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Politics

INSTITUTIONALIZE TEACHERS’ P5K CHALK, SUPPLIES ALLOWANCE – GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing the institutionalized increase of the annual teaching supplies allowance from P3,500 to 5,000, a measure that would spare about 840,000 public school teachers from shelling out more money for classroom activities. While the teaching supplies allowance or ‘chalk allowance’ is provided for annually under the General Appropriations Act (GAA), Gatchalian […]

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Politics

I WILL ONLY FAVOR CHA-CHA IF IT WILL BENEFIT THE FILIPINO PEOPLE – GO

Senator Bong Go has stressed that he will only favor Charter change (Cha-cha) if it will contribute to the benefit of Filipinos. “If those who benefit from the changes in the Constitution are us politicians, then I am not in favor. The Filipino people should be the ones who will benefit from it,” Go told […]

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Politics

I’LL WORK DOUBLE TIME TO PASS ABANDONED, NEGLECTED CHILDREN TRUST FUND BILL – REVILLA

Senator Bong Revilla was elated to hear that the House Committee on the Welfare of Children successfully passed the counterpart of his bill on the Special Trust Fund for every Abandoned, Neglected and Voluntarily Committed Children. Revilla also re-affirmed his commitment in working double time to pass the Senate version of the bill (S. No. […]

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Politics

CONGRESS HAS ENOUGH TIME FOR 2019 BUDGET VALIDITY EXTENSION – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara said Congress has enough time left in its legislative calendar to approve the bill extending the validity of certain items of the 2019 national budget. Angara, the chairman of the Committee on Finance, said a hearing would no longer be necessary for Senate Bill 1153, which he filed last November 6, and […]

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Politics

CHILD, TEEN DEPRESSION LINKED TO SOCIAL MEDIA USE– GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to make responsible social media use a key component in mental health programs for schools, noting that increased smartphone and social media use has been linked to depression and anxiety among children and adolescents. In a news report, Dr. Cornelio Banaag, Jr. of the Medical […]

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Government

GORDON’S JUDGES-AT-LARGE LAW COULD ADDRESS COURT VACANCIES – PERALTA

The Judges-at-Large Act of 2018, which was sponsored by Senator Dick Gordon, could be the solution to the problem on court vacancies as stated by Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta. According to Peralta, around 20 percent of courts nationwide are vacant and in need of judges. The Chief Justice said that one of the […]

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Politics

NATIONWIDE BAN ON PLASTIC USE IS URGENT – VILLAR

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has backed the recent pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte on the possibility of a nationwide ban on the use of plastic. Senator Cynthia Villar said the possible plastic ban is urgent as she cited a 2015 report on plastic pollution by the international group Ocean […]

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Politics

GATCHALIAN TO DEPED: PREVENT CONSUMPTION OF ASF-POSITIVE PORK PRODUCTS IN SCHOOLS

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education to heighten precautionary measures and prevent students from consuming pork products that test positive for African swine fever (ASF). Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, has called for DepEd’s vigilance following reports that processed pork from China tested positive for ASF. […]

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Politics

STRICTLY IMPLEMENT FOOD SAFETY ACT – REVILLA

Senator Bong Revilla has filed a resolution (P. No. 195) calling for stricter implementation of the provisions of Republic Act No. 10611, or the Food Safety Act of 2013, to ensure protection of public health and market access of locally-produced foods and food products is facilitated. Revilla believes that a strict implementation of the Food […]

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Politics

ADDRESS LAPSES IN ROAD SAFETY – POE

Senator Grace Poe said road tragedies are grim reminders that lapses in road safety must be immediately addressed to save lives. In her sponsorship speech of Senate Bill No. 1122 (Committee Report No. 15) or the proposed National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims, Survivors and their Families Act, Poe called for urgent action […]