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23 Feb 2016

President Aquino accepts Public-Private Partnership Center Chief Canilao’s resignation
 
President Benigno S. Aquino III has accepted the resignation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Canilao tendered her irrevocable resignation on January 27 “due to pressing family concerns.” Her resignation will be effective on March 8.

In a letter dated February 15, Executive Secretary Ochoa thanked Canilao for her “valuable and dedicated service to the government.”

Ochoa said former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Balisacan endorsed the acceptance of Canilao’s resignation.

President Aquino appointed Canilao as the head of the Public-Private Partnership Center in 2011. PND (co)


President Aquino inspects major infrastructure projects in Bulacan
 
(HAGONOY, Bulacan) President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday inspected major infrastructure projects here, including a two-storey, 10-classroom school building in the town of Hagonoy.“Dahil nga sa pakikiambag ninyo sa Daang Matuwid, naisakongkreto naman ang bagong school building para sa Ramona S. Trillana High School. Ang nabanggit po sa atin: Noong wala pa ang school building na ito, nagtitiis ang mga guro’t mag-aaral sa mga silid-aralan na inaanay, luma, at pag umuulan o bumabagyo ay binabaha pa. Noon, problema pa ang espasyo, at sa dami ng estudyanteng pumapasok ay nagsasagawa ng double shifting sa mga klase; meron pa nga raw napipilitang gumamit ng tent, makapagklase lang. Ngayon, ibang-iba na ang kalagayan dito sa inyo,” said President Aquino in his speech after leading the turnover of the 10-classroom building donated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to the Ramona S. Trillana High School- Sta. Elena Campus.

“Bahagi nga ang bagong gusaling ito ng ating komprehensibong inisyatiba na lalong iangat ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa bansa. Gusto ko namang ibahagi: Itong bago ninyong school building, bunga ng pinag-isipang estratehiya sa mabuting pamamahala na tinatawag nating “convergence,” kung saan nagtutulungan ang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan para tugunan ang iba’t iba nating pangangailangan. Dito po, DepEd at PAGCOR ang sabay na sumuri at tumukoy sa dapat paglaanan; ang DPWH naman, katuwang ng DepEd, ang nagpatupad sa proyekto,” added the President.

The Sta. Elena Campus was established in 2009. It offers Grades 7 to 10 and has a total enrollment of 2,584 students as of June 2015.

Through its “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” project in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), PAGCOR has funded the building of 52 classrooms in nine sites in Bulacan. An additional 52 classrooms are under construction while 20 more are undergoing procurement.

To date, PAGCOR has allocated P12 billion for its school building program which is considered as the agency’s biggest legacy to the Filipino youth.

On his way to Hagonoy, President Aquino conducted an aerial inspection of the Plaridel Bypass Road Project Phase II and the Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan Flood Control Project.

“Ito nga pong school building, mga bagong kalsada, flood control projects, at iba pang serbisyong inyong pinakikinabangan, matibay na patunay na hindi isinantabi ang pangangailangan ninyo sa Daang Matuwid. Kapag sinuma nga ninyo ang pondong ibinuhos natin para sa imprastruktura lang sa Bulacan mula noong 2011 hanggang 2016, aabot iyan sa P19.04 bilyon—mas malaki po iyan nang halos apat na beses sa P5.01 bilyon inilaan ng ating sinundan para sa inyo sa huling anim na taon niya sa puwesto. Pag tiningnan naman ninyo ang inilaan nating budget ngayong taon para sa pambansang imprastruktura: humigit-kumulang P766 bilyon iyon. Katumbas po niyan ang 5 percent ng ating kasalukuyang Gross Domestic Product. Malayong-malayo sa ipinamana ng ating pinalitan noong 2010, na P165 billion lang po,” said President Aquino.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the budget allocated to Bulacan has increased to P18.94 billion from 2011 to 2016 as compared to only P4.98 billion from 2005 to 2010.

