by magnolia_eic | Sep 30, 2010 | Headlines, National News
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has granted the request of President Benigno S. Aquino III to make new appointments for selected posts within the election period covering the October 25 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing at Malacanang on Tuesday that the request was based on the fact that the barangay election is a non-partisan exercise. The President reportedly has yet to fill up over a thousand vacant posts.
In a resolution, the Comelec has announced that appointing an officer of any government office, including government-owned and-controlled corporations, whether permanent or casual, is illegal.
The prohibition covers the hiring of any new employee as well as transferring of posts, creating new positions, suspending any elected official and granting salary increases for the period Sept. 25 to Nov. 10.
The Comelec said it shall only grant exemptions unless “it is satisfied that the position to be filled is essential to the proper functioning of the office or agency concerned.”
Violation of the resolution shall be an election offense, which carries a penalty of one to six years’ imprisonment as well as removal of the right to vote and be voted to public office. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 29, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III arrived early Tuesday morning from his successful week-long trip to the United States which, he said, had garnered for the country $2.4-billion in new investments.
In his arrival speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal II, the Chief Executive said officials of top firms from the US, Malaysia and Singapore had expressed their intentions of expanding relations between our countries by pouring more of their respective investments here.
The President noted that company officials wanted to expand their scope of operations in the country due to the renewed vigor and confidence of the Philippines under his administration.
“In the last week during our visit to the United States, we were able to send our message across: the Philippines is open for business,” the President said after deplaning from his commercial flight from San Franciso, USA at around 4 a.m.
President Aquino also said that officials of top US companies Coca-Cola, Pfizer, AES, Hewlett-Packard, JP Morgan Chase, Sutherland Global Services, Inc., Century Properties, General Electric, Headstrong Corporation, SPI Global and Affinity Express have also expressed their desire to open and expand their operations in the country covering a “wide range of sectors such as power generation and consumer products, business and knowledge process outsourcing, healthcare and garments and leather goods.”
“We were able to secure a commitment of at least 43,615 new jobs in the next three years including some 4,500 in construction related jobs and because of the multiplier effect, we estimate some 200,000 more jobs to benefit our countrymen,” he added.
“AES, a global power company, will expand the capacity of the Masinloc power plant by up to 660 megawatts with a project cost of $1-billion,” the President stressed.
“Coca-Cola will invest another billion dollars in their upgrading and replacement of equipment and creation of new products and processes, while the other companies are investing another $400-million,” he said.
According to the President, his visit to the United States “enabled us to generate $2.4-billion in new investments.”
“Furthermore, we received an additional $434-million in the form of a grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation to expand the coverage of existing social programs that have been performing outstandingly,” he said.
He called on all Filipinos, especially those who continue to criticize his government to put aside their rantings and join him and his government’s advocacy to lift the lives of the citizenry through hard work and perseverance. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 29, 2010 | Headlines, National News
The legal team tasked by President Benigno S. Aquino III to review the recommendations of the Incident Investigation Review Committee (IIRC) on the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy is now ready to submit its own evaluation of the report.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the legal team, composed of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (CPLC) Eduardo De Mesa, is also ready to make its own recommendation to the President.
In a separate interview, Secretary Ochoa declined to discuss the content of the review particularly on the administrative and criminal charges to be filed against 10 personalities and three media networks.
“Let’s not discuss it yet because we might preempt the President,” said Ochoa.
The Executive Secretary said included in their report is the “factual scenario” of the incident.
“We’re prepared for whatever questions we anticipate the President might be asking about the report,” Ochoa said.
Ochoa said that the review of the IIRC recommendations was meant to help President Aquino understand the legal nuances of the report so he can arrive at “legally sound decisions”.
Before leaving for a seven-day official business trip to the United States, the President directed his legal team last week to study the IIRC’s recommendations which identified some government officials and private individuals who could face sanctions in connection with the bloody incident. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 22, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday expressed optimism the report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) on the tragic Aug. 23 hostage incident will restore confidence to the existing bilateral relationship between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China (PROC).
The President stressed that the findings would also provide an accurate message to Beijing that his administration is taking appropriate actions to prevent such tragedy from happening again.
He also said the high-level mission to be headed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo will definitely push through to personally bring the IIRC findings and reiterate the government’s sincere apology over the incident.
The Philippine government has already furnished the Chinese Embassy a copy of the IIRC probe and the complete report will be published on the government’s Official Gazette at www.gov.ph.
To further strengthen the cases recommended by the IIRC, the President also announced he has directed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Presidential Legal Counsel Ed de Mesa to review the report before he acts on the committee’s recommendation. (PCCO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 22, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III has forwarded the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) report to his legal team for review and will be acted on upon his return from a seven-day working visit to the United States.
The President issued the statement Monday afternoon hours before his departure for San Francisco where he will take another plane for New York.
President Aquino said he has directed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo De Mesa to review and make recommendations on the IIRC report.
When asked to comment on the IIRC report, the President emphasized that he will not make decisions on such important matters without a thorough review.
He added that upon his return from the US, his first priority is to study the findings of his legal team on the recommendatory report of the IIRC and act on it accordingly. The result of the legal team’s evaluation and recommended course of action will also be released at that time.
After reviewing the IIRC report, the President assured his administration’s commitment to implement the necessary changes to upgrade the capabilities of the local government units, the police and security forces to ensure the safety of the public.
He said efforts are now being made to improve the procedures and protocols for emergency and crisis situations which will eventually lead to drafting a new crisis management manual.
The IIRC recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against former PNP Chief Jesus Versoza, General Rodolfo Magtibay, NCRPO Chief Leocadio Santiago, Supt. Orlando Yebra, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and Broadcasters Erwin Tulfo and Michael Rogas and the big three television networks which covered the bus hostage-taking crisis. (PCOO/PIA)
