House lawmakers dismayed over Mariano rejection mull bolting out of majority bloc
House lawmakers dismayed over Mariano rejection mull bolting out of majority bloc.....»»
House lawmakers dismayed over Mariano rejection mull bolting out of majority bloc
House lawmakers dismayed over Mariano rejection mull bolting out of majority bloc.....»»
24 opposition lawmakers get zero infrastructure funding in 2018 budget
MANILA, Philippines – The era of zero pet project for opposition lawmakers has returned. Some 24 members of the House of Representatives, the majority of them from the opposition bloc, will not get any infrastructure projects for their districts or beneficiaries in the newly-signed budget for 2018. President Rodrigo Duterte signed the P3.767 trillion budget […].....»»
National ID system infringes on right to privacy – solons
Leftist lawmakers on Thursday again warned that the passage of the national identification system bill would pose threats to the country's security and infringe on people's privacy rights. The House Makabayan bloc's warning came after the bicameral conference committee approved on Tuesday night the bill seeking to establish the Philippine Identification System. The proposed measure seeks to integrate multiple government IDs by establishing a single national identification system, to be known as the Philippine Identification System, or PhilSys. Malacaang welcomed the approval by the Senate and House of Representatives' bicameral confere...Keep on reading: National ID system infringes on right to privacy – solons.....»»
Militant lawmakers want to impeach Supreme Court justices
NOW the eight Associate Justices are facing impeachment. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, a member of the House Minority Magnificent 7 bloc, said he plans to file impeachment cases against the eight Supreme Court Associate Justices who voted in favor of the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.….....»»
House leader to seek consensus on BBL
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farias vowed on Tuesday to find a consensus among pro and anti-Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) lawmakers as the lower chamber seeks to fast-track the passage of the proposed legislation by May 30. Farias said they will probably hold a caucus next week "to sift through the different conflicting provisions (of the BBL)" and to "find middle ground" between opposing sides. "They will convince each other, give and take sila. Our Muslim brothers and sisters want the version presented by Bangsamoro Transition Commission, ang others iba... pag-usapan na natin ng maaga, mag-debate, all members will be there and vote on provisions para sa plenary mabilis na...Keep on reading: House leader to seek consensus on BBL.....»»
House to await resolution of Sereno motion for reconsideration before plenary vote
MANILA, Philippines – Now that the Supreme Court (SC) has ousted Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice, what happens to the pending articles of impeachment against her at the House of Representatives? Lawmakers will not render it moot and academic just yet, according to House Majority Leader Rodolfo ........»»
Makabayan bloc asks SC to allow intervention in petition vs Sereno
MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers forming the progressive Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives are asking the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its decision to deny their bid to intervene in the quo warranto petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The Makabayan lawmakers filed their motion for reconsideration on behalf of other intervenors on ........»»
Visayan bloc in House backs BBL passage
BACOLOD City – The Visayan Bloc in Congress declared support for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) “that is consistent with the provisions of the Constitution.” The bloc, which is an aggrupation of 42 lawmakers representing congressional districts and party-list groups in the Visayas led by Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez (3rd district, Negros […] The post Visayan bloc in House backs BBL passage appeared first on The Daily Guardian......»»
Makabayan bloc leads petition to block Sereno ouster
MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers belonging to the progressive Makabayan bloc in the House on Thursday, March 22, asked the Supreme Court to junk a pending petition to declare as void the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno . The lawmakers and several other persons also filed a petition asking the ........»»
Bill to end ‘endo’ in gov’t filed
Progressive lawmakers at the House of Representatives called the Makabayan bloc filed, on Monday, a bill that seeks to ban all forms of labor contractualization in government institutions, two years after President Rodrigo Duterte failed to fulfill his campaign promise to end "endo" or "end of contract" among non-regular workers......»»
Lawmakers say UK should consider postponing Brexit
LONDON --- Britain should consider postponing Brexit because there may not be enough time to strike a deal with the European Union before the UK leaves the bloc a year from now, a key committee of British lawmakers said Sunday. The House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee said if major aspects of the future relationship with the EU remain unsettled by October, Britain should seek a "limited extension" of its EU membership. Britain and the EU want a deal on future relations settled by the fall so national parliaments can approve it before Britain officially leaves the 28-nation bloc on March 29, 2019. In a report published Sunday, the lawmakers said a proposed transition per...Keep on reading: Lawmakers say UK should consider postponing Brexit.....»»
9 solons in army reserve force get CA approval
THE Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, March 7, approved the nomination of several lawmakers as military officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Reserve Force. Confirmed with a rank of colonel were House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas, Senator Loren B. Legarda, and Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao. […] The post 9 solons in army reserve force get CA approval appeared first on BusinessWorld......»»
Quo warranto suit betrays CJ detractors’ weak hand
FOR the opposition lawmakers, the petition for quo warranto filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the Supreme Court is a clear indication that the impeachment case against her is weak. Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., one of the leaders of the House Minority Magnificent 7 bloc, said allies….....»»
‘Don’t worry about the NRA,’ Trump tells governors during meet on school shooting
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to discuss gun legislation with lawmakers this week, the White House said Monday, and he told governors not to worry about the National Rifle Association as they mull responses to the massacre of 17 people at a Florida high school......»»
WATCH | First time ever: divorce bill reaches House plenary for deliberation
On Wednesday, February 21, the proposed bill titled “An Act Providing for Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage” was approved by the House committee on population and family relations, which saw lawmakers from the majority, minority and opposition blocs coming together in one vote......»»
