by magnolia_eic | Mar 29, 2011 | Headlines, National News
The Aquino government assured on Tuesday that the Philippines will strive to remain an
investor-friendly destination by continuously improving its policies to attract more businesses.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press conference in Malacanang, that the
economic managers have been carrying out the policy direction set by the President to make
sure that the playing field for businesses is fair for all the stakeholders.
“Rules will not be changed in midstream and that’s the greatest concern of business
investors,” Lacierda said.
“The economic managers have been addressing the concerns of the business community in
making sure that the rules that we have right now are rationalized and are consistent with one
another,” he added.
Lacierda was reacting to a question about a survey done by the ASEAN Business Advisory
Council (ASEAN-ABAC) in the second half of 2010, which found that the ASEAN region is an
attractive place for trade and investment in a post-global crisis world economy.
The survey, conducted by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of
Singapore, collated 355 usable responses from a diverse mix of businesses across firm-size
categories and nationalities of ownership based in ASEAN countries.
The survey found that 85 percent of the respondents indicated that their firms have plans for
investment or investment expansion in at least one ASEAN country.
About half of the respondents identify an ASEAN country as the most attractive in the country
for their firms’ offshore direct investments between 2010 and 2011.
The leading investment destinations include Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Thailand,
Indonesia and Malaysia. The Philippines ranked second lowest with Brunei. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Mar 2, 2011 | Headlines, National News
The Aquino government wants to reorganize the heavily indebted National Food Authority
in order to arrest the agency’s ballooning debt, improve the delivery of services and to fast
track the administration’s goal of lowering rice importation in order for the country to be rice
sufficient in two years.
In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Bill reorganizing
the NFA was discussed during President Benigno S. Aquino III’s first Legislative Executive
Development Advisory Council meeting in Malacañang on Monday.
The LEDAC was created through Republic Act 7640 approved by then President Fidel V.
Ramos on December 9, 1992 which mandated that LEDAC shall serve as a consultative and
advisory body to the President as the head of the national economic and planning agency for
further consultations and advice on certain programs and policies essential to the realization
of the goals of the national economy.
The President discussed why the NFA needed to be reformed and give way to a National
Food Corporation (NFC), primarily mandated to maintain and manage a national strategic
and government rice buffer stock by July of each year, Lacierda said.
The NFC, Lacierda added, will not take over NFA’s debts and obligations pegged at P161-
billion (down from P177-billion) and would start on “a clean slate basis.”
“All assets and liabilities of NFA not transferred shall be retained and administered, disposed
of and liquidated by the NFA,” Lacierda said.
Together with the creation of the NFC, Lacierda said, the Bill would also propose increasing
the penalties of rice smuggling “which shall be considered as economic sabotage and deem
the offense as non-bailable.”
Aside from the NFC, a Food Development and Regulatory Administration (FDRA) would be
created to “carry out regulatory, scientific and developmental functions for strengthening the
efficiency of the food supply chain in order to increase the value of the farmers’ produce as a
component of food products for export.” (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 13, 2010 | Headlines, National News
President Benigno S. Aquino’s efforts to provide a stark difference in the presidency, and new hope and trust in government were not left unnoticed early on in his administration.
A survey conducted by the Philippine Information Agency showed that nearly 7 out of 10 Filipinos gave the President a good starting score for his first 100 days in office despite a botched hostage crisis and the jueteng controversy.
The survey, which was conducted a week before the President marked his 100 days in office, showed that 69 percent of respondents across all geographical areas and sectors were satisfied with the Aquino administration’s initial performance while only 31 per cent were dissatisfied.
The same survey also showed that Filipinos perceive the President’s credibility and simple lifestyle, good governance and strong political will, and fight against graft and corruption as his strongest marks as a leader.
Sec. Sonny Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) credited this to the President’s unwavering commitment to good and honest leadership as embodied in his campaign slogan “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.”
He added that President Aquino is focused on the work ahead and remains committed to eradicate corruption and alleviate poverty.
The policy against the use of wang-wang or sirens on the road earned for the Chief Executive highest satisfaction rating of +82. He was also rated highly for ensuring transparency (+74) and fighting graft and corruption (+52).
President Aquino gained a good rating of +34 both for reducing the budget deficit and investigating officials linked to anomalies, +28 for controlling dengue, while recording moderate ratings in the areas of jobs and livelihood (+14), education (+10), Cabinet appointments (+9), and public-private partnerships (+6).
About half of Filipinos rated the administration fairly for its efforts to alleviate poverty and control the spiraling prices of basic commodities.
On the other hand, only 17 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the government’s handling of the Manila hostage crisis last August 23 where eight Hong Kong tourists died and which made international news.
The PIA poll was fielded nationwide with 629 respondents from various sectors,including elected and appointed government officials, business groups, religious leaders, uniformed men, laborers, and members of the media. (PIA)
