The Senate has ratified the bicameral committee report on the bill that seeks to institutionalize the government’s "One Town, One Product" (OTOP) Program. Sen. Mark Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, and sponsor of the measure, reported the...
Senator Mark A. Villar, author of Senate Bill 2020, also known as the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill, is confident that the measure would be approved on third reading this week. “We have carefully studied and analyzed the MIF bill. We made revisions and added more safeguards to ensure that...
The Senate minority bloc is pushing for an “iron-clad” provision in the Senate’s version of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act to guarantee that pension funds in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) would not be compromised in the...
The Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) has entered the period of interpellation in the Senate. "Maganda po na madiscuss natin ang mga concerns ng ating mga kapwa senador (The discussion with my colleagues’ concerns were lively). From the start, we always wanted to scrutinize this bill. No better way...
Senator Mark A. Villar on Wednesday May 10, sought a Senate inquiry into alleged continued proliferation of bank-related scams and frauds. This followed the filing by Villar of Senate Resolution 589 which asked the Senate leadership to direct the appropriate committee to conduct the hearing "with...
Senator Mark Villar, chairman of the Senate trade committee, has filed a bill allowing the use of digital copy of identification cards (IDs) in government transactions. In filing Senate Bill (SB) 1856, Villar explained that IDs play a significant role in society. In fact, in the Philippines, a...
Senator Mark Villar has sought the installation of timers in traffic lights and pedestrian lights in urban and rural areas to signal the flow of vehicles and pedestrians along the road. In filing Senate Bill (SB) 1959 to be known as the “Traffic Lights and Pedestrian Lights Timer Act”, Villar...
Senator Mark Villar on Sunday, February 12 commended President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for signing 35 investment deals with Japan during his state visit to the country. Villar said he believes these trade agreements will further strengthen the bilateral ties between Philippines and Japan....
The economic managers of the Marcos administration have started discussing senators about the many issues surrounding the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) on Monday night, January 30. The briefing held at the Senate was done by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Budget Secretary Amenah...
The Senate on Wednesday, January 25 referred the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill to the Senate Committee on Banks chaired by Sen. Mark Villar. This was after majority of the members of the Senate unanimously voted down a motion to refer the controversial MIF bill to the Senate...
Senator Mark A. Villar has filed the counterpart measure to House Bill No. 6608 or the bill that seeks the establishment of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF). Villar, chairman of the Senate banks committee, identified the sources of funds for the controversial MIF under Senate Bill No. 1670 which...
Senator Mark A. Villar on Monday, January 23, commended President Marcos for his efforts in this year’s Word Economic Forum (WEF) which brought more investment and jobs for the country. Aside from the actual forum, Marcos and the Philippine delegation met with companies like Glencore, Morgan...
