Senator Joel Villanueva expressed optimism over the implementation of the Doktor Para Sa Bayan law after the program was granted P1.095 billion in funding under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA). "We 're very grateful to President Bongbong Marcos for supporting our Doktor Para Sa...
Senators on Monday, Jan. 5, welcomed President Marcos ' move to veto almost P92.5 billion in the 2026 national budget under the unprogrammed appropriations (UA). Marcos signed the P6.793-trillion 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) in Malacañan on Monday. In a Viber message, Senate...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday, Dec. 18, extolled the efforts the Senate panel that participated in the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget for 2026. In a statement, Lacson praised its the Senate panel...
Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her stance that funds allocated for Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) should remain with PhilHealth. Legarda made the statement in light of the Supreme Court’s decision directing the government to return the ₱60-billion it earlier took from...
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,...
Senator Loren Legarda has called for full transparency on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation 's (PhilHealth) funding during the deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget, stressing that mandated subsidies must be properly allocated and released. In her interpellation on the...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said Saturday, Nov. 15 that former lawmaker Zaldy Co 's recent claims on social media will have to be properly authenticated--that is, made under oath or affirmed in the Philippine consulate of the country where he is now staying--for it to...
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Thursday, Nov. 13, called on the Senate to ensure that the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 has no “pork barrel” or discretionary funds allocated to lawmakers. The vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance pointed this out during the first day of...
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...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday, June 20 said the government should be ready to provide subsidy if the Dubai crude oil breaches the US$80 per barrel threshold. Gatchalian made the call as he expressed alarm over the increasing tension between Israel and Iran and which has pushed a global oil...
The plenary hall of the House of Representatives (Dexter Barro II/MANILA BULLETIN) Two House leaders have guaranteed the lower chamber's compliance with the Supreme Court's (SC) request for a copy of the enrolled bill containing the 2025...
A non-government organization (NGO), backed by Duterte allies, will file on Monday, Feb. 10 criminal charges against House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other congressmen over falsification of public documents after they allegedly inserted billions worth of funds into the 2025 budget. The Citizens...
