The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed on Thursday, Aug. 14, the allocation of P40 billion for its revised modernization program under the proposed 2026 national budget. In a statement, the AFP said the allocation was a “clear statement of our nation’s resolve to protect its...
Our nation’s story perseveres not only through history books but also through the work of countless Filipino artists. While our history paints the horrors of a country colonized many times over, there are pieces of our past that shine through in the form of the arts. Looking through early works...
Malacañang explained that the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) was not given a fresh allocation in the proposed 2026 national budget because nearly half of its 2025 funds remain unused. In a press briefing on Thursday, Aug. 14, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the...
Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday, Aug. 13, scored an early win in his efforts to ensure transparency in the budget process, after he set two suggestions that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian agreed to. Following a "solution-finding discussion" on Wednesday morning,...
While the proposed 2026 national budget increased by more than seven percent, confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) were slashed by 11.2 percent, or ₱1.35 billion, from the existing national budget. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman reported during the ceremonial turnover of the fiscal year...
The National Maritime Council (NMC) said the collision of two Chinese vessels in Bajo de Masinloc was entirely due to their own actions. In a statement over the August 11 incident at the Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, the NMC expressed concern over the "aggressive and...
In a bid for transparency, Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III wants all budget deliberations to be accessible to the public through livestreaming. Sotto had this to say he expressed full support for Concurrent Joint Resolution No. 4, filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. Backed...
Senator Mark Villar has filed a bill seeking to grant all Filipinos covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) free annual medical check-up, complete with basic laboratory tests such as blood sugar and cholesterol screening. The initiative aims to make healthcare more...
Alarmed by the recent surge in leptospirosis cases, Senator Camille Villar has filed a resolution seeking a Senate inquiry into the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the disease and reduce related fatalities. Villar, the youngest member of the 20th Congress, urged the Department of...
Electricity consumers can expect to see higher transmission rates on their August bills, as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) starts to recover long-standing infrastructure investments. The NGCP reported on Wednesday, Aug. 13, that its transmission rates climbed by ₱0.1312...
Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday, Aug. 13, pushed anew to make public the proponents of all amendments - including insertions - in the budget process. Lacson, an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, said this will make the proponents answerable for flood control and other...
President Marcos has submitted to Congress a proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, saying it marks a deliberate shift from infrastructure-heavy investments to greater funding for the country’s human capital. In his budget message, the President said that while the administration...
