• President Aquino enjoins Ilonggos to vote for administration candidates
• PAGCOR donates school building in Iloilo
• President Aquino approves merger of the Development Bank of the Philippines and Landbank
• President Aquino tells local leaders to choose the right path

In a speech before a huge and enthusiastic crowd at the Freedom Grandstand along JM Basa Street here, the President underscored the gains brought about by his government’s reform agenda.

President Aquino noted that 4.4 million households have benefitted from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and from 51 percent in 2010, 91 percent of the population is now covered by PhilHealth. He also cited the modernization of the Armed Forces, as well as the development of major infrastructure projects nationwide.

“Isa nga pong referendum ang darating na halalan. At ang tanong: Tama ba ang direksyong tinatahak natin sa tuwid na daan? Bigyan po natin ng detalye. Tama ba na ang dating tinatawag na “Sick Man of Asia”, naging “Asia’s Rising Tiger” na, dahil napalago natin ang ekonomiya? Tama bang ang sa tuwid na daan ang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program na dating ginagamit sa pamumulitika, ay umaakay na ngayon sa mahigit 4.4 milyong kabahayang benepisyaryo? At doon sa bilang pong iyan, 7.7 million na po ang naiangat sa poverty line,” he said.

“Tama bang mula 51 percent noong 2010 ang naabot ng PhilHealth ngayon ay 91 percent na po ang coverage ng mga naaruga ng PhilHealth? Tama ba ang sunod-sunod na pagtatayo natin ng mga imprastruktura, na deka-dekada nang inaasahan ng ating mga kababayan na ngayon lang po napupuno at ginagawa? Tama ba ang modernisasyon at pagpapaunlad natin sa ating unipormadong hanay, na matagal na ring napabayaan? Tama ba ang pagtutok natin sa kapakanan ng taumbayan, kaysa sa pansariling agenda lang?”

President Aquino said the Filipino people could put their trust in LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas and his running mate Leni Robredo to bring the country to greater heights.

“Sila ang mga pinunong itutuloy ang positibong transpormasyon sa ating lipunan; sila ang magdadala sa atin sa tuloy-tuloy na asenso’t pag-angat; sila ang may kakayahang magsakripisyo; at higit sa lahat, may wagas na pagmamahal — hindi sa sarili, kundi sa Diyos, sa kapwa, at sa bayan. Walang kaduda-duda, ang magpapatuloy po at magpapalawak sa Daang Matuwid, ang magdadala sa atin sa katuparan ng ating mga pangarap, walang iba kundi sina Mar Roxas at Leni Robredo,” he said.

“Mga kasama, kasagsagan na po ng kampanya, at itong mga Senador natin, talagang piling-pili. Maraming gustong sumama, pero sila po ang ating napili. Narinig na nga po ninyo ang iba o ang lahat sa kanila na magsalita. Sa mga susunod na araw, lalo pa ninyong malalaman ang kanilang plataporma. Ang importante, ihalal natin ang mga tamang kandidato,” he added.

The Liberal Party’s senatorial candidates are Senators Franklin Drilon, Teofisto Guingona III and Ralph Recto; former senators Panfilo Lacson and Francisco Pangilinan; former justice secretary Leila de Lima, former energy secretary Jericho Petilla, former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid, COOP NATCCO Party List Representative Cresente Paez, former Akbayan representative Riza Hontiveros, and Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs Nariman Ambolodto. PND (jm)

The President turned over the keys of the 18-classroom school building to PNHS Principal Delorah Cecilia Fantillo and Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Director Gemma Ledesma.

“Ngayon, nasaksihan natin ang panibago na namang tagumpay ng sama-samang pagtahak sa Daang Matuwid. Narito nga po tayo sa inagurasyon ng bagong school building ng Pavia National High School. Bahagi lang po ang proyektong ito ng implementasyon ng ating K to 12 program. Balita ko nga, dahil nakumpleto na ang proyekto, may magagamit nang silid-aralan ang inyong mga incoming senior high school sa darating na Hunyo,” he said in a speech after inspecting the brand new school building.

The Chief Executive expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR, the DepEd and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the new school building that will decongest the growing number of students occupying the classrooms.

“Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa PAGCOR sa pagpondo ng proyekto. Kita niyo naman ang naidudulot ng mabuting pamamahala. Hindi ho ba dati ang PAGCOR, bilyung-bilyong piso ang winaldas para lang sa kape na hindi natin kilala ang mga ginising. Ngayon, ang PAGCOR, napakarami pong estudyanteng tinutulungang mamulat ang kaalaman dahil sa pinopondohang mga paaralan,” said President Aquino.

