Health workers deserve a raise in their special risk allowances (SRA) and hazard pay in the 2022 national budget, Senator Joel Villanueva said. (Jansen Romero / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, said...
Senator Joel Villanueva on Sunday, August 29 said government agencies should temporarily stop using the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM) as their buying arm for big-ticket projects until the agency has been reformed and cleared of any allegations of corruption....
Following audit reports that billions of pesos in public funds were unspent, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said government departments and agencies should not ask for budgets they cannot utilize and instead make sure that essential programs get priority funding. Senate President Vicente 'Tito'...
Senators took exception to President Duterte's claim that Senate investigations do nothing in improving the government, prompting them to enumerate previous hearings that led to changes in the current administration. Senator Richard Gordon addresses members of the media in an online briefing on...
Senator Joel Villanueva said the funds intended for helping distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) should be increased in the 2022 proposed national budget. Senator Joel Villanueva honors women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in observation of National Women’s Day during the hearing of the...
Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday, August 24, said the Senate will hasten the approval of the bill that is expected to protect freelance workers against abuse and explotation. Senator Joel Villanueva speaks during a Senate hearing on February 24, 2020. (Senate PRIB/Henzberg Austria) Senate Bill...
President Duterte cannot exempt government agencies from auditing procedures or encourage them from defying the Commission on Audit (COA) which is performing its sole mandate of being the state auditing agency. “The COA is an independent, constitutional body designed to check on the president and...
Senator Joel Villanueva has called on the government to step up its efforts in assisting displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and give them jobs that match their skills. (Jansen Romero/MANILA BULLETIN File Photo) “Giving them P20,000 each simply would not cut it anymore,” said Villanueva,...
Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday, August 12, expressed anew his dismay over the delay in the release of special allowance and other benefits due for health workers. (JANSEN ROMERO/MANILA BULLETIN File Photo) "Dismayado po tayo sa kinahinatnan ng pondong inilaan ng ating gobyerno para sa mga...
For some senators, the latest report of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Department of Health's (DOH) supposed deficiencies in handling some ₱67.3-billion COVID-19 response funds bolsters their observations on how well the agency is managing the pandemic. Senator Joel Villanueva (Senate of...
Some senators were not overjoyed by the 11.8-percent growth in the Philippines' economy, stressing it is still far from pre-pandemic levels. Senator Grace Poe (Office of Sen. Grace Poe/MANILA BULLETIN File Photo) "Economic growth may be at its highest since 1988 but let’s not lose sight of the...
Senator Joel Villanueva has praised and thanked Filipino athletes for their performance in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Hidilyn Diaz salutes during the Philippine national anthem after winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics women's 55-kg weightlifting competition. (AFP/Vincenzo...
