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06 June 2015

President Aquino brings home P13.5-B investment pledges, P136.9-B loans from Japan trip
President Benigno S. Aquino III returned to the country on Friday with P13.5 billion investment pledges and P136.9 billion loans from his four-day state visit to Japan.The President was welcomed at the arrival area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by Cabinet members including Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, DOH Secretary Janette Garin, and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez.

During the trip, President Aquino received P13.5 billion investment pledges frofqaqm 11 companies which signed letters of intent to open or expand their operations in the Philippines.

The President cited clothing company Uniqlo, which currently has 22 outlets in the country, is planning to add 200 more shops.

He said the other companies are into manufacturing of electric tricycles, printers, smart glasses and medical devices such as aortic catheter, invitro diagnostics and for hemodialysis treatment.

“Sa pagdadala nila ng mga produktong ito sa Pilipinas, malinaw na lumalawak ang pagkilala ng mundo sa talino at talento ng Pilipino,” said President Aquino, adding that some companies have expressed plans to make the Philippines their center of operations in the ASEAN region.

“Dahil alam naman nating kapag mas mataas sa value chain ang produktong nililikha ay mas mataas din ang pasahod at mas mabilis na matatamasa ang ginhawa at dignidad ng buhay para sa nakakaraming Pilipino,” said the President of the investment pledges that can generate around 30,721 jobs.

The Philippines and Japan also signed agreements in health, maritime safety and trade as well as a concessional loan amounting to P136.9 billion huge infrastructure projects.

“Dagdag pa pong good news ang sari-saring mga kasunduang nilagdaan sa pagitan ng Japan at ng Pilipinas partikular sa mga sektor ng kalusugan, maritime safety, at kalakalan,” said President Aquino.

“Ito pong concessional loan ang pautang na sobrang gaan ng interes at ipinagkakaloob ng kaibigan sa kanyang kapwa kaibigan. Nagpapakita po ito ng kagustuhang tunay na makatulong kaysa maging pabigat,” the President added.

President Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Abe also signed a Joint Declaration on Strengthened Strategic Partnership.

“Tunay nga pong pinapalalim ang ugnayan ng ating mga bansa sa maraming sektor, kabilang na ang seguridad. Napapanahon po itong pagtaas ng antas ng ating relasyon sa Japan sa harap ng mga banta sa estabilidad sa West Philippine Sea,” said the President.

“Ang mahalaga nga po ay nakikita nating nagtutugma ang mga prinsipyo ng Japan at Pilipinas tungkol sa paggalang sa mga karapatan ng bawat bansa, sa malayang paglalayag sa international waters, at sa paghahari ng batas at mapayapang ugnayan upang matugunan ang anumang di-pagkakaintindihan. Sa tulong nga po ng Japan, natatawag ang pansin ng mas marami pang mga bansa sa sitwasyon sa mga dagat ng Asya,” he added. PND (jm)


Palace announces new appointments
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced Saturday new appointments to various government offices released by the Office of the Executive Secretary.

First on the list was the new chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board for Fisheries under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) — Westly Rivera Rosario. Also appointed as chairperson of the PRC Board Professional Teachers was Rosita Lozano Navarro.

President Benigno Aquino III also made new appointments to the Department of Health and Department of Natural Resources namely Angelina Angeles Del Mundo as Director IV and Mayumi Quintos Natividad as Acting Director III, respectively.

The President also named Elsa P. Agustin and Juvy Cardona Danofrata as Acting Directors IV of the Department of Finance.

Other appointments include Vicente Y. Belizario Jr. as Undersecretary of the Department of Health; Antonio Y. Reyes as member representing an industry relying on Intellectual Property Protection under the Optical Media Board; Josemaria E. Claro as member representing the Education Sector of the Board of Directors of PTV-4, and Atty. Henry M. Francisco as Acting Public Attorney V of the Public Attorney’s Office under the Department of Justice.

All the appointments were signed by the President last May 29. PND (jb)


Palace asks Filipinos in South Korea to take precautions vs MERS-CoV
Malacañang advised Saturday Filipino nationals living in South Korea to take precautionary measures in light of recent confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the country.

“I think if I am not mistaken, we have around 55,000 Filipinos in South Korea and we just asked them to take extra measures for their hygiene as well as to follow directives from the South Korean authorities on that matter,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in her regular interview on government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

She noted that the South Korean government has been issuing advisories in order to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, which so far had killed 3 and infected 36, according to the latest data reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the South Korean Health Ministry.

Valte said the Philippine government is confident that Filipinos there would be safe as long as they follow directives of the South Korean government.

“So we are quite sure that as long as you follow the guidelines set by your local authorities, you should be okay and just to take extra measures for your own protection,” she said.

The Philippine embassy in Seoul earlier said that they are closely monitoring the situation.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul Hernandez said the embassy would be ready to assist any Filipino who might be infected by the disease.

The embassy also refused to recommend imposition of travel restrictions to and from South Korea amid the situation.

At least 1,500 people were ordered to self-quarantine and 1,000 schools were closed to prevent the spread of the virus.

Reports said that the first case of MERS-CoV in South Korean was a 68-year-old man who returned to the county on May 4 after traveling to four Middle Eastern countries. PND (jb)