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| 11 MARCH 2008 | . | |
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| 11 MARCH 2008 | . | |
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| PGMA signs into law P1.227-T 2008 national budget |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law today the P1.227-trillion
General Appropriations Act of 2008 in simple rites held at the Rizal Hall of
Malacanang. In her message before the signing ceremony, the President said that the 2008 appropriations law ''reflects our values and policy priorities for investing in the people.'' She pointed out that this year’s national budget invests in the three E’s: economy, education and environment, the “building blocks of our nation” that will make a difference in the lives of the Filipino people. The 2008 national allocation, she stressed, “provides a buffer to mitigate the pain of a deteriorating global economy and the accompanying rise in prices which affects food and transportation the most.” Representatives of various sectors of society, including the legislature, local government units (LGUs), students, academe and urban poor, attended the Malacanang ceremony. The 2008 budget, the President also said, represents another important step in the economic development of the Philippines and reflects the results of the tough economic reforms implemented by her administration. Congress’ approval of the 2008 budget only ''proves that members of Congress ... and all parties can come together to work with the Executive Branch to get things done for the nation,” the President said, adding: “The people are tired of partisan wrangling and want all of us to do our job – which is to work for the interest of the people, keep the nation strong and stable and always moving forward.” On the first E---the economy, the President said that against the backdrop of global challenges that include oil and rice supplies and the slowing down of world economies, the government has drawn up a plan to pump-prime the economy by increasing investments in infrastructure and the people. “Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest, invest and invest. We have been doing that and with this budget, the march to modernization through human and physical infrastructure will continue,'' she said. She pointed out that infrastructure projects are key components of economic investments in an environment in which business feels confident to expand and employ more people, because more jobs means less poverty. The President also underscored the need to invest in the people through better healthcare, improved social services and a more productive, modern and profitable agricultural sector, as she underscored the importance of an open and transparent economy, 'free from corruption.'' ''This budget invests more and more to clean up the culture of corruption that has plagued this nation for generations,'' she said. The second E---education, ''takes a front seat in this budget,” the President said, underscoring her belief that education is the foundation of economic prosperity and individual liberty, social justice and self-worth. ''No other issue is as important to Filipinos as the opportunity education affords the generation to be liberated from poverty and live a life of hope, optimism and prosperity,” she said. Under the 2008 budget, P200 billion was allocated for education, including the allocation for state colleges and universities and the DepEd School building program. This year, the government has earmarked funds for the construction of 10,000 classrooms, the procurement of 35.5 million new textbooks, the setting up of 920 computer laboratories in public schools, 62,000 scholarships under the Education Service Contracting, increase in the high school voucher from P4000-P5000 to P7000; research and technology and science scholarships. The government will also increase the college scholarship fund to P400 million and hire up to 10,000 more teachers, while additional funds would be allocated for vocational training, and teacher training for English, math and science. The last E---environment, refers to the Arroyo administration’s commitment to clean air, water and healthy environment. The 2008 GAA, the President said, will help fund Green Philippines or the Philippine Master Plan on the protection of the environment. Growing the economy, she said, must stand alongside the protection of the environment. These programs, which have a combined allocation of P5 billion, include, among others, include the conservation and the building of more parks and recreation areas, purify water, and cleaning up industrial sites. Some P274.16 million was allotted to support the efforts of the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop renewable and indigenous sources of energy, and an additional funding of P300 million for reforestation on top of the Philippine National Oil Company’s (PNOC) own budget for the program. The 2008 budget also allocates P240 million for the conservation of the country's coral reef and beaches as international sanctuary for eco-tourism and scientific research. ''While we have accomplished much, much remains to be done. We plan on working hard the next two years - until the day our term ends in 2010 to fulfill our Philippine Reform Agenda. We must and we will press forward with more reforms. We will fight for the economy, education and the environment,'' the President said. |
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| PGMA's surge in infrastructure-spending gets P200 billion allotment in 2008 budget |
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The surge in infrastructure spending ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
as the Philippine economy's firewall from the slowing down of the US economy
and other major worlds economies was supported by the 2008 national budget. The President, in her message during the signing into law of the 2008 P1.227 -trillion national budget in Malacanang this morning, said some P200 billion has been allotted for infrastructure budget this year to serve as springboard to boost the country’s economic growth. The infrastructure budget also included those from the government-owned and-controlled corporations and local governments. Some of these projects were mentioned by the President in her July 2007 State-Of-The-Nation Address (SONA), most of which support the infrastructure needs of the super regions. ''Key components of our economic investments include key physical infrastructure projects across the nation to build up roads, bridges and ports,'' the President said. These projects as enumerated by the President included the construction or repair of various roads and road networks or links in different places in Mindanao, the Visayas, the Luzon Urban Beltway and the Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle. These national roads include the Surigao-Davao, Davao del Norte-Bukidnon, Lebak-Maguindanao-Butuan-Esperanza in Agusan del Norte, Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian in Zamboanga del Norte in Mindanao. In the Visayas, which is being developed as a tourism center, the construction of new airports and the rehabilitation and expansion of existing ones are underway. These include the Sta. Barbara Airport in Iloilo, Caticlan-Pandan-Libertad in Panay, Bacolod to Silay Airport, El Nido-Rio Tuba in Palawan, Esperanza-Aroroy in Masbate and the Caramoan Peninsula road. In the Urban Beltway, the C5 NLEX and SLEX-link and the Marikina-Infanta road; the Halsema highway, Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao and Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan road in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle. Other projects include the continuation of rail projects like the LRT Line 1 North Extension to close the commuter train loop in Metro Manila, and the construction of RORO ports and airports in North Luzon to support rice productivity and anti-hunger programs. Farm-to-market road and irrigation projects worthP15 billion are also ongoing to ensure increased food productivity. Other infrastructure projects are the completion of rural electrification, the upgrading of hospitals from primary to secondary and housing projects and the remediation works on NAIA3 to comply with international standards. ''Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest, invest, and invest,'' the President stressed. |
