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| 21 JANUARY 2008 | . | |
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| 21 JANUARY 2008 | . | |
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| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye on Media Freedom |
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We respect the right of media to bring their complaint before the courts as
it is the proper forum for settling this issue. By the same token, we expect the police to try to convince the court that the actions taken during the Manila Peninsula standoff were well within accepted rules of engagement. The outcome of this exercise should be a win-win for all, as it will help us in defining gray areas of media coverage in this country where, ideally, media freedom should be exercised with responsibility. |
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| PGMA inspects gov't road project in Aurora |
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DINGALAN, Aurora -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited this province
today to inspect the Dingalan road and port project and get a first hand
information on the status of the project which forms part of her legacy
agenda to link up all parts of the country through the construction of more
roads and ports. The President’s visit here is expected to underscore the importance with which she views the early completion of the project. Started last year, the 120.65-kilometer, P1.575-billion arterial road will give rise to the Trans-Asia cargo and product shipping facility and help propel the Philippine economy. It is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2010. The Dingalan road and port project comprises one-third of the Tarlac-Nueva Ejica-Aurora-Dingalan Port Road program and upgrade the linkages between the three provinces and Manila via the Manila North Road and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project. The completion of the Dingalan road and port project will lead to greater efficiency in the transport and handling of goods, people and services between Aurora and the neighboring provinces and boost local tourism. It is also expected to augment Aurora’s main source of livelihood – fishing -- and provide jobs to thousands of its residents. The President conducted a "windshield tour" of the seven-kilometer stretch of newly concreted road from the Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija - Dingalan, Aurora boundary to the latter's roll-on roll-off (RoRo) port. With her were Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Senator Edgardo Angara, Transportation Undersecretary Ma. Elena Bautista and Luzon Urban Beltway chief Ed Pamintuan. After the brief tour of the project, the President was briefed on the status of the project and was told that the DPWH and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) were only waiting for the go-signal from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to begin RoRo operations. Visibly pleased, the President congratulated the local government of Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac and all the people for making the project possible. |
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| Palace welcomes petition for Writ of Amparo over Manila Pen arrests |
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Malacanang welcomed today the petition for a writ of amparo filed by a media
group from ABS-CBN seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention over the arrest
of some of them while covering the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege by rebel
soldiers on Nov. 29, 2007. In a statement, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said Malacanang respects the right of the media to bring their complaints before the court – the proper forum for settling the issue. “By the same token, we expect the police to try to convince the court that the actions taken during the Manila Peninsula standoff were well within accepted rules of engagement,” Bunye said. He said the court’s action on the petition “should be a win-win for all, as it will help us in defining gray areas of media coverage in this country.” Bunye added that “ideally, media freedom should be exercised with responsibility.” In their petition, the ABS-CBN media group asked the court for a permanent protective order enjoining respondents from “effecting and making threats of future warrantless arrests and acts of harassment of petitioners and other journalists, in the course or in consequence of their work, such as in the live coverage of breaking news events similar to the Manila Peninsula standoff.” |
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| PGMA assures cities of P3-B "Kilos-Asenso" assistance under the 2008 nat'l budget |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assured today the 120 members of the
League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) that the P3-billion “Kilos-Asenso”
fund in the 2008 budget shall be used to help out old cities whose Internal
Revenue Allotments (IRAs) will be greatly reduced by the conversion of 16
municipalities into cities last year. The LCP membership, led by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin C. Abalos Jr., trooped to Malacanang this afternoon to present a letter to the Chief Executive to “express our continuing support to the President and “to take part in your (President Arroyo’s) efforts to steer the country towards long-term economic stability and sustainable development.” At the same time, the city mayors’ league also appealed to President Arroyo “to cushion the impact of such conversion through the Amelioration Fund she promised on March 21, 2006 or through some other means.” The President, together with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., met with the LCP officials at the Heroes’ Hall of Malacanang just before she proceeded to her scheduled school visit in Muntinlupa City. The 16 new cities – whose conversion the MLP had earlier questioned before the Supreme Court – will eat into the expected IRA increases of the LCP members, said LCP president Abalos. The LCP had also pleaded with the President to “restrain DBM from further releasing the additional IRA of these newly converted cities and instead set aside the funds in escrow until the High Court resolves the case.” “Malaki ang mawawala sa amin,” explained Mayor Abalos, who revealed that the organization had so far filed four cases with the Supreme Court last year questioning the conversion of municipalities which, he said, did not meet the minimum income and population requirements mandated by the Local Government Code (LGC) to become cities. For a municipality or town to graduate to cityhood, it must have the following three minimum requirements: P100 million in locally-generated funds; 150,000 in population; and 100 square kilometers in land area. The LCP members were supposed to receive a total of P6 billion additional IRA this year but, because of the 16 new cities, will be getting only P4.7 billion, or some P1.3 billion less than expected. The LCP said the most affected city based on actual amount is Davao City whose expected 2008 IRA increase is P263.6 million, but which will only receive P69.5 million in additional IRA, or a difference of P194 million. On the other hand, Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista said the summer capital – an education center with a big transient population of students and workers – will “lose” P45 million in supposed IRA increase this year. