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| 24 OCTOBER 2007 | ||
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| 24 OCTOBER 2007 | ||
| Gov't program to develop 2M hectares of land, create 2M aggie-based jobs on target -- DA |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s program to
develop two million hectares of land for agribusiness and create two million
agri-based jobs by 2010 is on target, the Department of Agriculture (DA)
reported Tuesday. The status of the program was discussed during the joint meeting of the National Economic Development Authority-National Anti-Poverty Commission (NEDA-NACP) in Malacañang. The development of two million hectares of agricultural land and the creation of an additional two million jobs in the agribusiness sector by 2010 top the President’s 10-point agenda. The DA said that as of last August, 777,869 hectares, or 39 percent of target area for agribusiness, were developed leading to the generation of some 1.195 million new jobs. The report said 307,888 hectares, or 40 percent of the total area developed, were planted to coconut, while 37,480 hectares, or 5 percent, were allocated to biofuels. Some 432,521 hectares, or 55 percent of the total land developed, were planted to other crops, the report said. The DA said the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, and Gen. Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN), topped the list of areas developed for agribusiness, with 107,389 hectares of the total hectarage already developed for agribusiness. Under the Medium Term Philippines Development Plan (MTPDP), the country’s development framework, the government will develop at least two million hectares of land for agribusiness. In turn, the two million-hectare development program is envisioned to contribute two million out of the 10 million jobs to be created by 2010. The Agribusiness Chapter of the MTPDP has underscored the need to “design and establish the framework and mechanisms, including public-private partnership arrangements, by end 2005, that will facilitate the transformation of farmlands into agribusiness enterprises.” The President has pointed out that ”agriculture remains the backbone of our economy, so if we want to grow our economy faster and create more jobs, then we have to give farmers and our farmlands the attention they deserve.” The President is scheduled to visit some of the 161,078 hectares In North Cotabato that have been validated for agribusiness development during her trip to Himuog City next month. |
| PGMA launches pilot CNG project, hospital in Laguna |
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BINAN, Laguna – Braving heavy rains, President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally launched today Shell’s Compressed Natural
Gas pilot project in Mamplasan aimed at boosting energy supply security in
the transport sector and at the same time addressing environmental concerns. The President led the unveiling of the project marker at the entrance of the CNG filling station before witnessing the filling of one of the first 22 buses utilizing CNG fuel by Shell Companies Philippines Country Chairman Edgar Chua. “This is a milestone in our country’s journey towards the utilization of clean, compressed natural gas as an alternative fuel for transport,” she pointed out in her speech. The President, through Executive Order 290, created The Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT) in 2004 to enhance the energy supply security in the transport sector through fuel diversification using indigenous natural gas and to address environmental concerns by promoting the use of natural gas as clean alternative fuel for transport. The Shell Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Pilot Project was developed by the Department of Energy in partnership with the Shell companies in the Philippines. The project showcases the initial operation of CNG-fueled buses for public transport in the Batangas-Manila and Laguna-Manila routes using the indigenous Malampaya natural gas as well as the operation of mother-daughter CNG refueling stations. The President said the project draws upon the resources and expertise of the private sector and the government's ability to provide a favorable investment climate and incentives towards successful business collaborations. “We can see before us today what the government and the private sector can do together,” she said. “We’re moving forward with an aggressive effort to create a Green Philippines including reducing reliance on fossil fuels not only with natural gas but also with our biofuels program.” Scott Fowler, the project manager of the CNG Pilot Projects in the Philippines, told the President that the enterprise will also evaluate the commercial viability and impact of incentives and market demand of CNG-fueled public utility buses. Among those who witnessed the event were energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, Binan Mayor Marilyn Naguiat, Shell Philippines Exploration (SPEX) Managing Director Facundo Roco and Malampaya operations head Keith Perrin. Earlier this morning, the President inaugurated the P100-million Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center (SLHMC) located inside the Greenfield Business Park in Greenfield City, Santa Rosa, Laguna. The Chief Executive led the ribbon-cutting ceremony signaling the opening to the public of the state- of -the-art hospital aimed at servicing the Health needs of residents of Laguna, Batangas and Cavite. She was assisted by SLHMC President and CEO Jose Juliano, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro and Laguna 1st district representative Danilo Ramon Fernandez. “It’s good to have facilities like this in this province. Congratulations!,” she told Juliano during a tour of the hospital. |
| Leave probe into "cash gifts" allegations to Ombudsman, says Press/Exec. Sec. Bunye |
