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| 28 FEBRUARY 2008 | . | |
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| 28 FEBRUARY 2008 | . | |
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| PGMA awards medals to modern-day heroes of two Mindanao encounters last month |
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DAVAO CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led in the awarding of medals
and financial assistance Wednesday (Feb. 27) to the country’s latest batch
of modern-day heroes -- a total of 18 personnel of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) -- who were
either killed in action (KIA) or wounded in action (WIA) during two
encounters with communist terrorists in Mindanao last January. Posthumously awarded with the AFP Military Merit Medal (MMM) were five soldiers and one Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member who were killed in action last Jan. 20 at Sitio Heni, Barangay Campawan, Baganga, Davao Oriental. Also awarded MMMs were seven soldiers who got wounded but survived the same encounter. Killed in the gun battle were Cpl. Manny Ahadain, PFC Arnel Parojinog, PFC Glenn Pingcas, PFC Albert Sipsip, PFC Roger Arabis, and CAFGU Francisco Kabir. On the other hand, those wounded were Cpl. Edgar Hilario, Cpl. Roger Obinque, PFC Alvis Maruhom, PFC Ismar Paglimawan, Pvt Welbert Vellosillo, PFC Romil Alinsunorin and PFC Fadzhar Ahajon. Meanwhile, the PNP’s Medalya ng Kagalingan (MK) was posthumously awarded to two policemen – the late PO3 Rolando Suarez and PO2 Alan Sasobe -- who were both killed during an encounter last Jan. 29 with communist terrorists at Spur Dos, Barangay Ngan, Compostela, Compostela Valley province. One policeman – PO1 Abadel Caraing -- was wounded in the same encounter, earning him the PNP’s Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting. The President also awarded financial assistance to two civilians who got wounded in the said incident – one of them the truck driver of the local government of Compostela, Exequiel Sumiga, who drove for the PNP contingent. Also awarded financial assistance from the Office of the President was civilian volunteer officer Noli Chicote. The said AFP and PNP heroes were awarded by the President during the first-ever Congress of the Mindanao Island Cluster of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Grand Regal Hotel here. On hand to assist the President in the awarding of the medals and financial assistance were PNP Region XI Director C/Supt Andres Caro II and AFP Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna. President Arroyo thanked the LMP’s Mindanao Cluster for allowing the inclusion in their congress of the awarding ceremonies for the modern-day heroes – “the soldiers and our policemen who are able to have very important victories in our battle against terrorism, like our soldiers who caught the Jemaah Islamiyah international terrorists and this has made the island even more peaceful.” |
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| Private air cargo firm, 2 gov't agencies win excellence awards |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited today a leading private air cargo
firm, a state-owned bank and a government aeronautics agency for exemplary
organizational performance and genuine commitment to service excellence. The President conferred the prestigious Philippine Quality Awards (PQA) on Airlift Asia, Inc., the LandBank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in simple ceremonies this morning at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang. Assisting the President in handing out the trophies and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certificates were Trade Secretary Peter Favila, National Competitiveness Council (NCC) co-chairman (private sector) and former Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James Cesar Bautista, and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Donald Dee. The PQA recognition is the Philippine equivalent of the Baldridge National Quality Awards (BNQA) of the United States. The highest level of national recognition for exemplary performance by private and public organizations in the country, the PQA is conferred annually by the President of the Philippines to private and public organizations that have attained national recognition for exemplary organizational performance. The country’s fourth largest bank in terms of assets with an extensive rural network, the LBP specializes in agriculture sector financing. The CAB, on the other hand, is the government agency in charge of regulating the economic aspect of air transportation and the general supervision and regulation of the country’s air services. CAB also has jurisdiction and control over air carriers, general sales agents, cargo sales agents, and air freight forwarders as well as their property, property rights, equipment, facilities and franchise. Airlift Asia, Inc., the PQA awardee from the private sector, was established by Bicolano Uldarico Brizuela in 1981 as the exclusive Philippine agent of the World Air Cargo Organization. The air cargo agent has consistently maintained its position as one of the top 10 International Air Transport Association (IATA) agents in the Philippines. Award winners undergo a stringent assessment process based on the seven-point criteria of the PQA. The PQA was established through Executive Order No. 448 issued in October 1997 and was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 9013 or the Philippine Quality Award Act in February 2001. Since its inception in 1997, only 29 organizations have been bestowed PQA recognition. The PQA program is managed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the Philippine Society for Quality Inc. as awards administrators for the public and private sectors, respectively. |
