 |
||
| 03 MARCH 2008 | . | |
|
|
||
| 03 MARCH 2008 | . | |
|
|
| PGMA inaugurates two bridge projects in Calamba City |
|
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "surge in
infrastructure spending" directive gained more headway today with the
inauguration of two newly reconstructed and rehabilitated bridges in
Barangays Parian and Looc-San Juan here. The Calamba and Looc-San Juan bridges joined the increasing number of infrastructure projects that the Arroyo administration is able to finish and inaugurate in fulfillment of the President's goal of linking the Philippines through the construction of 3,000 kilometers of additional roads and bridges. The President ordered the surge in infrastructure spending early this year as a "cushion" to the ill-effects of an expected slowdown in the economy of the United States. She said this surge would also provide Filipinos with opportunities to earn on their own and not depend too much on external forces for help. First to be formally opened to the public this morning was the widened and rehabilitated Calamba bridge in Barangay Parian here. Constructed during the post-war period, the Calamba bridge served as a major link between Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon and the Bicol provinces before the South Luzon Expressway was constructed. The former two-lane, two-span
arched bridge served its purpose to bring people,
goods and commerce to and from Manila then but due to old age and the boom
of population, commerce and the incidence of
traffic in the area over the years, the bridge became so congested and its
usefulness waned. |
|
|
|
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Speech at the
Launching of the Women's Month Celebration Calamba City, Laguna March 3, 2008 |
|
Happy Women’s Month sa ating lahat!
Ang tema ng Buwan ng Kababaihan sa taong ito ay: ”CEDAW ng Bayan: Yaman ng Kababaihan.” Ang “CEDAW” ay Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women sa ilalim ng United Nations. Ito ang yaman ng kababaihan dahil ipinagtatanggol nito ang karapatan ng kababaihan sa buong mundo. Ito rin ang yaman ng mga Pilipina sapagkat dahil sa ating mahusay na pagpapatupad ng CEDAW, maraming kababaihan ang nagkaroon ng kabuhayan. Dahil sa ating masusing pagpasunod sa programa para sa karapatan ng kababaihan, pinarangalan tayo ng U.N. noong nakaraang taon bilang bansang may pinakamalaking pagbawas ng diskriminasyon sa kababaihan. Kinilala rin tayo ng World Economic Forum bilang tanging bansa sa Asya na nasa Top 10 sa buong daigdig sa gender parity. On schedule tayo sa pagtataguyod ng UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) na gender equality pagdating ng 2015, kasama ng mga layuning eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; reducing child mortality; combating HIV and aids, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. Ang mga MDGs ang laman ng Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010. Kaya sabi ng development guru na si Jeffrey Sachs na ito ang pinakamagandang national development plan na nakita niya. Pang-anim tayo sa pangkalahatan sa buong mundo sa gender parity. Tayo lamang ang bansa sa Asia na nasarado ang gender gap kapwa sa edukasyon at kalusugan, at isa lamang sa anim sa buong mundo na nagakawa nito. Sa edukasyon, nangunguna tayo sa kapantayan ng mga gender sa literacy rate at enrollment rate sa primary, secondary at tertiary education. Sa katunayan, lamang ang mga babae sa mga lalaki sa simple literacy rate at functional literacy rate. Lamang ang net enrollment rate ng mga babae dahil mas maganda ang participation rate ng mga babae, habang ang drop-out rate ng mga babae ay mas mababa. Mas maraming babaeng nabubuo ang pag-eskwela kaysa sa lalaki. Sa scholastic achievement, lamang rin ang mga babae. At lumalaki ang agwat habang umaakyat sa primary school. Sa kalusugan at haba ng buhay, nangunguna ang Pilipinas sa kapantayan. Mas mahaba pa nga ang buhay ng mga Pilipina kaysa sa mga lalaking Pilipino The most recent surveys indicate a decline in the maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines. Ngunit kailangan pa tayong magtrabaho para bumaba pa ang maternal mortality. The government addresses maternal health concerns through a two-pronged strategy: 1) health services to pregnant women for safe motherhood and 2) natural family planning. In 2006, 50.6 percent of married women aged 15-49 years used contraceptives. Dahil marami tayong mga Katoliko, pinapairal natin ang natural family planning para paramihin ang mga kababaihan o mag-asawang sumusunod sa responsible parenthood to 60 percent by 2010. For safe motherhood, we are shifting to facility-based delivery instead of home-based delivery, which is the cause of many maternal deaths. Pregnancy now qualifies for PhilHealth. Although health services are devolved to local governments, we assist them upgrade their primary hospitals into secondary hospitals with gynecological, obstetric and surgical services so that more mothers will give birth in hospitals. Kaya itong araw na ito, alang-alang sa pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Kababaihan sa Laguna, mayroon tayong kontribusyon sa ospital na itinatayo ni Governor Lazaro na sana ay ilagay niya sa maternity center. Tayo ang unang bansang nagtakda ng pondo para sa mga programang pangkababaihan. Noong ako ay Senador, ginawa ko iyong batas na tinataguyod ang partisipasyon ng kababaihan sa mga gawaing may produktibidad at kita. Bilang Pangulo, napirmahan naman natin iyong batas na nagpoprotekta ng kababaihan kontra sa karahasan. At tinututukan natin ang pagpapalago ng ekonomiya sapagkat ito ang tanging daan upang umahon sa kahirapan ng bansa ang mga mamamayan, babae man o lalaki. Sa araw na ito ay tutukan natin ang pagpalawak ng mga gawain para sa CEDAW at sa kaunlaran. CEDAW at hindi sigaw ang panlaban sa kahirapan. |
