Aquino assures that government continues efforts towards achieving inclusive growth and in gaining confidence of business partners

President Benigno S. Aquino III assured that his government continues to make strides towards inclusive growth and in gaining the confidence of its partners in business.

"Good governance has cleared the path for our people’s resurgence. We remain firm on this principle, as we continue to invest towards infrastructure and in our greatest resource: the Filipino people," the Chief Executive said in his message to the delegates and participants of the Manufacturing Technology Cebu 2013.

Machinery, technology, furniture and tourism stakeholders gathered on Thursday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel for a three-day forum, "Manufacturing Technology Cebu 2013."

The event, hosted by Global-Link MP Events International Inc. (GLMP), will end on July 27.

"May this occasion complement our advancement with stronger partnerships that will herald our country’s thriving economic and cultural landscape, and innovations that lend advantages for the Filipino," the President stressed.

"With your support, we can translate our gains into more opportunities and bring to fulfillment a more prosperous and equitable tomorrow. I urge you to discover for yourselves the competence of our citizens, the richness and diversity of our heritage, and the culture of integrity and excellence that makes business more fun in the Philippines," he said.

Aquino administration promoting new media culture, encouraging quality public discourse  on all matters of national interest, Coloma says

The Aquino administration is promoting a new media culture that aims at engaging the citizenry and the mass media to quality public discourse on all matters of national interests, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. said on Thursday.

In his keynote speech entitled "Digital Mass Media: The Orient Rising," during the "The 2013 Digital Asia Conference: The Orient Rising" held at the One Esplanade, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Coloma urged the media to join the government in adopting the new media culture.

"And this is a culture that is truthful, fair and respectful. Everyday, we are bombarded with tons of information. I believe that it is our responsibility to filter and verify the information that we receive. We should not allow the use of advance techonology to propagate confusion. It is important for us to verify facts, to respect privacy and people's rights and to give all stakeholders the opportunity to reply or be heard," he said.

"We promote civility and productive use of social media platforms and channels. The PCOO manages and administers the President’s official Facebook page as well as other social media sites to reach out to Filipinos nationwide. The President has 2,925,501 friends in facebook.com/presidentnoy and some 1,647,056 followers in twitter@noynoyaquino," he said.

As the lead communications arm of the government, Coloma said the PCOO serves as a tool for informing, educating, enlightening the citizenry about matters of national importance and for inspiring the citizenry to deepen their civic engagement.

The PCOO also serves as the primary vehicle for consciousness-raising, constituency-building, and social mobilization in support of the policies, programs, and projects of the Presidency.

"A well informed citizenry can make decisions that will enable them to shape a better future for themselves, their families and our country," Coloma said.

He also laid down the actions being undertaken by the government to effectively communicate with the people.

"We have a President that places great emphasis on getting feedback from the people. He would like to know the sentiments of our people. Government is a primary source of information," he said.

"What can we do together? First, we can generate feedbacks from stakeholders and work with clients in shaping meaningful information. Another thing, we must ensure that information must convey and propagate values. We must also provide information to the public that inspire and prompts action," he said.

Overhaul of Customs Bureau expected to resolve alleged anomalies, says Palace

All the anomalies in the Bureau of Customs will be addressed once the reform planned by the Aquino administration is carried out, Malacanang said on Thursday.

In one interview, Customs Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim said some information about smuggling can’t be verified and remains debatable because they are receiving it through informal process.

But whatever statements that some Customs officials are saying, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that drastic changes will be seen in the bureau once the Aquino government implements the reforms mentioned by the President in his State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

“It’s up to the President. We will let you know. But it was a very emphatic statement in the SONA, so action is being done, as we speak," he said.

In his SONA, the President said the Bureau of Customs has been competing with other reportedly corrupt government agencies and the practice must be corrected.

Despite the administration’s thrust to clean up the bureau, smuggling of goods, drugs and weapons remain unabated, the President noted.

The Department of Finance estimated that government loses some P200 billion as a result of rampant smuggling.

“Hindi maaaring ganito ang kalakaran sa pamahalaan. Kung hindi mo nagagawa ang iyong trabaho, hindi ka karapat-dapat na manatili sa puwesto,” the President said.

POEA announces job hiring in Japan

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 25 (PIA) -- The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Regional Extension Unit 10 announced that the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS) is in need of 51 nurses and 146 care workers for deployment in Japan.

