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| 23 APRIL 2008 | . | |
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| 23 APRIL 2008 | . | |
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| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Opening Statement during the Joint LEDAC-NPCC Meeting (Heroes Hall, Malacanang, April 22, 2008) |
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I call this LEDAC (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council)
Meeting to order. And for today, we have invited also the members of the (National) Price Coordinating Council (NPCC). Can we ask Secretary Peter Favila to lead the opening prayer… Mr. Vice President and the other members of the Cabinet, Mr. Senate President and the other members of the Senate, Mr. Speaker and the other members of the House, other members of LEDAC, members of the Price Coordinating Council, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this LEDAC Meeting. Today is Earth Day and in our Cabinet meeting earlier, we took up the theme of DENR for this year which is “Clean Water.” The environment has a great deal to do with the high fuel prices, the global climate change and the lessened production of food in the world today. So, what we will be discussing with the Price Coordinating Council today is also very much a result of the events that have happened to the environment over the past several years. Our vision is based on a strong and growing economy. It’s the central pillar that we have labored to create to help guarantee peace, order and stability in our country. The results of our efforts come none too soon. There are global clouds on the horizon that are driving up the price of oil and food, particularly rice. Thankfully, with the support of previous legislation and with Executive Action and with the good work of our business sector, our workers, our farmers, we are now in a position to weather this storm. But this is a global problem and we must work together to resolve this. We are totally sensitive to the fact that a large segment of the Philippine population is price sensitive. Sa buong kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, sama-samang pagkakabalikatan ang laging nagpapatibay at nagdadala ng ating sambayanan lampas ng mga ligalig, kalamidad at pagtutulungan sumagabal sa bansa. Pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan din ang ating pakay sa mahalagang pulong sa araw na ito. Paiigtingin ang ating pagsisikap na maipasa ang kinakailangang mga batas, lalo na para sa abot-kayang gamot, kaltas-buwis sa mga manggagawa, proteksyon ng mga mamimili, reporma sa lupa, mga panukala para sa ating kalikasan, at mga panukala upang umakit ng negosyo at lumikha ng trabaho. Dinig natin ang panawagan ng mamamayan na magkapit-bisig ang lahat, anuman ang partido, upang sama-sama nating maihatid sa abot-kayang halaga ang pagkain, paggamot, at iba pang biyaya ng kaunlaran sa bawat Pilipino. During the entire administration, we have been focused on our economy and modernizing every aspect of the economic underpinnings of the Philippines. This includes agriculture, from development of new hybrids to bringing irrigated land to 1.4 million hectares -- the largest irrigated area ever in our history -- to investments in best agricultural practices, to increases in loans to help our farmers purchase the best equipment, among other activities. What is happening now with rice and global prices despite all these efforts is a once in a millennium global crisis. Because we must work together to resolve this, together with other countries but most of all, among ourselves, we have invited the Price Coordinating Council, leaders of the private sector to join our meeting. Once again, welcome to all! And as we excuse the media, we can now go to Secretary Jake Lagonera who will start us with the briefing on the common legislative agenda. |
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| Statement of Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today reminded the regional wage boards of
the urgency of setting new wage levels, taking into account rising commodity
prices. PGMA today instructed Labor Sec. Marianito Roque to ask the Regional Wage Boards (RWBs) to work overtime, even if it means they have to work on May 1, a non-working day for the rest of the country. |
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| Labor Day is non-working day but not for RWB members |
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May 1, Labor Day, is a non-working day. But not for members of the Regional Wage Boards (RWBs), not this year at least. Underscoring the need for “setting up new wage levels,” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo instructed today the RWBs to work overtime to reach a decision on the new wage levels in their respective regions. Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said the President issued her directive to Labor Secretary Marianito Roque to ensure that the RWBs get cracking on the wage issue “even if it means they have to work on May 1, a non-working day for the rest of the country.” Earlier, Roque said that officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will meet on Friday “to discuss the means on how we can fast-track the wage discussions and deliberations.” But the President, apparently worried that the RWBs won’t be able to come up with agreements by Labor Day, said they must continue working on proposed new wage levels through May 1. “The President reminded the Regional Wage Boards of the urgency of setting new wage levels, taking into account the rising cost of commodity prices,” Bunye said. The President has also called on private firms to extend to their employees non-wage benefits like rice, canned goods and shuttle service as a way of augmenting their take-home pay in the face of rising prices of basic commodities. |
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| PGMA orders massive clearing of Metro’s waterways, relocation of squatters |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the immediate dismantling of
all squatters shanties in Metro Manila’s waterways and the “final