|
|
| Law dean castigates senators for passing off innuendoes as facts in ZTE investigation |
|
The dean of the Graduate School of Law of San Beda College castigated today
some senators investigating the National Broadband Network (NBN) controversy
for passing off to the public innuendoes as facts and for posing as
impartial investigators and judges contrary to the reality. In a three-page paper titled Why I Cannot and Will Not Support Calls for the President’s Resignation, Fr. Ranhillio Callangan Aquino pointed out that “when one protests his earnestness in search of the truth, and at the same time presses for the resignation of the President (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), one is guilty of ‘performative contradiction.” “If you search for the truth, you do not yet know whether or not she is guilty. But if you do not know this yet, what reason is there to ask her to resign?” Fr. Aquino retorted. He said that while the testimony of Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada was rich in many details, it contained “not a single incriminatory statement against the President.” “There are innuendoes that the deal was known to, if not brokered, by some Malacanang personalities, but innuendo is never evidence, and when we take so serious a move as urging the people to press for the resignation of the President, such a call must, by all moral precepts, rest on moral certitude!” Fr. Aquino said. He asserted that Lozada’s testimony would surely fail the test of judicial admissibility. The San Beda College of Law dean said it must be understood that the Senate investigation is ”supposed to be in aid of governmental oversight, not in pursuance of prosecution and trial.” Given that legislative purpose, are “we prepared to ask for the resignation or ouster of a duly constituted authority – and all the institutional upheaval that this entails – on the basis of such unacceptable evidence as hearsay?” Fr. Aquino asked. He said that Lozada has never been cross-examined because congressional investigations do not call for cross-examination “and cross-examination is the test of credibility and veracity of testimony.” Saying he is not an apologist for the President, Fr. Aquino argued it is best that the ZTE investigation be handled by the Ombudsman, which is vested with the authority to investigate “any public officer or employee, or office or agency.” “I would like to hear the Ombudsman tell us whether or not there is probable cause in the first place because this, the Senate of its own cannot determine, nor does it possess the power to do so!” he said. Fr. Aquino also said he was shocked by the “irresponsibility with which a lawyer and senator of the Republic, should judge the Ombudsman and dissuade the public from lending credence to the Ombudsman.” The college law dean dismissed contentions that the Ombudsman and the justice secretary cannot be trusted to conduct an impartial investigation of the ZTE deal because they were appointed by the President. “Were that so, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the associate justices of the High Court, the justices of all superior courts, judges of courts, members of constitutional commission – all would lack credibility because all are presidential appointees,” he said. “Is it then our sad fate in this blighted Republic that only the senators are to be trusted? All the clowning that has taken place in the Senate thus far convince me otherwise: that it is one of the least credible institutions in this country,” Fr. Aquino added. He said that because “most of the senators are political adversaries of the President,” they are “not the impartial investigators and judges that judicial proceedings call for.” “The (Senate) witness answers as he is led by the questions. In court, most of these questions are characterized as ‘leading,’ and are disallowed in direct examination because they lead the witness to the kind of answer the proponent of the question – in this case, the senators – wish to elicit from the witness,” he said. |
|
|
| PGMA kicks off Women's Month in Laguna |
|
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The commemoration of Women's Month officially began
with simple ceremonies held this morning at the New Calamba City Hall here
with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the guest of honor.
