Aguinaldo Shrine Pagsanjan Falls Taal Lake Antipolo Church Lucban Pahiyas Feast

Dispatch for October 9 , 2013 Wednesday , 3 PIA Calabarzon PRs , 6 Weather Watch,

3 OFW Watch, 8 Reg’l. Watch , 1 PNOY Speech , 15 Online News , 10 Photonews

1. Weather Watch

24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST

Issued At: 5:00 a.m., 09 October 2013

Valid

Beginning: 5:00 a.m. today until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow

Predicted Mean Sea Level

Pressure

Analysis for 8 a.m., 09

October 2013

Predicted Mean Sea Level

Wind

Analysis for 8 a.m., 09

October 2013

Satellite Image

for 4:32 a.m., 09 October

2013

Synopsis:

At 4:00 a.m. today, Tropical Depression "SANTI" was estimated based on all available data at 600 km east of

Virac, Catanduanes (14.2°N, 130.4°E) with maximum winds of 45 kph. It is forecast to move West Northwest at 15

kph.

Forecast:

MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and

thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or

thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Light to moderate winds coming from the north to northwest will prevail over Luzon and blowing from the

northwest to southwest over the rest of the country. The coastal waters over the entire archipelago will be slight

to moderate.

(in Filipino)

2. Weather Watch

2 hours ago

DZBB: Umabot sa 2, 335 na bahay ang nawasak kung saan 71 ang totally damaged dahil pagbaha dulot ng

ITCZ. Ayon sa NDRRMC, ang Negros Oriental ang isa sa mga napinsala ng pagbaha kung saan 10 na ang

namatay at 6 sa mga ito ang hindi pa nakikilala.

3. Weather Watch

3 hours ago

DOTC: Cancelled flights due to bad weather at Zamboanga: 5J-851 MNL-Zamboanga, and 5J-852

Zamboanga-MNL, 5J-857 MNL-Zamboanga, 5J-858 Zamboanga-MNL, 2P-993 MNL-Zamboanga and

2P-994 Zamboanga-MNL.

4. Weather Watch

4 hours ago

PIA-NCR: As of 730 am/Oct.9, la mesa elev is down at 79.98 (RED ALERT). It is 17 cms below

overflow level of 80.15. Enforced evacuation is still strongly recommended. With good weather and

peaking demand, elevation is expectrd to decrease further-la meda dam manager, engr teddy angeles.

5. Weather Watch

4 hours ago

PIA-NCR: As of 730 am/Oct.9, la mesa elev is down at 79.98 (RED ALERT). It is 17 cms below

overflow level of 80.15. Enforced evacuation is still strongly recommended. With good weather and

peaking demand, elevation is expectrd to decrease further-la meda dam manager, engr teddy angeles.

6Weather Watch

18 hours ago

ABS-CBN:

-May binabantayan tayong isang potential cyclone sa loob ng bansa.

-Ito'y nasa 925km east ng Virac, Catanduanes.

-Sa oras na maging bagyo ang LPA, tatawagin itong 'Santi'

-Kumikilos ito pa-kanluran at posibleng tumama sa northern tip ng Cagayan sa mga susunod na araw.

Weather Watch

October 9 , 2013 ( Wednesday ) as of 6:00-7:00 AM

CAVITE : Sunny LAGUNA : Sunny BATANGAS : Partly Cloudy RIZAL : Fair Weather QUEZON : Sunny

PIA Regional Watch

1. PIA Regional Watch

2 hours ago near Quezon City

PIA-4A/RIZAL: 7 Rizal food processing and service companies are undergoing a Good Manufacturing

Practices seminar by the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Science and Technology

Rizal provincial offices at Vista Verde, Cainta, Rizal from October 8-9. The said seminar equips local

entrepreneurs on proper food handling and preparation to enhance quality and safety of their products

and services.

2. PIA Regional Watch

3 hours ago near Quezon City

PIA-4A/LAGUNA: Some 250 volunteers from the business sector and the community recently cleaned

the heavily-polluted Malamig River in San Pablo City as part of Adopt-A-River Project under Pres.

Aquino's Private-Public Partnership Program.

3. PIA Regional Watch

4 hours ago

PIA-4A/LAGUNA: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) conducts a two-day learning outreach

activities from October 8-10, 2013 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. The activity aims to promote great public

awareness and understanding of key economic and financial issues.

4. PIA Regional Watch

20 hours ago near Quezon City

PIA-4A/QUEZON: The Quezon Provincial Tourism Office conducted 'tourism officers meeting' with

municipal officers from the 39 towns of Quezon. According to provincial tourism officer Alberto Bay,

the meeting aimed to develop the tourism industry in the far-flung towns and to double up the tourism

arrival in the province.

5. PIA Regional Watch

22 hours ago near Quezon City

PIA-4A/QUEZON: The provincial disaster risk reduction and management council is currently

conducting water search and rescue training at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology {BJMP}

compound, Lucena City. Dr. Henry Buzar of the PDRRMC said this aims to train the BJMP personnel

on water search and rescue and become partners of the PDRRMC in conducting water search and rescue

operation in the province in time of calamity.

6. PIA Regional Watch

Yesterday near Quezon City

PIA-4A/RIZAL: Selected Rizal Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations are undergoing a briefing

on the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture and Landbank of the Philippines'

Agrarian Production Credit Program at the University of Rizal System- Morong. The DAR initiated

activity was held in order to give eligible ARBOs access to low interest loans for crop production.

7. PIA Regional Watch

Yesterday near Quezon City

PIA-4A/BATANGAS: Isinagawa ang pagpapasinaya sa two-storey classroom building ng Sambat

Elem.School sa lungsod ng Tanauan na pinangunahan ng mga opisyal mula sa pamahalaang

panlalawigan at pamahalaang lunsod.Layon nitong matugunan ang kakulangan ng mga silid aralan sa

pampublikong paaralan sa lunsod ng Tanauan.

8. PIA Regional Watch

Yesterday near Quezon City

PIA-4A/BATANGAS: Siyam na bagong guro ang itinalaga ng Tanauan City School Board bilang

Teacher 1 sa ibat ibang paaralan sa lungsod ng Tanauan.Ito ay upang matugunan ang pangangailangan

ng mga guro sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa lungsod.

1. PIA OFW Watch

20 hours ago

INQUIRER: DFA confirms 41-year old Filipino died of severe asthma complications at tent city in Jeddah.

2. PIA OFW Watch

October 3 near Quezon City

ABS-CBN: Ayon sa pinaka-latest na ulat ng NSO, dumarami na ang bilang ng mga Pinay na pinipiling

maging OFW. Ayon dito, 48% sa 2.2 million OFWs ay mga babae.

3. PIA OFW Watch

October 3 near Quezon City

GMA: Magpapatupad ng dagdag na umento sa sahod ang pamahalaan ng Hong Kong para sa foreign

domestic helpers at food allowance para sa mga ito. Ito ang impormasyon na ipinarating ni Labor Attache

to Hong Kong Manuel Roldan kay DoLE Acting Secretary Danilo Cruz, kung saan ang minimum

allowable wage ng domestic helper ay dinagdagan ng 90 Hong Kong dollars o katumbas ng P495 kada

buwan. Samantala, sa food allowance naman ay nadagdagan din ng 45 Hong Kong dollars o halos P250.

A. QUEZON

1. Tagalog news: Pangatlong automated

weather station, ipinagkaloob sa

lalawigan ng Quezon

BY: RUEL M. ORINDAY

Tuesday 1st of October 2013

LUNGSOD NG LUCENA, Quezon, Okt. 1 (PIA) --Pormal na ipinagkaloob ng

Therma Luzon Inc. sa pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Quezon ang ikatlong

automated weather station (AWS) noong Set 24 sa turn-over ceremony na ginanap

sa tanggapan ng punong lalawigan.

Ang AWS ay tinanggap ni Quezon Gov. David C. Suarez na lumagda rin sa

kasunduan kasama ang mga kinatawan ng Therma Luzon Inc., Aboitiz Power at

Weather Philippines Foundation bilang bahagi ng seremonya.

Sinabi ni provincial administrator Rommel Edano na maituturing na makasaysayan

ang naturang aktibidad sapagkat ito ay nagpapakita ng pagtutulungan ng pribado at

pampublikong tanggapan para sa kapakanan ng mga mamamayan.

"Napakapalad ng Quezon dahil isa ito sa napagkalooban ng naturang programa.

Malaking tulong ang naturang kagamitan para higit pang mapaghandaan ang

anumang kalamidad dulot ng lagay ng panahon," wika ni Edano.

Ayon naman kay Benjamin Cariaso, Jr., president at chief operating officer ng

Therma Luzon Inc., ang naturang automated weather station ay ipinagkaloob bilang

pagtupad sa pangako nila kay Governor Suarez.

Sinabi naman ni Celso Caballero III, general manager ng Weather Philippines

Foundation na pasimulang tulong pa lang nila ito sa pamahalaang panlalawigan

para sa kanilang disaster risk reduction. Kasunod aniya nito ay ang pagsasagawa ng

mga pagsasanay para sa tamang paggamit ng AWS.

Target ng Weather Philippines Foundation na makapaglagay ng 1,000 automated

weather station sa buong bansa hanggang sa katapusan ng taong 2013 upang

makatulong sa disaster preparedness ng iba’t ibang lugar.

Sa pamamagitan ng naturang kagamitan ay malalaman ang mga impormasyon

tungkol sa localized weather, solar radiation, lakas at galaw ng hangin, temperature,

humidity at lakas at dami ng ulan sa isang lugar na maaaring makita sa website na

www.weather.com.ph.

Nagpasalamat naman si Mayor Jose Mendoza ng Atimonan dahil ang kanilang

bayan ilalagay ang AWS.

"Malaking tulong ito hindi lamang sa aming bayan kundi pati na rin sa mga bayang

nasa baybay-dagat tulad ng Perez, Alabat, Quezon, at Mauban kung

saan pangunahing hanapbuhay ay pangingisda. Sa pamamagitan ng

AWS, malalaman ang magiging panahon at maiiwasan ang anumang maaaring

sakuna," sabi ni Mendoza.

Ang ipinagkaloob na AWS na ilalagay sa bayan ng Atimonan ay pangatlo na sa

lalawigan ng Quezon kung saan ang naunang dalawa ay matatagpuan sa lungsod ng

Lucena. (RMO/PIA- Quezon/ Quezon PIO)

B. CAVITE

C. LAGUNA

D. BATANGAS

1. Tagalog news: Rabies-free Batangas,

isinusulong ng pamahalaang panlalawigan Thursday 3rd of October 2013

LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS, Okt. 3 (PIA) --Mariing isinusulong ng pamahalaang

panlalawigan ang pagsugpo sa rabies upang maging rabies-free Batangas ito sa mga

susunod na taon.

Sa isinagawang pagdiriwang ng World Rabies Day noong Setyembre 27, isang

dogwalk parade ang isinagawa ng mga opisyal, empleyado at maging pribadong

indibidwal sa lalawigan sa Marble Terrace, Provincial Capitol.

Layon nitong maipakita sa publiko ang pagiging responsible pet owner kung saan

binibigyang-diin ang kahalagahan ng pagpapakita ng pagkalinga at pagmamahal sa

mga alagang hayop lalo na ang aso at tamang kaalaman ukol sa rabies.

Alinsabay din nito ay nakibahagi ang iba't-ibang bayan sa pagdaraos ng Batangas

rabies day na ipinasa ng Sangguniang Panglunsod tuwing huling biyernes ng buwan

ng Setyembre kada taon.

Dito ay nagkaroon ng information dissemination ukol sa malaking epekto ng rabies

kapag ang isang tao ay nakagat ng asong may rabies, mga posibleng maaaring

palatandaan ng isang taong may rabies at mga dapat gawin.

Base sa tala, mahigit 200,000 aso ang makikita sa lalawigan kung kaya't maging sa

Department of Education (DepEd) ay isinasama ang kaalaman ukol sa rabies sa

kanilang curriculum. Nagsasagawa ng mga information education campaign ukol

dito at namimigay din ng mga reading materials na maaaring mapagkunan ng mga

kabataan ng kaalaman sa dapat at di dapat gawin kapag hinhinalang may rabies ang

isang tao.

Sinabi ni Dra. Corazon Flore, assistant head ng Center for Health and Development

Region IVA ,mula 2008 hanggang 2011 ay may naitalang limang biktima sa

lalawigan, noong 2012 ay 11 at ngayong taon ay may tatlong kaso ng rabies.

Nanawagan naman si Governor Vilma Santos Recto na dapat ay maging alerto ang

lahat kapag may mga kakilala o kamag-anak na hinihinalang may rabies sapagkat

hindi ito biro at maaaring buhay ang maging kapalit nito.

Aniya, sa tamang kaalaman ay maaaring maimulat ang mga Batangueno sa

napakalaking epekto nito sa buhay ng isang tao.

Nagsagawa din ng covenant signing kung saan lumagda ang lahat ng mga

stakeholders upang maisulong ang rabies-free Batangas. (MPDC, PIA-Batangas)

E. RIZAL

1. Tagalog news: Antipolo kumikilos kontra

trafficking at pang-aabuso

BY: CARLO P. GONZAGA

Thursday 3rd of October 2013

LUNGSOD NG ANTIPOLO, Okt. 3 (PIA) --Buo ang suporta at seryoso ang

lungsod ng Antipolo sa malawak na kilusan kontra pang-aabuso at human

trafficking, makaraang ipahayag ng pamahalaang panlunsod ang mga programang

nagsusulong paunlarin ang kaalaman ng lahat laban sa mga mapagsamantala.

Sa pangunguna ng City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD),

magsasagawa ang mga barangay ng Anti-Human Trafficking Campaign Seminar sa

Oktubre, kaalinsabay ng pagpapaskil sa bawat barangay ng islogan patungkol sa

mga abusado at mapanlinlang na dako ng hanapbuhay.

Ang mga mag-aaral sa lungsod ay tatanggap din ng mga babasahing magtuturo

kung paano makaiiwas sa illegal recruiters na ang ilan pa sa mga ito ay mga bugaw.

Samantala, inaanyayahan naman ang lahat na sumali sa FIGHT Human Trafficking

Fun Run na gagawin sa Ynares Center sa darating na Disyembre.

Kamakailan ay ipinahayag ng lungsod ang mainit nitong pakikiisa sa iFIGHT

Against Human Trafficking and Slavery, isang programa ng Visayan Forum

Foundation na pinangungunahan ni Ma. Cecilia Oebanda, isang tanyag na human

rights activist.