Nurse applicants must be physically and psychologically fit, 20 to 35 years old, with at least three years hospital experience and board license.

Applicants for care workers must also be physically and psychologically fit, 20 to 35 years old, graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (under board) or any allied profession, or any four year course and certified as caregiver by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Qualified applicants are advised to register online at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph and personally submit necessary application documents to the POEA Regional Extension Unit 10 located at G/F Trinidad Building, Yacapin Street corner Corrales Avenue, this city, or to the Manpower Registry Division, Ground Floor, POEA Bldg. at EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City.

Documents to be submitted include resume with one piece 2x2 picture, college diploma, transcript of records, official passport, NBI clearance for travel abroad, as well as employment certificates and valid PRC ID for nurse applicants and valid TESDA Certificate for care workers applicants.

The deadline of submission is on July 31, 2013. (APB/PIA-10)

ARMM to establish 24/7 emergency response team

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 25 -- The Autonomous of the Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government will be establishing a 24/7 on call response team in the coming weeks to improve the handling of humanitarian emergencies in the region, regional officials announced Wednesday.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said a program called ARMM Humanitarian Emergency Response Team (HEART) will be formed to provide immediate assistance during crisis and lead emergency preparedness in disaster or conflict prone areas in the region.

ARMM HEART will be on standby for 24 hours in a week, she said.

Alamia said the program is expected to allow the ARMM government to respond quickly to disaster and displacements with a ready mechanism at hand.

“Whenever there are conflicts or disasters, ARMM HEART will be on top of things, round the clock. We like to be ready all the time,” she said.

The region continues to be hounded by intermittent crises, both natural and man-made, that disrupt the living of affected communities.

Alamia said they will be coordinating with civil society groups, some United Nations and national agencies in the creation of the ARMM HEART.

The former chair of the newly created human rights commission office in ARMM said the administration of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman will work to address the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) even as it continues to push for a durable peace in Mindanao.

According to her, the regional government is planning to put up a warehouse in the mainland and in Zamboanga City to stock up on emergency relief goods.

Meanwhile, Alamia said they are closely monitoring reported conflicts in the towns of Datu Piang and Mustapha Saidona in Maguindanao, which erupted early this week.

She said workers from the region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have been deployed to assess conditions in the affected areas. (BPI-ARMM)

DAR-North Bukidnon turns over 3.182 km. FMR to LGU

MALABALAY CITY,Bukidnon July 25 (PIA) -- The Department of Agrarian Reform North Bukidnon Provincial Office (DAR-North Bukidnon) turned over to the local government unit of San Fernando, Bukidnon on Thursday, July 18 the newly completed Barangay Namnam-Sitio Langasihan farm-to-market-road project.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) granted a soft loan to finance the implementation of the FMR under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project Phase III (ARISP III) with contract cost of P10-million.

DAR Assistant Regional Director for Operations Nicanor V. Peralta handed the symbolic key during the ceremonial turnover to San Fernando, Bukidnon counselors Cesaria Lauron and Rogelio Yeke.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Julio C. Celestiano, Jr. assisted Peralta during the project turn-over as barangay officials and residents witnessed the event.

The ceremony kick-off with the unveiling of the marker and inaugural drive through the 3.182 km farm-to-market-road. (Ferdinand E. Villanueva-DAR/JCV/PIA)

Hataman enforces prudent fiscal policy in ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 25 --- The administration of Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be instituting fiscal prudence among agencies and offices in the regional bureaucracy as means to advance necessary reforms.

In a conference with the local media, ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia said a memorandum has been issued by the ARMM Governor that sets up a system on procedural flowchart to safeguard financial transactions of the regional government and its attached line agencies.

She said the streamlined scheme will help curb anomalies and dubious transactions while, at the same time, provide means to gauge the performance of every agency or office.

The scheme, she said, adheres and refines existing rules on accountability, procurement procedures, salary and honorarium disbursement, issuance of authority to travel and other financial transactions.

Moreover, heads of offices have been required to submit complete inventory of government equipment and property under their care, personnel and report on the disbursement of capital outlay in adherence to the policy of transparency and open governance.

Said officials had also been required to submit work and financial plan as benchmark of their accomplishment which will then be assessed to conform to the pillars of reform espoused by the present ARMM administration.

“We are now setting the standards by which the secretaries will be evaluated,” Alamia added. (BPI-ARMM)