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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......»»
PSE approves listing of GSIS-owned Alternergy preferred shares
Alternergy disclosed that the PSE has approved its application to list the 100 million preferred shares that it sold to the Government Service Insurance System at a price of P14.50/share......»»
House approves bill seeking revocation of SMNI’s franchise
House approves bill seeking revocation of SMNI’s franchise.....»»
Senate approves bill on BJMP control of provincial jails
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate passed a bill on Monday aiming to transfer the control and supervision of all provincial and sub-provincial jails from the local government to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Senate Bill No. 2352 or the Jail Integration Act, was approved on third and final reading, with 19 affirmative,.....»»
Senate maritime committee approves archipelagic sealanes bill
Sen. Francis Tolentino formed a technical working group to fine tune the consolidated bills designating archipelagic sea lanes in the Philippines......»»
Senate approves bill waiving college entrance exam fees for qualified students
Qualified students applying for admission to private colleges and universities will no longer be required to pay for entrance exam fees under a new Senate bill greenlighted on final reading......»»
Senate approves P5.77-trillion national budget for 2024
The 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) — or House Bill 8980 — received 21 affirmative votes and no negative votes, while one senator abstained......»»
House approves MUP pension reform bill
The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading yesterday a consolidated bill providing for a pension system deemed financially draining by some quarters for military and other uniformed personnel......»»
Senate approves expanded coverage of Centenarian law
Senators on Monday approved on the third and final reading a measure seeking the expanded coverage of monetary benefits to 80-year-old and 90-year-old Filipinos under the Centenarian Law. The Senate Bill 2028 or Expanding the Coverage of the Centenarians Act, Filipino senior citizens living in the Philippines or abroad shall be granted P10,000 upon reaching 80 years old, P20,000 upon reaching 90 years old, and P100,000 upon reaching 100 years old. The bill was sponsored by Senator Imee Marcos and introduced by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III. Marcos pegged life expectancy among Filipinos at 79 years for men and 83 years for women. "The rising cost of living and healthcare expenses has made it very difficult for our senior citizens to afford basic necessities...it is hoped that more of our elderly population may be able to benefit from the Centenarians Act and that they may be inspired to further prolong and enjoy their lives even beyond a century," Marcos said. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority data, Senator Win Gatchalian said there were some 7.5 million senior citizens in the country in 2015, of which, around 10 percent or 790,000 were estimatedly aged 80 to 90 years old. Once the measure is enacted, Gatchalian noted that senior citizens will be able to receive a cash gift, totaling P100,000 in three equal tranches. Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., the bill’s co-author and co-sponsor, said passage of the bill in the Senate serves as a testimony to the special Filipino culture of providing for the elderly. Revilla noted the cash gift should be advanced “so that our elderly can still enjoy it as many beneficiaries are too old to enjoy the cash gift they receive.” Under the present law, only those who reach the age of 100 enjoy the benefit of the P100,000 cash gift. The proposed measure stipulates that beneficiaries are eligible to receive their cash gifts within 1 year of reaching the ages of 80, 90, and 100. The adjustment, to be determined by the National Economic and Development Authority, will be based on the average annual inflation in the preceding three years. NEDA will be tasked to consider inflation when dividing the cash gift into three payments. Gatchalian said the P100,000 cash gift, which will be equally distributed in three tranches to octogenarians, nonagenarians, and centenarians will help pay their living expenses, medicines, healthcare, and other necessities. SB 2028 also mandates the Philippine Statistics Authority, in coordination with the Departments of Interior and Local Government, Information and Communications Technology, and the local government units, to establish a data management system recording relevant information of individuals covered by the Act. The post Senate approves expanded coverage of Centenarian law appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate approves bill on school-based mental health program
The Senate on Monday approved on the third and final reading a bill institutionalizing the promotion of mental health and well-being in basic education. The Senate Bill 2200 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, was approved with 22 affirmatives, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions during the chamber’s plenary session. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the chamber’s committee on basic education, said the school-based mental health program will cover out-of-school children in special cases that include learners with disabilities or conditions, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors. SB 220 mandates the Department of Education to establish and maintain care centers in every public basic education institution. “Care Centers will be mandated to equip learners with skills and information for prevention, identification, and proper response and referral for their own and others’ mental health needs,” said Gatchalian, who also sponsored and authored the bill. Gatchalian said the bill also provides for the creation of the new plantilla positions of Mental Health Associates I to V, and Mental Health Specialists I to V “to address the need for sufficient personnel” running the School-Based Mental Health Program. The bill also seeks the conversion of existing plantilla positions of Guidance Counselors and Psychologists in the DepEd to Mental Health Specialists, he added. There were only 1,192 filled positions for both guidance counselors and coordinators within the DepEd as of July 2022. For School Year 2023-2024, the DepEd said that more than 26 million learners are enrolled, with 404 learners from public schools having died due to suicide for School Year 2021-2022. In a manifestation, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the newly approved bill would further strengthen Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act. Hontiveros said accelerating the mainstreaming of a school-based mental health program would contribute not only to ensuring the physical but also the psychological safety of the learning environment. “I do hope that our education authorities will be up to the challenge of institutionalizing and sustaining mental health programs in our schools,” she said. The post Senate approves bill on school-based mental health program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Becoming Filipino nears becoming Filipino after Senate approves naturalization bill
Just one step remains for content creator Kyle Douglas "Kulas" Jennermann, the Canadian national behind the popular YouTube channel "Becoming Filipino," to become a Filipino citizen......»»
