by aimee | Jan 7, 2013 | Headlines, National News
THE Aquino administration will study the proposal for a total gun ban following the death of a seven-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet in Caloocan City and the shooting rampage in Kawit, Cavite, a Palace official said on Monday.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang amid calls for stricter gun controls and a total gun ban.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said the government should consider the proposal from various groups to ensure the safety of the public.
Senator Gregorio Honasan said on Saturday that his committee on public order and dangerous drugs would review existing gun laws, consolidate related pending bills and conduct public hearings on gun controls when sessions resume on January 21.
For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson proposed to the government the suspension of all permits to carry in the wake of Ronald Bae’s shooting spree.
“Again, it depends on what the contents of that law will be. When you say comprehensive firearms law, that would involve everything from the importation—rules for importation, rules for procurement, for requirements, etcetera. So we will have to see what is in that proposal for a comprehensive firearms law,” Valte said.
Bae, an alleged drug addict, went on a shooting rampage in Kawit, Cavite Friday morning. He attacked his neighbors with a .45-caliber pistol, killing eight people and injuring nine others.
On the other hand, Stephanie Nicole Ella was watching a fireworks display outside her home in Malaria district, Caloocan City when she was hit by a stray bullet in her head on New Year’s Eve. Ella died at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City Wednesday afternoon. (PND/I-sjp)
by aimee | Jan 7, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 07 (PIA)–Nagpabilin ang baruganan ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III batok sa pagbuhi sa death penalty.
Kahinomduman nga nabanhaw ang maong panawagan tungod sa sunod-sunod nga mga krimen diin labing ulahi ang masaker sa Cavite.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, wala nausab ang baruganan sa Presidente ug dili gayud kini uyon sa silot nga kamatayon.
Dugang pa ni Valte, nagtuo si Presidente Aquino nga ang pinaka-maayong solusyon mao ang pagsiguro sa pag-aresto ug pagpa-bilanggo sa mga kriminal.
Kun hapsay ang pagpatuman sa hustisya ug balaod, giingong magduha-duha ang usa ka kriminal nga nagplanong mohimo og krimen.
“The position of the President, as far as the death penalty is concerned, has not changed. He is not for the death penalty. Well, the position of the President always, when it comes to any form of crime, is (that) the effective deterrent of crime would be the knowledge that there will be certainty of punishment,” matud pa ni Valte. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-gg)
Ph stock exchange, nakab-ot na ang 6000-mark
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 07 (PIA)–Sa katapusan, nakab-ot na gayud ang gitinguha nga 6000-mark sa Philippines Stocks Exchange index (PSEi) karong buntag.
Ganinang alas-9:44 sa buntag dihang natala ang record-breaking high sa PSEi diin giingong tungod kini sa liquidity.
Una niini niadtong weekend, naglaum ang Malakanyang nga makab-ot na ang 6000-mark sa PSEi nga mas sayo ning tuiga.
Kini human natala niadtong Biyernes ang pinakabag-ong record-high sa stock market sa dihang nakab-ot ang 5,907 usa nisarado ang trading.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, nakatutok sila sa trading sa pagsulod sa bag-ong tuig tungod kay dugay na nilang target ang 6000-mark sa PSEi.
Dugang pa ni Valte, nanghinaut sila nga madugangan pa ang mga “good news” sama sa “slowest inflation rate” sukad 2008 nga natala sa 2012.
Giingong mabati kini sa umaabot nga mga adlaw ilabi na sa presyo sa mga panaliton ug bayad sa konsumo o mga serbisyo. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-ed)
by aimee | Jan 4, 2013 | National News
MALACAÑANG welcomed the re-extension of the ceasefire by communist rebels until January 15 this month noting that this will benefit combatants on the ground.
“The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has declared a re-extension of the ceasefire to January 15, 2013. The government welcomes this change of heart from their earlier position. This gives our soldiers and members of the CPP-NPA-NDF more time with their loved ones, which becomes difficult in times of conflict,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement on Thursday.
“Despite unilateral statements to the contrary, the government is fully committed to honoring this ceasefire—a clear indication of our sincerity and determination to maintain peace and stability.”
Representatives from the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) met in The Hague, Netherlands, last month and agreed on a holiday truce that would last from December 20, 2012 to January 15, 2013.
Lacierda also said the Aquino administration is looking forward to resuming a fruitful dialogue with the CPP-NPA-NDF, with the vision of fostering a true and lasting peace in the country.
The rebel group cut short its declared ceasefire with the government this week. Instead of January 15, ceasefire ended effectively Wednesday.
The CPP-NPA-NDF said it had shortened the duration of the ceasefire because President Benigno S. Aquino III failed to issue a reciprocal declaration indicating said ceasefire would end on January 15. (PND)
by aimee | Jan 3, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 03 (PIA)–Andam ang Malakanyang nga idepensa ang paglagda ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III sa kontrobersyal nga Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RH) Act of 2012.
Kini ang tubag sa Palasyo human niduso og petisyon sa Supreme Court (SC) ang magtiayon nga abogadong sila Atty. James ug Lovely Ann Imbong nga mikuwestyon sa legalidad sa maong balaod ug mihangyo nga ipahunong ang implementasyon niini.
Matud pa ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, daang isyu ang gitumbok sa magtiayong Imbong sa ilang petisyon ug kaniadto pa kini natuki sa Kongreso.
