The two secretaries will have separate budgets which will be defended during the budget deliberations in Congress this year.
Secretary Herminio Coloma said the EO formally establishing the ComGroup has already been signe by the president but will have to be assigned a number still, adding that the records office still has to complete the process.

He also said the private developer is willing to give an initial $100 million as goodwill money, enough for the Philippine Navy to purchase four new ships to patrol the country’s 36,000 nautical miles of coastline. He noted that the Navy currently has 32 ships in its fleet, and most of these vessels are older than him. Mr. Aquino is 50 years old. The President has refused to name the developer until the deal has been finalized.

Such lease proposal has been mentioned by President Aquino during his State of the Nation Address.

In response to President Aquino’s announcement, Philippine Navy Spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said
“The Philippine Navy welcomes this development,” adding that the Navy needs to modernize, but has no money, such that alternative sources of funding are needed.

Governor Edgar Chatto, who took the lead in crafting the country’s tourism code shared this during the recent Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) meeting held at Panda Tea Garden in Dao a few weeks ago.

Chatto clarified that the Board’s task would be to put up a unified classification of accredited tourism service providers and establishment using the star rating system, so tourists would know what to expect when they are there.

Building on Bohol tourism’s successes, several local government units and private entrepreneurs have funded for establishments and service and splurge on promotional activities without being fully familiar with the industry, PTC members said.

Not a few tourists have already shared their dismay about getting into an establishment selling itself through the internet, only to find that its accommodations are minimal.

That can happen because there is no way tourists know ahead about the kind of facilities and services the establishments offer.

As everyone wants to hitch in the tourism bandwagon, it is expected that things like this happen, agree council members.

Governor Chatto said the Tourism Code of 2009 provides for a classification board that issues a uniform standard to grade tourism products and service facilities.

Putting up the classification board should breathe life into the Code in as much as to be rated are not just the infrastructure and the accessibility and the preparedness of the facility to accept guests, Chatto added.

That way, even if establishments sell services on their own, a rating system puts them in a certain rank that tourists can easily refer, said PTC Chairman Atty Lucas Nunag. (rac/PIABohol)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo David signed on Tuesday night the detained official’s provisional release papers.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said Querubin will still have to attend all the hearings in his general court martial, even as he stressed Querubin cannot leave the country.

He will be placed under the custody of Brigadier General Reynaldo Ordoñez, head of the AFP’s Defense Reform Office.

Querubin was deemed retired from the military service after he ran but lost for senator in the May 10 elections under the Nacionalista Party.

He had been detained at Camp Aguinaldo, facing trial before a military tribunal for a charge of mutiny in connection with his group’s plot to march and subsequently withdraw their support from then President Arroyo in February 2006. (PIA-Bohol)

“The date is important for establishing accountability,” Purisima told reporters, adding that financial audits “take a while” to complete.

Of particular interest are the books of the National Food Authority, which reported total liabilities of P171 billion as of May 2010—an amount, he said, that quintupled from a mere P28 billion in 2003.

Purisima said President Benigno Aquino III “presented his findings in the SONA” based on his officials’ “examination of some documents available” to them.

He said the COA would also look into the financial condition of the National Irrigation Administration, National Electrification Administration and Philippine National Railways, among others.

Many GOCCs and GFIs are money-losing entities led by political appointees who often have little expertise in their fields of concern. (PIA-Bohol)

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma said he found some of what Aquino said “promising” although his proposed actions to address the country’s problems had been tried before.

Yet, he said Aquino has selected capable Cabinet members and that makes him confident the President can realize his vision of a clean and honest society. He also cited Aquino’s drive to work for peace in Mindanao, which was among some of the bishops’ concerns.

On the other hand, Ledesma said Aquino did not address directly a 13-point agenda proposed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

For his part, militant priest Jose Dizon said he wished Aquino spoke more of land reform than of infrastructure. He said the speech content and delivery were “uninspiring.”

For her part, Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines co-chairwoman Sister Mary John Mananzan said the speech was practical and centered on “making the life of people better by doing the right things.” (PIA-Bohol)

“We cannot question (his) intention (but the) devils in negotiations is in the details,” said MILF peace panel member, lawyer Lanang Ali, in an article on the MILF website.

“Sometimes, words are used to conceal what is in the hearts of men,” Ali said, but added Aquino enjoys a relatively high trust rating among the Moros of Mindanao at this time.

In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Aquino said peace and tranquility can be achieved if “those affected will talk with one another— the Moro, Lumad, Christians.” Aquino said peace negotiations with the MILF can resume after the Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting which begins on August 11 this year and ends on September 9.

However, Datu Antonio Kinoc, an alternate member of the MILF peace panel representing the indigenous tribes of Mindanao, said the SONA was “very soft and merely repeated the old cliché that in order to solve the problem, ‘people-to-people’ talking to each other is encouraged.”

He said the problem in Mindanao is rooted in sovereignty issues and the conflict requires sincere, hard, and objective solution. “More importantly, political will is the key to solving this conflict,” Kinoc said. (PIA-Bohol)

Matud ni Pssupt Rodolfo Llorca, gilantaw na nga inay dili na kahimuslan ang mga nasakmit nga wangwang nga illegal nga gipangtaud sa mga sakyanan, ang masakpan ila nga himoong tabang sa pagpahibawo sa mga tawo sa panahon nga kinahanglan nang mo-hiklin sa katalagaman.

Sa paglusad sa Talakayan sa Insyung Pulis, gibutyag ni Llorca nga mas makatabang ang wangwang sa mga komunidad nga naa sa agi-anan sa katalagman kay sa yanong pag-embargo lang ang himoon.

Kahinunmduman nga mimandu si Presidente Simeon Benigno Aquino nga dakpon ang mga sakyanang nagtaud og wangwang aron lamang makalusot sa trapiko. (PIA-Bohol)

Enrile took his oath before Sen. Franklin Drilon, who was designated presiding officer during the voting. Enrile easily defeated another nominee, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, for the position of Senate President after getting 17 of the 20 votes. Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago was not present during the voting.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, was voted Senate President pro tempore.

In his speech, Enrile thanked his fellow senators for choosing him to head the Upper Chamber. He said his election as Senate President was unique in the country’s history after senators set aside partisan politics and reached a consensus to elect a new head of the Upper Chamber.

Liberal Party Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan earlier withdrew from the Senate Presidency race after failing to secure the needed 13 votes to clinch the chamber’s top post.

The senator announced the move on Sunday, saying this should now restore unity in the upper chamber. (PIA-Bohol)