relocation” of informal settlers to established relocation sites. In Memorandum Order 283, the President stressed that “it is necessary not only to clear the MWSS (Metropolitan Waterways and Sewerage System) waterways/ right(s)-of-way of obstruction, but also to relocate Informal Settlers Families (ISF) to final relocation sites.” The clearing of Metro Manila’s esteros and other waterways is “laid out in a Ten-Point Agenda to decongest Metro Manila, and improve the water supply and distribution system for the LGUs (local government units) experiencing extreme water shortage.” “There is an urgent need to strengthen the implementation of urban development projects by the LGUs by abating the influx of informal settlers, and (the) formation of informal settlements, particularly in the waterways and MWSS rights-of-way to prevent continuous degradation of the water environment,” the memorandum states. To ensure sustained funding for the massive relocation effort, the President said the program “may be funded from existing ODA (official development assistance) housing projects” of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the MWSS. The President also urged the HUDCC, headed by Vice President Noli de Castro, to “give priority to LGUs which have squatting problems on the MWSS waterways/rights-of-way, and are eligible for enrolment under the ODA-funded housing projects and other funds.” “The MWSS shall identify alternative sources of funds and defray the cost of housing development, including the possible transfer of its properties intended as relocation sites to recipient LGUs or NHA (National Housing Authority) pursuant to Article 5 (Section 21) of the Urban Development Act of 1992 (Republic Act No. 7279),” she said. The memorandum identified the Lungsod Silangan New Town Reservation and the Freedom Valley Resettlement Site as the relocation sites for the affected informal settlers of water projects. The President said MWSS must work closely with the HUDCC and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the utilization of proclaimed resettlement sites. |
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| Palace denies any pressure from China for RP to define its archipelagic baselines |
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Malacanang denied today allegations that the People’s Republic of China has
put pressure on the Philippine government to go into the process of defining
its archipelagic baselines. “No such pressures from China…” stressed Ermita in his weekly conference in Malacanang. Instead, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita stressed that the process would be done “for our own interests.” Ermita said the Philippines’ baselines were “not updated since 1986,” and that the process of defining its actual archipelagic baselines is being done to conform with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as support the country’s claim for an extended continental shelf. Earlier, Ermita has said that the process of defining the country’s baselines is in line with the preparation of the Philippine position “on claiming extended continental shelf before the United Nations come 13 May 2009.” Ermita, chairman of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs, has been meeting with other government agencies on how to determine the actual Philippine baselines to meet the UN requirements for the country’s claim for extended continental shelf. “Before we can prepare a position on extended continental shelf, we must first determine the actual Philippine baselines,” Ermita stressed. He said no such bill has been filed yet in the Senate, while the House of Representatives has “recommitted” its bill at the committee level. He added that “we already made our position clear and we had relayed this to the House of Representatives.” The Philippine baselines were first established under Republic Act No. 3046 in 1961 and amended by R.A 5446 in 1968. There is now a pending bill in the House of Representatives calling for the amendment of R.A. 5446 to serve as a basis for drawing the 12-mile nautical territorial sea, the 24-mile contiguous zone and the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as provided under the UNCLOS which was established in 1982. The proposed law is also expected to delineate the Philippine maritime boundary to avert any unnecessary dispute with unauthorized foreign vessels entering Philippine territory. “So it becomes necessary for us to review our R.A. 5446 which is the latest score on our baseline to find out whether we comply with the requirements of UNCLOS of 1982. And that is what we are talking about for the past several weeks,” Ermita said. The Philippines has until May 13, 2009 to submit its position to the UN on the extent of its archipelagic boundary and claim for extended continental shelf, the Executive Secretary said. |
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| President acts to forestall delays in transport of rice from Mindoro |
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SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
will ensure that the movement of rice from this province will not be
hampered by checkpoints and other delays that result in additional cost of
the commodity. This was announced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in an interview with media at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Barangay San Roque I here. The President arrived here at 11:30 this morning accompanied by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila. She was welcomed by local executives and government officials led by Governor Josephine Sato, Lone District Representative Amelita Villarosa, San Jose Mayor Romulo Festin, NFA San Jose provincial manager Edward Damian, NFA Mamburao provincial manager Elenita Ganelo, and DTI Region IV Director Joel Valera. The President pointed out that as one of the country’s five biggest rice producers, Occidental Mindoro plays a key role in the rice supply chain. The province produced a total of 350,000 metric tons of palay last year, Governor Sato enthused to the President. The Chief Executive said that with rice supply from the province already available, Favila would ensure that transport of the cereal to other destinations would be conducted without delay. "Gagawin nating no flag-down iyong mga truck na nanggagaling sa Mindoro," she said. Rice produced in Occidental Mindoro reaches Metro Manila, southern Luzon provinces, and even as far away as Iloilo, Cebu, Samar and Bohol. The President also thanked officials of local government units (LGUs), church and the private sector for their role in the distribution of the cereal. She also cited their cooperation in the government’s campaign to protect consumers against hoarders and "price bandits" who manipulate the prices of food items amid the tight world supply of prime commodities, particularly of rice. |
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| No politics in family access cards -- Ermita |
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Malacañang assured today critics of the Arroyo administration that the
Family Access Cards (FACs) are intended solely to meet an urgent need of the
