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“They have been sidelined for too long. It is now time to give them a seat at the table.” This is according to Senate President Chiz Escudero, who recommended to Senator Win Gatchalian, chair of the Committee on Finance, that governors and city mayors be invited to actively take part in the Senate public hearings […]
Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos is pushing for the creation of a government body tasked with protecting the Abra River, which has seen its waters drastically polluted by haphazard development over the years. Bernos filed House Bill No. 3119, which calls for the establishment of the Abra River Basin Development Authority (ARBDA), after he […]
Senator Kiko Pangilinan delivered a privilege speech recently raising concerns about the continuing impunity of large-scale agricultural smugglers and lamenting why they remain unpunished. Pangilinan took the floor to deliver his speech on the state of the country’s agricultural sector, pointing out how agricultural smuggling inflicts heavy losses on Filipino farmers and fisherfolk and undermines […]
While the 60-day rice importation ban announced by Malacañang will shield farmers from falling palay prices during harvest season, Senator Kiko Pangilinan lamented that this is insufficient to stop the country’s reliance on imported rice and achieve food security. “Yung 60-day ban is good as a stop gap measure, but it is not enough. Why […]
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has surpassed its revenue target for the first six months of 2025, collecting ₱1.554 trillion from January to June—₱4.594 billion above target and 14.11 percent higher than the same period last year. In a post on his official Facebook page, BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. announced that “masaya […]
PhilHealth announces the nationwide launch of the enhanced PhilHealth Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (PhilHealth GAMOT), a comprehensive outpatient drug benefit package that covers essential medicines. The program will take effect on August 21, 2025, under PhilHealth Circular No. 2025-0013. PhilHealth GAMOT is a key component of the PhilHealth YAKAP Program, which President […]
Senator Bong Go expressed hope that the Supreme Court would act favorably and decide to order the transfer of the excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) back to the state insurance provider. “I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will finally decide to have the budget transferred to be returned to PhilHealth. […]
Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero officiated the oath of the new officers of Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. (SSFI) on Thursday, August 14, 2025. Heart Evangelista-Escudero, the Senate President’s wife, was reelected as SSFI president and would continue to lead the non-profit group’s initiatives, alongside newly-elected SSFI vice president Nancy Dela Rosa. The new SSFI […]
Senator Bong Go reminded the government to ensure the implementation of zero balance billing in key public hospitals as mentioned by the President in his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA). As chair of the Senate Committee of Health and Demography and as part of his long-standing health reforms crusade, Go stressed the need […]
The government must play the role of a “big brother” by buying rice and other food products directly from farmers and fisherfolk through the Sagip Saka Act, a law championed, authored, and defended by Senator Kiko Pangilinan. Pangilinan, in his meeting with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) recently, highlighted the need for the government […]