Makaraang lagdaan ni Mayor Jun Ynares ang kasunduan sa pagitan ng lungsod at

ng kilusan ni Oebanda ay kaniyang ipinahayag ang P100,000 pabuyang naghihintay

sa sinumang makapagbibigay ng impormasyon tungo sa matagumpay na

pagkakatimbog ng mga cybersex dens na nagtatago sa lungsod. (Joel Ferreras,

Antipolo-PIO/PIA-Rizal)

2. Antipolo City gov’t, PBM partner for

cleft-lip, palate surgery

BY: GIDEON GAPAYAO

Thursday 3rd of October 2013

ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal, October 3 (PIA) --Thirty-one residents of this city,

mostly children having oral deformities trooped to Gender and Development

(GAD) center for a free cleft lip and cleft palate screening coordinated by the

Antipolo City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWD) and Persons with

Disability Office (PDAO) last September 17, 2013.

Antipolo City Executive Assistant for Social Services Enrico A. Naida, who

coordinated many of the referrals, noted that most of the patients came from poor

families and can even barely afford the fare coming to the office.

“They need to have their heart and health condition examined first in order for the

operation to be successful,” added Philippine Band of Mercy (PBM) project

coordinator Romeo Lopez. Qualified cleft lip and cleft palate patients had complete

blood count and X-ray check-ups before surgery.

Registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1947, PBM provides

indigent Filipinos physically disfigured at birth an opportunity to avail of medical

help and support.

The volunteer receiving team composed of CSWD, PDAO and PBM staff was led

by Dra. Katherine Dagoc, led . Further examinations were also conducted on the

said patients last September 20 at the Rizal Provincial Hospital – Antipolo Annex

to qualify for surgery held lSeptember 28. (Annie Santos, PIO-Antipolo/PIA-Rizal)

08 OCTOBER 2013.

1. President Aquino holds talks with Hong Kong Chief Executive

2. President Aquino sees no curtailment of press freedom after Indonesian security forces barred

journalists from Hong Kong from covering APEC Summit

3. President Aquino says Code of Conduct governing West Philippine Sea getting nearer

4. President Aquino accepts LTO chief’s exit

5. President Aquino invites Indonesian, Peru Presidents to visit the Phlilppines

6. President Aquino signs bill amending Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006

7. President Aquino signs bill amending Animal Welfare Act of 1998

8. Philippines has huge role to play in ASEAN, says envoy

9. President Aquino leaves Bali, Indonesia for Brunei Darussalam for 23rd ASEAN Summit

10. President Aquino joins APEC counterparts in committing to strategic points aimed at further

building on the successes of the regional bloc to benefit more people

11. APEC calls for region-wide partnerships to counter weakening global growth

12. President Aquino arrives in Brunei for the 23rd ASEAN Summit

13. Philippines, other APEC member-countries reaffirm commitment to Free Trade in Asia Pacific

14. President Aquino joins APEC leaders against raising new trade and investment barriers

15. APEC leader vows to link economies, markets closer

16. APEC leaders aim to expand women’s role in economy

President Aquino holds talks with Hong Kong Chief Executive

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday that he met with Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying at the sidelines of the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit being held here from

October 6 to 8. In a press conference with Filipino media covering his attendance to the Summit, the President said that he and the Hong Kong Chief Executive discussed the hostage crisis that happened in Luneta in August 2010 where eight hostages from Hong Kong were killed. The President said each side brought up what they had been doing to put the issue behind us. ―Hostage crisis yung pinag-usapan. Perspective nila versus perspective natin, nagkaroon ng clarification as to what each side has been doing, why the perception of each side is such. So we are working on to put that behind us,‖ the President said. He added that the meeting he had with Leung showed ―that we are all sincerely trying to come to a solution to that hostage crisis.‖ PND (rck)

TOP

President Aquino sees no curtailment of press freedom after Indonesian security forces barred journalists from Hong Kong from covering APEC Summit

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday that he saw no curtailment of press freedom imposed by Indonesian security forces on several Hong Kong journalists after they were barred from covering the events of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit for unruly behavior. The President told Filipino media members that everyone has to conform to certain norms of behavior, referring to the journalists who should have just kept their cool and refrained from shouting out their questions to him at the APEC CEO Summit held here on Sunday. ―Well, medyo parang pasigaw. Tsaka, medyo very aggressive. Yung ating Indonesian host medyo nagulat. Parang hindi tama yung behavior,‖ the President said. ―Siguro naman, kahit saan tayo pumunta, you are expected to conform to certain norms of behavior,‖ he added. He pointed out that it would be unfair to a guest of the Philippines if we allowed anyone to just do what they want without considering the consequences of their actions. ―Kung ginawa sa atin ito at ginawa sa ating bisita, are we expected to be so hospitable? Paano naman ang bisita natin?‖ the President said. PND (rck)

TOP

President Aquino says Code of Conduct governing West Philippine Sea getting nearer

(BALI, Indonesia) An agreement between China and the Philippines concerning the Code of Conduct in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) may soon become a reality, Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday. Speaking to reporters covering his attendance to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit being held here from October 6 to 8, the President said that talks towards inking an agreement on a Code of Conduct in the West Philippine Sea have brought a true Code of Conduct between the two countries closer. ―Conscious ang bawat panig na hindi na gagawa ng aksyon na lalo pang magpapasama ng sitwasyon,‖ the President said. ―So 10 years later, hindi pa rin umuusad yung paguusap tungkol sa Code of Conduct pero ngayon nagkakaroon ng mga meetings tungo sa pagbabalangkas, pamumunga ng COC at parang naisantabi ang sampung taon eh ...ngayon nasa forefront ng pag-iisip ng lahat kung papaano pa natin mapapabilis yung pagkakamit, pagkatapos ng pagbabalangkas, at mapagkakasunduan ang isang COC,‖ he added. He pointed out however that although both sides were conscious of the need to draft a COC, hard work was still needed in order for peace in the West Philippine Sea to reign. ―Hindi ko sinasabi na malapit na, na malapit na tayo magkapirmahan sa Code of Conduct pero naikumbinsi na ang lahat para mapag-usapan ito at palagay ko umabante na yung solusyon para dito sa hidwaan doon sa mga pinagtatalunan na isla at foundations sa South China o West Philippine Sea,‖ the President said. PND (rck)

TOP

President Aquino accepts LTO chief’s exit

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno Aquino III confirmed that he has accepted the decision of Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres to quit her post saying that it may be the ―best route‖ for her and the entire agency.

During the President‘s coffee meeting with media here on Monday night, he said that he did not force Torres to resign. ―Well, nag-usap kami. At syempre iyong last issue niya, ipinaliwanag ko, kababayan ko naman siya, sabi ko: ‗Parang hindi ko naman yata kailangan nitong…iyong parang paliwanag pa,‘ at naintindihan naman niya,‖ the President said. ―Parang ito na ang better route. Less stress for her, less stress for her family at saka baka better for the agency na it attends to everything it has to attend to rather than... di ba maski papaano madi-divert ang focus [and its] attention. So, I don‘t think I forced her. I told her the lay of the land, quoted certain things, and she agreed with the end point,‖ he added. Torres has been a subject of criticisms recently after being caught on video playing a slot machine inside a casino. Malacanang‘s Memorandum Circular No. 8 prohibits all government personnel concerned ―from entering, staying and/or playing at gambling casinos." ―On the basis of the last incident parang that was very clear. Ngayon… mas matanda siya sa akin, babae siya, ayaw mo namang bibigyan siya ng payo na mabigat, na lalo mo pang pahihirapan. Huwag naman sanang salt being rubbed on an injury,‖ he said. The President has yet to decide on who will replace Torres saying that he has tasked Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya to find her replacement. Meanwhile, President Aquino also confirmed here that former Senator Francis Pangilinan, whom he promised to give a post in his administration, has decided not to join the government at the moment. ―He was actually talking about certain functions in DA in particular that he wanted at siguro parang nahihiya siya, ano, after having so many meetings discussing exactly where he feels he can fit in biglang meron silang needs in the family and he has two children na quite young. Siguro nasabihan silang ‗O ang daddy ninyo hindi masyadong busy, will not be running, ano, he will not be attending to this and that...," he said. The President said he accepted Pangilinan‘s explanation ―in face value‖ and respected his decision. On the appointment of former Senator Panfilo Lacson, the President said the Office of the Executive Secretary is still ―ironing out the details of exactly what the scope of his functions are‖ to avoid overlap and violation of any existing law. PND (jb)

TOP

President Aquino invites Indonesian, Peru Presidents to visit the Phlilppines

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno Aquino III has invited Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Peru President Ollanta Humala to visit the Philippines as he talked to the two leaders at the sidelines of his attendance to the 21st Asia Pacific Economic Summit here. President Aquino said he thanked Yudhoyono for his country‘s long-term relations with the Philippines and their commitment to help in the review process of the Philippine government‘s 1996 peace accord with the Moro National Liberation Front. ―Again, they have been a very constant friend. I can even attest to the fact that Indonesia as a people, during my mother‘s time was already helping us address the issue with MNLF,‖ he said. ―So imagine how many decades have passed and they are still here. They haven‘t gotten tired of helping us and they have, in fact, reiterated their desire to continue helping us as far as that aspect is concerned,‖ he added. President Aquino said Yudhoyono expressed his desire to visit Manila next year. The President also invited Peru President Ollanta Humala, whom he shared the stage as panelists during the APEC CEO Summit‘s forum on inclusive growth last Sunday. ―I invited him for a visit. I think we have established a very deep relationship with them. Parehong pinagdaanan iyong fight against communist insurgents, iyong rightist government, iyong emerging economy, iyong addressing inclusiveness,‖ he said. He added that he shared some insights to the Peru leader regarding promoting tourism in the Philippines. ―Sabi niya: ‗We want to improve our tourism. So, pinakita ko sa kanya ‗yung ‗It‘s more fun in the Philippines.‘ Sabi niya we do three million (visitors) a year, sabi ko that‘s what we started out with, three million, but we are now between five and six million for this year. We are targeting 10,‖ Aquino said. President Aquino also had a brief talk with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O‘Neill who has been so much open in hosting some 25,000 to 30,000 Filipinos in their country. ―Si Prime Minister [Peter] O‘Neill naman ng Papua New Guinea told me that there are between 25,000 to 30,000 Filipinos already in Papua New Guinea in various businesses helping them out from finance, to real estate, to agriculture.

Sabi niya for them, very significant na raw iyong 25,000, 30,000 na expatriates dahil mas maliit silang bansa sa atin,‖ he related. ―So, again, we have somebody that we can…Who‘s already helping us in terms of our fishing industry, who is very friendly and we want to cultivate this for the benefit of our people as well as their people,‖ the President added. PND (jb)

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President Aquino signs bill amending Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006

President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law a bill amending the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, in order to exempt a child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense from criminal liability. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday that the Chief Executive signed on October 3 Republic Act No. 10630 otherwise known as "An Act Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System in the Philippines," amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 9344, otherwise known as the ―Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 and appropriating funds therefor." This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3324 and House Bill No. 6052 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 5, 2013. The law aims to protect the welfare of children in conflict with the law, majority of whom are guilty of petty crimes such as petty theft, vagrancy and sniffing glue. Under the law, a child 15 years old and under at the time of the commission of the crime, will be exempted from criminal liability. However, the said child shall be subjected to a community-based intervention program supervised by the local social welfare and development officer, unless the best interest of the child requires the referral of the child to a youth care facility or Bahay Pag-asa managed by local government units (LGUs) or licensed and/or accredited non-government organizations monitored by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The law provides that a child above 15 years but below 18 years of age shall likewise be exempt from criminal liability and be subjected to an intervention program, unless he/she has acted with discernment, in which case, such child shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act. These minors can face civil liabilities in accordance with existing laws. A child who is above 12 years of age up to 15 years of age and who commits parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery, with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or raped or offenses under Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) punishable by more than 12 years of imprisonment, shall be deemed a neglected child under Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended. The child shall be mandatorily placed in a special facility within the youth care faculty or Bahay Pag-asa called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center. Repeat offenders, or children who have committed crimes more than three times, be considered as neglected children and, as such, must undergo intervention programs supervised by the local social welfare and development officers. The law provides the maximum penalty for those who exploit children such as syndicates, for the commission of criminal offenses. The law mandates the creation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) to ensure the effective implementation of this Act. As an attached agency of the DSWD, the JJWC shall be chaired by a DSWD Undersecretary. The JJWC will be required to conduct a periodic study on the age of discernment to provide basis for a legislative review. The law also provides assistance to victims of crimes committed by children. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year‘s appropriations of the JJWC under the budget of the Department of Justice. "Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the budget of the DSWD under the annual General Appropriations Act: Provided, that the amount of Four Hundred Million Pesos (P400,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the construction of ‗Bahay Pag-asa‘ rehabilitation centers in provinces or cities with high incidence of children in conflict with the law," the law said. The JJWC shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within 60 days from the effectivity of this Act. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two

(2) national newspapers of general circulation. PND (js)

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President Aquino signs bill amending Animal Welfare Act of 1998

President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law a bill amending the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 in order to impose higher penalties on persons found guilty of animal cruelty, maltreatment and neglect. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday that the Chief Executive signed on October 3 Republic Act No. 10631 otherwise known as "An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act No. 8485," otherwise known as "The Animal Welfare Act of 1998.″ This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3329 and House Bill No. 6893 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 6, 2013. The law aims to protect and promote the welfare of all terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals in the Philippines by supervising and regulating the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade or as household pets, including birds. Under the law, animal welfare pertains to the physical and psychological well-being of animals. It includes, but not limited to, the avoidance of abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of freedom from fear, distress, harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain, and allowing animals to express normal behavior. "It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect, to provide adequate care, sustenance of shelter, or maltreat any animal or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horsefights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized by the Committee on Animal Welfare," the law said. The killing of any animal other than cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits, carabaos and horses is likewise hereby declared unlawful with "certain exceptions." Under the law, it is unlawful for any person who has custody of an animal to abandon the animal. Any person who subjects any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect, upon conviction by final judgment, shall be punished by imprisonment of 1 year and 6 months and 1 day to 2 years and/or a fine not exceeding P100,000.00 if the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect dies. The violator shall suffer imprisonment of 1 year and 1 day to one 1 year and 6 months and/or a fine not exceeding P50,000.00 if the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect survives but is severely injured with loss of its natural faculty to survive on its own and needing human intervention to sustain its life. The violator shall suffer imprisonment of 6 months to 1 year and/or a fine not exceeding P30,000.00 for subjecting any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect but without causing its death or incapacitating it to survive on its own. If the violation is committed by a juridical person, the officer responsible thereof shall serve the imprisonment. If the violation is committed by an alien, he or she shall be immediately deported after the service of sentence without any further proceeding. ―The foregoing penalties shall also apply for any other violation of this Act, depending upon the effect or result of the act or omission as defined in the immediately preceding sections. However, regardless of the resulting condition to the animal/s, the penalty of 2 years and 1 day to 3 years and/or a fine not exceeding P250,000.00 shall be imposed if the offense is committed by any of the following: (1) a syndicate; (2) an offender who makes business out of cruelty to an animal; (3) a public officer or employee; or (4) where at least three (3) animals are involved," the law said. In any of the foregoing situations, the offender shall suffer subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency and the inability to pay the fine, the law said. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture shall deputize animal welfare enforcement officers from non-government organizations, citizens groups, community organizations and other volunteers who have undergone the necessary training for this purpose. The Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies shall designate animal welfare enforcement officers. As such, animal welfare enforcement officers shall have the authority to seize and rescue illegally traded and maltreated animals and to arrest violators of this Act subject to the guidelines of existing laws and rules and regulations on arrest and detention. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Animal Welfare, shall promulgate the guidelines on the criteria and training requirements for the deputization of animal welfare enforcement officers; and establish a mechanism for the supervision, monitoring and reporting of these enforcement officers.

