by magnolia_eic | Aug 5, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Tuesday said Malacañang is aware that public interest is involved in the dispute between Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its pilots so that it has taken cognizance of the problem and ordered multi-agency mediation efforts.
Lacierda however clarified that the dispute is still at a point where it can be settled amicably without the need for laying out the basis of government intervention for reasons of national interest.
“Under the Labor Code, the secretary of labor can step into a particular controversy by way of national interest,” Lacierda said but stressed that the PAL-pilots’ row will be settled mutually.
In a Palace news briefing, Lacierda said the overriding concern of President Benigno S. Aquino III in ordering a meeting between PAL pilots and the management with facilitation by some Cabinet secretaries, is the interest of the riding public and some sectors of the economy who will be severely affected should the impasse continue.
President Aquino has ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and the secretaries of the Department of Transport and Communication (DOTC), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to meet today with PAL representatives to get to the bottom of the issue.
A number of PAL flights have been cancelled due to the dispute, which started when 25 pilots decided to move to higher paying jobs abroad. In the last two days alone, PAL had cancelled regional and domestic flights after 13 captains and 12 first officers resigned their posts to join Airlines abroad that offered more lucrative deals.
The President reminded both the management of PAL and the pilots who sought resignation that they have an obligation to the public. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 4, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
A physicist-research-educator couple from Jagna, Bohol, Dr. Christopher C. Bernido and Dr. Ma. Victoria Carpio-Bernido president and principal, respectively, of the Research Center for Theoretical Physics in Bohol, are among 7 individuals from Bangladesh, China, Japan and Philippines who will receive the 2010 Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
An announcement from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation website said the Bernido couple are being recognized for “their purposeful commitment to both science and nation, ensuring innovative, low-cost, and effective basic education even under Philippine conditions of great scarcity and daunting poverty.”
Other awardees are Tadatoshi Akiba from Hiroshima, Japan who led a campaign for nuclear disarmament; environmentalists Huo Daishan, Pan Yue and Fu Qiping from China; and AHM Noman Khan from Bangladesh.
They will each receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize. They will be formally conferred the Magsaysay Award on August 31, 2010 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The Filipino winners, the Bernido couple, won the Gawad Haydee Yorac last year: “Their partnership to build a stronger nation through science, research and a new method of teaching founded on excellence and values won the judges’ approval over nominations received from different parts of the country.”
Established in 1957 as a tribute to the Philippines’ third president, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same sense of selfless service that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 4, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to step up its tax collection efforts and raise the revenue level to at least 15 percent (as ratio to the national gross domestic product) to support vital programs and projects of his administration.
The Chief Executive said he is confident that a 15 percent tax effort ratio from the present 13 percent can be achieved as such has happened before.
“During the time of former President Fidel V. Ramos, we have reached the tax effort ratio of 17 percent. Let us help each other to increase the current 13 percent to 15 percent before my term ends,” the President said in a speech during the 106th anniversary celebration of the BIR yesterday at Agham Road in Quezon City.
He expressed optimism that the BIR could achieve its P860 billion revenue target for 2010, even as the administration tries to cope with a budget deficit, which could run up to about P320 billion by yearend.
As the main tax agency, the BIR collects more than 70 percent of government revenues, followed by the Bureau of Customs (BoC). The tax effort ratio measures the taxes or revenues collected by the BIR and the BoC as in relation to GDP.
The Chief Executive reiterated his directive to the BIR to intensify its implementation of the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) Program, which includes the criminal prosecution of erring businesses and individuals.
The President exhorted businessmen and other large taxpayers to show their sense of patriotism by paying the right amount of taxes so that government can fund vital programs and projects, particularly in infrastructure, education, health, jobs generation and social services. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 3, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — the Senate has finished assigning the chairs and members of the 37 committees, except for one, and most of President Aquino’s allies are members of the major committees.
Ending roughly a week of horse-trading, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile presided over the session as Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III the majority floor leader announced the election of the chairs of the committees. Only the committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws remains without a head. Such appointments garnered different reactions from the different Senators.
The Charimanships and memberships are as follows:
Senate Committee on Energy – Sen. Sen. Sergio Osmena III
Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies – Sen. Sergio Osmena III
Joint Congressional Power Commission – Sen. Sergio Osemna III
* Osmena’s wife, Bettina, is a scion of the Lopez family, former controller of the Manila Electric Co.
Committee on Finance – Sen. Franklin Drilon
Ways and Means Committee – Sen Ralph Recto
Committee on Agriculture and Food – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Development – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee – Sen. Teofisto Guingona
Senate Peace, Unification, and reconciliation committees – Sen. Teofisto Guingona
Committee on Justice and Human Rights – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Committee on National Defense and Security – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Committee on Labor – Sen. President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada
Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs – Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Agrarian Reform – Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Public Information and Mass Media -Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Public Works and Public Services – Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.
Committee on Games and Amusement – Sen. Lito Lapid
Committee on Tourism – Sen. Lito Lapid
Committee on Education – Sen. Edgardo Angara
Committee on Science and Technology – Sen. Edgardo Angara
Committee on Environment – Sen. Miguel Zubiri
Committee on Cooperatives – Sen. Miguel Zubiri
Committee on Economic Affairs – Sen. Manuel Villar
Committee on Trade and Commerce – Sen. Manuel Villar
Committee on Local Governments – Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Committee on Urban Planning – Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Committee on Accounts – (Fugitive) Sen. Panfilo Lacson
Committee on Civil Service – (detainee) Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
Committee on Health and Demography – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Committee on Youth and Family Relations – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Committee on Ethics – Sen. Pia Cayetano
* Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano by virtue of being the minority leader, is automatically a member of all the committees. Meanwhile, Sen. Joker Arroyo opted not to get any chairmanship as he did in the 14th Congress. Sen. Miriam Santiago likewise did not have any chairmanship position as of such session.
by magnolia_eic | Aug 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Sunday ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and the heads of three other government agencies to look into the cancellation of 11 flights by the Philippine Air Lines last Friday after several of its pilots reportedly resigned from
their posts.
The Chief Executive said he had tasked the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Department of Justice (DoJ) as well as the Executive Secretary to get to the bottom of this issue.
“The Executive Secretary together with the Secretary of the DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) and at the minimum the DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary and probably the DoJ Secretary also will be sitting down with the (Philippine Air Lines) management and Airline Pilot Association of the Philippines tomorrow,” the President said.
The President pointed out that the group will be conducting two separate meetings “to address the situation and provide everybody with solutions.”
The President reminded PAL and the pilots of their obligations to the flying public.
“PAL, for instance, has obligations when they secured the franchise to operate this public conveyance. The pilots also have obligations. This is of course being studied.
The President meanwhile seriously took note of the disruption caused to “our tourist and to other aspects of the economy that would need their services.”
“If this is not warranted, then, they lay themselves also open to appropriate charges. Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a resolution, so that the riding public is not inconvenienced and the economy does not suffer because of this,” he added. (PIA-Bohol)
