Aguinaldo Shrine Pagsanjan Falls Taal Lake Antipolo Church Lucban Pahiyas Feast

Dispatch for April 16 , 2013 (Tuesday), 5 Photonews , 6 Weather Watch, 8 Regl.Watch , 10 OFWV Watch

, 15 Online News

Weather Watch shared a link.

3 hours ago

24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST

Issued at: 5:00 AM 16 April 2013

SYNOPSIS: Trough of a low pressure area (LPA) affecting Southern Mindanao.

FORECAST: Davao region will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila

and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over the eastern section of luzon and of visayas

and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. the coastal waters throughout the archipelago will

be slight to moderate.

Over METRO MANILA:

Maximum Temperature: 3:55 PM Yesterday --- 34.6 °C

Minimum Temperature: 6:00 AM Yesterday --- 25.9 °C

Maximum Relative Humidity: 6:00 AM Yesterday --- 94 %

Minimum Relative Humidity : 2:00 PM Yesterday --- 54 %

High Tide Today : 1:07 PM ........ 0.94 meter

Low Tide Today : 9:33 PM ...….. -0.05 meter

Sunrise Today : 5:41 AM

Sunset Today : 6:10 PM

Moonrise Today : 9:55 AM

Moonset Today : 11:02 PM

Illumination Today : 27 %

For more information and queries, please call at telephone numbers 927-1335 and 927-2877 or log on to

www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph.

Weather Watch

14 hours ago

GMA: Isang panibagong LPA ang maaaring mamuo sa may silangan ng Mindanao na magdadala ng malawakang pag-

ulan ngayong linggo. Posibleng sa Miyerkules pa pumasok ng bansa ang LPA subalit ayon sa PAGASA, mababa ang tsansa

nitong maging bagyo. Gayunman, isang trough ng LPA ang siyang nakakaapekto sa Mindanao na magdadala ng maulang

panahon sa SOCCSKSARGEN, Davao region at Zamboanga peninsula. Asahan din ang mahinang pag-ulan sa silangang

bahagi ng Visayas habang makakaranas naman ng maulap na kalangitan na may kasamang mahinang pag-ulan ang

malaking bahagi ng Luzon. Magiging maaliwalas naman ang panahon sa Metro Manila.

Weather Watch

14 hours ago

ABS-CBN: Asahan ang magandang panahon sa Luzon kung saan ay maliit lang ang posibilidad ng pag-ulan. Ang

Metro Manila ay may 20% chance of rain bukas, 50% pagdating ng Miyerkules habang 60% naman pagdating ng

Huwebes. Tinataya ring magiging maganda ang lagay ng panahon sa buong Visayas bagama't maulap sa Samar at Leyte.

Asahan naman ang maulap na panahon na may pag-ulan sa Gensan, Davao at Cotabato habang magiging maulap din sa

Zamboanga Peninsula.

Weather Watch

14 hours ago

(15APRIL2013-03) 24-HR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST issued at 5PM today.

SYNOPSIS: Trough of a Low Pressure Area (LPA) affecting Southern Mindanao.

FORECAST: DAVAO Region, SOCCSKSARGEN and ZAMBOANGA Peninsula will have cloudy skies with light to moderate

rainshowers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated

rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over the Eastern section of Luzon and of Visayas

and the coastal waters along these areas will be slight to moderate. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming

from the east to northeast with slight to moderate seas.>> NDRRMC OPCEN

Weather Watch

14 hours ago

GMA: Ayon sa BFP, ang walang tigil na paggamit ng bentelador ang siyang pangunahing sanhi ng sunog kapag

summer. Ang init na inilalabas ng bentelador ang siyang dahilan para tuluyan itong sumabog at maging dahilan ng

sunog. Kaugnay nito ay nagpaalala ang mga electronic technician na huwag sagarin ang paggamit ng electric fan at lagi

itong linisin para makaiwas sa sunog.

Weather Watch

15 hours ago

DZMM: Naitala ang pinakamainit na temperatura sa Quezon City Science Garden sa Metro Manila sa 35.3°C.

Pinakamainit sa Cabanatuan na 36°C habang sa Tuguegarao ay 34.6°C at may mga pag-ambon sa rehiyon.

Weather Watch

April 15 , 2013 (Monday) 4 hours ago

CAVITE : Sunny

LAGUNA : Sunny

BATANGAS : Fair weather

RIZAL : Sunny

QUEZON : Sunny

PIA Regional Watch

PIA Regional Watch

15 hours ago

(15APRIL2013-02) Report from OCD IV-A re Fire Incident in Calicanto, Batangas City. On or about 1400H a fire

incident occured at Caedo Commercial Center, involving the Mercury Drugstore in Calicanto, Batangas City. ACTIONS

TAKEN: RDRRMC IV-A continuously coordinating and monitoring the progress of the fire incident. The Batangas City Fire

Station and Batangas PNP responded to the said incident. Progress report to follow.>> NDRRMC OPCEN

PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/QUEZON: The provincial government of Quezon will hold tomorrow, April 16, 2013, a 'Provincial Job Fair'

at Quezon National High School, Lucena City from 8:00am - 5:00pm. 34 companies (local and abroad) will participate in

the said job fair.

PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/QUEZON: 1,114 students from the four state universities and colleges were took Global Competitiveness

Assessment Tool (GCAT) in order to find easier job matching in the field of information technology and business process

outsourcing industry.

PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/ QUEZON: Binalaan ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) ang publiko partikular yaong

mga mapapatunayang nagnakaw ng mga parte ng tore ng NGCP na mahaharap sa kaso at maaaring magmulta at

makulong. Sinabi ni Nelson Bautista, regional corporate communication officer ng NGCP-South Luzon na malaki din ang

pananagutan ng mga junk shop owner sa lalawigan ng Quezon na mapapatunayang bumili ng mga parte ng tore ng

NGCP.

PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/QUEZON: GSIS-Lucena City branch offers scholarship program to Lucena City government employees.

This aims to help the children of GSIS members.

PIA Regional Watch

17 hours ago

PIA-4A/RIZAL: The Taytay Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will be conducting a local recruitment activity

in cooperation with SM Hypermarket and Rice in a Box on April 17, 8:00am to 3:00pm.

PIA Regional Watch

18 hours ago

PIA-4A/RIZAL: Nagsisimula nang tumanggap ng mga nominasyon para sa pinakamataas na gawad parangal sa

mga Rizaleno, ang Gawad ALAB ng Rizal 2013. Maaring magpasa ng nominasyon sa Provincial Information Office, Rizal

Provincial Capitol, Antipolo City.

PIA Regional Watch

18 hours ago

PIA-4A: In the turn over ceremony of donated Fire Truck and Equipment between Firefighters Without Borders

Foundation (FWBF), a non profit organization based in Netherland, and Fire National Training Institute (FNTI) held this

morning (April 15; 2013) at FNTI Admin Building, Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba City, Supt Wilberto Rico Neil A Kwan Tiu,

FNTI Director together with other Fire officials formally accepted from Mr. Wilbert Kleijer, project coordinator of FWBF

and company a second -hand fire truck, 210 units of SCBC, 1 breathing air compressor which can simultaneously refill 10

cylinders, 40 fire hoses of various sizes, 20 hand-held radios, rescue tools and equipment and other radio

communication accessories. "These firetruck and firefighting equipment would greatly augment our existing resources

and also increase capability to provide quality training" Tiu said.

