Press Briefing Room, New Executive Bldg., Malacañang, | News Releases below | Audio | http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/pnoy/Press%20Briefing%20by%20PCOO%20Sec%20Sonny%20Coloma,%2018%20Mar%202014.mp3 | Coloma says he supports COA's move to go after officials with unliquidated cash advances Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said he supports the Commission on Audit's move to go after government officials and employees who have unliquidated cash advances. The COA said there is over P5 billion in unliquidated cash advances recorded by the auditing body as of end-2011 and could cover periods that go as far back as 20 to 40 years. "Ang aking nabatid sa kanyang pahayag ay kinakailangang maging accountable o pananagutin ang mga opisyal o empleyado ng pamahalaan na responsable para doon sa mga cash advances na kinuha nila," Coloma said with regards to the statement of COA chief Grace Pulido-Tan. "Ang aking batid sa kasalukuyan—at ito ay pinapatupad ko mismo dito sa aking tanggapan—'yung patakaran na no new cash advance unless an existing cash advance has been fully liquidated," he added. His office is doing the practice to ensure that funds being released by his office does not accumulate over time without liquidation. Tan said public money that remains unaccounted for several years could be considered malversed funds and officials who received the money could be charged. "Kaya ang sinisimulan po ng Commission on Audit ngayon ay 'yung proseso ng pagpapanagot. A process of accountability has been set into motion by the COA," Coloma said. PND (as) *** Philippines's Ayungin presence, lawful, says Palace official Malacanang said the country's presence in the Ayungin Shoal is lawful despite China's pronouncements that the Philippines is intruding in its jurisdiction in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). It was reported that China warned the Philippines to abandon its claims in the Ayungin Shoal, with its foreign ministry spokesperson saying they are on high alert for the Philippines possibly taking more proactive acts in the South China Sea. As a response, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr cited a Department of Foreign Affairs statement on March 14 regarding the issue. "The BRP Sierra Madre, a commissioned Philippine naval vessel, was placed in Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to serve as a permanent Philippine government installation in response to China's illegal occupation of Mischief Reef in 1995. This was prior to the signing of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002," Coloma told reporters in a press briefing citing DFA's statement. He said the Philippines reiterates that Ayungin Shoal is part of its continental shelf over which the country has sovereign rights and jurisdiction. "Yan po ang malinaw na posisyon ng ating pamahalaan. Lahat naman po ng pagkilos natin diyan ay ayon sa international law at in accordance with our policy of pursuing only peaceful and diplomatic means to resolve the disputes on territorial claims." China warned the Philippines against provocations in the West Philippine Sea after two Filipino civilian vessels were expelled from the Ayungin Shoal for allegedly bringing in construction materials. The DFA protested the expulsion of the two Filipino civilian vessels in Ayungin Shoal, but China rejected the protest. Filipino marines shelter in a rusted World War II era ship, the BRP Sierra Madre,that was intentionally grounded on Ayungin in 1999 in response to China's occupation of Mischief Reef in 1995. China claims almost the entire South China Sea through its nine-dash line that included parts of the Philippines 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Tired of fruitless attempts to settle the dispute diplomatically, the Philippines has filed for an arbitration case against China before the United Nations International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). China has refused to take part in the proceedings. PND (as) *** Malacanang salutes OFWs for record remittance Malacanang expressed its thanks and saluted the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWS) for the increase in the remittances which he said grew seven percent compared to the same period last year. In a press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said total remittances for 2013 reached P23-billion compared to P21.4-billion in 2012. "We salute and thank our overseas Filipino workers for the nearly seven percent increase in remittances made in January 2014 compared to the same period last year. Total remittances for 2013 reached almost P23-billion for a 7.4-percent increase compared to P21.4-billion in 2012," Coloma said. ( C O N T ... http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/today.htm#Malacanang_salutes ) ***

• published: 18 Mar 2014
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