by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Headlines, National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) beneficiaries has reached more than 300,000.
The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) reported that as of August this year the program generated 153,887 new jobs for 304,933 individuals.
NAPC Secretary Domingo Panganiban said the Department of Agriculture (DA) generated the most number of new job opportunities at 89,518, followed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at 65,377.
CLEEP is the Cabinet’s response to Memorandum Circular 168, which President Arroyo issued on Oct. 23 last year at the height of the global economic slump, wherein the President assigned each of member of her Cabinet to act as steward to a specific region to ensure and oversee CLEEP’s implementation.
Intended beneficiaries were the poor, returning expatriates, workers in the export industry, and out-of-school youths threatened or hurt by reduced or lost income as a consequence of the economic crisis. (OPS/PIA)
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by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Foreign Exchange, Headlines
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be on a three-country mission to Turkey, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia this week. The objective for the trip will be to look after the well-being of the overseas Filipino workers and to fortify bilateral relations and economic cooperation with.
On September 16, the President will leave for a one-day state to Turkey, a Eurasian country which is the only secular Muslim nation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
From Turkey, the President is set to proceed to the United Kingdom to deliver a keynote address in The Emerging Markets Summit organized by The Economist magazine on September 17-18.
Over 300 business leaders and investors from all over the world are expected to participate in this prestigious forum which has for its theme “Globalization Redefined by Emerging Markets.”
On September 21 -23, President Arroyo will proceed to Saudi Arabia upon the invitation of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
The President will grace the official inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia on September 23.
Saudi Arabia, through its membership in the OIC Ministerial Committee of Six, which facilitated the forging of Government of the Republic of the Philippines-Moro National Liberation Front (GRP-MNLF) peace agreement, has been a supporter of the peace process and development in Southern Philippines.
President Arroyo is expected to be back in the Philippines on September 24 or 25. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
A Stakeholders Forum or Mining Summit for Local Chief Executives (LCEs) will take place in Cebu next week. This summit aims to have a better understanding on the important role local government units play in the implementation of mining laws.
The Mining Summit is set on September 24 with the bulk of the invited participants composed of mayors from the different towns and cities of Cebu and other stakeholders in the mining sector.
Roger de Dios, vice-chair of the Regional Minerals Development Council (RMDC) and officer-in-charge of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) bared local government units (LGUs) need to know their regulatory powers and exercise these under the mining laws as well as other related rules particularly as the functions of the DENR has already been devolved to the LGUs.
Among the topics to be tackled in the mining summit include the Philippine Mining Regulatory Framework, Situationer of Mining in Cebu, Mineral Endowments in Cebu, Role of LGUs in the Implementation of Mining Laws, Rules and Regulations, and Deputation & Apprehension Procedures.
A major highlight during the summit will be the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement among the DENR-7, DENR-MGB 7, Armed Forces of the Philippines – Central Command, Philippine National Police -7 and the National Bureau of Investigation -7 that will compose the Multi-Sectoral Task Force to enhance the law enforcement capability in pursuing a more vigorous campaign against environmental laws violations particularly on illegal mining and quarrying operations. (PIA/FCR)
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by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) is rolling out the implementation of “5-Star Projects.” This project is aimed not only in improving the country’s level of competitiveness but also to trigger a 7-percent annual economic growth.
The “5-Star Projects include the development of local government units into economic sparkplugs by assisting their sunrise or up-and-coming industries such as agribusiness, tourism, information technology-enabled services, mining, manufacturing, health and wellness, and supply-chain logistics, become more productive.
The other 5-Star Projects include the facilitation of streamlined business permits and licensing system; use of a corporate governance scorecard rating system on government agencies; an online updating system in public finance management process; a faster discharging process for imports and exports; a Process Monitoring System for appeals or complaints addressed to Malacañang; an IT system which tracks cases filed with the Office of the Ombudsman; and the drafting of a strong Investors Assistance Process.
The National Competitiveness Council was formed on October 2006 as a Public-Private Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 571, to address the improvement of the country’s competitiveness from the bottom third of competitiveness rankings to the top third by 2010. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang cites 3 conditions for supporting a proposal to tax text messages.
The 3 conditions are: (1) the tax should not be passed on to users; (2) it must be made clear how the tax is implemented and who should shoulder it; and (3) the tax must be utilized for specific purposes such as education, healthcare or computerization.
This were the information disclosed by Deputy Spokespersons Anthony Golez and Gary Olivar.
The proposal is now at the committee level of the House of Representatives, and still has to pass through debates and periods of amendments in the plenary session. (PIA)
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