Washington sweats over high-stakes vote to stave off default
Congressional leaders were racing to secure backing for a cross-party deal to raise the US debt limit and avert a first-ever default as they faced a growing backlash from conservatives ahead of a crucial Wednesday evening vote. Congress has just five days to green-light an agreement between Republicans and Democrats to allow more borrowing and ensure the country doesn't miss loan repayments -- sending the economy into a potentially ruinous nose dive. The "Fiscal Responsibility Act" -- hammered out between Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Democratic President Joe Biden over the weekend -- needs a simple majority to clear the 435-member House and head to the Senate. But multiple Republicans have already announced their opposition -- angry that proposed spending cuts accompanying a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling fall far short of what they agreed in a bill passed by the House last month. While McCarthy has described the deal as "transformational," Chip Roy, a leading figure in the hard-right Freedom Caucus, called it a "turd sandwich." "Not one Republican should vote for this deal. It is a bad deal. No one sent us here to borrow an additional $4 trillion to get absolutely nothing in return," Roy said at a Freedom Caucus news conference Tuesday. Avoiding another crisis The floor vote is planned for around 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Thursday), according to a provisional House schedule. The agreement would hold spending flat for 2024 while boosting cash for defense and veterans and clawing back $28 billion in unspent Covid aid money. Crucially, it will then cap increases at one percent until the year after the presidential election, a win for Biden who would not have to go through a repeat of the crisis at the height of his reelection campaign. It would increase work requirements on federal food stamp recipients and welfare safety net programs, but does not make the sweeping reforms to government health insurance that Republicans had pushed for. Party strategists were bullish that the grousing from the right did not represent a consensus within the broader party. "Members from all across the conference shared their support for this important bill" during a party meeting late Tuesday, Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik told reporters after a key panel, the House Rules Committee, advanced the bill to a floor vote. "This is a win for the American people and future generations," she said, calling it "a historic step to restoring fiscal sanity and holding Washington accountable." But a bloc of at least 20 conservative Republicans have announced they will oppose the compromise, accusing McCarthy of caving to the White House and ensuring he will need to rely on Democratic votes to get the deal over the line. Freedom Caucus chair Scott Perry told reporters the bill "fails completely", while fellow House Republican Nancy Mace said she was voting no because "playing the DC game isn't worth selling out our kids and grandkids." 'Keep moving forward' Congressman Dan Bishop told reporters he had "zero" confidence in McCarthy and threatened to push for his ouster, accusing the party leader of "lying" over the contents of the deal. Any single lawmaker can introduce a "motion to vacate the chair" -- a concession McCarthy offered the Republican hard right in return for their support for his speakership election in January. Assuming it gets to the House floor, the bill needs 218 votes, with Republican leadership bracing for somewhere between 40 and 60 of their 222 members defecting. On the left, lawmakers have voiced frustration over the new work requirements that would kick into federal aid programs while corporations and the rich are being asked to pay no more in taxes. The left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said in a statement the agreement was a "significant improvement" over the House-passed bill but complained it would leave older, low-income Americans hungry and "should be rejected." Democrats appear to have enough support however to bail out McCarthy if he faces a sizable rebellion. Among the conservative advocacy groups, the Heritage Foundation urged House Republicans to "go back to the negotiating table" while the Club for Growth suggested it would single out Republicans supporting the bill for poor marks in its "congressional scorecard." Biden, who has tried to counter progressive angst over the deal by emphasizing that "not everyone gets what they want," urged Congress Tuesday to "keep moving forward on meeting our obligations and building the strongest economy in the history of the world." The post Washington sweats over high-stakes vote to stave off default appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate approves Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act
With 24 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and abstentions, the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2035, or the Trabaho Para Sa Bayan Act, on third and final reading. During Monday’s session, the upper chamber unanimously agreed to pass the proposed measure, which seeks to establish a National Employment Master Plan, less than a week before the sine die adjournment of Congress on 2 June. The bill, filed by Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, aims serve as the State’s master plan on employment generation and recovery to realize short-term and long-term goals and visions for the country. Villanueva expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for supporting his pet bill. "We thank our fellow senators for working tirelessly from crafting the bills and resolutions, to participating in committee hearings and debating in plenary to see through the passage of these important measures," he said. "We owe it to the people to see to it that the laws we pass here in the Senate have hurdled the most rigid scrutiny to ensure that they will truly impact the people," he added. The post Senate approves Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate approves bill establishing regional medical specialty centers
