by magnolia_eic | Sep 14, 2010 | Headlines, National News
President Benigno Aquino III has issued an executive order reorganizing the Build-Operate-Transfer Center in fresh efforts to accelerate the financing, construction and operation of key government infrastructure projects through public-private partnership.
In issuing Executive Order No. 8, the President renamed the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Center to Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines, whose functions will now be supervised by the National Economic and Development Authority. The BOT Center was previously under the wings of the Department of Trade and Industry.
The order, which was signed by the President on September 9, also earmarked P300-million working fund for the studies and activities of selected PPP programs and projects.
During the 30-day transition period, the current executive director of the BOT Center will lead the agency until a new head is appointed by the President upon the recommendation of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga.
Among the functions of the PPP Center is to extend assistance to all local government units and other government instrumentalities in the implementation of the projects, provide advisory services in PPP project preparation and development, recommend policies with regard to program implementation, monitor all government PPP projects and programs, and manage and administer the revolving fund to be called the Project Development and Monitoring Facility.
The EO likewise mandated the PPP Center to complete within six months the processing of qualified solicited proposals subject to existing laws, guidelines, and rules and regulations. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 9, 2010 | Headlines, National News
THE PUBLIC clamor for local governments to show transparency gains an ally in no less that Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.
The innovative local government leader ace lately urged government units to be transparent and accountable by disclosing budgets and expenses in government websites as a way to make the effort successful.
It may be recalled that the country’s local authorities groups in the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, and League of Provinces of the Philippines had come up with joint resolutions urging the same call for transparency.
In fact, Robredo’s call also extends to all levels of government, despite the LGU’s avoidance from the policy even as the people insist on what they want.
People who have called for transparency and accountability dare local government leaders to a full disclosure of the annual budgets, incomes, expenditures, contracts and payables.
As LGUs comply with the Government Procurement Reform Act and now posts their annual procurement plans, invitation to bids and bid winners in “conspicuous places within the buildings in the locality, the Internet and newspapers of general circulation”, using government websites can make these transactions available to the public. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 9, 2010 | Headlines, National News
HUMAN sa pagsuway sa kalig-on sa kagamhanan sa pagsagubang sa krisis, nanawagan ang mga beteranong magbabalaod nagdto sa mga sakop sa kabinete ni Presidente Benigno S Aquino III: ayaw nag huwata pa ang kompirmasyon, luwat na mo’s katungdanan.
Tan-aw sa mga beteranong magbabalaod, may mga sakop sa Cabinete nga nagtuon pa’s trabaho, butang nga wa kinahanglana karon sa Commission on Appointments (CA).
Matud nila Representatives Ma. Milagros Magsaysay (Lakas-Kampi, Zambales) ug Luzviminda Ilagan (Gabriela Party-list), ang kawalay hanaw sa mga Kabinete sa paghatag alibyo sa pag-atras sa ekonomiya dala sa krisis sa Agusto 23 mao nay labing maayong sukdanan kon si kinsa kanila ang angay palutson sa CA.
Partikular nga gisaway nila si Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, kay nila pa, ang paglangay ni Lim pagsapnay sa suliran sa pagkahadlok sa mga turista, daku nag gikawala sa industriya sa turismo sa nasud.
Matud nila, dagwayg wa masayod si Sec. Lim sa iyang trabaho ilabi na sa pagtigum unta sa tourism promotion board aron tapakan ang buslot ba epekto sa pagkamatay sa walo ka turista didto sa hostage sa Quirino Grandstand.
Butyag nila, mahimo nga hangyoon ni Lim ang mga operators sa resorts ug hotels pagtanyag og espesyal nga pribilihiyo sama sa diskwento sa mga turista aron ma-enganyo pagsuroyg balik.
Angayan ang kalihim sa DoT nga molihok gilayon aron sagubangon ang suliran kay buot nato nga ang maglingkod ngadto pro-active ang kinaiya, matud ni Magsaysay.
Dinalian nga pagluwas sa nagun-ob nga imahen sa turismo sa Pilipinas ang labing daling gikinahanglan, sumpay ni Marikina City Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, segun sa mga taho. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 3, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — Herminio Coloma, the Operations Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office is willing to let go of his post if President Aquino says so. In a recent statement, Coloma said that, “I am prepared to step down if that is the desire of the President.”
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman has called on Coloma, Ricky Carandang, and DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo to vacate their posts after their mishandling of the August 23 hostage-taking crisis. In a response, Coloma only said, “I respect Congressman Lagman.” ” There is a confirmation process and I am willing, the other members of the Cabinet are willing to go through that process. ”
Meanwhile, Robredo and Carandang have decided to stay on in the Cabinet.
Justice Secretary De Lima has already been tasked to conduct the investigation and she has said that they would try to finish it in three weeks.
Coloma, has jurisdiction over all government-owned media.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
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)
