OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar I was reviewing my new website ( www.mannyvillar.com.ph ) that we recently launched. It is a beautiful website that includes information about myself and what we have built over the years in terms of our business. It is meant to inform but...
Two big farmers’ groups have sought the intervention of the Senate regarding the recently issued Executive Order (EO) 135, which temporarily reduced the import tariff rates for rice coming from non-ASEAN countries. In their separate letters, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) and Samahang...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday announced that 73 percent of the Senate’s employees are already vaccinated. “As of today, the Senate has all the employees vaccinated at 73 percent. In other words, 73 percent of the Senate employees are already vaccinated, for the record,” Sotto...
Members of the Senate approved on third and final reading Monday, May 17, a bill that would make April 28 of every year a special working holiday in the province of Aurora, to commemorate the death anniversary of Aurora Antonia Aragon-Quezon, the Philippines' first official first lady. Twenty-two...
The Senate approved on third and final reading Monday, May 17, a local bill that would establish a third legislative district in the province of Bataan. The province of Bataan (Google Maps) House Bill No. 8664, contained in Committee Report No. 204, hurdled the Upper Chamber as Congress resumed...
The Senate will work on passing soon the bills aimed at reviving the Philippine economy, such as the proposed amendments to the Public Service Act and to the Foreign Investment Act, among others. (Senate of the Philippines) Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said senators agreed on this...
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has renewed his appeal to fellow senators to support the proposed creation of the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL) as Congress resumes session today, Monday, May 17. Go had filed Senate Bill No. 1949 which seeks to consolidate all government agencies and...
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday, May 14, asked the Senate to immediately decide on the proposals to postpone the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). (COMELEC) At the last hearing of the Senate local government committee on...
Presidential peace process adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. on Friday, May 14, warned legislators that pushing through with elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next year could lead to more attacks and division among its residents. Presidential Peace Process Adviser...
Only one talking head, aside from the President, should be tasked to issue statements relating to the West Philippine Sea (WPS), lest officials make a mistake about their pronouncements. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (PNA/File photo) Senators gave the observation Wednesday, May 12,...
Opposition senators on Tuesday questioned the designation of six more spokespersons for the administration’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Senator Risa Hontiveros said the performance of the anti-insurgency task force should not be dependent on the number...
The Senate labor committee wrapped up on Monday, May 10, its deliberation on the proposed creation of the Department for Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL). Senator Joel Villanueva speaks during a Senate hearing on February 24, 2020. (Senate PRIB/Henzberg Austria) Senator Joel Villanueva, committee...
