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Military assesses ‘Bayanihan’ effects

General

Oct 232014

Philippine Daily Inquirer 7:48 am | Friday, October 24th, 2014 Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines’ highest military officials gathered at Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday for the third-quarter command conference to assess the country’s security campaigns. Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang presided over the conference that was attended by the commanders of the major services, unified commands, AFP-wide service support units and other major ground units of the Army, Air Force and Navy. The ground commanders briefed Catapang on the internal peace and security plan they called IPSP Bayanihan, which has been fine-tuned to focus military operations on armed threat groups. “IPSP Bayanihan has not only remained on track but has brought significant gains the past year, particularly in addressing the communist insurgency,” said an AFP statement released after the conference. “Through successful internal peace and security operations, more (communist) New People’s Army rebels are now surrendering to the government fold and their influence and mass base support continue to wane,” it said. Only two complaints of human rights violations against soldiers have been brought out since the start of the year, the statement said. Catapang pushed for the enactment of a “peace dividends” law that would allow the AFP to ask the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for land on which its people could plant high-yield crops like coffee, cocoa and bamboo. Cynthia D. Balana Follow Us Other Stories: Amalilio still on Interpol Read More …

Aquino: Any ransom paid wasn’t from me

News

Oct 202014

By Christian V. Esguerra, Cynthia D. Balana |Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:37 am | Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 President Aquino: No government money AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–If ransom was paid to secure freedom for German hostages Viktor Stefan Okonek, 71, and Henrite Dielen, 55, last week, no government money was spent, President Aquino assured the public on Monday. “Well, nothing came from the Office of the President, I can assure you that. I didn’t authorize anything from the Office of the President,” he told reporters in Leyte. The terror group claimed it freed Okonek and Dielen after they received a P250-million ransom. But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma insisted the Abu Sayyaf was forced to release the hostages due to “intense pressure” from government troops. Aquino downplayed the issue of stopping ransom to free the captives, saying his focus was on the Abu Sayyaf. “We’ve had this problem with the Abu Sayyaf for a long time. It affects our relationship with various neighboring countries. There’s been no letup [in their atrocities] and I think the state should match that by pursuing them with no letup as well,” he said. “There’s no more safe area [for them]. We really shouldn’t stop going after them and that’s what we are doing now,” he said. According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang, the military is catching up with fleeing Abu Sayyaf members who still hold several hostages, with the capture of their third camp in Patikul, Sulu. Read More …

No BSP action on interest rates seen this week

General

Oct 202014

No BSP action on interest rates seen this week

Policymaking Monetary Board to meet on Thursday By Paolo G. Montecillo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 1:30 am | Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 Interest rates will likely be kept steady this week as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) uses the leeway given by stabilizing consumer prices to further cement the country’s real economic growth prospects. Bank projections gathered by the Inquirer showed that a pause in the BSP’s current tightening cycle was all but assured as the policy-making Monetary Board meets this Thursday. “The BSP is unlikely to go all-out at this juncture, particularly since there are now doubts over fiscal policy outlook going into 2015,” DBS analyst Gundy Cahyadi said in a note to investors on Monday. DBS was one of nine banks that expect the BSP to keep its benchmark overnight borrowing and lending dates steady at 4 and 6 percent, respectively, this Thursday. Monetary officials have been tightening policy settings since April of this year as inflation crept up from last year’s lows. The BSP’s main goal is to keep prices stable to protect consumers’ purchasing power. It does so by adjusting interest rates and controlling the amount of money circulating in the economy. Banks were told earlier this year to set aside more of their clients’ deposits as reserves. Yields on special deposit accounts and the BSP’s own deposit rates were also hiked to encourage banks to park more of their idle cash with the central bank. These moves influence the amount of money banks lend to Read More …

