President Aquino received the checks from the chairpersons and chief executive officers of GOCCs during the ceremonial turnover of dividends, billed as “GOCC Day”, held at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace.
This year’s GOCCs dividends increased from P36.36 billion last year.
In his speech, the President thanked the officials and employees of the 54 GOCCs for their contribution.
“Kaya naman sa ngalan ng sambayanang Pilipino, taos-puso akong nagpapasalamat sa mga bumubuo ng mga korporasyong nagpakitang-gilas, at nagpamalas ng kanilang makabuluhang kontribusyon sa bansa. Maraming salamat sa mga empleyado’t kawani ng bawat opisina, hanggang sa kanilang mga direktor at pinunong namamahala sa ating mga korporasyon. Kung tutuusin, pwede ninyong piliing magtrabaho na lang sa pribadong sektor kung saan pwedeng naging mas tahimik at mas maaliwalas ang inyong buhay. Alam kong sa paglilingkod sa gobyerno, pinili ninyo ang mas maliit na sweldo, at pagpasan ng mas mabigat na hamon para tuparin ang inyong tungkulin,” he said.
“Sa tulong ng ating GOCCs, pinatunayan din natin…na Good governance is good economics. Sa mabuting pamamahala, lumalago ang ekonomiya. Nito nga pong 1st quarter ng 2016, nagtala tayo ng 6.9 percent GDP (gross domestic product) growth—ang pinakamataas na paglago ng ekonomiya sa buong Asya. At ito nga pong paglagong ito ang nagbigay sa atin ng higit na kakayahang paglingkuran, hindi lang ang iilan, kundi ang nakakarami,” he further said.
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) led this year’s Billionaires’ Club, an elite class of contributors that declared P1 billion or more in total remittances.
Land Bank posted the highest dividends that amounted to P6.6 billion and remitted a total of P6.85 billion, while PAGCOR had the highest total remittances at P8.869 billion.
Also making it to the Billionaires’ Club were the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) with P5.062 billion; Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) with P3.930 billion; Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) with P2.87 billion; Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) with P2.358 billion; Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) with P2.27 billion; Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) with P2.187 billion; and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) with P1 billion.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Adrian Cristobal, Jr., Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada, Governance Commission for GOCC Commissioner Angela Ignacio, and Deputy National Treasurer Sharon Almanza were also present during the GOCC Day, which started in 2011 under the Department of Finance to recognize the significant contributions of GOCCs to national development.
Republic Act No. 7656 requires GOCCs to declare and remit at least 50 percent of their income as dividends to the national government. PND (jm)