This Act shall take effect after 15 days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least 2 newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier. PND (js)

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Philippines has huge role to play in ASEAN, says envoy

(BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei Darussalam) The Philippines has a huge role to play in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year given its stellar economic performance recently under the helm of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN Elizabeth Buensuceso said the Philippines is now being regarded by some observers as a ―rich nation pretending to be poor‖ as the country continues to enjoy a positive run in the economic front. ―Napakalaki ng papel ng Pilipinas. They‘re also watching us kasi nga... tayo ang may pinakamabilis na pagbulusok ng ekonomiya. What are we doing right? We also want to share,‖ Buensuceso said in an interview. The Philippines has recently notched an investment grade rating from Moody‘s Investors Service which also assigned a positive outlook to the rating. Two other major ratings firms, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services and Fitch Ratings, have likewise given the country a similar rating earlier this year. Buensuceso noted further that the Philippines has already removed itself from the ‗mendicant‘ tag as some nations no longer see it as the one at the receiving end of a favor but the other way around. ―Hindi na tayo ‗yung mendicant – pahingi, pahingi. Hindi ganoon ang ano… Merong nagsabing isang author, sabi niya, ‗we are a rich nation pretending to be poor.‘ We are a rich nation,‖ Buensuceso said. As a longtime member of the ASEAN, the Philippines is expected to share its expertise on areas where its strengths lie particularly on social protection in support of small entrepreneurs who may be affected by the ASEAN integration, Buensuceso said. ―Ang isinusulong natin diyan ay kung papaano matulungan ang mga ordinaryong tao in the process of integration kasi there‘s no other way. We‘re all going towards free movement of goods and services, at titingnan natin kung papaano natin matulungan ang mga medyo maaapektuhan, matatamaan ng pagsulong na iyan,‖ she said. PND (hdc)

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President Aquino leaves Bali, Indonesia for Brunei Darussalam for 23rd ASEAN Summit

(BALI, Indonesia) Following a successful attendance at the 21st Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting, President Benigno S. Aquino III left Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday to attend the 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit that is being held in Brunei Darussalam from October 9-10.

The President arrived at Bali‘s Ngurah Rai International Airport at around 2:04 p.m., boarded his chartered Philippines Air Lines flight PR001 at 2:06 p.m. and after conforming all pre-travel checks, the flight left the tarmac at 2:25 p.m.

Joining the President for the trip was a small contingent of Cabinet Secretaries led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and National Economic and Development Authority Chief Arsenio Balicasan.

The President will be participating in nine summits in Brunei when he joins fellow leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) in the 23rd ASEAN Summit in that country.

On October 9, the President will participate in the 23rd ASEAN Summit, 16th ASEAN-Japan Summit, 16th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit, 16th ASEAN-China Summit, and the 1st ASEAN-US Summit, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Raul Hernandez said.

On October 10, Thursday, he will join other leaders in the 16th ASEAN-plus three Summit, 8th East Asia Summit, 11th ASEAN-India Summit, and the 5th ASEAN-UN Summit.

The 23rd ASEAN Summit will revolve on discussions of the ASEAN Community 2015 and beyond, ASEAN‘s central role and external relations, and regional and international issues. PND (rck)

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President Aquino joins APEC counterparts in committing to strategic points aimed at further building on the successes of the regional bloc to benefit more people

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno S. Aquino III joined his counterparts in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

(APEC) in committing to achieving several strategic points aimed at further building upon the successes of the regional economic bloc for the benefit of a wider range of people. In signing the 21st APEC Economic Leaders‘ Declaration of 2013, the leaders, all 21 Member Economies from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, The Russian Federation, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States of America, Vietnam and The Republic of the Philippines have committed first to redouble efforts to attain the Bogor Goals in 2020. The Bogor Goals was conceptualized in 1994 after APEC members convening in the Indonesian city of Bogor set the goal of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region and have since remained the inspirational strength behind APEC's agenda. ―The past 19 years of determination and persistent labor towards the attainment of free and open trade under the Bogor Goals have produced an extraordinary period of prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. The rules-based multilateral trading system and our shared belief in open regionalism have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty across the entire region and fostered open, emerging and innovative economies that are now fueling our growth,‖ the APEC leaders said in its declaration. The APEC leaders also agreed to increase intra-APEC trade or intra-region trade including trade facilitation, capacity building and the functioning of a multi-lateral trade system. This reference to the multilateral trade system is a recognition that although the promotion of such intra-APEC trade cooperation brings concrete benefit to the APEC economies, the success of the multilateral regime remains critical,‖ the declaration said. ―In this regard, we have agreed on a Declaration which supports the multilateral trading system,‖ it added. The APEC leaders also said it would invest in infrastructure to accelerate APEC‘s physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity which it said could help reduce the production and transportation costs, strengthen regional supply-chain, and improve business climate in the region. Aside from these, the APEC leaders agreed to enhance the participation of small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs), youth, and women entrepreneurs to achieve a strong, balanced, sustainable and inclusive global growth; agreed to cooperate in enhancing regional food, energy and water security; ensure APEC‘s synergy and complementarily with other multilateral and regional processes such as East Asia Summit and G20; and agreed to closer collaboration with the business sector through the APEC Business Advisory Council. ―Now that we have all these agreements and commitments, we must show to the world that APEC will continue to play a significant role in global economy,‖ APEC said. PND (rck)

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APEC calls for region-wide partnerships to counter weakening global growth

(BALI, Indonesia) The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is calling on its member countries to instigate region-wide partnerships which it said could counter a weakening global growth and create better quality and more productive jobs, attract more investments, reduce poverty and improve living standards.

In its 23-page APEC Leaders‘ Declaration 2013, the APEC said that while the regional bloc had already taken a number of important policy actions that have helped to contain key tail risks, improve financial market conditions and sustain recovery, the trend still tilts toward the downside.

―Nevertheless, global growth is too weak, risks remain tilted to the downside, global trade is weakening and the economic outlook suggests growth is likely to be slower and less balanced than desired,‖ the APEC declaration said.

―We share the urgency for region-wide partnership to create better quality and more productive jobs, attract private investments, reduce poverty, and improve living standards,‖ it added.

The APEC said it recognized the need to strengthen macroeconomic policies and to work together to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the Asia-Pacific region and thus has agreed to ―implement prudent and responsible macroeconomic policies to ensure mutually reinforcing effect of growth and to maintain economic and financial stability in the region and prevent a negative spillover effect.‖ PND (rck)

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President Aquino arrives in Brunei for the 23rd ASEAN Summit

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei Darussalam) President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived in Brunei Tuesday to participate in nine meetings for the 23rdAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit with fellow heads of states and other dialogue partners.

President Aquino landed at 4:30 p.m. via Philippine Airlines flight PR001 together with his official delegation that include Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and National Economic and Development Authority Chief Arsenio Balicasan.

President Aquino‘s official activities here will start Wednesday with the 23rdASEAN Summit followed by the 16th ASEAN-Japan Summit, the 16thASEAN-South Korea Summit, the 16th ASEAN-China Summit, and the 1stASEAN-United States Summit respectively.

After which, President Aquino will attend the Gala Dinner to be hosted by this year‘s ASEAN chair, Sultan Hassanil Bolkiah, along with all the participating heads of states and governments.

On Thursday, four meetings will occupy President Aquino‘s schedule including the 16th ASEAN-Plus Three Summit, the 8th East Asia Summit, the 11th ASEAN-India Summit, and the 5th ASEAN-United Nations Summit.

Discussions in the 23rd ASEAN Summit will revolve around the ASEAN Community 2015 and beyond, ASEAN‘s central role and external relations, and regional and international issues.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez earlier said Brunei listed the management of maritime issues, especially on territorial disputes regarding the South China Sea, as one of its priorities in the summit which is supported by the Philippines.

―We will maintain our position that the issues in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully and through a rules-based approach under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,‖ Hernandez told reporters in a Palace briefing last week.

The Philippines will also continue to vouch for the micro, small, and medium enterprises to achieve sustainable growth with equity and facilitating free flow of goods; the safeguarding of vulnerable populations through social protection efforts; the deepening of engagement with our external partners and the maintenance of ASEAN centrality; and the adherence to the rule of law and maritime security and cooperation. The Philippines will likewise advocate for the strengthening of economic relations through enhanced trade, investments, and tourism efforts; people-to-people connectivity; and environmental protection and climate change mitigation and adaptation in other summits.

Host Brunei takes on the theme ―Our People, Our Future Together‖ for this year‘s ASEAN, which stresses the significance of the role of the citizens of member countries in community building efforts in the areas of political-security, economic, and socio-cultural, and in realizing the vision of the ASEAN community by 2015.

Before returning home to Manila on Thursday afternoon, President Aquino will attend the closing ceremony and the handover of the ASEAN chairmanship of Brunei to Myanmar at the end of the summit. PND (hdc)

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Philippines, other APEC member-countries reaffirm commitment to Free Trade in Asia Pacific

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno Aquino III and the other 20 leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have reaffirmed commitment to achieve a Free Trade Area of the Asia- Pacific. This was included in the 21st APEC Economic Leaders‘ Declaration issued Tuesday at the conclusion of the three-day APEC Leader‘s Meeting at the Bali International Convention Center here with the theme ―Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth.‖ In the declaration, the 21 member-economies agreed to achieve a free trade area in the region by continuing APEC's work to provide leadership and intellectual input into the process of regional economic integration. It cited that the APEC has an important role to play in coordinating information sharing, transparency, and capacity building, and will hold a policy dialogue on regional and free trade agreements. ―We agreed to enhance communication on regional and free trade agreements, as well as increase the capacity of APEC economies to engage in substantive negotiations,‖ the declaration stated. Recognizing that trade and investment are critical to the creation of better quality jobs and increased prosperity of the people in Asia Pacific, the APEC leaders reiterated commitment to uphold APEC's role towards achieving the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment by 2020. The 21 heads of state/goverment meanwhile issued a separate statement supporting the multilateral trading system and the 9thMinisterial Conference of the World Trade Organization as the Doha Development Agenda negotiations are seen to be ―at a critical juncture."

APEC has been a very important venue for the Philippines to discuss economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. As a member of APEC, the Philippines is working to sustain economic growth through a commitment to free and open trade, investment liberalization and facilitation, and economic reform. PND (jb)

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President Aquino joins APEC leaders against raising new trade and investment barriers

(BALI, Indonesia) President Benigno S. Aquino III joined his counterparts at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in calling for restraint against raising new trade and investment barriers in order to maintain a balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth.

In signing the APEC Declaration of 2013 on Tuesday, the President was one with 20 other member countries in expressing their commitment to extend their standstill commitment until the end of 2016.

―While trade growth and investment flows within, the APEC region has outperformed the rest of the world. We should nevertheless guard against the pressure to raise new trade and investment barriers. To that end, we extended our standstill commitment until the end of 2016 and reaffirmed our pledge to roll back protectionist and trade-distorting measures,‖ the APEC declaration said.

The regional bloc also committed ―to take decisive actions to reinforce confidence, foster financial stability, and strengthen our medium-term growth potential, while remaining vigilant in our joint effort to strengthen global recovery and to ensure a balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure growth, as espoused in the Yokohama vision.‖

The Yokohama vision is a declaration of the Leaders of APEC, gathered in Yokohama under the 2010 theme of "Change and Action" to articulate our vision of further building and integrating the Asia-Pacific region in the 21st Century, and the paths to realize that vision, in which they commit to develop practical disaster risk management mechanisms to strengthen the ability of their economies to manage emergencies and natural disasters. PND (rck)

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APEC leader vows to link economies, markets closer

(BALI, Indonesia) The 21 member-economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have recognized the need to strengthen the connectivity of the economies and markets in the Asia Pacific region. President Benigno Aquino III as well as the 20 other APEC leaders listed a number of ways to link the economies and markets in the region as contained in the APEC Economic Leaders‘ Declaration issued Tuesday here. The leaders agreed to advance the implementation of the APEC commitment to reduce tariffs on the APEC List of Environmental Goods (EGs) to five percent or less by the end of 2015. The APEC Public Private Partnership on Environmental Goods and Services (PPEGS) will also be established to enhance work to address trade and investment issues relevant to the sector. The APEC countries also vowed to explore trade in products that contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth through rural development and poverty alleviation. They also acknowledged the work this year on local content requirements and welcomed the APEC Best Practices to Create Jobs and Increase Competitiveness. The 21 member countries also committed to continue to implement the APEC Investment Facilitation Action Plan by advancing Public Private Dialogue on Investment and encourage officials to work with the private sector to build and improve upon Corporate Social Responsibility practices and sustainable investment. The APEC leaders also have decided to push for actions that will address the next generation in trade and investment issues as agreed in 2011 and 2012 by finalizing the APEC Innovation and Trade Implementation Practices. Lastly, the leaders recognized the need to foster broader participation of the private sector in advancing trade in services to create better quality and more productive jobs, and increase the productivity of the industries in the region. PND (jb)

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APEC leaders aim to expand women’s role in economy

(BALI, Indonesia) The 21 member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) have aimed to broaden the participation of women in achieving economic growth in the Asia Pacific region. In the 2013 APEC Leaders‘ declaration, the heads of states have agreed to take further steps toward empowering, engaging and opening opportunities for stakeholders, with emphasis on women, in contributing to economic growth.