PIA OFW Watch

PIA OFW Watch

37 minutes ago

Arlan Macasieb, Filipino participant in Boston Marathon on DZBB:

Re: Pagsabog sa Boston, Massachusetts

-I was there when the explosion happened.

-10 Filipino runners (participants), we finished the first 100 right before the bomb exploded and another run but we

didn't finish because of the bomb.

-No, (walang nasaktan sa 10 Filipino). Thank God.

-Yes, (27,000 participants runner in the event). Boston Marathon is the world's most prestigious marathon.

-Yes, (2 casualties), I think so (80 injured).

-Lots of people have confusion. We don't know who's responsible. I think they’re investigating all personal bags of the

runners.

PIA OFW Watch

about an hour ago

DZBB: Iniulat ng DFA na 90 OFWs mula sa Syria ang inaasahang darating sa bansa. Sa ulat na tinanggap ng DFA mula

sa PHL Embassy sa Damascus, ini-avail ng mga OFW ang mandatory repatriation program ng pamahalaan. Binubuo ng 60

repratriated OFWs ang 1st batch na darating mamaya sa NAIA Terminal 1, 5:15 ng hapon. Habang ang natitirang 30

OFWs ay darating naman bukas ng 5:50 ng hapon.

PIA OFW Watch

2 hours ago

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez on ABS-CBN:

-Base sa initial report ng ating Konsulada sa New York at Embahada sa Washington, walang report na Pinoy na nadamay

so far.

- Hinihintay pa natin ang kanilang pakikipag-ugnayan sa US authorities at Filipino communities.

-Wala tayong consular office sa Boston.

- Ang sabi ng ating Embahada ay may nabalitaan sila na 10 Filipino na nag-participate sa Boston Marathon pero wala

namang report nadamay sa grupo na iyon.

PIA OFW Watch

3 hours ago

Arland Macasieb, leader of Pinoy team who joined Boston Marathon on GMA:

Re: Boston Marathon blast

-From updates, no Filipinos were hurt.

-None of the runners were injured. Based on reports we got, most of those injured are spectators.

-The marathon has over 30,000 participants.

PIA OFW Watch

3 hours ago

NEWS5: The PHL Consulate in New York City reported that 10 Filipinos joined the Boston Marathon blast, but none of

them were hurt.

PIA OFW Watch

3 hours ago

Consul General Mario de Leon of PHL Consulate in New York on DZBB:

Re: Pagsabog sa Boston, Massachusetts

-New York police maghihigpit na ng security partikular sa mga hotel, other landmark prominent location.

-Tingin ko karamihan ng siyudad mag-aalerto.

-What we always tell to the people (Pinoys) here is to exercise more precaution this time kasi hindi tayo nakakasiguro

kung may katulad ding plano katulad sa New York.

-Mag-iisyu na kami (advisory sa mga Pinoy na nasa Amerika). Unang priority namin ang safety ng mga kababayan natin.

PIA OFW Watch

3 hours ago

ABS-CBN: 2 ang patay at higit 100 ang sugatan sa dalawang magkasunod na pagsabog sa Boston, Massachusetts.

Inaalam pa rin sa ngayon kung ang pagsabog ay may koneksyon sa isa’t isa at kung ito ay may motibo ng terorismo. Mas

pinahigpit na rin ng US authorities ang seguridad sa pinangyarihan ng pagsabog. Samantala, dahil sa insidente ay

nakaalerto na rin doon ang mga Pinoy.

PIA OFW Watch

3 hours ago

Consul General Mario de Leon of PHL Consulate in New York on GMA:

Re: Pagsabog sa Boston Marathon

-May mga Pinoy na lumahok sa Boston Marathon pero 'di pa matiyak kung may nadamay sa pagsabog.

-Yung mga Pinoy nurse na kasamang nag-volunteer sa Boston Marathon posibleng tumutulong sa mga nasabugan.

-Sa nakuha naming report, may 2 patay at nasa mahigit 100 na ang sugatan at ginagamot sa mga ospital. Yung pagsabog

sa JFK Library, hindi pa malinaw kung konektado sa pagsabog sa Boston Marathon.

-Patuloy po ang pagkuha natin ng impormasyon at pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kababayan.

PIA OFW Watch

17 hours ago

DZMM: Ayon kay DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez, halos nasa 4,000 na ang bilang ng mga OFW na nakabalik sa

bansa simula nang sumiklab ang gulo sa Syria. Hahatiin sa dalawang batch ang pagpapauwi sa mga nasabing OFW.

PIA OFW Watch

Yesterday

Filipino Community president in Geoje Island, South Korea Ferdinand Viola on

DZMM:

Re: Sitwasyon sa South Korea

-Hindi po naaalis ang pangamba ng mga nandito pero ang aming mga expatriates na mga taga-Europe at US, sila po ang

medyo kinakabahan ng konti pero ang mga Koreans naman po para sa kanila, normal ang takbo ng kanilang buhay.

-Ang paghahandang binigay sa amin ng embahada ay maayos. Constantly attached sila sa amin dito, lagi po silang may

communication na just in case na magkakagulo ay mayroon po kaming convergence area na malayo sa Seoul, which is in

Busan, Daegu at Gimhae Airport.

-Preparation po namin just in case magkakagulo ay stay put muna kami dito sa Goeje.

-Mga 400 po kami dito but unfortunately some are registered and some are not registered.

-Marami po dito mga engineers, entertainers.

-Koreans never talk about this situation. They do not like to discuss it kasi para raw po sa kanila, normal iyon.

A. QUEZON

B. CAVITE

C. LAGUNA

D. BATANGAS

E. RIZAL

15 APRIL 2013.

President Aquino wants ride quality of DOST’s automated guideway transit system improved

Malacañang says President Aquino wants peace agreement with MILF that is doable, has solid

foundation

Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei arrives for two-day state visit

President Aquino wants ride quality of DOST’s automated guideway transit system improved

President Benigno S. Aquino III has instructed the Department of Science and Technology to look into improving the ride quality of its automated guideway transit (AGT) system in order provide the utmost comfort and security for its passengers. The President issued his instructions after taking the AGT, the Philippines‘ first locally developed and fully automated transport system located within the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City, on a demo run. In an interview, DOST Secretary Mario Montejos said the President, upon completing the 465-meter concrete elevated track run of the AGT, immediately called his attention to the bumpy ride due to uneven tracks and suspension system. ―Napansin namin na napansin din ni (President Aquino) na medyo makalog ang aming ride (sa AGT). Napansin din niya na medyo maalon yung track na napansin din namin. Napansin din niya na baka matakot ang mga pasahero (dahil dito),‖ Montejo said. He assured the President that his agency would expeditiously act on his concerns and would be addressed by the time the third prototype of the AGT would be made available. ―The third prototype will be more comfortable and (its ride quality will be) less harsh,‖ Montejo said.