“Siyempre po, nagpapasalamat din tayo sa DepEd at sa DPWH sa pagtiyak na matatapos ang gusaling ito. Makakaasa po kayo: tinutugunan ng inyong gobyerno ang mga pangangailangan sa ating basic education pati na rin sa higher education. Hindi natin hahayaang magtiis muli ang ating mag-aaral sa kulang-kulang na, gutay-gutay pa, at mali-mali pang mga aklat; gayundin ang pagka-klase sa ilalim ng puno na kung minsan ay may dahon at kung minsan ay wala at siyempre ang pinakaimportante kawalan ng sapat na mga guro,” he added.

The turnover of the new school building, he said, was made possible through the “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” project of the PAGCOR and its partners, DepEd and DPWH.

The three-storey school building, which has six classrooms in each floor, can accommodate a total of 900 students at 50 students per classroom. Each floor has comfort rooms for male and female students.

After the turnover ceremony, President Aquino also made the ceremonial switch-on of the 3,618 sitios of Panay Islands (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo) under the Sitio Energization Program of the Department of Energy and National Electrification Administration. There are 87 ongoing projects under the program.

“Sa pagpapakitang-gilas nga ng ating Department of Energy at National Electrification Administration, naghatid na tayo ng liwanag sa 31,548 sitiong natukoy sa imbentaryo mula noong taong 2011. Meron din naman pong mga sitio na hindi praktikal na ikabit sa national grid dahil sa sobrang layo. Kaya naman imbes na ipilit na ikabit sa national grid, ginamitan ito ng solar at iba pang teknolohiya,” said the President.

“Ngayon po, napailawan na rin maski ang mga nasa liblib na lugar. Kaya nandiyan na po ang resulta: 97.25 percent po ng ating target na sitio may kuryente na. Inaasahan natin: bago tayo bumaba sa puwesto, lahat ng naitala noong taong 2011, hindi lang po sa Panay, pero sa buong Pilipinas, energized na po,” he added.

“Dito ho sa inyo sa Panay Island, hindi rin kayo pinabayaan. Ito pong 3,618 sitios na ating napailawan, ay nalampasan na ang 2,509 na sitiong nabigyan ng kuryente ng nakaraang mga administrasyon sa loob ng 13 taon. Ngayon nga po, 98.6 percent ng mga sitio sa Panay, may kuryente na; at ngayong Marso, ang pangako sa atin, ang target po nating maabot na ang 100 percent ng pagpapailaw sa kabuuang 6,214 na sitios sa Panay Island,” the President further said.

Chairperson of PAGCOR Cristino Naguiat, Jr. said the new school building inside the only public national high school in this town is just one of the thousands of classrooms that PAGCOR and its partners have constructed since 2011.

“The school building project has been our greatest legacy to the Filipino youth. That is why every time we witness the completion of a new PAGCOR building, we are motivated to keep on exceeding our previous accomplishments. Every new building gives a new sense of hope to many students who have held classes outdoors or in dilapidated classrooms that are no longer safe for use,” said Naguiat.

Fantillo, on the other hand, said the new PAGCOR building will also be utilized as an evacuation center during calamities and as a venue for community cultural activities of the local government unit.

“The new building donated by PAGCOR has given us extra space where we can hold some of our programs or host some important activities. Napakalaking ginhawa talaga ang hatid sa amin ng biyayang ito,” the PNHS principal said.

The corporation has allocated P12 billion for its nationwide school building project following the turnover of an additional P2 billion to DepEd and DPWH on December 14 last year.

As of last December, a total of 2,129 classrooms in 439 sites has been constructed nationwide, 1,644 classrooms are under construction in 260 sites, while 1,105 classrooms in 100 sites are undergoing procurement.

Also present were Senate President Franklin Drilon, House of Representatives Speaker Sonny Belmonte, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Sarmiento, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Iloilo Second District Representative Arcadio Gorriceta, and Pavia town mayor Michael Gorriceta. PND (jm)

Executive Order (EO) No. 198 on the merger of the two state banks, signed by the President last February 4, noted the “need to rationalize the operation of government agencies and government financial institutions (GFIs) to strengthen their financial capabilities, to improve the delivery of services, to achieve economic efficiency and to support the development thrust of the government”.

According to the EO, the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) has determined that “it is in the best interest of the State to merge DBP and LBP” due to the overlap in the functions of the two banks.

It stated that their merger will further enhance the financing of priority projects and sectors such as infrastructure, public services, agriculture/agrarian reform and SMEs; provide better access and extend quality financial services and products to more unbanked and underserved areas; and build a stronger and more competitive universal development bank able to fulfill its mandate of providing banking services to propel countryside development and contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth.

