OVP BALITA

VP BINAY RECEIVES POPES BLESSING

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay and Dr. Elenita Binay receive a special papal blessing from His Holiness Benedict XVI as he concluded his General Audience at the Paul VI auditorium. Binay said the Pope also blessed the Philippines and assured him of his prayers and best wishes for the country. While in Rome, Binay also met with the Filipino community to thresh out their concerns and assured them that the government is doing everything in its power to make sure that their rights are protected.

SWS: VP BINAY SCORES PERSONAL BEST SATISFACTION RATING

VP BINAY JOINS CSC FUN RUN. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, together with Civil Service Commission (CSC) Francisco Duque, leads more than 10,000 government employees in the CSC RACE to Serve Fun Run, held in celebration of the 112th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary. Binay and Duque both joined the 3K runners.

VP BINAY:

Certain groups building dossier against me

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said certain groups are already trying to re-open old cases against him in a bid to spread black propaganda and smear his image. Halos linggo linggo tumatanggap ako, dino-dossier ako ng mga kung sinu-sino. Nariyan iyong binabalikan ang mga kaso kong na-dismiss, gustong buhayin, he said in an interview. Heto na naman tayo, pulitika na naman, eh ang layo pa ng 2016, he added. Asked to identify these groups, Binay also said, to whom it may concern, alam niyo naman kung sino kayong tinutukoy ko. Binay downplayed rumors that he has already chosen a running mate for the 2016 national elections. Wala akong kinokonsidera kasi ayokong pag-usapan, he said. Iyang bagay na iyan, halimbawa kayong apat, kapag sinabi kong ikaw ang kandidato kong Vice President, eh di ngayon pa lang 2012 kaaway ko na itong tatlong ito, Binay added. He also said that the presidential election is four years away and that it is still too early to speculate about future political plans. Hintayin natin kapag malapit na ang 2016 tsaka ako magsasabi, pero sa ngayon, maniwala po kayo, ang dami ko pa pong ginagawa, mga programa, sang-ayon sa pagkakaluklok ko sa pwesto, he added. Reports have mentioned senators Francis Chiz Escudero and Jose Jinggoy Estrada as possible candidates for the vice presidency in 2016. Escudero had also been mentioned as among the possible senatorial candidates to be fielded by the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), which is a coalition between Binays Partido Demokratikong PilipinoLaban (PDP-Laban) and former President Joseph Estradas Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). Binay, however, said they have yet to complete their senatorial line-up for next years polls.

ice President Jejomar C. Binay has received his highest satisfaction rating since assuming office in 2010, according to the results of the latest Social Weather Station (SWS). Binays latest net satisfaction rating of +76 (82 percent satisfied, 6 percent dissatisfied) is a six-point jump from his previous +70 (79 percent satisfied, 9 percent dissatisfied). His latest score is also the highest net satisfaction rating in history for a Vice President after the first nine quarters in office. The Vice President said his consistent excellent score and the high satisfaction ratings of President Aquino and other government leaders are manifestations of public support for the administrations reform agenda. The President is determined to ensure that reforms in government will lead to an improvement in the lives of our people, he said. He credited the President for allowing him to be part of the Cabinet as chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), presidential adviser for OFW Concerns, chair of the Presidential Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment (PTFAIR) and chair emeritus of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). I am also grateful to President Noynoy Aquino for his continued trust in me and for including me in his Cabinet, he added. Meanwhile, the SWS poll also showed Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte with their highest net scores since assuming office. Enriles rating jumped 17 points to a record-high very good +65 from +48 in the previous quarter, while Belmontes score rose to a personal high moderate +20, 12 points up from previous neutral +8. Enriles score also surpassed the personal best scores of previous Senate Presidents from Senator Jovito Salongas +56 in April 1990 to Senator Manuel Villars +59 in December 2007. The Third Quarter 2012 Survey of SWS was conducted from August 24-27, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults all over the country, with sampling error margins of 3 percent for national percentages and 6 percent for area percentages. Net scores of +70 and above are considered excellent; +50 to +69, very good; +30 to +49, good; +10 to +29, moderate; -9 to +9, neutral; -10 to -29, poor; -30 to -49, bad; -50 to -69, very bad; and -70 and below, execrable.

OVP BALITA

VP BINAY VISITS FLOODED TOWNS IN PAMPANGA. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay visited the flooded areas in Pampanga and led the distribution of relief assistance to 6,500 affected families. While in Pampanga, the Vice President also visited the Pag-Ibig Fund Regional Office in San Fernando City to award calamity loan checks to recipients and assess the processing of calamity loans. He also visited Laguna and gave relief goods to 5,186 families.