The Senate on Monday approved Senate Bill No. 2212, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, on third and final reading. All 24 senators agreed to pass the measure, which is one of the priority measures in the Common Legislative Agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. The bill aims to establish up to 53 specialty centers throughout the country by 2028, in an effort to decentralize the services of specialty centers such as the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the Philippine Heart Center, the Lung Center of the Philippines and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, which are all located in Manila Manila. For Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, principal author and co-sponsor of the measure, the approval of the measure in the Senate is a “fulfillment” of his promise during last year’s campaign. “This bill is a shot in the arm of our public health system. To borrow a medical term, it is a major transfusion of resources to government hospitals in the regions, nearer to the sick who need affordable care,” Zubiri said. The Senate chief explained that the measure will be a huge help for those who the sick Filipinos who live in far-flung areas of the country. “For the sick, the journey to big cities for treatment is the road to bankruptcy. Not only is the hospital bill enormous, transient stay is also expensive. What little money has been begged or borrowed end up being spent on lodging of carers instead of cure. The individual patient may survive, but family finances will not,” he said. “If the people cannot go to where excellent care are, then government must bring excellent medical care to them,” he added. Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who sponsored the measure, expressed his gratitude to his fellow senators for supporting the measure. “I want to express my profound thanks to our esteemed colleagues who diligently worked and expressed their unwavering support for the passage of this measure,” Go said in his manifestation. The measure, he said, is a “steadfast commitment, and a collective vision to improve our healthcare system. It demonstrates our dedication to delivering efficient specialized health care to every Filipino.” President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, in his first State of the Nation Address, highlighted the need to make medical services more accessible outside Metro Manila. The post Senate approves bill establishing regional medical specialty centers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
House approves measures on salt industry, immigration reform
The proposed Philippine Salt Industry Act and the Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act, which were among the 42 priority measures of the Marcos administration awaiting the House of Representatives' final approval, finally hurdled the plenary's floor on Monday. With 287 affirmative votes, House Bill 8278, or the bill seeking to revive the country's salt industry, was passed on third and final reading. HB 8203, a measure that would allow the BI to actively pursue modernization while also seeking to professionalize its workforce, also got the blessing of the House. The House-approved bills brought to 33 the approved priority legislation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. The Marcos administration initially had only 31 bills on its legislative agenda top list, which the LEDAC later adopted. The lower chamber, however, indicated earlier this month that it would add 11 more bills, increasing the total number of the administration's priority legislation to 42. HB 8278 classifies salt, whether unprocessed or processed, as a basic agricultural product, with all of the legal and regulatory ramifications that classification entails. The bill intends to form a Philippine Salt Industry Development Council to ensure the roadmap's uniform and integrated implementation and to advance the modernization and industrialization of the country's salt sector. It will also create a development roadmap that includes a short-term, medium-term and long-term development plan, as well as particular and priority programs and initiatives that will support and align with the roadmap. The council will establish new small-scale artisanal salt farms through the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Under HB 8203, no person shall be appointed to the position of immigration officer unless such person meets the qualification standards set by the BI and approved by the Civil Service Commission. The BI is part of the Department of Justice and is in charge of enforcing local immigration, citizenship and alien admission and registration rules. The measure will require the agency to maintain an Immigration Trust Fund of no more than P1.2 billion from its yearly income derived from fees, fines and penalties, which will be utilized to fund information technology projects and other modernization programs. The ITF will be governed by the board in compliance with existing government auditing standards and regulations, according to the House-approved measure. It will be split into the following components: 50 percent for modernizing the tools, workplaces and offices used by bureau employees, including capital expenditures for the construction of new structures and field offices; 30 percent for paying employee benefits; and 20 percent for furthering the professionalization of bureau employees, including training, seminars and other career advancement programs. The bills were both in accordance with the President's economic agenda. The post House approves measures on salt industry, immigration reform appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate approves bill extending estate tax amnesty to 2025
Voting 24-0, senators approved Senate Bill 2219 which, if enacted into law, would amend Republic Act 11213 or the “Tax Amnesty Act”......»»
