by aimee | Apr 15, 2013 | National News
MALACAÑANG made an assurance on Saturday that it is always prepared to extend assistance to Filipinos asking for help in Saudi Arabia particularly those who are undocumented and wanting to go back to the Philippines.
At least 7,000 Filipino workers sought repatriation from Saudi Arabia after King Abdullah ordered a three-month delay on government crackdown against illegal and overstaying foreigners in that country.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the country’s embassy in the Middle Eastern country extends assistance to those who wants to go home.
Valte also said her office received a letter last week from three Filipinos wanting to be repatriated to the Philippines. She said they endorsed them to the Philippine Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia that will facilitate their return to the Philippines.
“Hindi naman problema sa atin ‘yan. Trabaho natin ‘yan, facilitating assistance to undocumented Filipinos who may want to go back to the country,” she said.
“Patuloy naman ang assistance na ine-extend ng ating mga posts doon sa mga undocumented workers. In the same way na kapag meron ding reklamo, ipaaabot din sa amin para nagagawan din natin ng paraan.”
According to Migrante, 7,000 have signed up for repatriation but it expects the number could go up because 20,000 were considered undocumented out of about 1.5 million Filipinos in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah stopped the crackdown against illegal immigrants and foreign workers in April, giving them three months to fix their status.
Those who will be caught without proper documents may land in jail and could be fined, deported and banned from entering Saudi Arabia. (PND)
by aimee | Apr 11, 2013 | National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday that the fruits of his administration’s good governance advocacy can be seen in the increased budgets of government agencies that provide basic services and in the approval ratings accorded by international credit rating companies due to the country’s progress to break free from the shackles of graft and corruption that has long bound and prevented it from taking off.
After only two years and nine months in Office implementing strict reforms to weed out graft and corruption, cut inefficient government spending and bring down the time to complete projects, the President said that the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Education, Health and Public Works and Highways now enjoy bigger budgets which they can use for the benefit of the people.
The President said the DSWD now has a 260 percent increase in its budget with which it can use to bring more beneficiaries to the government’s pro-poor program: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which is now pegged at 3.85-million households; that the DepEd enjoys a 44 percent budget increase which it can now use to finally close the 66,800 classroom and books, tables and chairs deficit by the end of this year.
The President added that the DOH, whose budget has been increased by 78 percent, has been able to register 86 percent of Filipinos to the government’s health care program – Philhealth while the DPWH, long thought to be the most corrupt of government agencies, holds above board bidding processes and has cut down unnecessary spending and the time to complete projects; with its budget increase of 23 percent.
“Ang good news po: ang pinaka-kapuspalad nating mga kababayan ay makakapagpagamot na nang walang binabayaran ni isang kusing. Sa DPWH naman po, dalawampu’t tatlong porsyento na ang itinaas,” the President said.
The President further said that Fitch credit rating agency has taken notice of the government’s good governance advocacy and has recently rated the Philippines investment grade status. (PND)
by aimee | Apr 10, 2013 | National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday that the government had already come out with an action plan to effectively curb smuggling in the country.
In an interview in Roxas City, Capiz where he led the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Roxas City Airport Development Project, the Chief Executive said the newly-crafted measure would solve the problem on smuggling.
“Pero batid ni Commissioner (Ruffy) Biazon na meron tayong mabigat na plano sa Customs… hindi pa lang napagkasunduan ‘yung timing kung kailan gagawin itong aksyon,” the President said.
The President assured the public that his administration remains committed to improve the services of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) by enhancing the anti-smuggling efforts.
Once the action plan is implemented, the President noted that the various smuggling activities in the country will be solved.
The President said the action plan is also aimed at cleansing the BOC of scalawags and misfits.
He also cited the many initiatives being undertaken by the agency under the helm of Biazon.
At present, the BOC is enhancing its efforts in revenue collection by curbing smuggling activities and to provide quality service to stakeholders with professionalism and integrity, facilitate trade in a secured manner and adapt measures compliant to international best practices and standards. (PND)
by aimee | Apr 8, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 08 (PIA)–Gi-aghat sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ang mga ilegal ug dili dokumentadong overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sa Saudi Arabia nga tarongon na ang ilang mga dokumento karong gihunong ang crackdown operations sa illegal migrants didto.
Matud pa ni DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, maayong higayon ang gi-anunsyong tulo ka buwan nga lugway sa hari sa Saudi sa paggukod sa mga illegal workers aron tarungon sa mga Pinoy ang ilang mga papeles.