The leaders agreed to expand women‘s participation in the economy by creating an enabling environment such as development of gender related structural reform measures, improved women‘s training support, as well as the development of entrepreneurial culture. The leaders also recognized the need for women to have equal access to quality education and employment opportunities and greater access to market and financial services including capital, particularly for women-owned small, medium enterprises (SMEs). "The SMEs global competitiveness will be enhanced by improving access to finance and markets, supporting entrepreneurship, accelerating the growth of start-ups, strengthening capacities for business continuity and empowering our SMEs to expand to international markets and to participate in global supply chains," the declaration issued during the conclusion of the 2013 APEC CEO Summit here stated. To further improve economic growth, the APEC countries also agreed to encourage regional collaboration to facilitate trade finance for SMEs, recognizing that trade finance instruments can help facilitate trade and can support SMEs that trade internationally. They also encouraged to promote responsible innovative approaches to increase financial eligibility of the poor and SMEs and improve delivery channels to extend the benefit of financial services to those who still do not have access to the financial system, thereby enhancing financial inclusion in the region. The APEC leaders also acknowledged the ―crucial‖ role of farmers and fishers, particularly small holders and women, in the achievement of food security, by strengthening their capacities, to take an important role in the supply chain, and creating a solid partnership between government and private sector. The leaders also agreed to create an APEC Network of Anti-Corruption Authorities and Law Enforcement Agencies (ACT-NET) that will strengthen informal and formal regional and cross-border cooperation and advance greater collaboration among law enforcement authorities, in combating corruption, bribery, money laundering, and illicit trade. Lastly, the APEC member countries vowed to strengthen cooperation among governments, scientists and business sector to promote science, technology and innovation in the region. PND (jb)

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08 OKTUBRE 2013

1. Nakipag-usap ang Pangulong Aquino sa Chief Executive ng Hong Kong

2. Hindi pagsupil sa kalayaan ng pamamahayag, sabi ng Pangulong Aquino ang pagbabawal ng Indonesian security forces sa mga taga-Hong Kong

3. Matutupad na ang Code of Conduct sa West Philippine Sea—Aquino

4. Tinanggap ng Pangulong Aquino ang pagbibitiw ng puno ng Land Transportation Office

5. Inanyayahan ni Aquino na dumalaw sa Pilipinas ang mga Pangulo ng Indonesia at ng Peru

6. Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Aquino ang susog sa Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act ng 2006

7. Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Aquino ang susog sa Animal Welfare Act

8. Mahalaga ang gagampanan ng Pilipinas sa ASEAN

9. Patungo na sa Brunei Darussalam ang Pangulong Aquino buhat sa Indonesia para daluhan ang 23rd ASEAN Summit

1. Nakipag-usap ang Pangulong Aquino sa Chief Executive ng Hong Kong

BALI, Indonesya) Nag-usap ang Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino iII at ang Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying ng Hong Kong na kapuwa dumadalo sa Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit dito Oktubre 6-8. Inihayag ng Pangulo sa pulong-balitaan ng mga media na Pilipino sa summit, na tinalakay nila ng Punong Tagapagpaganap ng Hong Kong ang tungkol sa hostage crisis na naganap sa Rizal Park sa Maynila noong Agosto 2010 kung saan walong taga-Hong Kong ang nasawi.

Ayon sa Pangulo, pinag-usapan nila kung ano na ang nagawa at ginagawa pa tungkol sa isyu. ―Pinag-usapan namin ang hostage crisis—ang pananaw nila laban sa ating pananaw. Nagkaroon ng paliwanagan hinggil sa ginagawa ng isa‘t isa at kung bakit ganoon ang palagay ng bawa‘t isa. Sinisikap ng magkabilang panig na matapos na ang bagay na ito,‖ dugtong pa ng Pangulo. Sinabi ng Pangulo na ang pulong nila ni Leung ay ―katunayang tapat ang pagsisikap nating malutas ang nasabing hostage crisis.‖ PND (rck/zaf)

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2. Hindi pagsupil sa kalayaan ng pamamahayag, sabi ng Pangulong Aquino ang pagbabawal ng Indonesian security forces sa mga taga-Hong Kong

BALI, Indonesya) Wala akong nakikitang pagsagka sa kalayaan ng pamamahayag sa ginawa ng security forces ng Indonesya na pagbabawal sa mga mamamahayag ng Hong Kong na kumober sa mga pagtitipong kaugnay ng Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit dahil sa ipinakitang magaspang na ugali ng mga ito. Sinabi ng Pangulo sa mga Pilipinong kagawad ng media na bawa‘t isa ay umaalinsunod sa mga tuntunin ng kagandahang-asal at dapat sanang hindi mainit ang ulo at pasigaw ang pagtatanong sa kanya ng mga mamamahayag ng Hong Kong habang dumadalo siya sa APEC CEO Summit dito Linggo. ―Medyo parang pasigaw kasi. At saka, medyo agresibo sila kaya nagulat ang ating host na Indones. Parang hindi tama kasi ang asal nila,‖ dugtong ng Pangulo. ―Siguro naman, kahit saan tayo pumunta, inaasahang susunod tayo sa mga karampatang asal,‖ pahayag ng Pangulo. Niliwanag niya na magiging hindi makatarungan sa isang panauhin ng Pilipinas kung papayagan natin ang sino man na gawin ang ibig nila nang hindi isinasaalang-alang ang ibubunga ng kanilang mga hakbang na nasabi. ―Kung ginawa sa atin ito at ginawa sa ating bisita, hindi ba inaasahan ang ating kagandahang-loob? Paano naman ang bisita natin?‖ Tanong ng Pangulo. PND (rck/zaf)

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3. Matutupad na ang Code of Conduct sa West Philippine Sea—Aquino

BALI, Indonesia) Malapit nang magkatotoo ang Code of Conduct sa West Philippine Sea, sabi ng Pangulong Benigno S.Aquino III Lunes. Sinabi ng Pangulong Aquino sa mga reporter na kasama sa pagdalo niya sa Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit na idinaraos dito Oktubre 6-8, na ang pag-uusap ay patungo na sa paglagda sa kasunduang ukol sa Code of Conduct in the West Philippine Sea na magiging daan tungo sa isang tunay na Code of Conduct sa pagitan ng dalawang bansa. ―Kapuwa alam ng dalawang panig na hindi gagawa ng aksiyong lalo pang magpapasama sa sitwasyon,‖ paliwanag ng Pangulo. ―May 10 taon na ang nakalilipas, hindi pa rin umuusad ang pag-uusap tungkol sa Code of Conduct, nguni‘t ngayon, nagkakaroon ng mga pulong tungo sa pagbalangkas, pamumunga ng COC at para maisa isang tabi ang sampung taon. Ngayon, ang nasa isip nang lahat, kung paano pa natin mapabibilis ang pagkakamit, pagkatapos ng pagbalangkas at mapagkakasunduang isang COC,‖ dugtong ng Pangulo. Binigyang diin ng Pangulo na batid ng dalawang panig na kailangang balangkasin ang COC. Kailangan pa ang puspusang pagsisikap upang mamayani ang kapayapaan sa West Philiipine Sea. Hindi ko sinasabing malapit na malapit na...tayong magkapirmahan sa Code of Conduct. Nakumbinsi na ang lahat para mapag-usapan ito at palagay ko, umabante na ang solusyon para sa hidwaang sa mga pinagtatalunang isla at pundasyon sa South China o West Philippine Sea,‖ wika ng Pangulo. PND (rck/zaf)

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4. Tinanggap ng Pangulong Aquino ang pagbibitiw ng puno ng Land Transportation Office

BALI, Indonesia) Sinabi ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na tinanggap niya ang pasiya ni Virginia Torres, puno ng Land Transportation Office (LTO), na magbitiw sa kanyang tungkulin na maaaring siyang ―pinakamainam‖ para sa kanya at sa buong ahensiya. Sa naganap na coffee meeting ng media rito Lunes ng gabi, sinabi ng Pangulo na hindi niya pinilit si Torres na magbitiw.

―Nag-usap kami. At siyempre, ang last issue niya, ipinaliwanag ko, kababayan ko naman siya, sabi ko: ‗Parang hindi ko naman yata kailangan nitong parang paliwanag pa,‘ at naintindihan naman niya,‖ wika ng Pangulo. ―Parang ito na ang pinakamainam na paraan. Less stress para sa kanya, less stress para sa kanyang pamilya, bukod sa higit na makabubuti sa ahensiya na harapin ang mga dapat nitong harapin sa halip na hindi, maski papaano, mababaling ang panahon at atensiyon. Kaya palagay ko, hindi ko naman siya pinilit. Tinapat ko siya, bumanggit ng ilang bagay, at pumayag siya sa bagay na ito,‖ paliwanag ng Pangulo. Si Torres ay inulan ng tuligsa kamakailan makaraang makita sa video na naglalaro siya sa isang slot machine sa isang kasino o bahay-sugalan. Sa Memorandum Circular No. 8 ng Malacanang ay pinagbabawalan ang lahat ng kinauukulang tauhan ng pamahalaan ―na pumasok, mamalagi at/o maglaro sa gambling casinos.‖ ―Salig sa pinakahuling pangyayari, parang ito ay malinaw. Ngayon, mas matanda siya sa akin, babae siya, ayaw mo namang bigyan siya ng payong mabigat, na lalo mo pang pahihirapan. Huwag na sanang kuskusin pa ng asin ang sugat,‖ dagdag ng Pangulo. Pagpapasiyahan pa ng Pangulo kung sino ang papalit kay Torres, bagaman sinabi niya na inatasan niya si Kalihim Jun Abaya ng Kagawaran ng Trasportasyon at Komunikasyon na humanap ng ipapalit sa kanya. Samantala, sinabi ng Pangulong Aquino dito na si dating Senador Francis Pangilinan na pinangakuan niyang bibigyan ng puwesto sa kanyang administrasyon ay nagpasiyang huwag na munang tumanggap ng puwesto sa gobyerno sa panahong ito. ―Ang sinasabi niya ay ang ilang gawain sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, na nais niya at siguro parang nahihiya siya, ano? Pagkaraan ng maraming mga miting na pinag-usapan kung saan niya inaakalang karapat-dapat siya, biglang may kailangan sa kanilang pamilya at may dalawa siyang anak na napakabata pa. Siguro nasabihan silang: ‗O, ang daddy ninyo, hindi na masyadong abala. Hindi na iysa kakandidato..., hindi na siya pupunta sa ganito at ganoon,‖ wika pa niya. Dahil dito, sabi ng Pangullo, tinanggap niya ang paliwanag ni Pangilinan at iginalang ang kapasiyahan nito. Tungkol naman sa pagtatalaga sa dating Senador Panfilo Lacson, sinabi ng Pangulo na ang Tanggapan ng Kalihim Tagapagpaganap ay ―masusi pang nagsusuri ng mga detalya ng kung ano ang magiging saklaw ng kanyang tungkulin‖ para maiwasan ang ano mang overlap at paglabag sa alin mang umiiral na batas. PND (jb/zaf)

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5. Inanyayahan ni Aquino na dumalaw sa Pilipinas ang mga Pangulo ng Indonesia at ng Peru

BALI, Indonesia) Inanyayahan ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na dumalaw sa Pilipinas sina Pangulong Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Pangulong Ollanta Humala na dumalaw sa Pilipinas nang makausap niya ang dalawang lider sa idinaos na 21st Asia Pacific Economic Summit na idinaos dito. Pinasalamatan ng Pangulong Aquino si Yudhoyono sa matagal nang mainam na samahan ng Pilipinas at ng Indonesia, gayundin ang pangakong pagtulong sa pagrebisa sa 1996 peace accord ng pamahalaan at ng Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). ―Sila ay maaasahang mga kaibigan. Mapapatunayan ko na ang Indonesya bilang mamamayan, noong panahon ng panunungkulan ng aking ina ay tumutulong na sa atin para lutasin ang isyu sa MNLF,‖ dugtong ng Pangulo. ―Marami nang dekada ang nakalipas at narito pa sila. Hindi sila napapagod sa pagtulong sa atin at ang totoo, inulit nila ang kanilang hangaring patuloy tayong tulungan tungkol sa bagay na ito,‖ wika ng Pangulo. Ayon sa Pangulong Aquino, nagpahayag ng hangarin si Yudhoyono na dumalaw sa Maynila sa isang taon. Ang pag-aanyaya kay Pangulong Ollanta Humala ng Pero ay ginawa niya nang magkasama sila sa entablado bilang panelists sa ―forum on inclusive growth‖ ng APEC CEO Summit Linggo. ―Inanyayahan ko siyang dumalaw sa bayan natin. Palagay ko ay naging maganda ang samahan namin. Pareho nating pinagdaanan ang pakikibaka sa mga reheldeng komunista, sa rightist government, umaangat na ekonomya at pagtugon sa inclusiveness,‖ sabi ng Pangulo. Sinabi ng Pangulo na napag-usapan nila ng lider ng Peru ang pagsusulong ng turismo sa Pilipinas. ―Sabi niya, nais nating mapag-ibayo ang turismo sa kanilang bansa. Ipinakita ko sa kanya iyong ―It‘s more fun in the Philippines.‖ Sabi niya, mayroon silang tatlong milyong bisita sa isang taon. Ang sagot ko naman, sa ganyan tayo nagsimula, tatlong milyon, nguni‘t ngayon ay nasa pagitan na ng lima hanggang anim na milyon para sa taong ito, at ang pakay nating target ay 10 milyon,‖ dugtong ni Aquino. Nakausap din ng Pangulong Aquino si Punong Ministro Peter O‘Neill ng Papua New Guinea na nagsabing mula sa 25,000 hanggang 30,000 ang Pilipino sa kanilang bansa na nasa iba-ibang uri ng trabaho mula sa pananalapi, real estate, pagsasaka at iba pa. Ayon sa kanya, mahalaga ang 25,000 hanggang 30,000 na Pilipino doon dahil mas maliit silang bansa kaysa sa Pilipinas.

