Dec 102016
 
(From left) Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Secretary Maria Leonor V. Robredo, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr., Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr., and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II, attend the Cabinet Orientation Workshop at the Premier Guest House in Malacañan Palace on July 11,Monday. (MNS photo)

(From left) Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Secretary Maria Leonor V. Robredo, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr., Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr., and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II, attend the Cabinet Orientation Workshop at the Premier Guest House in Malacañan Palace on July 11,Monday. (MNS photo)

MANILA, Dec. 6 (PNA) – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. is in Moscow to talk to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on how both ministries would undertake the preparations for the proposed visit to Russia of President Duterte next year.

The bilateral meeting came at the heels of the meeting between President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru.

In a statement Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, the two foreign ministers also discussed the current state of bilateral relations and the prospects to enhance cooperation on a broad ranges of areas, spanning the political, security, economic, cultural and people-to-people spheres.

They both agreed to redouble efforts to conclude a number of agreements that would form part of the legal framework on which to build relations.

They also discussed regional and global issues including the priorities of the Philippine chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017, regional security architecture and UN issues.

This is the first visit to Russia of Secretary Yasay.

In the joint press conference held after the bilateral meeting, Secretary Yasay emphasized that this engagement is part of the continuing effort which build on the previous visits to Russia of Philippine foreign secretaries to strengthen Philippine-Russia bilateral partnership.”

Feb 042014
 
Nancy Binay hits back at criticism about sister’s condo win

People will turn anything into an issue against the Binay family. This was Senator Nancy Binay’s response to criticism about her sister’s winning a posh condominium unit in a raffle draw at the Power Plant Mall. “Ang kinakagulat ko kasi pati ba naman yung pagkapanalo sa raffle ginagawan ng issue?…  Siguro lesson ito sa family namin na kahit ano talaga magagawan ng issue kung gusto nila gawing issue,” the senator told reporters Tuesday. Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay has been drawing flak online for winning a multimillion-peso unit at The Grove condominium in Pasig City. It was raffled off by Power Plant Mall, which announced that Binay was the winner last Sunday. “Sinuwerte lang talaga na siya ‘yung nanalo… Wala namang restriction dun na kapag government official ka or anak ka ng Vice President, bawal ka na sumali sa raffle,” Sen. Binay said. Rep. Binay also attributed her win to “sheer luck,” saying it was “not based on [her] financial status or stature as a politician.” Sen. Binay further said that the raffle was “legitimate,” “above board” and was supervised by a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) representative. Another Binay sibling, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, also recently came under fire after the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported last month that he ordered the arrest of three security guards last November 30 after they supposedly prevented his convoy from passing through a restricted gate in Dasmariñas Village. — BM, GMA News

Jan 152014
 
More Pinoys approved, trusted VP Binay than PNoy in Q4 of 2013 – Pulse Asia

Vice President Jejomar Binay (right), Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and Councilor Cristina Romualdez discuss the construction of 400 houses in Tacloban City and another 200 houses in Palo, Leyte for the victims of typhoon “Yolanda” after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement Thursday at the Office of Vice President Jejomar Binay at the Coconut Palace, Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay City on Thursday (Jan. 9, 2014). (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – More Filipinos approved and trusted Vice President Jejomar Binay than President Benigno Aquino III during the last quarter of 2013, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey. The survey, conducted from December 8 to 15, 2013, showed both Aquino and Binay registering majority approval and trust ratings. However, Aquino’s ratings declined while Binay’s went up. Aquino’s approval rating went down from 79 in September to 73 in December, while his trust rating plunged from 76 in September to 74 in December. Binay, on the other hand, got an approval rating of 80 in December, which was up three notches from 77 in September. His trust rating also went up to 77 in December from 74 in September. Malacañang has yet to comment on the latest survey, but in an earlier interview, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said that it is not “appropriate” to compare the two. “The magnitude and depth of the President’s responsibilities are of a higher and different order from those of the Vice President,” he said. “It must Read More …

Jan 122014
 
More Pinoys approved, trusted VP Binay than PNoy in Q4 of 2013 — Pulse Asia

More Filipinos approved and trusted Vice President Jejomar Binay than President Benigno Aquino III during the last quarter of 2013, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey. The survey, conducted from December 8 to 15, 2013, showed both Aquino and Binay registering majority approval and trust ratings. However, Aquino’s ratings declined while Binay’s went up. Aquino’s approval rating went down from 79 in September to 73 in December, while his trust rating plunged from 76 in September to 74 in December. Binay, on the other hand, got an approval rating of 80 in December, which was up three notches from 77 in September. His trust rating also went up to 77 in December from 74 in September. Malacañang has yet to comment on the latest survey, but in an earlier interview, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. told GMA News Online that it is not “appropriate” to compare the two. “The magnitude and depth of the President’s responsibilities are of a higher and different order from those of the Vice President,” he said. “It must also be pointed out that the incumbent Vice President is a member of the President’s Cabinet and therefore shares in the responsibilities of carrying out the Philippine Development Plan,” Coloma added. Other officials Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon’s approval rating further went down to 43 from September’s 50 while his trust ratings plunged from 46 in September to 40 in December. In September, the pork barrel scam had adversely affected the public perception of Read More …