A flagship project of the DOST in collaboration with UP, the prototype AGT is an elevated train capable of transporting passengers from station to station. The train is emission-free and is electrically driven, similar to AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Montejo said that the total project cost for the 465-meter elevated concrete track, coaches or cars, rolling stocks or main mechanical frameworks and power system and controls amounted to P55-million. PND (rck)

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Malacañang says President Aquino wants peace agreement with MILF that is doable, has solid foundation

President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that would be doable and has solid foundation that will withstand scrutiny, a Palace official said on Monday. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday following the holding of the 37th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week. "He (President) wants something that is doable and something that can be operationalized as soon as the Basic Law is drafted and passed by Congress; consistent with the framework agreement, consistent with the annexes," Lacierda said. Lacierda said the government acknowledges its commitment to exert all efforts towards realizing the full implementation of the Framework Agreement. "We are looking into the three annexes. The President also wants the annexes to be doable. We‘re going through the language. We‘re also going through the substance of the annexes. So, right now, we‘re going to study the remaining annexes carefully." Lacierda said. "We have the power sharing, the normalization, and also the wealth sharing. We‘re going to go through each of these annexes. And then we have also expressed, and the [MILF] panel have also agreed with our concerns, and so there was a joint statement that was made," he added. Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel chair Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on Thursday said that the peace process with the MILF is taking on a ―new phase‖ never reached before by both sides. ―We are where the process has never been before. Never before had the negotiations between the government and the MILF come to the stage of actually defining and listing down powers; of actually identifying sources of funds and revenues for the new political entity that we are creating. Never before has the transformation of an armed group been discussed let alone imagined in detail,‖ Ferrer said in her speech during the closing ceremony of the 37th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur. The GPH and MILF panels concluded their three-day talks with the signing of the Terms of Reference for Sajahatra Bangsamoro, which is a development program jointly undertaken by the GPH and the MILF to deliver basic socio-economic services to target communities in the south. In December last year, the President issued Executive Order No. 120 creating a Transition Commission that will draft the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law provided for in the Framework Agreement signed by the government and the MILF on October 15. The EO will provide a mechanism for authentic democratic collaboration in the crafting of a proposed law where the affected people themselves are actively involved. Among the commission‘s major work is to coordinate with Congress and other government agencies to craft the basic law that will pave the way for a Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. According to the Executive Order, the Transition Commission may also recommend to Congress and the people, when necessary, proposed amendments to the Constitution. PND (js)

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Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei arrives for two-day state visit

The Sultan of Brunei, His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu‘izzaddin Waddaulah, arrived on Monday in Manila for a two-day state visit upon the invitation of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Sultan Bolkiah arrived at 3:30 p.m Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on board the Royal Brunei Airlines Airbus (340-212). He was welcomed by Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and local officials of Pasay City. At 10:35 a.m. on Tuesday, President Aquino will lead the welcome ceremony for the Sultan of Brunei at the Malacanang Palace. The visiting Sultan will be accorded with arrival honors upon his arrival at the Palace grounds. Sultan Bolkiah will be ushered to the Reception Hall for the signing of the guestbook. The Sultan will then proceed to the Music Room to pay a courtesy call on the President. The President will host a state luncheon in honor of His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah. Sultan Bolkiah‘s visit to the country is the first since 2009, and the first under the administration of President Aquino. The visit was scheduled two weeks ahead of Brunei‘s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial and leaders‘ summit. During the State Visit, the President and the Sultan will discuss, among others, Brunei‘s Chairmanship of the ASEAN as well as the strengthening of Philippines-Brunei bilateral relations. The Philippines and Brunei enjoy close relations. Brunei is the government‘s partner to the promotion of just and lasting peace in Southern Philippines as a member of the International Monitoring Team. It is also a host to some 21,000 Filipinos working mostly as skilled workers. The President undertook a State Visit to Brunei on June 1-2, 2011. He visited Brunei again on September 23, 2012 to attend the Royal Wedding and Banquet of Her Royal Highness Hajah Hafizah Surunul Bolkiah. PND (js)

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ARCHIVE 2013

15 ABRIL 2013

Inatasan ng Pangulong Aquino ang DOST na gawing maginhawa pa para sa pasahero ang automated guideway transit system

Kasunduan sa kapayapaan sa MILF, ibig ng Pangulong Aquino na talagang magagawa at may matatag na pundasyon—Palasyo

Inatasan ng Pangulong Aquino ang DOST na gawing maginhawa pa para sa pasahero ang automated guideway transit system

Inatasan ng Pangulong Benigno S. AquIno III ang Kagawaran ng Agham at Teknolohiya (DOST) na pag-aralan pa kung paanong magiging higit na maginhawa, bukod sa pagtiyak sa kaligtasan ng mga pasahero ng automated guideway transit (AGT) system. Ang utos ay ginawa ng Pangulo matapos siyang sumakay sa demo run ng AGT, ang kaunaunahang automated transport system na ginawa sa bansa at nasa kampus ng Pamantasan ng Pilipinas sa Diliman, Lungsod ng Quezon. Sinabi ni Kalihim Mario Montejo ng DOST sa isang panayam matapos ang 465 metrong biyahe sa elevated track ng AGT, agad tinawag ng Pangulo ang pansin niya dahil matagtag ang biyahe sapagka‘t hindi patag ang tracks and suspension system. ―Napansin namin at napuna rin pala ng Pangulo na medyo makalog ang aming biyahe sa AGT. Napuna niyang medyo maalon ang track at baka matakot ang mga pasaherong sasakay rito,‖ sabi pa ni Montejo. Tiniyak ni Montejo sa Pangulo na mabilis na gagawin ng kanyang tanggapan ang pag-aayos na ibig ng Pangulo at ito ay magagawa sa ikatlong prototype na AGT. ―Ang ikatlong prototype ay mas magiging komportable at hindi gaanong magiging matagtag,‖ paliwanag pa ni Montejo. Mahalagang proyekto ng DOST sa pakikipagtulungan ng UP, ang prototype AGT ay isang elevated train na maaaring magbiyahe ang mga pasahero sa iba-ibang istasyon nito. Koryente ang nagpapandar nito at emission-free o walang ibinubugang usok. Kahalintulad ito ng ibang AGT at katulad ng mga elevated carriers sa ibang bansa at sa rail tansit system sa Metro Manila. Alinsunod kay Montejo, ang kabuuang nagugol sa 465 metrong nakataas na daambakal, kasama na ang coaches o car, rolling stocks o main mechanical frameworks at power system and controls ay kabuuang P55 milyon. PND(rck/zaf)

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Kasunduan sa kapayapaan sa MILF, ibig ng Pangulong Aquino na talagang magagawa at may matatag na pundasyon—Palasyo

Talagang magagawa at nakasalig sa matatag na pundasyon ang nais ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na kasunduan sa kapayapaan sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) na makalalampas sa ano mang masusing pagsusuri, sabi ng isang pinuno ng Palasyo Lunes. Ayon sa pahayag ng Tagapagsalita ng Pangulo Edwin Lacierda sa pulong-balitaan sa Malacanang Lunes pagkaraan ng 37th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia noong nagdaang Linggo. ―Ibig ng Pangulo yaong talagang magagawa at maipatutupad agad sa sandaling mabalangkas at mapagtibay ng Kongreso ang Basic Law, nang naaalinsunod sa framework agreement, alinsunod sa mga annexes,‖ wika ni Lacierda. Sinabi ni Lacierda na kinikilala ng pamahalaan ang sagutin nitong gawin ang lahat ng magagawa upang maipatupad nang puspusan ang Framework Agreement.

