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)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 9, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 8 (PIA) – Andam ang Malacañang nga dalhon hangtud saSupreme Court (SC) ang constitutionality sa pag-aprubar sa Senado sa balaodnon sa pag-oktaba sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections sa Agosto 8.
Depensa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, kumpiyansa sila nga nidasonsa Konstitusyon ang pag-oktaba sa ARMM polls ilabi na ang gikuwestiyon nga pagbutangog mga appointed officers-in-charge tungod kay niuyon man kini sa balod imbes nga tugotannga adunay hold-over capacity ang mga nakalingkod nang ARMM officials.
Matud pa ni Valte nga andam nilang atubangon ang mga ipasaka nga kaso ug mokuwestiyon sa constitutionality ilabi na nga daghan ang supak niini. Samtang, wala nilampos ang planong pagbabag sa ubang kongresista sa gi-amyendahang balaodnon sa Senado mahitungod sa pag-oktaba sa eleksyon sa ARMM.
Gahapon, naratipikahan na sa Kamara ang House Bill No. 4146 nga gi-amyendahan saSenado sa miaging adlaw.
Tungod niini, dili na kini moagi pa sa bicameral committee ug mismong si House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., ang miingon nga wala siya’y nakitang kabag-ohan sa maong balaodnon sa Kamara ug sa Senado. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 9, 2011 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
The controversial reproductive health (RH) bill has finally been endorsed for plenary debates at the Senate, but discussions and voting on the legislation will take place in July as Congress goes on recess on Thursday. Twenty senators signed Committee Report No. 49 of the Senate committees on finance, health and demography, and youth, women and family relations, paving the way for heated arguments just like in the House of Representatives, on whether to allow or not, unhindered public access to contraceptives.
The committee report contained the consolidated reproductive health bill versions of Santiago and Lacson.
The Senate’s RH bill seeks to “provide information and access, without bias, to all methods offamily planning which have been proven safe and effective in accordance with scientific and evidence-based medical standards such as those set by the World Health Organization (WHO)and registered and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”
The RH bill, which proposes to “guarantee to universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services,” is one of the most contentious issues in the Philippines. The bill has been filed in previous congresses but was never passed into law.” The Catholic Church only promotes natural family planning methods and is against the use of artificial forms of contraception like condoms and contraceptive pills.
by magnolia_eic | Jun 9, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III appointed former senator Mar Roxas to head the Departmentof Transportation and Communication (DOTC) after Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus resigned last week. The President made the announcement in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, adding that Roxas accepted his offer to lead the DOTC following their meeting on Monday. At the same time, the President said Roxas will also become his senior adviser for economic cluster.
The President said he was surprised by the resignation of Secretary de Jesus, who is leaving thecabinet to go back to the private sector, adding he wants to give the DOTC portfolio to people hetrusts. Roxas can initiate reforms at the DOTC, the President said noting the importance of thedepartment as it handles big ticket items. He said the reported huge projects at the agency, graftand corruption is also rampant and the appointment of Roxas will put a stop to these anomalies,President Aquino said.
The President said he is confident that Roxas can push reforms at DOTC, being one of thepeople who opposed and stopped the controversial national broadband deal during the Arroyo administration. Several sectors have expressed positive response with Roxas’s appointment and the Presidentsaid he expects the new DOTC chief will have good relations especially with the private sector.(PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 8, 2011 | Announcements, Features, Headlines, National News, Tourism
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III urged all Filipinos here and abroad to vote and support the country’s pride, the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), as one of the finalists inthe global search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The President made the pitch right after he signed the proclamation order urging all nationalgovernment agencies, local government units, students and even overseas Filipino workersto join hands in the aggressive voting campaign thru internet and SMS (short messaging system).
In his speech, the President said if the 80 million Filipino cellular phone users participate in the campaign the PPUR has a big chance to win in the competition that would help spur the country’s tourism and create thousands of job opportunities to the people.
“As of now, the country has no less than 80 million Filipino cellular phone users. All we need is 1 billion votes,” President said as he cited the almost 2 million texts recorded by the leading telecommunication companies in their daily operations.
As more Filipinos are now actively using internet as another tool in communication, thePresident urged them to vote the Philippine environment at www.new7wondersofnature orsimply text PPUR15 to 2861.
During the program, Bernard Webber, president and founder of the New 7 Wonder of Nature,officially designated Puerto Princesa as one of the 28 finalists for the new 7 wonder of naturecategory. Renowned as the world’s longest underground river, Puerto Princesa Underground River features a stunning limestone karst mountain landscape, impressive cave systems,impressive stalactites and stalagmites formations, lush old growth tropical rain forest and interesting wildlife. The subterranean river spans 8.2 kilometers long and flows beneathstalactites and stalagmites formation.
The Underground River beat 440 other contenders to be one of the 28 finalists for the New 7Wonders of Nature Campaign. The voting period will end on November 10 and winners will be announced on the following day (November 11). (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 4, 2011 | Headlines, National News
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, June 2 (PIA)—THE government’s cash grants issued through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program can not be pawned or used as loan collateral, says the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over reports of abuse in its use.
“The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a national government implemented poverty reduction strategy which provides cash grants to extremely poor households, but with set conditions on health and education”, explains Aileen Lariba, program information officer. “Any abuse on the card subjects the beneficiary to automatic suspension and the risk of eventual delisting from the program,” she warns. The program grants beneficiaries some P500 per month for nutrition and health and P300 for each of the beneficiary’s three children or a maximum of P1400 a month for a family with three school-age kids.
Other than being an immediate and short term poverty alleviation strategy, the program is also designed as a social development strategy that breaks the vicious cycle of inter-generational poverty through investing in human capital. This way, the program helps fulfill the country’s commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals of Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger, achieving Universal Primary Education, Promoting Gender Equality, Reducing Child Mortality and Improving Maternal Health, the DSWD source sums up.
However, pressed against the seemingly impenetrable wall of extreme economic conditions, beneficiaries, who have to go through an 8-step cycle to be in the program are reportedly forced to pawn and put these cards as loan collateral, payable as soon as a new release of cash grants happen. As it continues to educate and develop these identified beneficiaries, the DSWD urges the public cooperation, partnership and vigilance to make these cash grants work the way these are intended.
These cash cards should not be abused and as these are not acceptable as collateral nor guarantee on any loans.
For any violation reported and proven, beneficiary is subjected to automatic suspension and eventually delisting from the program. Furthermore, the DSWD encourages the beneficiaries to practice responsibility by safeguarding their cash cards from getting lost since this is their ultimate identification in all Pantawid Pamilya activities and other services that would be accorded to them in the near future.
To report abuse and discrepancies in the use of grants, use the syntax:
<address>complaint and send to 0918-912-2813. (Rey Anthony Chiu with Aileen Lariba) 4Ps<space>name
