PGMA donates P30M to Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig
|
| |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced today that she is donating P30 million from the President’s
Social Fund to the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), a non-government organization (NGO) advocating the
clean-up of the heavily polluted Pasig River through a three-pronged approach of rehabilitation, education, and
the implementation of stricter market management rules.
The Chief Executive made the announcement during groundbreaking ceremonies marking the start of the
restoration works on the Paco Market in Manila this morning.
The Paco Market Restoration Project, which forms part of an ambitious undertaking to clean up the Pasig River,
is being conducted in cooperation with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and the KBPIP, a
partnership between ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR).
AFI managing director Gina Lopez said KBPIP will allocate P15 million for the Paco Market Rehabilitation
Project, which will be completed in six months, while P5 million will go to the building of easements along
Estero de Paco and the remaining P10 million will be used to complete the "Bayanijuan sa Calauan"
resettlement site in Laguna.
In her short message, the President cited the KBPIP for its pioneering work to rehabilitate the Pasig river, saying
the NGO is a perfect example of how the private sector helps in her government’s 3E’s program.
The President's 3Es action plan is a three-tiered approach aimed at alleviating poverty by addressing its main
causes: the lack of jobs, investment, and infrastructure.
She said KBPIP’s “all-around” approach to address the rehabilitation and clean-up of the Pasig river would
result to the propagation of a more business-friendly atmosphere in the area that would spur commerce and
economic activities and opportunities.
The President particularly noted that prior to the actual river clean-up measures adapted by the KBPIP, it first
took care of providing a resettlement area in Calauan, Laguna for some 830 informal settlers who used to live in
and around the Estero del Paco, a main tributary of the Pasig river.
Now, a large open space occupies what once was full of people and their trash, providing members of various
government agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) a place to begin their river clean-up work.
“Pag malinis na ang Pasig river, malaki ang magiging ginhawa sa mga taga-Metro Manila (A clean and
unpolluted Pasig River will provide Metro Manilas with a more relaxed atmosphere),” she added.
Also joining the President in the groundbreaking rites were Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim, and Manila Rep.
Amado Bagatsing.
|
| |
PGMA kicks off C. Philippines Tourism Tour in Donsol
|
| |
DONSOL, Sorsogon -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today kicked off her tour of the Central Philippines
Tourism super region with a visit to this municipality in Sorsogon that has been cashing in on the development
of world-class tourist destinations in the Bicol Region.
Bicol is part of Tourism Central Philippines super region, one of five growth corridors identified in President
Arroyo’s super region development strategy that is known for its natural wonders and rich cultural heritage.
The tourism super region accounts for 50 percent of the country’s tourism industry.
In 2008, foreign visitors to the country totaled 3.14 million.
Donsol, which used to be a sixth-class, sleepy, remote fishing village in the northwestern part of Sorsogon,is
now a first-class municipality that derives the bulk of its revenues from eco-tourism.
Its major eco-tourism activity is whale shark watching and interaction that has made it the ''Whale Shark Capital
of the World.''
Moreover, its whaleshark watching was featured as ''Best Animal Encounter in Asia'' by Time Magazine in 2004.
''The whale shark interaction has changed the lives of the people here,'' the President said.
The President met with Allan Amanse, one of the beneficiaries of the development of eco-tourism in this
municipality. He used to earn a measly P100 a day as a fisherman and tricycle driver. Now, he earns ten times
what he used to earn or about P1,000 a day by being a whale shark or butanding' interaction guide.
Characterized by silvery polka dots all over its body, butanding is a big fish measuring between 15 feet and 40
feet.
The President also noted the increase in the number of beach resorts in the area.
''In Bicol, we have the biggest fish, which is the butanding, and the smallest fish--the sinasarapan—found in
Lake Buhi in Camarines Sur,” the President noted.
The President said government plans to build an international airport in Daraga, Albay so tourists need not
come from Manila to visit Donsol. Instead, foreigner tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, among others can
fly directly to Albay.
There are four key eco-tourism destinations in Bicol identified in the list of key tour sites of the country: Mayon
Volcano in Albay, Mt. Isarog in Camarines Sur, whaleshark interaction here in Donsol, and the Bulusan Lake in
Bulusan in Sorsogon.
The President further said that with the rich natural wonders, long beaches and eco-tourism sites in Central
Philippines, government's task is to provide more roads, airports, and bridges to make these tourists
destinations more readily accessible to tourists. .
Despite the global economic slump, foreign and local tourists reached 5.2 million in the first nine months of
2009 year-on-year or 17 percent higher than the same period during the previous year.
Tourism growth could be traced in part to massive investments made by government in tourism-related
infrastructure in the Central Philippines super regions since 2001 when the President assumed office. These
included 42 airport projects costing P27.31 billion; 108 ports constructed by the Philippine Ports Authority
costing P8.76 billion and 145 municipal ports costing P1.23 billion; 8,783 kilometers of roads and 18,741
meters of bridges costing P54.14 billion; and the P52.44-billion Southrail project.
This year, the Department of tourism projects foreign tourist arrivals at 3.27 million, generating direct revenues
of $3.31 billion and employment of 3.39 million.
As an industry, tourism is expected to generate revenues of $17 billion this year, which is equivalent to 13.6
percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP)or the total sum of goods and services produced in the
country.
|
| |
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH IN MOBILE ALABAMA
|
| |
The Embassy conducted a consular outreach program at the International Ministries Center in Mobile, Alabama
on 30 January 2010 in cooperation with the Fil-Am Association of Greater Mobile.
The Embassy’s consular team consisting of Consul General Domingo Nolasco, Janeth Falsis and Emma
Calobong processed 174 applications for machine readable passports and 10 petitions for dual citizenship,
among the consular services rendered to Filipinos in the area.
Applicants for machine-readable passports mainly consisted of Filipino aeronautic engineers and technicians,
members of their family, and other applicants from Atlanta, Georgia, South Carolina, Pensacola, Florida.
The outreach program is part of the Embassy’s vigorous campaign to encourage and enable Filipino green
passport holders in its jurisdiction to personally apply for machine-readable passports before 1 April 2010.
The next outreach programs are scheduled on 6 March 2010 at Virginia Beach and 27-28 March 2010 at Tampa,
Florida
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
BOOK ON PHILIPPINE CONTRIBUTION TO ASEAN DONATED TO FIRST ASEAN STUDIES
CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES
|
| |
18 FEBRUARY 2010 WASHINGTON DC – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willy C. Gaa turns over to
officials of the American University’s ASEAN Studies Center a copy of “One Caring and Sharing Community: The
Philippines in ASEAN during a reception held recently in honor of ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan on
the occasion of the launching of the ASEAN Studies Center here. The American University’s ASEAN Studies
Center is the first established in the United States. The book, a publication of the Philippines’ Department of
Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Service Institute, focuses on the Philippines’ recent ASEAN Chairmanship. In his
remarks, Ambassador Gaa said, the book “captures in clear prose and vivid images the Philippines’
Chairmanship of the ASEAN as the Association turned 40. As Chair, the Philippines led ASEAN in a crucial
reengineering process, endeavoring to steer the Association into taking further steps towards a caring and
sharing ASEAN Community. While the book aims to keep ever fresh memories of important community-forging
events on Philippine soil, it also celebrates the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity that binds the peoples of the
ten ASEAN countries.” Shown in the photo are (L-R) Dean Louis Goodman, ASEAN Center Studies Chair Amitav
Acharya,and Director Pek Koon Heng. END
|
|
| |
| |
|
