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Politics

HOUSE APPROVES FREE CIVIL REGISTRATION FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES – PANGANIBAN

“The PTFoMS is indeed a welcome development.” The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on final reading a measure providing a free and culture-sensitive system of civil registration for indigenous peoples (IPs). With 162 affirmative votes, the Lower House passed on third reading House Bill No. 7849, or the proposed “Indigenous Peoples Civil Registration System (ICPRS) […]

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CHED SHOULD CONSIDER RETURNING FILIPINO, PANITIKAN TO COLLEGE CURRICULUM – GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to consider reintegrating Filipino and Panitikan (Filipino literature) into the mandatory college core curriculum in light of protests coming from the academe and Filipino literary figures. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Sub-Committee on Education Reform, said that after the Supreme Court upheld the validity […]

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RICE TARIFFICATION BILL TO PROTECT FARMERS – VILLAR

The Senate recently passed on third reading the bill which provides support to farmers projected to be adversely affected by the lifting of the quantitative restriction on rice importation. With a vote of 14 affirmatives, zero negatives and zero abstentions, senators approved Senate Bill 1998 or the bill which amends Republic Act 8178 or the […]

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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 […]

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RETURN OF BALANGIGA BELLS TO CONTINUE HISTORICAL AND DIPLOMATIC HEALING IN US-PHL RELATIONS – PIMENTEL

Senator Koko Pimentel III expressed confidence that the imminent return of the Balangiga bells, taken as war booty by American troops from Eastern Samar during the Filipino-American War would continue the process of “historical and diplomatic healing between the Philippines and the United States.” “The bells’ return is a timely and significant gesture that can […]

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Politics

BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE APPROVES LIFETIME CELLPHONE NUMBER ACT – GATCHALIAN

The Bicameral Conference Committee has approved the reconciled Senate and House versions of the bill that will let mobile subscribers keep their mobile numbers even if they switch to another mobile service provider or change subscription plans from prepaid to postpaid or vice versa. With the approval of the reconciled version of Senate Bill No. […]

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Politics

GOVERNMENT SUSPENSION OF FUEL TAX HIKE IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara hailed as a “step in the right direction” government’s decision to suspend the increase in excise taxes on petroleum products amid soaring price of crude in the world market. “We commend President Rodrigo Duterte and his economic managers for staying sensitive to the plight of our people and adjusting with the times. […]

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GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE SECURITY OF TENURE FOR CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva said government should not only extend the employment of government contractual employees, but also ensure that they are given security of tenure. Villanueva made the statement after the announcement of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that it recently amended Joint Circular No.1, series of 2017, together with the Civil Service […]

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Politics

DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION TO POUR P10B FOR AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS – VILLAR

Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, asked farmers to be firm in their heroic work of producing food for every Filipino as she revealed that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte would soon be pouring multi-billion-peso funds for various agriculture programs. Speaking before farmers and other agriculture stakeholders during […]

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Politics

I WILL CONVINCE COLLEAGUES TO CONVENE RICE TARIFF BICAM ASAP – PANGANIBAN

House Committee on Agriculture Chair and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose T. Panganiban, Jr. on Thursday said he would convince his colleagues in both the Lower and Upper House to convene the bicameral conference committee on the rice tariffication bill as soon as possible to expedite the passage of the measure, which is expected to bring down […]