Dec 012013
 
Palace: PNoy meeting with Customs chief Biazon set

Malacanang on Sunday confirmed that President Benigno Aquino III has called embattled Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon to a private meeting, presumably to discuss being implicated in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.  Communications Secretary Heminio Coloma said that the discussions could also include Biazon’s readiness to perform his duties despite the allegations against him.  “Ang sinabi nga po ng Pangulo, mag-uusap po sila ni Commissioner Biazon hinggil sa bagay na ito. Kaya po magkakaroon ng pag-uusap ang ating Pangulo at si Commissioner Biazon. Wari ko po’y tatalakayin ‘yung bagay na ‘yan,” Coloma said. However, when asked if Biazon still has the confidence of the President, Coloma said there have been no indications otherwise. “Wala namang indikasyon to the contrary. Ipinaliwanag ko po na simula pa ‘nung State of the Nation Address nang nagkaroon ng talakayan hinggil diyan sa bagay na ‘yan ay nailinaw naman po na hindi magbabago ang pananaw ng ating Pangulo hinggil sa kakayahan ni Commissioner Biazon na pangunahan ang Bureau of Customs,” he said.  “Sa buong daloy po ng mga pangyayari, simula pa ‘nung SONA noong 2013 hanggang po sa pagre-reorganisa ng Bureau of Customs, ay naipahiwatig naman po ng Pangulo ‘yung kanyang pagkakaroon ng buong pagtitiwala at kumpyansa sa kakayahan ni Commissioner Biazon,” Coloma said. Biazon, Muntinlupa representative from 2001 to 2010 and a party-mate of President Benigno Aquino, was the most surprising name among the 34 individuals comprising the second batch of criminal complaints in the PDAF scam. The cases were filed Friday morning.  Meanwhile, Read More …

Dec 012013
 
Palace gives hint of who is going to head Yolanda rehabilitation effort

Malacañang on Sunday gave a hint of the person it will choose to lead rehabilitation effort in Yolanda-hit areas, even as it stresed the great responsibility that the work entails. “‘Yun pong pangangasiwa sa rehabilitation efforts ay isa pong malaking responsibilidad at malaki po ang sakop nitong responsibilidad na ito. [Pero] wala po tayong pinag-uusapan dito na partikular na indibidwal,” Communications Secretary Hermino Coloma said in an interview aired over state-run DZRB. While maintaining that no particular person was talked about to head the rehabilitation efforts, in the same interview, Coloma did sing praises over the qualifications of former Senator Panfilo Lacson. “Kilala na po siya sa kanyang record ng paglilingkod. Naging director general po siya ng Philippine National Police bago po siya naging senador, at ‘yung kanya namang paglilingkod [as] senador for two terms ay maganda naman po ang kanyang record bilang legislator at public servant,” Coloma said. Coloma said disaster relief was the primary discussions during Friday’s cabinet meeting, where the President and his men also discussed other calamities that befell the country. He said members of the Cabinet are all ready and able to perform their duties, but that the President is studying ways to make relief efforts more efficient. “Nandiyan na rin po ‘yung responsibilidad ng mga kalihim ng Gabinete na nangunguna sa kanilang mga kagawaran. Pero kakaiba rin po ‘yung sitwasyon na marami po tayong kinakaharap na hamon ng pagbabagong-tatag, pagre-rehabilitate, at muling pagsasaayos o reconstruction,” he said. “Kaya ‘yan po siguro ang dapat na Read More …

Dec 012013
 
Women-friendly spaces set up at Yolanda evacuation centers

Women-friendly spaces have been set up at evacuation centers for female survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), especially those who need to breastfeed their children. The DSWD said the women-friendly spaces (WFS) will also let the women survivors get counseling and learn about health and well-being. Initially, the DSWD said five WFS had been set up at the Redemptorist Church, San Fernando Community School, San Jose Elementary School, Rizal Central School, and the Tacloban Convention Center. The DSWD said the WFS also serves as a venue for women to interact and share stories as part of their coping mechanism to overcome their trauma. Social workers trained in stress debriefing are on hand to guide them. The DSWD said the establishment of the WFS is integrated in evacuation camp management, which seeks to respond to the effects of displacement on women and children. WFS strategy focal person Alona Bermejo said this project, where the WFS can be set up in a classroom or even a tent, is co-funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The DSWD said the WFS concept taps service providers in providing psycho-social support for the internally displaced women as well as medical, reproductive health services and basic food and non-food needs. “Beneficiaries of the WFS will become part of the local government unit referral system where they will be accessed to different agencies for livelihood opportunities,” the DSWD said. — LBG, GMA News

Dec 012013
 
US Church to play active role in Yolanda victims’ recovery phase

After committing $20 million in aid for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the humanitarian arm of the United States’ Catholic Church is gearing up to help restore the livelihood of many of the survivors. The Philippine embassy in Washington on Sunday said Catholic Relief Services is now planning for the recovery phase along with its partners. Philippine ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. was quoted in a news release of the embassy as saying the recovery phase will include “restoring livelihoods for almost 500,000 people in Palo, Ormoc [in Leyte] and Basey [in Samar] by restarting cultivation of staple crops, vegetable crops and poultry and providing cash for work for people to clear up their neighborhoods.” Earlier, the embassy said the CRS had committed more than $20 million in emergency aid. For now, the Embassy said CRS is working with Caritas Philippines, the Philippine government and other humanitarian organizations in assisting affected communities. “We feel not just the prayers of the Church in the United States but also the concrete help that it continues to provide for our people. And we are extremely grateful,” Cuisia said. He added that while the road to recovery will be long, “with sustained prayers, I know that our people will overcome these trials and continue to see the work of our good Lord even in these most difficult of times.” Cuisia commended the CRS for being among the first relief organizations to respond to Yolanda. He said CRS distributed thousands of temporary shelters for victims Read More …