Maniolas

United States of America President Barack Obama delivers his remarks during the joint press statement with President Benigno S. Aquino III after the bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel on Wednesday (November 18), at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday said the US government has a “rock solid commitment to the defense of the Philippines” as the validity of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) hangs before the Supreme Court (SC). Obama faced the media after a one-hour bilateral meeting with President Benigno Aquino III at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. “With respect to Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, obviously, the Philippines has to go through its process in the Supreme Court review. But we are confident that it is going to get done and we are going to be able to implement effectively the provisions and the ideas that have come forward during the course of these discussions,” said Obama. President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges views with United States of America President Barack Obama during the expanded bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel on Wednesday (November 18), at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. (MNS photo) The SC has deferred at least twice its ruling on the petitions questioning the Philippines’ EDCA with the US. Under EDCA, the US will be allowed to build structures, store as well as preposition weapons, defense supplies and materiel, station troops, Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye during the expanded bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel on Wednesday (November 18, 2015), at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. (MNS Photo) MANILA, Nov 19 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S. Aquino III and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye expressed their willingness to boost their cooperation, during a bilateral meeting held on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Wednesday. According to Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., the Philippines is keen to increase bilateral trade, encouraging South Korean companies to invest in shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, food production, food processing and agribusiness, electronics, energy and renewable energy, finance and banking, infrastructure and public-private-partnership (PPP) projects, such as the development of the Puerto Princesa airport in Palawan. He said the Philippines thanked South Korea for supporting such projects as the Jalaur Multi-Purpose Project, Laguindingan Airport air navigation system and support facilities, and the Samar Pacific coastal road project that South Korea committed to support until 2018. “We are pleased with the robust logistics corporation between our two countries, as manifested by the Philippines’ acquisition of various defense material, most notably the FA-50 aircraft. We appreciate Korea’s donation of a patrol combat corvette, a landing craft utility, and 16 rubber boats to improve our military’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities,” Secretary Coloma quoted President Aquino as saying during the bilateral meeting, held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City. The Palace official Read More …

President Aquino (right) and US President Barack Obama shake hands prior to the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders meeting in Manila on Wednesday. US President Barack Obama offered the Philippines a warship as part of a 250-million USD aid package to Southeast Asian allies.(MNS photo) MANILA, Nov 18 (Mabuhay) — The United States reaffirmed its alliance with the Philippines in the just concluded closed-door bilateral talks between US President Barack Obama and President Aquino. Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said Obama spoke of the strength of the US and Philippine alliance which would continue to be enhanced through joint exercises and by working with multilateral organizations. Obama emphasized his country’s advocacy on freedom of navigation and freedom of aviation. In a joint press conference, Obama told reporters of the importance of the enhanced defense cooperation agreement (EDCA) with the Philippines which has been stalled due to a case pending before the Supreme Court. Obama said he is confident that the EDCA would be implemented effectively, reaffirming the “solid commitment” of the US to “the defense of the Philippines.” “The broader point is that, as a treaty ally, we have a rock solid commitment to the defense of the Philippines,” he said. Aquino thanked Obama for assisting the Philippines in strengthening its maritime security capability or the capability to guard its borders with the construction of the National Coast Watch Center. He also expressed support for US efforts to fight terrorism and in promoting cybersecurity cooperation. The Philippines Read More …

Members of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) show consumer goods equivalent to the proposed salary increase for government workers during a press conference on Thursday. The group raised concerns on the sufficiency of the proposed 45% increase under the Salary Standardization Law.(MNS photo) MANILA, Nov 18 (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered the Housing and Urban Development and Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to refund more than P9.693 million in alleged unauthorized bonuses and incentives awarded to its officials and employees in 2014. In an annual audit report posted on its website last week, the COA said executives and personnel of HUDCC received the bonuses and incentives in two instances without a valid legal basis. Based on the COA records, a total of P6.727 million was released by the HUDCC”s Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) to its officials and personnel as a form of Personnel Incentive Award (PIA). The state auditors said such award has no legal basis as it was not among the incentives authorized under Item 4 (h) of the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Resolution No. 04 or the Performance Based Incentive System (PBIS) institutionalized in 2012 under Executive Order No. 80. “We noted that the HUDCC PRAISE granted the PIA based on the criteria that the agency achieved 90 percent of its overall target set for the year,” the COA report said. “This was a deviation from EO No. 80 as this was just Read More …

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. with Ambassador Roberto Romulo (standing, L), Ramon del Rosario, Jr., President and CEO of Philippine Investment Management, Inc. and PHINMA Corporation (seated, L), and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario at the 2015 Asia CEO Awards on 11 November 2015 at the Marriott Hotel in Manila. (Photo courtesy of Rose Silva). WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of excellence in leadership, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. was conferred the Lifetime Contributor Award (public sector) by the Asia CEO Forum on 11 November 2015 at the Marriott Hotel in Manila. Each year, the Asia CEO Awards recognizes extraordinary leaders and leadership teams who have demonstrated outstanding achievement for their organizations and contributions to their fields. In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. thanked the organization for the award. “I am deeply humbled to be receiving the Lifetime Contributor Award. I offer my sincerest appreciation to the Asia CEO Forum, represented by Mr. Richard Mills and the board of judges, for this tremendous honor. I also wish to congratulate my fellow awardees for their sterling achievements,” said Ambassador Cuisia. He described his entry into the diplomatic world as a milestone in his professional journey and talked about the unique responsibility of every Philippine Ambassador to the United States to harness the potential of the 3.4 million-strong Filipino-American community. “I never imagined I would ever become a diplomat. For this, I have President Aquino and Foreign Affairs Secretary Del Rosario to thank for entrusting me with Read More …