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Politics

SENATE PASSES UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BILL ON THIRD AND FINAL READING – HONTIVEROS

The Senate passed on third and final reading the landmark Universal Health Care Bill (UHC) which seeks to grant all Filipinos equal access to quality and affordable health services. Senate Bill 1896, or the Universal Health care for all Filipinos Act, was approved with a 14-0 vote with no abstention. The proposed measure seeks to […]

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IT’S HIGH TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO LAUNCH A DRILL, DRILL, DRILL PROGRAM – GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to be more aggressive in its pursuit of energy self-sufficiency by launching a “Drill, Drill, Drill” program to explore and develop the country’s untapped oil and natural gas resources. Gatchalian, who serves as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, made the call amid the […]

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UNBURDEN SINS OF THE PAST WITH TAX AMNESTY BILL – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has endorsed for plenary approval a bill seeking a general tax amnesty aimed at encouraging taxpayers to pay correct taxes and raising more revenues to finance crucial government projects. Under Senate Bill 2059, the proposed amnesty covers all unpaid internal revenue taxes–estate taxes, general taxes and delinquent accounts–due for taxable year 2017 […]

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COME DOWN HARD ON PREDATORY MERCHANTS – PIMENTEL

With government set to impose suggested retail prices for rice and chicken soon, Senate Trade and Commerce Committee Chair Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is urging authorities to come down hard on predatory merchants who will continue to sell overpriced goods. The National Food Authority (NFA) Council, along with the departments of agriculture, trade and industry, […]

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COCO LEVY FUND BILL ISSUES COULD BE RESOLVED SOON – PANGANIBAN

House Agriculture Committee Chair and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose Panganiban, Jr. expressed hope on Thursday that the issues found by the Executive Branch in the coco levy fund bill will be resolved soon, adding that he welcomes a “second chance” to further improve the measure. The bill is set to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte […]

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SENATE EXPANDS SSS COVERAGE TO OFWS – GORDON

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) may soon avail of programs offered by the Social Security Systems (SSS), as part of reforms introduced in a Senate bill that overhauls the SSS charter. Senate Bill 1753, or the proposed “Social Security Act of 2018” was approved by the Senate on the third and final reading. The bill was […]

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GATCHALIAN TO CHED: EXTEND DEADLINE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY TO FILL UP 300,00 SLOTS

Senator Win Gatchalian has urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to make sure all 300,000 slots for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under the Free Higher Education Law (Republic Act 10931) are filled up before closing applications. “Sana po ay siguruhin ng CHED na mapuno muna nila lahat ng 300,000 slots para sa TES […]

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ANGARA TO DOE, DOJ: FORM TASK FORCE TO PROBE UNREASONABLE OIL PRICE HIKES

Senator Sonny Angara has called on the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assemble the task force tasked to investigate unreasonable oil price hikes in some provinces in the country, as inflation hits 6.7 percent due to high global oil prices. “The government should immediately take action if there are […]

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HOUSE APPROVES FREE TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION BILL – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, welcomed the recent passage of free technical-vocational education bill on third and final reading in the House of Representatives. The counterpart version, Senate Bill No. 1431 or the proposed Tulong Trabaho Act, was approved on third and final reading in the Senate on May […]

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SENATE OKs NATIONAL VISION SCREENING ACT – ANGARA

The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill establishing a program for the early detection of visual problems among kindergarten pupils and a funding facility for a continuing research for eye diseases and treatments. Senate Bill No. 1706, or the “National Vision Screening Act,” primarily institutionalizes a nationwide eye screening program for […]