Gov’t releases P5.21 B for agri component of Yolanda rehab effort

 Economy
Apr 212014
 

MANILA, Philippines – The government has so far released a total of P5.21 billion for the agricultural component of the recovery and reconstruction program for areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda.

The Department of Budget and Management turned over P1.05 billion to the Department of Agriculture to support various initiatives under the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) program.

The money will allow the DA to implement clearing and desilting operations in Yolanda-stricken regions, as well as provide farm tools, seeds, tractors, fertilizers, and farm machinery fuel subsidies to farmers in Regions IV-B (MIMAROPA), V (Bicol Region), VI (Western Visayas), VII (Central Visayas), and IX (Zamboanga Peninsula).

“Although it’s been six months since Yolanda hit the country, several communities in the Visayas and Mindanao are still in the process of recovering from the devastation. Farmers were especially hard-hit, as the super typhoon laid waste to vast swaths of agricultural land,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.

According to the DA, damages to the agriculture sector reached P31.1 billion as of March 2014. This includes production losses of P27.07 billion in crops, fisheries, and livestock, as well as infrastructure losses (including irrigation systems and facilities) of P4.06 billion.

“We know that there is much work to be done, however, in restoring normalcy and economic stability in agricultural communities destroyed by Yolanda.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Through RAY (Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda) the administration can mobilize the necessary post-disaster aid to affected regions to complement our disaster preparation initiatives,” Abad said.

BIR extends deadline for Yolanda victims

 Economy
Mar 242014
 
BIR extends deadline for Yolanda victims

ORMOC CITY , Philippines   – Commissioner Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue has finally relented to requests of Yolanda-affected businesses to grant them more time to file their declaration of losses. Business in Yolanda hit Regions 6 and 8 had been given 45 days after Nov. 8 to file their sworn declaration of losses. The BIR has extended the period up to March 31, 2014. Ormoc revenue district officer Eduardo Obero shared this information before an audience gathered for this year’s annual tax campaign held at the Sabin Resort Hotel last Friday. Obero said the commissioner issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 18-2014 on March 18, 2014. Henares, in the circular, said “In the light of overwhelming requests amidst the untold events brought about by Supertyphoon Yolanda”, the filing of declaration of losses arising from casualty, theft, robbery or embezzlement “is hereby extended until March 31, 2014.” Henares  said the availment of the “extraordinary relief” is “limited to losses sustained by taxpayers engaged in business in areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda, whose books of accounts and relevant records were completely damaged/destroyed, where, as a result, data reconstruction could not be achieved.” Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

RLC expects profit recovery

 Economy
Feb 232014
 
RLC expects profit recovery

MANILA, Philippines – Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), the property firm of tycoon John Gokongwei, expects its profits to recover in the second half of its fiscal year that will end in September. The listed property firm is looking to tap the debt markets in the next few months to fund the continuous expansion of its shopping malls and office space, its top executive said. “I’m very optimistic and positive about the second half of the fiscal year for RLC,” said RLC president and CEO Frederick Go. “Obviously, we had some challenges in the first half of the year but those are one-off like Typhoon Haiyan and the fire at the department store,” Go said. The Gokongwei family’s property development arm recorded a 13-percent decline in earnings to P1.03 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 from P1.18 billion a year ago. RLC incurred losses from Typhoon Yolanda and a mall fire that negatively affected the operations of Robinsons Place Tacloban and Robinsons Galleria, respectively. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Non-recurring losses in the first quarter will likely be offset by the property boom. “The market looks good. Demand is strong across-the-board: for retail, office, condominium units and hotel rooms,” Go said. New office buildings and the opening of new shopping malls will also boost the company’s rental revenues, he said. With the opening of Robinsons Place Antipolo and Robinsons Place Las Piñas late this year, RLC will end 2014 with 39 shopping centers. RLC is jacking Read More …