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| PGMA lauds Filipino seafarers for their contribution to the economy |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded today the overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs), particularly the seamen employed by international companies, for
their "major contribution" to the country’s economy. In her speech keynoting the opening of the Philippines-Japan Manning Cooperative Forum 2008 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City this afternoon, the President saluted the "new heroes of the millennium" for their fortitude and drive to "excel in whatever he or she does." This, the President said, "explains the country's stature as the world's manning capital." To date, the Philippines supplies 28 percent of the international maritime industry's total workforce, 80 percent or 30,000 of which comprise the total manpower requirement of Japanese vessels. This shows that the Japanese acknowledge the "superior quality of Filipino seamen," the President said. She said that the “record remittances of our OFWs last year coupled with the economic reforms instituted for some time now has made 2007 a banner year in our economic history.” "Being the largest sector among OFWs, seafarers constitute a major factor in the rise in the Philippine economy by contributing US$14.4-billion in remittances last year," the President said. "The rising remittances and the contained effectiveness of the economic reforms we have implemented a few years now, have made 2007 a banner year in our economic history," she added. The President proudly pointed out that this "banner year" has seen the Philippine economy posting a 7.3 percent growth rate and has been her motivation for "getting up everyday to work hard and focus like a laser beam to fix the economy." Convened on a yearly basis, the forum aims to discuss seafarer's policies, practical measures, human resource strategies and educational responses to address the maritime requirements and challenges for stability and growth of highly competent and world-class maritime personnel. The two-day cooperative forum is a significant venue for top shipping business people from the Philippines and the world to discuss maritime issues. |
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| Norway-based mining firm execs call on PGMA; eye expansion project in RP |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed today officials of a Norway-based
mining company who are on study tour for a possible business expansion in
the Philippines. “Welcome to the Philippines. I’m glad you continue to keep your interest in my country and hope to see your company putting up more investment here,” the President told them. For his part, Intex Resources ASA chairman Kjell E. Almskog thanked the President for the opportunity of meeting her despite her hectic schedule. “Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to visit you here as we study the possibility of expanding our business here,” Almskog told the President during the courtesy call held at Malacanang’s Music Room this morning. He was accompanied by Department of Enviroment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Ramon Paje, Intex chief executive officer Hans Christian Qvist and executive vice-president Jon Steen Petersen. Intex Resources ASA, headquartered in Oslo, Norway, is engaged in the production of non-precious metal and mineral products. Its main asset is the Mindoro Nickel Project located on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines with large nickel laterite deposits. The company operates through three Philippines-based subsidiaries: Crew Minerals Philippines Inc., Aglubang Mining Inc., and Alagag Mining Inc. |
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| PGMA: ACEF extension to strengthen P200-billion infrastructure juggernaut |
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DAVAO CITY – The extension until 2015 of the effectivity of the Agricultural
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) will strengthen the P200-billion