OVP extends aid to 100k flood survivors

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said it distributed relief goods to 103,047 families affected by typhoon Gener and the heavy monsoon rains In a report to Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, OVP Assistant Secretary Rosalie Licauco said the OVP distributed 8,500 relief bags in Mindoro; 24,128 in Bataan; 13,767 in Bulacan; 1,882 in Nueva Ecija; 6,150 in Pangasinan; 1,300 in Quezon City; 12,650 in Rizal; 7,500 in Cavite; 2,500 in Pasig; 1,000 in Marikina; 4,000 in Zambales; 2,000 in Caloocan; 10,500 in Tarlac; 1,950 in Batangas; and 5,220 in Laguna. Binay led the relief operations in Imus, Gen. Trias, Rosario, Kawit, Noveleta and Bacoor in Cavite. He visited families affected by severe flooding in Paombong, Malolos, Pulilan and Bustos in Bulacan. He also went to the evacuation centers in Marikina. Binay said he is thankful to the people and organizations giving aid to those affected by the heavy flooding. He also expressed confidence that Filipinos can rise above the calamity. Nananatiling matatag ang diwa ng bayanihan sa ating lipunan. Naniniwala ako na walang pagsubok na di natin kayang lampasan kung tayo ay magtutulungan at magsasama-sama, he added. Binay said the OVP started relief efforts in Occidental Mindoro where heavy rains caused landslides and massive flooding. The OVP then distributed relief goods in the towns of Calasiao, Rosales and Bugallon in Pangasinan as well as in the towns of Abucay, Hermosa, Bagac, Morong and Orani in Bataan. The Vice President through his 2012 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocated funds for relief operations and other social services, including the provision of school supplies as well as medical and burial assistance.

VP BINAY VISITS MARIKINA, DEPLOYS RESCUE TEAM. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay visited Hermogenes Baustista Elementary School and Nangka Elementary School, both of which served as evacuation centers in Marikina during the onslaught of habagat. Binay said his office also deployed the VP Disaster Volunteer Group to help rescue families trapped by flood in Brgy. Tumana, Purok 5 in Malanday and Brgy. Polelak. The team rescued 79 persons in the said areas.

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VP BINAY ASSURES GOVT AID TO BULACAN EVACUEES. A resident of Bustos, Bulacan thanks Vice President Jejomar C. Binay after the latter assured government assistance to those affected by floods. Aside from Bustos, Binay visited Paombong, Malolos and Pulilan to look into the condition of evacuees and determine what they need. The Office of the Vice President sent 5,400 bags of food items to the residents of Bulacan. The OVP also held simultaneous relief operations in Quezon City and Rizal; Laguna and Tarlac; and Bataan.

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VP Binay asks help of socialized housing developers in relocating ISFs

Vice President and housing czar Jejomar C. Binay asked socialized housing developers to help address the need to relocate families affected by the flood, as well as informal settler families living in danger areas, to safe areas which also provide basic services and a sustainable environment. The urgent need now is to relocate the affected families not only to safe locations but also to areas which provide basic services and a sustainable environment. It is also our priority to remove informal settler families (ISFs) from danger areas, said Binay during the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP) 2012 National Convention in Muntinlupa City. The Vice President called on the OSHDP to assist in efforts to fast track the construction of housing units for the resettlement of informal settler families. In socialized housing, it is time to find new ways of doing things. In socialized housing, it is time to have an agenda of hope. We must now do not just housing but sustainable housing. And sustainable because it is meant to respond to climate change, to mitigate its effects, and as a means to progress, he added. To achieve this, I propose to continue to bring together closely private sector developers, the LGUs, and urban planners. Then let us put our heads together with other local and international organizations who understand urban development and housing in the light of climate change. Then we integrate all our approaches, the Vice President said. Binay also said that the housing sector is crafting local government policies encouraging the use of green technologies, which will engage families to participate in efforts to create climate-resilient cities and to protect the environment. These policies will require the involvement of the poor in identifying risks and relevant actions; as well as take into account the needs of vulnerable sectors during calamities, such as women, children, and the elderly. According to Binay, the government is also adopting the Accreditation of Indigenous Technologies (AITECH) for housing, which promotes the use of indigenous and green technology in construction. The Vice President expressed hope that the OSHDP will help not only in utilizing innovative technologies that showcase Filipino ingenuity, but also in developing new and appropriate ones. Such technologies must help make social housing eco-friendly, as much as bring down costs. And you can be assured that, one, we will support the developers with innovative solutions; and two, we will educate the communities they serve about the importance of sustainable living, he added. He also revealed plans of a program, called The Working Peoples Shelter Program, which would lead to the construction of more houses for the poor. The employer-private partner advances the Pag-ibig Fund membership dues and also guarantees the payment of housing units. The Pag-ibig Fund releases the developmental loan to the employer, who will then engage a private developer to undertake housing construction, or via a retail loan to the buyer or employee. If the beneficiary fails to pay, the employer buys back the housing unit and commits to replace the buyer or employee, he explained. Binay added that the scheme would enable greater convergence as national and local government agencies seek to provide the communitys basic requirements such as health and education. This Working Peoples Shelter Program is an example of how our partnerships should be, where all stakeholders work together seamlessly, while mutually benefitting from the program. The Vice President also lauded the OSHDPs efforts to provide houses that cost less than the current P400,000-priced houses available in the lower housing brackets, which alongside existing Pag-IBIG Fund programs, could cater to the non-formal sectors such as drivers and kasambahay, among others.

