ANGARA WANTS TO FAST-TRACK PORT INFRA DEVELOPMENT TO BOOST CRUISE TOURISM IN PH

MANILA-Senator Sonny Angara has urged port authorities to speed up the improvement of cruise ports and terminals in the country in view of becoming one of the top cruise destinations in Asia.

During a recent hearing of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Tourism (COCT), Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. cited poor port infrastructure as one of the major constraints for the development of cruise tourism in the country.

"While we are all pushing for the development of our airports, let us not forget that a number of tourists also arrive by boat. Our archipelagic geography beams with immense opportunities for a cruise tourism industry to grow and flourish," said Angara, vice chair of the Senate tourism committee.

Members of the joint tourism oversight committee present at the hearing were Sens. Angara, Nancy Binay, Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos, Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr., Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and Malabon Rep. Josephine Lacson-Noel. Senator Lito Lapid and Rep. Relampagos chair the Senate and House tourism committees, respectively. 

Based on the 2014 WEF Global Competitiveness Index, the Philippines' port infrastructure ranks 101st out of 144—the lowest among the ASEAN-6 with Singapore ranking 2nd, Malaysia 19th, Thailand 54th, Indonesia 77th, and Vietnam 88th.

"That our neighboring countries are way ahead of us only means that we need to double, quadruple even, our efforts. If we do not speed up infrastructure development, we'll be missing out on a lot of opportunities. Clearly, the strong demand is there. We need to step up. Sayang naman kung tayo mismo ang humahadlang sa sarili nating paglago o pag-unlad," the senator said.

Sea tourist arrivals, mostly via cruises, rose to 52,820 passengers in 2014 from 41,624 in 2013 and 23,857 in 2012, Department of Tourism (DOT) data showed.

Cruise tourism is one of the strategic tourism products identified under DOT's National Tourism Development Plan.

The Philippine Ports Authority and the DOT have listed eight ports as the country's top international hubs for cruise liners which include Davao, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Metro Manila, Puerto Princesa, Subic and Zamboanga.

Angara, who presided the said hearing, urged the DOT to prepare a cruise blueprint for the country that would include all areas of the Philippines so as to ensure benefits would redound to all regions.

Last year, luxury cruise ships that have called in some of our ports include Costa Victoria, with over a thousand passengers, which visited Puerto Princesa in January; M/S Europa 2, with almost 300 passengers, which explored Bohol in January and March; M/S Costa Atlantica, with 2,600 passengers, which had a stopover in waters off Boracay in March; and, Star Cruises' MV SuperStar Aquarius, with over a thousand passengers, which dropped anchor in Puerto Princesa in November, among others.

"As some of the world's leading cruise companies have already expressed interest to help develop the Philippines as a cruise ship destination, we must upgrade our ports, terminals and facilities to meet international cruise shipping standards," Angara said.

Meanwhile, in the same hearing, Angara called on stakeholders to help local communities by promoting local handicrafts and products after Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco lamented that the souvenirs available in Boracay's airport mostly come from Davao.

Angara further stressed that tourism is people's business and that its goal is not only to increase tourist arrivals but also to provide jobs and livelihood especially to the locals.

NAPOLCOM opens online scheduling of application for PNP Entrance Exam

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Central Luzon recently activated its enhanced On-Line Examination Application Scheduling System (OLEASS) for the Philippine National Police (PNP) Entrance Exam slated on April 26.

 

“It is open to all Filipino citizens aged 30 years old and below who are holders of a bachelor’s degree and has a height of at least 1.62 meters for males and 1.57 meters for females,” NAPOLCOM Regional Director Manuel Pontanal said

 

Moreover, those with the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1) whose appointments are temporary for lack of appropriate eligibility are also required to take the entrance exam.

 

The OLEASS, www.napolcom.gov.ph or www.napolcom-oleass.com, was activated last February 16 and will continue to accept online request for application schedule until February 20.

 

“Only applicants with a confirmed scheduled appointment with reference number shall be entertained during the filing of application which is set from March 2-27, 2015,” Pontanal stressed.

 

The online examination scheduling system will be on a first come, first served basis and the regional office may stop it even ahead of the deadline once the slots are all filled in.

 

Accepted civilian applicants are required to bring the following during their scheduled appointment: printed letter-reply/corresponding reference number confirming the scheduled appointment; two recent, identical and colored 1x1 ID pictures with white background and complete name; one legal size window envelope with P15 worth of mailing stamp; transcript of scholastic record with Special Order issued by Commission on Higher Education or diploma; and birth certificate issued by the Local Civil Registrar or Philippine Statistics Authority.