The rites were also attended by Cabinet and local government officials led by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro and Calamba City Mayor Joaquin Chipeco Jr. Among the activities lined up for the formal opening of Women's Month were the distribution of Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K) checks worth P6,000 each to 49 women beneficiaries from the different barangays in the province. The SEA-K checks will allow the womenfolk to put up small business with which they can use to earn a living. The President also gave 150 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) School for Work Training Scholarship vouchers to the Calamba City government. Deserving Calamba City residents will soon have a chance to train to become call center agents, butchers and welders and be hired by the numerous companies in need of such talent. Lastly, the President awarded massage and tool kits to 50 individuals who passed the training to become qualified masseuses and mechanics. The training program is a project of TESDA under the Galing Masahista Ako and Galing Mekaniko Ako (GMA) line of training modules which equip qualified men and women with basic skills in massage therapy and mechanical works. The celebration of Women's Month is promulgated under Proclamation No. 224, otherwise known as the law declaring “the First Week of March of Every Year as Women's Week and March 8 Every Year Thereafter as Women's Rights and International Peace Day" signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 1, 1988. It affirmed the country’s solidarity with the United Nations and recognized Filipino women's contribution in the struggle for national independence, civil liberties, quality and human rights. This year's local theme, "CEDAW ng Bayan: Yaman ng Kababaihan" will focus on the need to generate resources to finance initiatives on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The 2008 Women's Month Celebration will serve as a channel for the nationwide campaign to promote the use of gender and development (GAD) budget to finance gender equality and women's empowerment programs at the national and local levels, specifically in addressing the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee's Concluding Comments. The occasion will likewise serve as a venue for reviewing gender mainstreaming efforts relating to gender budgeting and exploring possible partnerships and collaboration with non-government organizations, development institutions and private sector for resource generation initiatives. |
|
|
| Statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) |
|
The ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea
(DOC) was signed by the 10 ASEAN countries and China in 2002. The DOC is aimed at reducing the tension among the claimants by maintaining the status quo and temporarily putting ownership issues in the backburner. It prohibits any activity that might escalate the situation in the area, and encourages activities that would build mutual trust, cooperation and mutual confidence among the claimant states. Consistent with the provisions of the DOC, Vietnam, the People's Republic of China and the Philippines entered into the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) in 2004. The JMSU is a landmark agreement that affirms the political commitment of the three claimant states to approach their disputes in the South China Sea in a peaceful and constructive manner. It is a confidence-building measure and is aimed towards the transformation of the South China Sea from a region of conflict to a region of peace and cooperation. The JMSU is a joint evaluation of marine resources potential in the area claimed by participating countries and is limited to scientific surveys. The JMSU does not impinge on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines. Any activity beyond scientific surveys would be subject to further consultation and agreement among the participants, and would have to conform with our Constitution and laws, as well as the DOC. |
|
|
| PGMA inaugurates Sykes Asia's P846-M call center in Quezon City |
|
The Philippine position as the most-favored investment destination in the
multi-billion-dollar global call center/business process outsourcing (BPO)
industry was boosted further with the inauguration this afternoon of Sykes
Asia, Inc.’s sixth call center in the country. From Calamba City, Laguna where she inaugurated two bridges and graced the kick-off ceremony for the Women’s Month celebration, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo motored to Sykes Asia, Inc.’s P846-million call center at the Sunnymede Information Technology Center along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City to inaugurate the facility. Assisted by Michael Henderson, Sykes Asia and Pacific Rim vice president, the President cut the ceremonial ribbon signaling the formal opening of the 1,908-seat capacity call center. The President then proceeded to the sixth floor where she made a mock telephone call and informally interacted with the call center agents who have been selected to man the facility because of their information and communication technology (ICT) skills and proficiency of the English language. Sykes Asia, Inc., which operates two call center facilities in Makati, one in Ortigas, one in Cebu and two in Quezon City including the Sunnymede IT Center, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US-based Dutch-owned telecommunications company. The call center offers both inbound and outbound call services with specialization in technical support operations for clients in the American and European markets. Its attributes as the third largest English-speaking country in the world, high literacy rate as well as less expensive operational and labor cost make the Philippines one of the most favored call center/ BPO investment destinations in the world. Called sunshine industry, the call center/BPO sector contributes 12 percent to the country’s Gross National Product (GNP). It is also the fastest growing employment provider for the Filipinos. Being the most dynamic of all IT sectors, the call center/BPO industry in the country is touted to capture 50 percent of the total English-speaking global market this year. The government has set its eyes on the creation of up to one million new jobs and raising $12 billion in revenues from the call center/BPO sector by 2010. Fully committed to the further development of the sector, the President has provided scholarships to call center agents to fill up the manpower requirement of the industry. She has also increased investments in telecommunications infrastructure to further boost the country’s standing as most favored destination for call center investments in the world, next to India. |
