by magnolia_eic | Jun 4, 2011 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
Tagbilaran City, June 3 (PIA) – Gitataw ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga dili prayoridad sa iyang administrasyon ang gidusong Divorce Bill sa Kongreso. Matud pa sa Presidente nga ang Divorce Bill mahimong makaingon sa pagkabahin-bahin sa
publiko. Gikuwestyon usab sa Presidente kun seryoso ba gayud ang nagduso sa maong balaodnon.
Nagtuo ang Malakanyang nga dili angay idungan ang Divorce Bill sa pagtuki sa Reproductive Health (RH) Bill nga mao karon ang prayoridad sa administrasyong Aquino. Sigun pa ni Presidential Communications Group Secretary Ricky Carandang, gustong idungang sa RH Bill ang Divorce Bill human nahibaw-an nga ang maong balaodnon napasar ug legal na karon sa Malta, ang kapartner sa Pilipinas sa tibuok kalibotan nga nahabiling nasud nga walay diborsyo. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 3, 2011 | Headlines, National News
IN line with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s social contract commitment to reduce poverty and ensure rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth, especially for those living in the countryside, the Department of Budget and Management announced recently that it has released P3.430-billion for the National Rice Program of the Department of Agriculture.
In a statement, DBM Secretary Florencio Abad said the release would help farmers increase their harvest yields towards achieving rice self-sufficiency by 2013. “The DA’s National Rice Program highlights the Aquino Administration’s commitment to rice
self sufficiency by 2013. Through this program, the government makes sure that facilities, technologies and other interventions are in place to help us achieve this target,” he said.
Under the National Rice Program, farmers are provided with quality seeds, irrigation, credit and marketing assistance to improve farm productivity and profitability. The total budget for the National Rice Program for 2011 is P5.217 billion.
Moving a step closer to rice self sufficiency, the DA expects to produce 17.45 million metric tons (MT) of palay this year; and plans to increase that by 10 percent to 19.2 million MT in 2012; and by another 10 percent to 21.11 million MT in 2013 to achieve rice self sufficiency.
In a technical budget hearing conducted by the DBM, Alcala said that DA aims for 91.9 percent rice self-sufficiency by 2012 from 84.4 percent this year, and to attain this, proposed increases in its 2012 budget for its banner program for rice.
Abad meanwhile emphasized the need for DA to strengthen its capability and refocus its
investments towards achieving its Philippine Food Staple Self-Sufficiency Roadmap in line
with achieving 100-percent rice self-sufficiency. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 3, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will limit unnecessary fees imposed by colleges and universities nationwide following complaints raised by parents and students. At a Senate hearing on Thursday, lawmakers discussed the various miscellaneous fees that colleges and universities charge. The fees include charges for printing students’ résumés and printing their thesis proposals.
Because of the number of complaints, the CHED will release guidelines on what can be charged as miscellaneous fees, CHED executive director Atty. Julito Vitriolo told Sen. Edgardo Angara. The agency is currently investigating on these complaints and is encouraging students to report to the CHED’s hotline if they believe that there is discrepancy on their school charges.
Officials of colleges and universities are open to this, but they said the miscellaneous fees
help improve the schools’ facilities and raise the quality of education. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 1, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III expressed confidence Monday that the Philippine economy would hit its growth target of seven to eight percent by the end of the year due to the reforms being implemented in government that will entice businesses to invest in the country.
In an interview in Malacañang, the President said the country’s gross domestic product of 4.8 percent as posted by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for the first quarter of the year was almost the same as those posted by our neighboring countries and was indicative of the effects of the earthquake that struck Japan in March and the turmoil that rocked the Middle
East in February.
“If we compare our GDP with that of our neighboring countries, we are not that low end. We all have been affected by the Middle East crisis and the earthquake that struck Japan which we all know to be one of our largest trading partner and source of overseas development assistance,” the President said.
He said the government will be able to pump prime the economy for the second quarter of the year by inviting domestic and foreign businesses to invest in the country through the government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) program.
He said this investment program coupled with the lowering of crude and electricity prices is key to reaching our economic growth target for the year. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 1, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III will meet with the Filipino Community (FilCom) at the Rizqun International Hotel as part of the busy schedule of his 2-day State Visit here on June 1 to 2. Government records show an estimated 18,589 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are with their families living in Brunei as of December last year.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Officer (POLO) from the Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam said that the total number of OFWs and their families living here decreased from22,000 in 2008 to 18,000 in 2010. The decrease, POLO said, was due to the closure of the local garments industry.
The POLO also noted that temporary migrants comprise the bulk of these OFWs or 17,657 out of the total number of migrants. Filipino workers here are mostly skilled workers that include masons, carpenters, technicians, electricians, plumbers and heavy equipment operators. They comprise the 30 per cent of the total number of OFWs here.
They are followed by those who are categorized as semi-skilled who are working as waiters and waitresses, sewers, sales assistants, cashiers, janitors and transport drivers. The group is around 29 per cent of the total number of OFWs while the remaining 18 and 17 per cent were composed of professionals and household workers, respectively. Household workers include domestic
helpers, family drivers and gardeners.
Filipino workers in Brunei enjoy a satisfactory condition and are being treated well by their employers and given value for their skills, dependability, work attitude and loyalty. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | May 30, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE government is closely monitoring food products and additives imported from Taiwan that
might be contaminated with a chemical harmful when taken in high doses.
Food and Drug Administration Director Suzette H. Lazo said the agency was on the lookout for
food products from Taiwan that might contain the chemical Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).
“The Taiwan government has informed the Department of Health that a company may have
imported food products containing additives contaminated by DEHP to the Philippines,” Lazo said
in a statement.
While the FDA statement did not cite any specific food products, officials in Taiwan, which is
going through a food scare, said the problem was confined to sports drinks, fruit juices, teas, fruit
jams and preserves, food powders and food supplement tablets.
Widely used in the manufacture of articles such as intravenous bags and tubings, blood bags and
infusion tubings and nasogastric tubes, DEHP was “found to be illegally added” to a food product
raw material intended for emulsification in Taiwan, Lazo said.
She added that while low doses of DEHP were generally safe, high doses or prolonged exposure
can have harmful effects.
Children are especially prone to the harmful effects of high doses of DEHP or to repeated
exposure which can lead to testicular effects, fertility problems and toxicity to kidneys, Lazo said.
(PIA)
