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Politics

FOI, PROPER MONITORING NEEDED TO PREVENT MISUSE, CORRUPTION OF BAYANIHAN 2 FUNDS––ABANTE

House Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr. is urging the government to properly monitor the use of funds Congress has allocated for the country’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, as he stressed that monitoring, and the passage of a freedom of information (FOI) measure, will help prevent the misuse and abuse of these funds. Speaking to reporters […]

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Government

DA CREATES ‘INTEGRITY CIRCLES’ TO ENSURE GRAFT-FREE USE OF FUNDS – DAR

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has created “integrity circles,” dubbed as “Agriculture Dialogue and Information Network Groups” (ADING) to ensure efficient, effective, and graft-free use of limited public funds. “This is our response to the call of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to provide transparency and integrity in all government interventions,” DA Secretary William Dar said […]

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Politics

SALE OF GOVT ASSETS TO BOOST FUNDS FOR COVID-19 FIGHT BETTER THAN NEW TAXES — ABANTE

If the government needs more funds for programs to help the country deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, selling government assets is preferable to new taxes. This according to House Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr., who in a media interview said he would oppose any proposal for new taxes when Congress resumes its sessions “If we […]

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Politics

P3-B TRANSFERRED FUND FROM NFA TO HELP RICE FARMERS – VILLAR

Senator Cynthia Villar said the amendment she is proposing in the 2020 budget of the National Food Authority (NFA) will mean a bigger budget for the program providing assistance to small farmers. Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and sponsor of the proposed budget of the Department of Agriculture, said a bigger […]

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Politics

DA FUNDS SHOULD GO TO PROJECTS, RESEARCH – VILLAR

Senator Cynthia Villar, in scrutinizing the proposed budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA), made sure funding will go to projects, research and application that will help Filipino farmers and fisherfolks. During the second hearing of the finance subcommittee on the P71.8 billion proposed budget of DA for year 2020, Villar reminded DA officials headed […]

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Government

GOV’T HAS AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR ASF-AFFECTED HOG RAISERS – DAR

Agriculture Secretary William Dar has assured the availability of funds to help small backyard hog raisers who were affected by the African swine fever (ASF).  Dar was reacting to a report published in a national newspaper that there is not enough fund to assist backyard hog raisers affected by the dreaded swine disease. “The headline […]

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Politics

RELEASE FINANCIAL AID FOR FARMERS HIT BY EL NIÑO – ANAC-IP PARTYLIST

With crop damage caused by El Niño now reaching almost P8 billion, ANAC-IP Rep. Jose T. Panganiban who also chairs the House of Representatives’ agriculture committee is urging government to release needed financial aid to the 247,610 affected farmers and help offset their losses. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the […]

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Politics

DECLARE STATE OF CALAMITY TO LESSEN EL NIÑO EFFECT – TOLENTINO

Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino has asked the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) to declare a state of calamity that will allow it to access calamity funds for activities that will lessen the effect of El Niño. “I strongly urge that a state of calamity in the country be declared as early […]

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Government

NEA ISSUES IRR OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES EMERGENCY AND RESILIENCY FUND ACT – MASONGSONG

State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) has issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11039, also known as the “Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF) Act.” The 15-page IRR was approved and signed by NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong on December 14, 2018. It has already been registered with the Office of […]

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Politics

SENATE APPROVES JOINT RESOLUTION EXTENDING AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIMS – GORDON

Voting 16-0-0, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Joint Resolution No. 13 extending the availability of funds for victims of human rights violations during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee chair Senator Dick Gordon has endorsed for plenary approval without amendments Committee Report 495 containing […]