 

Moreover, PO1 with temporary appointment must likewise carry with them the mentioned requirements along with a certified true copy of Attested Appointment, Plantilla Appointment or Special Order.

 

The coverage for the PNP Entrance Examination consists of general information, verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and logical reasoning.

 

Examination fee is P400. (Marie Joy L. Simpao)

City gov’t of San Fernando purchases 39 new vehicles

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO-The city government recently purchased 39 new vehicles in a bid to further enhance delivery of basic services as well as provide means of transportation to Fernandinos.

 

Just procured include two dump trucks, four mini dump trucks, two garbage compactors, one fire truck, one back hoe, one military truck, two military jeeps, eight motorcycles, one ambulance, carriers, vans and SUVs.

 

Mayor Edwin Santiago said these vehicles shall complement the city’s initiatives of providing faster and more efficient services in order to make their programs more effective.

 

“Through these vehicles, we will be able to further improve our programs especially when it comes to waste collection and segregation, response time during disasters and emergency situations, and cater to the other needs of our constituents,” Santiago explained.

 

The local chief executive likewise reported that they purchased a bus, which will provide free rides to registered senior citizens in the city.

 

In closing, he urged all public servants including city officials and employees to make their service extraordinary by “serving the public from the heart,”. (Marie Joy L. Simpao)

Senator Loren Legarda’s Statement on the US Government’s Compensation for Tubbataha Reef

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today welcomed the news that the US Government has already paid the Philippine Government the full amount of Php87,033,570.71 as compensation for the damage caused by the USS Guardian when it ran aground on Tubbataha Reef.

“It is great news that the US government has finally given full compensation for the damages to the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I am also happy that they will be providing assistance to the Philippine Coast Guard in upgrading its substation in Tubbataha,” said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

“The greater challenge now is the successful rehabilitation of the damaged portions of the Tubbataha Reef. We know that it would take longer time for the Reef to fully recover and for the productive area to flourish again. Now that the fund is available, we are confident that the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) and the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) would be able to carry out all the necessary actions to rehabilitate and further protect the Reef,” she added.

“We hope that the Tubbataha Reef incident would not happen again and that it would further highlight the need to ensure full protection of the Philippines’ marine resources by all vessels, foreign or domestic, within territorial waters amidst geo-political developments in the region,” Legarda stressed.

On January 17, 2013, after completing its port of call in Subic, Olongapo City, the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef while en route to its next port of call in Indonesia. The tragedy damaged 2,345.67 square meters of the reef area.

Return SAF 44's personal effects too

MANILA-Sana maisauli din ang mga personal effects ng SAF 44 tulad ng cellphone, relo, wedding rings, pitaka na naglalaman ng mga litrato ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.

Iba kasi ang pag-aari ng gobyerno na na-issue sa kanila at ang kanilang personal na kagamitan. Para sa mga naulila, mas mahalagang maibalik ito sa kanila.

If the return of weapons will be done in many “gives,” I share the wish of our heroes’ loved ones that the next installment will include their personal effects.

Thus I hope that established protocols will result in the return or retrieval of more firearms because after the return of the 16 today, it leaves 47 – enough to arm two platoons – unaccounted for.

Nandyan pa rin ang napabalitang 139 body armors, GPS tracker units, hand grenades at night vision goggles na nawawala.

There was also the reported loss of close to 700 magazines.

If Mamasapano was a ‘misencounter’ between two supposed partners in peace, then the “killer keeper” principle does not apply. These can never be spoils of war nor trophies of battles.

Dapat maklaro din kung alin, ilan at anu-ano ang mga natangay ng BIFF.  

Hindi pwedeng i-charge sa mga sibilyan ang ibang nawawalang mga gamit.  

As MILF or BIFF fighters were the first to rush to the positions occupied by SAF, then it is very hard to believe the claim that ordinary civilians were the ones who carted off the guns and equipment of the slain commandos.

Mahirap paniwalaan na mas maraming  nakuha ang mga miron.

Recto : Hand straps lang di agad mabili, pa’no pa kung bagon, riles? Use fare hike income to fund repairs

MANILA-There’s no excuse for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) not to buy handrail straps – to prevent its riders from falling like dominoes as its aging coaches are becoming prone to sudden stops – as their P2.25 million cost is a drop in the bucket of its farebox income and government subsidy.