Pemberton must show up Tuesday–De Lima

News

Oct 202014

By Christine O. Avendaño, Jerome C. Aning |Philippine Daily Inquirer 1:07 am | Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 The USS Peleliu at Subic Bay where US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton (inset) is reportedly held until the investigation of the US soldier’s involvement in the killing of a Filipino transgender in Olongapo City is done. AP/INSET PHOTO FROM PEMBERTO’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT MANILA, Philippines–US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton has no reason not to appear in Tuesday’s preliminary investigation of the killing of transgender Filipino Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Monday. “The city prosecutor will insist on his personal appearance so that no one will say that there is special treatment, so that it cannot be said that the stance of the government, especially the Department of Justice, is soft, considering that the case is now in our level,” De Lima told reporters. “If he does not appear and does not submit an affidavit, then his right to file one will be considered waived. The prosecutor will not readily accept a counteraffidavit that is not sworn to and subscribed before him,” she said. The US Embassy said on Sunday it would produce Pemberton but his appearance in legal proceedings was for his lawyer to decide. ‘For his own sake’ Pemberton, who is being held aboard the USS Peleliu, which is docked at the Subic Bay Freeport, should appear at the preliminary investigation “for his own sake,” according to the Department of Foreign Read More …

Aquino: No need to junk VFA

General

Oct 202014

‘Priority to give Jennifer justice’ By Christian V. Esguerra |Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:31 am | Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 ‘YESTERDAY’S HEROES’ President Aquino graces the 70th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing at MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Candahug, Palo, Leyte province, on Monday. The event’s theme, “Leyte 1944, Leyte 2014: Yesterday’s Heroes, Today’s Inspiration on the Road to Recovery,” recalls the role of American troops led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur during World War II, when his promise, “I shall return,” became some sort of a battle cry. RYAN LIM/MALACAÑANG PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino on Monday rejected calls for the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) following the killing of a transgender Filipino allegedly by a US Marine in Olongapo City more than a week ago. Speaking with reporters in Palo town, Leyte province, the President said the government’s priority was to ensure that the victim, Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, would get justice. “Why do we need to abrogate the VFA? I mean, name me any place that doesn’t have crime. And the sin of one person should be reflective of the entire country? I don’t think so,” he said. “What’s important is [that since] a crime has been committed, get all the evidence that will prove the guilt of the person behind this, and achieve justice,” Aquino said. The President said Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg were now “working to resolve this issue” of the United States having custody Read More …

Trading firm denies involvement in corn smuggling cases

General

Oct 162014

Trading firm denies involvement in corn smuggling cases

By Ronnel W. Domingo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:12 am | Friday, October 17th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines–A trading firm has cried foul over allegations by a group of local corn producers and consumers about its supposed involvement in the technical smuggling of the grain which is used to make animal feed. According to the Romulo Jacome & Baculio law firm, the accusation against its client Agri-Multicom Traders Corp. “is patently false.” Over the past few weeks, the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. has appealed to authorities to investigate and stop what they describe as technical smuggling of at least 500,000 tons of corn from Argentina and Brazil. In separate letters addressed Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, Customs Commissioner John Phillip P. Sevilla and Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr., PhilMaize said the shipments were misdeclared as coming from Vietnam and Thailand to take advantage of lower tariffs enjoyed by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). PhilMaize president Roger V. Navarro said in the letters that the importers should have paid duties of up to 50 percent of the shipments’ value if the real countries of origin were declared. But because the goods were supposedly coming from within Southeast Asia, they paid only 5 percent in duties. “It is very clear in this transaction that the (supplier) Vina Commodities was issued by the government of Vietnam the certificate of origin, (the only purpose of which) is to help Philippine importers evade payment of the correct tariff,” Navarro said. In a Read More …

PH eyes other forms of help to fight Ebola

News

Oct 162014

PH eyes other forms of help to fight Ebola

By Tina G. Santos |Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:24 am | Friday, October 17th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Health (DOH) is considering other forms of assistance, besides deploying volunteer health workers, for the Ebola-stricken countries of West Africa. “As of the moment, we’re not sending health workers to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,” DOH spokesman Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy said in a press briefing on Thursday. “We are looking at other ways of providing assistance. When you say help, it doesn’t necessarily have to be about human resources. We need not be physically present there to be able to help,” said Lee Suy. “Assistance could be in the form of financial aid if we have enough funds, or in kind, like hygiene kits for instance,” he added. He said health officials continue to evaluate the feasibility of heeding the call to dispatch more doctors and nurses to Ebola-hit countries. “We need to evaluate everything, we need to see how feasible it is. But as of the moment we’re not taking on the call,” he explained, stressing that the government was now focused on strengthening the country’s preparedness to prevent the disease from reaching Philippine soil. Health Secretary Enrique Ona earlier said that the government was discussing the possibility of sending health workers to West Africa in response to a global call to help stem the spread of the deadly disease. But this was opposed by the Philippine Medical Association and the Philippine College of Physicians, saying it would be better Read More …

