Malacañang has condemned the death of Canadian Robert Hall at the hands of his captors, the Abu Sayyaf group, in Sulu province on Monday. The 50-year-old Hall was the second Canadian hostage to be beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf after ransom demands were not met. The militant group was asking for a P600 million ransom for Hall and two other hostages to be paid by June 13. The Abu Sayyaf Read More

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday expressed his gratitude to the business process outsourcing (BPO) companies for believing in the Filipino talent. In his speech delivered by Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal, Jr. during the launch of VXI Global Solutions, Inc.’s flagship contact center facility at the Mall of Asia, President Aquino said the success of the BPO industry means the success of Filipinos. With the newest center hub, the Read More

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) on Wednesday reminded local government units (LGUs) that their failure to come up with measures to reduce disaster risks is tantamount to social injustice, because it deprives the poorest and most vulnerable sectors the much-needed protection against the adverse effects of climate change. “Non-action on climate and disaster risks is a social sin, an injustice to the poor and most vulnerable,” CCC vice chair, Secretary Read More

Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security To Lam paid a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III in Malacañang Palace on Wednesday. Minister To Lam was accompanied by Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Truong Trieu Duong, Director General of the Police General Department Lt. Gen. Pham Van Vinh, Deputy Director General of the Security General Department Lt. Gen. Nguyen Kim Quy, and Director General of the General Department of Intelligence Read More

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is set to gather this week local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders most vulnerable to disasters caused by extreme weather conditions to train them in handling adaptation, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction and management. The Communities for Resilience or CORE Convergence Forum, to be held on June 8 to 9 in Cagayan de Oro City, will bring together LGUs around the Buayan-Malungon, Cagayan de Oro, Read More

Incoming chief of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Martin Andanar, said on Monday he hopes to improve government media platforms when he assumes office in July. The 41-year-old Andanar, a news anchor and radio commentator from TV5, will replace Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., whose term ends on June 30. “The scope of my job is to manage all the government media entities,” said Andanar, who joined Secretary Coloma during Read More

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday expressed his gratitude to the officers and personnel of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing (PAW) of the Philippine Air Force during their courtesy call in Malacañang Palace. The PAW is tasked to provide air transportation to the President, his/her immediate family members, visiting dignitaries, and VIPs. “I would like to compliment everybody, from all your previous Wing commanders to the present Wing commanders, Read More

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. has assured that the government is helping families affected by the ongoing military operations in the town of Butig in Lanao del Sur. The military has estimated that around 2,000 people have been displaced since the military began its offensive against the Maute Group, one of the armed groups which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, on May 24. “Masinsing tinututukan ng pamahalaan ang Read More

A Palace official has reiterated that the Philippines’ move to present its case against China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is in accordance with the law. The Philippines questioned China’s territorial claim in the South China Sea in its petition to the United Nations court under the UN Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “Ang inihaing petisyon ng Pilipinas sa Permanent Court of Arbitration ay Read More

Acting AFP chief Glorioso Miranda will be discussing terrorism today during his participation to the Shangri-La Dialogue being held in Singapore, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said on Saturday. Miranda will be one of the speakers during the 15th security summit in Singapore and he will be talking about the country’s experiences on jihadi terrorism, Coloma said over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. “Mayroon kasing session hinggil sa pagtugon sa banta Read More

The government said it will do everything to secure the release of the chief of the Governor Generoso police station who was abducted by NPA rebels following an attack on their police station in Davao Oriental. In a press conference, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he is no longer interested in rescuing the abducted cop due to his connections to illegal drug activities. Chief Inspector Arnold Ongachen was taken captive by Read More

The public could join several activities during the Independence Day celebration this year such as job fair and medical and dental missions, the Palace said on Saturday. In a radio interview, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the Philippine Information Agency, which represents the Presidential Communications Operations Office, had joined the preparatory meetings for the celebration spearheaded by NHCP. Among the activities at the Rizal Park on June 13 include Read More

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday was briefed on the ongoing military and law enforcement operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). “The President received an update on the ongoing military and law enforcement operations against the ASG in Sulu as part of continuing efforts to bring about the safe release of kidnapped hostages,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement. President Aquino met with the security Read More

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) sees an executive order making renewable energy (RE) resource management a state policy as a big boost to efforts to drive the Philippines toward a low-emission and climate-resilient future. The commission’s vice chair, Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman, has welcomed Executive Order (EO) No. 206, which President Benigno S. Aquino III signed last May 20, saying it complements an earlier CCC resolution that sets into motion Read More

It was a night filled with fun, laughter, singing, and dancing. This was how the Liberal Party, led by its chairman President Benigno S. Aquino III, celebrated their thanksgiving party held at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday night. At 7 p.m., President Aquino, in yellow polo, arrived at the event, which was attended by supporters of administration bets Manuel Roxas II and Vice President-elect Leni Robredo. Read More