“Sabi ng isang MRT spokesman, i-pro-proseso pa nila ang pagbili ng handstraps. Pero last year, kasama na iyon sa kanilangprocurement program na sinubmit sa Senado,” Sen. Ralph Recto said.

Recto said if the MRT has ahard time buying hand straps – which in official documents will cost P2.25 million – then it speaks volumes about government’s capacity to improve service in the 17-km, 13-station line which ferries 600,000 passengers daily.

“Kung band-aid solusyon lang tulad ng hand straps ay mahirap mailagay, paano pa kaya kung mga bagon at riles na ang pag-uusapan?” Recto asked.

Recto said MRT should source the funds for hand straps and other repair materials from its farebox income as that is what is clearly stipulated in the 2015 national budget.

“It says in one of the provisions of RA 10751 that administrative costs, maintenance fees and special repairs shall be principally funded out of passenger fares,” he said.

He said MRT will earn P1.1 billion more a year from the fare hikes it imposed on January 4. MRT upped from P10 to P11 the base fare, plus an additional P1 per kilometer.

And one of the justifications for the increase is that it will improve its service, Recto said.

“In the official DOTC press release announcing the fare hike, the agency promised that with increased fares will come better MRT services,” Recto said.

Recto added that on top of fare revenues, part of the MRT revenue stream is the P7.23 billion in direct subsidy it will get from the national government this year.

Of this amount, P2.57 billion will be for “MRT-3 rehabilitation and capacity expansion” and P4.66 billion is for rider subsidy.

There is also P18.4 billion in the Unprogrammed Fund section of the 2015 national budget which can be tapped for MRT-3 rehabilitation and capacity expansion (P7.4 billion); payment of taxes of MRT-3 Build-Operate-Transfer contract (P6.5 billion); and P4.4 billion for the equity buy-out of the MRT Company.

“Because the release of these funds can only be triggered by excess revenues or new loans, then this is what is considered as contingent subsidy dependent on certain conditions,” Recto said.

“Just the same, we’re looking at P38.88 billion gross rail sector funding in the national budget covering LRT, MRT and PNR projects and operations for this year,” Recto said.

“Tapos hand straps lang hindi natin mailagay kaagad? Akala ko ba increased government spending na tayo? Akala ko ba budget-as-release document na tayo?  Akala ko ba anticipated bidding na tayo para start of the year roll out na?”

Recto said the DOTC submitted to the Senate a list of 18 MRT rehabilitation projects that will be implemented from 2014-2016 with a total cost of P6.8 billion. 

DENR to establish satellite office of EMB-National Ecology Center in TCA

CAMILING, Tarlac-Department of Environment and Natural Resources has inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Tarlac College of Agriculture (TCA) for the establishment of a satellite office of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) National Ecology Center in the latter’s campus.

 

“This partnership seeks to develop a core of facilitators who can adopt a comprehensive ecological solid waste management program in their respective local government units (LGUs) as well as develop courses that seeks to protect public health and the environment,” EMB Director Jonas Leones said.

 

Specifically, it wants to increase the awareness and familiarity of facilitators in conducting waste study that would lead them in designing interventions targeting identified solid waste issues and educate them in using existing technologies and coming up with innovations and treatments.

 

“Under this MOA, we shall take the lead in the development of training modules and conduct training courses not only for LGUs but also for technicians, farmers, leaders, academicians, junk shop operators, and environmentalists among others,” TCA President Max Guillermo explained.

 

The satellite office shall likewise have readily available information, education, and communication materials relative to the advocacy and shall strengthen the linkages among its stakeholders. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

DISSENTING OPINION SC Justices agree Jinggoy was denied due process

MANILA-The Ombudsman clearly violated Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s constitutional right to due process when it rendered a decision against the lawmaker without fully disclosing to him the accusations made against him and without giving him sufficient opportunity to refute the said allegations.

 

In two separate dissenting opinions issued by two associate justices of the Supreme Court, the Ombudsman was found to have committed grave abuse of discretion when it unfairly concluded its preliminary investigation and issued a resolution finding probable cause to indict Sen. Estrada before the Sandiganbayan without making available to him the allegations and documents which were used as basis for the decision.

 

The decision and the dissenting opinions were promulgated last January 21, but the full text was made public only last week.