VP Binay lauds passage of Kasambahay Bill in Congress

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay lauded the approval of House Bill (HB) 6144 which establishes standards of protection for domestic workers in the country. Our kasambahays deserve access to decent and humane work. I believe this bill will ensure freedom, equity and security for our countrys 1.9 million kasambahays, Binay said. Binay also reminded household workers that they can become members of the Pag-IBIG Fund and can avail themselves of multi-purpose, calamity and housing loans. He said employers are mandated to register their househelps as members of Pag-IBIG and to pay a counterpart contribution. Under the law, domestic workers earning P1,500 and below shall contribute 1% of their salary, while those earning P1,500 and above, shall contribute 2% of their salary. Their employers are required to contribute 2% as counterpart, Binay said. Under HB 6144, employers are required to enter into a contract with domestic workers, and to register the name of domestic workers in the barangay. Employers are also required to pay wages of domestic workers in cash, and to provide pay slips to their household help. The Vice President said he is confident that the Senate will soon be able to pass a counterpart version of the bill which is pending at the committee level.

VP BINAY MEETS ABUSED KASAMBAHAY. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay hears the plight of Bonita Baran who was abused by her employers. Binay urged authorities to fast-track the arrest of Analiza and Reynold Marzan, the couple who were charged for physically abusing Baran. The Vice President also said that he will ask the Office of the President to offer reward money, similar to the one offered recently for the arrest of property developer Delfin Lee and other high-profile fugitives.

OVP BALITA

Phl can be a model in curbing human trafficking in South East Asia

The Philippines can provide a model to help other Southeast Asian nations in combating human trafficking, according to Ambassador Luis CdeBaca of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the U.S. State Department. With the leadership that weve seen from the Vice President and the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) chaired by Sec. De Lima, weve seen a new approach to fighting against modern slavery here in the Philippines that I hope can be a model for the Asean region and the rest of the world, Ambassador CdeBaca said during a courtesy call on the Vice President at the Coconut Palace. The notion of prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership is something that would not have happened without the leadership of President Aquino and Vice President Binay, he added. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, for his part said the success of IACAT is due to the cooperation of all agencies involved. For one, matingkad ang cooperation ng national governmentNBI, DILG, DOJ, DOLE, Office of the Vice President, etc. So talagang nagkakaisa, at result-oriented ang sa Pilipinas, he said. Binay also compared IACATs accomplishments to the accomplishments of the past administration which only handled a handful of cases and had a very low conviction rate. Dito sa panahon ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Noynoy, who is very much supportive dito sa ginagawa natin sa human trafficking at illegal recruitment, maraming nagagawa, maraming naprosecute, maraming naconvict, at ang conviction ang pinakamababa ay mga 10 years hanggang sa life imprisonment, he added. Binay also noted the importance of the campaign against human trafficking in getting funding and assistance from the US government amounting to $700 million. Noong dumating ako diyan last year, first quarter, January, particularly, malapit na tayong mapunta sa third tier, kung napunta tayo sa third tier tepok na ang assistance sa atin, he said. Mabuti na lamang, sa tulong ng lahat ng ahensiya sa ating pamahalaan, na-maintain natin ang second tier at napataas ng level, hindi tayo sa second tier watchlist, nandoon tayo sa first level. Hinahangad natin na mapunta tayo sa first tier. That will certainly be a great honor for the country, Binay added.

