by aimee | Feb 5, 2013 | National News
MALACAÑANG assured that it will go after politicians who maintain private armed groups as the country prepares for the midterm election this May.
The campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle private armed groups and account for all loose firearms continues to make the upcoming election safe and orderly, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
It was reported that some members of Congress, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula, maintain private armies and the proliferation of unlicensed guns remains a concern.
“Yes. Loose firearms are certainly frowned upon. We are going to strengthen the security in that area,” Lacierda told reporters. “We are going to go after all those individuals who are holding loose or unlicensed firearms. Dismantling private armed groups is part of the directive of the President. He said the PNP should go after private armed groups regardless of who they are,” he added.
The President has ordered the PNP to make sure that firearms are accounted for and the gun ban should be strictly enforced particularly in Zamboanga. (PND)
Government working to secure civilians in the ongoing Sulu fight
THE government is working to ensure that no civilian will be harmed in the ongoing fighting between the members of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu, Malacanang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda made an assurance during a press briefing in Malacanang Monday saying “the clash is occurring in a specific isolated area. Majority of occupants are either part of ASG or MNLF. What we have done as government is to secure the safety of the civilians in those areas.”
“So right now they’re being evacuated and Secretary Dinky Soliman is in fact in Mindanao right now and we have identified evacuation centers. The civilians in those areas are now in evacuation centers.”
The Sulu police said 13 people have been killed from the ASG side, while eight were recorded from the MNLF side after the fire fight in Kabbun Takas in Sulu.
Lacierda said they still don’t have information to verify whether the MNLF fighting the Abu Sayyaf are integrees to the military.
The Palace official also allayed fears that the MNLF, which forged a peace agreement with the government in the mid-1990s, will abide by the law and not target other armed groups in Mindanao. (PND)
by aimee | Feb 1, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb. 01 (PIA)–NAGPASALAMAT ang gobyerno sa Pilipinas sa pagtubag sa Saudi Arabia sa 2.3 milyon Saudi Riyal nga kulang nga blood money alang sa overseas Filipino worker (OFW) nga si Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza.
Sa gipagawas nga statement sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), nagpasalamat usab si Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario kang Vice President ug Presidential Adviser on OFW Concern Jejomar Binay alang sa natigom nga 700,000 Saudi Riyals sa pamilya ni Lanuza. Gipasalamatan usab sa kalihim ang tabang sa mga Pilipino alang sa kababayang OFW.
Una nang gikumpirmar ni Binay nga dili madayon ang pagbitay kang Lanuza.
Giingong gitawagan siya sa embahada sa Saudi Arabia kagahapon ug gipaabot ang balita nga gitubag ni King Abdullah ang 2.3 milyon Saudi Riyals o kapin P25 milyon nga blood money.
Apan gi-klaro niini nga dili dayon makagawas sa bilangguan si Lanuza tungod kay kinahanglan pang dalhon sa korte ang Royal decree aron makapagawas og release order ang Saudi court.
Tuig 2000 sa dihang napatay ni Lanuza ang usa ka Saudi national nga nanutok niya og kutsilyo ug giingong padung siya panamastamasan niini.
Plano usab sa gobyerno sa Pilipinas nga mangayo og tabang sa hari sa Saudi Arabia alang sa kinabuhi sa usa ka OFW nga napahamtangan usab og silot nga kamatayon.
Nameligro pa gihapon nga mabitay si Joselito Zapanta tungod sa giingong pagpatay sa usa ka Sudanese landlord niadtong 2009.
Matud pa ni Binay, mahuman na sa Marso ang upat ka buwang gitakda sa pamilya ni Zapanta aron makumpleto ang P44 milyong blood money diin P10 milyon pa lang ang natigom karon.
Apan ang maayong balita usab, gikunhoran sa P33 milyon ang blood money. Bisan pa niini, P23 milyon pa gihapon ang kinahanglang matigom. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
by aimee | Feb 1, 2013 | National News
The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, paving the way for the full-year GDP estimate to post a broad-based growth of 6.6 percent. The increase was fuelled by the robust performance of the Services sector led by Trade and Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities as well as the substantial improvements of Manufacturing and Construction.
On the demand side, Household Final Consumption Expenditure (HFCE) together with government spending, the recovery of capital formation and the remarkable performance of the external trade contributed to the healthy growth of the economy in the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2012.
On an annual basis, Gross National Income (GNI) and Net Primary Income from the rest of the world (NPI) expanded to 5.8 percent and 3.3 percent in 2012 from 3.2 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively in 2011.
In the fourth quarter, NPI increased by 0.9 percent in 2012 from 6.2 percent in the same period in 2011 resulting to GNI’s growth of 5.4 percent in 2012 from 4.5 percent in the previous year.
Meanwhile, seasonally adjusted GDP and GNI grew by 1.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively during the current quarter. The Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing (AHFF) and the Services sectors rose by 0.1 and 1.2 percent, respectively, while the Industry sector expanded by 2.5 percent due to the growth of Construction and Manufacturing.
With the robust economic growth in 2012, per capita GDP accelerated to 4.8 percent from 2.2 percent in 2011 while per capita GNI climbed by 4.0 percent in 2012 from 1.5 percent in 2011. On the other hand, per capita Household Final Consumption Expenditure (HFCE), slightly decelerated to 4.4 percent from 4.5 percent.