―Kaya ngayon ay mayroon na namang isang tumutulong na sa atin sa larangan ng ating industriya ng pag-iisda, mabuting kaibigan at nais nating lalo pang pagbutihin ang mainam na samahang ito alang-alang sa ating mga kababayan, gayundin sa kanilang mga mamamayan,‖ paliwanag pa ng Pangulong Aquino. PND (jb/zaf)

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6. Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Aquino ang susog sa Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act ng 2006

Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ang batas na nagsususog sa Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act ng 2006 na nagtatadhanang ang isang batang labinlimang taong gulang o mababa rito sa panahong nakagawa ng kasalanan ay walang pananagutang kriminal. Ayon kay Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte sa pulong-balitaan sa Malacanang Martes, Oktubre 3 nilagdaan ng Pangulo ang Batas ng Republika 10630 na kilala bilang ―An Act Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System‖ sa Pilipinas na susog sa Batas ng Republika Blg. 9344 na kilala bilang ―Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act‖ ng 2006, at paglalaan ng pondong ukol dito. Pakay ng batas na ito na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga batang nakagagawa ng labag sa batas na ang karamihan ay petty theft, bagansiya o pagsinghot ng solbent. Sa ilalim ng batas, ang isang 15 taong gulang na bata at mababa rito ang edad nang makagawa ng krimen, ay exempted o walang pananagutang kriminal sa ilalim ng batas. Subali‘t, ang bata ay ipauubaya sa community-based intervention program na pinamamahalaan ng lokal na pinuno ng kagalingang panlipunan at kaunlaran, maliban kung sa higit na ikabubuti ng bata ay dapat siyang isailalim sa isang youth care facility o Bahay Pag-asa na nasa pangangasiwa ng lokal na pamahalaan (LGUs) o dili kaya ay accredited non-government organizations na sinusubaybayan ng Kagawaran ng Kagalingang Panlipunan at Kaunlaran. Itinatakda ring batas na ang sino mang lampas sa 15 taong gulang, nguni‘t mababa sa 18 taon, ay hindi rin magkakaroon ng pananagutang kriminal at idaraan sa intervention program, maliban kung siya ay nagsagawa nito nang may discernment, ang ganitong uri ng bata ay isasailalim sa karampatang proseso na naaayon sa Batas na ito. Ang ganitong uri ng menor de edad ay maaaring maharap sa pananagutang sibil na naaayon sa mga umiiral na batas. Ang batang lampas ng 12 taong gulang hanggang 15 taon na magkakasala ng pagpaslang sa magulang, pagpatay, pagkitil ng buhay ng sanggol (infanticide), kidnaping at serious illegal detention kung saan ang biktima ay pinatay o ginahasa, magnakaw na may kasamang pagka-patay o panggagahasa, destructive arson, panggagahasa o karnaping kung saan ang tsuper o sakay ay pinatay o ginahasa o mga kasalanan sa ilalim ng Batas ng Republika Blg. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act ng 2002) na ang parusa ay mahigit na 12 taong pagkabilanggo, ay ituturing na napabayaang anak sa ilalim ng sinusugang Presidential Decree 603. Ang bata ay mandatorily (iuutos) na ilagay sa isang espesyal na pasilidad sa loob ng youth care facilty o Bahay Pag-asa na Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center ang tawag. Ang paulit-ulit na nagkasala o mga batang nakagawa ng krimen nang mahigit sa tatlong beses ay ituturing na napabayaang mga bata, kaya dahil dito, sila ay dapat isailalim sa intervention programs sa pamamahala ng lokal na pinuno ng kagalingang panlipunan at kaunlaran. Itinatakda ng batas ang maximum penalty (pinakamabigat na parusa) sa mga gumagamit sa mga bata na tulad ng mga sindikato para pagawain ng kasalanang kriminal. Iniaatas ng batas na ito ang paglikha ng Juvenile Justice and Wefare Council (JJWC) para tiyaking mabisang maipatutupad ang Batas na ito. Bilang sangay na ahensiya ng DSWD, ang JJWC ay pamumunuan ng Pangalawang Kalihim ng DSWD. Aatasan ang JJWC na magsagawa ng manakanakang pag-aaral tungkol sa age of discernment para maging saligan ng pagrebisa sa batas. Sa ilalim ng batas na ito, bibigyan ng karampatang tulong ang mga biktima ng mga krimeng kagagawan ng mga bata. Ang halagang kailangan para ipatupad ang mga tadhanain ng Batas ay dapat kunin sa kasalukuyang taunang nakalaang halaga para sa JJWC sa ilalim ng badyet ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan. Ayon sa Batas na ito, ano mang halaga o mga halagang kailangan para patuloy na maipatupad ang batas ay isasama sa badyet ng DSWD sa ilalim ng taunang General Appropriations Act: Subali‘t ang halagang P400,000,000.00 ay ilalaan sa pagpapagawa ng Bahay-Pag-asa Rehabilitation Centers sa mga lalawigan o lungsod na maraming bata ang nakagagawa ng labag sa batas. Ang JJWC ang magsasagawa ng mga karampatang tuntunin at patakaran sa loob ng 60 araw mula sa pagkakabisa ng Batas na ito. Magkakabisa ang Batas sa loob ng 15 araw matapos malathala sa Official Gazette o sa dalawa man lamang na pambansang pahayagang malaganap ang sirkulasyon. PND (js/zaf)

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7. Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Aquino ang susog sa Animal Welfare Act

Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ang batas na nagsususog sa Animal Welfare Acr of 1998 upang malapatan nang higit na parusa ang mga taong nagkasala sa kalupitan sa mga hayop, pananakit at pagpapabaya sa mga ito. Ayon kay Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte sa pulong-balitaan sa Malacanang Martes, Oktubre 3 nang lagdaan ng Pangulo ang Batas ng Republika Blg. 10631 o ―Batas na Nagsususog sa Ilang Seksiyon ng Batas ng Republika Blg. 8485,‖ o kilala bilang The Animal Welfare Act of 1998. Hangad ng batas na pangalagaan at isulong ang kabutihan ng lahat ng terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pamamahala at pagtatakda ng tuntunin sa pagtatayo at operasyon ng lahat ng mga pasilidad na ginagamit sa breeding, pangangalaga, pag-iingat, panggagamot o pagsasanay ng lahat ng uri ng hayop para sa pangangalakal o mga hayop na pambahay, kabilang ang mga ibon. Labag sa batas na ito ang saktan ng sino mang tao ang ano mang uri ng hayop, pabayaan o hindi alagaang mabuti, hindi bigyan ng shelter, pagmalupitan ang ano mang uri ng hayop o aso o kabayo, gamitin sa dogfights o horsefights, patayin o maging dahilan ng pananakit o hindi alagang mabuti o gamitin kaya sa pananaliksik o mga eksperimento na hindi pinapayagan ng Committee on Animal Welfare. Ang pagkatay sa ano mang uri ng hayop maliban sa baka, mga baboy, kambing, tupa, poultry, kalabaw at kabayo ay idinideklarang labag sa batas na may ilang exceptions. Ipinagbabawal din ng batas na ito sa sino mang tao na iwan ang kanyang alagang hayop. Sino mang taong manakit sa hayop, magmalupit o magpabaya ay maaaring maparusahan ng pagkabilanggong isang taon at anim na buwan at isang araw hanggang dawalang taon at multang hindi hihigit sa P100,000.00 kung ang hayop ay pinagmalupitan, sinaktan o pinabayaang mamatay. Ang lalabag ay mabibilanggo ng isang taon at isangaraw hanggang isang taon at anim na buwan at multang hindi hihigit sa P50,000 kung pinagmalupitan, sinaktan at pinabayaan ang isang nasugatang hayop na kailangang tulungan ng tao para mabuhay. Ang lalabag ay maaaring mabilanggo ng anim na buwan hanggang isang taon at/o multang hindi hihigit sa P30,000.00 para sa nagmalupit, nanakit o nagpabaya sa isang hayop na hindi naman namatay. Ang parusang dalawang taon at isang araw hanggang tatlong taong pagkabilanggo at multang hindi hihigit sa P250,000.00 para sa sino mang nagkasala ng alinman sa mga sumusunod: 1) isang sindikato; 2) isang nagkasala na ang negosyo ay pagmalupitan ang isang hayop; 3) isang pinunong bayan o kawani; at 4) kung saan tatlo man lamang hayop ang ginamit. Ang Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka ang magtatalaga ng animal welfare enforcement officers buhat sa grupo ng mamamayan, mga samahang pambayan, mga boluntaryo at non-government organizations na isasailalim sa pagsasanay sa mga batas at regulasyon sa pagdakip at pagpigil sa mga lumalabag sa Batas na ito. Ilalagda ng Kalihim ng Pagsasaka sa mungkahi ng Lupon sa Kapakanan ng mga Hayop ang mga gabay at tuntuning kailangan sa pagsasanay ng mga animal welfare enforcement officers. Ang Pambansang Pulisya, Pambansang Kawanihan ng Pagsisiyasat at iba pang tagapagpatupad ng batas ang magtatalaga ng animal welfare enforcement officers. PND (js/zaf)

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8. Mahalaga ang gagampanan ng Pilipinas sa ASEAN

(BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei Darussalam) Napakahalagang papel ang gagampanan ng Pilipinas sa Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sa taong ito dahil sa napakahusay na nagawa nito sa larangan ng ekonomya sa ilalim ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III. Sinabi ni Elizabeth Buensuceso, Permament Representative ng Pilipinas sa ASEAN, na itinuturing ngayon ang Pilipinas ng mga tagamasid na ―isang mayamang bansang nag-aanyong maralita‖ sapagka‘t patuloy na positibo ang natatamo nito sa larangan ng ekonomya. ―Napakalaki ng papel ng Pilipinas. Binabantayan nila tayo kasi nga, tayo ang may pinakamabilis sa pag-angat ng ekonomya. Tama kaya ang ginagawa natin? Ibig natin itong ibahagi sila,‖ dugtong ni Buensuceso sa interbyu. Kamakailan ay tumaas ang investment grade rating ng Pilipinas buhat sa Moody‘s Investors Service, gayundin ang dalawang malaking rating firms na Standard & Poor‘s Ratings Services at Fitch Ratings na kapuwa nagbigay ng mataas na marka sa Pilipinas.

Iidnugtong ni Buensuceso na naalis na ang tatak na ―pulubi‖ sa Pilipinas at ilang bansa ang kumikilala ngayon dito hindi na bilang nanghihingi kundi nagbibigay na. ―Hindi na tayo pulubi—pahingi, pahingi. Hindi ganoon ngayon. Mayroong nagsabing isang manunulat na ‗tayo ay isang mayamang bansang nagpapanggap na maralita,‘‖ dagdag pa ni Buensuceso. Matagal nang kasapi ng ASEAN ang Pilipinas at inaasahang ibabahagi nito ang karanasan sa mga larangang nagpalakas, lalo na ng proteksiyong panlipunan sa pagtulong sa maliliit na negosyante na maaaring maapektuhan ng ASEAN Integration, ayon kay Buensuceso. ―Ang isinusulong natin diyan ay kung paano matutulungan ang ordinaryong tao sa proseso ng integrasyon. Kasi walang ibang paraan. Tayong lahat ay patungo sa malayang kalakalan ng mga paninda at serbisyo. Titingnan natin kung paano natin matutulungan ang medyo maaapektuhan, matatamaan ng pagsulong na iyan,‖ wika pa ni Buensuceso. PND (hdc/zaf)

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9. Patungo na sa Brunei Darussalam ang Pangulong Aquino buhat sa Indonesia para daluhan ang 23rd ASEAN Summit

(BALI, Indonesia) Nilisan na ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III Martes ang bansang ito patungong Brunei Darussalam para dumalo naman sa 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit‖ matapos daluhan ang ―23rd Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting‖ dito Oktubre 6-8. Dakong ika-2:04 ng hapon nang dumating ang Pangulo sa Ngurah Rai International Airport dito at sumakay sa chartered Philippine Air Lines Flight PR001 ika-2:06 ng hapon at ganap na ika-2:25 ng hapon umalis sa paliparan dito. Kasama ng Pangulo sa paglalakbay ang mga Kagawad ng Gabinete na kinabibilangan nina mga Kalihim Albert Del Rosario ng Ugnayang Panlabas, Cesar Purisima ng Pananalapi, Gregory Domingo ng Kalakal at Industriya, Kalihim ng Gabinete Jose Rene Almendras at Punong Arsenio Balisacan ng National Economic and Development Authority. Siyam na summit ang lalahukan ng Pangulo sa Brunei kasama ang iba pang lider ng Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sa 23rd ASEAN Summit sa nasabing bansa. Oktubre 9 lalahukan ng Pangulo ang 23rd ASEAN Summit, 1th ASEAN-Japan Summit, 16th ASEAN-Republic of South Korea Summit, 16th ASEAN-China Summit, at ang 1st ASEAN-US Summit, sabi ni Raul Hernandez, Tagapagsalita ng Kagawaran ng Ugnayang Panlabas. Oktubre 10, Huwebes, makakasama ng Pangulong Aquino ang iba pang lider para sa 16th ASEAN plus three Summit, 8th East Asia Summit, 11th ASEAN-India Summit at ang 5th ASEAN-UN Summit. Ang 23rd ASEAN Summit ay puspusang tatalakay sa paksang ASEAN Community 2015 and beyond, gayundin na napakahalagang gagampanan ng ASEAN sa ugnayang panlabas at mga pampurok at pandaigdig na mga isyu. PND (rck/zaf)

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President Benigno S. Aquino III's Statement at the APEC CEO Summit: “Why inclusive growth matters” Bali International Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia

06 Oct 2013 Inclusive growth has become an increasingly attractive development paradigm for the modern global economy. Across the globe, aided by information flowing at broadband speed, the poor, the marginalized, the disenfranchised,

have organized themselves and clamored for change—sometimes toppling regimes, or at the very least forcing those in power to take a closer look at the way our respective milieus have previously distributed wealth and opportunities. Their message: While high rates of economic growth and increased trade and investment remain necessary, these are no longer the sole measure of success for a progressive society. The challenge for governments has deepened: When in the past we gravitated towards metrics that reflect merely the wealth collectively amassed by an economy, more and more the task of governments has become ensuring that this wealth is not concentrated in the hands of the few, but rather that it is equitably utilized to raise levels of human development. In this manner, we engender a situation wherein the broader base of society can benefit from opportunities opening up through economic growth. Without these factors, a nation may perhaps experience periods of cyclical growth; any progress, however, will be prone to disruption. Because so long as a society has reason to clamor for change—whether due to a pervading sense of inequality, injustice, unfairness, or lack of opportunity—it will find ways to do so. This, perhaps, offers some insight into the question posed to us today: ―Why does inclusive growth matter?‖ First: Inclusiveness matters because it ensures the stability of societies, and consequently, the sustainability of growth. The equation for sustainability is also integral to a second, perhaps, more important aspect. On top of fostering stability, social inclusiveness also empowers citizens to become bona fide economic actors that can productively contribute to nation building. It allows them to buy into the system, from which they can reap benefits. Perhaps a few examples arising from my country and our ongoing strategy can help concretize this idea. For the past three years, we have increasingly focused our national budget on social services, such as education, health, and poverty alleviation. Our flagship conditional cash transfer program now benefits close to four million families, and we have further expanded this so it may cover families with a child in high school. The condition of this conditional cash transfer program for the family is to keep your child in school. A recent research conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, there is a forty percent increase in income for those who finished high school versus those who were elementary graduates. Furthermore, we seek to educate students even from far-flung and even nomadic communities through our Alternative Learning Systems, wherein our public school teachers are embedded in these communities to provide basic education services. Add to this, we are well on our way to closing resource gaps in terms of classrooms, even as we have already eliminated backlogs for textbooks and armchairs in our public education system. This, on top of a recent law expanding our basic education cycle from ten to twelve years, which we foresee will increase the competitiveness of our graduates in the global arena. I also signed into law two bills that have languished in Congress for many years, not least because of intense lobbying from entrenched interests: The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, which mandates access to information on family planning, and the Sin Tax Reform Act, which earmarks increased revenue from tobacco and alcohol into health services. This will certainly accelerate our Universal Health Care agenda, which we continue to aggressively pursue. These are direct government interventions that we are pursuing as a proactive way of encouraging the equitable distribution of wealth—part of a concerted plan to ensure that all sectors take part in economic growth and partake in prosperity that it brings. Our task: To ensure that our people have the wherewithal to utilize, and indeed maximize, the opportunities opening up with newfound revitalization of our economy. In the Philippines, where urban development and industrialization have historically happened in pockets even as the greater segment of the poor remain in rural areas, we have also exerted much effort in empowering sectors that will have the greatest impact as regards inclusiveness, namely, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. We have continued to pour funds into agriculture—streamlining the supply chain and providing much-needed support for our farmers. When in the past our leaders have imported more rice than we needed, and at exorbitant prices, today because of good and prudent governance the Philippines is well on its way to achieving rice self-sufficiency. You have also perhaps heard of our flagship campaign for our tourism industry. I invite you all to witness for yourself that, indeed, ―It‘s more fun in the Philippines.‖ You will see that the entire population is living out this slogan with pride, bolstering both foreign and domestic tourist arrivals towards unprecedented highs. Our infrastructure agenda has likewise been a boon to both the agriculture and tourism sectors. Farm-to-market roads have begun to make previously isolated areas in the hinterlands accessible. A convergent strategy among national agencies has provided a framework for the construction and repair of airports, roads, and other necessary infrastructure; once completed, this will connect different hubs in the country in the most impactful way possible. On top of creating jobs through construction, these new infrastructure projects build an environment that is highly conducive to investments, all of which, coupled with our efforts in education, health, and poverty alleviation, spur a virtuous cycle of growth, empowerment, and equitable prosperity. In all cases, the integrity of public finances and resources from which government intervention is sourced must be protected. The Philippines has had an unfortunate history of corruption and non-transparent governance that had stunted the influx of opportunities and stifled the government‘s ability to execute anti-poverty strategies. In the last three years, significant gains have been achieved in weeding out corrupt officials, instituting more open governance, and participative at that, and eliminating leakages in the system. In many ways, however, this task will continue to be a challenge in the years to come. I believe that such challenges need not only a whole-of-government, but rather a whole-of-society approach. We have already impressed our commitment onto partners in the legislature, the judiciary, and the subnational or local

governments; they now realize that the people will settle for nothing less than honest, accountable, service-oriented governance—and that we in the Executive are squarely on the side of the people. The private sector and international business community likewise have important roles to play in making economic growth more inclusive. On top of responsible practices, businesses must also actively engage with their community base, exploring new pathways to create opportunity and benefit for all. Practices that sacrifice long-term sustainability for short-term gain—through an untenable extractive approach to resources, or through creating tension between industries and communities—must be revisited and changed. In sum, the question of inclusiveness is one that strikes at the very essence of growth. Do we define growth as the mere amassing of wealth, the mere swelling of the gross national product, regardless of who benefits? Or do we decide and abide by the principle that the strength of nations lies in the people—that the fair and just way forward, indeed the only way forward, is for government to ensure that the system allows for equitability, where every citizen, regardless of status of birth or personal network, or circumstances, is allowed the opportunity to shape his destiny through his own ability and hard work? This is the crossroads that every economy—indeed, the entire global economy as a collective—has come to face, and I am confident that, collectively too, as humanity always has, we will rise to this challenge. Thank you.

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ONLINE NEWS

08 OCTOBER 2013

1. National Government achieves P21.9 billion budget surplus in August

2. DOJ designates Prosecutors to lead investigation teams on extralegal killings

3. BSP honors its stakeholders in La Union

4. DBP donates P2M to Maring, Habagat victims

5. US Department of Treasury, ADB officials visit DSWD beneficiaries

6. No probe set on Customs officials moved to CPRO

7. 2013 Philippine Statistical Yearbook Now Available!

8. DTI joins Consumer Welfare Month celebration this October

9. DFA Undersecretary meets with New Zealand Senior Official

10. Phl Ambassador calls on Timor-Leste Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening (SEFI)

11. DA slaps temp ban on Taipei poultry

12. Paje: Ph working double time to improve sewer system

13. Landed

14. PDIC raises P35.8-M from bidding of assets

15. Notice of Award issued to 2 firms for DepEd School Building Project

1. National Government achieves P21.9 billion budget surplus in August

Source: http://www.dof.gov.ph

Budget Surplus in August The National Government achieved a fiscal surplus of P21.9 billion, eight fold the P2.5 billion surplus in August 2012. Year-to-date, overall fiscal deficit stands at P82.6billion, in line with Government projections. Revenue Performance Revenue collections in August reached P155.1billion, 20% or P25.7 billion higher compared to the same period last year. Collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BoC) were recorded at P118.1 billion and P26.1 billion, reflecting 22% and 15% year-on-year revenue growth, respectively. Revenue from other offices grew 7% from a year ago to P7.5 billion while Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) income rose 15% year-on-year to P3.4 billion. Revenue collections reached P1,139.2 billion for the first eight months of the year. Actual collections for January to August were recorded at P811.9 billion for BIR and P198.9 billion for BOC, growing 16% and 4%, respectively, on a year-on-year basis. BTr income totaled P60.9 billion and other offices contributed P67.5 billion. Total tax revenues amounted to P145.7 billion, representing 94% of total revenues while the remainingP9.4 billion came from non-tax sources.

Expenditures Actual disbursements for August amounted to P133.2 billion, reflecting a 5% or P6.4 billion increase, year-on-year. Interest payments amounting to P18.2 billion accounted for14% of total expenditures for the month. Total disbursements for January to August reached P1,221.8 billion, 13% higher than comparable disbursements in 2012. Primary Surplus/ (Deficit) Netting out interest payments as a part of expenditures, the National Government recorded a primary surplus of P40.1 billion in August and P146.3 billion within the first eight months of the year.

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2. DOJ designates Prosecutors to lead investigation teams on extralegal killings

Source: http://www.doj.gov.ph

Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima signed Department Order No. 726 last September 30, 2013 identifying prosecutors from all over the country that will be designated to handle cases involving extralegal/extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance and torture. "These prosecutors will be the team leaders of the composite team of prosecutors and law enforcement agents created by Administrative Order No. 35," explains De Lima. Administrative Order No. 35, signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III last 22 November 2012, created the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) composed of the Department of Justice (DOJ), as Chairperson, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Office of the Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs (OPA), Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Dubbed as the "superbody", the IAC is the inter-agency mechanism of the Aquino Administration designed to ensure effective investigations and successful prosecutions of grave human rights violations. DOJ Department Order No. 726 selected and designated prosecutors from all the administrative units of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) of the DOJ who will lead the special investigation teams that will undertake case build-up of human rights violations covered by the Administrative Order. Their efforts to secure a successful prosecution will be monitored closely by special oversight teams composed of seasoned prosecutors and investigators (from PNP-CIDG and NBI), who are mandated to provide guidance to the investigators and prosecutors on the ground and also submit recommendations to the IAC. The DOJ Secretary stated that, "the composite team approach, as implemented by A.O. No. 35 and D.O. 726, will hopefully secure the paradigm shift in our ranks that will encourage our prosecutors to take a more pro-active approach at the investigation level." She is confident that "a more active and more involved prosecution" will contribute greatly to a higher conviction rate on cases involving egregious human rights violations. De Lima adds, "[o]nce the designated prosecutors have complied with certain administrative requirements, we are ready to endorse, within the week, the first wave of A.O. 35 cases of suspected extrajudicial killings for the conduct of criminal investigation by the composite team, as headed by the designated A.O. 35 prosecutor." The IAC is set to meet tomorrow, October 8, 2013, at the Department of National Defense, to discuss the updates on the implementation of A.O. No. 35, inventory of torture cases and the communications plan of the body.

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3. BSP honors its stakeholders in La Union

Source: http://www.bsp.gov.ph

Monetary Board Member Armando L. Suratos led the awards ceremony for stakeholders of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Regions I, II and CAR during the annual appreciation lunch at the BSP La Union Regional Office, San Fernando City, La Union on 8 October 2013. Currimao Aluminum Corporation was chosen as the Outstanding Respondent among Large and Medium Firms for the Business Expectations Survey (BES) in Region I. The company is engaged in the manufacturing of aluminum profiles since 1993. Mr. Steven C. Go is the President of the company. Consolidated Adhesives, Inc. was also recognized as the Outstanding Respondent among Small Firms in Region I for the third consecutive year. As such, the company was also conferred the Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding Respondent among Small Firms this year. Established in 1975, the company is engaged in the manufacturing of ―Stikwel‖ brand of water-based industrial adhesives. It is headed by Mr. Mateo T. Chan, Jr., its President.

Awarded the Outstanding Partner for Inter-Company Accounts for the Cross Border Transactions Survey (CBTS) was TI (Philippines), Inc. Mr. Norberto Viera is the President and Managing Director of the company. Incorporated in 1997, the company is engaged in the manufacture of semiconductors and electronic products and components. Awarded the Outstanding Partners for the Report on Regional Economic Developments were the National Statistical Coordination Board-Regional Statistical Coordination Unit CAR (NSCB-RSCU CAR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Pangasinan Provincial Office. Mr. Benjamin Y. Navarro and Mr. Peter O. Mangabat are the Unit Head and Provincial Director of NSCB-RSCU CAR and DTI-Pangasinan Provincial Office, respectively. The award for Outstanding Partner of BSP Dagupan Branch for the Clean Note Policy Campaign and Coin Recirculation Program was given to Junior Financial Executives-Urdaneta City University (JFinEx-UCU) Chapter. The JFinEx-UCU Chapter conceptualized the financial literacy campaign for school children as its community extension program to raise their awareness on good money management habits. With the help of the BSP Branch office, the program was expanded to include the proper use of notes and coins as well as the importance of knowing the Philippine currency. Ms. Elisa C. Cristobal is the Adviser of JFinEx-UCU Chapter. This annual event is one way by which the BSP gives recognition to BES respondents as well as public and private institutions that have provided exemplary support to the BSP‘s various statistical initiatives, information requirements and advocacy programs. The stakeholders‘ awards in La Union which the BSP has been holding since 2004, is the last in a series of nine regional events for this year. Similar occasions were held in other areas outside the National Capital Region (NCR) since July 2013. The stakeholders‘ award in NCR was held on 16 July 2013 at the BSP Main Office.

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4. DBP donates P2M to Maring, Habagat victims

Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

As part of their efforts to help the victims of typhoon ‗Maring‘ and the ‗Habagat,‘ the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), donates a P2 million check to fund programs and projects for the affected families. DBP President Gil Buenaventura hands over the check to DSWD Assistant Secretary Ma. Chona David O. Casis. Witnessing the turnover are (From right) DBP Executive Vice-President, Branch Banking Sector Anthony Robles, Head Corporate Affairs and DBP Institute, 1st Vice-President Isidro Sobrecarey and DSWD-Disaster Risk Reduction and Response Operations Office (DRRROO) Director Restituto Macuto.