Pag-ibig cuts interest rate for calamity loans VP Binay

Pag-IBIG Fund has reduced the interest rate of its calamity loans to help families affected by typhoons and other disasters, said Vice President and PagIBIG Board chair Jejomar C. Binay. Pag-IBIGs calamity loan now carries a yearly interest rate of 5.95 percent, compared to the previous 10.75 percent, Binay said. We intend to help ease the burdens of our kababayans living in typhoonprone areas and those hit by other natural calamities, he added The housing czar said that Pag-IBIG aimed to offer the lowest interest rate of calamity loans in the market without compromising the sustainability of the Fund. Members may borrow the equivalent of 80 percent of their total savings. Pag-IBIG also offered a 3-month moratorium on housing loan payments to affected members. Members may also apply for insurance through Pag IBIG, where they could get the value of the extent of damage. Meanwhile, the Fund also encouraged members working in strife stricken areas abroad to avail of its Special Assistance Program. Under the program, members may withdraw their total savings without having to wait for 20 years for their membership to mature. They may also avail of a 6-month moratorium on their housing and short-term loan payments. These are the Funds way of showing continuing concern for its local and overseas members, and its way of helping out its members during their times of need, Atty. Darlene Berberabe, PagIBIG president and CEO said.

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay has tapped local government units (LGUs) in the drive against squatting syndicates and professional squatters, saying the active participation of LGUs is crucial in the national governments antisquatting campaign. It is the LGUs who can immediately identify and stop these criminal elements at the first sign of illegal activity, he said. To encourage LGUs to participate, Binay, the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), launched the National Drive Against Professional Squatters and Squatting Syndicates (NDAPSSS) Best Practices Award for

VP Binay taps LGUs in anti-squatting drive, community dialogues that help the launches Best Practices Award participants detect the modus oper2012. The NDAPSSS, established under Executive Order 153 series of 2002, is an inter-agency task force composed of 11 national government agencies with HUDCC as the lead agency. The contest is open to LGUs with existing departments/groups tasked to address the housing concerns of their localities. The housing czar said that since its establishment, NDAPSSS has been engaged in capacity-building programs that aim to increase awareness of LGUs and government housing project beneficiaries on their role in combating squatting syndicates and professional squatters. We conduct seminar-trainings and

andi of squatting syndicates and their cohorts, including detection of fake and spurious land titles, he said. The Vice President further said that winners of the contest will receive plaques and cash awards that may be used to strengthen their programs on anti-squatting. For details of the contest mechanics and for more information, interested participants may contact the HUDCC Legal Services Group/ Anti-squatting Group at telephone numbers (02)812-0735 and (02)8176995 or you may visit their office at 9th and 15th floors, BDO Plaza, Paseo de Roxas corner Makati Avenue, Makati City, he said.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Maria Irish Aloha Cubillan WRITERS Hallel John Ines Enrico Quintin Cepeda Hans Pieter Arao PHOTOGRAPHERS Ranny Tenefrancia Joselito Santos Roman Campita LAYOUT ARTIST Romulo Salgado, Jr. EDITORIAL SUPERVISOR Joselito Salgado
Media Affairs Division Coconut Palace CCP Complex, F. Ma. Guerrero Street, Pasay City 1307 Tel. No.: (632) 8332148 Email: media@ovp.gov.ph

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French minister to help lift aircraft blacklist on Phl

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius promised to exert a more vigorous effort in helping lift the European Union aircraft blacklist on the Philippines. I pointed out to the Minister that at least 100 French companies have already established their presence in the Philippines, but that we believe there should be more, Binay said in an arrival press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. At least 84 Airbus planes are now in operation in the country, a purchase order for another 115 Airbus planes at the cost of $15 billion, has failed to move forward because of a European Union aircraft blacklist on the Philippines, he added. In 2010, the European Union banned all airlines from the Philippines from flying into the regions airports, citing serious safety deficiencies found by the United Nations and U.S. aviation authorities. The European Commission, which manages the airline blacklist, said it would forbid airlines from the Philippines from flying into the 27-country bloc as a precaution until its remaining concerns could be addressed. Binay was scheduled to meet with French Prime Minister JeanMarc Ayrault but an urgent business at the National Assembly prevented him from doing so. This prompted the Prime Minister to ask Minister Fabius to meet with Binay at Quai dOrsay. The Vice President said he reiterated President Benigno Aquinos official invitation to President Franois Hollande to visit the Philippines, possibly on his way to or from Vientianne where is due to participate in the meeting of Asian and European leaders (ASEM) this November. I reminded the Minister that two Filipino presidents have already visited France-President Cory Aquino in 1989, and President Ramos in 1994. It is now our turn to reciprocate the favor by receiving the French president, he said. Binay also said the Minister expressed unequivocal support for freedom of navigation in Panatag (Scarborough) shoal. However, Binay said Minister could say nothing on the sovereignty question. Our discussions covered a wide range of issues regarding the global situation and Franco-Philippine relations. The Minister began by expressing his appreciation for President Aquinos work in the Philippines, which he said is im-

