Centrist Democracy Political Institute - Items filtered by date: October 2016
P is for PUTting the Filipinos First

While checking my newsfeed on Facebook this morning, I came across a celebrity-economist who happens to be a self-proclaimed elitist. Celebrity because he has been in a guesting spree lately explaining the president’s statements; surely, Duterte’s profanities has dragged him to fame. He has lambasted President Duterte in his Facebook posts several times, but this morning he again pointed out to Duterte’s un-stately disposition.
Published in Commentaries
We have been in an imperial hangover for a long time, that only an F bomb stint from that big guy at the helm can jolt us out of this long overdue somberness.
Published in LML Polettiques

 

First of two parts

President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent visit and diplomatic detente to China and his proclamation of a military and economic “separation” from the United States was like a nuclear bomb detonated on a peaceful Friday afternoon.

Published in LML Polettiques
Thursday, 27 October 2016 10:49

PH a sinking ship — FVR

 

THE ship of state is leaking and sinking as its captain, President Rodrigo Duterte, has been oblivious of the danger signs, former President Fidel V. Ramos said Saturday.

“Because we are all together onboard Ship Pilipinas—which is still leaky and slow-moving, because of internal strife and disunity, we all need to pull an oar or plug a leak [instead of adding more holes],” Ramos said.

Published in Commentaries

 

A national conference of Social Market Economy as a guiding framework for the future Federal Republic of the Philippines had gathered individuals and experts to discuss the ideologies and the possible application of its principles in the Philippine setting.

Organized by the Centrist Democracy Political Institute or CDPI, the national conference and workshop towards a Social Market Economy framework was held on October 21 in City Garden Grand, Makati City. The objective of the conference is to assess the Philippine economy, go over the critical challenges for Social Market Economy under a Federal System, to make a blueprint of the Philippine-style SME, and develop a draft policy statement towards SME.

Published in News
Federalism, governance and, autonomy have been the specimens in glass slides being scrutinized and discussed in the two days colloquy by global experts carrying with them varied and pertinent lenses in the field of governance. All placing their microscope frames on the burgeoning concept of federalism as the latter gradually warming up in the consciousness of the Filipinos. As soon as President Rodrigo Duterte pronounced his plan of shifting to a federal-parliamentary system of government, different groups conspired in a single agendum of educating the citizens about federalism and what future may hold our nation guided by such system.
Published in Recent Activities
Monday, 24 October 2016 16:26

The social and economic divide

In a forum on federalism I attended last week, some 50 experts on autonomy, governance and federalism came together for the first time to exchange experiences and perspectives. The idea was to present an opportunity for Filipinos and other nationalities, especially the policy makers dealing with various societal and political problems, to learn from each other. What crossed my mind in this forum and another conference I attended subsequently on market economy was that a change in the political and economic structure of our government is urgently needed. The clock is ticking fast and unless progress and growth become inclusive in a bottom-up process, there might be a violent collapse of the Philippine economy.

Published in Commentaries
Monday, 24 October 2016 16:16

PDU30 CORE HOSTS FEDERALISM FORUM

A federalism forum was convened by the PDU30 CORE in Bulwagan ni Tito Marcs, Bacaca Road, Davao City last October 15, 2016.

The forum gathered around Hugpong ng mga Barangay leaders (local government officials) and Alpha Phi Omega (APO) members, private individuals, and non-government organizations such as Centrist Democracy Political Institute or CDPI being one of the resource speakers of the federalism forum, to discuss about the prospects and process of shift from unitary-presidential to modified parliamentary-federalism form of government.
Published in News
Monday, 24 October 2016 12:22

PH to implement massive infrastructure plan

MANILA, Oct. 24 – The Philippines has partnered with a key Chinese Government agency and China’s biggest companies in order to study the implementation of the major flagship infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration.

These partnerships form part of the Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed during the President’s four-day state visit to China and have been estimated to amount to 24 billion US dollars.

These include various public works projects – bridges and a major road network - as well as rehabilitation of airports and seaports across the country.

The infrastructure program also includes massive investments in railroad networks which will improve

mobility and development in the regions especially in Mindanao, and aid in passenger connectivity and more efficient cargo handling to spur economic activities in the country. It will also help decongest Metro Manila and address present teansportation issues.

Bridges Connecting the Major Islands

Part of this infrastructure plan is to construct several bridges connecting the country’s major islands. This initiative will be led by the DPWH and includes mega bridge projects connecting Luzon to the Visayas via the 28 km Sorsogon to Samar bridge and the 23 km Leyte – Surigao bridge connecting Visayas to Mindanao.

The DPWH also proposed the construction of bridges connecting islands in Luzon and the Visayas, such as the Batangas to Mindoro mega bridge as well as a bridge connecting Bohol, Cebu and Negros islands.

Trains, Boats and Planes

The Department of Transportation also signed an MOU to study the feasibility of constructing major rail systems aimed at spurring development in the countryside and improving the connectivity of goods, services and people in far flung areas as well as reducing the congestion in the major cities. Among these are The Mindanao Railway System and the Manila to Clark direct railway as well as the Clark-Subic cargo and passenger railway.

In addition to the rail systems will be projects rehabilitating airports and seaports throughout the country. Among those listed are the rehabilitation of regional airports in Zamboanga, Dumaguete and Tacloban as well as the development of the seaports of Cebu and Davao.

The DPWH and the DOTR signed an MOU with the National Development and Reform Commission, China's super ministry in charge of the planning and development of vital infrastructure programs in the country.

Development of Smart and Safe Cities

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) also signed 4 MOUs to develop their existing projects in Clark and Fort Bonifacio, primarily to address the congestion in Metro Manila. BCDA signed an MOU with China Road and Bridge Corp. to develop a Bus Rapid Transit System connecting Fort Bonifacio to NAIA. It also signed 2 MOUs to develop Clark Freeport Zone and Clark Green City as alternative areas outside of Metro Manila to help ease congestion in the metropolis. BCDA signed an MOU with China Harbor Engineering Corp and China Fortune Land Development for the development of the Subic-Clark railway system and an industrial park in Clark Green City respectively.

BCDA also signed an MOU with Huawei, the largest telecommunications network equipment provider in the world for the development of smart and safe cities in Clark and Fort Bonifacio.

Bold Solutions and Swift Action

The country’s business leaders have long called for bold solutions and the swift improvement of the country’s infrastructure and transport network as well as better telecommunications and Internet service to sustain economic growth and it is hoped that the President’s state visit to China will be the catalyst to making all these plans a reality soon.

All MOUs signed during the trip are non exclusive and will still go through the rigorous competitive procurement process in the Philippines. (MARO)

* * *

read more: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141477235728/ph-to-implement-massive-infrastructure-plan

Published in News
Sunday, 23 October 2016 21:54

Duterte to copy Marcos-era agri programs

 

President Rodrigo Duterte said he plans to copy the “Masagana 99” and “Biyayang Dagat” programs implemented during the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in promoting the welfare of the country’s farmers and fishermen.

The programs, Duterte said, would include financial assistance, farm equipment upgrade and farm inputs distribution.

Published in News
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