Nov 282013
 
Binay appeals: Stop mudslinging amid relief efforts

An aerial view of houses devastated by Typhoon Haiyan is seen at Barangay San Antonio, Basey Samar November 25, 2013. Typhoon Haiyan, the biggest storm ever to make landfall, struck the central Visayan islands on November 8, killing more than 5,200 people, displacing 4.4 million and destroying about 12 billion pesos in crops, property and infrastructure.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay appealed for a stop to the mudslinging amid the relief and rehabilitation efforts being done for the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda. “This is not the time for disunity and mudslinging. Let us not allow selfish personal agenda from tainting our efforts to help the affected families. Likewise, let us rise above partisanship and the narrow, emasculating confines of politics, and render service to those in need, regardless of political affiliations,” Binay told the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Senate during their induction ceremonies in Bacolod City. Binay was earlier lambasted for distributing packs with his office’s stickers on them. He denied, however, that he had approved it. In his speech, he asked that the public instead focus on the issue at hand. “Yolanda has issued the sternest and most tragic of warnings. And the chilling truth is that it may only herald the coming of larger and fiercer typhoons. We cannot change the whims of weather, at least not overnight. But we can change the way we build, the way we live, and the way we move after the winds and the waves calm down,” the Read More …

Oct 022013
 
Aquino issues proclamation declaring regular holidays, special non-working days and special holidays for schools in 2014

President Benigno S. Aquino III heads the Globe Southeast Asia-Japan (SJC) Submarine Cable System launching ceremony at The Globe Tower, 7th Avenue corner 32nd Street in Taguig City on Friday (September 27). With the President during the ceremony are DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; Gil Genio head of Globe Business; Yukido Oda, President of KDDI from Japan; Ooi Seng Keat, Vice President of Carrier Services/Singtel; and Song Dai of Brunei International Gateway. One of the main beneficiaries of the Globe-SJC interconnection will be the local business process outsourcing and the outsourcing-off shore sectors, currently regarded as the “sunshine industries” in the country. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S. Aquino III issued a proclamation declaring regular holidays, special (non-working) days and special holiday for schools for the year 2014, a Palace official said. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced during the regular press briefing in Malacañang Palace on Monday that the Chief Executive issued Proclamation 655 on Sept 25. The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2014 shall be observed in the country: Regular Holidays for 2014 are as follows: New Year’s Day Jan 1 (Wednesday); Araw ng Kagitingan; April 9 (Wednesday); Maundy Thursday April 17;Good Friday April 18; Labor Day May 1 (Thursday); Independence Day June 12 (Thursday); National Heroes Day, Aug 25 (Last Monday of August); Bonifacio Day Nov 30 (Sunday); Christmas Day Dec 25 (Thursday);Rizal Day Dec 30 (Tuesday); Special (non-working) Days: Chinese New Year Jan 31 (Friday); Black Saturday, Read More …

Sep 122013
 
Binay supports order for Roxas to lead in the relocation of illegal settlers

President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Vice President Jejomar Binay during the 115th Anniversary of the Philippine Navy at the Commodore Posadas Wharf, Headquarters, Naval Sea Systems Command in Naval Station Pascual Ledesma, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City on Tuesday (May 21). At present, the Philippine Navy is a force of 26,000 personnel composed of sailors, marines and civilian employees. (MNS photo) MANILA, Sept. 9 (Mabuhay) – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Monday assured members of the House of Representatives that they fully support President Benigno S. Aquino III instructions to Interior and Local Government Sec. Manuel Roxas II to lead in the relocation of informal settler. This was assured by Lawyer Benjamin Martinez, chief of staff of Vice President Jejomar Binay who leads the budget presentation of the Office of the Vice President. The OVP is asking for the approval of P417.296 million budget for 2014, an increase of measly P721,000 from P416,575 million for 2013. Last Friday, Roxas was grilled by UNA Secretary General and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco during a congressional budget hearing over the role of the DILG in implementing housing projects for informal settlers. Tiangco claimed that Roxas already encroached the power of National Housing Authority (NHA) who is mandated by law to be the lead agency of the government to build government shelters. NHA is under Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) which is under the direct supervision of Vice President Binay. But Roxas was quick to explained that Read More …

Jun 252013
 
PNoy expresses dismay over NIA's performance in agency's anniversary celebration

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday used the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)’s anniversary celebration as an opportunity to criticize the agency’s employees for their supposed failure to accomplish their self-imposed targets. In a speech during NIA’s 50th anniversary event in Quezon City, Aquino openly expressed dismay over the agency’s supposed inability to fully irrigate agricultural lands in the country. “Halos tatlong taon na po tayong magkakasama sa administrasyong ito, at malamang ay kilala na ninyo ako—wala po tayong panahon sa pambobola. Tatapatin ko po kayo: dismayado pa rin ako, dahil hanggang ngayon, lumalabas na kakarampot pa rin ang pagbabagong nangyayari sa NIA,” the President said. In front of NIA administrator Antonio Nangel, Aquino reprimanded the agency’s leadership for only irrigating 65 percent of the 81,170 hectares of land the NIA set as its target last year. The President also pointed out the NIA’s supposed inaction towards the Balog-Balog Dam Project in Tarlac, which he said has been pending since 1990. “Ngayon po, dalawampu’t isang taon na ang nakalipas mula nang planuhin ang proyekto sa Balog-Balog. Ilang administrasyon na po ba ang nagdaan? Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin ito umuusad,” he said. Aquino further said NIA’s leadership and employees is leaving him with no choice but to closely monitor the agency. “Tao lang din po ako; hindi ako CCTV camera na beinte-kwatro oras ay kayang magmanman sa kilos ng bawat institusyon ng gobyerno. Pero sa nangyayari ngayon sa NIA, ang pakiramdam ko, kayo pa mismo ang nag-iimbita sa aking bantayan kayo Read More …