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Politics

ESTABLISH FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC BANKS – GATCHALIAN

A bill seeking to establish a sound legal and regulatory framework for the development of Islamic banks in the country has been recently filed by Senator Win Gatchalian. In filing Senate Bill No. 2105 (SB 2105) or “An Act Providing for the Regulation and Organization of Islamic Banks,” Gatchalian highlighted the role of Islamic banking […]

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Politics

FULLY AND STRICTLY IMPLEMENT LAWS EMPOWERING PWDs – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has called for the full implementation of laws aimed at empowering persons with disabilities (PWDs) with social protection and economic support. “We have enough laws protecting PWDs, and all that needs to be done is to fully and strictly implement these laws so that we can eliminate the barriers that prevent them […]

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Politics

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BILL HURDLES SENATE-HOUSE RECONCILIATION – ANGARA

All Filipinos will get “bigger and better” PhilHealth benefits once the Universal Health Care (UHC) bill, which hurdled Senate-House reconciliation, becomes law, Senator Sonny Angara said. Angara, author of the measure, said UHC will channel more funds “to all aspects of public health” from free check-ups and medicines to improved hospitals all over the country. […]

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Politics

LUNTIANG PILIPINAS SUPPORTS BILL BANNING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC – LEGARDA

The Luntiang Pilipinas Partylist, an environmental partylist group, has echoed calls to end plastic pollution and expressed support for the proposed measure banning the use of single-use plastic products. Last week, a dead whale found in a national park in Indonesia had almost 13 pounds of plastic waste in its stomach. Earlier this year, a […]

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Politics

REQUIRE ROTC FOR COLLEGE AND TECH-VOC STUDENTS – GORDON

Wanting to foster patriotism and nationalism among the youth, Senator Dick Gordon has filed a bill proposing to require all college students and those of technical vocational courses to undergo basic citizen service training. Gordon’s Senate Bill No. 1417, or the Citizen Service Act of 2017, which had been referred to the Committee on Education, […]

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INVEST IN OUR JUDGES, IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM – GORDON

Noting that it is high time that the country invests in its justice system which is important in enabling and ennobling Filipinos, Senator Dick Gordon has called on his colleagues to support proposed measures calling for the creation of judges at large positions. “We have been investing heavily in infrastructure–roads, bridges, airports, schools, and the […]

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Politics

BIR SHOULD WITHDRAW MEMO TAXING HEALTH CARD PREMIUMS – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to withdraw its revenue memorandum circular which states that premiums on health cards shall be subject to tax. Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 50-2018 (A7) provides that premiums on health cards paid by the employer for all employees shall be included as part of bonuses […]

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Politics

CREATE JUDGES-AT-LARGE POSITIONS IN LOWER COURTS TO SPEED UP RESOLUTION OF CASES – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has endorsed for plenary approval the bill creating “judges-at-large” positions in the lower courts to help unclog court dockets and speed up the resolution of cases. In sponsoring the proposed Judges-At-Large Act of 2018, Angara said Filipinos can somehow expect the wheels of justice in the country to turn faster with the […]

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Politics

SENATE APPROVES SPLITTING PALAWAN INTO 3 PROVINCES – ANGARA

The Senate approved on third and final reading a bill dividing Palawan – the country’s largest province into three new provinces: Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan Del Sur. House Bill No. 8055 was sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, and was passed with 14 affirmative votes, […]

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Politics

PIMENTEL TO COMELEC: DISMISS DISQUALIFICATION CASE FOR LACK OF MERIT

Senator Koko Pimentel III has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to dismiss the disqualification case filed against him by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio for lack of merit. “It is incumbent upon the Honorable Commission to dismiss the instant petition filed against the respondent for utter lack of merit,” Pimentel said in his 26-page verified answer […]