PIA Dispatch (23 June 2010)

SK leaders present PGMA with sculptural token

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today received a sculptural token from the country's Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) National Federation leadership for the support she gave the youth leaders.

The art token was designed by Dr. Abdukmari Asia Imao Sr., national artist for sculpture and Presidential Merit awardee, based on the concept of Jane Censoria D. Cajes, SKNF national chairman, as a tribute to a President "who has embodied both the highest aspirations of women empowerment with the inspiration of a nurturing mother."

The SKNF leaders called on the outgoing President today in Malacanang to bid her farewell.

The sculpture was co executed by Toym de Leon Imao, son of Dr. Imao and current 2010 Fullbright Scholar in the field of sculpture of the Maryland Institute College of Arts in Baltimore.

The design resonates a cradle and a boat as a visual metaphor that reinforces the concept of motherhood and nurturing the young. The sculpture is made of yakal, pounded brass, iron and cold cast bronze. The sail held by the younger figure is symbolical of an offer of the youth's potential (a sail harnessing the wind to move forward) to the motherland. The sail has alibata letters that spell out the word in four syllables "SA-LA-MA-Ta" or thank you in the vernacular.


Four get high Palace awards for dedication and meritorious help to Filipino people

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today conferred four government awards – two Order of Sikatuna and two Order of Lakandula -- on four individuals for their services to the country and their efforts in advancing the interests of the Filipino people.

Greek national Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), was conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (gold distinction).

The IMO is currently holding the 2010 Diplomatic Conference of Parties to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) while its associated STCW Code for Seafarers is ongoing at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Also conferred the Order of Sikatuna with rank of Datu was Ambassador Libran Nuevas Cabactulan, president of the 2010 Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty [NPT] review conference and permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations.

The Order of Sikatuna is an award of diplomatic merit given to diplomats, government officials and foreigners recognized for their exceptional and meritorious services to the Philippines.

The two recipients of the Order of Lakandula, an award of politico and civic merit recognizing the dedication and responsibilities of individuals in memory of the Filipino hero Lakandula, were Capt Gregorio S. Oca and Dr. Ambeth Ocampo.

Capt. Oca, champion of Filipino seafarers and Maritime Workers and president of the Association of Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines, was conferred the Order of Lakandula with rank of Bayani.

Ocampo was given the same award as Chairman of the National Historical Commission (2000-2010). He was the chairman of the recently held 2010 Philippine Independence Day celebrations.


Seaports, airports, highways were drivers of growth -- DOTC execs say

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) and airport projects under the “super regions” strategy of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have been cited by officials as major contributory factors to the development of the country’s transport and tourism industries and inter-regional trade.

At the last Malacanang news briefing of Executive Secretary and former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Leandro Mendoza, he reported that the 919 kilometers of nautical highway established in the western, central and eastern seaboard since 2001 have impacted positively to the country in terms of movements of people, tourists and commodities.

SRNH was opened to the public in 2003, connecting the provinces and cities of Oriental Mindoro, Tagaytay City (Cavite), Marinduque, Romblon, and Batangas City in Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras, and Siquijor, in the Visayas; and Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Dapitan City in Mindanao.

Mendoza’s successor at DOTC, Secretary Anneli Lontok, added during the briefing that the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has invested at least P16 billion to complete port projects nationwide, which are presently being serviced in 12 routes by 25 roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferry operators.

With the completion of these port projects, Lontok said passenger traffic reached three million passengers while cargo traffic increased by 65 percent in the western nautical highway alone.

Lontok said the port and road network projects in the nautical highway spread economic growth and increased regional trade among the islands, boosted tourism, increased agricultural productivity, and enhanced logistics operations and strategies of the business sector.

“The nautical highways has impacted positively on the socio-economic development of the country and has achieved its objectives of reducing transport cost by 10 to 60 percent while offering several options for our farmers and agri-businessmen,” Lontok said.

With the government investment in ports and maritime safety, Lontok said the World Bank study showed the country’s logistics performance index increased from 2.69 in 2007 to 3.3 in early 2010.