―Tatlong annexes ang hinahanap namin. Nais din ng Pangulo ang annexes na talagang maipatutupad. Masusi naming sinusuri ang nilalaman. Sa mga sandaling ito, pag-aaralan pang mabuti ang natitirang mga annexes,‖ sabi ni Lacierda. ―Kasama rito ang hatian ng kapangyarihan, ang normalisasyon at ang hatian ng kayamanan. Iiksa-isahin namin ang mga ito. Sumang-ayon din ang MILF panel sa amin at may inilabas na pinagsanib na pahayag,‖ dagdag ni Lacierda. Sinabi Huwebes ni Propesor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, tagapangulo ng peace panel ng pamahalaang Pilipino, pumasok na ang usapan sa kapayapaan ng pamahalaan sa MILF sa ―bagong yugtong‖ hindi narating kailanman ng magkabilang panig. ―Narating na natin ang kailanman ay hindi narating sa negosasyon ng pamahalaan at ng MILF na ukol sa aktuwal na paglinaw at pagtatala ng mga kapangyarihan, pagtukoy ng pagkukunan ng mga pondo at revenues para sa bagong political entity na lilikhain. Hindi kailanman nang-yari ang ganitong puspusang pakikipag-usap sa isang sandatahang grupo,‖ wika ni Ferrer sa talumpati kaugnay ng seremonya sa pagtatapos ng 37th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks sa Kuala Lumpur. Tinapos ng GPH-MILF ang tatlong araw na pag-uusap sa paglagda sa Terms of Reference for Sajahatra Bangsamoro na magkatuwang na ginawa ng GPH at MILF para isagawa ang mga serbisyong sosyo-ekonomiko sa mga kaukulang komunidad. Noong nakaraang Disyembre nilagdaan ng Pangulo ang Kautusang Tagapagpaganap 120 ukol sa panukalang Bangsamoro Basic Law na isinasaad sa Framework Agreement na nilagdaan noong Oktubre 15. Itinakda ng EO ang mekanismo ng tunay na pagtutulungang demokratiko kung saan lilikha ng panukalang batas para malikha ang Rehiyong Bangsamoro sa Mindanao. Ang Transition Commission ang magmumungkahi sa Kongreso at sa taong bayan kung kailangan ng mga panukalang susog sa Kostitusyon. PND(js/zaf)

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ONLINE NEWS

15 APRIL 2013

1. 90 Filipinos to return home from Syria, 69 others awaiting repatriation

2. National Artist BenCab featured in New York exhibit

3. DBM's ICT initiative bags FutureGov Award

4. Personal remittances increase to US$3.7 Billion in January-February 2013

5. Families displaced by typhoon “Pablo’ look forward to better days

6. DPWH sets opening of San Miguel & MNTC bid for NAIA expressway on April 15

7. DENR's first ever public budget consultation a success

8. 11 counts of perjury filed against Ligot

9. MMDA chairman accepts apology of Chinese ambassador

10. MB places Rural Bank of Kinogitan (Misamis Oriental), Inc. under PDIC receivership, all valid insured deposit claims will be paid

11. PhP 1.2 billion of smuggled rice held in Cebu

12. Manggahan Festival kicks off at Robinsons

13. Inclusivity, whole-of-government approach among the positive features of GPH-MILF peace process, says Deles

14. CSC enjoins government offices to create panel to review performance

15. DOST presents road train & other technologies in innovation congress

90 Filipinos to return home from Syria, 69 others awaiting repatriation Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph

15 April 2013 – The Philippine Embassy in Damascus reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that 90 Filipinos who availed of the Government‘s Mandatory Repatriation Program (MRP) will soon be in the safety of their homeland. The group is scheduled to leave for Beirut, Lebanon today, April 15, where they will take two separate flights for Manila via Doha, Qatar and Manama, Bahrain. The first batch composed of 60 repatriates will arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal (NAIA) I on Tuesday, April 16 at 5:15 p.m. aboard Qatar Airways flight QR 644. The remaining 30 repatriates will arrive the following day, April 17 at 5:15 p.m. via Gulf Air flight GF 156. Their arrival will bring the total number of repatriates to 3,882. Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut will book a flight for 69 more Filipinos from Syria as soon as airline seats become available. The DFA appeals to all Filipinos who are still in Syria to seek immediate repatriation as the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate. For assistance they may call the Embassy at 963-11-6132626. The relatives of Filipinos in Syria may also provide the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) with latest information regarding their loved ones‘ present location and contact details in Syria. Those who wish to do so may call the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers‘ Affairs (OUMWA) at (02) 834-3240 or 834-4583 or the DFA‘s 24-hour Action Center at (02) 834-3333.

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National Artist BenCab featured in New York exhibit Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph

15 April 2013 – Philippine National Artist Ben Cabrera, or ―BenCab‖ as he is popularly called, is among the featured artists in a special exhibit entitled, ―Visions of Iberoamerican Art: bi/Coa: 200 Years of Identity,‖ being held at the Instituto Cervantes in New York City from April 04 to 26. The exhibit is an international presentation focusing on understanding Hispanic cultures and allowing art to connect Hispanics with other communities and former Spanish/Hispanic colonies such as the Philippines. BenCab joins other renowned artists such as Osvald Vigas, Rodolfo Abularach, and Fanny Sanin, in the exhibit. On April 08, BenCab gave a brief talk at the Instituto Cervantes about his artistic influences and vision, as well as the BenCab Museum in Baguio which is considered one of the best in the Philippines. He likewise graced a well-attended Artist‘s Talk session on April 07 in Queens, New York. The talk was hosted by Topaz Arts Space, a gallery run by Todd Richmond and Filipino-American Paz Tanjuaquio.

The exhibit will likewise be featured in other Instituto Cervantes branches in the United States, such as in Chicago and Los Angeles in the coming months.

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DBM's ICT initiative bags FutureGov Award Source: http://www.dbm.gov.ph

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) was recognized as ―Government Organization of the Year‖ by FutureGov magazine, which hailed the agency for its landmark Medium-Term Information and Communications Technology Harmonization Initiative (MITHI). The initiative is designed to streamline and harmonize all information and communication technology (ICT) systems across government, and ensure a systematic process for the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government-wide ICT projects. The award was given at the recently held FutureGov Awards Philippines, which celebrates successful public sector innovation and modernization. Mr. James Smith, managing editor of FutureGov and chairman of the judging panel, said that MITHI will enable government offices to veer away from disparate and redundant systems and become more productive and efficient. ―This initiative (MITHI), combined with the ongoing work of the Department of Budget and Management in consolidating government ICT infrastructure and enabling better governance, is recognized by this award,‖ he said. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said that the award was a testament to the Administration‘s reform efforts, particularly in view of its ICT initiatives. ―We are taking progressive steps toward e-Government transformation by making much-needed improvements in the government‘s ICT strategy.FutureGov‘s recognition of DBM and MITHI is a resounding affirmation of the Administration‘s ICT reform initiatives, through which we aim to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public financial management, as well as revolutionize the way we deliver government services to the Filipino people,‖ said Abad. DBM Undersecretary and Chief Information Officer Richard Moya, who served as a guest speaker at the annual FutureGov Forum Philippines held last April 10, 2013 in Makati City, emphasized the significance of harmonizing all ICT systems through MITHI to ensure better collaboration among government departments and agencies. ―With MITHI, we are determined to overcome the limitations of our current ICT setup. We‘re looking at reconciling all the differing systems and restricted-access databases across government, not just to ensure the consistency of ICT systems between agencies, but also to foster better inter-agency collaboration,‖ he said. MITHI is one of the major projects under the e-Government Master Plan, which includes the expansion of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) towards online bidding, the installation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to enable real-time information on government financial transactions and the Budget ng Bayan website, among other ICT innovations.

