by magnolia_eic | May 2, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III announced the availability of a P4.23-billion rice subsidy
program for farmers and fisher folk that will augment their incomes during the lean months
following a harvest season.
The Chief Executive made the announcement in his speech marking Labor Day celebrations
held for various labor groups in Malacañang on Sunday.
The President said this subsidy forms part of his administration’s efforts to address the
ever increasing prices of fuel and food as well as to provide gainful employment for our
countrymen.
The subsidy, the President stressed, will be used to pay the fishermen and fisher folks’
wages in exchange for their services such as the preparation and cleaning of the farms to be
used during the next planting season. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Apr 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Aquino government started distributing emergency shelter assistance (ESA) to the
families affected by a landslide in a remote gold mining area in southern Philippines’
Compostela Valley.
In a news briefing at Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced on
Tuesday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) started distributing
ESA in the amount of P5,000 each to victims of the landslide that buried shanties last week.
Lacierda said the government started undertaking measures to extend assistance to victims
of the landslide by providing them ESA as well as food packs.
The government, Lacierda stressed, will also implement a self-employment assistance
program through the DSWD for the qualified local residents who were affected by the
tragedy.
“For a more long-term assistance, the DSWD will assess if those who have been affected by
the landslide are eligible for the self-employment assistance program of the DSWD,” he said.
Relocation efforts in the affected areas were intensified with the local government working at
the forefront. “With respect to the relocation efforts in these areas, the local government will
be taking care of that,” he said.
The landslide caused by heavy rains buried shanties in a mining area at Compostela Valley
before dawn on Good Friday, killing several people and leaving scores of residents missing.
(PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Apr 25, 2011 | Headlines, National News
DESPITE the staunch opposition of the Catholic Church to the Reproductive Health (RH) bill,
there are some priests who support it, a bishop disclosed on Sunday.
“Well, in the Church, there’s a space for dissent also… Even the 10 commandments, there
are many who disobey it, right?” said Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, chairman of
the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Family and
Life, in an interview.
He said these priests have not openly voiced their support for the bill but bishops are aware
of their positions.
“We leave it to their conscience. We respect that. But majority are not in favor. I think, in their
own moral and theological discernment, we should respect them for that,” Aniceto said.
He said these priests are misguided or lack sufficient knowledge about the provisions of the
bill.
The CBCP, the strongest opponent of the bill, is not in favor of provisions in the bill promoting
the use of artificial contraceptives.
The Catholic Church only supports the use of natural family planning methods.
by magnolia_eic | Apr 25, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Aquino has ordered a review of all oil price increases amid the rising prices of
commodities.
“We have to review whether a price hike is warranted or unwarranted,” the President said
during his brief visit to Davao City last Thursday.
Aquino explained that players in the oil industry should come up with a formula that would
ease the continuous oil price increase.
The President said he expects oil price increases to end with the resolution of the conflict in
the Middle East, except for Yemen and South Africa.
He also welcomed the positive developments in Libya where the contending parties have
started talking.
Aquino has refused calls, especially from the militant groups, for him to reduce or abolish the
value added tax (VAT) on oil products and scrap the Oil Deregulation Law.
The President said calls for such moves as “scrap the VAT” actually only sound good but are
not feasible at all.
He said that scrapping VAT would mean the loss of necessary source of funds for needed
government operations.
by magnolia_eic | Apr 13, 2011 | Headlines, National News
After passenger jeepney and tricycles, the farmers and fisherfolk are now included in the fuel subsidy offered by President Benigno S. Aquino to cushion the impact of continuing price increases in imported oil products to transport sector and food producers, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala Jr., announced Tuesday.
Alcala made the announcement at a press briefing in Malacañang saying the lists of farmers and fisherfolk beneficiaries are already submitted to the office of Energy Secretary Rene Almendras.
He said the lists of beneficiaries are gathered from the records registered at the Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) while the lists of tractors and water irrigation pumps are collated from the registered traders and different municipal agriculturists nationwide.
Alcala said he submitted the lists at the office of Secretary Almendras immediately after the proposal to provide fuel assistance to public transportation industry was presented to the Cabinet.
On Tuesday, President Aquino hinted at expanding the fuel subsidy program for jeep and tricycle drivers to sectors involved in transporting food products. (PCOO)
