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PRESIDENTIAL SISTERS Maria Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz, Aurora Corazon “Pinky'” Aquino- Abellada and Victoria Eliza “Viel” Aquino- Dee offer flowers and light candles on Friday (August 27) to the victims of the tragic hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park Manila. The Aquino sisters joined some 30 members of the Yellow Ribbon Movement to pray the rosary at the site of that fateful incident. Ms. Aquino-Dee said she will continue to pray for the country and the Filipino people so they can get over this unfortunate incident.
Aug 27, 2010
MANILA – Malacanang household under President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino has set the example for austerity, spending only 40% of what the previous tenant at the Palace, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was spending since he took over. President Aquino himself revealed
the savings of 60% in a press briefing Wednesday last week, August 18, saying the Internal House Affairs Office (IHAO), which handles the upkeep of Malacanang household, had informed him the previous week that its expenses today under the new administration amounted to only 40% of what was spent for the past occupants covering the same period in previous years.
The President made the disclosure when he was asked by a reporter how he
was leading by example on government austerity in the light of the move of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to adopt austerity measures to contain the budget deficit this year. The budget deficit is expected to hit P325 billion this year, up from about P298 billion last year. Among the austerity measures outlined by the DBM were a freeze on the government purchase of new vehicles and the construction of new buildings, except the building of classrooms. The government is forced to adopt austerity measures after the new administration of President Aquino found that the government is left with only 10% of the budget to spend for the second half of the year.
Last Friday, President Aquino confirmed government’s move toward austerity even next year by telling an All Leaders’ Forum with volunteer groups during his presidential campaign about a hiring freeze next year in most agencies of the government, except the hiring of teachers by the Department of Education. The President said DBM Secretary Florencio Abad had advised him against hiring more people in government due to budgetary constraints. Abad had cited to the President that next year’s national budget has no allocation for salaries if the government hires additional employees. In line with this move, the government also won’t be hiring many advisers and consultants to keep a lean bureaucracy and save money.
Austerity measures will also be adopted on President Aquino’s travels abroad, including his trip to the United States next month and his visits to Indonesia and Vietnam before that. President Aquino will be traveling abroad with a small delegation compared with the big groups being brought by President Arroyo when she would travel abroad.