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Personal remittances increase to US$3.7 Billion in January-February 2013 Source: http://www.bsp.gov.ph

Personal remittances from overseas Filipinos (OFs) amounted to US$1.9 billion in February 2013, 6.9 percent higher than those remitted in the same month a year ago, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. announced today.1 On a year-to-date basis, remittances for the first two months of the year grew by 7.6 percent from the previous year‘s level to settle at US$3.7 billion. Personal remittances continued to draw strength from higher transfers from land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with work contracts of one year or more (by 6.2 percent), as well as sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term contracts

(by 9.6 percent). Meanwhile, overseas Filipinos‘ cash remittances coursed through banks amounted to US$3.4 billion in the first two months of 2013, posting a year-on-year growth of 7 percent. More than three-fourths (or US$2.5 billion) of the total cash remittances for the period were sent by land-based workers while about a quarter (US$0.8 billion) were remitted by sea-based workers. The leading country sources of cash transfers were the U.S. (41.5 percent), Canada (9.8 percent), Saudi Arabia (7.9 percent), the United Kingdom (5.3 percent), the United Arab Emirates (4.5 percent), Singapore (4.1 percent), and Japan (3.5 percent). The steady deployment of overseas Filipino workers remained a primary contributory factor to the growth in remittance flows. Preliminary data from the POEA showed that in January-March 2013, approved job orders aggregated 219,206, of which about 24 percent are processed job orders mainly for services, production, professional, technical, and related workers. The bulk of processed job orders were intended for the manpower requirements in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Qatar, and Kuwait. Meanwhile, other developments reported by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), such as opportunities for migrant workers through infrastructure projects in Hong Kong and increased minimum wage for monthly paid workers in Taiwan, could support further the sustained inflows of remittances to the country in the coming months. Likewise, the issuance by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board of resolutions lifting the ban on deployment of overseas Filipino workers to Iraq, Yemen, and Eretria could broaden employment opportunities for migrant workers and consequently boost remittance inflows. Another factor that helped improve overseas Filipino remittances was the continued expansion of services by bank and non-bank remittance providers that enabled the capture of a larger share of the global remittance market. ------------- 1 The BSP started the release of data on personal remittances in June 2012. As defined in the Balance of Payments Manual, 6th Edition (BPM6), personal remittances represent the sum of net compensation of employees (i.e., gross earnings of overseas Filipino (OF) workers with work contracts of less than one year, including all sea-based workers, less taxes, social contributions, and transportation and travel expenditures in their host countries), personal transfers (i.e., all current transfers in cash or in kind by OF workers with work contracts of one year or more as well as other household-to-household transfers between Filipinos who have migrated abroad and their families in the Philippines), and capital transfers between households (i.e., transfers of fixed assets and financial assets that arise from the migration of individuals from one economy to another).

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Families displaced by typhoon “Pablo’ look forward to better days Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

The municipal building of New Bataan in Compostela Valley is teeming with people going about their transactions. The mini-wet market nearby is likewise crowded mostly by women buying fresh fish and vegetables. Chattering school children can be seen coming out from their classrooms in the adjacent elementary and high school buildings. Motorcycles, tricycles, buses and the unique ―skylab‖ continue to ply the highway. It is already ―Business as Usual‖ in this once devastated town. A short distance away from the municipal hall are the bunkhouses where victims of typhoon ―Pablo‖ now reside while their permanent shelters are undergoing construction. The bunkhouses were constructed by the provincial government of Compostela Valley with funding assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). For the families here, life is returning to normal. In Unit No. 57, Normelita ―Neneng‖ Rivera, 45 years old, and her neighbors are busy preparing for the launching of the communal garden. They are making the labels for the seedlings that they will be planting. The seedlings were donated by Operation Compassion, an international humanitarian organization helping the affected families cope with their situation by planting fast growing crops, such as okra, tomatoes, and pechay. A volunteer shared that each family is given a plot and five different kinds of seedlings. The plants can be

harvested in a month, and the excess harvests can be sold in the public market providing them with a source of income. The idea of a communal garden is very much welcome. ―A communal garden will augment our food sources and provide us with livelihood, so we are not just dependent on food rations. Working in the garden is also a positive thing to do, rather than sitting around dwelling on the past tragedy. It is one of the projects that we keep busy with, helping ourselves towards recovery,‖ Neneng explained. Better place Neneng was elected president of the bunkhouses neighborhood association comprising of 72 families. ―We have organized ourselves to oversee the various concerns in our small community, such as sanitation and maintaining the cleanliness of our surroundings. Likewise, we support one another, encouraging and strengthening each other,‖ Neneng quipped. She pointed to the posters pasted on the walls of the bunkhouses reminding the residents to keep their surroundings clean as a precaution against dengue and other diseases. While her husband, Geronimo Rivera, Jr., 47 years old, works as a part-time construction worker, Neneng keeps busy attending to her children and the community‘s needs. ―I used to work in a beauty parlor in Tagum City, but after ‗Pablo,‘ I have to stay here and take care of our children, the youngest of whom is 10 year-old Jan Ryan,‖ she narrated. Neneng and her family are among those who were prioritized for the bunkhouses because two of their children are persons with disabilities. Her father, 80 year-old Raymundo Tuba, also stays with them, as well as her 21 year-old nephew Jessie Rivera. Like other displaced families, Neneng‘s family receives a family food pack every two to three weeks. The food packs, containing basic commodities, such as rice, noodles, assorted canned goods, and coffee provided by DSWD, are distributed to the affected families through the local government unit of New Bataan. International and local humanitarian organizations also donate some goods every now and then. Rising from disaster Gloria Diaz Bosbos, 48 years old, a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino beneficiary and a parent leader recalled the terrible tragedy that befell them on that day. Knowing that hundreds died in their town, Gloria feels so thankful that ―we are all still together, and we have a place to stay,‖ she enthused. Gloria and her husband, Arturo Bosbos, 53 years old, also a part-time construction worker, have six children with ages ranging from nine to 24 years old. She considers their bunkhouse unit as their haven. Neneng, Gloria, and the other women in the neighborhood try to make the bunkhouses homey by adding little touches, such as curtains in the windows, flower pots, and colorful posters on the walls. ―We are all looking forward to moving into our own homes. Once settled, we know that there will be better days ahead of us,‖ they ended.

