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| 16 MAY 2008 | . | |
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| 16 MAY 2008 | . | |
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| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye |
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The President has instructed Labor Secretary Marianito Roque and Trade
Secretary Peter Favila to convene a series of tripartite meetings on
non-wage benefits for workers. The objective of these meetings is to map out specific income extenders and benefits that companies could provide to employees while ensuring fiscal stability. It is time for employers, particularly those who are better off, to draw from a wellspring of generosity and kindness, to help workers cope during difficult times. |
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| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye |
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This isn’t about Meralco, it is about responsible business practices in an
industry that is critical to our economic development. The President made it very clear that our economy won’t be truly competitive until we bring down the cost of electricity and in order to do that we have to take a hard and serious look at all parts of the electricity generating and distribution chain. |
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| PGMA thanks MCC team for RP’s eligibility for an MCC compact |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo thanked today the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) Compact Team for validating the Philippine government’s
efforts to invest in people, fight corruption and encourage economic
freedom. The President extended her gratitude to the MCC through the members of the corporation’s Compact Team who called on her in Malacanang this morning. The MCC team was composed of US Agency for International Development Mission Director Jon Lindborg, Larry Memmott, Compact Development Department Vice President John Hewko, MCC Deputy Vice President Darius Teter, MCC Operations Department Country Director Darius Nassiry and MCC Country Relations Director Jerry Dutkewych. They were accompanied to Malacanang by US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney. In his report last March, MCC chief executive officer (CEO) John Danilovich congratulated the government of the Philippines for “its demonstrated commitment to tackling difficult challenges and improving the lives of its people.” “While eligibility is an essential first step towards a poverty reduction grant from the MCC, selection does not guarantee funding. The Philippines, like all other countries eligible for the compact, must maintain its performance on the MCC selection criteria and must now begin a broad-based consultative process with its people to develop a proposal that addresses the country’s barriers to poverty reduction and economic growth. As partners, we agree that ending corruption and finding long-term ways to reduce poverty are urgent priorities that deserve our full attention,” Danilovich said. When it came out last March, the President hailed the MCC report as a “remarkable validation of the efforts of our government and nation to invest in our people, fight corruption and encourage economic freedom. These are the hallmarks of my administration, and I am absolutely thrilled to be so recognized for consideration by this prestigious and serious-minded corporation of the US government.” The MCC Compact is a large-scale grant funding based on independent indicators that measure good governance, the country’s investments in its people and policies that encourage economic freedom. The Compact runs through five years but a validation on the efforts of each qualified country is done every year. The President also said the selection of the Philippines as eligible for the MCC Compact is “an opportunity that can bring hundreds of millions of dollars to our nation to lift our nation out of poverty.” The war against poverty is the overarching goal of the Arroyo administration. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, who was in Malacanang this morning, said the MCC team’s visit to Palace was to “find out the progress of our efforts in preparing ourselves to meet the requirements of the MCC Compact.” “Hopefully, we would be eligible to reach the MCC Compact status and that we would eventually be granted full support,” he added. Teves also said the grant of the MCC Compact status to the Philippines would depend on how good the proposals of the government are, adding that the Philippines’ proposal would focus on food, infrastructure, education and health. He said that normally it takes 12 to 18 months to complete the process. Hewko said if eligible for the grant -- not loan-- the Philippines could receive from $60 million to $700 million. “There is no minimum or maximum (grant amount) for each country…” Hewko said, adding that the amount would depend on the project proposals of the eligible country. The country’s efforts to ensure sustainable economic development and fight poverty got a big boost with the MCC’s announcement last March that the Philippines is now eligible to apply for an MCC Compact MCC’s March report doused cold water on surveys that the Philippines is the most corrupt nation in Asia since one of the major criteria for eligibility for an MCC Compact is transparency in policies and has made fighting corruption its highest priorities as it believes that corruption undermines every aspect of sustainable development. The MCC was established in January 2004, based on the “principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people.” MCC’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. Countries that have demonstrated significant improvement in policy indicators but do not yet qualify for a compact grant may be eligible for a threshold program, a smaller grant designed to improve performance on specific indicators. The Philippines was a recipient of some $21-million (P1.1 billion) grant on July 26, 2006, through the Millennium Challenge Account in recognition of the bold steps taken by government to eradicate corruption and attract international investments through the Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program (MCATP). The MCATP, which ran for two years, funded programs that was aimed at reducing corruption by strengthening the Office of the Ombudsman, the government agency primarily responsible in prosecuting corrupt government officials, and intensify the enforcement of anti-graft programs of the Department of Finance (DOF), namely, the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS), Run After Tax Evaders (RATE), and the Run After The Smugglers (RATS). Under the MCATP, $6.5 million or P338 million was allotted to the Office of the Ombudsman for the training of its employees, the establishment of an information management system and enhancement of its investigative and surveillance capabilities. The RATE program received $9.4 million (P489 million), RATS, $3.1 million (P161 million), while RIPS was allocated $1.4 million (P73 million). Under the grant agreement, $250,000 (P13 million) was utilized for the monitoring and evaluation of the MCATP to ensure that it conformed with MCC standards. The MCC was established by US President George W. Bush at the turn of the millennium to "reward countries that govern well," the President said during the signing ceremony in 2006, adding thus far that only a handful of countries all over the world have qualified for the MCC grant. |
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| RP’s efforts to control corruption in gov’t pass U.S. Millennium Challenge Corp indicators |
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Amid allegations that the Arroyo administration is
corrupt, a US government corporation said otherwise, that is the Philippines
is “currently passing” in its indicators for a country to qualify in its
grant to fight poverty. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact Development Vice President John Hewko said his agency looks at how a certain government fights corruption for it to qualify for an MCC Compact grant. “Currently the Philippines is passing as far as the indicator on the control (of corruption our concern is that as long as they are vigilant against corruption and continue to undertake strong steps---that is what matters,” Hewko said. The MCC Compact is a large-scale grant that ranges from $60 million to $700 million, and is based on 17 independent indicators that measure good governance, the country’s investments in its people and policies that encourage economic freedom. Its mission is to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. The other MCC Compact indicators included civil liberties, economic policies (trade and, fiscal policies ) and natural resources management. When asked on the Philippines’ bid to be granted the MCC Compact grant amid allegations of extrajudicial killings, Hewko briefly answered: “we depoliticize the process” of validating whether or not a country is eligible for the MCC Compact grant. Hewko led the MCC Compact Team that paid a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacanang this morning. The team is now in the country to check on the progress of the efforts in preparing to meet the requirements of the MCC Compact grant. |
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| PGMA cites RP sailing team for bagging 16th Asian President’s Cup Regatta |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo congratulated today the Philippine
Standard Sailing Team for bagging the prestigious Asian Cup at the 16th
President’s Cup Regatta held last March at the Subic Yacht Club. The team paid a courtesy call on the President this morning in Malacanang to formally inform the President of their feat. The team’s boat, the Subic Centennial, which was co-skippered by Judes Echauz and Vince Perez with their crew of young Filipino sailors, won the five-race series. In 1998, the Echauz and Perez tandem won the China Sea Race with the same boat. Ten years later, the duo decided to make another try at the Cup and repeated their 1998 feat. The president of the Philippines Sailing Association and head of the Philippines sailing team, Echauz was a prominent figure in the ASEAN Games in Manila. The President’s Cup Regatta sailed off at the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Subic Yacht Club last March 25 and ran for seven days. The annual regatta is very much a part of the Asian Yachting Circuit that draws participants from all over the world. |
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| President increases education vouchers in Metro Manila to P10,000 |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo increased today the education voucher
system (EVS) for poor but deserving students in Metro Manila from P5, 000 to
P10, 000. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus announced the increase of the EVS in the National Capital Region (NCR) this afternoon minutes before the President awarded the education vouchers to the 22 incoming high school students in Pasig. The President distributed the vouchers worth P5 million in simple rites held inside the Department of Education (DepEd) Library Hub Division of Pasig City and San Juan located along Carruncho Ave. 50 meters away from the Pasig City Hall. Lapus, Pasig City Mayor Robert “Bobby” Eusebio, Vice Mayor Yoyong Martirez, DepEd NCR Director Dr. Teresita Domalanta and DepEd Schools Division of Pasig City and San Juan Superintendent Florentina Lizano assisted the President in the distribution of vouchers. The President turned over to 36 public elementary school principals in Pasig City the remaining EVCs for distribution to 500 qualified students who are enrolling to the private high schools next month. Lapus informed the parents of the students that the EVCs is the national government’s way of helping poor but outstanding students enroll at any private school of their choice. “Matutulungan dito ay mahigit 36 public elementary schools (in Pasig City) at sa utos ng Pangulo, sa NCR itinaas natin ang EV mula sa P5, 000 per student to P10, 000 per student,” Lapus said. The Library Hub in Pasig City is a warehouse-type which boasts of 40,000 textbooks with about 400 titles that schools from Pasig and San Juan can borrow. Lapus informed the President that an additional 35 library hubs are programmed to be completed to encourage students to spend more time reading books. “Napatunayan kasi natin Madam President na ang library hub ay napakabisa na intervention and to encourage the students to become book reader,” Lapus told the President. The EVS aims to provide and maintain a system of financial assistance for underprivileged elementary school graduates, plus qualifiers of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) and Alternative Learning Systems Accreditation and Equivalency (ALS A&E), and out-of-school youth to pursue high school education in a private school. Meanwhile, DepEd NCR Director Teresita Domalanta explained that another important objective of the EVS is to help alleviate the problem of excess enrollment in the public schools. She also said that the EVS checks distributed cover tuition and other fees of the deserving students enrolled in private high schools. |
