Maniolas

TACLOBAN CITY – United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) for Asia, Denise Rollins led the launch of the US-funded reconstruction and recovery activities in Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan)-affected areas. Accompanied by USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria D. Steele, AA Rollins has been visiting program sites and engaging with local leaders and families that represent the wide scope of USAID’s work, from government officials, to business and community pioneers, to survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Her visit reinforces the US’ commitment to the Partnership for Growth – a bilateral agreement with the Government of the Philippines (GPH) to achieve broad-based, inclusive and resilient growth in the country. In Leyte, the US Embassy Manila’s USAID Rebuild program, which will be implemented in close partnership with the Government of the Philippines (GPH), focuses on restoring access to education, health services and livelihood activities, and providing technical assistance to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery. AA Rollins said: “The US Government is committed to help restore normalcy in the lives of the affected families. We will continue our work with our GPH partners to help the province build back better, to be more resilient to future disasters, and ultimately work towards a more stable, prosperous nation that can achieve broad-based and inclusive growth.” Leyte officials attended the launch ceremonies led by Governor Dominic L. Petilla, Congressman Martin Romualdez. An event was held at the San Fernando Central School, where the US government will construct a P21 million (US$480,000) school building Read More …

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda: Friendly initiatives, please. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–On the day the Philippines and China were commemorating their 13th Friendship Day, Beijing on Monday denounced Manila and Hanoi for holding “friendly games” on a disputed island in the Spratlys archipelago. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying’s description of the event as a “clumsy farce” did not sit well with President Benigno Aquino’s spokesperson, who reminded Beijing yesterday of the two countries’ friendly relations. “We wish to gladly inform China that we just celebrated yesterday the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day and perhaps, instead of condemning the friendly games between the Philippines and Vietnam, China should focus on engaging the Philippines in friendly initiatives,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters. Despite the latest verbal attack, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the government remained hopeful that China would “see the meaning of what we are doing and the good [it would bring], that we would have peace in our minds and in our actions.” Mr. Aquino was set to deliver a speech last night at the joint celebration of Philippines Independence Day and the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day at the Manila Hotel. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua was also scheduled to speak at the event. Beijing was irked over the decision by the Philippines and Vietnam to hold joint games by their troops last Sunday. They played volleyball, football and tug-of-war on Southwest Cay Island, which is occupied by Vietnam. “We’re trying to set an example. We want to show that there can be other approaches to the disputes that can Read More …

AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Tacloban City in Leyte, an area badly hit by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” (Haiyan) is now part of the Cities Development Initiative (CDI) of United States Agency for International Aid (USAID). “I am proud we can come in and work with the city. It wasn’t originally part of the CDI but now it will be to help them rebuild.  I’m proud that after the humanitarian side, we’re now talking about rebuilding and rehabilitating,” said Denise Rolins, USAID’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Asia on Tuesday. Rollins is in the country for a six-day visit from June 6 to 11, and from Manila she toured areas in Mindanao and Tacloban City. Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo and Batangas were originally the pilot cities under CDI, which seeks to “ignite secondary cities as engines of economic growth.” “You have a mayor who is very committed to development the city… If you partner with leadership that wants to get something done, you begin to see results,” she said of Cagayan de Oro. In Tacloban, she led the launch of USAID Rebuild, the US government’s rehabilitation program in Typhoon Yolanda-affected areas. Overall, the US government support is estimated at approximately $142.5 million in response to Yolanda. “I’m coming seven months after the typhoon hit, so I didn’t see the initial effects. But you can see that people are starting to recover. You see housing that’s going back up, housing and office buildings that are being renovated. You can see a lot of improvement,”  Read More …

By Kristine Angeli SabilloINQUIRER.net 8:26 pm | Tuesday, June 10th, 2014 President Benigno Aquino III AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III and the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines exchanged messages of peace during the celebration of the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day on Tuesday. “Peace and stability are necessary components…for everybody’s progress,” Aquino said before thanking Zhao Jianhua for his “poignant” and “kind” words. “We are both committed to improving the lot and circumstances of our people,” he said. Zhao said he was optimistic that things would turn out better amid the territorial disputes between the Philippines and his country. “The Chinese government has always attached great importance to its relationship with the Philippines,” he said. “I believe we have the wisdom, the patience and the courage to settle the dispute through negotiations and consultations,” the ambassador added. Both Aquino and Zhao were invited by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) for their joint celebration of the 116th Philippine Independence Day and the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day. At the start of the program, FFCCCII President Alfonso Sis said the Filipino-Chinese community is “confident” that the friendship between the two countries “will not be disturbed by the current territorial dispute issue.” He said they are hoping for an “amicable resolution,” taking into consideration the “advantages of sustained economic cooperation and trade ties” of the Philippines and China. RELATED STORIES Justice Carpio debunks China’s historical claim Friendly PH-Vietnam football game irks China  Follow Us Other Stories: PH Read More …