Palace: No reason to impeach PNoy over smoking

 News
Feb 042014
 

President Benigno Aquino III has never violated any rules on smoking which may be grounds for impeachment, a Palace spokesman said Tuesday.

“The President is following all of the laws of the land regarding this matter. Batid naman natin na kailanman hindi siya lumalabag sa mga batas hinggil diyan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters during an ambush interview.

He issued the statement after Civil Service Commission Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo was quoted as saying that the President is violating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which disallows smoking in government premises.

He added that the only way to discipline Aquino was to file an impeachment case against him.

Coloma, however, said Aquino has never violated this.

“Sa lahat ng pagkakataon na nakasama ko siya sa pagpupulong o anumang function ay hindi ko siya nakitang nagsigarilyo,” he said.

The Palace official added that the President has always been supportive of measures seeking to reduce the hazards of smoking, like the Sin Tax Reform Law. —KG, GMA News

PNoy ready to certify supplemental budget if needed

 News
Nov 212013
 
PNoy ready to certify supplemental budget if needed

If needed, Malacañang said President Benigno III will certify as urgent the measure seeking a supplemental budget. “Kung kinakailangan po ‘yun ay gagawin po ‘yun,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press conference on Thursday. He was pertaining to Senate Bill 1938, filed a day after the Supreme Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional, which proposes a supplemental budget that will divide the PDAF among seven government agencies for reconstruction efforts in the wake of recent calamities that hit the country, including the deadly Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). On Thursday, Coloma said the executive branch is working with Congress and that they are “willing to do what is needed to get the job done.” “Kailangan lang malaman iyong magiging daloy ng prosesong ito sa magkabilang Kamara. We do not want also to preempt dahil po kinikilala natin iyong independence ng Kongreso,” he said. On Wednesday, the death toll from Yolanda breached the 4,000 mark. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the number of fatalities stood at 4,011, with 18,557 injured and 1,602 still missing. —KG, GMA News

For finishing the printing of ballots ahead of schedule, NPO personnel to receive bonuses

 News
Apr 032013
 
For finishing the printing of ballots ahead of schedule, NPO personnel to receive bonuses

Comelec, Palace officials witness printing of last ballot . Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. (center), Comelec Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, and Presidential Communications Operations Sec. Herminio Coloma (2nd left) witness the ceremonial printing of the last ballot at the National Printing Office in Quezon City on Wednesday. Tina Panganiban-Perez For finishing the printing of more than 52 million ballots three weeks ahead of schedule, 485 personnel of National Printing Office (NPO) may receive bonuses as high as P25,000 for their “record-breaking performance,” officials said Wednesday. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr. said he has recommended to the Department of Budget and Management the giving of performance-based bonus to NPO employees, and that he is just waiting for the agency’s decision. “Ang aking rekomendasyon ay naroroon na, ang NPO, dahil ang classification ay better [performing agency], ang pinakamataas na matatanggap ng best performer ng NPO ay P25,000,” he said in his speech during the ceremonial printing of the last ballot for the May 13 elections, amid chants of “bonus! bonus!” from the employees. “Syempre ‘yung iba, wala naman ni isa sa inyo na unsatisfactory, lahat naman kayo ay at least good, meron ding minimum amount. ‘Yun, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ay P5,000,” Coloma added. The NPO is under PCOO. Coloma also announced that he is giving NPO director Emmanuel Andaya a free hand to decide on how much the employees will receive. “Binibigyan ko ng buong laya si Director Andaya na magpasya sapagkat alam ko naman Read More …