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MAY
29
2020

Gov’t buildings, malls must provide free, safe parking for bikes

Aside from dedicated lanes for their use, secure parking spaces for bicycles will encourage more people to pedal their way to workplaces, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said.  “It is not enough that we set aside passageways for bicycles. We should also see to it
MAY
27
2020

SBN-1561: Bayanihan To Recover as One

An Act Extending The Effectivity Of Republic Act No. 11469, Otherwise Known As The “Bayanihan To Heal As One Act,” Providing Mechanisms To Accelerate The Recovery And Bolster The Resiliency Of The Philippine Economy, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 11469, Appropriating
MAY
27
2020

SAP’s 2nd ‘give’ must not be held up by liquidation reports

The DSWD says that a condition for the release of the second installment of SAP is the local government’s liquidation report on the first wave of the cash distribution.  In ordinary times, this audit rule should be followed strictly. But in the midst of the pandemic, it
MAY
27
2020

Gov’t officials reminded: Avoid pronouncements that cause GCQ – general confusion and questions

Kung maaari po sana na anumang bagong alituntunin sa traffic, lalo na sa coding sa Metro Manila, ay maipahiwatig sa lengwaheng simple at madaling maintidihan.  Maiiwasan din ang pagkalito ng mga motorista kung ang isasapubliko ay ang mga
MAY
26
2020

Locked down schools should not lead to education being put in quarantine—Recto

Even though the President has expressed his views on the issue, this should not stop education stakeholders from fine-tuning the ways which will allow our young to learn amidst the pandemic without making them sick.  Finding alternatives to face-to-face instruction is like
MAY
26
2020

Scale up quarantine facilities to cut huge backlog of OFWs for repatriation

With their robust remittances – P1.7 trillion last year – overseas Filipinos who are homeward bound have earned the right to be treated “as returning heroes who have sacrificed so much for their country,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. “They deserve a red carpet
MAY
25
2020

No reading, no billing—Recto

“No reading, no billing.” The simplest of formulas in computing utility usage is the most fair.  This is what water utilities should also use so they can avoid the public uproar which greeted one power utility’s guesstimate way of billing.  This must be the rule across
MAY
22
2020

.3 M private school teachers need help too—Recto

Almost one-third of a million teachers in private schools have had their salaries cut off or slashed, as the pandemic has also hit the finances of non-government educational institutions, two Cabinet members told senators yesterday. Upon questioning by Senate
MAY
22
2020

Recto: Time to write off CARP loans of small farmers

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto today called for Senate action on his bill condoning all the debts farmers incurred in owning lands under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). He made the appeal following the approval by the House of
MAY
21
2020

Contact tracers: Model vs COVID second wave, tsunami of joblessness

Hiring contact tracers “is a good way to stop the second wave of the pandemic from coming and to stem the tsunami of joblessness,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said.  Recto said such a “cash-for-work” scheme should be the template in providing emergency