Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson warned on Sunday, December 14, that restoring the items cut from the proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at the bicameral conference committee level will reopen the floodgates to insertion. Lacson made this...
As lawmakers start threshing out the differing provisions in their version of the 2026 national budget, senators zeroed in on the questionable budget increase for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and farm-to-market roads (FMR). Senate President Pro...
National security must now be felt not just in military preparedness but in affordable food, decent jobs, reliable healthcare, and trustworthy institutions. This was stressed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año during the recent National Security Summit 2025 convened by the National...
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has asked the Senate to reconsider 2026 budget reductions, citing the need to apply updated construction cost data to ensure accurate project costing and proper execution. DPWH said the request focuses on securing authority to implement...
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto called for a people-centered definition of national security, stressing that true security lies in protecting the everyday conditions that allow Filipino families to live with dignity, stability, and hope. Speaking at the National Security Summit 2025, Recto said...
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...
The Philippine Army’s (PA) 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) formally launched its new “citizen-soldiers” dubbed as the “National Guard” during a Donning of Ranks and Patch Ceremony at Camp Capinpin in Rizal on Thursday, Dec. 11, marking the end of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit...
Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan has warned that Filipinos will continue to suffer from high food prices, prevalent hunger, and malnutrition if there is no adequate support for the agriculture sector. The senator emphasized that increased public investment was essential to ensuring food security,...
Philippine National Bank (PNB), the banking arm of the Lucio Tan Group, has successfully raised ₱15.7 billion from its return to the domestic debt capital market, its first since 2019. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the lender said the amount was raised via a dual-tranche,...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson defended the necessity of Unprogrammed Appropriations under the Special Purpose Fund in the national budget saying these are constitutional and even necessary. But Lacson said use of the Unprogrammed Appropriations however, should strictly...
President Marcos will not certify as urgent the proposed national budget for next year as it is expected to be submitted for approval before Christmas, Malacañang said. "Hindi ngayon (Not now)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday, Dec. 10, when...
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada withdrew as a member of the bicameral conference committee on the proposed 2026 national budget. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri announced this after the Senate approved a resolution adjusting Congress’ legislative calendar to accommodate the...
