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| 29 JANUARY 2007 | ||
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| 29 JANUARY 2007 | ||
| Statement of the President Re: Peaceful Polls |
| The Bishops and I are on one
track for clean and peaceful elections; and the administration will continue to work with
all institutions and sectors to see that this happens. For starters, I urge a four-party summit between the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), poll watchdog groups and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to come up with a comprehensive plan on stabilizing election hot spots, focused monitoring in possible areas of fraud, transparent poll procedures, and checks on illegal spending. We assure the CBCP and the Filipino people that this administration will police its own ranks to protect and advance all democratic processes. Political stability must stand alongside economic strength to seal the competitiveness of the Philippines and its momentum in the world arena. We call on candidates from all sides to come together in fair and friendly terms and assert their collective political maturity, and bolster their platforms by pro-poor and development plans instead of the usual dirty politics. Part of our quest to join the ranks of the First World in 20 years is to clean up the polls and let everyone take the first step forward. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye Re: Economic Growth |
| This administration will do whatever it takes
to meet the projected 6% growth over the next three years and drive a new dawn for the
Filipino people. The upcoming years of steady growth shall be matched with basic social services aimed at lifting up the threshold 50% of the population who still live below the poverty line. With the influx of investors and tourists in the country in the next three years, we can expect not only to create three million jobs but perhaps even more-on the strength of an investment climate marked by good governance and a level playing field. This administration will not rest on our laurels but continue to implement fiscal reforms as well as lower the cost of doing business in the country. This calls for every Filipino, at home and abroad, to row together in one direction as we navigate the challenging seas ahead. |
| PGMA proposes 4-party summit to ensure credible and peaceful elections |
| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
proposed today the holding of a four-party summit to ensure that the May 14 mid-term
elections would be credible and peaceful. "For starters, I urge a four-party summit between the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), poll watchdog groups and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to come up with a comprehensive plan on stabilizing election hot spots, focused monitoring in possible areas of fraud, transparent poll procedures, and check on illegal spending," the President said in a statement. She stressed that the government and the CBCP are "on one track" for clean and peaceful elections, and her administration "will continue to work with all institutions and sectors" to ensure that this is achieved. The President said the Philippines' quest of joining the First World in the next two decades includes the conduct of honest and peaceful elections. "We assure the CBCP and the Filipino people that this administration will police its own ranks to protect and advance all democratic processes. Political stability must stand alongside economic strength to seal the competitiveness of the Philippines and its momentum in the world arena," the President said. She called on all the candidates in the coming polls to set aside "the usual dirty politics" that goes along with election campaigns and instead "assert their collective political maturity" and come up with platforms and development plans focused on improving the lives of the poor. "Part of our quest to join the ranks of the First World in 20 years is to clean up the polls and let everyone take the first step forward," the President added. The CBCP, in a pastoral letter released on Sunday, urged all parishes nationwide to work together for credible and peaceful May polls. Last week, the President ordered the PNP to identify potential election hot spots in the country and disarm all private armies in a move to ensure peaceful and honest elections. |
| PGMA meets with Brgy. 832 officials to avert demolition of barangay hall |
| Barely 20 hours after her arrival
yesterday from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo hit the road again this morning, this time, for a meeting with officials
of Barangay 832 across the Pasig River from Malacaņang. The President motored to Barangay 832, Zone 90, an extension of Mendiola St., at 10 a.m. to personally attend to the plea of the area's barangay chairwoman for the government to put up a Barangay Hall and Day Care Center inside the Coca-Cola manufacturing plant compound. A chip off the main Barangay 832 adjacent to the Malacaņang complex, Zone 90 across the Pasig River in the Paco side has been on the verge of losing its barangay hall which is squatting on a sidewalk. The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) had served notice on Barangay 832 that the structure violated an MMDA ordinance, which prohibits the putting up of structures on sidewalks. Sidewalks, the MMDA pointed out, are for the exclusive use of pedestrians to prevent the occurrence of accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles. During the interaction, Bgy. 832, Zone 90, Mendiola Extension chairwoman Florencia Tupas appealed to Coca-Cola Greater Manila Area-South (GMA-South) sales manager Chris Rivero at the plant's headquarters to allow the construction of the barangay hall inside the Coca-Cola compound. Rivero said that he would immediately endorse Tupas' request to the company's president after the latter submits a formal request. "I will endorse (chairwoman Tupas) request to the president of our company so that the appropriate action on the matter can be undertaken," Rivero said. Tupas' exuberance could not be contained after being told of the good news. She thanked the President profusely for her help. Before the discussions on the barangay's problems, the President awarded Tupas a certificate to operate a Tindahan Natin convenience store and 100 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholarship vouchers. The Tindahan Natin chain of convenience stores sells basic goods such as noodles, coffee, sugar