by magnolia_eic | Dec 25, 2010 | Headlines
President Benigno S. Aquino III played Santa Claus to three lucky overseas Filipino workers
by awarding each of them P450,000 worth of cash and gift certificates upon their arrival at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Monday afternoon.
Forty-one year old Gilbert Acebedo, Evangeline Escano, 33 and Myrna Pagkaliwagan, 39
were picked over other passengers onboard Qatar Airways flight QR-646 to win top prizes
under the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s program “Pamaskong Handog para sa
OFWs.”
The annual program, which honors the country’s new heroes has as its highlight
the “Presidential Pasalubong 2010” which allows the President to welcome groups of OFWs
arriving from Asia, Middle East, Europe or America to spend time with their respective
families this Christmas season.
This year’s theme, “Pamilyang OFW, Masayang Sama-Sama Ngayong Pasko,” hopes
to inculcate in the OFW communities the positive values of family orientation and social
consciousness in recognizing the contributions of OFWs to national development and
extending a helping hand to those who have less in life.
Acebedo, who hails from Tatalon in Quezon City has been working as a salesman for three
years while Escano, a native of Tayug, Pangasinan has been employed as a nurse for six
years. Pagkalinawan, who lives in Bucal, Batangas City has been working as a teacher for six
years. The three winners all work in Doha, Qatar. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 28, 2010 | Headlines
Foreign investor confidence in the Philippines remains at an all-time high despite the bungled rescue attempt of Hong Kong nationals held hostage by a disgruntled former Manila policeman, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Thursday.
The President said officials of a multi-national bank based in the United States have already signified their intent to invest in the country.
He said his forthcoming trip to the US would solidify the prospective investor’s plans which he said would generate jobs for the Filipino people.
“By the end of September, we will be going to America and upon our return, I believe that we will be bringing gifts for the Filipino people in the form of additional jobs,” the President said.
He said Deutsche Bank officials met with him in Malacañang after the Luneta Grandstand hostage-taking incident to express their collective confidence on the country as an investment venue.
“I met with bank officials in Malacañang a day after the Luneta Grandstand hostage-taking incident and they told me that what we are going through right now is only temporary,” the President said.
“Our confidence in the Philippines is still complete, in fact we plan to increase our exposure here over three times because we believe that the Philippines is on the path to progress,” the President quoted the bank officials as saying.
He said that with the increase in investments, the country’s economy would also grow and with a growing economy, the search of funding sources to bankroll various infrastructure projects would become easier.
The President called on all Filipinos: “If we help each other, if we focus on our responsibility to others, nothing can impede the growth of the Filipino people. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 19, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III is optimistic that the youth will have a more pro-active role in governance with the proposal to have one youth representative in the Barangay council instead of the customary eight in the Sanggunian Kabataan.
In a press briefing at the new executive building in Malacañang last Wednesday, the President said the proposal to have a sectoral representative voted by the youth to the Barangay Council will give the sector equal participation in advancing their advocacies.
The Chief Executive said that in a lot of areas, the members of the Sanggunian Kabataan are treated as second class citizens by the Barangay Council. He said that having a youth representative in the Barangay Council will give the sector the same privilege as any other kagawad.
The President disclosed that he had already tasked the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to optimize the youth’s participation in governance.
Earlier President Aquino endorsed the proposal calling for the abolition of the SK council to save government additional expenses. (PIA/PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 2, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Sunday ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and the heads of three other government agencies to look into the cancellation of 11 flights by the Philippine Air Lines last Friday after several of its pilots reportedly resigned from
their posts.
The Chief Executive said he had tasked the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Department of Justice (DoJ) as well as the Executive Secretary to get to the bottom of this issue.
“The Executive Secretary together with the Secretary of the DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) and at the minimum the DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary and probably the DoJ Secretary also will be sitting down with the (Philippine Air Lines) management and Airline Pilot Association of the Philippines tomorrow,” the President said.
The President pointed out that the group will be conducting two separate meetings “to address the situation and provide everybody with solutions.”
The President reminded PAL and the pilots of their obligations to the flying public.
“PAL, for instance, has obligations when they secured the franchise to operate this public conveyance. The pilots also have obligations. This is of course being studied.
The President meanwhile seriously took note of the disruption caused to “our tourist and to other aspects of the economy that would need their services.”
“If this is not warranted, then, they lay themselves also open to appropriate charges. Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a resolution, so that the riding public is not inconvenienced and the economy does not suffer because of this,” he added. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 30, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ruled that the sugar mill in the plantation owned by President Aquino’s family had acted in “bad faith” when it’s workers 13th month pay was reduced following the violent strike that resulted to the death of 14 people.
In a July 26 unanimous decision released yesterday, the court’s second division ordered Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) to honor its long-established formula in computing the bonus.
Observing that the benefit enjoyed for over 30 years was only reduced after the violent strike that happened in 2004, the Supreme Court declared that “this act of petitioner in changing the formula at this time cannot be sanctioned as it indicates a badge of bad faith”.
Click here for full article from Inquirer