Giingong pinaagi sa Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), idepensa sa Palasyo ang ilang posisyon sa maong balaod.
Ang maong balaod hilom nga gilagdaan ni Presidente Aquino niadtong Disyembre 21 human ang taas nga debate sa manag-atbang nga kapulungan sa Kongreso. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-gg)
Palasyo, nihimakak nga nakalapas ang gobyerno sa ceasefire tali sa NPA
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 03 (PIA)–Dismayado ang Malakanyang sa nabalita nga putlon sa New People’s Army (NPA) sa mas sayo ang nasabutang ceasire.
Dungan niini, hingpit nga gihimakak ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda nga may nalapas ang gobyerno sa ceasefire agreement.
Matud pa ni Lacierda, nagpabiling matinod-anon ang gobyerno sa tinguhang makamugna og kasabotan tali sa CPP-NPA-NDF.
Samtang, nag-andam na ang Philippine National Police (PNP) sa posibleng pag-atake sa mga rebelde sa tanang mga istasyon sa pulis.
Matud pa ni PNP Spokesperson P/Supt. Generoso Cerbo, Disyembre 23 pa nila gibutang sa heightened alert ang mga kapolisan sa tibuok Luzon ug Kabisay-an.
Kini human gi-atake sa mga rebelde ang usa ka presinto sa PNP sa Roxas, Palawan niadtong Disyembre diin usa ka pulis ang namatay ug usa usab ang naangol. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-sjp)
by aimee | Dec 26, 2012 | National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec. 26 (PIA)–Gipaalerto karon ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III ang mga puwersa sa gobyerno kalabot sa ika-44 nga anibersaryo sa CPP-NPA-NDF karong adlawa.
Matud pa ni Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, bisan gipatuman na ang bilateral ceasefire, naka-defense mode pa gihapon ang AFP karong holidays.
Dugang pa ni Lacierda, gusto ni Presidente Aquino nga masiguro ang seguridad ug kalinaw sa mga probinsiya nga mahimong pahimoslan sa mga rebelde.
Dungan niini, giseguro usab sa Malakanyang nga i-respeto sa mga sundalo ang ceasefire declaration hangtud Enero 15.
Naglaum usab sila nga mosunod ang mga guerilla fighters sa ground sa kasabutang gisudlan sa NDF, ang political wing sa Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ug irespeto ang ceasfire.
“Well, the AFP naman is vigilant. There is a SOMO as agreed upon by the joint panel abroad. So we received that press release from, I think, the ambassador of Norway and Netherlands. But I just spoke to Colonel (Arnulfo) Burgos, kahit naman may SOMO vigilant naman po sila. Well, we certainly would that if the leaders would declare a ceasefire on both sides we, in the AFP, will observe that. We expect no less from the leadership of CPP-NPA-NDF to download the information to their ground troops. So we expect that the ceasefire will be observed,” matud pa ni Lacierda. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-sjp)
Ekonomiya sa PH, molambo pa sa 2013 – Econ managers
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec. 26 (PIA)–Masaligon ang mga economic managers ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga molambo pa ang ekonomiya sa nasud sa pagsulod sa tuig 2013 ug bisan sa 2014.
Kahinumdoman nga sa third quarter sa tuig, nakapatala og 7.1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth ang ekonomiya ug nagkaduol na usab ang gikahinaman nga 6,000 level sa Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi).
Matud pa ni Socioeconomic Planning Sec. Arsenio Balisacan, nagpabilin ang ilang banabanang molambo gikan 6 hangtud 7 percent ang GDP sa 2013 samtang 6.5 hangtud 7.5 percent sa 2014.
Dugang pa ni Balisacan, gilauman nilang dakung kontribusyon niini ang maggikan sa manufacturing sector, services sector, expansion sa information technology – business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, turismo, financial intermediation ug trade.
Giingong dili lisod makab-ot ang maong mga target tungod kay naa man ang momentum.
“We hope to see a more vibrant industry sector. We see an improved manufacturing sector buoyed by the semiconductor and electronics industry as the world economy is expected to recover between 2013 and 2014,” matud pa ni Balisacan. (PIA-Bohol/ecb/I-ed)
by aimee | Dec 21, 2012 | National News
THE Aquino administration welcomed the move of the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) for raising its credit rating outlook for the Philippine economy from stable to positive.
“Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has raised its credit rating outlook for the Philippine economy from “BB+ Stable” to “BB+ Positive.” This means that we can expect, barring any unforeseen circumstances, an actual credit rating upgrade in the coming months,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement issued on Thursday.
“In its rationale, S&P hailed the Aquino administration for its “improved capacity to effect reform,” according to Lacierda, which he said stems from “a level of legitimacy, support, and stability that reduced political uncertainty and allows for improved legislative efficiency.”
Lacierda said the improved outlook comes at the heels of the signing of the landmark bill reforming sin taxes that will further strengthen the government’s fiscal position.
“We welcome this acknowledgment of the positive strides the Philippines has taken under the Aquino administration and a recognition of our thrust that indeed good governance results in good economics,” he said.
A positive outlook means a country’s rating may be raised within the next year.
“We revised the outlook to positive to reflect our reappraisal of the political and institutional factors underlying the ratings,” analyst Agost Benard said in the statement. (PCOO)
