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Politics

GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTENSIFY JOBS PROGRAMS – ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has urged government to intensify its jobs programs that will help Filipinos, especially the youth, land high paying jobs amid high youth unemployment and underemployment rates in the country. Based on the July 2018 labor force survey, 1.04 million or almost half of the 2.32 million unemployed Filipinos are youth from the […]

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SENATE APPROVES STRENGTHENED PCA LAW ON SECOND READING – VILLAR

Senator Cynthia Villar has welcomed the approval on second reading of the bill giving greater representation to coconut farmers in the body tasked to manage the P105 billion coconut levy funds. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, authored Senate Bill 1976 or the Strengthened Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Law. The bill amends […]

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RICE TARIFFICATION BILL TO BRING RELIEF TO FILIPINO CONSUMERS – GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Senate to pass the rice tariffication bill, saying it is a strong counter-inflationary measure that will bring “immediate relief to Filipino consumers by saving them thousands of pesos per year on rice.” In his co-sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 1998, Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, […]

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RAISE ANIMALS IN YOUR BACKYARD TO ENSURE FOOD FOR THE FAMILY – VILLAR

With the rising cost of food products due to high inflation rates, Filipinos need to be resilient and be self-sufficient to sustain their family’s food requirements, Senator Cynthia Villar has stressed. “Everything has become expensive, especially basic food supplies. We are now all feeling the impact of our country’s all-time high inflation rate for the […]

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SENATE APPROVES 14 BILLS ON HOLIDAYS – ANGARA

The Senate approved on third and final reading 14 house bills seeking to declare special non-working holidays in several provinces to commemorate local significant events. Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, and sponsor of the bills, said these holidays would be an opportunity for communities to honor and participate in […]

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WHAT HAPPENED TO ROAD BOARD ABOLITION? – PIMENTEL

Senator Koko Pimentel III on Thursday renewed calls for the “urgent and immediate follow through on the abolition of the Road Board” after noting that the Senate had already passed a measure putting an end to the government agency’s existence early this year. The lawmaker likewise tagged as “legally questionable” the House of Representatives’ “rescission” […]

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NEW NFA ADMINISTRATOR MUST WORK WITH ECONOMIC MANAGERS TO STABILIZE RICE PRICES – PIMENTEL

Senate Trade and Commerce Committee Chairperson Sen. Koko Pimentel III on Tuesday urged retiring Army Chief and incoming National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista to work closely with the government’s economic managers to stabilize rice prices and address problems with supplies of affordable NFA rice. Pimentel said the long queues for NFA […]

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RETAIN OLD TAX INCENTIVE UNDER TRABAHO BILL – GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian said he is open to retaining the 5 percent gross income earned (GIE) tax incentive under the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) Bill, the second package of the tax reform program. On the sidelines of the Arangkada Philippines Forum 2018 in Pasay City, Gatchalian said Senate is considering […]

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LIBERALIZATION OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAWS TO BRING GAME-CHANGING BENEFITS TO FILIPINO CONSUMERS – GATCHALIAN

  Senator Win Gatchalian has vowed to champion liberalization reforms to build an inclusive, efficient, and competitive business environment in the Philippines, saying that the resulting influx of foreign direct investment (FDI) will bring about “game-changing benefits” for Filipino consumers. Speaking before the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce during the seventh anniversary of Arangkada Philippines, […]

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CHANGE POLICY IN BUREAU OF CUSTOMS TO ADDRESS SMUGGLING – GORDON

With illegal drugs, particularly shabu, and various smuggled commodities still slipping past the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Senator Dick Gordon has proposed changes in the bureau’s policy to address the unabated entry of smuggled shipments. “Sinabi namin noon na P900 billion ang nawawala sa gobyerno dahil sa uncollected duties and taxes. There has been a […]