Implementing rules to address hunger signed

Primary authors of the Food Donation Act of 2009, Sen. Richard Gordon (third from the left) and Rep. Ed Zialcita (second from the left), proudly present the newly signed Memorandum of Agreement on the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the aforementioned resolution. Joining them in the said momentous event are Philippine Red Cross Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang (extreme left) and Department of Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco (extreme right).

Different government and social welfare agencies are now one step closer in enforcing the law on encouraging the donation of food for charitable purposes following the signing of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) governing the Food Donation Act of 2009 at the Philippine National Red Cross (PRC) National Headquarters Office in Port Area, Manila Monday.

Senator Richard Gordon, the author of the bill that had been passed last November 2009 and chairman of the PRC, explained that the singing of the IRR was vital in order to implement the provisions of the Act that seeks to address the increasing hunger in the Philippines.

“The law is extremely important because most people had measly income to feed their family. With the signing of the IRRs we will be able to truly implement the law and finally get our work done in giving services not only during times of calamity but also everytime the public needs social help,” he told the Manila Bulletin in a chance interview.

“Many claim and try to associate themselves with the poor but I didn't. I just walk the talk. I did what I have to do and this was the fruit of what I had done,” he added.

Aside from Gordon, also present in the IRR signing were Paranaque first district Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, co-author of the Act, PRC secretary general Gwendolyn Pang, Union of Local Authorities in the Philippines (ULAP) president and Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Jr., Social, Welfare and Development (DSWD) acting secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acting director Nazarita Tacandong and Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines president Humprey O'Leary.

Implementing rules to address hunger signed

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/257814/implementing-rules-address-hunger-signed
By LEONARD D. POSTRADO
May 17, 2010, 5:34pm

Statement on May 10, 2010 Elections.

I would like to congratulate Sen. Aquino for his spectacular victory.  I call upon the nation to unite and support him.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me especially my volunteers and those who gave up their limited resources as a manifestation of trust in my brand of leadership and track record.

I ran a very truthful, straightforward and candid campaign and thought that we could run on the basis of our platform, track record, vision and volunteerism.

I would like to congratulate all the winners and pray that they serve our country well.

We accept the will of the people.

Today, we have a victory for democracy with the succesful exercise of our first nationwide automated elections despite naysayers and doubters.

The fight for this country goes beyond this day.  Let us forge on in building a Bagumbayan for our people.

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

“Failure is not an option,” said Bagumbayan presidential candidate Richard Gordon, on mounting questions on the credibility of the PCOS machines to be used in the May 2010 elections.

"Focus and get to work. If it is necessary to move the election date by a week to ensure reliability of the machines, then do it. Work on the solution."

"These are tough decisions but they have to be made. Any CEO knows that problems arise at the last minute but panic is pointless because it does not solve the problem."

“I hate to say ‘I told you so’ but that seems to be the case.  I pushed for partial automation as proof of concept from the time we started committee hearings in 2005 until 2007, and if we had done so in May 2007 in 2 provinces and 2 cities as required by the law, or even during the barangay elections in October 2007, we would have caught these glitches sooner.  But in the Senate I was practically alone in my advocacy.”

The Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the automation law in December 2006, and the law was passed in January 2007.  No pilot test of automation was done until the ARMM elections in August 2008.

 “All that is in the past. Now we need to fix the problem, not fix the blame. I’m calling on the Comelec, the automation Advisory Council, and Smartmatic to step up to the plate.  Stay the course, solve the problem. Failure is not an option."