We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Medical marijuana bill reaches Senate plenary
The bill seeking to legalize medical marijuana in the Philippines has reached the Senate plenary, the first time in the history of the upper chamber, according to a cannabis lawyer......»»
Escudero: Palace-backed tax, revenue proposals not ‘slam dunk’ in Senate
The approval of the proposed tax and revenue measures being pushed by the administration will not be a “slam dunk” in the Senate Senator Francis Escudero warned Thursday. Escudero added these proposals may even be blocked in the Upper Chamber “if they will cause misery to an already overtaxed people.” In his recent State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appealed to Congress to pass his administration's priority bills, including tax and revenue measures. Escudero lamented that if the administration would send to Congress “the same crew that did a poor job in explaining the Maharlika Investment Fund”—then the measure may be “doomed.” To recall, Escudero was not on the Senate floor when the chamber voted to pass the Maharlika Investment Fund bill. On 18 July, Marcos signed the MIF bill into law. “At this time, selling taxes to Filipinos is like asking an Eskimo to buy a freezer," Escudero stressed. "One, we have become an e-commerce republic. So, expect a massive pushback when you start taxing any good added on the cart,” Escudero underscored, referring to a Palace-backed bill that will slap taxes on online purchases. Escudero mentioned another proposed measure to raise motor vehicle registration fees "as one that will also face roadblocks as car owners are already taxed twice daily at the pump when gas has a VAT (value-added tax) on top of the excise tax.” "Tapos nandyan pa ang (and then, there’s a) toll, the price motorists pay for the government's failure to fix public roads,” he added. Escudero said the Marcos administration would also be putting “its huge political capital on the line” with its plan to push for more taxes at a time when prices are high while workers’ wages are low. However, the senator believes that “good messaging” could help convince people that these tax measures are necessary even though these are “painful.” “Kaya dapat ang ipapadalang mga taong magbebenta ng isang mahirap lunukin na produkto ay ‘yung hindi mahina sa pagpapaliwanag (So, the people who will be sent to sell a difficult-to-understand product should be those who are not poor in explaining),” he said. Escudero, meanwhile, committed to remain open-minded and study the merits of these tax proposals that this administration wish to legislate. "A courtesy to the President, I am going to listen to the proposals, study its merits, because, in the Senate, every idea must be given its day,” he said. The post Escudero: Palace-backed tax, revenue proposals not ‘slam dunk’ in Senate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Survey shows Cha-cha still unpopular with Filipinos — Senate leaders
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the findings of the survey by private pollster Pulse Asia, which was released on Wednesday, show that Charter change is an "unpopular move.".....»»
Go inspects Bacolod Super Health Center
Sen. Bong Go, chairperson of the Senate committee on health and demography, inspected a Super Health Center in Bacolod City on Sunday......»»
‘Senate rules on Cha-cha on the right track’
The Senate rules on amending the 1987 Constitution are “on the right track” and ready even before the sub-committee wraps up its discourse on the Resolution of Both Houses 6 pushing Charter change, a senator said......»»
Davao police clueless on Quiboloy’s whereabouts
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Police authorities in the Davao region claim they are still clueless on the whereabouts of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. The Senate had earlier ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for his continued refusal to attend its investigation of alleged human trafficking and child abuse. Police major Catheine Dela Rey, Police […].....»»
NEWS BRIEFS | 25 March 2024
Senate eyes probe of resorts within the slopes of Mt. Apo Following the controversy involving the establishment of a resort reportedly within the famed Chocolate Hills in Bohol province, Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Energy and Migrant Workers, is setting his sights on the resorts located on the slopes of Mt. […].....»»
NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand's ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. "I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union of our ratification of the New Zealand European Union Free Trade Agreement (NZ-EUFTA)......»»
DepEd s SHS vouchers fall short of decongesting public schools, helping poor learners
"It's a waste that we don't solve the problem of congestion because we are randomly giving the voucher program to students," the senator said......»»
Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith
In this Holy Week episode, former senator Leila de Lima opens up about faith, forgiveness, and the godsent pets who kept her company in nearly seven years in jail.....»»
Bills vs online piracy to be prioritized with public hearing
Two legislative measures granting additional capability to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in curbing online content piracy will be tackled during the recess of the Senate sessions......»»
‘P7 billion senior high vouchers went to non-poor’
Aside from around 19,000 “ghosts” or undocumented students receiving government assistance, more than P7 billion was spent on non-poor beneficiaries of the senior high school voucher program (SHS-VP), according to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian......»»
Scorching schools: How heat worsens conditions of poor students in PH
[This is the second and last part of a special report on how extreme heat in 2023 impacted the education sector in the Philippines. Click here for the first part.] CEBU CITY, Philippines – The same analysis by Cebu Daily News Digital (CDN Digital) showed that even private schools, which usually have better facilities and.....»»
Bill seeks review of rules on reckless imprudence
The country’s road safety laws must be reviewed to address the liability of drivers in cases of traffic violations and accidents, a lawmaker from Bukidnon said yesterday, citing the high number of vehicular crashes in Metro Manila......»»
GTA 6 Delay Possible as Rockstar Pushes Staff Back to Office
One of the most highly anticipated games in history, Grand Theft Auto VI, may face delays in its release, potentially pushing its launch from 2025.....»»
Why Business Should Start Investing in the Mental Well-Being of Their Employees
The pandemic has triggered waves of anxiety, uncertainty, and financial strain, impacting the mental health of millions of employees. Poor mental health leads to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and strained work relationships. With that said, it is crucial to address employees’ mental health issues to have a thriving workspace. Encourage Open Communication and Supportive Culture […].....»»
‘Economic decisions independent from politics’
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has maintained that his decisions will be separated from his long-standing political background as he pushes for the country’s economic progress......»»
PRO-Davao awaiting order from Senate’s sgt-at-arms to arrest Pastor Quiboloy
THE Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao) has confirmed that they have not deployed law enforcers to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a long-time religious fugitive in the country as they are awaiting a direct signal from the Office of Sergeant-at-Arms (Osaa) in the Senate......»»
TikTok facing ban in America; penalized $384 million in Europe
The US House of Reps has passed a bill to ban TikTok unless it cuts ties to Communist China. Chinese parent ByteDance must sell TikTok to another nationality in six months or be shut down......»»
Zubiri to lead Senate delegation in Geneva IPU assembly
Five senators will go to the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union assembly next week in Geneva, Switzerland......»»