PNoy gov't doles out P4B, seeks P2B more

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino government has already spent P4.127 billion of the P17.13-billion Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) budget allotted for 2011.

Despite this, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman faced the Senate finance oversight committee on Tuesday afternoon and said it still needs an additional P2 billion to cover over 2 million households for its Pantawid Pamilya program.

Senate Finance committee chair Franklin Drilon did not commit to supporting her request for additional funds, pending a certification from the Department of Budget and Management that there are enough funds.

As of May 31, the DSWD had already released P4.127 billion to 1.6 million households.

Soliman said the DSWD is short of funds because it started giving away cash before the programmed implementation in June.

She said the program has a high accomplishment rate in terms of health visits, education, and family development sessions, which are pre-conditions for the release of funds to beneficiaries.

Soliman also told the committee that it has an assessment mechanism, via a survey commissioned to see the effectiveness of the program.

The survey will be done by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) toward the latter part of 2011.

Both Drilon and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said they were satisfied with the explanation of Soliman.

Under the government's CCT program, the poorest of the poor gets P300 for each child (no more than 3 children and not older than 14 years old), while the mother or parent gets P500 every month on the condition that the children attend at least 85% of their school days, and submit to the government's health programs like vaccination.

Philippine leader: graft-tainted projects stopped

KAWIT, Philippines (AP) — President Benigno Aquino III said Sunday his government has stopped several graft-tainted projects and cut bureaucratic perks, allowing it to raise extra money to feed the poor, equip troops and improve the country's image among investors.

But Aquino acknowledged in an Independence Day speech that formidable problems continue to plague the impoverished Southeast Asian nation, including shortages of jobs, schools, doctors and hospitals and a dependence on imported rice despite its vast farmlands.

More than a century after rising up against Spanish colonizers, Filipinos still have not been liberated from social ills like poverty because they have failed to eradicate corruption, Aquino said in Kawit town in Cavite province south of Manila where revolutionaries declared independence from Spain 113 years ago.

"If we want to liberate the country, we need to free the government and ourselves from greed," Aquino said on the balcony of a historic, flag-draped mansion.

Aquino said without elaborating that his administration had stopped graft-tainted projects in several government agencies, including the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Laguna Lake Development Authority. Officials have looked into alleged irregularities in a major dredging project at the Laguna Lake agency.

Presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said close to $23 million (1 billion pesos) worth of contracts were halted at the public works and highways department alone because they were not properly bidded out, lacked required documents or had other irregularities.

Slashing high salaries and perks of executives in government-owned corporations increased their revenues to $686 million (29.5 billion pesos), some of which was used to build 20,000 houses for soldiers and police and hire 10,000 additional nurses for rural clinics, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.

Aquino said the corporations have long been milked by executives appointed by officials paying off political debts.

More than 100 left-wing laborers and activists, however, accused Aquino of being a U.S. puppet and demanded higher wages. They attempted to march to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, carrying an effigy of Aquino hanging on strings held by an image of Uncle Sam on a U.S. aircraft carrier, but were blocked by riot police.

Aquino suggested that many of the anomalies took place during the administration of his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, without naming her.

Aquino also cited a military corruption scandal linked to three former chiefs of staff, including Arroyo's former defense chief, Angelo Reyes, who has denied any wrongdoing. He committed suicide in February amid a Senate corruption investigation.

"The generals were gifted with truckloads of money while those who expose their bodies to bullets suffer in boots ridden with holes," Aquino said.

Long entrenched in Philippine society, corruption is an especially explosive issue in the inadequately equipped and underfunded military and has sparked several rebellions by disgruntled troops in the past 25 years.

Aquino is the son of democracy icons revered for battling dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was toppled in a 1986 "People Power" revolt. He won a landslide election victory last year largely due to his name and a promise to fight graft and poverty, which afflicts a third of the country's 94 million people.

PNoy leads flag-raising to kick off Independence Day rites

President Benigno Aquino III kicked off early Sunday the celebration of the Philippines’ 113th Independence Day by leading flag-raising ceremonies in Kawit, Cavite at 7 a.m.

Aquino received arrival honors at the Aguinaldo Shrine and took part in wreath-laying ceremonies before raising the Philippine flag, radio dzBB’s Tuesday Niu reported.

He arrived at the shrine at 6:30 a.m. With him were Cabinet secretaries led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

Present at the ceremonies were Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla Jr., Kawit Mayor Reynaldo Aguinaldo, and Imus Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle.