Investment pledges up 6.2% in 9 months

General

Oct 142014

Commitments only worth half of Peza target for 2014 By Amy R. Remo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:32 am | Wednesday, October 15th, 2014 Peza Director General Lilia de Lima MANILA, Philippines–Investment pledges approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) grew by 6.2 percent to P148 billion in the first nine months of 2014 from P139.6 billion a year ago, driven largely by the expansion activities of ecozone locators. Most of the investments are supposed to fund projects engaged in manufacturing, Peza director general Lilia de Lima said on the sidelines of the International IT-BPM Summit yesterday. The approved pledges from January to September, however, were only worth half of the agency’s target of P299 billion for the year—8 percent higher than the P276.13 billion worth of investments approved in 2013. But according to De Lima, the agency is optimistic that it will be able to meet its target for 2014. The projects to be approved in the last quarter, she said, are expected to boost the total investment commitments. Peza’s 2014 target was based on the agency’s performance in the previous years. It also considered the global market situation and other factors, including movement of electronics products and devices in the world market, growth of the global automotive industry, the upgrade of electronic and electrical machinery, modernization of equipment, and the continuing upgrade of medical devices. Data further showed that, as of end-August, exports from ecozones managed by Peza inched up by 3.8 percent to $29.03 billion, from the Read More …

PH may send health workers to West Africa

News

Oct 102014

PH may send health workers to West Africa

DOH Secretary Enrique Ona. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it was seriously considering sending Filipino medical professionals to West Africa to help battle the worst Ebola outbreak in history. At a press conference during the National Ebola Virus Disease Summit on Friday, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the government will arrive at a decision on the matter within the week as the deadly virus continues to ravage three countries in West Africa. Cases of the disease have also been reported in Spain and the United States. “We are discussing this very intensively and thoroughly because there are implications on both sides,” admitted Ona. On Thursday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon appealed for “at least a 20-fold surge in assistance,” including the dispatch of trained medical personnel volunteers. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has also appealed for augmentation in medical personnel even as he noted that the international community was not responding fast enough. Ona yesterday said the Philippines can assist in nursing care but could also send epidemiologists, laboratory staff and public health experts. Should Malacañang decide to send Filipino volunteer health workers, Ona said the number will depend on the needs in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, and the assurance of safety of the volunteers. “This would have to be purely voluntary and the safety of the health workers must be of primordial importance… that has to be discussed. [But] our position is that we are going to help, we Read More …

Aquino conferred highest Indon award

News

Oct 102014

President Benigno S. Aquino III AP FILE PHOTO BALI, Indonesia—As a testament to the close friendship between Indonesia and the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III on Friday received the highest award the Indonesian government can give to those who have rendered extraordinary service to its nation. At the sidelines of the two-day Bali Democracy Forum here, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conferred on Mr. Aquino the “Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna (Star of the Republic of Indonesia).” “This award I receive today represents the rich, historical relations between our countries. On top of that, however, it is also a recognition of the boundless potential of our partnership, and of our continuing task of exploring areas of cooperation and increasing our synergies in every possible manner, all for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” Mr. Aquino said in remarks during the brief conferment ceremony. The President is the first Filipino to be given the award. Two Filipinos—Narciso Ramos and Carlos P. Romulo, two former Philippine foreign secretaries—had received the second highest award. In an interview before he flew back to Manila on Friday, Mr. Aquino said the diplomatic relations of the Philippines and Indonesia will not change even with the change of leadership in this country on Oct. 20 when President-elect Joko Widodo is sworn in. “The change of leadership does not necessarily mean a change of track,” Mr. Aquino said, noting that the Philippines and Indonesia share common interests. Officials who were with Mr. Aquino here said the President had so Read More …

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