VP BINAY MEETS FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay meets French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at the Quai dOrsay in France. Binay asked Fabius to help lift the European Union aircraft blacklist on the Philippines. He said at least 84 Airbus planes are now in operation in the country and a purchase order for another 115 Airbus planes at the cost of $15 billion, has failed to move forward because of the blacklist. Binay also reiterated President Benigno Aquinos official invitation to French President Franois Hollande to visit the Philippines, possibly on his way to or from Vientianne where he is due to participate in the meeting of Asian and European leaders (ASEM) this November.

portant to France, Binay said. He expressed concern about developments in Syria, and the continuing problems in Europe. But he expressed confidence that under the combined leadership of Germany and France, Europe would ultimately be able to surmount its present problems, he added. Binay left the country for Saudi Arabia on the last week of June upon instruction of President Aquino to condole with the Royal Family on the death of Crown Prince Nayef. While on his special mission, the Vice President also took the opportunity to meet with the Filipino community in Riyadh and then in Dubai in my capacity as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns After his mission, Binay went with his family on a pilgrimage to Italy and France. The trip was primarily a personal visit with the consent of President Aquino and was paid for by his children as their gift in celebration of his 40th wedding anniversary. Despite the personal nature of the trip, Binay met with the Filipino community in Rome to thresh out their concerns including the prolonged controversy over the omission of their middle name in official documents issued by the Italian government.

VP Binay meets with Japan Deputy PM; assures worry-free investment in Phl
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay assured Japanese investors that they can now do business in the Philippines without having to worry about corruption in government. Binay gave the assurance during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada at the Prime Ministers Office in Tokyo. Okada for his part said the Philippine governments continuing efforts to curb corruption was a very good incentive for investors. He said he believes Japanese investors should pay greater attention to the Philippines as an alternative investment site outside of China, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Binay keynoted an important international conference on cybersecurity. The Vice President told Okada that there were a lot of opportunities for Japanese investors in the Philippines. Japanese investors should consider investing in energy and tourism projects in the Philippines, among others, Binay suggested. During the talks, Okada called for more high-level political exchanges between the Philippines and Japan to deepen their bilateral economic and trade relationship. He said such exchanges were the reason why Japans trade and economic relationship with other countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam and Indonesia has been deepening. Okada also told Binay that the Philippine and Japanese economies would be able to complement each other because the Philippines has something which Japan no longer has, namely young labor. The median age of the Filipino work force is 21.7 years, while that of the Japanese is 45. Moreover, Okada assured the Vice President that Japan would continue to use its Official Development Assistance (ODA) to promote the Philippines inclusive growth. The Vice President meanwhile reiterated to Okada President Benigno Aquinos invitation to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to visit the Philippines at his earliest convenience. The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Binay for the excellent service being provided by Filipino nurses and caregivers. Binay thanked Okada in turn for the support and assistance the Japanese government is giving to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). He is the Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns. Moreover, Okada expressed optimism that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will continue to discuss the issue of peaceful navigation in the West Philippine Sea among its members and between ASEAN and China. The ASEAN foreign ministers recently failed to reach an agreement on a code of conduct on the disputed territories during a conference in Cambodia. Binay described his talks with Okada as warm, friendly and most productive.

OVP BALITA

VP Binays PDAF for Social Services

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay funded through his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) the construction or repair of senior citizens centers, scholarships, health services and assistance to indigent or displaced families in calamity prone areas in 4th to 6th class municipalities. Reporting on his accomplishments for the last two years as Vice President, Binay also said the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is set to sign memorandum of agreements with various national government agencies and local government units who will be recipients and implementors of his PDAF projects for 2012 to guarantee greater transparency and accountability in the use of the funds. Congress provides P200 million in PDAF to the Office of the Vice President (OVP). This year, the DBM included the amount in the regular budget of the OVP. The Vice President has already expanded the scholarship grant-in-aid program to poor but deserving students. Previously available only to students of State Colleges and Universities (SCUs), the scholarship grants are now also offered to students of select private schools. The choice of projects and beneficiaries are consistent with the Vice Presidents advocacies, and aligned with the national governments budget priorities and the Ten-Point Legacy Agenda of President Benigno Aquino III. These are AMA Computer University/ACLAC/ ABE, St. Jude College & Medical Center, Manila Central University, Manila Business College and University of Batangas. The OVP has also partnered with the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and local government units (LGUs) to provide technical non-formal education training. In 2011, the Vice President signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and representatives of SCUs in the country to provide a P9,000annual educational assistance to 10 scholars for each of the 109 SCUs nationwide. We will give priority to those who will be enrolling in agriculture, education, commerce (en-

