by magnolia_eic | Jan 9, 2012 | Headlines, National News
THE growing number of reactions to the new slogan of the Department of Tourism, whether online or in print media, is proof that the campaign to attract more visitors to the Philippines is working, a Palace official said on Sunday.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said more and more Filipinos are getting “on board” and joining the government’s move to present the country as the best place to visit in 2012.
The DOT recently launched the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign as part of its intensive efforts to promote the country as a premiere tourist destination.
Valte said that the debates and intrigues triggered by this new slogan “attest that it is more fun in the Philippines.”
“If you check the reactions on line, everybody is getting on board, everyone is having fun with the slogan,” Valte said.
She expressed confidence that this new campaign of the DOT will succeed to bring in the volume of tourist arrivals this year.
“The measure of how effective the slogan is will be, in the numbers, in the figures, in the number of tourist arrivals that the country will have,” Valte said.
“We will be able to measure by the number of tourist arrivals na madadala nitong “Its more fun in the Philippines” campaign,” she added. (pcoo)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 6, 2012 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 05 (PIA)–Giseguro karon sa Malacañang nga adunay manubag sa nahitabong trahedya sa Napnapan, Pantukan, Compostela Valley diin 25 na katawo ang kumpirmadong namatay ug daghan pa ang nangawala.
Matud pa ni Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, imbestigahan ang landslide ug nganong daghan ang casualties.
Sigun pa kang Lacierda, dugay nang gimandu ang forced evacuation apan wala kini gihimo sa local government unit (LGU).
Dugang pa ni Lascierda, ila usab tinuon kun nganong nagpadayon pa gihapon ang small- scale mining bisan pa sa suspension sa pagpagawas og mining permit niadto pang Abril 19, 2011.
Gitumbok ni Lacierda nga lisod dawaton ang palusot sa LGU nga layo ang lugar ug nagmagahi ang mga residente mao nga wala napatuman ang evacuation. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 6, 2012 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 05 (PIA)–Human sa serye sa konsultasyon, pormal nang gi- endorso gahapon ni Presidente Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III ang kontrobersyal nga Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
Ang “go signal” ni Aquino nga iduso sa Malacañang ang suporta sa FOI bunga sa duha ka oras nga pakigpulong niini sa mga cabinet members gahapon nga maoy gitahasan niyang mohimo ug pagtuon ug konsultasyon sa mga stakeholders kalabot sa maong hisgotanan.
Kahinumdomang nagduhaduha ang Pangulo nga suportaan kaniadto ang FOI bill tungod sa kahadlok nga maabuso ang katungod sa publiko sa information access.
Bisan pa niini, gipahibalo gahapon ni Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Manolo Quezon nga human ang pakigpulong nila sa Pangulo, giingong nidesisyon na kining suportahan ang balaodnon agig suporta na usab sa kadaghanang uyon
niini.
Gawas pa, adunay kondisyon si Aquino kalabot niini nga dili ipadayon ang balaodnon sa Information Commission ug magbutang og limitasyon sa information access sa publiko kun magbutang kini sa kakuyaw sa peace and order ug seguridad sa nasud.
Gipaabot usab sa Malacañang nga mapasar dayon sa 15th Congress ang FOI bill apan giingong dili na kinahanglan pang isertipika kini isip “urgent bill” tungod kay naa na kini sa committee level sa Kamara.
Ang FOI bill mag-awtorisa sa publiko nga magbaton og access sa mga records sa government transactions, pakigpulong, ug uban pang gitakda sa Konstitusyon. (PIA-Bohol/
ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 6, 2012 | Headlines, National News
MALACANANG expects to post significant growth in the agriculture sector given the increased budget allotted to the Department of Agriculture this year, which is expected to uplift the national economy as a whole.
In a press conference on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda fended off criticisms that say the country will not experience much economic growth this year due to weak government policies.
Lacierda said the country posted increased agricultural production despite the storms and calamities that hit the Philippines last year.
“Agricultural productivity is growth, is real and equitable growth. So many people would be benefited from increased agricultural productivity,” he said in response to comments claiming that the government hasn’t produced more jobs.
This is growth for the farmers; agricultural productivity will benefit a great number of our people,” he stressed”.
With a bigger budget this year, the DA said it would vigorously pursue initiatives that will ensure sufficiency in major staples by 2013 that include rice, white corn, cassava, and other basic commodities.
In his 2011 year-end report, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said a big chunk of the DA’s 2012 budget of P61.73 billion will be spent to implement the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP), which is the centerpiece program of the Aquino administration.
The program intends to frontload investments, particularly on infrastructure such as irrigation, farm-to-market roads, and postharvest facilities, Alcala said.
With an allocation of P24.5 billion for 2012 for irrigation, Secretary Alcala said the DA will construct new irrigation systems, and restore and rehabilitate existing ones that service a total of 224,850 hectares of farm lands nationwide.
For postharvest and other infrastructures, the DA has alloted P11.28 billion. This will be spent to construct drying, storage, and processing facilities, storage and milling equipment, including dairy equipment and machineries.
The DA said it would also construct major agri-fishery trading centers in many areas throughout the country. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 5, 2012 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Energy (DoE) is currently forming a team that will scrutinize the books of accounts of the oil companies in support of President Benigno S. Aquino III’s call for transparency, a Palace official said on Wednesday.
“From what I understand from Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, they are close to already forming the team that will scrutinize the books of the oil companies. They already have representation from the sectors,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said
during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
Report said the oil firms are willing to open their books of accounts for government examination in response to a call from the President to face public scrutiny.
On the other hand, various groups expressed concern over reports that oil players will implement upward price adjustments this January, according to news reports.
Valte assured that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is regularly conducting monitoring of prices to prevent overpricing.
Oil companies are ready to follow the requirements being imposed by the DoE as mandated by appropriate provisions” relevant laws, such as the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation
Act.
The oil firms are also mandated to comply strictly with the “financial protocols of the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue, as well as statutory submissions to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 5, 2012 | Headlines, National News
MALACANANG assured the Filipino people that President Benigno S. Aquino III will continue to focus on programs that will not only uplift their lives but also further improve the country’s economy, stressing the government’s unwavering efforts to curb graft and corruption in the bureaucracy.
During his first media briefing for the New Year 2012 in Malacanang, Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda reassured the President’s commitment to the people as previously stated in his yearend message issued last week.
“The President is continuously focusing on improving the economy as he has stated in his yearend message, we will improve the economy, we will continue to provide service to the poor, our advocacy against graft and corruption will still continue,” Lacierda said.
On concerns that the impeachment proceedings against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona will affect the Chief Executive’s focus in the performance of his job, Lacierda assured that such Constitutional procedure will not, in any way, impinge on President Aquino’s efforts to serve the country and the people.
“Primarily the impeachment has now been diverted to the Senate… and the Senate will be the main focus of the impeachment trial,” Lacierda said.
On December 12, 2011, a total of 188 members of the House of Representatives signed the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Corona, which was later transmitted to the Philippine Senate. (PCOO)