infrastructure juggernaut of the Arroyo administration. Thus enthused President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday (Feb. 27) after she signed here into law the Congress bill that extends up to 2015 the utilization of agricultural tariffs for the ACEF under Republic Act No. 8178. “I’m honored to sign the ACEF extension in Mindanao because you are the nation’s food basket. With the ACEF, we can strengthen the infrastructure juggernaut of the P200-billion budget which comes partly from the Appropriations Act, the government corporations, and your local governments…” the President said. The President signed the extended ACEF Law in the presence of its principal authors– Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra who originated the House Bill No. 2976 and Sen. Edgardo Angara who filed the counterpart Senate bill. The entire League of Municipalities of the Philippines’ Mindanao Island Cluster (LMP-MIC) headed by Lambayong (Sultan Kudarat) Mayor Ramon Abalos also witnessed the signing. Also present during the signing hold at the Grand Regal Hotel – where the LMP-MIC had its first-ever congress – were Region XI Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD) Jesus Dureza, Davao Reps. Vicente Garcia and Sid Ungab, Davao City Acting Mayor Myrna Ortiz, LMP National President Ramon Guico Jr., Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Bayani Fernando and Davao Oriental Gov. Cora Malanyaon. “I’m very happy to be able to sign the law on the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund whose principal sponsors are Senator Edgardo Angara and Congressman Bajam Mitra,” said the President as she thanked the LMP-MIC members for their Resolution of Solid Support for her administration. The President also thanked the Mindanao cluster of town mayors for their chosen theme – “Unity Amidst Diversity Towards Genuine Peace, Progress and Countryside Development.” “That is why I’m very happy to be here to sign the ACEF extension because that is the key to peace, progress and countryside development,” she stressed. “We have decided to have the signing here in the LMP Convention for Mindanao even if it’s a session day and most of the congressmen are in Manila for the session, because our super region (concept) creates five major regions and two of them are agri-business regions – the Northern Luzon and Mindanao (super regions)…” “And I wanted to sign this bill in front of you so that our mayors from all over Mindanao will be able to witness yet another means of helping your constituents, the farmers in your municipalities, become competitive… “The ACEF is to help our agricultural sector and, also, it is a means to spread development away from an inequitable concentration in Metro Manila,” the President said. She also revealed in her speech at the LMP-Mindanao Cluster Congress that a Singaporean group is in Davao trying to locate a 3,000-hectare area for banana plantations, and told the mayor of Barira where Camp Abubakar is located that “maybe Camp Abubakar will be a beautiful place to host them.” “In any case, they (Singaporean investors) are here because we have such a big market for bananas now in the world. We’re Number One in Japan, Number One in China, Number One in the Middle East, and these are huge markets, and that is all part of Agribusiness Mindanao,” enthused the President. She thanked the Mindanao executives “for your contribution to our strong and growing economy,” stressing that “a strong a growing economy is the central pillar that together, you – the mayors, our legislators -- and I have labored to create to help guarantee peace and order and stability in our country, especially in Mindanao.” Noting that seven of the 10 poorest provinces are located in Mindanao, the President added, thus: “…Today, we signed the law to extend the ACEF up to the year 2015 to help the farmers and the agri-businessmen, especially the small agri-businessmen, many of whom are in Mindanao, become more competitive and improve their lives.” The President quoted Palawan Rep. Mitra’s estimate that the extended ACEF law – which also charges higher tariff for agricultural products entering the country beyond specified amounts – could bring in as much as P6 billion per year for the said aggie fund. “We used to have quantitative restrictions that only so much of a particular product can come in. Beyond that, it cannot come in. Now what we have done is, beyond that amount, it can come in but at a higher tariff, and that higher tariff is the source of the ACEF,” explained the President. The President said 30 percent of the ACEF shall go to Mindanao, or some P2 billion per year, or close to P200 million per month, which could fund irrigations, farm-to-market roads, and the like. “We would like to make sure that we have about P200 million a month, times 12 months – that would be for irrigation here in Mindanao,” plus roads, airports, agricultural airports which could hasten transport time from farms to markets, the President added. In addition, “Senator Angara has always been telling me about the need for no-frills agricultural cargo airports, and this ACEF fund hopefully will be able to provide also for that,” the President said. |
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| 18 Pampanga priests pray over PGMA in Malacanang |
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Eighteen priests travelled all the way from Pampanga today to pray for
Divine Intervention over President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a fellow
Pampango, for power and strength to pursue her advocacy in making the
