Aquino gov’t assures PHL to remain investor-friendly destination for business

The Aquino government assured on Tuesday that the Philippines will strive to remain an
investor-friendly destination by continuously improving its policies to attract more businesses.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press conference in Malacanang, that the
economic managers have been carrying out the policy direction set by the President to make
sure that the playing field for businesses is fair for all the stakeholders.

“Rules will not be changed in midstream and that’s the greatest concern of business
investors,” Lacierda said.

“The economic managers have been addressing the concerns of the business community in
making sure that the rules that we have right now are rationalized and are consistent with one
another,” he added.

Lacierda was reacting to a question about a survey done by the ASEAN Business Advisory
Council (ASEAN-ABAC) in the second half of 2010, which found that the ASEAN region is an
attractive place for trade and investment in a post-global crisis world economy.

The survey, conducted by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of
Singapore, collated 355 usable responses from a diverse mix of businesses across firm-size
categories and nationalities of ownership based in ASEAN countries.

The survey found that 85 percent of the respondents indicated that their firms have plans for
investment or investment expansion in at least one ASEAN country.

About half of the respondents identify an ASEAN country as the most attractive in the country
for their firms’ offshore direct investments between 2010 and 2011.

The leading investment destinations include Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Thailand,
Indonesia and Malaysia. The Philippines ranked second lowest with Brunei. (PCOO)

Palace: No concessions to China for reprieve

MALACAÑANG clarified Monday that no concessions were given to China for the latter’s
grant of a reprieve to three overseas Filipino workers facing execution for drug trafficking.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Vice President Jejomar Binay had categorically
denied offering concessions to China after securing postponement of the execution of
Ramon Credo, 42; Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, 32; and Elizabeth Batain, 38. The three were
scheduled for execution this week.

Binay announced the development Friday after meeting with Dai Bongguo, state councilor;
Wang Shengjun, president of the Supreme People’s Court; and Zhang Zhijun, executive vice
minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, who was with Binay on his Beijing trip, said
the meeting was not behind closed doors and no concession could have been given without
the public getting the information.

For its part, the Chinese embassy in Manila said China only “gave consideration” to the
Philippines’ request.

Lacierda also downplayed concerns over the possibility of the Philippines becoming hostage
to China as a result of the issue. (PIA)

Palace confident of hostage probe body findings

MALACAÑANG on Monday expressed confidence that the investigating body looking into the botched Quirino Grandstand hostage rescue would be able to get to the bottom of the case and pinpoint responsibility in the incident which left eight Hong Kong nationals dead.

In a news briefing, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda underscored the importance of the findings of the Incident Investigation and Review Commission (IIRC) which he said President Benigno S. Aquino III will use as a basis in giving justice to those who perished in the Aug. 23 crisis.

“We are letting the investigation committee take its course. It has been a very credible investigation process and we will wait for the report and the conclusions and the recommendations of the investigation committee,” he said.

Meantime, Lacierda appealed for everyone’s patience and restraint and let the investigation take its course.

“Let’s wait for the report of the investigation committee to come out and it will be submitted to the President and the President will study the recommendations,” he said. “The fact that there is an investigating committee…will show who were responsible for the incident.” (PCOO/PIA)

Palace stresses mediation role in PAL-pilots row

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Tuesday said Malacañang is aware that public interest is involved in the dispute between Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its pilots so that it has taken cognizance of the problem and ordered multi-agency mediation efforts.

Lacierda however clarified that the dispute is still at a point where it can be settled amicably without the need for laying out the basis of government intervention for reasons of national interest.

“Under the Labor Code, the secretary of labor can step into a particular controversy by way of national interest,” Lacierda said but stressed that the PAL-pilots’ row will be settled mutually.

In a Palace news briefing, Lacierda said the overriding concern of President Benigno S. Aquino III in ordering a meeting between PAL pilots and the management with facilitation by some Cabinet secretaries, is the interest of the riding public and some sectors of the economy who will be severely affected should the impasse continue.

President Aquino has ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and the secretaries of the Department of Transport and Communication (DOTC), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to meet today with PAL representatives to get to the bottom of the issue.

A number of PAL flights have been cancelled due to the dispute, which started when 25 pilots decided to move to higher paying jobs abroad. In the last two days alone, PAL had cancelled regional and domestic flights after 13 captains and 12 first officers resigned their posts to join Airlines abroad that offered more lucrative deals.

The President reminded both the management of PAL and the pilots who sought resignation that they have an obligation to the public. (PIA-Bohol)