Another major accomplishment of the Arroyo administration, Lontok said, was boosting the tourism industry through the upgrading and establishment of new tourism airports.

Lontok said these include the completion of the Davao International Airport, Bacolod-Silay International Airport and Iloilo International Airport; and the upgrading of other airports in tourism areas such as the Kalibo airport in Aklan; and Puerto Princesa City Airport and Busuanga Airport both in Palawan.

Lontok reported that yearly average growth rate in domestic air passenger traffic was recorded at 9.8 percent while international arrivals stood at 7.7 percent.

“Overall, domestic traffic almost doubled while international passenger traffic grew by 65 percent since 2001,” Lontok said.

Aside from growth in investments, Lontok said dramatic increase in passenger traffic were recorded in Busuanga, 500 percent; Ozamis City, 4,000 percent; Butuan, 300 percent; and Kalibo 400 percent.

To date, Lontok said the Philippines has also signed several air services agreement with other countries, contributing to the increase in international traffic.

Lontok said the country has signed the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) memorandum of understanding on air linkages, and the ASEAN multilateral agreement on air services and full liberalization of air freight services.

Lontok added major road networks completed include the closing of the loop from LRT-1 to MRT-3, which made travel around Metro Manila much easier.

Lontok said the Northrail linkage project which became operational last week will open rail network all the way to Bicol with the inauguration of the 50-meter San Cristobal bridge which was destroyed by Typhoons “Milenyo” and “Reming” in 2006.

“On June 25, we will have the first rail travel from Manila to Bicol,” Lontok announced.

Lontok said enhanced connectivity between growth centers came with the establishment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX); completion of the Alabang-Calamba Road; the finishing touches on the Calamba-Sto. Tomas, Batangas expressway route which will connect to the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway leading to the Batangas International Port.

Other important ongoing projects, Lontok said, are the South Metro Manila Skyway Stage 2 and the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway.


PGMA opens, declares renovated MET as National Cultural Treasure

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially opened today the newly-renovated Manila Metropolitan Theater, also popularly known as MET and one of Manila’s important cultural and architectural landmarks.

The Chief Executive led the unveiling of a marker from the National Museum, declaring MET as a National Cultural Treasure.

The President prompted the renovation of MET when she directed the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) to release P50 million in 2004 and authorized the release of another P50 million in 2009 to revive the glory of MET that promotes Filipino art forms and culture.

She was welcomed by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Presidential Assistant on Culture Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, NCCA Chairman Vilma Labrador, Manila Historical and Heritage Commission Vice-Chairperson Gemma Cruz-Araneta and MET Council co-chair German Moreno.

Also greeting the President were various cultural performances by the Cardona Musical Ensemble, St. Dominic Salvio College Dancers, PUP Banda Kawayan, DepEd Drum and Lyre and the beneficiaries of the Kalahi Cultural Caregiving program, a poverty alleviation project of the government which offers arts workshops to marginalized groups and the differently-abled.

In his brief speech, Mayor Lim thanked the President for the release of P100-million for MET’s renovation.

For her part, Alvarez lauded the President for the “special concern” she had shown to revive the MET.

“This has happened because of the special concern of the President that a National Treasure like the MET should not remain sleeping, but should be opened as a haven for the diversity of cultures of our country and the artistic genius of our people to be reflected,” she said.

“MET was an empty shell. And now, it is slowly being revived,” she added.

After the unveiling, the President made a tour and inspection of the renovated MET. Inside the theater, the President and the guests were given a taste of a Las Vegas-entertainment with a brief performance of dancers dressed in elaborate costumes, singing and performing aerobatic dance.

MET, also called the “grand dame” of theaters, is owned by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) with the City of Manila as the usufructuary and the NCCA as the general cultural oversight.

According to historical accounts, the theater was destroyed during the Battle of Manila in February 1945. Fortunately the building retained most of its structural integrity.

