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Politics

RUSSIA BESTOWS ‘BADGE FOR COOPERATION’ ON PIMENTEL

The Senate adopted a concurrent resolution granting Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III permission to accept the “Badge for Cooperation” from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for his significant contributions to strengthening Philippine-Russian relations. “The ‘Badge For Cooperation’ is a prestigious honor that underscores Pimentel’s significant role in fostering closer ties […]

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PIMENTEL TO DA: FILE CASES VS BLACKLISTED FIRMS

While the Department of Agriculture’s blacklisting of 10 companies involved in illegal agricultural trade is commendable, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III urged the department to file criminal charges with urgency to ensure accountability. “Hindi sapat ang pagbablacklist lamang. Kailangan maparusahan ang mga nagkasala. Dapat may pananagutan ang mga kumpanyang ito sa kanilang mga ginawa,” […]

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PIMENTEL BACKS TEACHERS’ LOAN PAYMENT SUSPENSION

Senate Minority Floor Leader Koko Pimentel III expressed his full support for the request of Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara to temporarily suspend the collection of loan payments for DepEd employees directly affected by recent typhoons. Angara, in a letter to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), formally requested a three-month suspension of […]

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PIMENTEL LAUDS PH VISITING DELEGATION TO UAE

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s and his delegation for a successful bilateral meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “The UAE is a significant economic and geopolitical force in the region, and this visit holds great promise for boosting trade, investment, […]

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PIMENTEL LAUDS CONFERENCE OF RICE STAKEHOLDERS

Senate Minority Floor Leader Koko Pimentel III commended over 200 rice stakeholders from across the country who gathered for the 2024 National Rice Industry Stakeholders Conference. The conference, organized by the Department of Agriculture-National Rice Program (DA-NRP) and the DA-Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), took place from November 25-27, 2024. Pimentel stressed that […]

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PIMENTEL TO PCO: GIVE SEMINAR ON FAKE NEWS

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III has called on the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to conduct a seminar in Senate offices on combating fake news. Pimentel made the call during the plenary deliberations of the 2025 General Appropriations Bill of the agency recently. “Out of a sense of corporate social responsibility, we can ask PCO […]

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PIMENTEL : 4PH HOUSING PROGRAM ‘OUT OF TUNE’

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asked the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) to conduct further study on the President’s flagship housing program, 4PH, calling it “out of tune.” Pimentel urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to directly intervene and review the program.  “This is my personal message to the Office of […]

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PIMENTEL WANTS DFA’S BUDGET HIGHER THAN AKAP’S

A controversial dole-out program called “AKAP” or Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program receiving a higher budget than the Department of Foreign Affairs in the proposed 2025 national budget bothers Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III, who said it should not be allowed. Pimentel questioned why AKAP would receive a higher budget than DFA. “A […]

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DOTR URGED: CASH REFUNDS FOR CANCELLED FLIGHTS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to adopt a similar policy requiring airlines to issue automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights, similar to a recent policy implemented by the United States. In a new policy that took effect on Monday, the U.S. Department of […]

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PIMENTEL WANTS PROBE ON CITEM’S BUDGET

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III called for reforms at the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), after raising concerns over several operational issues within the export agency, including high costs for exhibitors and a long-term lease agreement he described as “grossly disadvantageous” to the government. In a resolution, Pimentel cited the agency’s […]