Senators have raised concern on the government's decision to lift the travel ban despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. (Jansen Romero/MANILA BULLETIN File Photo) While daily coronavirus cases increase by the thousands locally -- over 20,000 for four consecutive days so far -- the...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has urged authorities to rethink their approach in addressing the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly in relying on vaccines to shield the population from the virus. Senate President Vicente Sotto III (Senate PRIB) Sotto believed the government should "change its...
Senators will not be deterred by President Duterte's statements that they should not be investigating ongoing programs of government. Senate President Vicente Sotto III bangs the gavel signifying the start of the plenary session on November 24, 2020.(Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB) "The Senate is...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday, September 2, that he is willing to reach out to President Duterte about the latter's displeasure on the upper chamber's investigation on the Department of Health's (DOH) disbursement of COVID-19 funds. Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III...
Government agencies should not be afraid of being called out by the Commission on Audit (COA) if they did nothing wrong or had no intention of doing so. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. presents updates on COVID-19 vaccination program on July 12, 2021. (Screenshot courtesy of RTVM livestream)...
The Senate decided on Wednesday, September 1, to further trim the number of employees who would be allowed to physically report for work due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in their ranks. Senate of the Philippines' plenary hall (Senate PRIB) Senate President Vicente Sotto III, during...
Senators agreed that there should be a review of the procedures in tapping the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service (DBM-PS) and the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) for buying supplies for government agencies. Senator Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara (Senate...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is looking at proposing a measure that would amend existing laws to make sure that "incompetent" state officials and employees would be held accountable, especially for the mismanagement of public funds and government programs. Senate President Vicente Sotto III...
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'...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday, August 27, defended the Upper Chamber from President Duterte's tirades about their investigations. Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III (Senate PRIB) Sotto corrected Duterte who, in his pre-recorded speech aired Thursday night, told the public not...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday, August 25, pushed for "free mass testing" for COVID-19 using the billions of funds still not unutilized by agencies. Senate President Vicente Sotto III bangs the gavel signifying the start of the plenary session on November 24, 2020.(Henzberg...
Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Vicente "Tito" Sotto III are not bothered by President Duterte's reported acceptance of PDP-Laban's nomination as its vice presidential candidate in the 2022 national and local elections. Senator Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson (right) and Senate President Vicente 'Tito'...