|
|
| PGMA acts on rising incidence of typhoid cases in 10 Calamba barangays |
|
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has directed
the Department of Health (DOH) to look into the increasing incidence of
typhoid cases here. In her speech keynoting the start of nationwide celebrations of Women's Month at the New Calamba City Hall this morning, the President told DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III to personally look after the plight of those who were stricken with typhoid fever. Calamba City Health Officer Arsenio Lagos said that as of today, there were 1,041 reported cases of typhoid infection in 10 barangays of this city. He said his office began noticing the steady rise of typhoid cases since Feb. 19 when the first case was recorded. He added that initial investigation showed that typhoid bacteria is probably passed on through the water here. Typhoid is a communicable disease characterized by fever, diarrhea, prostration, apathy, headache, eruption of rose spots, leukopenia, and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria that can be either transmitted through food and water intake. |
|
|
| Statement of the League of Cities of the Philippines |
|
The League of Cities of the Philippines hereby manifests its united and
solid support to the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and
adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law. While there have been indirect allegations imputed against the President, these have not been examined nor proven with strict observance to and compliance with the prosecutorial and judicial proceedings required by our laws. These allegations remain unsubstantiated and lack veracity. A factual premise for the calls for the President’s resignation has not been established. The political “noise” which is mainly in Metro Manila does not represent the true sentiments of the people of the Philippines. While some people are out in the streets to rouse mass fervor, a greater number are bound to respect the proper Constitutional means of ferreting out the truth. And the League of Cities of the Philippines belongs to the greater number – with sobriety and unity. The League of Cities of the Philippines also affirms its commitment with the President’s economic agenda. Our country is already on the road to economic progress as reforms are instituted in different sectors and institutions of our society. We cannot afford to falter. The League of Cities of the Philippines is for stability and security that will ensure continued investments and economic gains which will benefit the greater good of our country. We share every Filipino’s concern for the truth and fight against corruption, however, we believe that this must be done following the rule of law. To do otherwise will weaken existing institutions in the country. The people are concerned about the implications of the present situation in the political arena. They want to move on. It is time to focus efforts on real work for the betterment of our countrymen and to put aside bickering and power play which will only benefit those behind the attempts to overthrow the government. The continued provision of roads, better educational and health services, potable water system, agricultural modernization, housing and other basic services should be the focus of our combined efforts. Let us hear the voice of The GREATER number of people. The PHILIPPINES IS LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO! Let the Constitution and the Rule of Law prevail! |
|
|
|
Millennium Development Goals on track - PGMA |
|
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The Philippines is right on track to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed upon by the countries of the
world way before the target date of 2015, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
said today. In her speech opening the Women's Month celebration at the New Calamba City Hall here this morning, the President said the government's efforts to achieve the MDGs has earned the Philippines the Top 6 spot among countries with the highest rate of goals achieved. "On schedule tayo sa pagtataguyod ng UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) na gender equality pagdating ng 2015," the President said. Aside from gender equality, the MDG is also composed of "eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; reducing child mortality; combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development," the President said. "Pang-anim tayo sa pangkalahatan sa buong mundo sa gender parity. Tayo lamang ang bansa sa Asia na nasarado ang gender gap kapwa sa edukasyon at kalusugan, at isa lamang sa anim sa buong mundo na nagakawa nito," the President added. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving
extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal
primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed
to by all the countries of the world and all the leading international
development institutions. |
|
|
| Metro mayors worried over ill-effects of serial Senate ZTE probe on economy |
|
Metro Manila mayors warned today of the ill-effects on the country’s robust
economy and national unity of the open-ended Senate hearings on the National
