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| 02 NOVEMBER 2007 | ||
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| 02 NOVEMBER 2007 | ||
| Pinoy families better off in 2006 as reform gains start to be felt |
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Economic condition of Filipino families
generally improved alongside economic growth last year with income
distribution among families more equitable than in 2003. This was gleaned from the preliminary results of the 2006 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) released recently by the National Statistics Office and reported to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos. Survey results showed that from 2003 to 2006, average nominal income of families in the bottom 30 percent grew faster at 17.5 percent compared to families in the upper 70 percent which grew by only 15.9 percent. Income growth among the lower income groups was also higher than the national average income growth of 16.2 percent. Nonetheless, families from the bottom 30 percent posted negative savings due to higher spending. Total family income, according to the FIES survey, also increased by 22.8 percent from the 2003 figure, reaching P2.99 trillion in 2006. Total family expenditure likewise expanded by 25.8 percent as families spent more on fuel, light and water, transportation and communications and medical care. In general, the FIES survey showed that there was a decline in the share of food expenses to total expenditures among families with the bottom 30 percent having a higher expenditure share of 59.1 percent compared to the upper 70 percent’s 39.3 percent. While gains in macroeconomic reforms may have been felt at the family level, Santos said there remains a need to accelerate the pace of growth to produce significant income gains within the lower income brackets. To achieve these, he said, “the government must push for policies to sustain macroeconomic stability, modernize agriculture, strengthen small enterprises and expand export markets in order to create employment opportunities.” “The realignment of the national budget towards social services is a good opportunity for the government to put more emphasis on education and health in tandem with an effective population management program,” he explained. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye |
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In the interest of fair play, we appeal to
critics to refrain from shooting first and asking questions later in the
matter of the appointment of Commissioner Moslemen Macarambon. His record as a former law practitioner, law professor and trial judge speaks for itself. Commissioner Macarambon's name was included in a list, along with two other Muslims, which was submitted by retired Chief Justice (Hilario) Davide to President Arroyo. His choice is also in line with the President's commitment to honor the GRP-MNLF (Government of the Republic of the Philippines–Moro National Liberation Front) agreement to appoint qualified Muslims to positions of responsibility in government. Parenthetically, it is my understanding that even GO (Genuine Opposition) spokesman Adel Tamano has kind words for the man who once served as Senate aide and one-time law partner of his father, the late Senator Mamintal Tamano. We are also in initial receipt of favorable endorsements from Muslim associations, including the Maranao Chamber of Commerce of Quiapo and the Greenhills Muslim Traders Association, Inc. Given a fair chance, we are confident that Commissioner Macarambon will be able to prove his worth in his new task. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: Record oil price hike |
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The runaway price of oil is beyond the
government's control. This serves as a continuing wake-up call for all
sectors that there are more things to attend to other than relentless
politics of personal destruction. More than ever, now is the time to pool our collective patriotic efforts to intensify the search and development of alternative energy sources, as well as provide the appropriate legal environment to accelerate such initiatives. This also serves as a call to conserve energy in any way we can. Our resilient economy gives us some consolation. Had we still been in a situation where our peso is 56 to a dollar, the price of our imports would by now be hitting the roof. |
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Statement
of Mayor Lawrence Cruz of Iligan City Re:
Commissioner Macarambon (As relayed to Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye) |
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I laud President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her
excellent and wise decision in appointing Judge Moslemen Macarambon as
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner. It is a fitting recognition of Judge Macarambon’s able qualifications and exemplary performance as Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge in Iligan City for many years. As an Iliganon, I rejoice and thank President Arroyo on Judge Macarambon’s appointment because an honest and hardworking son of Iligan and Lanao can now contribute to the metamorphosis of Comelec. |
| Palace airs urgent call for energy conservation as oil price reaches $96 per barrel |
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Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye is calling on
all Filipinos to conserve energy and help intensify the search for
alternative sources of oil to cushion the impact of the astonishing surge in
the price of crude oil in the world market. In a statement, Bunye said the “runaway price of oil is beyond the government's control,” adding that “this serves as a continuing wake-up call for all sectors that there are more things to attend to other than relentless politics of personal destruction.” Bunye said the time calls for patriotic fervor in conserving energy and intensifying the search for alternative fuel sources to lessen the country’s dependence on high-priced imported fossil fuel. “More than ever, now is the time to pool our collective patriotic efforts to intensify the search and development of alternative energy sources, as well as provide the appropriate legal environment to accelerate such initiatives,” Bunye said. “This also serves as a call to conserve energy in any way we can.” The continuing acceleration of the price of crude oil in the world market prompted local oil players to increase the pump prices of diesel and gasoline. On Thursday, world oil prices reached a record high of $96 a barrel with local oil players warning of the possibility of another round of increase in the coming weeks. As a result of the country’s resilient economy, however, Bunye said there is a bit of consolation as the continued appreciation of the peso had in some way softened the impact of the world oil price increase. “Our resilient economy gives us some consolation. Had we still been in a situation where our peso is 56 to a dollar, the price of our imports would by now be hitting the roof,” Bunye said. |
| Malacañang appeals for fair play on Macarambon's appointment |
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Malacañang said today that in the interest of
fair play, government detractors should refrain from making impulsive and
unwarranted criticisms of the appointment of Judge Moslemen Macarambon as
commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said that given a fair chance, Malacanang is “confident that Commissioner Macarambon will be able to prove his worth in his new task.” “In the interest of fair play, we appeal to critics to refrain from shooting first and asking questions later in the matter of the appointment of Commissioner Moslemen Macarambon,” he said. Bunye said that Macarambon’s record as a former law practitioner, law professor and trial judge speaks for itself. Retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide included Macarambon’s name, along with two other Muslims, in the list of possible appointees to the Comelec post. Macarambon will succeed retired Comelec Commissioner Mehol Sadain. Bunye explained that the choice of Macarambon was in line with the commitment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to “honor the GRP-MNLF (Government of the Republic of the Philippines-Moro National Liberation Front) Agreement to appoint qualified Muslims to positions of responsibility.” Earlier Tuesday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita strongly denied reports that Malacanang had sent to the Comelec a list of possible appointees to vacant positions in the poll body. Ermita said that on the contrary, the standard operating procedure in Malacanang is for the submission of names of prospective presidential appointees to the President and not vice versa. In his statement, Bunye noted that based on reports “even GO (Genuine Opposition) spokesman Adel Tamano has kind words for the man (Macarambon) who once served as Senate aide and one-time law partner of his father, the late Senator Mamintal Tamano.” “We are also in initial receipt of favorable endorsements from Muslim associations, including the Maranao Chamber of Commerce of Quiapo and the Greenhills Muslim Traders Association, Inc.,” he added. In a letter to Bunye this afternoon, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz also expressed his support for the President’s appointment of Macarambon. “I laud President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her excellent and wise decision in appointing Judge Moslemen Macarambon as Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner,” Cruz said. He said the President’s decision was a “fitting recognition of Judge Macarambon’s able qualifications and exemplary performance as Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge in Iligan City for many years.” The Iligan City chief executive added that as an Iliganon, “I rejoice and thank President Arroyo for Judge Macarambon’s appointment because an honest and hardworking son of Iligan and Lanao can now contribute to the metamorphosis of Comelec.” |