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay gives wheelchairs to elderly in Cebu during his visit to the city. Binays office also allocated P50 million of the first tranche of his 2012 Priority Development Assistance Fund for the construction and repair of senior citizen centers nationwide.

trepreneurship), engineering, and information technology, he said. For School Year 2012-2013, the OVP earmarked P18 million from the first tranche of its PDAF to offer 2,200 scholarship grants to SCUs, including 20 slots for undergraduate students of the University of the Philippines (UP). For SY 2011-2012, 960 freshmen from SCUs and 30 from private institutions availed themselves of the program. The UP Diliman also listed two scholars from the School of Urban and Regional Planning, and five from the College of Law. Meanwhile, P150 million or 75 percent of the 2011 PDAF was earmarked for the construction and repair of 300 senior citizen centers nationwide. For the first tranche of his 2012 PDAF, the OVP also set aside P50 million for the same purpose. The centers serve as venues for assemblies, recreational and sports activities and medical missions for the elderly. Our elderly links us to our past and serves as

our guide towards the future. We should thank them for their valuable contributions to our country, Binay said. Last year, the OVP earmarked P10 million to provide emergency and immediate relief assistance to indigent families affected by typhoons and other calamities. Since becoming Vice President, Binay personally led relief operations in some areas, particularly in Bulacan after typhoon Pedring. He was also one of the first national official to provide assistance in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, both of which were severely affected by typhoon Sendong. For the first tranche of 2012, the OVP also allocated P10 million for relief operations as well as other social services, including the provision of school supplies and burial assistance. The OVP also held medical missions in and provided medicines and medical equipment to 4th to 6th class municipalities in the country. P30 million was used for this purpose in 2011 and P12 million for the first tranche of 2012.

VP Binay awards titles to Pinatubo survivors in Pampanga

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay awarded housing units and land titles to 175 families displaced by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Sa sukat na 94 na square meters bawat lote at single-detached pa, talo pa [ng mga bahay na ito] ang ibang mga bagong tayong private subdivisions, Binay, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), told the beneficiaries. According to Binay, only 358 families have received land titles since their relocation to the EPZA Resettlement Project in 1994. Sa kabuuang 1,553 benepisyaryo ng proyektong pabahay dito sa EPZA, mahigit isang libo pa ang hindi nakakatanggap ng kani-kanilang mga titulo. Huwag po kayong mag-alala. Ipinag-utos ko na sa NHA na madaliin na ang pagproseso sa natitirang mga titulo, the housing czar assured. He said that the NHA will include the processing of titles in 16 Mount Pinatubo Resettlement Sites in Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga that have yet to be distributed. Binay asked the beneficiaries to take care of the houses that were awarded to them, and said those who had sold their lots were already barred from other government housing projects. Sa talaan po kasi ng NHA, may 481 pamilya dito ang kabilang sa tinatawag na illegal occupants, he said. May mga benepisyaryo na kabilang ninyo na hindi pa man nahahawakan ang titulo ay ibinenta na nila ang karapatan sa bahay at lupa na ipinagkaloob sa kanila, he added. The Vice President previously awarded Transfer Certificate of Titles (TCTs) to 38 family-beneficiaries of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) Community Mortgage Program (CMP) in Cebu. He also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the Provincial Government of Cebu and 13 homeowners associations for the distribution of lots to the families in the remaining nine barangays covered by Provincial Board Resolution 93-1.

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay awards housing units and land titles to 175 families displaced by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. He said he ordered the National Housing Authority to speed up the processing of titles for a thousand more family-beneficiaries.