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Acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye today
called on the people to just leave the issue of the alleged palace "cash
gifts" to local officials to the Ombudsman which is conducting its own
investigation into the said issue. “Hayaan na lang po natin ito sa Ombudsman. (Let us leave it to the Ombudsman.)” “Sila na ang maghuhusga sa merito ng kaso,” added Bunye in an ambush interview by the Malacanang Press Corps at the entrance steps of the New Executive Building, headquarters of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) which he heads. Bunye’s call to just let the Ombudsman judge the merit of the case comes after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – upon the advice of Palace lawyers -- decided yesterday (October 23) to stop the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) from further investigating the case, and to just give way to the Ombudsman to continue with its own investigation. The President’s decision was prompted by an Ombudsman announcement that it was also conducting its own investigation of the same incident. The PAGC, which is under the Office of the President, has jurisdiction only over appointive officials, thus the President’s decision to recall her earlier order to PAGC Chair Connie de Guzman to investigate the case as early as last week, as this may only lead to the “possibility that PAGC’s effort might (only) lead to a waste of time and resources…” “With the Ombudsman announcement that it is investigating the ‘pay-off’ allegations the public is assured that the matter is now being looked into by a constitutionally mandated and independent body,” Malacanang said in an earlier press statement yesterday (Oct. 23). |
| President Arroyo emphasizes human rights on UN Day |
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Marking the 62nd anniversary of the United
Nations (UN), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underlined today the
importance that government agencies take the lead in preventing and
addressing all forms of human rights violations. "Sixty-two years ago, in the wake of the 2nd World War, the Philippines was one of the first countries that came together to establish the United Nations, including the recognition of inalienable. rights for all members of the human family,” the President said in her UN Day message. "Today, we reiterate our commitment to promote and protect these human rights, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and a State Party to more than ten international human rights instruments." The President said that agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Department of Justice (DOJ), Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the courts play vital roles in the protection of human rights, and bringing violators to justice. She reminded members of the AFP and PNP to live up to their constitutional mandate to be protectors of the people, as she reiterated her instructions that rogues in uniform must be prevented from any activity that violates a person’s rights. Earlier this month, the President issued stern instructions to the security and law enforcement forces to institute strict preventive measures to ensure that no government law-enforcement agent gets involved in any unexplained killing of activists and media men. She also directed the AFP and PNP to ensure that all their personnel understand what is meant by extrajudicial killings, that these are not part of any State policy, and that such are specifically prohibited by law and policy. They were also ordered to investigate all complaints of human rights violations made against soldiers, policemen, and officers. They were also directed to strictly comply with the requirements of due process of law and respect for human rights. The President has certified to Congress as urgent the enactment of laws that seek to strengthen government efforts against killers of activists and media practitioners. In the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting last August, the President called on Congress to pass laws imposing stricter penalties on members of law-enforcement agencies found guilty of killing political activists and media practitioners. The Philippines was one of the original signatories to the United Nations Charter, which was adopted on 24 October 1945 in San Francisco, USA. The UN charter emphasizes the importance of human rights, which is based on the dignity of the human person. |
| PGMA urges BSP to bring info drive on OFW savings, investments to countryside |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) today to bring its Financial Literacy
Campaign (FLC) to the countryside to promote the culture of savings and
investments in business ventures among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and
their families. “This is beautiful if we would really work on the 13 provinces,” she said during the National Economic Development Authority- National Poverty Alleviation Commission (NEDA-NAPC) meeting in Malacanang Tuesday.. The President was referring to La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Samar, Aklan, Iloilo, Capiz, Butuan , Leyte, Zamboanga, Maguindanao, South Cotabato and North Cotabato, which have been identified as the origin of marginalized OFWS. The financial literacy program conceptualized by the BSP, emphasizes the importance of savings and introduces the participants to alternative opportunities for their remittances, such as placements in financial instruments and investments in business ventures. Marginalized OFWs include semi-skilled workers who receive monthly salaries of between $150 and $175 or lower than $200. Among these lowly-paid OFWs are househelps in Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon and Syria, among other countries. The FLC aims to transform OFWs families and beneficiaries from mere consumers to savers, as well as guide them on alternative ways remittances can be invested such as small-and medium enterprises (SMEs), livelihood projects like poultry and hog-raising. The campaign also aims to change the mindset of OFWs and their beneficiaries, and help them achieve financial freedom, as well as contribute to the country’s economy. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
