by magnolia_eic | Sep 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Malaysia remains the third party facilitator at the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after the Holy Feast of Ramadan on Sept. 9.
In a news briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the stalled peace talks with the MILF will definitely resume after the Ramadan as announced by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his State of the Nation Address last July.
“What we have right now and what we have been informed is that Malaysia is still the third party negotiator,” Lacierda said.
Concerned government officials he said, have been given a briefing on the peace process last week.
The President, according to him, has expressed determination to put an end to the decades-old conflict in southern Philippines and finally achieve a long-lasting peace for Muslim-Filipinos.
Peace talks between the Philippine Government and the MILF were stalled since August 2008 following the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD). (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 1, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines – As Aquino has promised, President Benigno Aquino III has abolished redundant and underperforming agencies such as the Presidential Anti Graft Commission (PAGC) and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), Aquino has however extended the existence of problematic government-owned and controlled corporations.
Secretary Ricky Carandang quoted Budget Secretary Florencio Abad that the PASG and PAGC will not have any budget for the next year. Carandang added that in paper the PASG and PAGC may be existent, however, there will be no more budget allocations for them.
Curbing smuggling is the job of the Bureau of Customs while the Office of the Ombudsman handles graft cases involving government officials and personnel.
Regarding the GOCC’s, even those whose abnormalities have been spotted have been included in the proposed P1.645 trillion national budget for next year. This proposal has already been submitted to the Congress for hearing. Although extensions have been given to the “in the red” GOCC’s, their allocations have been cut to subsistence levels. A briefing paper from the DBM shows that the government is no longer interested in supporting the programs of GOCCs like the NFA, LRTA, MRTC and other GOCC’s.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Aquino administration is determined to cut excess fat, specifically the outlandish bonuses, perks and privileges of GOCC executives — and put a uniform basis on their salaries and other emoluments.
by magnolia_eic | Sep 1, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — Despite criticism of the government’s response to the hostage crisis last week, a top diplomat from China has expressed appreciation yesterday for the moves that are being taken by the Philippine government in connection with the incident.
Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao also expressed appreciation for the steps that the Aquino Administration are taking. He also assured that there will be no whitewash in the investigations that are being done.
Liu also said that the cancellation of the trips to Manila of two of Chinese officials who were recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award had nothing to do with the incident. “It was their own decision”, he said.
The Ambassador clarified a lot of things during his speech, including an emphasis on his absence during the National Heroes Day, saying that he did not “snub” the event, he only had earlier commitments. He also assured that the Filipinos now in Chinese autonomous territory are safe. He added, “the Chinese side respects the sovereignity of the of the Philippines”. In particular, that Philippines did a very good job of providing medical treatment to the hostages, repatriating the survivors and the remains “in a dignified and appropriate way,” and assisting the victim’s relatives who flew to Manila from Hong Kong.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Aug 31, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Saturday said there have yet been no pre-termination of employment contracts of their Filipino domestic helpers by Hongkong nationals.
“Except for one case that was reported to us, where her contract was properly terminated and she was paid the benefits due her, we have not received any report from our labor attaches of any pre-termination of employment contracts for any Filipino domestic helpers,” Baldoz
stressed in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan.
The Filipina involved has since contacted other recruitment agencies in Hongkong and opted to stay with a relative while waiting to be placed again in another job.
Baldoz said in case of any abrupt pre-termination of contracts or unilateral termination of employment by Hongkong employers, the labor and welfare offices based in Hongkong will be ready to process them and have them returned to the country.
“To our countrymen in Hongkong, let us just respect the emotions of the Hongkong nationals who are outraged by the hostage-taking and death of their fellow citizens. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we might do the same (stage protests to let off steam),” Baldoz said. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 31, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang said on Tuesday there is no need to issue a travel advisory against Hong Kong, despite rumors of “abuse” after the August 23 Manila hostage crisis.
Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma said there has been no recommendation yet for a travel advisory against Hong Kong, where many residents have expressed their anger and disappointment over the Manila hostage crisis that claimed the lives of eight Hong Kong tourists.
On August 23, Rolando Mendoza, a dismissed senior police inspector hijacked a bus and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos. After an 11-hour standoff, Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed.
Hong Kong, an hour after the hostage crisis ended last Monday, had issued a “black” travel advisory against the Philippines.
On Monday, Claro Cristobal, Philippine consul-general in Hong Kong, said if Filipino travelers are still anxious over last week’s massacre in Manila, they may want to postpone for now their vacation in Hong Kong.
Cristobal said there is no real threat against Filipinos in Hong Kong and that rumors of Filipinos being ganged up on, or killed, in Hong Kong are baseless.
Cristobal assured that Hong Kong is one of the “most mature areas” in Asia, where the police and emergency response teams will always be ready to secure their guests. (PIA-Bohol)