First time ever: divorce bill reaches House plenary for deliberation
On Wednesday, February 21, the proposed bill titled “An Act Providing for Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage” was approved by the House committee on population and family relations, which saw lawmakers from the majority, minority and opposition blocs coming together in one vote......»»
‘Probe Benham Rise research deal’
MANILA, Philippines — Seven leftist party-list lawmakers belonging to the Makabayan bloc want the House of Representatives to look into the government-appro.....»»
Goodbye BBL, Hello Federalism
COTABATO CITY – For the third time around, majority Christian lawmakers in the House of Representatives are expected to reject the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL being pushed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed an interim peace deal with Manila in 2014. Instead of BBL, lawmakers are now pushing for a federal form of government and President Rodrigo Duterte is also strongly advocating the shift to federalism, an advocacy he made even before when he was the mayor of Davao City. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque also said Duterte’s priority now is to change the form of current government and this can only be achieved through amendments in the Constitution which lawmakers are currently working on. There was also a proposal to hold a plebiscite next year in time for the mid-term elections for Filipinos to decide whether to accept or reject federalism. But there are also many lawmakers who wanted to cling to power and extend their term of office until 2022 when voters would have to choose their leaders in national elections. BBL Duterte has previously backed the BBL and expressed optimism that the draft law will pass the scrutiny of Congress that previously opposed it – during Arroyo and Aquino’s presidency. But Duterte himself has been campaigning for BBL and federalism even before he won the presidency in 2016. And his political allies in Congress are supporting the proposed shift from the current presidential system to federalism, and not the BBL. The MILF, whose ageing leaders, called for the passage of BBL may be overridden by Duterte’s plans to grant regions autonomy through federalism. It said the administration of Duterte should immediately work for the passage of the BBL where the Aquino government left off. It stressed that the negotiation is completed following the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the MILF and government peace panels. Politicians questioning the BBL said the provisions in the draft law remain the same. Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat, who was one of those who opposed the BBL during the Aquino administration citing unconstitutional provisions in the draft law, is again raising the same issue. Unconstitutional In a previous statement, Lobregat made it clear, he will be vigilant and consistent with his stand with regards to the BBL. “I am for peace, I am not anti-peace, but we need a Bangsamoro Basic Law that is just, that is fair, that is acceptable, feasible and more importantly, it should not be contrary to the Constitution and existing laws,” he said. He said the BBL which the Bangsamoro Transition Commission submitted to Duterte still contains the same and even more contentious and questionable provisions. “Among the contentious provisions in the present version of the BBL is that there will be six plebiscites – one for ratification of the law, and second the periodic plebiscite every 5 years for a period of 25 years in the cities, municipalities and other geographic areas outside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which did not join the Bangsamoro after the ratification of the BBL,” Lobregat said. Lobregat, who was also former mayor of Zamboanga City, said Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was the predecessor of the old BBL filed during the previous 16th Congress. The MOA-AD was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2008 describing the process that led to its crafting as “whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and despotic.” He said the MOA-AD and the BBL have similar provisions, with some unconstitutional and controversial provisions. “Instead of promoting peace, there will be a constant tug of war on the political boundaries that will promote instability. The Bangsamoro will try to expand its area of jurisdiction and in turn, the local government adjacent, surrounding or neighboring the Bangsamoro will also fight tooth and nail in order to retain their territory,” Lobregat said. Lobregat said he will again be active and vigilant in the committee deliberations, plenary debates and caucuses to ensure that the interest of Zamboanga City and the rest of Mindanao are protected. Davao del Norte Representative and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Duterte’s ally in the lower chamber, said the country’s push for federalism has almost the same concept of the BBL. “The BBL will be absorbed by the federal form of government, because that’s the same. The concept of BBL is the same in federal form of government,” he said, suggesting an amendment in the Constitution. “How can you implement the provisions of the BBL without amending the Constitution? You cannot do it because there are provisions in the BBL that run contrary to the provisions of the Constitution,” said Alvarez. MILF’s rival group, the Moro National Liberation Front under Nur Misuari, has strongly opposed the government peace talks with the MILF, citing a 1996 peace accord with Manila. And Misuari, who eventually became government of the Muslim autonomous region, is now facing rebellion charges for deadly attacks in Sulu’s Jolo town and in Zamboanga City in 2001; and another raid in 2013 in retaliation to government’s failure to fully comply with the peace agreement. Under the accord, Manila would have provided a mini-marshal plan in the restive region and livelihood and housing facilities for thousands of MNLF rebels. Misuari, a close friend and political ally of Duterte, also wanted to become a perpetual regional governor. He is also […].....»»
House OKs ‘endo’ bill on 2nd reading, but militant solons say it spells ‘bogus security of tenure’
MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill seeking to strengthen the security of tenure of workers in the private sector, but militant lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc described it as a “deceitful and bogus security of tenure” measure. House Bill No. 6908 seeks to address the practice of […].....»»
Makabayan bloc asks SC to stop ‘unconstitutional’ TRAIN
(UPDATE 2 - 1:35 p.m.) Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives asked the Supreme Court on Thursday, January 11, to issue a temporary restraining order and eventually stop the implementation of the Tax Reform for Advancement and Inclusion, or TRAIN, law saying its passage violated both the chamber’s rules and the Constitution......»»