Philippines an economic giant in the Asian region. “We seek the Lord to give our President the inner strength, power and will to continue her advocacy in bringing prosperity to the Philippines,” the priests prayed during a brief rite held at Malacanang’s Heroes’ Hall this morning. Among the 18 Pampanga priests were Monsignors Eugenio Mercado Jr. and Joel Tubig, Fr. Melchor Umandal, Fr. Billy Sicat, Fr. Bogs Moraleja, and Fr. Tom Tanglao. They were accompanied by Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo and Candaba Mayor Gerry Pelayo. The President, after posing for a souvenir photo, expressed gratitude to the Pampango priests for their kind gesture and message of faith. “Thank you. Malaking tulong ito sa akin. I hope we will see each other again,” she told them. |
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| PGMA leads award rites for Pook Winners |
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President Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo led this morning the awarding ceremony in
Malacañang for the 10 winners of the 2007 Gawad Galing Pook Awards, a
program that recognizes outstanding local government initiatives that
promote people’s empowerment and participation in local development despite
limited resources. The awardees won recognition for outstanding performance in such diverse programs as social services, justice and economic development, infrastructure and environmental protection. The local government unit of Bindoy, Oriental Negros won the award for its “Health Insurance for the Poor” program, while Cebu City won the plum for “The League of Peace Councils.” Infanta in Quezon province was adjudged winner of the community-based disaster preparedness and management; Isabela province for its “Price Support for Rice and Corn Farmers” program, while Las Pinas City won the “Land and Shelter for the Homeless” award. The other winners were Marikina City’s Eco-Savers’ program; Naga City’s “Preparing Future Leaders” program; “Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure project of the municipalities of Pigcawayan, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, and Aleosan in Cotabato; San Mateo’s (Isabela) “Munggo: Black Gold of San Mateo;” and San Carlos City’s ( Occidental Negros) “Water Levy for Watershed Development” program. Galing Pook Foundation chairman Rafael Conscuella said that the 10 winners came from around 90 finalists in the annual search for “Gawad” awardees. “Our latest harvest of Pook Galing awardees illustrates better ways to make local government work; how to create responsive public institutions, deliver new services in new ways or simply strengthen citizen’s participation in governance,” Coscuella said. In Bindoy, Oriental Negros, indigent families are assured of an affordable health insurance program through the Bindoy SociaL Health Insurance Indigency Program (BSHIIP). Under the BSHIIP, unlike in other areas where the municipal government assume the sole responsibility for the local premium counterpart, Bindoy’s leadership ensures that the province, municipality, barangays, and the sponsored families contributed their share in sustaining the program. Cebu City has strengthened justice system in the grassroots level through the creation of the League of Peace Councils or Lupon which peacefully and amicably resolve conflicts in the community while dispensing justice in a professional manner. Galvanized by so many disasters, Infanta in Quezon province created a Community-Based Disaster Preparedness and Management Program, which has made it one of the most disaster prepared areas in the country. Under Infanta’s disaster preparedness program, every resident at every level has received training in responding appropriately to disasters or emergencies. In Isabela province, one of the biggest rice and corn producers in the country, farmers are getting their fair share through the Price Stabilization Program for Rice and Corn. The cooperative program between the provincial government and the National Food Authority (NFA) has enabled farmers to get higher prices for their harvest by at least P2 than the prevailing farm gate prices of rice and corn. In Naga City, the youth compete annually for 45 slots in executive and legislative positions in the city for a one-month term through the City Youth Month program. In Cotabato, five contiguous municipalities pooled resources to build roads at roughly P30,000 a kilometer that resulted in increased agricultural productivity with the reduction of travel time by 50 percent. San Carlos City in Occidental Negros charges 75 centavos water levy, which generates some P1.2 million annually for the city. The fund is used to preserve some 5,017 hectares of watershed and planting of 211,348 trees. In San Mateo, Isabela, munggo bean is now known as “black gold,” referring to its cultivation as a back-up product and alternative crop planted between regular rice planting season. The Las Pinas City government has set out to build houses for 36,710 homeless families who have been paying their amortization faithfully through the Savings Mobilization program. Marikina City’s Eco-Savers program involves schoolchildren