IKOT.PH
Senator Mark Villar called for stronger and more coordinated measures to safeguard the country’s food security amid the looming threat of “Super” El Niño, warning that prolonged dry conditions could disrupt food production and distribution, drive up prices, and put vulnerable Filipino households at risk. According to the Office of Civil Defense, agricultural damage caused […]
Public anger combined with sustained vigilance could be key to countering the greed and callousness of lawmakers behind questionable insertions in the proposed 2027 national budget, Senator Ping Lacson said. Lacson expressed hope that the “kapalmuks” behind the attempts to mangle the budget anew would be proven wrong by the efforts of lawmakers and budget […]
Philippine Senate Energy Committee Chairman Senator Erwin Tulfo, in an effort to strengthen the country’s energy security, is seeking a partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to develop a strategic oil storage facility that could position the Philippines as a regional oil hub. During bilateral discussions […]
Senator Kiko Pangilinan called on the government to ensure the strict enforcement of price freezes in areas declared under a state of calamity and intensify its crackdown on hoarders, profiteers, and cartels as the country braces for the impact of strong El Niño on food production and prices. Pangilinan urged the Department of Trade and […]
Senate President Win Gatchalian is pushing to increase the budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a bid to ensure its continuous modernization, readiness, and capability-building amid continuing volatility in the geopolitical landscape. “Talagang mabilis na nagbabago ang ating geopolitical situation sa rehiyon at buong mundo. Nakikita yung ibang conflict sa Middle […]
Super El Niño is here. It crept in this October and will reach its peak progression in December, after which the country will experience a long dry spell, extreme heat and rainfall deficiency. From January to March, the crisis will worsen significantly, with roughly 79 provinces projected to experience full drought. Critical water shortages and […]
Senate President Win Gatchalian reiterated his commitment to secure funding for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program to sustain gains in student literacy. “Ito naman ang ating commitment sa DepEd dahil kung maganda ‘yung programa, kailangang mapondohan para ma-sustain iyong gains,” Gatchalian said during the Senate Committee on Finance’s briefing on the proposed […]
Senator Ping Lacson warned other government agencies against brazenly offering budget funds to senators, following his disclosure of an P5-million “allocation fund” offer linked to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Lacson also instructed his staff to provide TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez with all available details of the “offer” to help in […]
The Senate is considering cutting some P2 billion from its proposed 2027 budget in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to set an example of fiscal discipline for the House of Representatives, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down certain provisions of the 2024 and 2025 budgets as unconstitutional, Senator Ping Lacson […]
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday pushed for a generational development plan for Indigenous Peoples, with five-year targets that can serve as benchmarks for measuring progress in health, infrastructure, education, and other basic services. “We need a generational plan with five-year targets,” Cayetano urged the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) during a […]