by magnolia_eic | Aug 13, 2010 | Headlines, National News
LIKE the no “wang-wang” policy initiated by President Benigno S. Aquino III, Malacanang on Wednesday expressed hope that government officials will refrain from using the Chief Executive’s name or images in government projects.
“We hope that this would be another example where by the President’s own initiative, officials will also follow through” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
Lacierda said the President, in trying to lead by example, initiated the no “Wang Wang” (siren) policy on the road upon his assumption in office, to show that it is not him but the people, who are the real boss.
He said that it is better for government projects to be highlighted as beneficial to the country.
Lacierda also asked the private sector to cooperate with the President’s initiative.
In line with the President’s memo to cabinet secretaries to refrain from using his name or his photograph on project site billboards, Secretary Rogelio Singson issued yesterday department order (DO) 37, banning the placement of names and pictures of politicians on government projects.
According to the order, project billboards should only contain the name and location of the project, name of the contractor, the date the project started, contract completion date, contract cost, construction consultant, implementing office of the DPWH, and source of fund.
Lacierda also said that the government, in principle, supports the bill filed by Senator Francis Escudero which prohibits the naming of government projects after officials. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 12, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines – Malacanang has declared that Aug. 21 (Saturday), the 27th death anniversary of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. is a “regular non-working holiday”.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that Aug. 23, the Monday immediately following the regular holiday will be a regular working day, unlike that of President Arroyo’s holiday economics.
The President is empowered to modify holidays by law, order or proclamation,” he said in a text message to palace reporters.
Lacierda added that the purpose for observing the Ninoy Aquino day is to avoid the imposition of unnecessary financial burden upon the employers, ensure the continuity in the government, business
and commercial transactions, promote productivity, while at the same time preserve the solemnity of the observance.
During the previous week, President Aquino told reporters that he is not inclined to observe his predecessor’s so-called holiday economics because as President,
he needs to strike a balance between benefit to daily wage employees and their employers.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Aug 10, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) was asked yesterday to nullify Executive Order 2 of President Aquino revoking the midnight appointees of former President Gloria Arroyo.
In separate petitions, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) director Eddie Tamondong and Department of Justice (DoJ) Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo de Castro, both of whom would be removed from their positions, prayed for to the Supreme Court
for the temporary stoppage of the implementation of the order.
EO 2 was signed by the President last July 30. The order covered 977 officials who were appointed on or before March 11, 2010 but assumed office after such date; or appointed during the 45-day ban on appointments took effect, prior to the May 10 Elections
Eddie Tamondong argues that he should not be included in the list of former President Gloria Arroyo’s midnight appointees because he was re-appointed last March 1, or 10 days before the ban on appointments took effect. He also argued further that the
Executive Order violates RA 7227 also known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, which gives him a fixed term of six years, lapsing in March 2016. He said the order “demonstrates an arbitrary misuse executive of power.”
Tamondong, says the issue is not about keeping his job, of which he receives only P17,000 a month, but on the primacy of the law passed by Congress that is being run over by a presidential issuance.
Meanwhile, in de Castro’s petition, he claims that the order violates Art. III Section 1 of the constitution which prohibits “deprivation of persons of their property rights without just cause and compliance with the cardinal requirement of due process;” and Article IX
Section 2b of the Constitution which prohibits “deprivation of civil service employees of security of tenure and summarily dismissing them without just cause and without compliance with the requirement of due process.” He also added that Mr. Aquino usurped judicial power
in issuing the said order.
Click here for full article from Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Aug 3, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — the Senate has finished assigning the chairs and members of the 37 committees, except for one, and most of President Aquino’s allies are members of the major committees.
Ending roughly a week of horse-trading, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile presided over the session as Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III the majority floor leader announced the election of the chairs of the committees. Only the committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws remains without a head. Such appointments garnered different reactions from the different Senators.
The Charimanships and memberships are as follows:
Senate Committee on Energy – Sen. Sen. Sergio Osmena III
Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies – Sen. Sergio Osmena III
Joint Congressional Power Commission – Sen. Sergio Osemna III
* Osmena’s wife, Bettina, is a scion of the Lopez family, former controller of the Manila Electric Co.
Committee on Finance – Sen. Franklin Drilon
Ways and Means Committee – Sen Ralph Recto
Committee on Agriculture and Food – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Development – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee – Sen. Teofisto Guingona
Senate Peace, Unification, and reconciliation committees – Sen. Teofisto Guingona
Committee on Justice and Human Rights – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Committee on National Defense and Security – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Committee on Labor – Sen. President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada
Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs – Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Agrarian Reform – Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Public Information and Mass Media -Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Committee on Public Works and Public Services – Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.
Committee on Games and Amusement – Sen. Lito Lapid
Committee on Tourism – Sen. Lito Lapid
Committee on Education – Sen. Edgardo Angara
Committee on Science and Technology – Sen. Edgardo Angara
Committee on Environment – Sen. Miguel Zubiri
Committee on Cooperatives – Sen. Miguel Zubiri
Committee on Economic Affairs – Sen. Manuel Villar
Committee on Trade and Commerce – Sen. Manuel Villar
Committee on Local Governments – Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Committee on Urban Planning – Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Committee on Accounts – (Fugitive) Sen. Panfilo Lacson
Committee on Civil Service – (detainee) Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
Committee on Health and Demography – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Committee on Youth and Family Relations – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Committee on Ethics – Sen. Pia Cayetano
* Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano by virtue of being the minority leader, is automatically a member of all the committees. Meanwhile, Sen. Joker Arroyo opted not to get any chairmanship as he did in the 14th Congress. Sen. Miriam Santiago likewise did not have any chairmanship position as of such session.
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)
