by magnolia_eic | Sep 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Instead of making two separate trips, President Benigno S. Aquino III has re-scheduled his visits to Indonesia and Vietnam next month so that a study can be conducted on how these trips can be squeezed into one.
This, he said, was in line with his advocacy to limit his foreign trips to those that are absolutely necessary.
The President was scheduled to visit the two countries in September upon invitation of their respective heads of state.
“I understand Indonesia can only accommodate us sometime in October. There is also an ASEAN summit in Vietnam scheduled on the same day. We asked if we can do what has to be done in Vietnam in one trip rather than two trips,” the President said.
“I did promise that I would limit the trips to those that are absolutely necessary. As you see Vietnam is the host for ASEAN this year and we should visit Vietnam. In keeping with our promise to be more judicious in the way we spend the people’s money, especially the fact that we have very little left, I felt it was prudent to have one trip rather than two,” the President said. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Aspiring candidates for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls may file their certificates of candidacy (COC) beginning October 1 until October 13, the Commission on Elections said.
Comelec Resolution No. 9019, promulgated Tuesday, said that the election period for the Barangay and SK[youth council] polls will run from September 25 until November 10.
It noted, however, that candidates may only campaign from October 14 until October 23, adding that carrying of firearms and deadly weapons and the use of bodyguards by candidates is prohibited during the 45-day election period.
The poll body said filing of disqualification cases will be until October 18.
The Comelec said that the casting of votes on election day, October 25, will be held from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. The counting and canvassing of votes and the proclamation of winning candidates will immediately begin after the casting of votes, it added. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Malaysia remains the third party facilitator at the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after the Holy Feast of Ramadan on Sept. 9.
In a news briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the stalled peace talks with the MILF will definitely resume after the Ramadan as announced by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his State of the Nation Address last July.
“What we have right now and what we have been informed is that Malaysia is still the third party negotiator,” Lacierda said.
Concerned government officials he said, have been given a briefing on the peace process last week.
The President, according to him, has expressed determination to put an end to the decades-old conflict in southern Philippines and finally achieve a long-lasting peace for Muslim-Filipinos.
Peace talks between the Philippine Government and the MILF were stalled since August 2008 following the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD). (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 1, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines – As Aquino has promised, President Benigno Aquino III has abolished redundant and underperforming agencies such as the Presidential Anti Graft Commission (PAGC) and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), Aquino has however extended the existence of problematic government-owned and controlled corporations.
Secretary Ricky Carandang quoted Budget Secretary Florencio Abad that the PASG and PAGC will not have any budget for the next year. Carandang added that in paper the PASG and PAGC may be existent, however, there will be no more budget allocations for them.
Curbing smuggling is the job of the Bureau of Customs while the Office of the Ombudsman handles graft cases involving government officials and personnel.
Regarding the GOCC’s, even those whose abnormalities have been spotted have been included in the proposed P1.645 trillion national budget for next year. This proposal has already been submitted to the Congress for hearing. Although extensions have been given to the “in the red” GOCC’s, their allocations have been cut to subsistence levels. A briefing paper from the DBM shows that the government is no longer interested in supporting the programs of GOCCs like the NFA, LRTA, MRTC and other GOCC’s.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Aquino administration is determined to cut excess fat, specifically the outlandish bonuses, perks and privileges of GOCC executives — and put a uniform basis on their salaries and other emoluments.
by magnolia_eic | Sep 1, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — Despite criticism of the government’s response to the hostage crisis last week, a top diplomat from China has expressed appreciation yesterday for the moves that are being taken by the Philippine government in connection with the incident.
Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao also expressed appreciation for the steps that the Aquino Administration are taking. He also assured that there will be no whitewash in the investigations that are being done.
Liu also said that the cancellation of the trips to Manila of two of Chinese officials who were recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award had nothing to do with the incident. “It was their own decision”, he said.
The Ambassador clarified a lot of things during his speech, including an emphasis on his absence during the National Heroes Day, saying that he did not “snub” the event, he only had earlier commitments. He also assured that the Filipinos now in Chinese autonomous territory are safe. He added, “the Chinese side respects the sovereignity of the of the Philippines”. In particular, that Philippines did a very good job of providing medical treatment to the hostages, repatriating the survivors and the remains “in a dignified and appropriate way,” and assisting the victim’s relatives who flew to Manila from Hong Kong.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Aug 31, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Saturday said there have yet been no pre-termination of employment contracts of their Filipino domestic helpers by Hongkong nationals.
“Except for one case that was reported to us, where her contract was properly terminated and she was paid the benefits due her, we have not received any report from our labor attaches of any pre-termination of employment contracts for any Filipino domestic helpers,” Baldoz
stressed in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan.
The Filipina involved has since contacted other recruitment agencies in Hongkong and opted to stay with a relative while waiting to be placed again in another job.
Baldoz said in case of any abrupt pre-termination of contracts or unilateral termination of employment by Hongkong employers, the labor and welfare offices based in Hongkong will be ready to process them and have them returned to the country.
“To our countrymen in Hongkong, let us just respect the emotions of the Hongkong nationals who are outraged by the hostage-taking and death of their fellow citizens. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we might do the same (stage protests to let off steam),” Baldoz said. (PCOO/PIA)