Metro’s clean water supply at risk as Laguna Lake status worsens
Industry stakeholders warned that Metro Manila’s clean water supply may be in peril if the deteriorating water quality of Laguna Lake, the country’s largest lake and a major source of potable water, worsens. West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc., which sources at least 300 million liters per day from the lake, said Tuesday it has laid out interventions to help prevent the situation from worsening that may trigger water interruption. Among others, Maynilad had installed ultrasonic algae control equipment and upgraded its silt curtain. However, despite the efforts, the water company admitted that the prolonged high turbidity in Laguna Lake makes it harder for treatment plants to process water before supplying it to the customers. “Laguna Lake has become shallow to as low as two meters due to siltation that strong gusts of wind can easily stir up sediments in the lake bed — making the raw water highly turbid,” it explained. Maynilad began tapping Laguna Lake as an alternate source of raw water in 2010. It is currently in the process of constructing its third treatment facility, which will be completed by the end of the year. Based on the latest data from the state-run Laguna Lake Development Authority, there is currently a high concentration of blue-green algae in the lake — a form of bacteria that adversely affects both water quality and the filtration system in the lake. Although algae are fish food, the LLDA warned that the buildup can also cause fish kills. To date, around 80 percent of bangus and tilapia supply in Metro Manila comes from Laguna Lake. Thus, the LLDA, for its part, said it deployed more than a hundred solar-powered paddle wheels to prevent the growth of the algae. Separately, Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon on Tuesday pointed out that it is imperative to protect the lake from pollutants to keep its quality stable and avert any water interruption that the poor water quality may cause. “For Laguna Lake to become a truly viable source of drinking water, it has to be protected. It is important to develop and implement programs and projects for the lake to ensure that its water quality is maintained at standards intended for its use,” Biazon said. “And with climate change and rapid urbanization putting undue stress on existing raw water sources, additional sources must be developed,” he added. To recall, Biazon, when he was part of the 18th Congress, filed House Bill 737 to call for the enhanced protection of Laguna Lake, given its deteriorating quality and increasing use as a drinking water source. The post Metro’s clean water supply at risk as Laguna Lake status worsens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
House approves estate tax amnesty extension
By a vote of 259-0, the House of Representatives approved on Monday a measure extending the estate tax amnesty, which is one month away from its initial due, for another two years. House Bill 7909, approved on final reading, seeks to amend the Tax Amnesty Act to extend coverage and period of availing of the estate tax amnesty from 15 June this year to 14 June 2025. The House-passed legislation aims to ease taxpayers' financial burdens and make up for lost time in their estate tax settlement obligations, which were hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic's multiple lockdowns. The measure was approved by the House ways and means panel, chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, on 25 April. The Tax Amnesty Act, signed on 14 February 2019 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, provides taxpayers with a one-time opportunity to settle their tax obligations through an estate amnesty program that offers reasonable tax relief to estates with outstanding estate tax liabilities. On 30 June, he signed RA 11569, which amended Section 6 of RA 11213, extending the estate tax amnesty until 14 June 2023. Proponents of House Bill 7909 pushed for a two-year extension to account for those still struggling to meet the documentary requirements due to the pandemic disruptions. The post House approves estate tax amnesty extension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Private schools buck bill vs ‘no permit, no exam’ policy
Operations of private schools will be severely affected if the government approves the proposed legislation that seeks to prohibit the so-called “no permit, no exam” policy, according to the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations......»»
House approves constitutional convention bill on final reading
With the passage of HB 7352 on final reading, the House supermajority has now passed the buck to the Senate on whether the 19th Congress will amend the Charter, specifically to lift the economic provisions that restrict foreign ownership in the country......»»