In the following decades, it was meticulously restored and it was declared as a National Landmark by the National Historical Institute upon its complete restoration in 1978.

In 1996, MET was closed down due to foreclosure.

The MET is an art deco building constructed in 1931 by Juan M. Arellano. Arcadio Arellano also an architect and brother of Juan complemented the work with adapted Philippine stylized ornamentation.

The front façade is of colored glass, colored tiles similar to transitional Malay cloth. Its grand foyer with elegant marble finish, graced two mural paintings done by Fernando Amorsolo and two figures of Francisco Riccardo Monti sculpture pieces. The highly stylized relief carvings of Philippine plants by the artist Isabelo Tampingco decorate the lobby walls and interior surfaces of the building.


PGMA’s farewell message

Below is the full text of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s speech aired over television and radio stations tonight:

My fellow Filipinos,

We come together tonight as we approach a hallmark of democracy for our great nation – the smooth transition of power to a new leader.

We have just come through a historic election. It was open and it was modern.

As a result, we were able to declare winners in hours and days rather than weeks and months. The face of politics in our nation has changed forever.

Tonight, I once again congratulate president-elect Aquino and vice president-elect Binay.

Nine years ago, I came to the presidency at a time of great turmoil in our nation. I accepted the challenge of the office when it was thrust upon me.

At that time, our country was reeling from political intrigue and a distressed economy.

We set to work to reform our economy and invest in our people. Along the way, we had to make unpopular choices such as raising taxes but we did so against the odds for a very simple reason: we had to have new money for more and better healthcare, education, and job creation.

We needed new and better roads, bridges, ports and a technology backbone to attract new businesses and investors to create new jobs.

Through hard work, determination and a clear plan of action, we helped achieve many of these objectives.

As a result, we have had 37 quarters of uninterrupted economic growth even against the headwinds of a major global recession.

Look around you in our cities as you drive by the office towers that have changed the skyline.

Look around you in our provinces as you drive along the roads, bridges and Ro-Ro ports where we have made massive investments.

This is the face of change.

Eighty-five percent of our people now have access to Philhealth insurance, over a hundred thousand classrooms have been built and nine-million jobs have been created.

We developed the call-center industry almost from scratch. Today there are 500,000 call-center and BPO jobs when only 5,000 existed when I took office.

Yet, these accomplishments are merely part of the continuum of history.

The gains I made were built on the efforts of previous leaders. Each successive government must build on the successes and progress of the previous one.

Advance the programs that work and leave behind those that don’t.

I feel confident that we are leaving this nation much stronger than I came to office but I leave that for history to judge.

Tonight, I call on everyone to unite behind our new leaders. I am optimistic and I am hopeful about our future yet until every Filipino child is born to a family free of poverty, we cannot rest.

We must always set our sights on the future and keep an eye on improving our economy, investing in people and building bridges, not just bridges of iron and steel but bridges between people, generations and governments.

The bridges we must build to the future rest on the hard work, grace and compassion of our people.

The people of our nation are our greatest asset.

You are the backbone that drives our nation forward everyday.

From the fisherman to the farmer, to the taxi driver and the teacher, we are a nation of industrious, hardworking people.

I thank each and everyone for your contribution to help the Philippines achieve our potential.

This time next week I will be moving into new phase of life leading a quieter public role.

We’re all on a journey together. As our nation moves forward let us all join hands in unity and walk confidently towards a better tomorrow.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the honor and privilege of serving you.

Malaking karangalan ang makapag-lingkod sa sambayanan bilang Pangulo.

Sa inyong lahat na napag-silbihan ko sa mahirap ngunit makasaysayang landas, maraming maraming salamat.


President Arroyo to inaugurate Bohol ex-communists’ new homes

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 23 (PNA) - The inauguration of the P6-million Kalayaan Resettlement Center in Barangay Remedios, Danao has been included in the Bohol sidetrip of the President’s farewell tour to provinces on June 28.

If President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can make it on Monday next week, she could breeze to Danao after the inauguration of the P500-million Ubay port expansion project.