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5. US Department of Treasury, ADB officials visit DSWD beneficiaries

Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury for International Markets and Development, Marisa Lago, recently visited Barangay Ligtong III in Rosario, Cavite to interact with the beneficiaries and observe the implementation of the two major programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). These programs are the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid). Kalahi-CIDSS uses the community-driven development strategy, an approach that seeks to combat poverty and improve local governance by strengthening the capacity of citizens to identify and implement local solutions to poverty issues. The program‘s implementation in Barangay Ligtong III is realized through a grant from the Japan Social Development Fund-Livelihood Opportunities for Vulnerable Urban Communities (JSDF-LVUC) to improve employment and livelihood opportunities for urban poor communities through community grants for labor-intensive, small-scale development projects, and community enterprises. The Pantawid Pamilya, on the other hand, is the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the DSWD. It provides education and health cash grants of as much as P1,400 to families with three qualified children provided they comply to the different conditions of the program. Accompanying Assistant Secretary Lago were Ben Cushman, the US Department of the Treasury Financial Attaché for Southeast Asia, and Robert Orr, the US Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Also, parts of the visiting contingent were Yukiko Ito, Halliday Hart, Leah Gutierrez, and Joel Mangahas of the ADB. DSWD Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera, Kalahi-CIDSS Director Chi Redaja, Region IV-A Regional Director Leticia Diokno, Region IV-A Assistant Regional Floreceli Gunio accompanied the delegation. The delegates participated in a focus group discussion with the Kalahi-CIDSS volunteers, who talked about their experience on the program. Maria Lourdes San Buenaventura, shared, ―Dito po namin naranasan ang community-driven na project. Dito po namin naranasan na maging kabahagi talaga ng barangay. Naging bahagi po kami sa solusyon sa problema ng barangay. [Through this, we were able to experience community-driven development. We

got to feel what it‘s like to be part of the village. We became part of the solution to solve the problems of our community].‖ Annaliza Asma, another Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer and one of the Pantawid Pamilya Parent Leaders in Barangay Ligtong III, shared, ―Nakatulong po ang Kalahi-CIDSS sa kanila kasi marami po sa kanila ang walang pinagkakakitaan. Nagkaroon na po sila nang pinagkakakitaan para po sa kanilang pamilya. [Kalahi-CIDSS has helped our village because a lot of the residents do not have a source of income. They were able to get employment through this, so they can now earn for their families.].‖ Assistant Secretary Marisa Lago was impressed with the stories shared by the community volunteers. As she said, ―I‘m just so struck by your leadership, and it is leadership from within the community that makes projects successful.‖ Ambassador Orr was also impressed by the residents of Barangay Ligtong III. ―It‘s inspiring to see leaders like you give your time at the local level. It‘s the local level that makes the national leadership, and you demonstrated that today.‖ For his part, Rosario Mayor Jose ―Nonong‖ Ricafrente extended his gratitude to the US Department of the Treasury and ADB for visiting his municipality. ―We are lucky we were chosen as the beneficiaries of the Kalahi-CIDSS project and the conditional cash transfer program.Without these programs, I don‘t know how we could have coped with these calamities,‖ Mayor Ricafrente added. The delegation also observed an ongoing Pantawid Pamilya Family Development Session (FDS) where parent-beneficiaries of the program are taught principles and practices on responsible parenthood. The delegation also visited a day care center and a health center in Barangay Ligtong III, both of which are used by the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. Convergence in Barangay Ligtong III DSWD Assistant Secretary Cabrera said, ―This visit gives us the chance to show how convergence works. It‘s not only convergence within DSWD, but also with the LGUs. It says a lot if we converge our projects because it shows shared responsibility, together with the communities.‖ KALAHI-CIDSS funded the dredging and desilting of 560 linear meters of Malimango creek and the construction of a line canal in Ligtong III. Likewise, the program provided interested residents with training on dressmaking, shield metal arc welding, and buri bag making. Forty of the trained beneficiaries are now employed at the Cavite Export Processing Zone (EPZA). The other trainees are being linked with the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), another poverty alleviation program of the DSWD. On the other hand, Pantawid Pamilya, covers 2,658 households in the municipality of Rosario, Cavite of whom 373 household-beneficiaries are from Ligtong III. Originally designed to operate in rural poor communities, Kalahi-CIDSS recently started piloting CDD implementation in urban poor communities. Ligtong III in Rosario, Cavite is one of its first pilot urban CDD sites, along with three communities in Malate, Manila.

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6. No probe set on Customs officials moved to CPRO

Source: http://www.dof.gov.ph

The Department of Finance (DOF) refuted reports that specific lifestyle checks and tax audits would be conducted on personnel of the Bureau of Customs, (BOC), specifically 27 officials who had been detailed to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO). At the same time, the DOF reiterated that it would continue checks being done by the agency‘s Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) as part of its regular operations. The BOC is an attached agency of the DOF with the latter exercising supervisory powers over revenue-collecting agencies of the government. ―This is not a witch-hunt and we are not singling anyone out. The Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) regularly conducts lifestyle checks on officials and employees of the DOF and all its attached agencies, including the BOC and the BIR, and has been doing so for the past four years. On the other hand, the BIR regularly conducts tax liability audits using a risk profile system. These measures were implemented from the beginning of the Aquino Administration as part of good governance,‖ said Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares of Bureau of Internal Revenue, chairperson of the DOF‘s Revenue Cluster. ―The current reform agenda for the Bureau of Customs includes short, medium and long-term programs that focus on capacity-building for the agency. It is separate from the RIPS program, which covers the DOF and all its attached agencies and has been in implementation since 2009.‖ Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon, for his part, reiterated that the 27 Customs officials who had been moved to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) were chosen based solely on experience and expertise in tariff

and trade policies as well as exposure to global best practice in customs operations. ―These officials are neither on floating status nor have they been demoted. They have been chosen to chart the future of the Bureau of Customs because they are among the most qualified to take on the job. Their output at the CPRO will form part of the reforms at the BOC and we eagerly await their recommendations,‖ said Biazon in a press briefing on Monday. ―Let me reiterate that our goal is to institute sustainable and effective reforms that will transform the Bureau of Customs into a professional, credible and competent government agency.‖ The widespread reforms at the Bureau of Customs started with an audit of all personnel and the subsequent detail of 27 officials to the CPRO. Biazon explained that the CPRO would contribute to a three-pronged reform program at the BOC, specifically the modernization of personnel through training and development; adaptation of relevant tools and equipment through the upgrade of the agency‘s IT infrastructure and automation of frontline and back-end services; and lastly, a review and change in policies and Customs administration, including changes to the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, which has remained largely unchanged for decades.

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7. 2013 Philippine Statistical Yearbook Now Available!

Source: http://www.nscb.gov.ph

The National Statistical Coordination Board Technical Staff (NSCB TS) has released the 2013 Edition of the Philippine Statistical Yearbook (PSY) on the occasion of the joint opening ceremonies of the 12th National Convention on Statistics and the 24th National Statistics Month held last October 1, 2013 at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City. Released every 1st of October, the PSY is one of the major statistical publications of the NSCB TS and has been one of the more reliable and authoritative sources of statistical information. It contains 19 statistical subject areas and 439 statistical tables with maps, charts and glossary of terms, to meet the information needs of a wide range of data users such as: government agencies/units, non-government organizations, civil society, business firms, entrepreneurs, students, international institutions, and the general public. For this edition, we have updated 303 tables and included a special feature on the number of registered voters and voter‘s turn-out by province during the National and Local Elections held on May 13, 2013. Like our partners in the publication of the PSY, the NSCB TS has always been motivated by a genuine desire to be more effective in serving the needs of users of statistical information. We therefore look forward to comments and suggestions from users on how we can further improve the quality and usefulness of this publication. We also sincerely acknowledge the unwavering support and cooperation of all our partner agencies which have been providing data for this publication as well as the various stakeholders of statistics including households and private enterprises that supplied data to our partner agencies.

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8. DTI joins Consumer Welfare Month celebration this October

Source: http://www.dti.gov.ph

October is Consumer Welfare month (CWM). Based on Presidential Proclamation No. 1098, every October is an opportunity for government and private sectors, including media, to disseminate information such as policies affecting consumers and encourage dialogue and cooperation among government, business and consumer groups to broaden their education as consumers. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory L. Domingo points out that, ―As the nation celebrates the 16th year of the Consumer Welfare Month (CWM), the Department calls on the Filipino consumers once again to be properly informed and actively involved in programs created for them to ensure a safety- and price-conscious society.‖ Every October, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reiterates its commitment to reinforce its services, programs and activities to protect the interests of consumers with the continued assistance of Philippine industries. Secretary Domingo emphasizes, ―The DTI has this vision of aggressive yet educated consumers facing their issues through the strong support of public and private partnerships.‖ DTI-Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group (CWBRG) Officer-in-Charge Atty. Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba explains, ―The DTI highly anticipates the CWM celebration and supports whichever department leads the festivity. Simultaneously, all offices of the Department annually gear up to reach more consumers through activities in their regions, provinces and cities.‖ For this year, the Department of Health (DOH) is in the forefront of the 16th CWM festivity, guided by the theme ―Health Product – Quality, Efficacy, Safety and Transparency: Everybody‘s Concern‖.

The DTI has led the CWM celebrations in 2000, 2006 and 2012 with the themes, ―Mapanuri at Masigasig na Mamimili: Hamon sa Bagong Milenyo (A Critical and Vigilant Consumer: Challenge of the New Millenium) and ―Enforcing Consumer Rights Towards a Progressive Philippines‖, and ―Get Organized. Be Heard. Be Empowered,‖ respectively. The DTI is expected to get another chance to lead the CWM in 2018. To celebrate the CWM, the DTI has set several activities for its employees, industry clients and consumers: Bantay Presyo Pa-Raffle for DTI on all Mondays and Fridays of October; 1st National Convention for Accredited Constructors Performance Evaluation System (CPES) Evaluators of the Philippines on October 03, 2013 at the Philippine International Convention Center; Authorized Managing Officer (AMO) Seminar on 03-04 October 2013 in Cebu City; Capacity Building and Launching of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) Windows in Region III (Central Luzon) on 10-11 October 2013, in Region X (Northern Mindanao) on 24-25 October 2013 and in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on 28-29 October 2013; Konsyumer Caravan in the NCR in October to November; Consumer Lecture on Investment Scams and Pyramiding on 15 October 2013; Accreditation of Constructors Performance Evaluators for MWSS in Quezon City on 23-25 October 2013; 2nd Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB) Symposium on Philippine Overseas Construction at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City on 24 October 2013; Bagwis Awards Ceremony for 2013 Corporate and Gold Recipients in the last week of October 2013; and, Road Shows on Balikbayan Box Shipments in Hongkong on 20 October 2013, in Dubai on 23 October 2013, in Riyadh on 25 October 2013, and in Singapore on 27 October 2013. Moreover, in coordination with the DTI-National Capital Region (NCR), the DTI-CWBRG has arranged a series of Diskwento Caravans in the NCR through which DTI seeks the cooperation of manufacturers and distributors of basic necessities and prime commodities to sell their products at discounted prices and assist consumers in their purchases. The DTI-NCR visits the consumers in their areas through the mobile Diskwento Caravans in Caloocan City Hall on 03 October 2013; Malanday, Marikina on 04 October 2013; Parañaque City Hall on 07 October 2013; and, at the DTI Main office (361 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City) on 08-09 October 2013. During the CWM, the DTI-CWBRG also celebrates the National Standards Week (NSW) every 08-14 October in cognizant of the World Standards Day (WSD) on 14 October. The Philippines‘ National Standards Body, the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), a line bureau under the DTI-CWBRG, leads the WSD and NSW celebration activities. OIC Dimagiba expounds, ―Annually, the international, regional and local standardization offices and groups reiterate the great significance of international standards on products and services that ultimately protect the interests of their end-users, the consumers.‖ Through the DTI-BPS, products with the Philippine Standard (PS) and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) marks such as small home appliances, Christmas lights, motorcycle helmets, fireworks, and monobloc chairs and tables will be offered for sale at discounted prices in the caravan at the DTI office on 08-09 October 2013. In addition, the DTI-BPS has set the Seminars on Standards and Conformance in ASEAN on 11 and 14 October 2013 at the DTI ITG building. The DTI-CWBRG continues the airing of its consumer advocacy program, Konsyumer Atbp (KATBP) through simultaneous broadcasting in television and radio of the ABS-CBN Corporation‘s DZMM 630 kHz, DZMM Teleradyo Skycable Channel 26, through more than 200 local cable networks, and, through international cable networks. Episodes on product safety standards, proper delivery of balikbayan boxes, consumer assistance and complaints handling, and Sikat Pinoy products from 16 regions are lined up for discussions this October. ―The DTI enjoins the nation in celebrating this important event, the CWM, this October,‖ Secretary Domingo reminds the general public. ―But the DTI services consumers all year round for their immediate protection,‖ he underscores. For more information, call the DTI Direct at 751.3330.

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9. DFA Undersecretary meets with New Zealand Senior Official

Source: https://www.dfa.gov.ph

08 October 2013 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia met with Deputy Secretary for the Americas and Asia Andrea Smith of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on October 04. Undersecretary Garcia and Deputy Secretary Smith discussed a wide range of bilateral matters on trade and investment, geothermal energy, labour, air connectivity, education, and defence. They also noted the progress made in a number of bilateral initiatives including the Philippines-New Zealand Dairy Project and the Working Holiday Scheme Arrangement. Regional issues, including ASEAN-New Zealand relations, the East Asia Summit and NZ Inc ASEAN Strategy, also formed part of the agenda. Undersecretary Garcia briefed Deputy Secretary Smith on the West Philippine Sea issue, particularly the Philippines‘ arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Mindanao Peace Process.

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10. Phl Ambassador calls on Timor-Leste Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening (SEFI)

Source: https://www.dfa.gov.ph

08 October 2013 - Philippine Ambassador to Timor-Leste María Aileen H. Bugarín called on Timor-Leste Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening (SEFI) Francisco da Costa Borlako Soares last October 3. The meeting is part of the preparations for the proposed study tour of SEFI officials to the Philippines to learn from the Philippine Government decentralization model. Secretary Soares and the other SEFI officials who joined him in the meeting expressed their interest to know more about Philippine Government-led initiatives to promote transparent, accountable and participatory governance at the local level. After the call, Ambassador Bugarin assured the Timor-Leste side that their concerns will be conveyed to relevant agencies in the Philippines for further guidance and instructions. Noting also that the Philippines and Timor-Leste share a deep affinity for the ideals of good governance, the Ambassador further told Secretary Soares that the Embassy will do its utmost best to bring the proposal to fruition. Joining Ambassador Bugarín in the courtesy call were Third Secretary Maurice A. Tiempo and Attaché Reynold D. Banda.