and National Fool Authority (NFA) well milled rice at lower than those of sari-sari stores. The scholarship vouchers, according to TESDA Deputy Director General Milagros Hernandez, are for people who are interested in becoming welders and call center agents. The President also had an informal discussion with barangay officials on the various concerns of their constituents. Aside from the request of chairwoman Tupas, also discussed were the barangay officials' request for more street lighting equipment, potable water supply and the construction of a high rise residential cum-commercial building on a portion of land jointly claimed by Barangays 832 and 830 as part of their respective territories. MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, who was with the President's party, pledged to do something about the street lighting while Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Lorenzo Jamora said his office would put up the necessary facilities to enable the barangay residents to have access to adequate and stable potable water supply. Antonio Arrienda of Manila's Barangay Bureau District 6 said that the boundary dispute between the two barangays was under investigation by the City Hall, which is expected to render a decision on the matter soon. |
| Gov't determined to hit 6% economic growth target over next 3 years |
| Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye
said today that the government is fully focused on attaining the country's 6 percent
growth target over the next three years to provide the basic social services and uplift
the lives of poor Filipinos. "This administration will do whatever it takes to meet the projected 6 percent growth over the next three years and drive a new dawn for the Filipino people. The upcoming years of steady growth shall be matched with basic social services aimed at lifting up the threshold 50 percent of the population who still live below the poverty line," Bunye said. In a statement, Bunye said the projected 6.0 percent growth this year, up from the 5.5 percent growth last year, was a result of good governance and implementation of sound fiscal and economic reforms. "With the influx of investors and tourists in the country in the next three years, we can expect not only to create three million jobs but perhaps even more-on the strength of an investment climate marked by good governance and a level playing field," Bunye said. Bunye said the administration would continue to implement fiscal reforms and lower the cost of doing business to attract more investments in the country. "This calls for every Filipino, at home and abroad, to row together in one direction as we navigate the challenging seas ahead," Bunye said. In an interview during her just-concluded visit to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum (WEF), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the country's steady growth since 2005 "is the longest period of consistent growth that we've had for a long time in the Philippines." The President said she hopes tourism and more investments would help generate enough jobs at home for most Filipino workers, underscoring the administration's theme that a job abroad should be a career option and not the only choice for Filipinos. The Chief Executive said that the continued growth of the economy will translate into more jobs at home and Filipinos will no longer have to go abroad to look for work. |
| PGMA confident decent, high-paying jobs will be available to Filipinos |
| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
said today that the government will be able to realize its dream of providing more decent
and high-paying jobs to the Filipino people now that international businessmen have
recognized the capability of the Philippines to become a developed country in the near
future. The President made the assessment after the chairmen and executive officers of the top 1,000 corporations of the world recognized the strong talent and capability of her administration to lead the economic progress of the Philippines during her visit in Davos, Switzerland where she attended the annual World Economic Forum (WEF). The Chief Executive returned Sunday from Davos and brought more good news for the Filipinos, particularly the expected investments by big businessmen in the world. "Sa paglakas at tiwala ng mga investors matutupad natin ang hangad na makalikha ng milyon-milyong ttrabaho at madagdagan ang ating mga programang pangmasa upang ipaabot sa bawat Pilipino ang biyaya ng ating sumusulong na ekonomiya at kaunlaran," she said. In a round table discussion Monday afternoon, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila reported to the President that her visit to Davos was a very "fruitful and successful" mission because of the pledges and assurances from the businessmen to expand their investments in the Philippines. "The Philippines 'stood tall' in front of the top businessmen of the world who recognized your administration's efforts to bring back the positive momentum of the economy," Favila told the President. During the discussion, Favila said the international community, especially the top businessmen, acknowledged the growing economy of the Philippines under the Arroyo administration. As a result of this, Favila revealed that Kenneth Tachman, CEO of Teletech, a leading business process outsourcing company in the world, announced his intention to expand their business in the Philippines. He said that Teletech is planning to establish five new call centers in the country, with the capacity of 5,000 seats each. DTI is eyeing Camarines Sur in Bicol, Valencia town in Negros Oriental, Dumaguete City and Davao as the new locations for Teletech's expansion program. Favila said that Teletech is also planning to buy an island in the country to be developed as a tourist resort after learning that tourism is one of the biggest income earners of the Philippines. Aside from call centers, Favila told the President that Prakash Hinduja, who owns big businesses in India and is one of the top 1,000 corporations in the world, also expressed his strong intention to expand his call center operations and establish a manufacturing company in the country. For his part, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye informed the President that the top editors of international media organizations acknowledged the unexpected success of the 12th Association of the Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit held in Cebu earlier this month. |
