MEDIA BUREAU
April 21, 2008

REPORT ABUSIVE COPS, LIM TELLS INDIAN BUSINESSMEN

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim has asked the Indian business community to immediately report to him abusive cops so that they will be properly punished. He recently addressed the Indian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc.

Lim gave the reminder even as he stressed that his policy is "the law applies to all, otherwise none at all." He reported to them the recent arrest of policemen involved in drug planting and extortion. "They were given guns to protect the civilians not to terrorize them," Lim stressed.

He said despite a deficit in the city's budget, he prioritized the acquisition of 60 brand new mobile patrol cars to ensure visibility of the police force to reduce, if not eliminate, criminality in the city. This was matched by a donation of 22 patrol cars by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

 

Another priority of the city is social services like education and health care. He said the city, during his first term, was the first one to provide free education from elementary to tertiary, through the Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, which now benefit thousands of students who could not otherwise afford college education.

 

For health care, Lim said the city has four public hospitals that offer free services from confinement to medicines to the city's poor and his target by 2010 is to provide a city hospital for each of  the six districts of Manila.

 

He also asked the Indian community to pay the right taxes to the city to help it recover from its current huge budget deficit and execute more projects. A recent Supreme Court ruling asked the city not to implement the exorbitant taxes applied by the past administration.

 

"By paying the appropriate taxes, you will help me realize my plan to build the financial district of Manila from the back of Manila Hotel along Bonifacio Drive to the Del Pan Bridge, where businesses can set up shop in this new financial center," he said.

 

MEDIA BUREAU
April 20, 2008

LOST JAPANESE BOY SOON TO BE REUNITED WITH DAD IN JAPAN

As soon as Hikaru Ito, 8 years old, is completely treated of his primary complex, he will finally rejoin his father, Hajimi Ito, in Japan after five years of separation.

Hikaru was found and recovered twice by the Manila Social Welfare while tearfully roaming the streets of Quiapo in search of his mother, Melinda P. Ito, a resident of Baseco Compound who left him after their shanty got burned and she no longer had any means to support him.

His mother, Melinda P. Ito, first claimed him at the DSWD Reception and Action Center after presenting a passport and barangay certification in the absence of his birth certificate. A few days later, she again left him roaming the streets.

On June 19, 2007 he was turned over again to the DSWD RAC by Barangay Tanod Ex-O Aristeo Catacutan of Barangay 410, Zone 42 after a concerned citizen, Isaias Butagay found him crying in Quiapo area.

When no one claimed him after some time, he was transferred to the Boys Town—a facility operated and owned by the City of Manila. On Oct. 16, 2007 the DSWD sent a letter to the Japanese Embassy, which later called the Boys Town Complex to acknowledge the letter.

On March 4, 2007 Consul Chief Kenji Endo visited Hikary at the Boys Town and assured him of the embassy’s assistance in locating his father. The following day, a DSWD social worker visited Baseco in Port Area to locate Hikaru’s mother. She left the shanty after it was washed out by typhoon Milenyo.

On March 27, 2008 the Japanese Broadcasting Network visited Hikaru and took footages of him. On May 28, 2007, Consul Endo went to Boys Town with a medical doctor to examine Hikaru. The Consul also informed Boys Town Center (BTC) that Hikaru’s father will be coming to see the child.

Last March 31, 2008, Hikaru met his father for the first time but he could not be rejoined with him yet because of his primary complex. For now, he will undergo treatment at the Foundling Home in BTC.

The Japanese Embassy will provide support to Hikaru’s needs including tutorial in Japanese language to prepare him for the reunion with his dad.

Hikaru’s case is just one in so many foreigners—young and old alike—who are roaming the streets of Manila. Some by choice, others get lost and are afraid to ask for help from the locals.

But Mayor Alfredo S. Lim directed the City’s DSW to always be on the lookout for foreigners—and other vagabonds—who roam the streets because they have no one to look after them.

