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Politics

VILLANUEVA: REVOKE TAX HIKE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Senator Joel Villanueva called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue to recall Revenue Regulation 5-2021 (RR 5-2021) that imposes a tax rate of 25% on private schools – a big jump from the previous 10% – because it is was based on an erroneous interpretation of a newly enacted law. The BIR, in releasing RR […]

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Politics

NO EXPIRY FOR PSA BIRTH CERTIFICATE – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva called on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to clear the air with all government agencies on the lifetime validity of birth certificates, and deal away with the unnecessary need of securing the document issued within the past six months. Villanueva said the concern weighed heavily on Filipinos, particularly jobseekers as it placed […]

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Politics

SENATORS LAUD GUILTY VERDICT IN MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE CASE

Senators lauded the guilty verdict handed down by a Quezon City court against several members of the Ampatuan clan who were involved in the massacre of 57 people – including 31 members of the media, in Maguindanao in 2009. “Justice won today,” Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said in a short statement. Senator Joel Villanueva […]

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Politics

OVERTAXATION CONCERN ON POGO IS UNFOUNDED – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva described the overtaxation concern on Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) as unfounded, saying its poor regulation has contributed to mounting social concerns such as rising property prices and an increase in criminality and illegal activities. In a statement, Villanueva expressed support for the move to impose taxes on this particular sector of […]

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Politics

YOUTH-CENTRIC MEASURES PASSED IN PHILIPPINE SENATE – VILLANUEVA

Improving the youth sector in terms of political representation, education and employment has been a key legislative priority of lawmakers in the Philippine Senate as seen in the youth-centric measures it had passed, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. Speaking at the 6th Forum of Young Parliamentarians in Belgrade, Serbia, Villanueva shared to the body of […]

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Politics

WE THANK SENATOR VILLANUEVA FOR REFILING THE ANTI-ENDO BILL – TUCP

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), which is touted as the country’s largest labor union, thanked Senator Joel Villanueva for refiling the Security of Tenure bill (SOT) or the  “End Endo Bill” which was vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte. “We also urge the President to certify it as urgent again.”  “We thank Senator […]

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Politics

ENDO BILL GAINS MORE SUPPORT FROM CABINET MEMBERS – VILLANUEVA

The growing support for the Security of Tenure bill among Cabinet members shows the government’s determination to put an end into the practice of illegal labor contractualization, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez recently gave his support for the Security of Tenure measure, a move that Villanueva described as a “vote of […]

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Politics

BICAM APPROVES SERVICE CHARGE BILL – VILLANUEVA

The congressional bicameral conference committee has approved a measure that would grant restaurant and hotel employees 100 percent access to service charges collected from customers. Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development, said the bicam panel agreed to adopt Senate Bill 1299, which proposes that restaurant and […]

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Politics

2019 NAT’L BUDGET BANS BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION FROM ISSUING SPECIAL WORKING PERMITS TO ALIENS – VILLANUEVA

There is a special provision in the proposed 2019 national budget that prohibits the Bureau of Immigration from issuing special work permits to aliens amid the influx of illegal foreign workers in the country, Senator Joel Villanueva said. In an ambush interview following the Senate hearing on the rise of foreign illegal workers in the […]

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Politics

REQUIRE BI TO COORDINATE WITH DOLE BEFORE ISSUING SPECIAL WORK PERMITS – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva is pushing for the inclusion of a special provision requiring the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to first coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) before issuing special working permits to foreigners who intend to work in the Philippines for less than six months. According to Villanueva, this is consistent with […]