The Bicarmeral Conference Committee hearings on the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget for 2026 will begin Saturday, Dec. 13, with more eyes expected to watch every move of the lawmaker-participants than in any other bicam in history. For the first time...
In observance of this year’s Human Rights Day, marking the 77th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Caritas Philippines and the Episcopal Commission on Social Action – Justice and Peace reaffirmed their commitment to promoting and defending the human dignity of...
The Philippines has taken a decisive step to protect vulnerable children with the launch of the National Action Plan to End Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions (2025–2028) on Friday, December 12. The plan aims to strengthen prevention, protection, and support systems, ensuring that...
Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has launched the country’s first payroll account opening solution that requires no more manual intervention, cutting turnaround time to 24 hours from the industry norm of two weeks. “With Zero-Touch Onboarding, we’ve reimagined one of the...
With the annual Congress holiday break just around the corner, it seems that several individuals who were cited in contempt during previous hearings could remain in detention at the Senate during Christmas and the New Year--perhaps even longer. This was according to Senate President Vicente "Tito"...
We all look forward to celebrating Christmas and the holidays in December. But for some, it’s a mixed feeling—especially those who have revenue targets to meet, reports to complete, and taxes to comply with. And December often carries the highest financial budget for most companies. Businesses...
Ten years ago, my graduate school research proposal aimed to assess the public’s perception of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). My initial question was why CPAs do not seem to receive the same level of respect accorded to other esteemed professions such as doctors and lawyers. My research...
Metro Pacific Coconut Holdings Corp. (MPCH), a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), has increased its market share to nearly 70 percent of the country’s food-grade coconut exports after completing the acquisition of Franklin Baker Co. of the Philippines. MPIC said in a statement...
A staggering number of Filipino students in Grades 1 to 3 are struggling to read, with only 15 percent reaching grade-level proficiency, highlighting the urgent need for rapid measures—such as more reading materials, teacher capacity building, and parental engagement—to address the growing...
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the appropriate remedy for the public to question the prolonged absences of senators is to file an ethics complaint, noting that there is no “no work, no pay” rule for legislators under existing Senate rules or the Constitution. Sotto made the...
Nov. 23 was a red-letter day for my family. Four days before his birthday, my son, Carl Lorenz Cervantes, launched his book, Sikodiwa: Revisiting Filipino Indigenous Wisdom for Personal and Shared Well-Being, published by North Atlantic Books. It is a proud moment for a parent, naturally. But as I...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday outlined the Senate’s revised timetable for the passage of the proposed 2026 national budget, saying the chamber is still aiming to have the measure signed into law by December 29 despite disruptions caused by a weekend fire. In an interview on Monday,...