The shrine stands where Philippine independence was first declared on June 12, 1898.

In Manila, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino led the flag-raising ceremonies at the Rizal Park.

The Philippine Coast Guard sounded horns while the Armed Forces of the Philippines started a static display in Manila, radio dzBB’s Glen Juego reported.

Also present at the Manila rites were Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Secretaries Alberto Lim (tourism), Armin Luistro (education) and Jose Rene Almendras (energy).

Security was tight in the area, particularly along Roxas Boulevard, as militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) was to hold a protest action near the US Embassy.

At the Monumento area in Caloocan City, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo led flag-raising ceremonies following a 6 a.m. Mass, dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported.

Robredo said the spirit of patriotism must be kept alive in Filipinos even if it is not Independence Day.

“Ang pinakahamon manatili hindi lamang sa panahon na tayo nakikipaglaban sa dayuhan kundi sa bagay na pwede nating sabihing kinikitil ang kasarinlan ng mamamayan. Kung hindi natin mabibigyan ng buhay ang damdaming yan naroon lang siya sa isang tabi," he said

(Our challenge is to keep the spirit of patriotism alive, not just at a time when we are fighting foreign invaders. We should not neglect our sense of patriotism.)

In San Juan City in Metro Manila, students showed up early for the flag-raising ceremony at the Pinaglabanan Shrine led by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, dzBB’s Mao dela Cruz reported.

Mayor Guia Gomez and son Rep. Jose Victor Ejercito arrived early for the flag-raising ceremony.

In Bulacan province, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and provincial officials led similar activities at the Barasoain Church.

The church was a temporary residence of General Emilio Aguinaldo, and was the venue of the convening of the First Philippine Congress (September 15, 1898).

It was also where the drafting of the Malolos Constitution took place, and where the First Philippine Republic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899. — LBG, GMA News

For the first time, PNoy to lead Independence Day rites

For the first time, President Benigno Aquino III will lead the Independence Day celebrations on June 12, Sunday, beginning with a flag-raising ceremony in Kawit, Cavite.

The country’s 113th Independence Day celebration will be followed by a vin d’ honneur at Malacañang’s Rizal Hall at 10 a.m., also to be officiated by Aquino. Then at 4 p.m., the rites will center on the Independence Day festivities at the Quirino Grandstand.

Last week, the Palace directed the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to organize and implement this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

In preparation for Independence Day, the Palace commemorated National Flag Day late last month. The effort, however, was off to a bad start when the Office of the President displayed the Philippine flag on its official website with the red side up signifying a state of war.

Meanwhile, in an interview with GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation" newscast, the NHCP issued a reminder on Tuesday that the public cannot turn the flag into a fashion statement, and must treat it with respect. — PE/VS, GMA News

PH maintains ownership of Reed Bank in Spratlys

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines maintained its ownership of Reed Bank, amid a reported call of China to all claimants of the Spratly Islands to stop all forms of explorations in the South China Sea.

Malacañang said oil exploration should continue in non-disputed areas or areas owned by the Philippines, including Reed Bank.

"Number one, we will have to confer with the Department of Energy and with the Department of Foreign Affairs with respect to the disputed areas. With respect to the non-disputed areas, we have every reason to do our exploration there because it's ours. There should be no issue as to our sovereign right to explore our own natural resources," Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters in Malacañang.  

The Philippines stood by its statements on the recent incidents in the South China Sea, even after a statement from the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, demanding that the Philippines "stop unilateral actions that damage China's sovereignty and interests at sea…and stop issuing irresponsible comments that are inconsistent with facts."

"Well, 'yun ang kanilang pananaw. Ang aming pananaw, ang sinabi po ni [Defense] Sec. Voltz Gazmin, it's a very responsible statement. We believe that we are asserting only what we claim is ours in our sovereign capacity…Dapat po walang question sa Western Palawan, sa Reed Bank, ito po ay atin, kasi ito ay 80 nautical miles po from Palawan in contrast to them which is about over 400 or a little less than 500 nautical miles from them. So obviously, ito po ay ating inaangkin noon pa and was never considered disputed," Lacierda said. Peaceful resolution of dispute, PNoy visit

Amid all these, the Philippines remains committed to having the issue resolved peacefully and diplomatically.

