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Politics

PSALM CORPORATE TERM EXTENSION GETS SENATE OK

The Senate approved on the third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2837 or the bill extending the corporate term of the Power Sector Asset Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation. The bill was aimed to amend section 50 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform (EPIRA) Act of 2001 which […]

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Politics

PIMENTEL WANTS ‘NO PROBATION’ FOR RECKLESS DRIVING

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III called for urgent action against rising road negligence, citing the danger it poses to the safety and lives of Filipinos. According to the Department of Health, an average of 12,000 Filipinos die every year due to road mishaps, such as car crashes and speeding vehicles. “More than 32 Filipinos […]

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Politics

HONTIVEROS TO SSS: DEFER CONTRIBUTION HIKE

Senator Risa Hontiveros called on the Social Security System to defer the implementation of the contribution hike as she noted that this would further deplete workers’ wages which have not kept up with the rising prices of goods. Hontiveros issued the call as she filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1269 calling for a Senate investigation […]

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Politics

PADILLA WANTS ONLINE ACCESS TO SHARI’AH COURTS

Senator Robin Padilla pushed anew for online or paperless access of Filipino Muslims in Shari’ah courts. In his sponsorship speech for Committee Report 237 for Senate Bill 2613, Padilla said it is time to address the 15-year-old challenge facing Muslim Filipinos in submitting documents to Shari’ah courts. “Dahil po dito, bahagi ng panukalang susog sa […]

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LEE TO DOH: GIVE PUBLIC HOSPITALS MORE EQUIPMENT

“Walang kwenta ang mga dagdag benepisyo kung walang mga gamit at ospital.” This was the statement of Manoy Wilbert Lee as he reiterated his call for the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track provision of medical equipment, including Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, Computed Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and other diagnostic […]

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Politics

MARIKINA CITY SHOE INDUSTRY GETS BOOST FROM DTI

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) successfully concluded its Trade Education and Advocacy (TEA) Campaign for the Marikina footwear industry recently. Held in the “shoe capital” itself, the activity reinforced the DTI’s commitment to empowering local industries and improving the utilization of free trade agreements (FTAs). The campaign focused on equipping stakeholders—including manufacturers, artisans, […]

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Politics

KOKO BACKS UNIFIED PWD ID IMPLEMENTATION

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III expressed his support for the National Council on Disability Affairs’ (NCDA) push to implement a unified identification system for persons with disabilities (PWDs), a measure aimed at addressing the misuse of PWD IDs. The NCDA’s proposed system seeks to eliminate fraudulent issuance of PWD IDs to unqualified individuals.  […]

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Politics

POE BATS FOR MOTORCYCLES-FOR-HIRE LAW PASSAGE

Senator Grace Poe called for revved up action to pass the bill to legalize and regulate motorcycles-for-hire as a safe mode of transportation. “The motorcycle-for-hire bill has been through the long and winding road to passage. Our tank is full,” Poe said during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services, which she previously […]

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Politics

GATCHALIAN: PROBE BANKS IN POGO MONEY LAUNDERING

Senator Win Gatchalian vowed to intensify inquiry into the possible involvement of banks and other financial institutions in money laundering cases linked to illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). For instance, Gatchalian questioned why banks failed to flag P7 billion in transactions that enabled former Mayor Alice Guo and her cohorts to build […]

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Politics

SMUGGLING OF CIGARETTES, VAPES ALARMS GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian sounded the alarm over the widespread smuggling and illicit trade of excisable products, including cigarettes and vapes, saying such activities erode revenue collection, pose health concerns, and create peace and order issues. “My worry is a reversal in smoking prevalence trends. We previously had a win-win situation where smoking prevalence was decreasing […]