will also address the problem of long lines people, including OFWs,
transacting business with government agencies such as the National
Statistics Office (NSO), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the
Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). The World Bank said that based on 2004 figures, the Philippines is the fifth biggest recipient of remittances from overseas workers after India, $22 billion; China, $21 billion; Mexico, $18 billion and France, $13 billion. The WB placed the remittances from OFWs in 2004 at $10 billion. Data from the BSP indicate that last year, OFWs remittances which were coursed through the banking system reached a record-high of $12.8 billion. Another $1.2 billion was estimated to have been remitted through informal channels. The total remittances was equivalent to 10.9
percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). |
| PNP probers found gas explosion as cause of Glorietta blast, but does not rule out anything |
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The multi-agency task force headed by the
Philippine National Police (PNP) has established gas explosion as the
possible cause of the deadly blast at the Glorietta Mall in Makati City last
Friday, but does not rule out anything. Southern Police District (SPD) commanding officer Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman bared this during the taping of “The Cabinet Speaks” hosted by Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo with GMA7 reporter Ralph Guzman this afternoon at the New Executive Building in Malacanang. Ticman said experts and chemists from different investigating agencies made the findings based on their partial investigations. “We are not ruling out anything. But at this time, the focus of our investigation is on the gas explosion theory because there is no evidence to suggest that it was a bomb explosion,” Ticman said. After the Glorietta blast, the PNP immediately formed a multi-agency task force headed by Ticman to investigate into the Glorietta explosion that killed 11 and wounding around a hundred persons. Ticman said helping the task force in the investigations are experts from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Australian federal police. Ticman said experts and investigators did not find any component or part of an improvised explosive device that would suggest that it was a bomb explosion. But while the investigation is still ongoing, Ticman said the PNP has established precautionary measures as even President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the Glorietta mall area yesterday. At present, Ticman said the PNP has fielded in more police personnel in commercial establishments and other vital installations in cooperation with the security officers of these establishments. As a safety measure, Ticman said local authorities are also conducting their own inspections on other commercial establishments on the safety of their structures. Based on his report to the National Security Council (NSC)-Cabinet Group meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday, Ticman said the experts’ theory on gas explosion was based on their findings that the blast left no crater at the basement of the Glorietta mall, there were no signs of tearing effect from bomb explosion, there was no soot or blackening on the concave ceiling, no component or part of an improvised explosive device (IED) was found, and laboratory results were negative for explosive ingredients. Ticman said investigators were pursuing the gas explosion theory because of the rupture on the diesel tank, and the presence of septic tanks and wastewater treatment facilities that produce methane all located within the basement of the mall. “We do not want to jump to conclusion but at the moment we do not have any evidence that it was a bomb explosion. We have a lot of evidences to support the gas explosion theory,” Ticman said. |
| PGMA presents awards to model industry, special OTOP Clusters |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded today
plaques of recognition to outstanding industry players who had linked arms
to make Philippine products not only more competitive here and abroad but
also economically sustainable. The plaques were awarded to five Model Industry Clusters and two One Town-One Product (OTOP) Clusters in simple rites held this afternoon at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall. The awardees were Davao Regional Cluster, and CARAGA Food Processing Cluster as the Emerging Regional Cluster awardees; Dipolog Bottled Sardines Cluster, and Cebu Furniture Cluster as Model Provincial Clusters, and Northern Mindanao Vegetables Cluster as Model Regional Cluster. The Dipolog Bottled Sardines Cluster and Northern Mindanao Vegetables Cluster received the OTOP Cluster Award. In the same event, the President conferred the Presidential Citation on Dr. Ceferino Follosco, author of the book, “Industry Clustering: A Guide to Competitiveness.” Follosco is a former undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). As a private person, he devoted his time helping make industry clustering a success. Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila said the awards were the first of its kind in the country and expressed hope that it would “serve as medium to inform other provinces to form clusters.” Favila said forming and sustaining related businesses was a strategy adopted in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) aimed at increasing the global competitiveness of the country. |
