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Workers carry sacks of rice at a National Food Authority warehouse in Manila on August 12, 2010. The Philippines, the world’s leading importer of rice, said on August 11, it would hand out 50,000 tonnes of the surplus grain to children. The give-away will free up space in 480 government warehouses where President Benigno Aquino has said unsold rice is rotting, National Food Authority (NFA) spokesman Rex Estoperez disclosed.
Aug 13, 2010
Meeting with Obama in White House set; signing of P20-B grant of MCC to top agenda
By FRED G. GABOT and JOSEPH G. LARIOSA Special to Fil-Am Megascene
WASHINGTON/MANILA (JGLi/PhilAmPress) — The stage is set for the first person-to-person summit meeting of American President Barack Obama and Philippine President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III next month. There is no official announcement yet on the historic meeting but US Ambassador to Manila Harry K. Thomas Jr. hinted in Manila that the meeting maybe timed for the planned visit of President Aquino for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Aquino himself stated last week in Manila that the US trip will be his first priority of the more than 12 foreign trips being scheduled for him this year.
The UN General Assembly session is scheduled to open on September 15 and end on September 30 and President Aquino may most probably be at the UN session between September 21 and September 28, the same dates the former Philippine presidents, including then President Corazon Aquino, “marks a vote of confidence in the Aquino administration and its commitment to confront corruption.”
The MCC Board of Directors is chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visited the Philippines last year. MCC is a U.S. Government agency designed to work with developing countries on aid disbursements. The signing of the final agreements is expected to occur in the coming weeks, possibly during the time of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III’s planned visit to the U.S. for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“Congratulations to the people and Government of the Philippines for tackling difficult challenges to create tangible opportunities for growth and prosperity,” said MCC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yohannes. “The Filipinos have articulated a clear vision to improve the quality of their lives through a technically, environmentally, and socially sound plan. I am confident that the country’s ongoing commitment to positive reforms, accountability and transparency, and the timely implementation of the compact will deliver tangible results,” he added.
Thomas further said, “The MCC grant will support President Aquino’s efforts to reduce poverty, stimulate economic growth, combat corruption, and ensure a better future for all Filipinos. I am delighted that we now have this new opportunity to build on our partnership with the Philippines.”
Non-governmental organizations, private sector firms, and the Philippine Government and people consulted extensively to design a homegrown program to address key constraints to sustainable development to qualify for the compact. The standards and criteria for meeting the terms of the compact were lined up and pursued in earnest by the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
About US$ 54.3 million in investments to computerize and streamline business processes in the Bureau of Internal Revenue is allotted. This project will bolster the effectiveness of revenue collection and reduce opportunities for corruption, said the MCC announcement. For the US$ 120 million to expand the innovative Kalahi-CIDSS program, under the leadership of the Department of social Welfare and Development, it is expected to strengthen local accountability and empower poor communities to design and drive the projects they need to increase their incomes and improve their lives, MCC said.