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DPWH sets opening of San Miguel & MNTC bid for NAIA expressway on April 15 Source: http://www.dpwh.gov.ph

Financial proposal of Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. owned by San Miguel Holdings Corporation and Manila North Tollways Corporation of the Metro Pacific Group of Company, for the right to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Phase II Project under the Public-Private Partnership program of the government will be known Monday, April 15, 2013. DPWH Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, Chairman of the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) for Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project said that both firms complied and are qualified following the conduct of extensive evaluation of their technical proposals and legal documents. The two (2) pre-qualified companies

submitted on April 8, 2013 their respective technical proposals at the DPWH Central Office during the submission and opening of bids in the presence of DPWH Special Bids and Awards Committee, representatives from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, Department of Finance, Office of the Solicitor General, Commission on Audit, Office of the Ombudsman, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and project advisors Development Bank of the Philippines and International Finance Coporation. Each submission contained three (3) envelopes, Envelope 1 and 2 contained legal documents and technical submissions while Envelope 3 contained the financial information/financial bid. The submitted bid documents was evaluated immediately by the SBAC Secretariat on instruction of Secretary Rogelio L. Singson so that the financial bids which is kept on safety vault and corresponding signatures affixed on seals can be open as schedule this coming Monday, April 15, 2013 also at the DPWH Central Office. Two other pre-qualified companies, Ayala-led Ayala Corporation Inc. and India‘s IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd., withdrew through a formal letter from participating in the auction. The NAIA Expressway Project Phase II is proposed to supplement the completed Phase I, which interfaced with the existing Manila South Luzon Expressway at Sales Interchange. The proposed Phase II expressway component will likewise involve provision of elevated travelway structures over the existing roads of Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, Domestic Airport Road and MIA Road. The proposed elevated expressway will tie in with the Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard where it will terminate through an Interchange. The proposed NAIA Expressway Phase II alignment has a total length of 7.15 kilometers from its tie in point at the terminus of NAIA Expressway Phase I to its connection with Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard and PAGCOR City. The project was approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board on May 30, 2012 and is estimated to cost P15.52 Billion. PAGCOR Locators/Licenses will provide Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) in the amount of P6.5 Billion for the construction of the project.

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DENR's first ever public budget consultation a success Source: http://www.denr.gov.ph

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) hailed its first attempt to include the public in its budget development process as a success after drawing more than 70 representatives from various civil society organizations (CSOs) to its two-day budget consultation meeting held recently. ―We are really pleased with the turnout of the public consultation,‖ DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said. ―We are delighted that so many members of the civil society want to give their inputs for the agency‘s budget for 2014.‖ The DENR has set its initial spending plan for 2014 at P36.45 billion, or around P14.7 billion more than the indicative budget ceiling of P21.75 billion earlier set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The agency‘s budget for 2013 is P23.7 billion, most of which goes to programs on reforestation, rehabilitation of coral reefs and mangrove areas, and land distribution. It is seeking a higher allocation for next year to enhance the country‘s ―environmental sustainability‖ in the face of climate change impacts. According to Paje, the DENR is looking forward to reviewing the ideas and suggestions put forward by civil society groups during the budget consultation meetings held on April 5 and 10. The environment chief was confident this would institutionalize the process for public participation in the development of budget goals and priorities of the department as a means to promote transparency and accountability. ―Public participation is one way for people to be heard. The DENR wants and needs to hear what our citizens are thinking, especially on the priority services and projects that need to be pursued for the environment sector,‖ Paje pointed out. Paje said the undertaking was in keeping with the Aquino administration's reform agenda on participative governance. He cited National Budget Circular No. 536 issued by the DBM on Jan. 31, 2012, which enjoins all government agencies to broaden citizen participation in the budget process, particularly in the preparation and submission of their respective budget proposals.

In June last year, Paje assured members of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) convened by the Social Watch Philippines that the DENR would open the budget preparation process to civil society organizations starting with its proposed appropriations for 2014. He said the move was aimed to ―deepen the DENR‘s constructive partnership with the civil society as well as to foster greater transparency and accountability in the allocation and utilization of public funds.‖

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11 counts of perjury filed against Ligot Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph

The Office of the Ombudsman filed eleven (11) Informations for Perjury against retired Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot before the Sandiganbayan for the numerous false declarations in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 1993 to 2003. In an 18-page Order signed on April 5, 2013, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales denied the respondents‘ motions for reconsideration and affirmed the Consolidated Supplemental Resolution dated September 8, 2005 with modification that the Informations for Perjury should exclude Ligot‘s interest in Parmil Farms, Inc. The Order found that Ligot‘s interest in Parmil Farms, Inc. was declared in his SALNs for the years 2001 to 2003 as the SALN form requires only the declaration of business and financial interest. The perjury cases formed part of the Consolidated Supplemental Resolution which also provided that forfeiture proceedings under Republic Act No. 1379 be initiated before the Sandiganbayan against respondents Ligot, his wife Erlinda Yambao Ligot, their children Paulo Ligot, Riza Ligot, Miguel Ligot, and relatives Edgardo Yambao and Miguela Paragas for the recovery of unexplained wealth covering the identified properties or the equivalent value for those already disposed in the amount of at least P 135,280,822.11. The Consolidated Supplemental Resolution dismissed, for lack of probable cause, the charge for perjury and violation of RA No. 6713 against Miguela Ligot-Paragas. Records show that respondents Ligot, his wife and three children filed their Motion for Reconsideration on September 13, 2005 while Edgardo Yambao filed his Motion for Reconsideration on September 14, 2006. These motions were among several cases unresolved by the former Ombudsman and were discovered during the office-wide inventory of cases directed by Ombudsman Morales upon her assumption to office. The said cases were immediately referred for appropriate action to the Ad Hoc Review Committee created pursuant to Office Order No. 121, series of 2012. The motions insofar as they relate to the forfeiture cases were earlier denied in an Order dated March 30, 2012. Forfeiture proceedings are now undergoing trial before the Sandiganbayan.

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MMDA chairman accepts apology of Chinese ambassador Source: http://www.mmda.gov.ph

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino today accepted the apology of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China for the involvement of one of its diplomats in a traffic altercation that happened last April 5 along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. In a letter dated April 9, Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary Ma Keqing expressed her apology for the unfortunate incident concerning diplomat Mr. Wang Ben. "I welcome this respectable act by the Honorable Ambassador Ma Keqing, and I thank her for not tolerating the misconduct committed by an Embassy official," Tolentino said. On the night of April 5, Wang Ben, First Secretary of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, bumped the rear of Tolentino's car along Roxas Boulevard then tried to escape by speeding towards Taft Avenue. The MMDA chief himself chased the vehicle. The diplomat even evaded a dragnet by traffic enforcers assigned

near the Light Rail Transit station along Buendia Avenue. Mr. Wang Ben, who showed a photocopy of his identification card, hit Tolentino's vehicle apparently because of irritation caused by the slow-moving traffic. Ambassador Keqing said all the staff of the Chinese Embassy have been reminded to strictly observe traffic rules and exercise extreme precautions on the road. "The gesture of the Honorable Ambassador is highly appreciated. I just hope that incidents like that won't happen again, even as we adhere to the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations. Let's just forgive and forget," Tolentino stressed.