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| PGMA orders labor and trade secretaries to convene tripartite meetings on non-wage benefits |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today Labor Secretary Marianito
Roque and Trade Secretary Peter Favila to convene a series of tripartite
meetings on non-wage benefits for workers. Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said the tripartite meetings were aimed to map out specific "income extenders and benefits" that employers could provide their employees while ensuring their businesses’ sustainability. "It is time for employers, particularly those who are better off, to draw from a wellspring of generosity and kindness to help workers cope with difficult times," Bunye said. The President on Thursday announced that minimum wage earners in the private sector in the National Capital Region (NCR) would be receiving a P20 increase in their salary. The President said the wage board decision is still undergoing refinements as to whether the entire amount would be added to the existing minimum wage of P362, or if P5 of the increase would be given as cost of living allowance (COLA). The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines had asked the wage board for an P80 increase. The President’s instructions to Roque and Favila reiterated her earlier call to corporations to grant non-wage benefits to their employees, such as rice subsidy and transportation. On May 2, the President signed Executive Order 721 encouraging large companies to provide for the rice requirements of their employees amid the global challenge of soaring food prices. The order directed the National Food Authority to be on top of the campaign to entice large corporations with at least 500 employees to help their employees by either engaging in rice importation or rice production. |
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| No major cabinet revamp – Bunye |
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Malacanang clarified today that only the positions of Cabinet Secretary and
Press Secretary will be affected in the forthcoming Cabinet revamp. Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said in a radio interview this morning that as announced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a week ago in Cebu, only the leadership of the two Cabinet departments will change hands. Bunye said he will assume his position as new member of the Monetary Board on July 3, not June 22 as earlier reported, adding that he will announce his successor as press secretary in his column in the Manila Bulletin this Sunday. He said, however, that his successor would be “an insider of Cabinet rank.” He also said that Lorelei Fajardo and Anthony Golez will remain as deputy presidential spokespersons. Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo has been tapped by the President for the chairmanship of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). He will assume office upon the approval of his appointment by the Commission of Appointments (CA) of Congress. Taking over as Cabinet secretary is former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello lll. Bunye said he would make recommendations to the President on his successor press secretary, but explained that only the President can decide on the matter. |
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| Nothing wrong with PGMA’s golfing and meeting with ZTE execs. –Bunye |
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There is nothing unusual or irregular in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's
golfing and lunch-meeting with ZTE Corp. officials in China in 2006 which
was just part of her efforts to attract investors even on her private time,
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said this morning. In a radio interview over DZBB by Mike Enriquez this morning, Bunye said the Nov. 2, 2006 meeting with ZTE officials in Shenzen happened during the last leg of the President's visit to China to attract investors there. At the time, Bunye said the President traveled consecutively to some five cities in China where she also met with many businessmen and existing investors in the Philippines. "The fact is this was the tail-end of the visit of the President to China, at kung hindi tayo nagkakamali ay five consecutive days nag- city hopping ang ating Pangulo and all throughout she had met with representatives of various potential investors and existing investors in the Philippines," Bunye said. Bunye said there is nothing extraordinary in that meeting except probably the President's enthusiasm to attract more investments to create more jobs in the country. "Ang pangunahing layunin ng ating Pangulo ay mag-attract ng investment. And she will take advantage of any opportunity para makapag-enganyo ng mga investors even if she has to do this on what we call as private time," Bunye said. Bunye said there is nothing secret in that meeting which was also attended by Speaker Jose de Venecia who recently had a falling out with the present administration. "Kung mayroong hindi siguro maganda na painag-usapan noon siguro nakarinig na tayo mula kay Speaker Jose de Venecia noon pa man," Bunye said. Bunye said that meeting was an ordinary social game and social lunch to encourage more investments in the Philippines which the opposition and critics should be doing instead. |
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