by magnolia_eic | Sep 15, 2011 | Headlines, National News
GOVERNMENT efforts to run after tax evaders and smugglers are “paying off” after President Benigno S. Aquino III said that revenue collection for the first six months of this year has increased dramatically.
In his speech keynoting the 1st Integrity Summit held at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriot Hotel in Pasay City Wednesday, President Aquino revealed that the government’s campaign against tax evaders and smugglers had helped in putting in much needed revenues into government coffers by as much as 13.47 percent.
“Since we assumed office, we have worked on improving our tax administration efforts and some of the things we have done is run after tax evaders, smugglers and corrupt government officials,” the President told the gathering of local and global corporate leaders, anti-corruption experts, and senior government officials.
He noted that since July 2010 a total of 61 tax evasion cases and 43 smuggling cases have been filed against these groups and individuals “with claims totaling around P26-billion and 54-billion, respectively.”
“As we continue to monitor these cases, I am happy to report that our campaign against tax evaders and smugglers is paying off,” the President said.
“From January to July this year, revenues collected have already increased by 13.47 percent year on year,” he added.
He said that these “taxes that could have gone to social services, infrastruchture, debt reduction or national defense” had the previous administration been more alert to the situation. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 7, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept. 6 (PIA)—GIKUMPIRMA ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga ipadayon sa iyang administrasyon ang government broadband network (GBN) project.
Apan daling gi-klaro sa Presidente nga lahi kini sa gibasurang National Broadband Network (NBN) deal sa Chinese firm nga ZTE Corp.
Matud pa sa Presidente, naghimo na og inventory ang Department of Science and Technology (DOST) kun unsa ang mga pasilidad sa gobyerno aron mahimong basehan sa broadband
network.
“There is a need for a broadband project but we are thinking of utilizing what we already have. The DoST is doing an inventory at present of what we have,” matud pa sa Presidente.
Gipahayag ni DOST Secretary Mario Montejo nga mokabat ngadto sa P800 milyon ang ilang pagtaya sa government broadband network.
Una nang miingon si Presidential Communications Office Secretary Ricky Carandang nga apil sa gitun-an sa DOST kun kinahanglan ba gayud sa gobyerno ang maong proyekto.
Kahinumdoman nga ang NBN-ZTE scandal ang usa sa mga isyung mibuto sa milabay nga Arroyo administration.
Samtang suportado usab sa gi-ila’ng whistleblower sa NBN-ZTE scandal ang pagbuhi og balik sa DoST sa multi-million peso broadband project.
Sa pakighinabi sa radyo kang Joey De Venecia III, miingon kini nga wala siya’y nakitang problema sa tinguha sa administrasyong Aquino nga ipadayon ang maong proyekto, diin gilauman nga maka-daginot ang gobyerno sa galastohan niini sa komunikasyon.
Apan pahinumdom ni De Venecia, angay nga siguradohon sa Presidente nga himuong transparent ang negosasyon sa kontrata.
Kahinumdoman nga niadtong tuig 2007, nabutyag nga niabot sa $329-milyon ang national broadband network (NBN) project tungod sa gidugang nga “patong” sa pipila ka government officials.
Apil sa mga nalambigit nga opisyal sila kanhi Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos, kanhi First Gentleman Mike Arroyo ug mismong ang kanhi Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sa maong mga opisyal, si Abalos lamang ang napasakaan og kaso sa Sandiganbayan. (PIA- Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 6, 2011 | Headlines, National News
GIPASIGARBO ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III ang gasa nga mga investment nga iyang dala gikan sa malampuson nga upat ka adlaw nga unang state visit sa nasud sa China.
Miabot sa nasud ang Presidente niadtong Sabado sa gabii sa Ninoy Aquino Intenational Airport (NAIA).
Sa iyang arrival statement, miingon si Presidente Aquino nga gikan sa 36 nga pakigpulong sa Beijing, Shanghai ug Xiamen sa mga Chinese investors ug officials, nakuha nila ang $1.282 bilyon nga mga bag-ong investments.
Giingong i-dugang pa niini ang $3.8 bilyon nga halos sigurado na nga investments nga ibubo sa nasud ug ang giingong dili mo-ubos sa $7.9 bilyon investment gikan usab sa mga korporasyon nga nipakita og interes nga mamuhunan usab sa Pilipinas.
Gitataw sa Presidente nga klarong napaabot ang mensahe nga bukas ang Pilipinas pag-abot sa pamuhunan sa limpyo nga pamaagi.
Giingong napadayag sa iyang mga kauban nga halos 300 ka mga negosyante ug sa iyang economic team ilabi na sa larangan sa business opportunities, sa agrikultura, imprastaktura, enerhiya ug turismo.
Bisan pa niini, walay gipahayag ang Presidente kalabot sa isyu sa gi-ilogan nga Spratly Islands.
Samtang, gipasigarbo usab sa pangulo ang iyang pagbisita sa Fujian province nga lugar sa iyang pamilya nga mga Cojuangco. (PIA Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 6, 2011 | Headlines, National News
WHILE he noted a need for a national broadband network, President Benigno S. Aquino III made it clear that he is not in favor of reviving the controversial NBN-ZTE broadband project for the government.
During a chance interview in Malacanang, President Aquino said that there is a need for a broadband and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is currently “inventorying what we have” as the basis for the broadband network.
“Now, if there is need to engage the telcos, which was my position, they are already ready as far as a broadband is concerned,” he said after the oath-taking of appointed government officials, and generals and flag officers.
“So [as for] reviving something similar to the ZTE, no way. But utilizing what we already have to meet the needs, and that is currently being assessed, the plan is being drawn up by DOST,” the president stressed.
The controversial P330-million national broadband network (NBN) deal between the Philippines and China’s ZTE Corp. was cancelled in 2007 after news about anomalous government contracts came out. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 2, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Philippines has become the 117th state to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the court that deals specifically with the most gruesome crimes facing humanity.
According to a press statement, Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on foreign relations, deposited the instrument with the UN Office of Legal Affairs Wednesday. With her was Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, Philippine permanent representative to the UN.
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed the Instrument of Ratification last May 6, and the Senate concurred on August 24.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago sponsored Senate Resolution Number 546 which gave the Senate’s concurrence, with Legarda as co-sponsor.
The ICC is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and has jurisdiction over individuals from states that are parties to the treaty in cases involving genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. (End)