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MB places Rural Bank of Kinogitan (Misamis Oriental), Inc. under PDIC receivership, all valid insured deposit claims will be paid Source: http://www.pdic.gov.ph

The Monetary Board (MB) placed the Rural Bank of Kinogitan (Misamis Oriental), Inc. under the receivership of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) by virtue of MB Resolution No. 508.B dated March 26, 2013. As Receiver, PDIC took over the bank on March 27, 2013. Rural Bank of Kinogitan is a single-unit bank with Head Office located in Kinogitan, Misamis Oriental. Latest available records show that as of December 31, 2012, Rural Bank of Kinogitan had 1,492 accounts with total deposit liabilities of P17.22 million. According to the latest Bank Information Sheet (BIS) as of December 31, 2012 filed by the Rural Bank of Kinogitan with the PDIC, the bank is majority-owned by Rizaflor D. Sarraga (36%), Geronimo G. Reyes (18%) and Maria Teresa F. Sarraga (13%). Its Chairman is Gigi C. Roa and its President is Rizaflor D. Sarraga. PDIC said that upon takeover, all bank records shall be gathered, verified and validated. The state deposit insurer assured depositors that all valid deposits shall be paid up to the maximum deposit insurance coverage of P500,000. PDIC also announced that it will conduct a Depositors-Borrowers Forum on Thursday, April 4, 2013 to inform depositors of the requirements and procedures for filing deposit insurance claims. Claim forms will be distributed during the Forum. The schedule and venue of the Forum will be posted in the bank premises and in the PDIC website, www.pdic.gov.ph. Depositors may update their addresses with the PDIC representatives at the bank premises or during the Forum using the Mailing Address Update Forms to be furnished by PDIC representatives. Duly accomplished Mailing Address Update Forms should be submitted to PDIC representatives accompanied by a photo-bearing ID of the depositor with signature. Depositors may update their addresses until Thursday, April 4, 2013. Depositors with valid deposit accounts with balances of P15,000 and below need not file deposit insurance claims. But those who have outstanding obligations with the Rural Bank of Kinogitan and have incomplete and not updated their addresses with the bank should file deposit insurance claims. PDIC targets to start mailing payments to these depositors to their addresses recorded in the bank by the second week of April. Depositors whose accounts have balances of more than P15,000 should file their deposit insurance claims. The PDIC targets to start claims settlement operations for these accounts by the third week of April. The schedule of the claims settlement operations will be announced through notices to be posted in the bank premises and other public places as well as through the PDIC website, www.pdic.gov.ph. For more information, depositors may communicate with PDIC Public Assistance personnel stationed at the bank premises. They may also call the PDIC Public Assistance Hotlines at (02) 841-4630 to (02) 841-4631, or e-mail pad@pdic.gov.ph.

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PhP 1.2 billion of smuggled rice held in Cebu Source: http://www.dof.gov.ph

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon aptly sent the message today that the Philippines is no place for smugglers when he announced of the BOC‘s recent issuance of Alert Orders on 1000 twenty footer container vans of smuggled rice from Vietnam worth PhP 1.2 billion which arrived at the Port of Cebu on separate occasions during the period March 22 to April 3 this year. According to Biazon, the hot rice shipment from Vietnam which was misdeclared as stone slabs, granite slabs and cooling insulators were consigned to nine (9) different consignees and did not have the required import permits from the National Food Authority (NFA). ―The government could rise up to PhP 600 million in duties, if these rice shipment were legal and covered by the required import permits.‖ Biazon said, adding that, ―However, based on our verification from the National Food Authority (NFA), we were informed that the NFA had no knowledge of such shipment.‖ Biazon explained that, although they have yet to issue the Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) as the consignees of the hot rice still have not filed their entries and it‘s is still within the 30 days filing period, technically though, the 1,000 container vans of illegally imported rice are already seized by the government. The Commissioner, however, said he will issue the corresponding WSDs when he conducts the actual inspection of the seized rice at Cebu next week. Biazon attributes the Cebu rice catch to the BOC Intelligence Group(IG) under Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim‘s enhanced profiling system.―This big rice haul in Cebu is the result of our tightened watch and intelligence work in the BOC‘s various ports.‖ Biazon said. For his part, Lim explained that his operatives are now closely watching three high risk ports for smuggling, particularly the Ports of Davao, Cagayan De Oro and Cebu.

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Manggahan Festival kicks off at Robinsons Source: http://www.dti.gov.ph

Manggahan Festival kicks off at Manggahan sa Robinsons Fair, Robinsons Mall, Iloilo City starting April 8, 2013. The fair is a week-long (until April 14, 2013) promotional activity and advertising program participated in by 13 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) featuring the best products and culture of the Province of Guimaras. Manggahan sa Robinsons is a prelude activity to the Manggahan Festival slated on April 14-21, 2013 at the Guimaras Provincial Capitol grounds. With the theme "Guimaras ... Unfolding Opportunities, Harnessing Resources," a series of activities are lined up for the occasion aimed at developing the tourism potentials of the province. One of the grandest activities is a cultural show that reflects Guimarasnon's colorful way of life and culture commemorating the provincehood anniversary of Guimaras. Adding color to the Festival are the activities set at the Provincial Capitol Grounds, where everyday is packed with fun-filled events like traditional "Guimaras mango-eat all-you-can", Mangoman Triathlon and Fun Run, Agri-Trade Fair, food festival, and the search for the Mutya ng Guimaras. Opening salvo and launching of the Guimaras Agri-Trade Fair is on April 15 at the Guimaras Capitol Grounds. The trade fair will be a venue for the MSMEs to promote their products and bring in financial benefits. Products to be showcased include processed fruits & nuts, bags, baskets, pottery, decorative boats, candles, paper crafts, mangoes and other fruits, vegetables & ornamental plants. There are 75 participating MSMEs with targetting PHP3M in sales.

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Inclusivity, whole-of-government approach among the positive features of GPH-MILF peace process, says Deles Source: http://www.opapp.gov.ph

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles on Thursday underscored inclusivity and whole-of-government approach as among the positive characteristics of the peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). ―We on the side of the government assure that there would be not only gender representation but also intergeneration and other representation (in the peace process),‖ she said in her speech during the Second Conference on Mediation held recently in Istanbul. The two-day mediation conference, where Deles was invited to share the current gains of the Philippine peace process, served as a venue for mediation actors from various states, regional organizations, non-government organizations, academe sector, and the United Nations to discuss ways on how to peacefully resolve armed conflicts in Middle East countries. The peace adviser said that the Philippine government ensures gender, ethnic and generational balance particularly in the newly-formed Transition Commission which has been mandated to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will pave the way for the establishment of the new Bangsamoro region. Women‘s involvement On women‘s involvement in the peace process, Deles related the ―unprecedented levels of women‘s participation that is in fact happening in the Philippines‘ peace process.‖ ―For the first time, the government panel is headed by a woman when the original panel chair was appointed to the Supreme Court. There are two women out of the five members of the government panel. The head of the legal panel and the head of the secretariat are women, all fall under the age of 35,‖ stated Deles who was the only woman panelist in the conference. "It has been remarked to me by several women that it looks like I‘m the only woman in this whole forum that is speaking." ―Out of the four technical working groups that worked on the annexes, three are women and increasingly, there have been women also now with the MILF and in the Transition Commission,‖ she added. She also said that the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB), which both parties signed last October 2012, adopts a gender-sensitive approach. ―It actually has a very exclusive provision for women‘s political rights in the Bangsamoro and it identifies women‘s rights as well as those of children, and that is placed in any post conflict development program,‖ she stated. ―Women‘s voices need to be heard.‖ Work of entire gov‘t Deles said that the four annexes which, together with the FAB, form part of the yet to be signed comprehensive agreement, ―is actually a work of the entire government.‖ The annexes on normalization, power-sharing, and wealth-sharing are in the process of completion by the GPH and the MILF peace panels who recently met in Kuala Lumpur to resume discussions on remaining unresolved issues. The annex on transitional arrangements and modalities has already been signed by the parties last February. Deles related that various government agencies have been involved in the crafting of the annexes ―because the President wants to make sure that anything that we commit in the annexation is going to be supported by everyone in the government.‖ ―The point is that when we actually commit to something, we know that it is something that is going to be delivered and that the whole of government may be able to stand behind,‖ she stressed. Acknowledging the ―long road ahead,‖ Deles said that the government remains hopeful ―as we struggle through completing the annexes and putting the new bodies in place.‖