Palace: Aquino not insensitive, to spend EDSA anniv in calamity-hit areas

 Entertainment
Feb 212014
 
Palace: Aquino not insensitive, to spend EDSA anniv in calamity-hit areas

President Benigno S. Aquino III tours and inspects the facilities of the Estero de San Miguel Micro Medium-Rise Building (mMRB) Model Unit at the Claro M. Recto High School in Barangay 412, Zone 42, Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila City on Wednesday (February 19, 2014). The Estero de San Miguel Project is in line with the program goal of providing safe, affordable, decent and humane relocation in accordance with the Relocation Action Plan (RAP) through the People’s Plan mechanism and process for on-site, near-city relocation of affected ISFs in accordance with People’s Plan that contains shelter solutions and finance scheme development, validated and accepted by the ISFs themselves. The MRB model unit started construction in November 2013 and was completed in January 2014.(MNS photo) MANILA, Feb 20 (Mabuhay) – A Malacañang spokesperson on Thursday downplayed a reported disconnect between typhoon victims and President Benigno Aquino III, saying the President will even spend the anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution in calamity-hit areas. “Is there a disconnect? I don’t think so. I think the actions of the President have shown that he is anything but insensitive,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference. Lacierda’s remark came a day after Aquino thumbed down the demand of some Yolanda survivors for the government to grant their families P40,000 each, saying it will not solve their problem in the long run. Lacierda, however, said the “resolve to help and assist the people on the affected areas remains to be strong.” In fact, Read More …

Private sector moves to define role in disaster preparedness, response

 News
Feb 082014
 
Private sector moves to define role in disaster preparedness, response

The private sector has been commended both locally  and internationally for its support for the rehabilitation of areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda, but it is moving to take disaster response a step further. Members of the private sector, including GMA Network, worked together to create disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) training modules for the private sector in a writeshop conducted in Tagaytay by the Office of Civil Defense and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Feb. 6 and 7. The writeshop was conducted in compliance with the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act, which lays down how the public and private sectors can collaborate and cooperate in responding to and preventing disaster.  Harmonizing with other industries and public sector “[The Philippine DRRM Act of 2010] already lays an excellent foundation for cooperation and collaboration between public and private sectors to reduce and manage disaster risks,” said Dr. Benito Pacheco, Vice Chancellor of Research and Development of the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the writeshop’s main facilitator. “What we need next is a new ‘symphony orchestra mode’ of conducting, by which the private company players can blend in better among themselves, and together with public agencies.” Two sets of DRRM training modules were written: One for executives and another for mid-level managers. Those modules will then be used for a three-hour chief executive officers’ meeting to reach major decisions on how industries will respond to disasters. A separate three-day mid-level managers’ workshop will soon follow for discussions Read More …

American 6th graders raise funds for Typhoon Yolanda victims

 News
Feb 022014
 
American 6th graders raise funds for Typhoon Yolanda victims

Kirsten Solloway, left, and Ryleigh Justice, sixth-graders at Elkridge Landing Middle School, pose with money they raised to help typhoon and tornado victims. [via Elkridge Landing Middle School] When Kirsten Solloway learned how Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in November, she knew she had to do something. After all, her stepfather is Filipino, and with members of his family living in the Philippines, she felt a personal connection to the tragedy. Kirsten, 12, started discussing ideas to help with her friend and sixth grade classmate at Elkridge Landing Middle School, Ryleigh Justice, 11. At the same time, she learned about tornadoes wreaking havoc in Illinois in November, and she said the two of them felt compelled to help victims of both weather events. “We decided we didn’t want to help just one group when the damage was going on in both places,” Ryleigh said. Their idea was a change-collection drive they held from Dec. 3 to 20. They decorated 30 Ball Mason jars, one for the front office and the others for each classroom and asked classmates and teachers to donate their spare change. The amount raised – $1,017 – surprised even the girls. They donated the money to the American Red Cross. “We didn’t think we were going to raise that much. We thought, $600 at the most. We never thought we’d hit a thousand,” Ryleigh said. “It was crazy,” Kirsten said. And, it got crazier. Classrooms started competing against each other, although it wasn’t part of the girls’ Read More …

Purisima named Finance Minister of the Year anew

 Economy
Feb 012014
 
Purisima named Finance Minister of the Year anew

MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima has once again been recognized as Finance Minister of the Year for Asia-Pacific.   In recognition of his role in improving fiscal efficiency, instituting reforms against corruption, and elevating the Philippines in the eyes of international investors, the award from The Banker marks Purisima’s fourth straight year in receiving Finance Minister of the Year honors from different award giving bodies, a first in the history of the finance department and in the Philippines.  Purisima emphasized his fourth award naming him Finance Minister of the Year is a testament to President Aquino’s guiding principle that good governance is good economics. Purisima thanked the President for his leadership and commitment to accountability and transparency, as well as his colleagues in the cabinet and fellow members of the cabinet’s Economic Development Cluster. Working together, they have achieved the economic gains for which Purisima is being honored. The country’s economy recently posted a 7.2 percent growth in 2013. Since the start of the Aquino administration, the Philippines has maintained an average of 6.3 percent growth and remains to be one of the fastest-growing countries in Asia.  While the Philippines continues to improve its economic outlook with record-high GDP growth rates, investment grade ratings from major credit rating agencies, and strong macroeconomic fundamentals, Purisima stressed the current administration’s term is only half-done. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1  “Our goals for 2014 include improving the revenue to GDP through the ongoing reforms in the Bureau Read More …