in waste segregation and recycling as collected recyclables earn points to buy educational toys, books and school supplies. Through this program, some 238,000 kilos of waste have been diverted from dumpsites and recyclables that would have otherwise been ignored, have a money value of P1.3 million. “These exemplary practices show that local governance is alive and well in the country,” Coscuella added. The President also honored 12 Filipinos who won in international powerlifting competitions last year. Leading the honorees were powerlifters Erlinda Pecante, who bagged the gold medal in the World Masters Powerlifting Championship in Ostrava, Czechoslavakia, and Enrique Rafael Rosales, bronze medal winner in the International Powerlifting Federation World Open Championship in Soelden, Austria in October 2007. The other honorees were powerlifters Peter Edward Torres, Ma. Elvira Lorenzo, Leonora Oca, Renato Biyo, Dominic Cabalsa, Audrey Ortiz, Michelle Ortiz, Paul Simon Tan, Monica Cardenas and Andre Matias. Weightlifting Association of the Philippines Negros Occidental Rep. Monico Puentebella and Philippine Powerlifting Association President Nick Cabalza accompanied the athletes to Malacanang this morning. |
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| PGMA cites Japanese investments in maritime education |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited today Japanese investments in
maritime education for not only believing in Filipino skill and ingenuity
but also for "ensuring" the Philippines' status as premier supplier of
well-trained and highly skilled ship personnel. The President issued her citation during her speech opening the Philippines-Japan Manning Cooperative Forum 2008 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City this afternoon. "We thank the Japanese ship owners and their Filipino partners who not only employ Filipino seamen but who also aggressively invest in maritime education and training of Filipinos," the President said. "Our Japanese-backed maritime schools and training centers contribute, superior as they are, to ensure that the Philippines will continue to be the undisputed manning capital of the world," she added. The Philippines, according to the President, supplies 28 percent of the international maritime industry's total workforce requirement. Of this figure, 80 percent or 30,000 Filipino seamen work in Japanese vessels, the President said She added that this sector of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) made a significant contribution to the US$14.4-billion remittances recorded in 2007. The President also thanked the Japan Seamen Union and its Filipino counterpart, the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen's Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) for looking after the welfare of their employees by providing them the necessary services they need to work effectively. These, the President said, include hospitals and health benefits, housing and a world-class maritime school -- The Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific. The President also cited the strengthening relations between Japan and the Philippines which, she said, was marked by a "welcome influx in Japanese tourists and an impressive upswing in Japanese direct investments.” These investors include Marubeni and Tokyo Electric Co. which have invested heavily in the country's power sector, Sumitomo Industries for investing in mining and Toyota Motor Corp. for expanding its services through another manufacturing plant in the country. The President expressed confidence and looked forward to additional Japanese investments in the future which she said would greatly “help in giving our people a more stable and predictable life." "With more investments come more revenues and taxes that can be invested in schools, roads and bridges as well as education, healthcare and the environment," the President said. "And overtime, everyone will benefit," she added. |
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| UN body to review human rights record of RP, 15 other countries |
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The Philippines and 15 other countries have moved one step closer to the
Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a new process in the international human
rights system to improve the promotion and protection of human rights. The Philippines is number 10 in the list of the first batch for review beginning on April 7, with Bahrain making history as the first country to go through the process. Not surprisingly, poverty alleviation and solving the killings of activists and media practitioners were among the top concerns for government and non-government bodies. The Philippine government has committed that this document will be made available to the public, particularly to stakeholders. Philippine Permanent Representative to Geneva Ambassador Erlinda Basilio recently attended a workshop on the UPR process hosted by the Swiss government, wherein country representatives shared questions, interpretations, and plans on how to prepare for the historic event. Accompanying Basilio during the workshop in Geneva were Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) Executive Director Cecilia Quisumbing and Department of Foreign Affairs Executive Director Grace Princesa. Another thing they shared – the desire and determination to ensure that the UPR would be focused not on “naming and shaming” countries, but on how to improve rights promotion and protection on the ground as well as international cooperation towards this end. The United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Nicholas Thorne said, “This should be a cooperative exercise, not a finger pointing exercise.” Ambassadors Thorne and Basilio chaired the break-out sessions of the workshop at the request of Swiss Permanent Representative Ambassador Blaise Godet. The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled the initial review of 48 countries in three batches starting with 16 countries that would undergo the review in April in Geneva. The Philippines was the first country to submit its written information on Feb. 22, three days ahead of the Feb. 25 deadline, about human rights protection and promotion on the ground, including best practices, challenges and steps forward. Ambassador Basilio said that the Philippines held consultations with a wide range of civil society groups including interfaith-based groups, vulnerable sectors, and non-government organizations (NGOs) including Bantay Bayan, FIND, and Karapatan. The Philippine document listed its varied activities on human rights while acknowledging areas for strengthening and support and identifying specific actions for the future. |
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| PGMA signals start of school building and road widening project in Cavite |
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BACOOR, Cavite – The daily routine of local residents halted temporarily
today when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived to break the ground for
a major infrastructure project for this province and the two-storey,
four-classroom building of Ligas 1 Elementary School here. The President motored to Barangay Ligas 3 here from the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City where she addressed the opening of the Philippines-Japan Manning Cooperative Forum 2008. At Barangay Ligas 3, she lowered the time capsule signaling the start of the construction of a new school building worth P4 million. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Cavite 1st District Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga, 2nd District Rep. Emilio Abaya and Bacoor Mayor Edwin Revilla assisted the President in the groundbreaking rites. The construction of the new two-storey, four-classroom school building of Ligas 1 Elementary School will start on March 1, 2008 and it is expected to be completed on June 2, 2008 in time for the opening of class. As she moved around the school premises, the President inspected the participating booths of People’s Government Mobile Action (PGMA) and distributed medicine and grocery packs to indigents residents of Barangay Ligas. She entrusted to Mayor Revilla for distribution to his constituents “pangkabuhayan” packages that include 25 pieces of mechanical kit under the “Galing Mekaniko Ako,” another 25 pieces of “masahista kit” under the “Galing Masahista Ako” projects and 250 TESDA scholarship vouchers. From Barangay Ligas, the President motored to Aguinaldo Highway corner Molino Blvd. near St. Dominic College to also break the ground for the improvement and widening of Aguinaldo Highway projects and other inter-connecting road sections. Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Reps. Barzaga and Abaya, Senator Revilla, and Mayor Revilla assisted the President in the time capsule laying. The Aguinaldo Highway Network links Southern Tagalog Region to Metro Manila and to the industrial and economic zone destinations in Cavite and its neighboring province of Batangas. Aside from the South Luzon Expressway, the Aguinaldo Highway is a vital alternate route to the Batangas International Container Port in Batangas City which needs immediate rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Secretary Ebdane informed the President that the Molino Blvd. is the major component of the Aguinaldo-Bacoor Road which traverses Aguinaldo Highway in Bacoor passing through Daang-Hari, Salawag-Salitran Road up to Governor’s Drive, both in Dasmarinas. The Molino Blvd. has a total length of 19 kilometers. Its untouched and unpaved section is about one kilometer in length. The scope of work includes the opening and concrete paving of the untouched section into four-lane highway with a two-meter wide center island, drainage and protection wall. The construction of the P63.1-million Aguinaldo Highway-Molino Blvd. rehabilitation project will start on March 1 and is scheduled to be finished in June 2008. |
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| Bacoor folks stand behind PGMA leadership |
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BACOOR, Cavite – The people of this town assured today President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo that they would support her administration in its mission