With the 6.8 percent GDP growth in the fourth quarter, per capita GDP, GNI, and HCFE rose to 5.1 percent from 2.3 percent, 3.7 percent from 2.8 percent, and 5.2 percent from 4.6 percent, respectively. (NSCB)
by aimee | Jan 31, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 31 (PIA)–SUPORTADO sa pipila ka magbabalaod sa Estados Unidos ang lakang sa Pilipinas nga ipasaka sa United Nations ang pagresolba sa territorial issues tali sa China ug parte sa West Philippine Sea.
Ang U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL) nga gipangulohan ni House committee on Foreign Affairs ug California Rep. Ed Royce mipadayag sa ilang suporta sa argumentong gihikyad sa Pilipinas kalabot sa baruganan niini sa gi-ilogang teritoryo atol sa ilang courtesy call sa Malakanyang kagahapon.
Ang CODEL mibisita sa nasud niadtong Enero 28 hangtud 30 isip parte sa ilang pagbisita sa rehiyon. Nibisita na usab sila sa Seoul ug Taiwan una niabot dinhi sa Pilipinas ug moadto usab sa Beijing.
Una niini, nipadayag na og hingpit nga pagsalig ang Malakanyang nga dawaton sa United Nations partikular sa International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ang pormal nga pagdulog sa Pilipinas aron masolbad ang territorial dispute sa China.
Nagtuo usab ang gobyerno nga dili kini makaapekto sa relasyon sa Pilipinas ug China tungod kay giingong usa kini ka “friendly and peaceful move” aron masolbad ang problema. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-gg)
Ekonomiya sa PH, nilambo og 6.6% sa 2012; milapas sa target
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 31 (PIA)–NAKATALA og 6.6 percent nga paglambo ang ekonomiya sa niaging tuig, mas taas sa target sa merkado, lending institutions ug bisan sa gobyerno.
Matud pa ni National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) chief Jose Ramon Albert, sa katapusang quarter sa tuig 2012, natala nila ang 6.8 percent output gikan sa services, trade, real estate ug construction sectors.
Tungod niini, natala ang full-year gross domestic product (GDP) nga mas taas sa 5 to 6 percent growth nga gipaabot sa gobyerno.
Niining semanaha lang, sa ikatulong nagsunod nga trading session, nagpabilin pa gihapon sa lokal nga merkado ang record-breaking rally niini.
Duol na sa 6,300 mark ang composite index sa Philippine Stock Exchange, human matala ang 6,293.37 o mas taas og 58.64 points.
Kini na ang pang-12th record high sa local marker karong tuiga.
Una nang mihatag og pahayag si Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga ikapasigarbo gayud sa tanan ang natalang paglambo sa ekonomiya sa niaging tuig. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/i-ed)
by aimee | Jan 31, 2013 | National News
MALACAÑANG welcomed reports that the Philippine economy grew by 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, assuring that the Aquino government will continue to work even harder to maintain the economy’s upward trajectory, a Palace official said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday following reports that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.8 percent due to the robust performance of the services sector led by trade and real estate, renting and business activities as well as the substantial improvements in manufacturing and construction.
“The Philippine economy grew by 6.8 percent in the 4th quarter of 2012, bringing full-year growth for 2012 to 6.6 percent. This is higher than the government’s official target of 5 to 6 percent,” Lacierda said.
“What is particularly important to note is that while growth was initially driven by government stimulus, it is now being increasingly driven by private sector activity, including investments, which grew by 8.7 percent in 2012. This means growth is becoming more sustainable from a fiscal and macroeconomic perspective,” Lacierda noted.
Lacierda said the continued growth of the GDP is proof of the country’s ability to sustain a united march towards equitable progress.
“Private sector activity has been enabled by the Aquino administration’s dedication to positive reform. Without doubt, good governance means good economics,” Lacierda stressed.
“The administration’s vision for the economy has always been to ignite a virtuous cycle of growth and empowerment—to enable business and enterprise to flourish; to open doors of opportunity for each citizen; and to invest in them so that they can truly take hold of their own destinies,” he said. (PND)
by aimee | Jan 30, 2013 | National News
THE Philippines could fully succeed economically in the future if there is national unity and every Filipino makes individual commitments, President Benigno S. Aquino III said during the 40th anniversary celebration of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday.
The President, who arrived last weekend from attending the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland, recounted his experiences while in the European country.
There is a disparity in terms of the number of people between the Philippines and Switzerland, he said, noting that the latter even had to deal with a more hostile environment.
But despite the challenges, he said Switzerland has become a very rich country after striving hard to maximize the effects of its comparative advantage particularly in finance.
“Simple lang —talagang mapaparating tayo sa paroroonan natin kung lahat tayo kumakayod at humahatak tungo sa isang direksyon, kung ibibigay natin ang kaya natin. Kung lalampasan natin ang akala nating kaya natin ay baka naman mapadali ang parating natin doon,” the President said in his speech.
The use of timely and accurate government data is also important so that economic managers can formulate the right strategy and decision for the national good, he said.
“May kasabihan sa mahilig sa computer, ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’ Kapag mali ang datos, o hindi naaangkop ang lunas, lalong maaantala ang desisyon,” he said.
The country also changed a lot since the administration took office more than two years ago, he said. Today, foreign investors are scrambling to put their businesses here. Several years ago, the Philippines wasn’t even in their radar, the President said.
The country is also an example to other countries for its anti-corruption fight, he said. The President noted that while other countries are struggling to make an effective anti-corruption strategy, the Philippines has been successful in carrying out anti-graft and corruption initiatives. (PND)