LBC ‘Moves Forward’ through rebranding program

 Entertainment
Jan 312014
 
LBC ‘Moves Forward’ through rebranding program

LBC’s new rebranding program was unveiled at a recent press conference called “Moving LBC Forward” held at Lem Balagot’s LA Rose Cafe in Los Angeles. Most of their corporate staff based in Northern California headed by Patricia Garcia, who manages all of their North America Region. In her presentation, Ms. Garcia said that the new rebranding program of LBC goes “beyond moving boxes or transmitting money; it focuses on moving lives, warehousing and distribution globally.” Further, she said that “with every balikbayan box, or every shipment of goods are timeless memories of loved ones sending them, along with countless relief packages they have moved during the recent devastating Typhoon Yolanda back home.” On LBC’s “Moving Forward” brochure, President Dino Araneta’s message “defined what LBC stands for as a group of people and as a brand.”  In their “new brand promise to unite a common vision,” Mr. Araneta stressed the “three(3) key values that are fundamental to their customers which become the building blocks in their brand promise.” These are their 3 C’s: Certainty, Clarity and Convenience. Certainty, because LBC gives customer confidence; Clarity, because LBC believes in providing transparent and timely information to their customers; Convenience, because LBC promises to move money, packages and goods globally. Ms. Patricia Garcia, Regional Brand Head, North America during the brand unveiling at LA Rose Cafe. In a timely television interview of Dino Araneta which I have also watched recently, he recalled that LBC Express was started by his Dad 63 years ago and so when LBC celebrated their 60th Anniversary Read More …

Mar, Alfred: We've always been friends, no bad blood

 News
Jan 232014
 
Mar, Alfred: We've always been friends, no bad blood

Roxas, Romualdez meet in Congress probe on Yolanda response. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez greets DILG Secretary Mar Roxas II (right) before the start of the Congressional Oversight Committee hearing on the government’s Yolanda response at the Senate on Thursday, January 23. Roxas came face to face with Romualdez, a month after the local official accused the Cabinet official of bringing up clan politics in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Benjie Castro After a month-long word war on the government’s response to Typhoon Yolanda, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said there is no bad blood between them. After a congressional post-Yolanda assessment on Thursday, Roxas and Romualdez shook hands and faced reporters together. “We’ve always been friends. Si Secretary Mar, kahit wala pa sa pagka-Secretary, we were together in Congress,” Romualdez told reporters. Roxas meanwhile said that the issue between him and Romualdez was just “intrigue” blown out of proportion. “Natutuwa ako na nabigyan kami ng chance na magkita uli sa isang convivial na situation,” the Cabinet official said. He also invited Romualdez to a meeting on Tacloban’s rehabilitation after Yolanda. During a hearing last month, Romualdez claimed Roxas told him after Yolanda hit Tacloban City: “We have to be very careful because you are a Romualdez and the president is an Aquino.”  The Tacloban mayor also said Roxas asked him to cede control of the city to the national government instead of immediately responding to the needs of the typhoon victims. But Roxas Read More …

As ex-transport chief, Mar OK with ‘Boy Pick-Up’ tag

 News
Jan 232014
 
As ex-transport chief, Mar OK with ‘Boy Pick-Up’ tag

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Thursday said he was not offended when Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. called him “Boy Pick-Up” in a privilege speech earlier this week. Roxas said he considered the moniker as a joke that must not be given any malice. “Parang joke nga eh. Sinabi niya sa akin, Secretary of Transportation ka, dapat ipagmaneho mo ako. Sabi ko, okay lang,” Roxas told reporters after attending a congressional assessment of the government’s response to Typhoon Yolanda. Roxas was the chief of the Department of Transportation and Communications from 2011 to 2012. Revilla even briefly attended the hearing where Roxas was one of the resource persons, but the two were not able to interact. In a privilege speech last Monday, Revilla called Roxas “Boy Pick-Up” for supposedly driving him to Malacañang to discuss the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona with President Benigno Aquino III. Roxas maintained that there was nothing irregular with what he did, saying it was a way of reaching out to a former colleague. “Wala namang masama. Sa personal ko, tiningnan ko ito bilang pagpapakumbaba, bilang personal outreach to my former colleague,” he said. He also belied Revilla’s claim that he concealed his plate number, saying he never uses his official plate number in the first place. — Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMA News

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