Broadband Network (NBN)-ZTE controversy. In a resolution, the Metro mayors expressed apprehension that instead of putting closure, the continuing Senate hearing on the NBN-ZTE deal “will lead to more divisiveness and chaos.” The “Resolution Expressing Full Support to the Administration of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Calling on All Sectors of the Country to Unite for the Best Interest of our People” was signed by nine metropolitan mayors. Led by Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., the Metro chief executives pointed out that already the “present political noise has affected certain segments of our society.” The mayors are worried that in the long run the politically-charged NBN-ZTE investigation “might affect the business climate which may reverse some of the notable gains our country has achieved in the economic front.” Aside from Belmonte, the other signatories of the resolution of support for the President were Mayors Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. of Mandaluyong City; Ma. Lourdes C. Fernando, Marikina City; Florencio M. Bernabe Jr., Paranaque City; Sigfrido R. Tinga, Taguig City; Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Valenzuela City; Wenceslao B. Trinidad, Pasay City; Canuto S. Oreta, Malabon City, and Enrico R. Echiverri, Caloocan City. The Metro mayors stressed that the “search for the truth must not divide our people; must not set aside fairness and justice and must not pass premature judgment unto others.” They pointed out that the only way to bring credible closure to the impasse over the NBN-ZTE controversy is “through an impartial, fair and transparent investigation.” “Majority of our people are tired of all these political bickerings and they want our political leaders to unite and work towards sustaining the economic gains we are now experiencing,” the mayors said. In expressing their full support to the President, the mayors likewise called on “all sectors of society to unite together and work hand in hand for the best interest of our people.” |
|
|
| PGMA given full support of 77 out of 119 city mayors |
|
The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) gave today its solid support
to the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Constitution
and the rule of law, stressing that the political bickering and power play
in Metro Manila would only benefit power grabbers. “The political noise which is mainly in Metro Manila does not represent the true sentiments of the people of the Philippines. While some people are out in the streets to rouse mass fervor, a greater number are bound to respect the proper Constitutional means of ferreting out the truth. And the League of Cities of the Philippines belongs to the greater number – with sobriety and unity,” part of their statement read. A great majority, or 77 out of the 119-strong LCP, led by its Chairman Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas presented their signed manifesto to the President this afternoon in Malacanang. The city mayors said the people are tired of politicking and they do not want disruptions especially with the Philippines already on the road to progress due to the President’s skillful handling of the economy. “We cannot afford to falter. The League of Cities of the Philippines is for stability and security that will ensure continued investments and economic gains which will benefit the greater good of our country,” they said. Instead of creating division, the city mayors said it is time to focus efforts on the real work “for the betterment of our countrymen and to put aside bickering and power play which will benefit only those behind the attempts to overthrow the government.” After presenting their manifesto, the city mayors attended a media briefing also in Malacanang where they affirmed their commitment to the President’s economic agenda, in particular the continuous provision of infrastructure and needed services which created so much impact and raised the competitiveness of numerous local government units (LGUs). Trenas said they met and crafted the manifesto this morning “to emphasize that Manila is not the Philippines” as they are one with the Filipinos in seeking out the truth “but through procedures provided for in our Constitution.” The mayors said the LGUs need the cooperation of both houses of Congress in the passage of vital legislative measures but legislators have spent so much time on issues that should better be left to the country’s judicial system. |
|
|
| DFA defends accord on China Sea status quo |
|
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today that the ASEAN-China
Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea is
designed to reduce tension among the claimants by maintaining the status quo
and putting the issues of ownership in the backburner. In a statement, the DFA also said that the declaration and the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) entered into by the Philippines, China and Vietnam do not impinge on the integrity and territorial integrity of the Philippines. The DFA was reacting to recent newspaper reports that the government’s signing of the DOC and the JMSU was worse than the National Broadband Network-ZTE deal. The foreign office explained that the declaration “prohibits any activity that might escalate the situation in the area, and encourages activities that would build mutual trust, cooperation and mutual confidence among the claimant states.” The document was signed by the ASEAN countries and China in 2002. “The JMSU is a landmark agreement that affirms the political commitment of the three claimant states to approach their disputes in the South China Sea in a peaceful and constructive manner,” the DFA pointed out. It added that the agreement is a confidence-building measure that seeks the transformation of the South China from an area of conflict to a region of peace and cooperation. A joint evaluation of marine resources in the disputed territory, the JMSU is limited to scientific surveys. The “JMSU does not impinge on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines. Any activity beyond scientific surveys would be subject to further consultation and agreement among the participants, and would have to conform with our Constitution and laws, as well as the DOC,” the DFA said. |
|
|