Lacierda said the situation is not worsening as all claimants remain committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. He said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to be in touch with Chinese Embassy officials in Manila.

"What we believe and what we strongly would like to see is the peaceful resolution in this area. China obviously has their claimed of the 9-dash line. We obviously dispute that so we would rather have a peaceful dialogue be undertaken by the various claimants on the South China Sea, not just between the Philippines and China, but also the other claimants of the area, for instance Vietnam and the other countries," Lacierda said.

The date for President Aquino's state visit to China has not yet been finalized but Aquino is expected to take up the Spratlys issue with his Chinese counterparts.

"Well, again, we don't have a firm schedule yet on China. The DFA would be handling that but definitely the President has been apprised of the situation and in the proper time, the President will relay to the Chinese officials, his counterpart, as to the conduct and attitude of the Philippines and the stand of the Philippines on that matter," Lacierda said.

Senate passes 4 Aquino priority bills during 1st regular session

Just like the House of Representatives, the Senate was able to pass four of the 23 priority bills of the Aquino administration before Congress adjourned session on Wednesday.

Out of the 2,871 bills filed at the Senate, the chamber was able to approve at least 14 bills on third and final reading, four of which were among the 23 priority bills presented by President Benigno Aquino III during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) last February.

"We have introduced, deliberated in committee and in plenary, and then approved on third reading amendatory bills that seek to either strengthen or further improve existing laws on labor, health, the environment, family relations, civil service and justice," Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said during his closing remarks on the last day of the chamber's session on Wednesday.

Among Aquino's priority measures approved by the Senate was the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, which seeks to create a body that will govern government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).

The GOCC Governance Act of 2011, authored by Sen. Franklin Drilon in the Senate, has been signed into law by the President.

Two other priority bills — Drilon's SB 4146 which seeks to postpone the August Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections and Sen. Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III's SB 2846 which seeks to extend the lifeline rate — are just awaiting Aquino’s signature for them to become laws.

On the other hand, SB 2701, which expands the exceptions from the night work prohibition of women employees, still needs to be ratified by both chambers of Congress.

SB 2701 was authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, and Senators Francis Pangilinan, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, and Loren Legarda.

Other bills

The 10 other bills that have been approved by the Senate on third and final reading are:

SB 78 by Estrada, which seeks to increase the minimum wage of household helpers or kasambahaysand provide them with additional benefits.

SB 138 by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Drilon, and P. Cayetano which seeks to amend Presidential Decree 996 to require mandatory basic immunization services against Hepatitis-B for infants

SB 480 by Estrada which seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines to allow either spouse to mortgage or dispose of his or her exclusive property without the consent of other spouse

SB 1052 by Sen. Manny Villar which also seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines to allow a Filipino spouse of an alien spouse to remarry in the Philippines even if the marriage and divorce was obtained abroad

SB 2559 by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri which seeks to grant Philippine citizenship to American import Marcus Douthit to allow him to play for the Smart Gilas Pilpinas Team in major Asian basketball tournaments

SB 2671 by Trillanes which seeks to strengthen the bureaucracy by professionalizing the ranks of government managers and executives.

SB 2726 by Sen. Francis Escudero which seeks to strike out vagrancy as a punishable crime under Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code.

SB 2748 by Trillanes which seeks the "expeditious and timely" release of the retirement pay, pension, and other benefits of government employees, except that from the GSIS, within 30 days after retirement.

SB 2802 by Estrada, and Senators Edgardo Angara and Miriam Defensor-Santiago which seeks to restructure daycares into early childhood education centers and craft a formal curriculum for pre-school pupilsto help them cope with elementary lessons.

SB 2808 by Senators Villar, Santiago, Escudero, Revilla, and Gregorio Honasan which seeks to increase the equivalent rate of each day served by prisoners in jail as subsidiary penalty.

First time

During its first few months, Congress was also able to enact the General Appropriations Act of 2011, giving a P1.645-trillion budget to the national government. The speedy passage of which allowed the President to sign it in the same year it was submitted—the first time in 11 years.

Enrile admitted, however, that they had some delays in their legislative work because they had to reorganize.

"We had to restudy the whole thing but that is normal. As we go along, in the next session, I’m sure we’ll be acting faster on many of these bills," he said.

The Senate was also supposed to serve as an impeachment court for the trial of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned even before the Senate could begin the trial. - RSJ, GMA News