Govt. supports Bishops’ clamor to continue poll automation

Malacañang today threw its full support to the clamor of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to “save the automation of the 2010 elections” because poll automation is a priority project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “We would not want it to fall into jeopardy despite the very well-managed bidding,” explained Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita during his regular Wednesday briefing at the New Executive Building. Ermita said poll automation is a matter for the Commission on Elections to look into. “Malacañang has not really interfered with the work of the Comelec,” he said. Msgr. Pedro Quitorio of the CBCP has reportedly called on the government to save the poll automation to which Ermita agreed with readily. “Definitely, Malacanang is one with the call of Archbishop Quitorio that we can really go on with automated election. Kaya nga sa palagay ko nababasa na rin ng mga Obispo ang kahalagahan ng automated election. But like I said it is a matter for the Comelec to handle. Ours is just a reminder to them as to how important automated election is,” Ermita said. “As far as I know, I happened to speak over the phone with Comelec Chairman Melo yesterday and he told me he has given a concession on the part of SmartMatic and TIM up to Friday to resolve their problems themselves. As a private person and as an official of Malacañang, we wish that the Comelec will try to ensure the automated election,” Ermita stressed. On the suggestion by some quarters for partial automation, Ermita said the “Palace will not interfere with election matters, which is rightfully under the Comelec.” Ermita said several quarters not necessarily aligned with the administration, are already making out their own scenarios that definitely are not true. He said there are many options “but what is important is that there will be honest, orderly and peaceful election and we must have election reforms to put to rest any suspicion that the anomalies and irregularities committed before could take place to benefit anybody.” Ermita said the President is confident that Chairman Jose Melo can handle the poll automation issue. “Being a lawyer and a former member of the Supreme Court, he would know how to handle the issues on the poll automation and if there is need to file cases against the members of the consortium.” Ermita said Melo has given the consortium until Friday to settle their differences. “He did not tell me anything about legal steps but I assume it behooves upon him to do what he thinks he must do because as a lawyer, he should know what to do next. It goes without saying that the Comelec has alternative plans to automate the election, and Chairman Melo spoke to me of alternative plans even before SmartMatic was considered.” Ermita made an appeal to the consortium to try its best to reach an agreement before Friday so the election automation will push through and to their satisfaction. “We (government) should not be held captive by the troubles and differences among the consortium members,” he said.

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RP advances in 4 of 6 dimensions of World Bank report

The Philippine government, under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has advanced in four of six critical dimensions taken up in the World Bank 2008 governance report. This was disclosed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Deputy Director General Rolando Tungpalan of the National Economic and Development Authority during the regular press briefing at the New Executive Building. “We are pleased to note that in the six dimensions, we have improved in four, namely: on rule of law we improved by 6 percentage points (from 34 to 40); regulatory quality or the ability of government to provide sound policies to promote and enable private sector investments we improved by 2 percentile points (from 50 to 52); we managed to grow by 4 percentile points (from 22 to 26 percent) on government effectiveness; we are up by 1 percentile point on political stability and on accountability we had a slight decline from 43 to 41 percentile,” Tungpalan explained. “Overall, we have had improvements in many sectors and we have been succeeding in our reform programs,” he added. Ermita, who heads the Task Force on Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), said these criteria are crucial for developed economies like the United States, the European Community and others in determining their financial assistance to countries like the Philippines. “The MCA has a lot of significance. At least you will better understand me when I tell you that we should watch the ratings given us by MCA, a program of the US government and for which the Philippine government can very well benefit from a new form of fund coming from the United States,” Ermita said. He noted that because the Philippines’ 2008 rating on controlling corruption fell by only .01 percent, “we have not been announced as beneficiary of a grant from the US government. This year, Tanzania got $700 million grant from the United States along with another country, which Ermita failed to mention. “In case we pass that (MCA ratings) based on the World Bank ratings that Undersecretary Tungpalan just said we can very well pass the threshold and before the end of the year we might qualify for such grant from the US government, which is usually anywhere from $300 to $500 million,” Ermita said. This (amount), he said, can go a long way in boosting our economic status. “And that’s why we should be able to tell the world, the United Nations and the US that we are handling our human rights cases very well , our cases against corruption and extra judicial killings.”

