by aimee | Jan 30, 2013 | National News
THE Philippines could fully succeed economically in the future if there is national unity and every Filipino makes individual commitments, President Benigno S. Aquino III said during the 40th anniversary celebration of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday.
The President, who arrived last weekend from attending the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland, recounted his experiences while in the European country.
There is a disparity in terms of the number of people between the Philippines and Switzerland, he said, noting that the latter even had to deal with a more hostile environment.
But despite the challenges, he said Switzerland has become a very rich country after striving hard to maximize the effects of its comparative advantage particularly in finance.
“Simple lang —talagang mapaparating tayo sa paroroonan natin kung lahat tayo kumakayod at humahatak tungo sa isang direksyon, kung ibibigay natin ang kaya natin. Kung lalampasan natin ang akala nating kaya natin ay baka naman mapadali ang parating natin doon,” the President said in his speech.
The use of timely and accurate government data is also important so that economic managers can formulate the right strategy and decision for the national good, he said.
“May kasabihan sa mahilig sa computer, ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’ Kapag mali ang datos, o hindi naaangkop ang lunas, lalong maaantala ang desisyon,” he said.
The country also changed a lot since the administration took office more than two years ago, he said. Today, foreign investors are scrambling to put their businesses here. Several years ago, the Philippines wasn’t even in their radar, the President said.
The country is also an example to other countries for its anti-corruption fight, he said. The President noted that while other countries are struggling to make an effective anti-corruption strategy, the Philippines has been successful in carrying out anti-graft and corruption initiatives. (PND)
by aimee | Jan 30, 2013 | Headlines
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 30 (PIA)–GITUMBOK ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga may limitasyon ang matag katungod sa tawo sama sa freedom of speech.
Atubangan kini sa gipahamtang nga ‘guilty’ kang Carlos Celdran nga may silot nga duha ka buwan nga pagkabilanggo tungod sa pag-rally sulod mismo sa simbahan.
Matud pa ni Presidente Aquino, angay ikonsiderar ang angay isulti ug kun unsaon kini pagpadayag kalabot sa usa ka hisgotanan.
Dugang pa sa Presidente, nakisimpatiya siya sa posisyon ni Celdran sa RH Bill, apan dili siya pabor sa iyang pamaagi sa pagpadayag.
Apan nanghinaot usab ang Presidente nga pasayluon na lamang sa simbahan si Celdran ug makapag-move on na gikan sa maong panghitabo.
“Well, I may sympathize with Mr. Celdran’s position. Perhaps ‘yong methodology during a mass baka we don’t agree with it. At the same time, siguro kung tutularan ‘nung ating kaparian, ating mga religious, ‘yong ehemplo mismo ng (Santo) Papa at maraming (Santo) Papa, palagay ko lalabas naman ‘yong Christian generosity and charity at baka naman mapatawad naman nila si Ginoong Celdran para naman, ‘di ba, puwede na tayong umusad mula doon sa panahon na ‘yon,” matud pa ni Presidente Aquino. (PIA-Bohol/ebc/p-gg)
Comelec, nipasidaan batok sa peke nga gun ban exemption permit
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 30 (PIA)–NIPASIDAAN ang Commission on Elections (Comelec) batok sa giingong pagkuyanap sa mga pekeng gun ban exemption permits nga mapalit sa kantidad nga P1,200.
Matud pa ni Comelec Commissionner Elias Yusoph, chairman sa Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel, may niabot sa iyang impormasyon kalabot sa exemption permits nga nagdala sa iyang lagda.
Gitataw niini nga sa orihinal nga permit, dili lamang siya ang nakalagda, apan apil na silang Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonio Jr. sa Philippine National Police (PNP) ug General Rodelio Santos sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Migamit usab ang Comelec og security paper nga adunay watermark sa komisyon.
Pasidaan pa ni Yusoph, pasakaan og kaso nga falsification of public document ang bisan kinsang masakpan nga nagkupot sa pekeng gun ban exemption permit ug mahimong mabilanggo og unom hangtud 12 ka tuig. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Jan 29, 2013 | Headlines
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 29 (PIA)–NANAWAGAN ang Malakanyang sa pamunuan sa mga mall sa nasud nga hugtan pa ang ilang seguridad human sa nahitabong tulis sa SM Megamall niadtong Sabado.
