Palace defends govt ‘infomercials’

A Malacañang official on Tuesday defended Cabinet members who have infomercials on television and radio, saying these is part of their mandate to inform the public about the programs of their departments.

“As far as I'm concerned, what the Cabinet members are doing is just within their mandate to be able to disseminate information pertaining to their departments," said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita in an ambush interview.

Ermita made the statement three days after the Manila Regional Trial Court issued a temporary restraining order against the airing of the infomercials.

The issuance of the TRO was based on a petition filed by lawyer Ernesto Franciso Jr.

Ermita said government lawyers would address the cases against the Cabinet members.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who was one of those affected by the issuance of the TRO last Friday, expressed regret that his constitutional duty to inform the public has been stifled.

Duque is one of several Cabinet members being eyed by the administration to run for senator in the 2010 national elections.

But in radio interview earlier in the day, he said he is not inclined to “waste his time" if the surveys show that he has little chance of winning.

“Tingnan natin ang survey. Kung kulelat tayo sa survey huwag natin pagsayangin ng panahon (I’ll look at the surveys. If I fare poorly, I’d rather not waste my time)," Duque told dzXL radio. - GMANews.TV

Manila archbishop wants elections held on 2010

MANILA, Philippines – Amid speculations that Malacañang is cooking up a “no-election" scenario in 2010, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales on Thursday said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will likely step down from office when her term expires.

Radio dzBB’s Teresa Tavares quoted Rosales as saying that the public will not allow efforts to prolong the President’s tenure to gather momentum.

At least 167 members of the House of Representatives have so far expressed their support for a resolution seeking to convene Congress into a constituent assembly for the purpose of rewriting the Philippine Constitution

Critics fear that tinkering with the Constitution at this time, especially through a constituent assembly, could lead incumbent congressmen to remove limits to their term of office and allow President Arroyo to remain in power beyond 2010.

Malacañang, however, assured that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will step down in 2010 as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

The report added that Rosales wants the 2010 national polls to push through “to replace politicians who do not deserve to be elected."

Rosales had earlier joined the ranks of those critical of politicians. Last week, the Manila archbishop said the "ignorant poor" are always taken advantaged of by self-serving government officials.

“What a pitiful situation it is when the persons who are ignorant of their rights are also poor, and are left in that state of not knowing the truth. Some are ignorant of their rights and privileges and no one dares to help them," Rosales said. gmanews.tv

Eleksyon sa 2010 tuloy – Nograles

MANILA – Tiniyak ni Speaker Prospero C. Nograles nitong Sabado na tuloy ang halalan sa 2010 ngunit wala umano siyang balak na pigilan ang komite sa Kamara de Representantes na talakayin ang resolusyon tungkol sa pag-amyenda sa Saligang Batas.

“There will be an election in 2010. There is no proposal to extend the term of anyone," deklara ni Nograles sa isang pahayag.

Sa kabila nito, sinabi ng lider ng Kamara na hindi niya pipigian ang House committee on constitutional amendments na talakayin ang mga resolusyon tungkol sa Charter change sa kabila ng mga pagtutol ng iba’t-ibang sektor.

“We have a Committee on Constitutional Amendments not only in the House but also the Senate precisely to handle proposals pertaining to proposed amendments on the Constitution. As long as it does not interfere with our normal legislative work and will not disrupt our 4 pm sessions, (La Union) Congressman (Victor) Ortega's committee can go ahead in considering proposals on Charter Change," Nograles said.

Kabilang ang inihaing resolusyon ni Nograles sa nakatakdang talakayin ng komite ni Ortega na naglalayong baguhin ang probisyon ng Saligang Batas upang luwagan ang batas para sa mga dayuhang namumuhunan sa bansa partikular sa pag-aari ng mga lupa.

“My resolution is purely focused on the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution. We don't want to be left behind as many investors affected by the economic crisis in the US and other countries in Europe are scrambling to look for safe haven and are shifting investments on gold, oil and minerals. Mindanao has all the potentials in these three areas of investments," ayon kay Nograles.

Binigyan-diin niya na hindi kasama sa kanyang resolusyon ang anumang plano na palawigin ang termino ng mga halal na opisyal sa pamahalaang kabilang na si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“There is no single proposal now pending in the Ortega committee that calls for the term extension of any incumbent official," pagtiyak niya.

Idinagdag ni Nograles na kung magkaroon man ng paggalaw sa probisyong politikal sa Konstitusyon ay sesentro lamang ito sa mungkahing federal system of government na nakasaad sa resolusyon ni Sen Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

“ It is important to note that the federalism initiative came from the Senate through Senator Pimentel, a respected Mindanaoan and a prominent member of the political opposition. We may just pick from where Sen. Pimentel started," ayon sa kongresista. gmanews.tv

Palace names choices for president

MANILA, Philippines -- Despite his consistent high rating in polls, Vice President Noli de Castro is not the only choice of Malacañang for president in the 2010 national elections, an official said Saturday.

Apart from De Castro, Malacañang's choices also include Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte.

"They are the administration's choices. But we will have to await who the President will anoint,'' Cerge Remonde, Presidential Management Staff chief, said in a phone interview.

For now, the President has refused to discuss the 2010 elections, opting to focus on contingency measures against the global financial crunch.

De Castro was the top recommended successor to the President in May 2010, gaining 29 percent of the respondents, according to the third quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations.

He was closely followed by Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. (28 percent) and Senator Loren Legarda (26 percent).

Earlier, in an interview over the government-run Radyo ng Bayan, Remonde made special mention of Teodoro, a member of Congress before he was appointed to the top defense post.

"One whom we feel is a presidential timber, apart from Vice President De Castro, is of course Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. He's showing interest,'' he said. "We will not be surprised if his name will be floated as a presidential candidate.''

Of the five, only Fernando has declared he would run for President in 2010.

Remonde also disclosed he was convincing Batangas Governor Vilma Santos, wife of Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto, to run for vice president in May 2010.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza on Friday shrugged off the results of the SWS survey, saying the President was more focused on contingency measures against the global financial crisis.

"They are not too significant to us because the President is focused on good governance, addressing needs of the nation especially in time of crisis so we can weather the storm,'' he said.

Dureza, however, said that the SWS results showing that one percent of the respondents recommended Arroyo to succeed herself was interesting.

"We don't want to find significance in that. We are more concerned with governance but it is interesting if you would ask me,'' he told reporters. inquirer.net