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Palace orders probe of torture raps vs military

Malacañang has called for an immediate probe into the abduction and torture case filed against the military by a Filipino-American activist before the Supreme Court. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita disclosed in his weekly media briefing today that he has requested Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to order the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to immediately conduct a thorough investigation in the abduction and torture case filed by a certain Melissa Roxas. The accusation, he said, is a big blow to the government’s progress in the promotion and protection of human rights in the country “That is why we are looking at it immediately because I am the Chairman of the Presidential Human rights Committee,” he said, adding that he is still waiting for the result of the initial investigation ordered by the DND. Ermita hailed Prof. Philip Alston, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, for recognizing the Philippine government’s promotion and protection of human rights in his follow-up report before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Ermita said that Alston, in his oral statement before the United Nations body, clearly acknowledged that the number of unexplained killings in the Philippines “has fallen dramatically by 70 percent” since 2007. The decrease, he noted, was largely due to government efforts that include increased funding for the witness protection program, hiring of more prosecutors, and establishment of separate courts to expedite prosecutions of cases involving human rights violations and extra-judicial killings. Last April, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the Instrument of Ratification for the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture to strengthen the country’s compliance with international human rights instruments since the Philippines is a current member of the UN Human Rights Council and has been a State Party to the Convention against Torture and Cruel and Unusual Punishment (CAT) since June 18, 1986.

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Ebdane named DILG Officer-in-Charge

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has designated Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane as Office-in-Charge (OIC) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Executive Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Eduardo Ermita said Ebdane will temporarily take over the post of DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno who left for the United States on a personal leave. DILG Assistant Secretary Brian Yamsuan said Secretary Puno will attend the wedding of his daughter in the United States. In his weekly media briefing this afternoon in Malacañang, Ermita said Ebdane will perform his additional duties in a concurrent capacity as Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

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PGMA orders transfer of MCA Task Force to her office

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has amended Executive Order No. 607-A ordering the transfer of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) from the Department of Finance to the Office of the President. The President issued the order to demonstrate the country’s commitment to meeting the MCA eligibility requirements set by an independent US government agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation. The Chief Executive designated Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to chair the Task Force MCA with the Secretaries of the Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as members. Under the EO, the funds of the task force shall be sourced from available funds of the Office of the President subject to existing accounting and auditing laws and procedures. Earlier, the Philippine government has applied for $748.21 million in aid for five development projects under the MCA created by the US Congress and former President George W. Bush in 2004. MCA was developed to provide funding for programs that contribute to the reduction of poverty through sustainable economic growth in developing countries. The fund is administered by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). MCC is managed by a chief executive officer overseen by a board composed of five high-level government officials such as the Secretary of State and four private-sector executives appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. So far, MCC has signed Compacts totaling $6.3 billion with 18 countries. The MCC criteria used to determine whether a developing country will be granted aid are organized into three categories: Ruling Justly, Investing in People, and Encouraging Economic Freedom. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are all eligible for MCA funding, but none of these countries have signed Compacts with MCC because they fell short in meeting MCC good governance criteria. Indonesia and the Philippines have received funding under the Threshold Program.

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Malacanang to honor outstanding students

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita will lead the awarding rites for the 2009 Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) in simple ceremonies tomorrow (Thursday, July 2) in Malacañang. TOSP is an annual nationwide search that started in 1961 which honors outstanding Filipino students who have excelled not only in their studies but also in fulfilling their social responsibilities. The TOSP is organized by RFM Foundation in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Ermita will read the message of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and lead the awarding of trophies to the 2009 TOSP awardees. The 10 awardees, considered as role models and inspiration for the Filipino youth, were chosen from among 33 finalists coming from the different regions in the country. Launched during the 100th birthday of national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the annual search looks for graduating college students who not only have excelled academically, but have dedicated their talents and leadership abilities in making a difference and becoming socially involved in their respective communities, organizations and fields of interest.

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