to attain economic progress for the nation as they refused to engage in word
war with her detractors. “Her activities here today in Bacoor attest to her dedication to work and serve the masses instead of engaging in a fruitless word war with those who hurl accusations against her,” Bacoor Mayor Edwin “Strike” Revilla said in a statement. Revilla, the younger brother of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, said the Bacorenos are indeed fortunate to have a President with a solid vision for economic progress and the will to actively implement her vision amid political noise. “This leadership by action is what Bacoor and all other parts of the country need, particularly in the next two years when we are in the undeniable stage of an economic takeoff, instead of the shameless political maneuverings being staged by a few vested interest,” Revilla stressed. The municipality of Bacoor is one of the many recipients of the successful programs of President Arroyo that focus on bringing development to the people and the communities despite being attacked through trial by publicity by various quarters who are against her type of leadership. “Let not the grandstanding of some individuals and groups becloud the real truth – that the country is, under the watch of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, firmly on course to progress,” Revilla added. |
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| Malacañang urges gov’t critics to heed CBCP’s call for discernment, reflection |
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Malacanang expressed confidence today that the participants in tomorrow’s
(Feb. 29) interfaith prayer rally would heed the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines’ (CBCP) call for discernment and prayerful reflection. “We trust that the participants of tomorrow’s interfaith prayer rally will use the occasion to heed the CBCP’s call for discernment and prayerful reflection,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said in a statement. Fajardo said that this will be the best time for all concerned to open their hearts and minds to seek truthful understanding of the current events. She urged the public to be wary of the unseen hands who may be manipulating the current situation to foment hatred, distrust and chaos in the society. She also cautioned the people to heed the warning of the Holy Book about false prophets in their midst. “While we all enjoy the blessings of our democracy, we must all protect the same from scheming groups or individuals who are bent on destroying our democratic way of life,” she said. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier expressed elation over the CBCP statement spurning calls by detractors of the administration for the bishops to join the opposition’s campaign to oust the President. “We are glad that the position taken by the CBCP is against a call for the President to step down or to resign. The bishops are very discerning as the head of the flock at mas pinapakinggan ng sambayanan at hindi ang mga nagpapakana ng mga rally sa mga darating na araw na umasang susuportahan sila ng kaparian at ng mga Obispo na iyan,” Ermita said. |
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| Palace chides lawyers calling for PGMA resignation in violation of due process |
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Malacanang chided today lawyers calling for the resignation of President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying they should be the first to abide by the
Constitution and uphold the rule of law in seeking the truth behind the
national broadband network (NBN) controversy, unless they have already been
“misguided and influenced by political opportunists.” Palace Deputy Spokesperson Anthony Golez issued the statement in reaction to the call by a group of lawyers led by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) for the President to step down. To put a closure to the controversy, Golez said lawyers should be rational and instead of trying to do away with due process of law, they should unite with the public in ferreting out the truth to punish those who would be found guilty. “Our lawyers have taken their oath to abide by our Constitution and are gifted with the wisdom of interpreting the legal processes of our country in order to get these objectives and eventually punish those who need to be punished in this controversy,” Golez said. He pointed out that lawyers clearly know that there are prescribed due processes under the Constitution and that it is patently wrong to prejudge a case based on hearsay from a still ongoing Senate investigation. “We expect from these groups of lawyers to lead in telling our people that there are prescribed due processes under our Constitution and judicial institutions to be respected in order to find the truth,” Golez said. “They are fully aware that these institutions are already working towards the attainment of our goals and that the call for resignation will not even be relevant in search for the truth, unless these groups are already misguided and influenced by political opportunists,” he added. |
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