27 February 2017

China gives radio sets to Presidential Comms
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua on Monday, February 27, turned over 400 transistor radios to Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in a ceremony held in the New Executive Building in Malacanan.

“This is symbolic of the different projects that is a result of the bilateral communications, MOU (memoranda of understanding), that the Chinese government and the Republic of the Philippines, through the PCOO (Presidential Communications Operations Office), had signed last year,” Secretary Andanar said.

Ambassador Zhao on his part said that this turnover is part of the concerted efforts to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the PCOO and its Chinese counterparts.

During President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to China, the PCOO signed MOUs with the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and the Ministry of Information.

Part of the SCIO agreement, PCOO will send a delegation to China for official exchanges and media training. Also, the Chinese government is planning on providing a radio transmitter to the People’s Channel to enlarge its coverage.

Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Information will help rebuild PTV-4, Radyo ng Bayan, and the Philippine News Agency, aside from the annual scholarships it offered for PCOO executives and employees.

“These activities are simply the first steps to be followed by a variety form of exchanges and cooperation,” the Chinese ambassador assured.

Secretary Andanar thanked the Chinese ambassasor for his government’s persistency to see the bilateral MOU to go forward. ### PCO-Content


President Duterte attends launching of Mitsubishi’s Mirage G4
President Rodrigo Duterte attended on Monday the launching of Mitsubishi’s Mirage G4, assembled completely in the Philippines under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program.

In a speech during the program, the President thanked Japanese investors for their trust and confidence in the Filipino people. 

“Truly, your continued investments and expansion of business in the country have contributed to the flourishing economy of the Philippines,” he said addressing a crowd in Malacanang’s Rizal Hall.

“The CARS Program demonstrates our commitment to pursue initiatives that will create more jobs for our people and help achieve sustained prosperity in our country,” he added

He noted that the program complements the government’s Zero Plus Ten-Point Socio-Economic Agenda aimed at improving all sectors towards efficiency and development.

The President also assured car industry stakeholders that his government will take due consideration of their concerns about the government’s package of proposals and fiscal reforms.

“We will ensure that its impact will be fair and supportive of your growth as participants in the CARS Program,” the President said.

He encouraged investors to continue working together with the government in enlivening business environment and in making the Philippines not only a regional auto manufacturing hub, but as one of the world’s liveliest economies.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) announced on Monday the commencement of the local production of the Mirage G4 in its 21-hectare plant in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna. 

The Mirage G4 is the the first vehicle that is manufactured locally under the Philippine government’s CARS Program.

CARS program is a fiscal-capped, time-bound and performance-based program provided by the government to help elevate the Philippine automotive industry. It is specifically implemented to transform the Philippines into an automotive manufacturing hub in the region.  

The government will give incentives to manufacturers who commit to manufacture 200,000 vehicles of their chosen model in a span of six years.

The local production of the Mirage entails additional job opportunities to both MMPC and local parts suppliers. Some of the local parts suppliers will also take advantage of technology transfer from their foreign partners for the overall improvement in operations, efficiency and quality. 

With the start of the production of the Mirage G4 and the Mirage Hatchback in May, MMPC aims to manufacture 20,000 units at the end of the year. 

The new stamping plant is also set to start operation in January 2018, which is expected to even increase further local content and boost production volume of MMPC by 50 percent.

MMPC has already invested P4.3 billion pesos for the production facilities and equipment required localization of the Mirage models.###PND


Patriotic law enforcers should be frontliners in war on drugs – Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants honest and patriotic young law enforcers to become the frontliners in the government’s war on drugs.

In a chance interview with reporters on Monday, the President said he has required Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa to look for young men who are imbued with patriotic fervor to join the PNP and serve the country.

The standard is you must be honest, efficient, you must not be corrupt so that everything will be in order,” Duterte told the media before attending a car launch event in Malacañan Palace.

He said he will discuss the problem on drug war with police and military during a scheduled command conference on Monday.

Duterte said the drug problem is a virulent thing and it could not be solved easily. Therefore, he said Dela Rosa has to find people whom he could trust to handle the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The President likewise expressed frustration over corrupt police officers who used Oplan Tokhang to make money.

With regard to Senator Leila De Lima’s safety while in detention, the President assured the lawmaker that she will be 100 percent safe while in police custody.

I assure you that she is safe. I think people are interested not to see her dead but to see her in prison for what she did,” he said.

Asked if De Lima’s arrest serves as a warning to administration critics, the President said unless they are involved in drugs they should not be afraid.

He said he does not know if there are other critics who will suffer the same fate as De Lima noting he does not interfere with the job of the Justice Secretary.###PND