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Politics

PASS 2019 BUDGET TO ENSURE PAY OF TEACHERS ON POLL DUTY – PIMENTEL

Senator Koko Pimentel III, chair of the Senate Trade and Commerce Committee urged for the passage of the 2019 national budget as he thumbed down proposals to reenact last year’s budget. In a radio interview on Monday, Pimentel emphasized that the government’s budget should not be held hostage by special interests. He added that a […]

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Politics

UHC BILL TO GIVE FILIPINOS BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVAL FROM LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara said Filipinos will soon have a better chance of survival from life-threatening diseases once the Universal Health Care (UHC) bill, which provides for free medical checkups and other preventive health services, becomes a law. According to Angara, preventive health services, one of the main proponents of the UHC, are intended to help […]

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Politics

GIVE BARANGAY OFFICIALS FIXED SALARIES – ANGARA

Barangay officials deserve not just honoraria but fixed salaries commensurate to their valuable contribution to the community as frontliners of government service. “Hindi makatarungan na ang mga taong hinalal ng taumbayan ay honorarium lang ang natatanggap,” (It is not fair that elected officials will only receive honoraria) Angara said. “Kung mayroong mga karapat-dapat na makatanggap […]

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Politics

GIVE DOH AUTHORITY TO ADD HOSPITAL BEDS – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has filed a bill which seeks to give the Department of Health (DOH) the authority to increase the bed capacity of all public hospitals under its supervision in order to address the mismatch in occupancy and improve the quality of government health services. Under the present set-up, the department can only increase […]

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Government

GOVERNMENT WORKING TO END CORRUPTION IN LAND CONVERSION PROCEDURES – NOGRALES

Government is addressing issues involved in land conversion cases and working to streamline and fast-track procedures not to accelerate conversions but simply to curb corruption. This is the assurance given by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who on Wednesday said the President had given members of the Cabinet marching orders to study and review the existing […]

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Politics

JOLO BOMBINGS IS AN ACT OF TERRORISM – VILLAR

Senator Cynthia Villar condemned the twin bombings of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Jolo, Sulu which killed 21 people and wounded at least 80 others last Sunday. “This bombing which targeted innocent people as they celebrate the Sunday Mass is clearly an act of terrorism. This should be condemned in the strongest possible […]

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Politics

BULLISH OUTLOOK OF FILIPINO BUSINESSMEN SIGN THAT DUTERTE ADMIN IS ‘ON RIGHT TRACK’ – PIMENTEL

Senate Trade and Commerce Committee Chair Koko Pimentel III on Wednesday said that the Philippines ranking highest among Southeast Asian nations in terms of economic outlook in 2019 is a sign that the Duterte administration “is on the right track.” The country’s economic managers, Pimentel added, should also continue the administration’s programs and reforms that […]

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Politics

ANGARA TO CPAs: BE PATRIOTS BY HELPING GOV’T COLLECT RIGHT TAXES

Senator Sonny Angara urged accountants and auditors to increase their contribution to economic growth by promoting financial transparency and helping the government collect the right taxes. Speaking at the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Metro Manila Region Tax Conference 2019 held in Mandaluyong City, Angara said that certified public accountants (CPAs) have an […]

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Politics

LIFT VAT ON OIL PRODUCTS – PIMENTEL

Senator Koko Pimentel III has called for the exemption of petroleum products from the coverage of the value-added tax (VAT) to help cushion the impact of the implementation of the second tranche of the fuel excise tax. “As a means of easing the burden on the public, this bill proposes to exempt petroleum products from […]

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Politics

HASTEN PASSAGE OF MAGNA CARTA FOR THE POOR – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara is pushing for the immediate passage of the proposed Magna Carta for the Poor that seeks to uplift the lives of poor Filipinos by strengthening government’s anti-poverty programs and other socioeconomic development strategies. “It is high time we come up with a comprehensive framework designed to improve the lives of the impoverished […]