by magnolia_eic | Jun 17, 2011 | Headlines, National News
MALACAÑANG welcomed the 2011 Labor Force Survey of the National Statistics Office(NSO) indicating that the unemployment rate in the Philippines decreased from 8.0% to7.2% in the period between April 2010 and April 2011 saying that it is proof of the Aquino government’s continued fulfillment of its Social Contract with the Filipino people.
In his official statement issued on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the decrease of unemployment rate is a collective achievement of the different sectors andstakeholders of the government and the Filipino people. “The future promises even more reason for optimism, as we are paving the way for the influxof investments by improving the quality of spending (of government resources) to focus moreon activities that will generate jobs,” said Lacierda.
He stressed that the administration remain confident of the “continued growth in the businesssector and further good news not only in terms of employment but also in our efforts toward education and decreasing inequality through our conditional cash transfer programs.” Lacierda said the holistic approach to overcoming long-standing challenges has been the hallmark of the Aquino administration. “Our efforts will remain diligent, thorough andmotivated,” he added.
According to the April 2011 Labor Force Survey, the country’s employment rate improved by0.8 percentage point to 92.8 percent from 92 percent in April last year. “A total of 2.9 million persons were unemployed in April 2011, placing the unemployment rateat 7.2 percent, down from 8 percent recorded for the same period last year,” the NSO said.(PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 15, 2011 | Headlines, National News
MALACAÑANG welcomed the recent statement made by the Chinese foreign ministry saying the Chinese government will not resort to the use of force to settle the dispute in the South China Sea. China on Tuesday vowed not to use force in settling the Spratly issue and called for more dialogue to resolve the long-standing territorial disputes in the area.
“The statement from the Chinese foreign ministry is optimistic. It’s good that we heard them say that they are not going to resort to the use of force. It’s something that we certainly welcome,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in the press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
“So at least we have in the region an assurance that no use of force will be necessary to resolve the situation,” Lacierda stressed.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China hopes other claimant countries will do
more for peace and stability in the region. Tensions between China and other claimants to the South China Sea escalated last week following a war of words. The Philippines and Vietnam in particular have expressed alarm over China’s aggressive actions.
Aside from China, the Philippines and Vietnam, other claimants to the Spratly Islands are Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 15, 2011 | Headlines, National News
MALACAÑANG has formally charged and placed under a 90-day preventive suspension Special Prosecutor Wendell Barreras Sulit for graft and betrayal of public trust in connection with the questionable plea bargain deal she had entered into with retired Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia.
In a two-page formal charge signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. and issued on Tuesday, Sulit was suspended for three months to ensure that there will be no tampering with evidence and interference in her investigation.
According to the Palace, Sulit violated existing rules and jurisprudence when she “knowingly and willfully” entered into a plea bargain deal with Garcia in the latter’s P303-million plunder case pending before the Sandiganbayan.
The Palace alleged that Sulit, together with her deputies, “impaired deliberately the case for the prosecution by ignoring and abandoning evidence favorable to the interest of the government and presenting evidence adverse to its cause.”
It also alleged that Sulit failed to discharge her mandated duty of prosecuting erring public officials with utmost responsibility, integrity and professional competence. Sulit was also accused of causing undue injury to the government and gave unwarranted benefits to Garcia through “manifest partiality, evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence.”
Malacañang gave Sulit a period of 10 days within which to submit her answer to the formal charge before the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (ODESLA). (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 15, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III formally launched the government’s National RenewableEnergy Program (NREP) that aims to address the spiraling cost and insufficiencies in the supplyof electricity, especially in rural areas, in ceremonies held at the Makati Shangri-la Tuesday.
The NREP contains a framework for action, existing and future measures, instruments andpolicies for the promotion of renewable energy as well as a roadmap which will guide effortstowards actualizing the market penetration targets of each renewable energy source in the country.
In his speech keynoting the event, the President underscored the importance of renewableenergy saying it does more than empower cities, machines and entire industries but also “fuelsour movement towards the rebuilding of this nation.” “Renewable energy will fuel our future,” the President said.
He added that through renewable energy, we will be able to supply the electricity needs of ourpeople at a much lower cost and not at the expense of the environment. “The National Renewable Energy Program today points us in the right direction in terms of findinglong-term and sustainable energy sources. Our launch today is a symbolic first step in our journeytowards fulfilling our vision of a Philippines unbound from the vagaries of the world oil market—aPhilippines where we can choose not to sacrifice the environment, particularly the air we breathe,just to power our industries,” the President said.
He appealed to the nationalist in every Filipino to join this government effort to ensure itssuccess. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 10, 2011 | Announcements, Headlines, Health and Medicine
THE health department reminded parents of students to be more cautious as school starts because it is also the start of the rainy season. The Department of Health (DOH) said cough, colds, flu and the deadly leptospirosis are
illnesses associated with the wet season.
DOH Secretary Enrique Ona said that cases of dengue fever increase during rainy season. He advised the students to wear long sleeves and leggings to prevent catching the illness. DOH continues to remind parents to equip their children with raincoats and umbrellas.
Students are also reminded to avoid wading through floodwaters, to prevent illnesses such as
leptospirosis. (DOH/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 10, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will lead on Sunday, June 12, this year’s 113th Independence Day celebration that will start with a flag-raising ceremony in Kawit, Cavite. After the flag-raising rites, the President will proceed to the Palace for the Vin D’ Honneur at
10 am at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall. At 4 in the afternoon, the President will then proceed to the Quirino Grandstand for the 113th Philippine Independence Day celebration and parade.
The President had earlier directed the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to lead the organization and implementation of the Independence Day celebration this year.
The country celebrates the Independence Day each year to raise awareness among the Filipinos that freedom is a most precious right. Independence Day is simultaneously celebrated nationwide with Filipino communities worldwide. The holiday commemorates the Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898 by General Emilio Aguinaldo and the Filipino revolutionary forces from the Spanish colonization.
Malacanang announced that P10 million was being set aside to defray the expenses for the activities commemorating this year’s Independence Day celebration chargeable against the NHCP budget for Fiscal Year 2011.
The Palace earlier called on Filipinos to display the Philippine flag at their respective home, offices, schools, public buildings and plazas, as well as embassies and consulates overseas beginning May 28, in celebration of the National Flag Day, until June 12, 2011 in preparation for the Independence Day. (PCOO/PIA)