Gitambagan usab ni Baldoz ang mga overstaying na sa Saudi nga posibleng nagkaproblema na sa papeles nga lihukon na usab ang ilang mga dokumento.
Kini human sa pasidaan nga sikopon ug ipa-deport ang mga ilegal nga trabahante sa Saudi ubos sa Saudization program niini nga nagtinguhang dugangan ang gidaghanon sa Saudi nationals nga maapil sa workforce niini partikular sa pribadong sector.
Sa pagkakaron, 10-porsyento lamang sa workforce sa nasud ang Saudi nationals diin mogawas nga sa matag 10 ka Saudis nga nagtrabaho, siyam niini ang naa sa public sector.
Gipahayag ni Baldoz nga sa pagkakaron, dili pa siya sigurado sa eksaktong gidaghanon sa mga dili dokumentadong Pinoy sa Saudi ug giingong ang Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang posibleng may gigunitang rekord niini. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-hd)
by aimee | Apr 8, 2013 | National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 08 (PIA)–Nakadawat karon og pasidunggog gikan sa World Health Organization si Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga outstanding leadership for public service award dungan sa pagsaulog sa World Health Day 2013.
Mismong ang Presidente ang midawat sa maong pasidunggog gikan kang WHO regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shin Young-soo, sa seremonya nga gipahigayon sa WHO Conference Hall sa UN avenue ganinang buntag.
Kini ang labing unang higayon nga gihatagan og pasidunggog sa WHO ang usa ka presidente sa Pilipinas.
Gi-ila sa WHO ang mga natabang ni Presidente Aquino aron proteksyunan ang pampublikong panglawas sa katawhan nga giingong base usab sa prinsipyo sa WHO.
Gitumbok sa WHO ang pagduso ni Presidente Aquino sa sin taxes law o ang balaod nga dugangan ang buhis sa sigarilyo ug bino ug ang Reproductive Health o RH law nga naghatag usab og access sa mga Pilipino sa health care ug insurance. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
Dili na kinahanglang mopasaka pa og diplomatic protest batok sa US – Palasyo
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 08 (PIA)–Gitataw sa Malakanyang nga igo na ang kantidad isip kompensasyon sa Estados Unidos sa kadaot nga gibilin sa pagkasangad sa USS Guardian sa Tubbataha Reef.
Taliwa kini sa panawagang angay dugangan ang $1.4 milyon nga multa ug angay kasuhan usab pinaagi sa diplomatic protest ang Estados Unidos.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, ang maong kantidad gikan sa Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) sigon sa Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act of 2009 nga nahimong basehan sa multa.
Dugang pa ni Valte, dili na usab kinahanglang mopasaka og diplomatic protest tungod kay nitabang man ang US ug misaad alang sa rehabilitasyon sa marine sanctuary.
Ang Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park gilangkoban sa halos 100,000 ka ektarya nga gitawag nga ‘high quality marine habitats’ diin gipuy-an kini sa mga iho, balyena, naa sa 500 ka uban pang matang sa isda, mga iyon, Napoleon wrasse ug kapin 350 ka coral species.
Deklarado kining World Heritage Site sa United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Apr 6, 2013 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) today announced that disbursements topped at P124.1 billion for February—14.3 percent higher than expenditure levels posted in the same period in 2012—exceeding the 11-percent year-on-year spending jump posted earlier in January.
The DBM also reported that cumulative disbursements for the first two months of the year amounted to P282 billion, P31.2 billion or 12.4 percent higher than the P250.8 billion posted in January to February 2012. This is the highest growth recorded since 2007.
Notable growth was also seen in infrastructure and capital outlay (CO) spending, which rose year-on-year by 40.8 percent to P32.3 billion as of end-February. Disbursements for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenditures (MOOE) also jumped by 40.5 percent to P47 billion for January to February, besting the P33.5 billion tracked in the same period last year.
“We expect to see further improvements in budget implementation, given the expenditure reforms we’ve advanced over the last two years. As we continue to fine-tune the budget process and make it even more efficient, we urge departments and agencies to optimize their allocations and ensure that these translate to the quick delivery of high-impact services to the public,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said in a statement.
He added that the country’s recent investment grade rating from Fitch will help buoy the Aquino administration’s expenditure strategy, particularly for investments in infrastructure, agri-fishery industries, business process outsourcing, and other strong-performing sectors.
“The country’s strong fiscal performance will allow the Administration to devote more resources to programs and projects aligned with President Aquino’s Social Contract with the Filipino People. Meanwhile, it’s critical for us to sustain our spending performance, so that departments and agencies can continue implementing their projects, and ultimately, meet their set targets for the year,” Abad added. (DBM)