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IACAT nabs illegal recruiters in Taguig

Two female illegal recruiters also suspected to be involved in human trafficking activities were collared by authorities during an entrapment operation conducted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said. We were able to verify with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Agency) that the two women are not authorized to recruit workers for employment overseas, the Vice President said. Binay, who is also the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Concerns, said the IACAT conducted a surveillance operation after receiving a tip from a reliable source that the two were conducting illegal recruitment activities in Taguig. The operatives discovered that not only were applicants being illegally recruited, but upon arriving at their work destination, they were trafficked and made to work as prostitutes, he said. Three social workers of the Visayan Forum Foundation (VFFI) presented themselves as poseur applicants. Upon visit to the recruiters, they were told that they will be working as waitresses in Palau and that a lot of other applicants have been sent abroad and are now earning well, Binay added In a joint affidavit executed by the social workers, the three revealed that they were told by the recruiters that those who had already been sent abroad to work as waitresses earned a lot of money by sitting beside their customers and drinking with them at their tables. (They) further elaborated that we could earn more money if we go out with our customers, the three social workers said. The rescued victims are now in the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and VFFI, while the arrested recruiters are currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation. The anti-trafficking czar said that to date, the IACAT has been able to secure convictions for 12 human-trafficking related cases this year, with 20 persons convicted. We now have a total of 47 human-trafficking related convictions since the start of President (Benigno) Aquinos term, the Vice President said.

HLURB to integrate climate change measures ni CLUP of LGUs

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) is working with German experts to integrate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction planning instruments into Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) of local government units (LGUs). The HLURB recently signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with German firm Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zeusammenarbeit (GIZ) to assist the agency in its efforts to improve environmental and land governance in the country, Binay said. The MOA involves integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction planning instruments into CLUPs in the form of climate proofing and disaster risk mapping, he added. Binay also said the MOA calls for GIZ to provide assistance to HLURB in its endeavor to enhance the CLUP guidebooks by including Forest Land Use and Coastal Land Use Planning as well as the existing Model Zone Ordinance and the Plan Review Parameters and Guidelines. For its part, the HLURB committed to provide technical assistance to LGUs in implementing existing policies and guidelines to ensure that the CLUP is in line with other prescribed local plans such as Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP), Coastal Fisheries Resources Management Plan (CFRMP) and Local Climate Change Action Plan. The HLURB also plans to integrate the experiences of GIZ in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction planning into existing and future reference manuals, tools and guidelines developed or updated by HLURB itself or in cooperation with other development partners or government agencies. The partnership with GIZ was a direct response by the HLURB Board to the policies stated under the Climate Change Act of 2009, said the housing czar. This law seeks to systematically integrate the concept of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and other development tools and techniques by all agencies of the government, he added/ The HLURB, together with LGUs, is also urging local leaders to address environmental problems as a concern interlinked with land use planning. In 2011, the HLURB began to require all LGUs to integrate climate change adaptation and disaster risk mitigation in their CLUPs before seeking HLURB Board approval. The HLURB, which Binay chairs, is the national government agency primarily tasked with assisting local government units in drawing up their CLUPs and regulating the real estate industry. Its plans and programs are anchored on three major mandates namely planning, regulation and adjudication.

VP Binay to discuss Phl Iranian policy with PNoy

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay has assured Filipino women married to Iranians that he will discuss with President Benigno S. Aquino III the possibility of relaxing the governments current policy on Iranian nationals. The Philippines currently has a policy classifying Iranians as restricted nationals. The Vice President said that the women, whom he met while he was in Tehran to attend the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, expressed their Iranian husbands interest in investing in the Philippines but said the government policy was causing administrative problems. I promised to take this up with the President who, I am sure, would like to address this issue expeditiously for the benefit of all our countrymen married to Iranians, he said. Upon his arrival from the Middle Eastern country, Binay said a number of the women have attempted to bring their own personal investments to the country to no avail. According to Binay, Iran is eager to increase its investments in the Philippines in line with its shift of interest from Europe to Asia. [Irans Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi] said Iran has reduced its investments in Europe, and has put in at least 50 billion Euros in China, he said. We agreed to encourage our respective chambers of commerce to discuss the various ways and means of engaging in expanded investments and trade, he added. The Vice President revealed that officers and members of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce may soon come to the country to look into possible investments as a result of this initiative. According to the Philippine Embassy in Tehran, there are more than 900 Filipino permanent residents married to Iranians living in the Middle Eastern nation.

VP BINAY ARRIVES WITH REPATRIATED OFWS FROM DOHA. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay arrives with three repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who escaped their employers due to various abuses. According to the Vice President, Maritess Gaddi, Lydia Dasan and Virginia Gutay were former domestic helpers in Doha, Qatar who requested his office that they be helped in their repatriation. The three arrived with Binay via Emirates flight EK 332.

VP BINAY HELPS DISTRESSED PASSENGER. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay extends assistance to a fellow passenger who experienced complications due to a miscarriage she suffered. Jessa Gozo was with Binay aboard Emirates flight EK 332 when she felt ill. The Vice President ordered an ambulance to help Gozo and send her to Ospital ng Makati upon her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I.

