by magnolia_eic | Dec 9, 2010 | Headlines, National News
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday said the government will push for the creation of
more job opportunities through livelihood programs that would assure a more comfortable life
for the Filipino people.
Speaking before the awardees of the “Model OFW Family of the Year Award” at the Grand
Plaza Ballroom of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in Pasay City, the President assured the
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families that the government is stepping-up in its
efforts to address the common concerns of their group.
The Chief Executive said he has directed various agencies concerned, which include the
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA) to further boost programs that will directly benefit the overseas
workers.
The government, according to him is creating 54 additional help desks to beef up the 554 that
were previously installed in different cities and provinces of the country tasked to attend to
the welfare of the OFWs.
The OWWA, he added has been instructed to allot one billion pesos as Reintegration Fund,
which will be used as an effective loan program with low interest rates for the OFWs.
With help from the Land Bank of the Philippine and Development Bank of the Philippines
(DBP), the government will conduct seminars on Financial Literacy, Money Management and
similar technical discussions to equip the OFWs and their families to venture into business,
he said.
He noted the influx of both local and foreign investors who are regaining confidence to do
business in the country as a result of the government’s sustainable administrative reforms.
by magnolia_eic | Dec 7, 2010 | Headlines, National News
NANAWAGAN og balik si Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro
sa mga opis-yales ug magtutudlo sa mga pampublikong tunghaan nga himuong yano ug dili
mogasto sa pagpahigayon og Christmas party karong Disyembre.
Gibalik ni Luistro ang panawagan agig pagsunod sa DepEd Order no. 114-2009 nga nag-
mando sa dili pagpugos sa kontribusyon alang sa ipahigayon nga party ug angay nga
himuong boluntaryo lamang kini.
Gikinahanglan usab nga himuong yano, barato, o kung gikinahanglan, ginama lamang sa
mga estudyante isip proyekto aron makadaginot. Dili usab angay nga mahal ang kantidad sa
regalo alang sa “exchange gift”.
Kun dili mopahigayon og Christmas party ang tunghaan, angay nga ibutang sa “savings”
ang makolektang pondo aron mahatag kini sa mga apektadong pamilya nga naigo sa mga
kalamidad.
Kun ipadayon usab ang party, angay nga himuon kini nga dili maapektuhan ang normal
nga pagpahigayon sa mga klase, serbisyo sa mga estudyante ug uban pang akademikong
aktibidad sa usa ka tunghaan. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Dec 7, 2010 | Headlines, National News
GIBAWALAN ni Bureau of Immigration officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma ang mga kawani
sa ahensiya sa pag-istambay sa mga restaurant ug coffee shops nga duol sa BI main office
sa Intramuros, Maynila.
Basi kini sa Memorandum Order ni Ledesma nga nagbawal sa bisan-kinsang empleyado
ug opisyal sa maong ahensya diin ang makalapas sa maong mandu, adunay kaatbang nga
silot nga suspensyon o dismissal sa serbisyo gawas pa sa paglapas sa Civil Service Rules
And Regulations.
Ang maong memorandum gimugna tungod sa mga nangabot nga taho kang Ledesma nga
adunay ubang tiwaling empleyado ug opis-yal sa BI nga gigamit sa iligal nga pakig-transak-
syon ang mga coffee shops ug restaurants.
Giingong sa mga coffee shops ug restaurants usab kasagarang magkita ang mga ‘fixer’ ug
mga tiwaling kawani o opisyal sa BI.
Sa maong memorandum, gitugotan nga ma-kita ang presensiya sa mga empleyado sa BI
sa coffee shops ug restaurants sa main office area sa maong ahensya sa Intramuros gikan
sa alas-7 sa buntag hangtud alas-12 sa udto ug ala-una sa hapon hangtud alas-5 sa hapon.
(PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Dec 7, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and
the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) will resume in February.
This was confirmed by Atty. Alexander Padilla, chairperson of the GRP negotiating panel,
after the conclusion of the exploratory talks with the NDFP in Hongkong represented by its
chairman Luis Jalandoni.
The peace talks are tentatively set on February 19 to 25, 2011 in Oslo, Norway, while
preliminary talks are tentatively scheduled on January 14 to 18 also in Oslo.
The schedules for the formal talks will be confirmed after consultation with the other panel
members from both sides. The dates of the meeting and formal talks will be presented to
the Royal Norwegian Government, the Third Party Facilitator of the GRP-NDFP peace
negotiations through Ambassador Ture Lundh, according to the NDFP.
Jalandoni and his wife Coni Ledesma, also an NDFP peace panel member, arrived in the
country last Saturday after the exploratory talks with the GRP panel. Jalandoni and Ledesma
last came home in 1998. They are on self-exile in the Netherlands together with other NDF
leaders including Prof. Jose Maria Sison.
by magnolia_eic | Dec 7, 2010 | Headlines, National News
In the spirit of the Christmas season, the government declared last Friday an 18-day
suspension of military operations (SOMO) against communist rebels, the longest ceasefire
period in the last 10 years.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, government peace panel chair Alexander Padilla said the
ceasefire will take effect Dec. 16 and ends midnight of January 3 next year.
Padilla said that on Dec. 1 and 2, the peace panel which he heads together with Atty.
Pablito Sanidad met with National Democratic Front (NDF) panel chair Luis Jalandoni, Coni
Ledesma and their lawyers in Hongkong.
It was the first round of informal meetings between the two sides under the administration
of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Without any pre-set agenda, discussions on matters of
mutual concern and interest were taken up. “The talks were open, friendly, free-wheeling and
eventually, meaningful,” Padilla said.
Padilla said the GRP panel was instructed by the President to remain focused in pursuing the
path to peace towards a just and honorable settlement of the decade-old conflict.
