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Politics

DON’T HIKE OFW PASSPORT RENEWAL FEE – PANGILINAN

Senator Kiko Pangilinan said he is opposed to the increase in the passport renewal fees imposed on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other Filipinos in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the United States. “Mariin kong tinututulan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng passport renewal fees sa Middle East, Europe, Asia, at US. Ang desisyon ng […]

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Politics

HIKE IN HEALTH WORKERS’ SRA IN 2022 BUDGET URGED

Senator Joel Villanueva said funds for the two special pay allowances for medical front liners should be “rolled over” in next year’s national budget. Villanueva is however proposing a bigger 2022 allocation for the Special Risk Allowance (SRA) and the COVID-19 Active Hazard Duty Pay (AHDP) so that health workers may receive bigger amounts of […]

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Politics

HONTIVEROS: REVOKE TAX HIKE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to revoke the 25% corporate income tax hike imposed on private schools. Hontiveros said this move is “anti-students” as this may only displace more students when private schools are forced to close due to increased economic pressure brought by the pandemic. “Hindi naman […]

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Politics

EDUCATION BUDGET HIKE FOR PANDEMIC RECOVERY URGED

Senator Win Gatchalian bats for the allocation of up to 6% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the overall budget of the education sector next year, the recommendation by the United Nations (UN) under the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), to help spur the sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The education sector has […]

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Politics

DEFERRED SSS RATE HIKE GETS SENATE OK – GORDON

The Senate approved a measure seeking to grant the President limited power to defer increases in the Social Security System (SSS) contributions for six months in times of a declared national emergency or calamity. Under the bill, the President may extend the deferment of the SSS contribution hike for another six months for a total […]

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Government

NEA HAILS RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM FUND HIKE

State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) welcomed the increase in funding for the implementation of the government’s rural electrification program for this year. Under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2021, the NEA was allocated P2.498 billion for the rural electrification program. This amount is P670 million higher than the P1.828 billion recommended under the 2021 […]

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Politics

DEFER SSS CONTRIBUTION HIKE – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva filed a bill seeking to defer the implementation of the Social Security System (SSS) one-percent hike on the members’ monthly contribution in January, citing the economic hardships already faced by both workers and employers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee said he filed the bill recently […]