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| PGMA asks Congress to work with Palace on passage of a comprehensive anti-corruption reform act |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called on Congress today to work with her
administration on a comprehensive anti-corruption reform act to address once
and for all the problem of corruption that still plagues the nation. In her address during the ceremonial signing of the P1.227-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2008 in Malacanang this afternoon, the President said that on “our part, we will hold officials accountable if they are found to be corrupt after due process.” “Let the chips fall where they may as investigations are concluded and friend and foe alike are brought to account for their actions in the proper courts,” she added. She stressed that the “final pillar of a strong economy is an open and transparent economy – free from corruption.” The national budget of 2008, the President pointed out, “invests more and more to clean up the culture of corruption that has plagued this nation for generations.” She said that to ensure transparency of government transactions, she has directed project implementing agencies to submit to the Procurement Transparency Group project and procurement information requested by the PTG. Her instruction on the submission of documents needed by the PTG covers all concerned national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs), she said. These agencies, the President said, are also instructed to submit their annual procurement plans requested by PTG for monitoring purposes of major bidding processes. |
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| PGMA says RP must keep its guard up vs. challenges facing global economy |
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While the economy has gained momentum through the implementation of tough
reforms, the Philippines must keep its guard up against the gathering clouds
on the economic horizon, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today. In her address during the ceremonial signing of the P1.227-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2008 in Malacanang this afternoon, the President stressed that a lot remains to be done to lift up the people, especially the poor, from poverty. She said the Philippines is hurting from the global forces that are driving up rice and oil prices, the same forces that are driving down the US and European economies. “The recent rise in the incidence of poverty is tied to the rising global demand for rice and oil,” the President said. The Philippine economy posted a 7.3 percent growth last year, the strongest in more than three decades, after the government instituted tough measures, notably the implementation of the expanded Value Added Tax (VAT). “Our strengthened economic fortunes come none too soon, for there are clouds on the economic horizon that we must guard against,” the President warned. She said her administration has drawn up a plan to pump-prime the economy to cushion the impact on the Philippines of a US economic meltdown and ensure that the local economic growth momentum would be sustained. “We have a good budget that is responsive to our immediate and medium-term needs…to achieve our pump-priming, we will increase investments in physical and human infrastructure,” the President said. “We have the strongest economy in over 30 years as a result of tough reforms we have to break the cycle of despair which has kept our nation back. Part of the plan includes the march toward a balanced budget for the first time in years,” she added. Discipline dictates, she said, that the government operates within its means. And as a result, for the “first time in a generation, the tough political choices we made have left us with more revenue to invest in our people – that is what this budget is going to do.” The President has ordered a surge in infrastructure spending to create an investor-friendly environment, enhance social justice, boost support for education, cut red tape and corruption and work for peace and security. |
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| PGMA’s signing of EO 712 ends transport strike |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today the Department of
Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to immediately review all existing
transport-related orders, rules and regulations issued by local government
units (LGUs), and come up with a National Land Transport Policy Framework (NLTPF).
The President ordered the review and establishment of NLTPF in Executive Order No. 712 which she issued today (March 11, Tuesday). EO 712 directs “the immediate review of existing orders, rules and regulations issued by local government units concerning public transportation, including the grant of franchises to tricycles, establishment and operation of transport terminals, authority to issue traffic citation tickets, and unilateral rerouting schemes of public utility vehicles, and for other purposes.” Pending the DOTC review, the President ordered the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) to advise LGUs to immediately suspend the following practices: (1) The establishment and operation of new and existing transport terminals that charge fees and require compulsory use by public utility vehicles (PUVs); (2) The enforcement of re-routing schemes that violate the authorized routes as provided for in the PUV franchises; (3) The issuance of new tricycle franchises while respecting those that have been issued already; (4) The increase in local fees and charges applicable to public transportation; (5) The implementation of local programs, projects and ordinances that have impact on the cost of operations of PUVs without first coordinating and getting the approval of the DOTC to ensure that these programs, projects and ordinances do not prejudice public interest by way of higher transport fares. EO 712 also ordered the DILG to establish and implement “uniform truck ban hours that shall be applicable to LGUs located in a common area nationwide.” For Metro Manila, the President ordered the implementation of a “single ticketing system” that shall be implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in accordance with Republic Act 7924. In signing EO 712, the President noted that “numerous transport organizations have complained about the establishment of common transport terminals by the LGUs in their respective jurisdiction, the use of their own traffic citation tickets known as Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVR), rerouting schemes in violation of authorized routes as provided in their respective certificates of public convenience issued by the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), and the enactment of various ordinances which result in additional cost to operators and drivers, such as the mandatory purchase of stickers and driver’s identification cards.” The EO also noted that the transport organizations “have also objected to the continuous issuance of new franchises for the operation of tricycles and pedicabs despite the existence of too many units already operating on the road, and the unsynchronized truck ban resulting in the delay in the delivery of goods.” In signing the EO, the President stressed that “the operations of PUVs is imbued with paramount public interest, such that factors that increase the cost of operations of PUVs have a direct impact on transport fares, hence local ordinances, programs and projects which require a fee should be coordinated with the DOTC to ensure that public interest is not prejudiced.” |
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