that infrastructure expenditure is the prime reason why the government is focusing on tax collection. For its part, the DBM is coming up with guidelines on how agencies should craft their budgetary allocations with the President’s priority projects in mind. Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said the DBM will implement a "No Report, No Release of Additional SARO" policy. He said this new policy ensures efficiency in the release of government funds and to improve the absorptive capacity of each agency. "We will be coming up with guidelines in making agency expenditure accomplishment reports to ensure that the format, information and contents are the same," Andaya said. |
| PAGC, AMLC tie up to put more teeth in anti-graft drive |
| The days of corrupt
public officials and private individuals are now numbered. This, after the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) this afternoon that would put more teeth to the government campaign against graft and corruption. PAGC chairperson Constancia P. de Guzman and AMLC executive director Atty. Vicente S. Aquino signed the MOA to effectively handle and investigate graft cases involving public officials and private individuals. "The tie-up with AMLC will pave the way for cooperation in the area of information exchange and capacity building in addressing common concerns," De Guzman said in a briefing at the New Executive Building (NEB) of Malacanang. De Guzman said the MOA signing is the trigger point for the PAGC to be connected with AMLC and effectively prevent, control, detect and investigate unlawful activities committed by public servants and even private individuals who might conspire with each other. "Sana ang pagsasama ng puwersa ng PAGC at AMLC ay magsilbing matinding banta sa lahat ng nagbabalak na patuloy na manuhol o gumawa ng mali dahil wala nang lugar na mapagtataguan ang mga nakaw na yaman, maging sa Cayman o sa Switzerland dahil kahit ang mga lugar na ito ay kayang-kaya nang pasukin ng AMLC," De Guzman said. She added that the MOA with AMLC is very important to PAGC, particularly in the realization of the commissions committed number of resolutions for 2007 - that is 10 cases should be endorsed to the Office of the President per month, and 50 percent of which should carry punitive recommendations. On the other hand, Aquino said that through the MOA, the AMLC can assist the PAGC considerably in the gathering and use of evidence, particularly financial transactions of the person's who are subject of the ongoing investigation by the commission. He added that the AMLC is the only government agency that is tasked to investigate and prosecute the predicate offenses or unlawful activities of a person, public servant or private individuals and institutions, violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and the predicate offenses for money laundering. During the briefing, De Guzman reported that in 2006, 92 cases had been resolved by PAGC, 61 of which had non-punitive recommendations. For the government officials, 30 cases, 15 of which had been dismissed and suspended - were resolved after the affirmation of the Office of the President. Subject of the dismissal and suspension from office orders were the following: an undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), assistant secretaries from the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Air Transportation Office (ATO), chairman of the Philippine Racing Commission, administrator of the National Dairy Authority, regional directors of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Bureau of Local Government and Finance, assistant regional directors from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and DPWH, and division superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Cebu. |
| Record dollar surplus, 'best borrower' tag signs of increasing social payback, says PGMA |
| President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo hailed today the Philippines' record net dollar earnings and its new tag
as Asia's "best borrower" for 2006 as further signs of the increasing
"social payback" to the Filipino people. In a roundtable discussion with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo this afternoon in Malacaņang, the President said these showed that her tough reforms were effecting positive changes on the country's economy. The BSP had earlier reported that the Philippines' net dollar earnings from its economic transactions with the rest of the world had posted a 37 percent increase, hitting $3.77 billion from the financial institution's target of $2.8 billion. The BSP said that this new record was due to the robust remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), increased exports and foreign investments. Aside from this, a Hong Kong-based financial magazine, The Asset, had named the Philippines as Asia's best borrower in 2006 for being able to pay its international debts on time. Teves said that these two very good developments would translate to lower interest rates which would then entice investors and would-be investors to borrow from banks to put up or continue their businesses. He added that this would further translate to more job opportunities for the Filipino people. "Dahil napakababa ng ating interest rate, maipapasa natin ito sa mga bangko at ang mga bangko naman ay magpapahiram (ng pondo) sa mababang-mababang interest (sa mga gustong umutang sa kanila)," Teves said. "Mas mai-encourage ang mga negosyante na magtayo ng mga proyekto, magkakaroon tayo ng additional employment," he added. Guinigundo echoed Teves' sentiments and predicted that the country's high dollar reserves would continue well into 2008. "Yung mataas na gross international reserves natin ay nakakapagbigay ng higit na kumpyansa sa ating mga kapitalista at mga mamamuhunan - domestic at foreign," Guinigundo said. |