 

The two justices also recommended to suspend the ongoing proceedings before the lower court, and to send back the case to the Ombudsman for another round of investigation.

 

Associate Justice Arturo Brion, one of the justices who moved to partially grant Sen. Estrada’s petition, even called the finding of probable cause by the Ombudsman as “largely one-sided,” and the preliminary investigation “gravely irregular.”

 

On May 7, 2014, Sen. Estrada bewailed the lack of fairness and impartiality in the investigation and filed before the Supreme Court a petition to question and nullify the said order of the Ombudsman after the same denied his request to be furnished copies of the counter-affidavits of Ruby Tuason, Dennis Cunanan, and other witnesses and respondents on the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) case.

 

The Ombudsman denied Estrada’s request for a copy of the affidavits on March 27. On the very next day, March 28, it already issued a resolution which recommends filing of charges before the Sandiganbayan. Both issuances were made known to Sen. Estrada on April 1.

 

“The violation... occurred when the Ombudsman refused to grant him access to his requested documents and proceeded to find probable cause based largely on those documents. Worse, Estrada did not even know of the denial of his request at the time of probable cause finding was made and thus could not have contested it through a timely a motion for reconsideration,” Brion said.

 

Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, Jr. on the other hand believed that Sen. Estrada was not accorded the full measure of the due process protection.

 

Citing own rules governing the Office of the Ombudsman, Velasco maintained that a “respondent in a preliminary investigation shall have access to the evidence on record without discriminating as to the origin thereof and regardless of whether such evidence came from the complainant or another respondent.”

 

Moreover, Velasco asserted that when there are counter-affidavits of other respondents submitted before it which may likely incriminate another respondent, the Ombudsman need not wait for a request or motion be filed before the accused is given copies of the incriminating affidavits.

 

Velasco further said that such violations to due process should not be allowed to happen ever again. “It is true that in the past, the Court has allowed the belated disclosure by the Ombudsman to a respondent of affidavits containing incriminating allegations against him. This may possibly be the reason why the Ombudsman deviated from the spirit of due process, which at its minimum, is to allow a respondent prior notice and afford him sufficient opportunity to be heard before a decision is rendered against him. This cannot be further tolerated.”

 

Lastly, Brion stated while citing jurisprudence, “The Ombudsman’s refusal – an act that effectively denied Estrada the full measure of his right to due process in a manner completely outside the contemplation of the law – tainted the preliminary investigation proceedings with grave abuse of discretion that effectively nullifies them. This conclusion is unavoidable as in the hierarchy of rights, ‘the Bill of Rights and its supporting statutes take precedence over the right of the State to prosecute; when weighed against each other, the scales of justice tilt towards the former.’”

IT IS HIGH TIME FOR PH TO CREATE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY -ANGARA

MANILA-Senator Sonny Angara has filed a bill seeking to create the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to ensure that innovations in information and communications technology would benefit the Filipino people and contribute to nation-building and global competitiveness.

Under Angara's Senate Bill 2368 or the DICT Act, among the department's primary mandate is to ensure the application of ICT to the various processes and functions of the government in order to improve the productivity of national and local government programs.

"The application of ICT to the processes of government functioning, or what we call e-governance or electronic governance, will bring about efficient, ethical, accountable, responsive and transparent governance in our country," the lawmaker said.

The DICT will also be mandated to plan, promote, and help develop the country's ICT sector and ensure reliable and cost-efficient communications facilities, other multimedia infrastructure and services.

It must ensure universal access and high-speed connectivity at fair and reasonable costs as well as the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by the private sector.

It will also encourage the use of ICT for the development and promotion of the country’s agriculture, arts and culture, history, education, public health and safety, and other socio-civic purposes.

"A digital revolution is taking root throughout the country, driving fundamental changes in the way we work, communicate, play, travel, learn, participate—ultimately in the way we live. These far-reaching transformations demand the full attention of government," said Angara, vice chair of the Senate committee on science and technology.

The senator, who has been filing the bill during his stint as a member of the House of Representatives, cited reports saying that from being the "texting capital of the world," the Philippines has also been recognized as the "social networking capital of the world," with nine out of 10 Filipino Internet users signed into Facebook.

A 2013 report from the National Statistical Coordination Board also showed that Internet access in the Philippines has covered over a third of the country's population.

While the DICT is mandated to promote the access to and encourage the widespread use of ICT, it must also ensure the cybersecurity of assets of individuals and businesses including the rights of individuals to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information.

