With 17 affirmative votes, no negative votes and zero abstention, the Senate on Tuesday, December 9 approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 4058, which contains the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance...
The Senate approved on Thursday, December 4 the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 on second reading. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri moved to close the period of amendments for House Bill No. 4058 under Committee Report No. 18. Senate President Pro Tempore...
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Thursday, Dec. 4, that the Senate is working to resolve the remaining issues with proposed amendments to the 2026 national budget, to keep the timetable on track. In a chance interview, Sotto responded to questions on whether disagreements have...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson clarified that more than P79-billion has likely been lost to ghost flood control projects dating back to 2016, not counting substandard ones. Lacson said that the initial figure of P180-B was an “extrapolation.” Lacson said this was based on...
Former Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday, Dec. 3 addressed the recommendation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to refer her for further investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman, asserting that the move confirms the allegations against her are unfounded. “The ICI’s...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said on Wednesday, Dec. 3, that more than P180 billion has likely been lost to ghost flood control projects dating back to 2016, not counting substandard ones. Lacson said he and Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian arrived at this...
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, December 2 called on the government to assure Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa of his rights and due process amid reports of his impending arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC). “It is very important that our justice system in the...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson proposed on Tuesday, Dec. 2, a provision in the 2026 budget barring any political involvement in cash aid distribution to prevent politicians from abusing the ayuda (cash aid) distribution. During the period of amendments for the 2026 budget bill,...
The Senate on Tuesday, December 2 opened the period of amendments to the proposed 2026 national budget. This, after the Upper Chamber experienced a setback following a fire that hit one of the offices at the third floor last Sunday, November 30, and pushed back the budget schedule for this week....
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the appropriate remedy for the public to question the prolonged absences of senators is to file an ethics complaint, noting that there is no “no work, no pay” rule for legislators under existing Senate rules or the Constitution. Sotto made the...
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 Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday, Dec. 1, said the Senate does not observe a “no work, no pay” policy for its members, noting that the Upper Chamber’s existing practice only requires senators to formally notify the body when they are unable to attend sessions or budget hearings. Asked...