MEDIA BUREAU
April 12, 2008

CITY HALL GIVES CASH ADVANCE TO PERFECTO HS

City Hall has released cash advances to Manila public schools to ensure that they would undertake repairs and maintenance work of the facilities and grounds this summer in preparation for the school opening in June.

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim received a thank you letter for authorizing the release of cash advance to Gregorio Perfecto High School, which enabled the school to undertake the repairs and improvements of electric fans and faded wall paints.

G. Perfecto School Principal Alma C. Tadina said even with the meager resources of the school, “we have repaired a number of electric fans. But now with the cash advance from the City Hall all repairs and improvements will be done this summer. We thank you very much for your support to all Manila public schools,” Tadina added.

She also vehemently denied an allegation by a student that was sent via SMS to the Mayor on “classrooms with faded painting and alleged vandalism.

 “Our classrooms are conducive for learning. Our school is “a vandalism-free institution. Our utility personnel are tasked to retouch any part of the school buildings with graffiti right away,” she wrote the Mayor.

She also said the school if “always open for everyone to see for themselves that we are not remiss in our tasks and our school is clean, orderly and conducive for learning for our clientele.”

The Mayor encourages City personnel to reply to complaints and observations by city residents and other people to ensure transparency at all times.

MEDIA BUREAU
April 12, 2008

ANTI RABIES CAMPAIGN IN MANILA IS YEAR-ROUND

Unlike other cities and towns in the country, the City of Manila is making its anti rabies campaign a year-round activity to ensure that city residents and visitors will not be afflicted with this fatal virus from dogs and other roaming animals.

The intensified campaign was ordered by Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim as he tasked City Administrator Jesus Mari Marzan to make sure that all 118 barangays and all public and private schools of Manila will be properly covered by the intensified information campaign.

The City Veterinary Inspection Board, under Administrator Marzan, has allotted P530,000 budget for the anti rabies campaign that includes free vaccination shots for dogs, cats and other privately-owned pets that might get loose from their cages and pose a risk to the public.

Marzan said the City VIB was able to vaccinate a total of 10,030 dogs; 255 cats and four monkeys. The free vaccination is being undertaken upon the request of barangay officials and individuals who coordinate with either the barangays, VIB or any of the six satellite offices of the City.

The City VIB has also slated regular information caravans which make the rounds of public schools and populated areas to inform the residents of their responsibility to keep their pets indoors or chained so as not to pose a danger to any person, Marzan said.

Similarly, the City has three pound wagons that collect stray dogs, cats and other animals and put them in the VIB pound along A. Bonifacio. Owners of these seized animals have three days (down from 10 days before) to collect their pets from VIB. But animals not claimed after three days will automatically be subjected to euthanasia.

The VIB Special Meat Squad conducted routine inspection of 30 major public markets and talipapas  to ensure that meat sold are not infected animals. From January to March 2008, the VIB confiscated 2,000 kilos of meat specimen (suspected to have come from illegally traded sources) which were all condemned (buried). But 40 percent of the 2,000 kilos were found safe for human consumption and donated to charitable institutions, Marzan said.

MEDIA BUREAU
April 11, 2008

LIM TELLS CITY EXECS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH DOLE

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim told City Hall officials to coordinate closely with the Department of  Labor and Employment (DOLE) in conducting capability building seminars to enhance the implementation of pro poor programs for the city.

DOLE conducted one such seminar last Thursday at the DOLE Occupational Health and Safety Center in Malate which was participated in by City Hall employees, who will now be the identified implementors of the pro programs.

Lim was represented by Deputy Mayor Jose Silva, who said that the seminars are envisioned to "empower the city employees on their roles in making DOLE’s programs successful in bringing employment and livelihood to the masses."

Silva also praised Labor Secretary Arturo Brion for working closely with the city government of Manila in the planning and implementing its pro-poor programs.

Others who attended the seminar were Director Raymundo Agravante, DOLE Manila Field Office Director Andrea Cabansag and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Director Nini Lanto.