The Palace has disagreed with the contention that media killings may be justified if reporters and columnists are engaged in corruption, noting that everyone has the right to due process. “We recognize the vital role played by journalists as purveyors of information in a democratic society. As citizens, they have a fundamental right to due process and equal protection of the laws of the land,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. Read More

The newly signed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act will boost the capability of the Bureau of Customs and the overall competitiveness of the country in global trade, Malacañang said on Wednesday. In a statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Republic Act No. 10863 “to boost the capability of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) as one of the top two revenue collecting agencies of the government.” President Benigno S. Read More

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday attended the 118th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Navy (PN), which was highlighted by the simultaneous commissioning of the new landing dock (LD) vessel, the Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Tarlac and the christening of three new landing craft heavy (LCH) vessels at the Pier 13 South Harbor in Manila. Upon arrival, the President was accorded full military honors by the Fleet Read More

Malacañang on Wednesday assured that the government is already carrying out several measures to address the possible effects of the La Niña weather phenomenon, which is expected to hit the country this year. “As part of its overall strategy on climate change resiliency, government is implementing a comprehensive program on mitigating the harmful effects of the possible onset of the La Nina scenario,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in Read More

The Palace has defended the implementation of Executive Order (EO) No. 203, saying it is a product of an extensive study by the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) in the past few years. “The government remains steadfast in its commitment to improve the salaries and benefits of all government workers, including those in the Government-Owned or –Controlled Corporation (GOCC) Sector, pursuant to the objective of formulating a ‘competitive compensation and Read More

Malacañang on Tuesday welcomed the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) rankings of the International Institute of Management Development, which showed the Philippines at 42nd place among 61 economies and 12th among 14 Asia-Pacific countries. The report was based on 342 criteria clustered under four broad categories — economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement. “We note the WCY report stated Read More

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is urging the government and the business community to tap into the potential of the construction sector to fight climate change by investing in affordable, sustainable and resilient housing and buildings. Underscoring the importance of the buildings sector in climate change mitigation and adaptation, CCC vice chair Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said the industry could easily and effectively enable cities to make significant climate contributions. Read More

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday keynoted the 2nd Busog, Lusog Talino (BLT) School Feeding Program Excellence Awards organized by the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City. The Jollibee Group, led by chairman Tony Tan Caktiong, recognized schools that showed exemplary performance in implementing the BLT School Feeding Program, which aims to address malnutrition among grade school pupils in public schools by providing Read More

The Palace welcomed on Sunday the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) adoption of a proposal of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin calling for the establishment of a cyber security group in the region. “Ikinagagalak natin ang pagpapahayag ng suporta ng ibang mga kalapit-bansa ng Pilipinas,” Communication Secretary Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview on Sunday. “Sadyang mahalaga ‘yung pagkakaisa ng mga bansa sa pagpapatatag sa cyber security Read More

The Palace responded to China’s statement saying the international arbitral tribunal hearing the case filed by the country is “bias in favor of the Philippines.” “In expressing concern over the South China Sea issue, the Group of Seven or G7 Declaration affirmed the importance of upholding the rule of law,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. He said Adherence to the rule Read More

Malacanang made an assurance on Saturday that the government continues to fortify the country’s banking system against hackers who have been trying to penetrate the banking system. There were reports saying that foreign hackers tried to breached the country’s banking system. Just recently, a breach in the banking industry resulted to millions of dollars being stolen from the central bank in Bangladesh, with the money ending up in Philippine banks Read More

While the next administration could look into the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), the Palace warned against misinformation about the issue that puts the government in bad light despite the previous ruling of the high court. It was reported that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines or IBP has expressed support for the plan of incoming Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to look into the liabilities of officials of the Read More

Malacanang condemned the killing of a reporter in Manila on Friday and vowed to go after his attackers. “Unang-una ay nakikiramay po tayo sa pamilya ni Alex Balcoba, reporter ng pahayagang People’s Brigada, na napaslang kahapon sa Quiapo, Lungsod ng Maynila,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview Saturday. “Kinokondena po natin ang krimeng ito at kasalukuyang sinisayasat ito ng Philippine National Police upang alamin at tugisin Read More

Malacanang congratulated Vice President-elect Leni Robredo saying it expects the new Vice President to stand for the rule of law and fight threats to democracy. “Ang tagumpay ni Leni Robredo ay tagumpay ng sambayanang nananalig at naninindigan sa mga prinsipyo ng Daang Matuwid,” he said in a statement in a radio interview Saturday. “Siya ay simbolo ng katatagan ng kababaihang Pilipino sa aspeto ng pamumuno sa bansa, bunsod ng kanyang Read More

Malacañang has welcomed the findings of a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which showed self-rated poverty and food poverty ratings at multi-year lows, noting that good governance has strengthened the economy and increased opportunities for Filipinos. “We welcome the most recent survey results released by the Social Weather Stations, which put both self-rated poverty and food poverty rates at multi-year lows,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement Read More