According to EO 198, the “operational merger of DBP and LandBank, through the transfer of assets and liabilities of DBP to LBP as the surviving entity, is hereby approved, subject to the written consent of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation and approval of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas”.

The Executive Order further stated that to allow the LBP to continue supporting the government’s sustainable and inclusive growth agenda, the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management have been directed to “provide a capital infusion to LBP of at least P30 billion, to be sourced from existing funds if allowed by law, or to be included in the General Appropriations Act for the succeeding years”. PND (cl)

In a speech delivered during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) General Assembly and Mayors’ Forum at the Marriot Hotel in Pasay City, the President noted the gains brought about by his administration’s Daang Matuwid initiative on good governance.

A bottom-up budgeting nasa 50,000 projects ang nakalaan. Yung inyong sasakyan ho sa kapulisan, dadalawampu na lang yata ang kulang, sa Sulu. Sulu na lang ang nahuhuli. At may 1,400 na vehicles for municipalities sa pulis. Mayroon naman hong additional na 1,200 para doon sa Regional Safety Batallion, Public Safety Company, yung National Support Unit. Sa madaling salita, sinasabi nga ni (Interior and Local Government Secretary) Mel (Senen Sarmiento), hindi namin ipinangako sa inyo yan, idineliver lang,” the President said.

With only three months left before the national elections, the Chief Executive enjoined the town mayors to vote wisely to better serve their constituents.

“Panahon na ho ng eleksiyon. Mamimili tayo ng direksiyong tutunguhin natin,” he said.

“Dito naman po sa samahan namin, ang paniniwala namin [ay] simpleng-simple: Yung kaya naming gawin nitong anim na taon na ito, puwede nating gawing permanente dahil ipadadama natin sa bawat isa na puwede tayong magkaroon ng sistema, ng gobyerno, ng lipunan na talaga namang nakatutok sa kapwa, at puwede tayong umangat.”

President Aquino said the victory of the administration-backed candidates in the coming elections would ensure the continuity of good governance.

“Kung gusto ho natin na bumalik sa sitwasyong taon-taon may baha ka, taon-taon ang nagagawa mo na lang kapirasong mag-relief, o dito tayo sa sistema natin ngayon, ‘Saan ba ang ugat ng bahang yan? Bakit hindi natin ayusin yung problema ng pagbaha para sa susunod na taon iba naman ang pinoproblema natin hindi yung paulit-ulit na problema?’ Tayo ang problema ay kahirapan, tinugunan natin sa 4Ps yan. Hindi lang sa kasalukuyan pero pati sa kinabukasan, dahil ang buod po ng 4Ps: manatiling nag-aaral ang anak mo, mayroon kang sustento mula sa estado, nakapagtapos ang anak mo, mas may kakayahan siyang [makakuha ng] trabahong mas maayos… At ngayon, 91 percent po ng ating populasyon, saklaw na ng PhilHealth,” he pointed out.

The President said that voters will be at the crossroads come election time in May.

“Mamimili tayo: Saan ba tayo pupunta? Sa akin ho simpleng-simple. Mayroon tayong dalawang kandidato, nandito sa entablado kasama natin. Sila po nangakong itutuloy ang ating ginagawa na ngayon. At dahil mag-uumpisa sa mas mataas na antas, itataas pa nila tayo. Siguro naman po, mas mabilis yung lalong pagbabago ng ating lipunan. Ngayon, lahat ho ng kalaban nitong dalawang nasa entabladong kasama natin, si Mar Roxas at si Robredo, sila ho mangangako ng langit, lupa, isama na natin ang estrelya, isama na natin ang buwan, isama na natin ang hereafter para lang baka sakaling makalusot. Pero dulo nga ho noon, lahat ng pangako nila, baka magkatotoo. Pero dito, siguradong nagawa na,” he said, referring to administration candidates, Manuel Roxas II and Leni Robredo.

“Lahat ho kayo iginagalang sa inyong mga komunidad… Iginagalang pa rin ho at nirerespeto kayo ng inyong mga kababayan, pinakikinggan kayo. At kayo sana ang magmungkahi. Tayo ang may tangan ng kinabukasan natin,” the President said.

“Habang ine-empower po natin ang ating mga kababayan, kami naman po sa mataas na tungkulin, pinilit naming i-empower kayo. Kung kayo ho palagay niyo tama ang nangyari sa ating lumipas, halos anim na taon na nga ho, kung maganda ho ito, bakit pa natin babaguhin ang ating landas? Nasa inyong kamay, kayo ho ang huhubog ng ating kinabukasan. Sana po pagtulungan nating manatili ang pagbabagong napairal natin sa Tuwid na Daan,” President Aquino said. PND (jm)