Benigno Aquino III – Page 12 – ellen tordesillas

Statement of the President on the hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2010

Aquino says brother of hostage taker and media fueled tense situation

With the rest of the Filipino people, I wish to offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims whose lives were lost in the hostage situation at the Quirino Grandstand. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs has conveyed our deep feelings of sorrow to the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and the people of Hong Kong through Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. I have tasked Secretaries Soliman and Lim to provide everything necessary for the recovery and return home of the survivors. I have directed the fullest cooperation with the Hong Kong authorities on the part of our officials.

From the onset of this incident, the hostage-taker seemed to not be belligerent, as shown by the release of hostages. These were encouraging signs.

We were going to wait him out. The idea was to let the ground commanders who are the experts in this field handle the operation with minimal interference from people who are less expert.

Finally, E.O on communications group released

Published by Ellen on August 10, 2010

Finally, Executive Order No. 4 was released yesterday “reorganizing and renaming the office of the press secretary as the presidential communications operations office; creating the presidential communications development and strategic planning office; and for other purposes.”

Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma heads the Presidential Communications Operations (PCO).

Secretary Ramon “Ricky” Carandang is Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary (PCDSP). His deputy is Manuel “Manolo” L. Quezon III.

Both Coloma and Carandang hold cabinet rank and they will each have separate budgets. They will be working hand-in-hand with the Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Lucille Ortile and the Acuzar connection

Published by Ellen on August 8, 2010

Why is Lucille Ortile, once rumored to be former Vice President Noli de Castro’s special someone, in Malacañang as chief of staff of Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa?

In February 2008, when De Castro was still being considered as a presidential candidate for the 2010 elections, an item went around the internet and text about a P200 million house at 2256 Paraiso st, Dasmariñas Village, Makati City reportedly belonging to somebody special to De Castro. The name “Lucille Ortile” was mentioned.

De Castro vehemently denied having anything to do with the Dasmariñas house. Friends who know Ortile attest to her innocence and falsity of that rumor.

Weder-weder lang

Published by Ellen on August 8, 2010

Hindi sang-ayon ang grupo ng mga scientists,Agham (Advocates of Science and Technology for the People) sa pagsibak kay Dr. Prisco Nilo, director ng Pag-asa.

Sabi ng Agham dapat ay ipinaliwanag kay Pangulong Aquino na tingnan ang kaso ng pagkamali ng weather forecast sa bagyong “Basyang” sa dalawang punto.

Dapat, maintindihan kung ano ang bagyo. Iyon ay lakas ng kalikasan. Nagbibigay ang Pagasa ng kanilang assessment sa pagkilos ng bagyo tuwing anim na oras. Ang pagiging eksakto ng pagbasa ng bagyo ay depende sa kakayahan ng instrument na gamit.

Aquino withdraws GMA midnight appointments

Published by Ellen on August 4, 2010

Palace lists 997 midnight appointees

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

President Aquino has ordered the recall, withdrawal and revocation of midnight appointments made by former President Gloria Arroyo for violating the appointments ban in the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code.

Aquino issued Executive Order No. 2 on the midnight appointments last July 30 but it was released only yesterday.

Click here (Official Gazette) for the text of E.O No. 2.

The order defined “midnight appointments” as those made on or after March 11, 2010, including those dated prior to March 11 where the appointee has accepted, taken his oath or assumed public office on or after March 11, except those appointed under exigencies of the service; those made prior to March 11 but which took effect after it; appointments to positions that would be vacant only after March 11, 2010; and appointments and promotions made 45 days before the May 10, 2010 elections in violation of the Omnibus Election Code.

Chief presidential legal counsel Edgardo de Mesa said there are 977 suspected midnight appointments so far, excluding those in the judiciary.

Not disappointed

Published by Ellen on July 27, 2010

Unlike others who were underwhelmed by President Aquino’s first State-of –the Nation address because they were expecting revelations more shocking than those he had leaked while he was still finalizing his speech, I found it just okay.

Sure, a large part of his speech was a litany of Gloria Arroyo’s sins. One cannot and should never be jaded about anomalies and abuse of power. Even if you know it’s happening all the time, who would not be shocked over the gargantuan salaries of the members of the board of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

He said, “Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag….

Walang pagtataguan si Gloria Arroyo

Published by Ellen on July 27, 2010

Arroyo airport inspection — Arroyo inspected

Tama naman pala na hindi dumalo si Gloria Arroyo sa unang state-of-the nation address ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino noong Lunes.

Kasi kung dumalo di parang siyang sinampal-sampal. Sayang at hindi na-focus sa camera ang mukha ng anak niyang si Mikey Arroyo, ang nang-agaw ng puwesto ng mga security guards at tricyle drivers, habang isinawalat ni PNoy ang tungkol sa calamity fund sa Pampanga.
Si Mike ang dating kinatawan ng pangalawang distrito ng Pampanga na ngayon ay hawak na ng nanay niya.

Ito ang sinabi ni P-Noy tungkol sa Pampanga: “Naglaan ng dalawang bilyong piso na Calamity Fund bilang paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad na hindi pa nangyayari. Napakaliit na nga po ng pondong ito, ngunit kapapasok pa lang natin sa panahon ng baha at bagyo, 1.4 billion pesos o sitenta porsyento na ang nagastos.

“Sa kabuuan ng 108 million pesos para sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, 105 million pesos nito ay napunta sa iisang distrito lamang. Samantala, ang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na sinalanta ng Pepeng ay nakatanggap ng limang milyong piso lamang para sa pinsalang idinulot ng bagyong Cosme, na nangyari noong 2008 pa.

Office of the President website is back

Published by Ellen on July 26, 2010

If you click to www.op.gov.ph, the website of the Office of the President, it will direct you to www.gov.ph,the official website of the Philippine government.…

Watch Aquino deliver his first SONA in video

Published by Ellen on July 26, 2010

Part One of Five

Aquino’s state- of- the-nation address (with English translation)

Published by Ellen on July 26, 2010

By His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines to the Congress of the Philippines
Session Hall of the House of Representatives

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; my fellow workers in government;

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.

Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.

Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.

Category: Benigno Aquino III