by magnolia_eic | Feb 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday instructed the Cabinet cluster on human
development for poverty reduction to study the resolution submitted by mayors, people’s
groups and non-government organizations involved in the implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS-
CDD projects urging the national government to adopt the KALAHI-CIDSS-CDD strategy as a
national program.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman in an interview said the
President wanted the details of the program so the national government can adopt it as a
national strategy for all government agencies in implementing their projects.
Soliman added that the KALAHI-CIDSS strategy of involving the community in the
implementation of pro-poor projects can be adopted by government agencies
In the proposed resolution, the KALAHI-CIDSS Mayors’ Forum said that the KALAHI-CIDSS
Community-Driven Development strategy, which was implemented since 2003 through
community participation in poverty reduction and good local governance activities, is found
to be effective in achieving local service delivery outcomes and best practices in good
governance.
It further said that the KALAHI-CIDSS-CDD strategy complements national government’s
efforts to converge programs and resources intended to support poverty reduction initiatives
at the local level.
KALAHI-CIDSS covers 42 provinces,200 municipalities and 4,583 barangays. Some 5,326
community projects have been built benefiting 1,197,772 households since 2003.
This year, KALAHI-CIDSS will scale up in 374 municipalities through additional funding from
the World bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation grant. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
FIVE government agencies have set up special windows to expedite the processing of
documents and requirements for the visa of Taiwan-bound Filipino workers amid the rift
between Manila and Taipei.
These government agencies are: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(PhilHealth), and National Statistics Office.
In a press statement, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said he has ordered the
five agencies to establish special lanes dedicated to the processing and authentication or
issuance of documents. The directive was stated in a memorandum issued on Feb. 14.
This is in response to the announcement of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in
Manila that Taiwan-bound Filipinos would have to submit additional documents as a pre-
requisite for the issuance of work visa.
Under the new guidelines, workers seeking deployment to Taiwan must submit DFA-
and TECO-authenticated birth certificate and NBI clearance, as well as the original and
photocopies of ID cards issued by the SSS, Philhealth and Comelec.
Ochoa said the creation of special lanes would help ease the impact of the new requirements
imposed on Filipino workers. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III has asked Vice President Jejomar Binay to decide on the
issue of burying the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani citing
his “personal bias” on the matter.
President Aquino said he has decided to inhibit himself from deciding on whether former
dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. should finally be allowed to be buried at the Libingan ng mga
Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Taguig City. He said he will let “somebody who has less
personal attachment” to decide on it.
He said that Vice President Binay also has a strong opinion on the issue but his decision
would gain less criticism on being bias. As a human rights lawyer, he helped found the
Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI) before he
was appointed as Officer-in-Charge of Makati City by then President Corazon C. Aquino.
The Chief Executive said that the Vice President would give it a fair hearing before coming up
with a decision. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III’s private emissary to Taiwan, former Senator Mar Roxas,
said he made a strong pitch to senior Taiwan officials led by its President Ma Ying-jeou on
Tuesday (Feb.22) to safeguard the welfare of Filipino workers despite the strain brought by
the deportation to China of 14 Taiwanese nationals by Philippine courts.
Roxas told Palace reporters that Taiwan considers the deportation to China of the 14
Taiwanese nationals charged by Philippine courts as unjustifiable. “They demanded from the
ministerial level to the President an apology which we did not give,” Roxas said.
“We expressed deep regrets for the damaged and hurt feelings this has caused the people
of Taiwan but we also conveyed the Filipino people’s sincere desire to ease the strain
caused on Philippine- Taiwan relations. We assured the Taiwanese that there was never any
intention on the Philippine side to put at risk the longstanding good relations between the two
sides,” Roxas said.
He reported on the extensive meetings—one at the foreign ministry level (headed by Foreign
Minister Timothy Yang) which lasted for 11 hours last Monday and then with President Ma for
one hour on Tuesday—but “at every instance we forwarded the concerns of the Philippines
regarding overseas Filipino workers already in Taiwan and those who were scheduled to go
to Taiwan which could be put on hold by this controversy.”
Roxas said the Philippines expressed “openness to establishing a mechanism of mutual
assistance in dealing with transnational crimes and the feasibility of beginning negotiations
for closer economic ties possibly through economic partnership agreements, to which Taiwan
expressed receptivity and openness.
Roxas maintained that Philippine relations with Taiwan have not worsened as there are
communication links and initiatives in place which are being considered to “repair the damage
from this regrettable incident and for friendly relations to move forward.”
Accompanying Roxas in Taiwan were Manila Economic Cooperation Office (MECO)
Chairman Amadeo Perez Jr., Ambassador Tony Basilio and other MECO board members.
(PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
ANDAM na ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) aron gamiton ang C-130 plane niini
alang sa pagbakwit sa may 200 ka overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) nga napiit karon sa
kagubot sa Libya.
Matud pa ni AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., gihuwat na lamang sa Philippine
Air Force (PAF) ang go signal gikan sa Malacañang ug uban pang hingtungdan nga ahensya
sa kagamhanan aron mobiya na sa Libya ug i-rescue ang mga Pinoy didto.
Niingon si Mabanta nga 150 ka pasahero ang kapasidad sa usa ka C130 plane kun wala kini
bagahe ug kung adunay mga dala ang mga OFW’s, naa sa 100 ang mahimong mosakay sa
maong eroplano.
Naka-standby na ang C130 alang sa maong mis-yon. (ecbPIABohol)