poor and not for any political purpose. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made the assurance at his weekly press briefing in Malacanang in reaction to opposition fears that the FACs might be distributed only to districts considered “friendly” to the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Family Access Cards, which will be issued to families that earn a total income of less than P5,000 a month, will entitle the card-holder to buy National Food Authority (NFA) rice at P18.25 a kilo once the low-priced cereal is pulled out of the markets. Ermita said the FACs are for all families under the P5,000-a-month income bracket regardless of political preferences and affiliations. Last April 15, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had directed the NFA to pull out NFA rice in two weeks from markets in the National Capital Region (NCR), and to “focus its sale to the poorest families in the regions.” “It is not the intention of the national leadership to engage in politics when we have a crisis like this,” Ermita said. “From the very beginning, there was no intention, and there is no intention, of the National Leadership (led by) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to deprive those people staying in areas known to be bailiwicks of the political opposition,” he added. “This is for everyone. Kaya nga may identification system na ginagawa ang DSWD in coordination with local government units as well as the church para ngayon ay hindi ma-politicize ‘tong issue na ‘to,” he said. Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral had pointed out that close to “600,000 families considered as 30 percent of the population’s bottom poor families in the 17 cities and municipalities comprising the National Capital Region, stand to benefit from the family access cards which will entitle them as priority families to NFA rice at P18.25/kg.” Under the FACs program, the local social welfare offices, in coordination with the barangay councils, will identify the recipients of the access cards based on the monthly income of their residents which should be less than P5,000 monthly for a family of five members, the food threshold income based on the latest assessment of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). In line with the President’s directive, the DSWD has set April 25 as the deadline for submission of the complete lists of barangays and families who have been identified by the local SWDOs and the church to be issued the FACs. |
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| NDC to float P2 billion bonds for acquisition of rice dryers, other post harvest facilities |
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SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro - The National Development Company (NDC) will
float P2 billion worth of bonds to fund the acquisition and distribution of
dryers and other post-harvest facilities to raise productivity and minimize
the losses incurred by farmers during harvest season. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced this during the two-on-one interview at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Barangay San Roque I here. A study made by the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (DA-BPRE) showed that rice post-harvest physical losses amounted to 33 percent of the total production, mostly incurred during drying, milling, threshing, and storage. The President said Trade Secretary Peter Favila chairs the NDC, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which is managing some P4.6 billion worth of investment portfolios. "NDC will float P2 billion worth of bonds to fund acquisition of dryers and other post-harvest facilities," the President said. The distribution of dryers and other post-harvest facilities is mandated under the President's multi-billion FIELDS (Fertilizer-Irrigation and Infrastructure-Extension and Education-Loans-Dryers-Seeds) program which will be implemented for the next two years to make food abundant, accessible and affordable. This includes P500 million for production and fertilizer support; P8 billion for irrigation and P7.21 billion for infrastructure such as farm-to-market roads, roll-on roll-off (RO-RO) ferry ports, and no-frills airports for agricultural cargo; P5 billion for Extension and Education covering research and development, capacity building and training and education in agriculture and fisheries. Under Loans and Insurance, government financing institutions such as LandBank made available P15 billion for agricultural credit allocated to support thousands of rice farmers nationwide. Some P2 billion would be spent on dryers and other post-harvest facilities, while P8 billion was allocated for the targeted 1.5 million hectares of farmland under the certified and hybrid seeds program. The President said irrigated lands now cover 1.4 million hectares, the highest since the 1.2 million hectares achieved during the Martial law years, by rehabilitating what has not been working and establishing new irrigation systems and facilities. "That is only one-half of our irrigated area so we need and I tasked the DA to spend P500 million a month for irrigation, meaning P6 billion a year," the President said. |
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| Rice distribution an interfaith activity in Negros Oriental |
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DUMAGUETE CITY – During the early stages of the current rice crisis, only
the Catholic Church among religious groups participated in the rice
distribution program. This time around, many church organizations are helping the National Food Authority (NFA) distribute the staple food to the poorest of the poor. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit Negros Oriental on Friday to see for herself how this interfaith cooperation in retailing NFA rice is going along through the Bigasan ng Parokya network. Involved in the Bigasan ng Parokya program here are the Provider Ministries Fellowship International of Dumaguete City; Parish of St. Catherine, Sto. Nino Sagrada Familia, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; and groups from evangelical organizations, Pentecostal and charismatic group. From the Dumaguete City Airport, the President will visit Barangay Tinago to personally oversee the rice distribution and retailing to indigent families by the volunteers from the parish of St. Catherine. She is also scheduled to drop by the chapel of the Provider Ministries Fellowship International. About 1,000 indigent families from Tinago and nearby barangays, and the 100 member families of Provider Ministries, will be beneficiaries of the rice- distribution program The interfaith rice retailing network is the response of Negros Oriental province, specifically of Dumaguete Bishop John Du, to the call of the President for church leaders and the different religious organizations to help the government in the rice retailing and distribution program of the NFA. The President is also scheduled to meet the executive committee of the Regional Development Council VII composed of the governors of Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental, 19 mayors of the region, regional directors of line departments, representatives from the religious and academic sectors, and military and police officials. She will also inspect a hybrid car fueled by jatropha diesel fuel with pollution-free exhaust fumes, and witness the presentation of the joint-venture agreement between the European firm Global Tree Trust and the Herminio Teves Company, Inc. on jatropha bio fuel. Global Tree Trust had tied up with the Teves firm to invest in the propagation of jatropha and vermi (earthworm) culture in the province. |
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