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 IRA Share is based on the total amount of P210.7 billion IRA for 2008; the 2000 National Census of Population; and the 2001 Land Area. The LCP filed its first case with the Supreme Court on March 27, 2007 after six towns were converted into cities by Congress through their respective congressmen. Almost two months later on May 4, 2007, another case was filed questioning the conversion of six new towns. The third case was filed on June 14, 2007 following the conversion of three towns; while a consolidated case was filed on Sept. 28, 2007 after Naga town in Cebu was turned into a city. The LCP also called for the “review of the cityhood law to ensure a rational basis for cityhood which takes into consideration the critical role of cities as engines of growth of the country.” Budget Secretary Andaya said it was agreed upon during the meeting that the LCP shall lobby with Congress to pass the 2008 budget with the Amelioration (“Kilos-Asenso”) Fund intact. |
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| President observes English class at Muntinlupa Elementary School |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo motored this afternoon to the Muntinlupa
Elementary School in Muntinlupa City to observe how the Department of
Education (DepEd) English proficiency program is faring under the
department’s invigorated emphasis on the subject, along with mathematics and
science. She sat through 45 minutes of the regular class period of Diamond class, the cream of this schoolyear’s sixth grade graduating class composed of 55 pupils. The lesson for the day was on adverbs. The President was presented a copy of the lesson's module and seemed satisfied with the lively teaching of Mrs. Girlie Campos. The Chief Executive was visibly pleased with the audio visual aids that accompanied the discussion of the class lesson. The President has stressed the need for quality instruction on English, math and science to make students globally competitive. Of the three subjects, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has pointed out that improvement in English proficiency among students has been the most problematic. Teacher trainings are essential in order to achieve DepEd’s objective to make students proficient in the English language. After the class, the President had merienda and an informal interaction with about 40 teachers of the Muntinlupa Elementary School. The President was welcomed by Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro, Education Undersecretaries Antonio Inocentes and Vilma Labrador, and OIC Principal Domingo Idanan. |
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| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: Davos Forum Backgrounder |
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The Davos Forum is an excellent opportunity for the President to discuss
with world leaders the Philippines’ point of view and approach in addressing
issues, such as the global economy and world trade, the role and prospects
of Asia within this framework, the impact of the sub-prime crisis and the
subsequent credit crunch, and the likely consequences of climate change and
measures to limit its effects. Davos is a great place to share experiences outside the home country environment. At a time when we must all collaborate more closely, any time that she has to meet new leaders and thinkers is time well spent for her and for the nation. It is an opportunity to showcase how the Philippine economy has turned around and continues to gain ground, although we still are a generation from first world status, and of our deep commitment to investing not just in growth at any price, but healthy growth that reflects our national values of concern for our island nation and all its wonders. |
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| PGMA leaves for Switzerland tomorrow; First order of business is keynote speech before Swiss Chamber of Commerce |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leaves at past noon tomorrow for
Switzerland where her first order of business will be her keynote speech
before the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Zurich. The President and her delegation are scheduled to take the 12:30 p.m. flight from Manila and are expected to land at the Zurich International Airport about 18 hours later (Wednesday morning, Manila time). The President’s latest working trip overseas will have her attending the International Board of Advisors’ Meeting in Zurich, and the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2008 in Davos. The President is scheduled to have 11 other events in Zurich, including dinner with Dr. Henry Kissinger of the United States; and eight other events in Davos, including a meeting with Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye, who will be joining the President in her European working trip, said the Davos Forum is an “excellent opportunity for the President to discuss with world leaders the Philippines’ point of view and approach in addressing issues…” Such issues include the “global economy and world trade, the role and prospects of Asia within this framework, the impact of the sub-prime crisis and the subsequent credit crunch, and the likely consequences of climate change and measures to limit its effects,” said Bunye. “At a time when we must all collaborate more closely, any time that she (President Arroyo) has to meet new leaders and thinkers is time well spent for her and for the nation,” stressed Bunye, who added that Davos is a “great place to share experiences outside the home country environment.” The Press Secretary added that the President’s attendance in the annual World Economic Forum is “an opportunity to showcase how the Philippine economy has turned around and continues to gain ground, although we still are a generation away from First World status.” Also to be showcased in the Davos event is “our deep commitment to investing not just in growth at any price, but healthy growth that reflects our national values of concern for our island nation and all its wonders,” Bunye said. |
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