"Throughout global society, changes have occurred because of developments in ICT. Many now speak of building up a knowledge-driven economy—a goal which the Philippines cannot achieve without proper institutional focus and adequate support," Angara said.

The lawmaker explained that under the proposed measure, the DICT will be established out of a reorganization of the current Department of Transportation and Communications since the needs of the information and communications sector are distinct from transportation, and thus merit equally distinct technical expertise and governmental support. 

Angara's father, former Senate President Edgardo J. Angara, had likewise filed a similar bill during his incumbency in the Upper Chamber.

JINGGOY: I MISS SENATE WORK

MANILA-Saying he’s raring to go back to work, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expressed disappointment today over the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division’s denial of his request to attend the Senate hearing on the bloody Mamasapano encounter.

 

Estrada, who became known with his tough questioning during investigations particularly during the inquiries on the “pabaon system” in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the botched NBN-ZTE deal, shared before the reporters that he was actually ready to go to the Senate probe should the court give its approval on his request.

 

“Akala ko nga, magbibihis na sana ulit ako ng barong. Actually I was already prepared just in case the court will decide that I attend the hearing and I will be given the go signal to attend, preparado na sana ako,” Estrada said.

 

Last February 4, 2015, Sen. Estrada through his lawyers filed an urgent request before the court to let him participate in the opening of the investigation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs led by Sen. Grace Poe today.

 

During his previous interviews, Estrada said that like most Filipinos he has many questions in mind which beg direct and immediate answers. When asked on the specific questions he plans to ask, “Unang-una, who ordered, sino ang nag-utos para pasukin ang kuta ng MILF? He should be responsible for the death of the 44 policemen,” Jinggoy said.

 

“Sana nga, kung maka-appear ako doon sa Senado, magaganda sana ang aking mga tanong. And hopefully, doon sa aking mga tanong we can get to the bottom of this one,” he said.

 

Estrada said that he had been in detention for more than seven months now, and this predicament has prevented him from fully performing his legislative functions and responsibilities as a duly-elected Senator.

 

While he noted that he continuously files bills and proposes measures even while in detention, he is currently barred from conducting committee hearings and attending plenary sessions. “My attendance record in our plenary sessions is perfect. I have never been absent. Kaya nami-miss ko na rin ang pagdalo sa session ng Senado. Nami-miss ko na din ang pagdalo, lalo na ang pagtatanong, sa mga resource persons sa mga pagdinig namin sa Senado,” Jinggoy stated.

 

Sen. Estrada noted that the 90-day preventive suspension has already been served and lifted by the Senate leadership. He further said that it is unconscionable on his part not to do his mandated duties even as he continues receiving his salary as a government official.

 

“Gusto ko siyempreng mag-trabaho,” he previously answered when he was asked about his intention to conduct labor committee hearings inside Camp Crame.

APEC delegates invited to enjoy amenities of Clark Freeport Zone

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Angeles City-Chairperson of the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Senior Officials’ Meeting (APEC SOM1), Laura del Rosario, invited the delegates to enjoy the amenities of the Clark Freeport Zone during their stay for the meetings.

 

"I also take this opportunity to once again welcome you to Clark," del Rosario said during the opening of the SOM1 in Fontana Convention Center here.

 

"Set against the backdrop of the Pinatubo Volcano—which famously erupted in 1991 and changed the color of your sunsets for a year—Clark remains to be a model of investment and business resilience."

 

Clark, she said, is proud to have transformed itself from a military base to an industry hub that is backed by foreign investors.

 

The SOM chair also said she hopes delegates get the chance to enjoy the local hospitality, including the cuisine offered by Pampanga, considered as the culinary capital of the Philippines.

 

"There is indeed more to Clark than it seems," she noted.

 

Clark used to be the largest foreign airbase of the United States, complete with its own international airport with daily flights linking it to major cities around Asia.

 

Clark Air Base was named after Harold M. Clark of the US Army Signal Corps in 1919. Clark, who was born in Minnesota, US and reared in Manila, was the first American to fly in Hawaii.

 

Clark Field remained an Army Air Base until May 1949, when its facilities were transferred to the US Air Force. Following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the US Air Force formally transferred Clark to the Philippine government after a century-long presence in the area.