By first day of June, the Engineer Support Battalion of the Philippine Army—under the command of Col. Ramon Evan Ruiz, had already finished constructing 18 of the 25 row houses intended for the beneficiaries that comprise the families of 15 former rebels or Kauban sa Reporma (comrades in reform) and 10 indigent residents in the area.

Ruiz expects the next tranche of the funding this week to continue with the construction of the seven remaining units, each costing P98,000- -with two rooms, a comfort room, and floor area of 20 square meters.

The families of the 15 KRs, led by Epitacio Ramirez- -once known as Kumander Vargas when still the strategist of the New People’s Army in the 1970s- -who had organized the Bohol Composite Farmers Association among themselves, and the 10 indigent farmers will develop the 50-hectare resettlement center, three kilometers from the Poblacion area, into a model community for development.

Malacañang allocated P3 million from the President’s Social Fund for the establishment of the Kalayaan resettlement center, for which the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and the provincial government contribute P1.5 million each.

OPAPP Secretary Annabelle Abaya had already confirmed the release of OPAPP’s allocation of P1.5 million in tranches.

Governor Erico Aumentado said the funding can already complete the installation of power supply and waterworks system in the 50-hectare resettlement community, especially the new residences of the beneficiaries.

The project components also include the construction of road leading to the resettlement community, construction of a community center, and installation of power supply and waterworks system, aside from the construction of 25 housing units for the beneficiaries.

After the installation of electrical wirings in the housing units and center facilities, the next task would be the installation of water supply with submersible pump and accessories and construction of water tank slated to be completed by July this year.

The Engineer Support Battalion targets to finish the construction of the multi-purpose concrete pavement by August.

OPAPP had released 15 percent of its P1.5-million counterpart or P225,000 right after the elections and the 65 percent or P975,000 will be released anytime this month upon the submission and acceptance of the certificate of power connection issued by Boheco, and the financial or disbursement report and bank reconciliation statement.

OPAPP will release the third tranche of P300,000 or 20 percent of its counterpart by September upon the submission and acceptance of the certificate of completion of installation of water supply with submersible pump and accessories, certificate of completion of the construction of water tank, certificate of water portability issued by the Provincial Health Office, certificate of construction of multi-purpose concrete pavement, final report on project completion and financial or disbursement report and bank reconciliation statement.

The provincial government submitted the concept on the establishment of Kalayaan Resettlement Center in response to OPAPP’s invitation to propose a project under the Projects for Peace under the thrust of “broadening and strengthening the participation of civil society organizations and local stakeholders on the peace process through peace building and peace advocacy”.


FairTrade to next admin: No new taxes, stop smuggling

MANILA, June 23 (PNA) -- The multisectoral Fair Trade Alliance (FairTrade) has called on the upcoming Aquino administration to look for various options in generating revenues for the government and reject the proposed imposition of new taxes.

“President-elect Benigno Aquino III must institute bold reforms, including the implementation of non-tax revenue measures,” FairTrade said.

In a statement, FairTrade said that one measure of generating revenues for the government is a no-nonsense drive against smuggling.

“Big-time smugglers and their cohorts in government should be hauled to prison. By By stamping out smuggling, the government will be able to close the annual fiscal gap and avoid the divisive and unfair imposition of new taxes,” the statement said.

“By stamping out smuggling, the government will also help save domestic industries being injured by cheap and untaxed imports and, therefore, help save local jobs, FairTrade added.

“A big step in stopping smuggling is the enactment into law of the Anti-Smuggling Bill which was not passed last Congress,” FairTrade said.

“We urge President-elect Aquino to certify as urgent the Anti-Smuggling Bill that will be filed this 15th Congress given the exigency of raising the needed revenues for the government,” the statement added.

FairTrade said that certifying the Anti-Smuggling Bill as urgent will definitely boost the chances of the said bill to be enacted into law this 15th Congress.

FairTrade has also called on President-elect Aquino to facelift revenue-generating agencies, Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) by installing competent and incorruptible officials in the said agencies.