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VP Binay warns against text scams anew

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay has reiterated his warning against circulating text messages claiming that the recipient has won a raffle draw sponsored by a certain Binay Foundation. Inuulit-ulit ko po, huwag po sana tayong maniniwala sa mga text scam na ito, huwag po tayong magpabiktima, warned Binay. Sa mga nakatatanggap po ng mga text messages na nagsasabing nanalo sila sa pa-raffle na ginagamit ang pangalan ko, kung maaari ay ipagbigay-alam ninyo sa aming tanggapan, he added. Binay urged recipients of such text messages to contact his office at 832-6791 local 105 or 106 or at vp@ovp.gov.ph for verification. According to Binay, the Office of the Vice President does not engage in raffle draws, nor does it have a cash assistance program. Just to clear the issue, please ignore any messages claiming such, because those are certainly scams. The Vice President has also ordered his office to investigate into the matter. The circulating text message read: From: BINAY FOUNDATION! Ur Sim# won (P750,000) 2nd winner during our Handog Pangkabuhayan2012. To claim ur prize, Call me now! Atty. Herman C. Cruz. DTI#0400S-2012. Other text scams that have circulated in the past, which use Binay or the OVP, include the following: (NOTICE>From Jejomar Binay ur sim#have won 860,000) 05-03-12 pls. Call Katherine L. Madrigal at dis # 09128038637 (Auditor of the phil. Fund) DTI/NDRprmit# 4821. D/MILLIONAIRES CLUB OFFICE OF THE PHILS., nforming u dat ur cel# Won!, in PABAHAY NI BINAY 2011!, Worth, Php850,000.00 DTI-NCR permit#1603s11, Pls. call me now!!..Im Atty. Vic L. Delima. Congratulations!! Ur Sim# had Won P480,000+Sony Laptop. From BINAY FUND. HANDOG KABUHAYAN. 4 more info!Call me now Atty. REY A. LIM DTI#0138 Series/2011.

DepEd includes Ibanag in multilingual program

The Ibanag Mother-Tongue BasedMulti-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) program is now implemented in 15 municipalities and two cities in Cagayan and Isabela, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said. Binay, founding chairman of the Ibanag Heritage Foundation Inc. (IHFI), said the program has been rolled out in San Pablo, Cabagan, Tumauini, Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Gamu, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes and the City of Ilagan in Isabela; Pamplona, Abulug, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Lallo, Iguig, Solana and Tuguegarao City in Cagayan. We are targeting a total of 34 pilot schools for the implementation one central and one barangay school in each of the selected nine localities in Isabela and eight in Cagayan, Binay said. The pilot implementation of the MTB-MLE Program is in line with (Department of Education) Secretary Armin Luistros approval of our request to have the Ibanag language included in the native tongues to be used in DepEds MTBMLE program this year, he added. The Vice President wrote Luistro in March and recommended the inclusion of Ibanag, the lingua franca of the Cagayan Valley region, in the MTB-MLE program. Binay has Ibanag roots. His mother, Lourdes Gatan Cabauatan, is from Cabagan. He said that Phase I of the program, consisting of dialect survey and the workshop for both Cagayan and Isabela teachers, was scheduled for the second week of July. We are focusing on developing a robust set of indigenized instructional materials that would be easy for the teachers to teach and the students to learn, he said. He thanked the Indigenous Peoples Education Office (IPsEO) and DepEd Region II, particularly IPsEO chief Rozanno Rufino and DepEd R-2 OIC Dr. Corazon Barrientos, for their very active support to reviving the Ibanag language. The official inclusion of the Ibanag language in the MTB-MLE program of DepEd is a big step in the IHFIs efforts to increase the number of native speakers and preserve the language, he said. The IHFI previously identified ten program areas to ensure the preservation of the Ibanag VP BINAY WELCOMES OFWS FROM SYRIA. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay welcomes home culture: the language, history, folklore and literaFilipinos who arrived from Syria. The Vice President urged Filipinos still in Syria to come home as ture, cuisine, historical and religious landmarks, conditions due to the civil war are worsening. He also announced a moratorium on loan payment tourist spots, festivals and traditions, indigenous for the repatriates who are members of Pag-IBIG. industries, endemic flora and fauna, and peopleto-people partnership with local and foreign cultural organizations.

U.P. TAGUIG GROUNDBREAKING

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay joins Senator Edgardo Angara, University of the Philippines President Fred Pascual and other UP officials during the groundbreaking ceremony of the U.P. Professional Schools in Bonifacio Global City. Binay said he hopes the new campus will add strength to universities, and to the way society values, uses and reproduces knowledge.