by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Foreign Exchange, Headlines, National News
Three Filipino students go for the gold in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Drawing Competition which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This is in line with the Celebration of the 2009 ASEAN Day for Disaster Management and the International Day for Disaster Reduction.
The three winning entries came from Jamia Mei Tolentiono and Trisha Co Reyes, both Grade V pupils of St. Stephen High School and Jerrika Shi, a Grade VI – Student from St. Jude Catholic High School. All schools came from the National Capital Region.
This year’s theme of the contest is “SAVE HOSPITALS: HOSPITALS OF ASEAN SAFE FROM DISASTERS.” (DepEd)
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by anyajulia | Sep 14, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The Philippines is the only country in Asia not affected by the economic crunch that sweeps across the globe. This is according to Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri. He adds, “the country even managed to post a one percent economic growth rate despite the global economic crisis. The neighboring countries of Malaysia and Thailand felt the brunt of the crisis since last year.”
As regards the report of the World Bank (WB) showing a drop in the country’s ranking in ease of doing business, Senator Zubiri refuted it saying that in Metro Manila alone, “the values of real estate properties are going up, and this indicates that there is money circulating and the economy is good.” (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Sep 11, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang on Thursday said the Ombudsman, an independent Constitutional body, had decided to tighten the release of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) after a long and thorough study.
Deputy Spokespersons Anthony Golez and Gary Olivar told Palace reporters that the First Family have been dutifully complying with the Constitutional body’s SALN reporting requirements.
“I’m sure the Ombudsman made the decision to protect people in government from harassment, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, along with her family, who has been harassed not just recently but ever since she assumed office,” Golez said.
Olivar, on the other hand, said people must also look at how the three branches of government comply with the requirements and “how open they are about the SALNs submitted to them.”
He said it might be a good idea to find out how fast the judiciary release the SALNs of the justices, the Congress of its members, and the executive branch of its officials.
It will surprise people to know that the executive branch is the fastest in requiring submission and in giving out SALNs to concerned institutions like media, all for the sake of transparency,” he added.
Asked whether the executive branch will ask the Ombudsman to soften its ruling, Golez replied, “the Ombudsman is an independent institution and we respect that.”
“Besides, if there is nothing to hide, we would rather maintain the status quo—where SALN is released without much documentation requirement,” he added. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Sep 11, 2009 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Malacanang On Thursday hailed the Supreme Court decision junking a petition to stop poll automation of the 2010 national elections. The petition was filed by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) led by UP professor and lawyer Harry Roque Jr.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) likewise welcomed the decision after having been informed the majority of the High Court justices voted in favor of poll automation.
Based on reports, the Supreme Court voted 11-3 in favor of the P7.2-billion automation contract which Comelec awarded to the Smartmatic Corp., a joint venture of a Netherlands-based company and Total Information Management, Inc. (TIM), a Filipino owned firm.
The High Court is scheduled to release the decision this afternoon.
In a media briefing, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson for Economic Affairs Gary Olivar said: “Poll automation is one of the 10-point agenda of the President under the BEAT The ODDS. So I imagine this is a welcome development.”
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez added: “This is one obstacle on the road to automation”. He said the SC decision should be respected even as some quarters are said to be planning to file a motion for reconsideration. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Sep 11, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang today advised critics of the government to emulate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who placed her husband’s vast estate under the land reform program, instead of using her as a “punching bag” to advance their agenda in next year’s polls.
In a press briefing, Presidential Economic Spokesperson Gary Olivar said the land reform program is part of the 10-point agenda of the President and her administration.
According to Olivar, the President, by distributing the land owned by her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, demonstrates that she is serious about implementing the law and doesn’t matter if her family gets hurt in the process.
Deputy Spokesperson Anthony Golez said the President’s critics continue to throw baseless accusations against her but none of them ever reach the Court.
Olivar reminded the public that it was President Arroyo who signed into law the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Extension with Reforms or CARPER.
He said President Arroyo did so in August this year as a tribute to the Father of Land Reform, former President Diosdado P. Macapagal, who, 46 years ago, signed Republic Act 3844 or The Agricultural Land Reform Code.
Along with the CARPER signing, the President sent a strong signal that she meant business when she distributed 10,853 hectares of agricultural lands to agrarian reform beneficiaries throughout the country.
The land reform law, the consolidated version of House Bill 4077 and Senate Bill 2666, extends CARP for five more years and takes effect retroactively on July 1 this year. (PNA)
