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Politics

LIBANAN TO SENATORS: BACK BIGGER ‘AYUDA’ FUNDING

House of Representatives Minority Leader Nonoy Libanan is counting on the Senate to support the larger funding allocations for the government’s targeted cash aid programs for poor and low-income families in the proposed 2025 national budget. “We have very high hopes that the Senate will endorse the P114 billion allocation for the 4Ps, as well […]

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REMULLA FACES CA CONFIRMATION HEARING ON NOV. 20

Newly designated Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla will appear before the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) on November 20, for his confirmation hearing. “There’s a high chance that Secretary Remulla will be confirmed on the spot, given that we are less than six months away from the 2025 […]

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BILL PRIVATIZING HAJJ ARRANGEMENTS GETS HOUSE OK

The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 10867 which seeks to provide better services to Muslim Filipino pilgrims through the privatization of the annual Islamic pilgrimage.  The measure, which received 168 affirmative votes and three negative votes, seeks to reduce the government control particularly from the National Commission on Muslim […]

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ORDONES: CREATE MORE LAW TO HELP MINDANAO DEV’T

Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes pointed out in a statement that Mindanao, the tourism sector, and enterprises of all sizes will gain much from the CREATE MORE amendments to the National Internal Revenue Code in a law President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed in Malacanang recently. Ordanes is one of the principal authors of the […]

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2 BILLS ON OFW PERKS GET HOUSE OK ON 2ND READING

The House of Representatives approved on second reading two House Bills (HBs) seeking to provide additional benefits for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). House Bill (HB) 10959, principally authored by Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales Jr., seeks to entitle overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) 50% discount on fees or charges imposed on remittances to their families in the […]

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DEFEND SELF IN PROBE: OVP CHIEF OF STAFF TOLD

The chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, should grab the opportunity to defend herself and appear before the congressional hearings on the alleged misuse of public funds, House of Representatives Minority Leader Nonoy Libanan said.  “Normally, individuals who are blameless, when asked to explain, would seize the […]

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BILL WANTS GOV’T SEIZURE OF FOREIGN-OWNED PROPERTY

Several House leaders filed House Bill No. 11043, or the proposed “Civil Forfeiture Act,” authorizing the government to seize unlawfully acquired real estate properties by foreign nationals, particularly those linked to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).  The bill is a result of the ongoing investigation by the House Quad Committee into the alleged criminal […]

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MERALCO FRANCHISE RENEWAL GETS HOUSE OK

The House of Representatives, voting 186-7 with four abstentions, approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 10926, renewing for another 25 years the franchise granted to the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), under Republic Act 9209.  RA 9209 granted Meralco a franchise to construct, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of […]

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HOUSE RESUMES PROBE INTO OVP CONFIDENTIAL FUND

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chaired by Manila Representative Joel Chua resumed its inquiry into the fund utilization of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during the tenure of Vice President Sara Duterte. Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop raised concerns about the use of […]

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‘LIGTAS PINOY’ CENTERS BILL TO SOON BECOME LAW

House Deputy Minority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette “BH” Herrera said a key component of the national long-term disaster mitigation program is nearing enactment into law. Herrera said the “Ligtas Pinoy” Centers bill of the Senate was recently adopted as an amendment to House Bill 7354. “I do not see the need now […]