Matud pa ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, kinahanglang repasuhon ang pagpatuman og seguridad sa mga mall aron maseguro nga walay makalusot nga pusil o bisan unsang klase sa armas ilabi na nga gipatuman karon ang election gun ban.
“I think the SM management should take stock of the security measures that they have in their own malls. And that goes not only for SM. It also goes for all the other mall operators.”
“We would like to appeal to the mall operators to study their security measures and make sure that the security equipment that they have installed in their premises do in fact detect the presence of firearms.”
Kahinumdoman nga bisan walay naangol sa giingong pagpamusil sa mga kawatan nga mi-atake sa jewelry store sa SM Megamall niadtong Sabado, nagdala ang maong insidente og tensyon sa mga mamamalit didto. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-sjp)
NDRRMC, red alert status sa SoKor rocket launch
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 29 (PIA)–GIBUTANG na sa red alert status sa National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) ang tanang disaster operation centers (DOCs) tungod sa ikatulong satellite launch sa South Korea.
Target sa South Korea nga buhian ang ikatulo niining Science and Technology Satellite-2 (STSAT-2) gikan sa Naro Space Center sa Goheung, Jeollanam-do ugma, Miyerkules, Enero 30 hangtud Pebrero 8.
Base sa taho sa NDRRMC, gikan ang impormasyon sa Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Dungan niini, ipatuman usab ang no sail, no fly ug no fishing zone policy.
Padayon usab nga tutokan sa mga hingtungdang ahensya sa gobyerno ang maong satellite launch. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Jan 29, 2013 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Budget and Management announced the release of P4.83 billion to cover the retirement benefits of 54,660 retirees of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which has made the switch from check to electronic payments for monthly pension releases.
The total release will support pension payments for retired policemen from January to March 2013.
“Even as we aim to give proper budgetary support to our retired policemen, we also want to ensure that their pension payments are made in a transparent and accountable way. Our transition to electronic payments for distributing the monthly pension allows us to preserve the accuracy and timeliness of the pension payments, so that retirees can claim their set monthly payments more quickly and efficiently,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said.
Abad also said that the use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for pension payments—instead of the traditional check payment—has enabled the government to weed out fictitious or “ghost” entries from the PNP pensioner database. He added that electronic banking will also prevent fraudulent accounts, since the creation of an ATM account will require a personal appearance and valid identification documents from a prospective account holder.
As of December 31, 2012, the PNP has documented 63,465 retirees, of which 54,660 entries have already been verified and enrolled in ATM accounts with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK). Aside from the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) have also transitioned to the use of ATM for pension benefits release.
The move to ATM pension releases is part of the Aquino administration’s drive for improved transparency and efficiency in government transactions. The country’s digitization reforms were recently hailed in the Better Than Cash (BTC) Alliance High-Level Panel Discussion, which was held in January 23 during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
“More than ever, we need to lay down the necessary structures for transparency, accountability, and openness in the way we handle public funds. With digital technology now at our disposal, it will be easier for us to track and monitor all transactions within the bureaucracy. This doesn’t just lead to faster transactions, liquidation, and auditing—it also helps us ensure that every peso spent by government will not be wasted on corruption, but will instead benefit the ordinary taxpayer in a real, immediate, and substantial fashion,” Abad said. (DBM)
by aimee | Jan 28, 2013 | Headlines, National News
MALACAÑANG appealed on Monday to all mall operators to review their respective security measures and ensure that these conform to strict monitoring and detection protocols in order to prevent the entry of firearms and other illegal weapons into their premises.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued the appeal in light of the recent robbing of a jewelry store at the ground floor of the SM Megamall Department store in Mandaluyong City last Saturday.
Speaking to reporters during his regular press conference in Malacanang, Lacierda said mall operators should conduct this strict review in close coordination with the Philippine National Police to “reassure the public that patronizing their malls is a safe weekend venture to go to.”
“In that regard, we would like to appeal to the mall operators to study their security measures and make sure that the security equipment that they have installed in their premises does in fact detect the presence of firearms,” Lacierda said.
“What they have to study (is) their security features again and try to see (if) there was a failure of security measures undertaken by the mall operators, in the hope that they can reassure the public that patronizing their malls is a safe weekend venture to go to,” he added.
Lacierda said it was important to maintain the safety within malls and other centers of recreation as “there’s an emphasis on gathering in malls in spite of the fact that these are… These malls have assumed a quasi-public character where, despite being owned privately, people do patronize malls and spend their weekends in malls whether they’re buying (something) or not..” (PND)