―The demonstration is there and the parties are committed to the process and that increasingly more and more of our people are coming aboard and seeing why in the end, this is something that what we have to do and it is something that will be good not just for the Bangsamoro, not just for Mindanao, but also for the entire country.‖

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CSC enjoins government offices to create panel to review performance Source: http://www.csc.gov.ph

―Performance management is a critical indicator of good governance as it tells if a government agency is doing well in delivering public services.‖ This was underscored by Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman Francisco T. Duque III as the CSC issued a directive to all government agencies to create a Performance Management Team (PMT) within their respective offices that will monitor and review the implementation of the Results-Based Performance Management System or RBPMS. RBPMS is a mechanism designed to establish a unified and integrated performance management system across all departments and agencies within the executive branch of government. ―The creation of the PMT is also aligned with the requirements of the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS), a performance indicator that focuses on performance results that are reviewable and are based on scientific and verifiable parameters in assessing organizational performance and the collective performance of individuals within the office,‖ explained Chairman Duque. Under CSC Memorandum Circular No. 8, s. 2013, the PMT shall be composed of an executive official designated by the head of agency as chairperson, a human resource management officer, a planning officer in charge of organizational planning, a finance officer, and a representative of the employees‘ union. If there is no accredited employees‘ association, a rank-and-file representative may be chosen through a general assembly. The PMT shall set targets; ensure the alignment of the budget with work distribution; recommend approval of the performance commitment; act as appeals body and final arbiter for performance management issues; identify potential top performers and provide inputs for the grant of awards and incentives; and adopt necessary rules, procedures, and strategies in carrying out its duties. The harmonized RBPMS and SPMS will be used as basis in determining performance-based allowances, incentives, or compensation of government officials and employees.

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DOST presents road train & other technologies in innovation congress Source: http://www.dost.gov.ph

In a recent innovation congress, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Montejo introduced the Road Train, one of the DOST‘s proposed advanced transport systems that will help ease traffic conditions in Metro Manila. He said the Road Train will be an effective means of transporting people on the road. ―(The Road Train is) not that high-tech, but it is innovative in its strategic use of existing applied technologies to introduce (a new) mass transit system, which can resolve (our traffic problem), or at least part of it,‖ Secretary Montejo said. He added that the technology is an offshoot of system development of the Automated Guideway Transit or AGT, an elevated rail transport considered as the first locally developed train now undergoing functional tests at the University of the Philippines Diliman. The innovation congress, dubbed ―ICon‖ and held recently at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, also showcased other DOST innovations such as Project NOAH, along with the latest advances in car manufacturing technology and design, gadgets developed by various companies, and other smart devices. ICon is a joint activity of the DOST and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors or AVID. The ICon spotlights the country‘s brand for innovation called ―Filipinnovation‖ and promotes DOST‘s advocacy for a ―Smarter Philippines‖. Participants to the event include the academe, businessmen, and diplomats, along with the

biggest names in the car industry. ―The ICon is quintessentially a public-private partnership that denotes a very important theme at the core of our work in DOST—innovation‖, said Secretary Montejo. ―Innovation is the key enabler of productivity, a driver of growth in successful economies, and, in a very concrete sense, at the heart of economic development,‖ he added. AVID President Ma. Fe Perez-Agundo likewise said that the ICon not only aims to foster a mindset of innovation but is also an effort to elevate the country in the Global Competitive Index. ―We want the Philippines to become a recognized player in the global arena,‖ she said.

The ICon showcased various facets of innovation including megatrends, technopreneurship, technology business incubators, government policies and programs on innovation, and ―smart cities‖, a concept conceived and introduced to the world by IT giant IBM. Among the high-profile speakers were National Academy of Science and Technology President and former DOST Secretary Dr. William Padolina, who talked about the latest researches in hard sciences and government initiatives; Rappler Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maria Ressa, who expounded on seeing the world in ―God‘s Eye View‖ through social media and the imperative of harnessing this power; IBM Philippines Chief Technologist Lope Doromal, Jr. who explained the principle of Smarter Cities (which served as platform for DOST‘s Smarter Philippines Program); Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. CEO Arthur Tan who discussed global megatrends, convergence, and pervasive connectivity; and Hyundai Chief Design Manager Casey Hyun who enlightened the audience on the rudiments of automobile design and some of the most recent developments in this area. The Icon‘s second day emphasized role of media in science and technology (S&T) and trends in S&T communication. Among the speakers were DOST Science and Technology Information Institute Director Raymund E. Liboro, Representative Angelo Palmones, Former ASEAN Foundation Director Dr. Filemon Uriarte, Jr., Business Mirror Science Editor Ms. Lynn Resurreccion, and National Research Council of the Philippines President and National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz, among others. All ICon participants wore radio-frequency identifications produced by Itemhound Corporation, one of the successful beneficiaries of DOST‘s technology business incubator program.

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Last Updated: 15 APRIL 2013

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President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the test ride of the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) System during the demonstration run at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Emilio Jacinto St., Diliman,

Quezon City on Monday (April 15). A flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UP, the AGT is an elevated train that is electrically powered and emission free. It is capable of transporting up to 60 passengers from station to station, like the AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Upon completion, the AGT will be “driverless” and may be built within central business districts or serve as a link between the city’s main airports. (Photo by: Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO).

President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the test ride of the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) System during the demonstration run at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Emilio Jacinto St., Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (April 15). A flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UP, the AGT is an elevated train that is electrically powered and emission free. It is capable of transporting up to 60 passengers from station to station, like the AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Upon completion, the AGT will be “driverless” and may be built within central business districts or serve as a link between the city’s main airports. In photo are Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, UP president Dr. Alfredo Pascual and Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI) chairman Andrew Tan. (Photo by: Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau).

President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the test ride of the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) System during the demonstration run at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Emilio Jacinto St., Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (April 15). A flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UP, the AGT is an elevated train that is electrically powered and emission free. It is capable of transporting up to 60 passengers from station to station, like the AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Upon completion, the AGT will be “driverless” and may be built within central business districts or serve as a link between the city’s main airports. In photo is Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo. (Photo by: Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau).

President Benigno S. Aquino III is received by Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo upon arrival for the demonstration run of the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) System at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Emilio Jacinto St., Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (April 15). A flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UP, the AGT is an elevated train that is electrically powered and emission free. It is capable of transporting up to 60 passengers from station

to station, like the AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Upon completion, the AGT will be “driverless” and may be built within central business districts or serve as a link between the city’s main airports. (Photo by: Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO).

President Benigno S. Aquino III greets Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan upon arrival for the demonstration run of the Automated Guideway Transit System at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Emilio Jacinto St., Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (April 15). A flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UP, the AGT is an elevated train that is electrically powered and emission free. It is capable of transporting up to 60 passengers from station to station, like the AGTs and other elevated carriers in other countries and the rail transit systems in Metro Manila. Upon completion, the AGT will be “driverless” and may be built within central business districts or serve as a link between the city’s main airports. In photo are Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, UP president Dr. Alfredo Pascual, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI) chairman Andrew Tan. (Photo by: Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau).

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