by anyajulia | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The Government is intent in pursuing the peace process with the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army). This was the statement said by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales.
He said that the best option to take it through peace negotiations. He said currently the CPP-NPA is looking at DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration) in their agenda for the talks which will bode well.
Talking peace and subsequently ending hostilities with the CPP/NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists has been one of the goals under the Arroyo administration particularly in her 10-point agenda which was contained under BEAT THE ODDS campaign she enunciated in her 2004 State of the Nation Address. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Jul 29, 2009 | Foreign Exchange, Headlines
The Arroyo administration will pursue bilateral and multilateral negotiations and undertake aggressive marketing campaigns through agricultural attaches, to reinforce the Philippines’ image as the supplier of the “sweetest and best mango in the world.” This is according to Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.
Last year, the Philippines exported 20,824 metric tons of fresh mangoes worth $19.539 million. Dried mango exports reached 1,028 MT valued at $7.475 million while processed mango exports totaled 11,334 MT worth $13.684 million.
Secretary Yap cited efforts to further expand exports to traditional markets and open new ones. He said Canada and Europe would be welcome additions to the country’s list of new export markets that include the Netherlands, South Korea, the Middle East, Hawaii and Guam.
Secretary Yap said the government will continue providing assistance to exporters to reduce costs of shipping goods to markets overseas, including providing them with support in the conduct of pesticide residue analysis. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The Department of Finance expressed optimism that the country will remain on track with its deficit program of P250 billion or 3.2 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) this year.
For the month of June, the national government incurred a budgetary deficit of P30.2 billion, a reversal of the P800- million surplus posted during the same month last year. Total revenues for the month reached P89.6 billion while total expenditure hit P119.8 billion.
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Custom (BoC) are vigorously pursuing action plans to improve revenue collection despite a difficult environment. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines, National News
HUNGER mitigation, as what the recent Social Weather Station survey would prove, is not just solved by the government’s brisk intervention.
In fact, even with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) doing its best to respond to the needs of poor families, “there simply to much to be done, and leaving the government alone to do it, would make it seem helpless.”
The recent SWS survey that some 3.7 million families in the country experience hunger in the past three months.
“A lot of factors need to be considered here,” presses one population and health education (PHE) advocate in Bohol who asks not to be named.
She said “while the government deals on providing the immediate assistance towards hunger mitigation, local governments should now see the correlation between uncontrolled population, resource use and channeling the country’s resources to where they could dent on poverty and not on politician’s pockets.”
“I believe the government today is slowly addressing the problem in its own way but we need to take our part, not just criticize because whether we admit it or not, we all going down on this same boat,” she said. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Despite her critics insisting that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to categorically state her relinquishing power in 2010 in her last State of the Nation Address, Malacañang advises them: “digest well [their] interpretations on the President’s statements.”
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez said PGMA was clear in her SONA when she said she “never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term.”
With that statement alone, I think there is no need for the President to speak categorically hat she will step down,” he said.
Golez added that the President’s statement answered the worries of the government, critics about her possible term extension.
Golez quoted the President as stating: “at the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage, but not the Presidency. My term does not end until next year. Until then, I will fight for the ordinary Filipino. The nation comes first. There is much to do as head of state- to the very last day.”(PIA)