“Simula nga nang manungkulan tayo, taon-taon, tinataasan natin ang alokasyon para sa imprastruktura. Kaya naman, mahigit 6,200 kilometrong national roads ang naisaayos na natin. May paparating pang isang libo. Natapos na rin ho natin ang 1,550 kilometrong tourism roads at 3,700 local roads para sa ating mga pamayanan. Ang akin nga ho, kitang-kita naman ang pagkakaiba kapag interes lang ng sambayanan ang tutok ng pamamahala: Ang Estado, may tunay na kakayahang pagandahin ang kalidad ng buhay ng ating mamamayan. Sa Daang Matuwid, ang tuon po: Maibsan ang kahirapan, di bukas-makalawa, kundi, sabi nga ng kabataan, “Now na.”

“Kayo na po mismo ang testigo sa lahat ng positibong pagbabago. Siyempre po, gaya ng paulit-ulit kong binibigyang-diin: Simula pa lang ang lahat ng ito at posibleng maging permanente ang reporma. Kayo, ang aking mga Boss, ang magtutuloy-tuloy ng transpormasyon at masasagad natin ang pagkakataong lalong paunlarin ang ating bansa,” the President further said.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the budget allocated to Bulacan has increased to P18.94 billion from 2011 to 2016 as compared to only P4.98 billion from 2005 to 2010.

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said the P18.94 billion allocation does not include the budget coming from the Department of Education and PAGCOR for school buildings, farm-to-market roads from the Department of Agriculture, hospital and health care facilities from the Department of Health and other infra projects from the DPWH.

Also present were PAGCOR chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr., Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado and Hagonoy Mayor Raulito Manlapaz Sr. PND (jm)


Filipinos must choose right leader for reforms to continue, says President Aquino
(MALOLOS CITY) The current reform agenda has achieved a lot and the people must choose the right leader in the next election for all the development initiatives to continue, President Aquino said in Tuesday.

In a speech in Malolos City, the President said that while there’s so much time and development lost in the previous administration, the important thing is that the current government is on track and all the developments just need to be continued.

“Ngayon po, sa loob halos ng anim na taon nating pagbagtas sa Daang Matuwid, malinaw na at ang layo na ng ating nararating. Marami sa ating mga nakamit, makasaysayan,” he said in a speech in Malolos City.

For instance, he said that from 2010 to 2015, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.2 percent— the fastest six-year economic growth of the country in almost four decades.

The government was able to modernize the military acquiring Weather High Endurance Cutters, Armored Personal Carriers, lead-in fighter jets and other equipment.

For social welfare and protection, the administration continues to carry out the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and a wider PhilHealth. The President reported that the government was able to expand 4Ps coverage by 4.4 million families as of today.

For the province of Bulacan, the President said the province was able to double its income. From P5.23 billion in 2009, the collection of the Provincial Government and the BIR reached P12.82 billion in 2014.

The government allocation for the construction of roads, bridges, flood control, seaports and airports also increased by four times the President said. He said that from P5.01 billion in 2005 to 2010, it reached 19.04 billion from 2011 to 2016.

There are also 234 farm-to-market roads completed in Bulacan totaling 70 kilometers. These projects benefit 5,000 Bulacan farmers, he said.

For flood control and management, the government also completed the Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct Improvement Project – Phase II in July 2012.

The construction of the Angat Dam and Dike Strengthening Project will soon start after it was approved last July, he added.

“Ang Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project naman, napirmahan na nitong Enero, at pagdating ng Abril, groundbreaking na po ‘yan,” he said.

“Ilan lang po yan sa mga nakamit na natin sa Daang Matuwid. Pero nakita naman ninyo: Yung mga dating akala nating imposibleng magawa, nagagawa na natin ngayon. Lalong lumilinaw: Sa mabuting pamamahala, nasasagad ang potensyal ng Pilipino at ng Pilipinas.”

The president advised the people of Bulacan to choose administration candidates for these programs to continue. PND (as)