 

Inside Clark Philippines are golf courses, casinos, fine dining restaurants that resemble US suburban communities. Among the multi-national companies operating in Clark are Samsung and Texas Instruments. (PNA)

First APEC Senior officials meeting starts; tackling year 2015 agenda priorities

CLARK FREEPORT, Angeles City-Senior officials of 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on Friday started their two-day formal meeting here that would focus on discussing various initiatives to expand the benefits of the region’s three billion people and enhance economic growth, trade and investments.

 

At the opening of the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1), APEC 2015 SOM Chair Laura del Rosario said the meeting will lay down the groundwork for agenda priorities of APEC this year.

 

Del Rosario said these priorities include advancing the regional economic integration agenda, fostering participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in regional and global markets, investing in human capital development, and building sustainable and resilient communities.

 

She said these reflect both the outcomes of APEC 2014 in China and build on the Philippines’ APEC 2015 theme of “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World.”

 

Starting Jan. 26, Del Rosario said the various technical working groups and committees that report to the APEC Senior Officials met to discuss initiatives, policies and capacity-building programs that advance APEC’s goals of trade liberalization, business facilitation and economic cooperation.

 

She said best practices were shared and commitments were renewed on economic issues related to SMEs and the global value chain, anti-corruption, customs procedures, disaster management and services, among others. (PNA)

Country’s hosting of APEC has long-term economic benefits, says official

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Angeles City-The country's hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit would mean a lot of economic benefits for the Philippines in the long term, the head of the APEC 2015 National Organizing Council said on Thursday.

 

In the past 10 to 15 years, the Philippines’ trade with APEC’s member economies has grown by 8 percent annually, Director General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr. told China Central Television during an interview here.

 

"An 8 percent growth is a very, very solid case why the Philippines must continue to be part of the APEC," Paynor said.

 

The total population of the APEC’s 21 member economies is more than 40 percent of the total global population, making the trade bloc a significant driver in regional growth.

 

He noted that as the country prepares to host this year’s summit, it has launched a number of infrastructure projects, although some of them are not APEC-related.

 

Overall, the projects are part of the government's plan, with or without the APEC, he said, noting that any construction work in any country is a form of pump-priming the economy.

 

The people, however, must be patient because construction work creates such inconveniences as traffic congestion, Paynor explained, adding that once construction is completed, the public could enjoy a better transport system, roads, and bridges like other economies within the APEC.

 

The Philippines is hosting the 2015 APEC Summit, showcasing both the public and private sectors’ long-term commitment to the event’s theme of inclusive growth.

 

The APEC Summit, one of the world’s most important gathering of key decision-makers from across the globe, will focus on inclusive growth.

This year’s APEC is the first gathering to be held in the Philippines in nearly two decades. The Philippines first hosted the APEC Summit in 1996 during the administration of then president Fidel V. Ramos. (PNA)

APEC strengthens collaboration in addressing natural disasters

CLARK FREEPORT, Angeles City-With the Asia and the Pacific region having the highest number of natural disasters, the Philippines and the other 20 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum are intensifying collaboration to be better prepared to deal with them.

 

Dr. Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, estimated that APEC member-economies alone suffered around $ 70 billion in costs related to natural disasters annually over the last decade.

 

Philippines Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo cited new and escalating challenges posed by climate change to Asia-Pacific economies and the region’s three billion people.

“Rising sea levels and the increasing ferocity of typhoons tearing through the region are the compelling and urgent reasons for game-changing solutions,” he said.

 

The APEC countries are working closely to address the possible effects of natural disasters on their economies.

 

“Climate change is at the top of the Asia-Pacific agenda and prompting a new era of cooperation to combat this rapidly unfolding threat to humanity,” said Chen Linhao, chair of the APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation.

 

Linhao said cross-border research has the power to inform how economies can adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and “must be fully tapped.”

 

The APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation is administering the annual APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) Prize.

 

Nominations are now open for 2015 ASPIRE, whose theme “Disaster Risk Reduction: Understanding the Role of Climate Change and Variability” spotlights the cross-border development of next generation technologies vital to helping economies adapt to changing natural conditions, strengthening environmental protection and building more resilient, sustainable communities.

 

The theme of this year’s award, known as the ASPIRE Prize, was selected by the Philippines, APEC Chair for 2015.

 

It is an extension of deepening partnership between the 21 APEC member economies to tackle climate change and related challenges, which are among the policy priorities being taken forward by Senior Officials and technical experts meeting through this week in Clark and Subic. (PNA)