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11. DA slaps temp ban on Taipei poultry

Source: http://www.da.gov.ph

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala issued a temporary ban on the importation of poultry meat products, domestic and wild birds including day old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Chinese Taipei. The temporary ban was issued following the official report of Dr. Ping-Cheng Yang, Director of the Animal Technology Institute Taiwan, Council of Agriculture, Taiwan, Chinese Taipei to Office International Des Epizooties (OIE), on an outbreak of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) in Yuli, Hua-lien, Chinese Taipei. Reports state that the LPAI serotype H5N3 was isolated from a meat-type duck farm on July 16, 2013 and the National Laboratory (Animal Health Research Institute) confirmed the virus thru virological test and pathologenicity test on August 2, 2013. To protect the health of the local poultry population, Alcala immediately ordered a freeze on imports of domestic and wild birds, including day old chicks, eggs, and semen. The Agri chief also ordered the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQS/SPS) for the import of the said commodities. All DA Veterinary Quarantine/Inspectors at all major ports are directed to stop all shipments into the country of poultry meat and similar products (with the exception of heat treated products) originating from Chinese Taipei. (DA-Information Service)

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12. Paje: Ph working double time to improve sewer system

Source: http://www.denr.gov.ph

Government agencies tasked to implement a national program aimed at addressing a wide range of water and wastewater problems are working double time to tremendously increase the coverage of sewerage and sanitation services throughout the country, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said. Approved in June 2012, the National Sewerage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP) seeks to improve water quality and public health in the Philippines by 2020 by improving the ability of local implementors to build and operate effective wastewater treatment systems. The initial phase of the program - consultation among representatives of local government units (LGUs) and water districts from highly urbanized cities (HUCs) enrolled in the program - has just been completed. The next phase would be the actual implementation of the program, which has an ultimate goal of providing sewerage and septage system within urban areas in order to minimize adverse effects of wastewater discharges. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) hosted a meeting recently, which brought together all other national government agencies involved in the program led by Department of Public Works and Highways

(DPWH) and the Department of Health; the concerned LGUs; water districts and concessionaires; and funding institutions. Paje said the meeting was called to update one another on the status of the implementation of NSSMP, whose formulation was mandated under Republic Act No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, as well as to identify other mechanisms and approaches to hasten and facilitate its enforcement. He said that under the law, all subdivisions and condominiums, commercial establishments, hotels, hospitals, public markets and government buildings should have already been connected to the sewerage system by 2010. ―Unfortunately, as of 2010, only 30 percent of these areas had sewer coverage due to limitations in the sewerage network itself," Paje pointed out. ―However, we are making resolute and palpable progress, and we hope to achieve 100 percent sewer coverage by 2018 provided we make the right investments," he added. One such investment, he said, is the establishment of more joint sewage-septage treatment plants similar to that in Veterans Village in Project 7, Quezon City, set to be inaugurated on October 17, which can treat 2,400 cubic meters of sewage generated daily by village residents and 240 cubic meters of septage from nearby areas. Paje also cited the low-cost, small-scale wastewater treatment facility put up by the city government of Muntinlupa in its public market that cleans 210 cubic meters of sewage in a day, and allows the recycling of treated wastewater for cleaning and flushing purposes. The environment chief lamented that even with the Clean Water Act being "a landmark law and one of the best in the world in terms of quality standards" that resulted in marked improvement in the delivery of clean water, the country continued to lag behind other nations when it comes to sewerage and sanitation. ―Sadly, over 20 million Filipinos still have no access to proper sanitation, and only less than 10 percent of the population is actually connected to piped sewerage,‖ he said. Thus, Paje urged LGUs to take the initiative of putting up their own sanitation and wastewater treatment facilities and ensure that their constituents are "prevented from dumping garbage into our waterways and to avoid toxic sludge excavated from septic tanks reach the rivers." A 2009 study by the Asian Development Bank revealed that 58 percent of the country's groundwater was contaminated by infectious waste coming from unsanitary septic tanks, wastewater discharge from industries, and runoffs from agricultural fields and dumpsites. Such contamination had been found to have caused the ―death‖ of major water bodies – rivers unable to sustain aquatic life, beaches unfit for recreational activities such as swimming, and increased the incidence of waterborne diseases. Fishermen have also been venturing farther out to sea for decent catch of fish supply. The NSSMP was formulated to enjoin identified HUCs to provide sewerage and septage services in order to cushion the negative impacts of wastewater discharge on the quality of water resources. One of the initial outputs of the NSSMP was the formulation of the Project Implementation Plan that aims to develop sewerage systems in selected HUCs in three phases from 2012 to 2020, with the national government shouldering 40 percent of the costs. The HUCs include the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Angeles, Tacloban, San Pablo, General Santos, Zamboanga, among others. A Program Operations Manual was crafted by the DPWH to provide guidelines for the HUCs in developing their respective sewerage and septage management systems. According to the manual, which was released last March, more than 20 million Filipinos have no access to proper sanitation, seven million of them still practiced open defecation; and that half of septic tanks in the country had not been emptied for the past five years, if at all. Together these cost the Philippines an economic loss greater than P78 billion a year, 55 deaths daily, and considerable damage to natural ecosystems and biodiversity, the manual stated. The World Bank‘s Philippine Environment Monitor of 2003, meanwhile, pegged losses due to water pollution at more than P56 billion annually: P2.6 billion in health, P14.7 billion in fisheries and about P39 billion in tourism.

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13. Landed

Source: http://www.dar.gov.ph

THE Department of Agrarian Reform‘s (DAR) distribution of land titles to the farmers who have, for decades, toiled at

Hacienda Luisita, one of the country‘s largest corporate farms, has a profound symbolic significance in the government‘s agrarian-reform program. It was the late President Corazon ―Cory‖ Aquino who institutionalized the distribution of land to small landless farmers as a policy through the enactment of Republic Act 6657, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 25 years ago. It was the centerpiece of her administration‘s social legislative agenda. Unfortunately, Hacienda Luisita also epitomized the failure of the CARP because of the many controversies and obstacles surrounding efforts to have it parceled out to its tenant farmers. Indeed, over the years, it has been used as a glaring example of how big feudal landlords with economic and political power are the first to refuse redistributing their surplus land among their landless tenants. Critics have been saying that, for as long as the vastly landed powerful politicians in government refuse to follow the agrarian-reform program, nothing will become of it and it will always be one of those laws that only looks good on paper. Despite all the flaws in the CARP‘s implementation, we, however, believe in the law‘s objective to help small landless farmers attain economic self-sufficiency. Cory‘s son, President Aquino, has the opportunity to complete land distribution under his term and erase the underserved blot on his mother‘s legacy that was left by Hacienda Luisita‘s pending controversies. On Monday last week DAR officials started distributing the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to 597 qualified farmer-beneficiaries of 10 barangays in Hacienda Luisita. The DAR has filed the CLOAs of about 5,800 qualified farmer-beneficiaries with the Register of Deeds. Each beneficiary received over 6,600 square meters of land in the sugar plantation. Under the law, beneficiaries would need to pay amortization for 30 years. The Aquino administration still has to complete the distribution of over a million hectares of agricultural land nationwide to achieve the government‘s extended CARP target. Of course, the agrarian-reform program‘s success doesn‘t end with just giving away land titles to small landless farmers. Possessing land alone will not solve the problems of peasants in the countryside. The government must also help them develop productivity plans; get credit for their farms for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers and other equipment; market their produce; and acquire good farming techniques from cooperatives and agricultural schools. It must also fill the gaps in agricultural infrastructure, especially in irrigation and farm-to-market roads. In short, the government must help the CARP beneficiaries become successful farmer-entrepreneurs. It must preach the gospel that farming is where the money is and make the country‘s mostly old and poor farmers believe in it because it is true. This will encourage more people, especially young people, to take up farming and to see agriculture as a worthwhile entrepreneurial venture. Only then could agrarian reform truly help alleviate poverty and improve food security in the country. Source: http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/opinion/20406-landed

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14. PDIC raises P35.8-M from bidding of assets

Source: http://www.pdic.gov.ph

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) raised a total of P35.8 million from the public bidding of corporate and closed banks‘ assets last week, the third public bidding conducted for the year. The assets sold comprised of five closed banks‘ properties and one corporate property, the collective bid offer of which generated a premium of P5.8 million against the minimum disposal price of P30.0 million. The PDIC bidded out a total of 91 real properties last week for a combined minimum disposal price of P46.73 million. The real properties sold were located in the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong and Taguig and in the provinces of Isabela, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan. Unsold properties from the public bidding will be offered for negotiated sale. The PDIC conducts regular public biddings in accordance with its strategic direction to expeditiously dispose non-financial assets. Creditors of closed banks benefit from these public biddings because the proceeds from the sale of closed banks‘ assets are added to funds held in trust for the closed banks and are used to help settle claims of uninsured depositors and creditors. Payment to these parties is subject to the rules on concurrence and preference of credits. Meanwhile, proceeds from the sale of corporate assets are added to the Deposit Insurance Fund, the PDIC‘s funding source for deposit insurance payments and grant of financial assistance to banks. Interested buyers who were not able to participate during the public biddings may still avail of the assets for sale posted in the PDIC website, pad@pdic.gov.ph, via negotiated sale. PDIC‘s Property Finder in its website provides

information on available inventory of assets for disposal. Prospective buyers may also call the Asset Management and Disposal Group (02) 841-4650 for inquiries on assets for sale.

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15. Notice of Award issued to 2 firms for DepEd School Building Project

Source: http://ppp.gov.ph

Winning bidders Megawide Construction Corporation and consortium BSP and Company Inc. and Vicente T. Lao Construction recently received a Notice of Award (NOA) for Phase 2 of the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP II) from the Department of Education for the construction of school buildings under the country‘s public-private partnership (PPP) program. DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro recently approved the said recommendation made by the Department‘s Project Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC) last September 13, 2013. Based on Resolution of Award No. PSIP 11-20J-3-09-02 dated 06 September 2013, the DepEd PBAC recommended the issuance of the NOA to Megawide for contract package A, and to BSP & Company, Inc. and Vicente T. Lao Construction for contract package E. Both firms have the Lowest Complying Bid (LBC) as evaluated by the PBAC. Megawide Construction Corporation will construct 2,240 classrooms in 928 schools in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions while BSP and Company Inc. while Vicente T. Lao Construction will construct 1,930 classrooms in 750 schools in Northern Mindanao and Caraga Regions. Based on the project‘s instruction to bidders, both firms should submit within 20 days upon receipt of the NOA the prescribed documents under the BOT Law. Upon compliance of the post-award requirements, the DepEd will schedule the signing of the contract for all packages. PSIP II is the second school building project of the DepEd done through a PPP mode.

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Last Updated: 08 OCTOBER 2013

Google+ Photo Releases of PNoy

Please click on thumbnails to magnify

(BRUNEI DARUSSALAM) President Benigno S. Aquino III emerges from the plane

at the Bandar Seri Begawan International Airport to join fellow regional leaders

attending the 23rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Bandar Seri Begawan,

Brunei Darussalam on Tuesday (October 08). With the theme: “Our People, Our Future

Together," the Summit is the highest policy-making body of ASEAN where the

Leaders’ deliberate, provide policy guidance and make decisions on key issues

pertaining to the realization of the objectives of ASEAN. (PLDT powered by SMART)

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

(BRUNEI DARUSSALAM) President Benigno S. Aquino III is welcomed by Brunei

and Philippine officials upon arrival at the Bandar Seri Begawan International Airport

to join fellow regional leaders attending the 23rd ASEAN Summit and Related

Summits in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on Tuesday (October 08 ). With

the theme: “Our People, Our Future Together," the Summit is the highest policy-

making body of ASEAN where the Leaders’ deliberate, provide policy guidance and

decide on key issues pertaining to the realization of the objectives of ASEAN. (PLDT

powered by SMART) (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III joins fellow world leaders for the

APEC Leaders’ Family Photo during the 21stAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

(APEC) Leaders' Summit at the foyer of the Retreat, Sofitel Hotel in Bali, Republic of

Indonesia onTuesday (October 08). This year’s APEC Summit theme is “Towards

Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for Global Economy.”APEC’s member

economies are Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia;

Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the

Philippines; Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States

and Vietnam. Members account for approximately 40 percent of the world's population,

55 percent of world GDP and about 44 percent of world trade. (PLDT powered by

SMART). (Photo by: Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III joins fellow world leaders, namely,

(L-R) Chile President Sebastian Piñera, Hong Kong, China Chief Executive Leung

Chun-ying, Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,

Commonwealth of Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Republic of Korea President

Park Geun-Hye, Brunei Darussalam Prime Minister His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal

Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Malaysia Prime Minister The Honourable Dato' Sri

Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, People's Republic of China President Xi Jinping,

Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto, Republic of Indonesia President Susilo Bambang

Yudhoyono, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, Russian Federation President

Vladimir Putin, Socialist Republic of Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang, Chinese

Taipei former Vice President Vincent Siew, Kingdom of Thailand Prime Minister

Yingluck Shinawatra, Independent State of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter

O'Neill, Republic of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Republic of Peru

Foreign Minister Eda Rivas and United States of America Secretary of State John

Kerry, for the APEC Leaders’ Family Photo during the 21stAsia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit at the Foyer of the Retreat, Sofitel Hotel in Bali,

Republic of Indonesia onTuesday (October 08). This year’s APEC Summit theme is

“Towards Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for Global Economy.” (PLDT

powered by SMART). (Photo by: Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III shares a light moment with

Socialist of Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang during the APEC Leaders’ Family

Photo at the Foyer of the Retreat, Sofitel Hotel for the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit on Tuesday (October 08). This year’s APEC

Summit theme is “Towards Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for Global

Economy.” APEC’s member economies are Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China;

Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua

New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei;

Thailand; United States and Vietnam. Members account for approximately 40 percent

of the world's population, 55 percent of world GDP and about 44 percent of world

trade. (PLDT powered by SMART). (Photo by: Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III arrives for the APEC Leaders’

Family Photo at the foyer of the Retreat, Sofitel Hotel during the 21st Asia-Pacific

Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit on Tuesday (October 08). This year’s

APEC Summit theme is “Towards Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for

Global Economy.” APEC’s member economies are Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile;

China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand;

Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese

Taipei; Thailand; United States and Vietnam. Members account for approximately 40

percent of the world's population, 55 percent of world GDP and about 44 percent of

world trade. (PLDT powered by SMART). (Photo by: Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo

Bureau)

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma

Jr. delivers his speech during the 10th year anniversary of Gawad Kalinga at Enchanted

Farm in Angat, Bulacan Saturday (October 5). (Exequiel supera NIB-PCOO)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III, clad in a traditional woven textiles,

endek, with a backdrop of various Balinese ornaments, joins fellow world leaders for

the traditional Family Photo Session during the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit at the Nusa Dua Hall 1 in Bali, Republic of

Indonesia on Monday night (October 07). This year’s APEC Summit theme is

“Towards Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for Global Economy.” APEC’s

member economies are Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China;

Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru;

the Philippines; Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United

States and Vietnam. Members account for approximately 40 percent of the world's

population, 55 percent of world GDP and about 44 percent of world trade. (PLDT

powered by SMART). (Photo by:Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III greets Indonesia President Susilo

Bambang Yudhoyono and Madame Kristiani Herawati upon arrival at the hallway of

the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center for the traditional Family Photo Session during

the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit on Monday

night (October 07). This year’s APEC Summit theme is “Towards Resilience and

Growth: Reshaping Priorities for Global Economy.” APEC’s member economies are

Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea;

Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russian

Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States and Vietnam. Members

account for approximately 40 percent of the world's population, 55 percent of world

GDP and about 44 percent of world trade. (PLDT powered by SMART). (Photo

by:Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

BALI, Indonesia – President Benigno S. Aquino III greets Indonesia President Susilo

Bambang Yudhoyono upon arrival at the hallway of the Bali Nusa Dua Convention

Center for the traditional Family Photo Session during the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit on Monday night (October 07). This year’s

APEC Summit theme is “Towards Resilience and Growth: Reshaping Priorities for

Global Economy.” APEC’s member economies are Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile;

China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand;

Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese

Taipei; Thailand; United States and Vietnam. Members account for approximately 40

percent of the world's population, 55 percent of world GDP and about 44 percent of

world trade. (PLDT powered by SMART). (Photo by:Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo

Bureau)

Thank You and God Bless !!!!