Category

// Press Release
NOV
13
2018

On the Return of the Church Bells of Balangiga

The return of the bells restores a severed historical connection between a proud people and their brave forebears. After more than a century, the descendants will now be able to hear the bells which summoned their ancestors to prayers, to safety, to work, and to the defense of
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NOV
13
2018

K to 12’s problem not legal but logistical, says Recto as he calls for an end to backlog in facilities

K to 12’s problem “is not legal, but logistical,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said today as he urged the government to move on to address backlogs in the delivery of school facilities upon which the success of the said education reform hinges. Recto made the
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NOV
12
2018

“Jobs odometer” in budget, “labor sovereignty” in tied loans, mitigate job losses in TRABAHO, rice tariffication—Recto

As the latest SWS survey reported close to 10 million Filipinos jobless last September, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has called on government to attach a “jobs odometer” to the P3.757 trillion 2019 national budget and pursue other measures to reduce unemployment. And
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NOV
09
2018

Honasan: A silent workhorse in a chamber of showhorses

Greg is a silent workhorse in a chamber of showhorses. He has always been after good policies not after good publicity. I was the principal author of the law creating the DICT, the modernization of PAGASA and free WiFi, and I can attest that while he gave valuable inputs, he did
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OCT
13
2018

On the appointment of Ambassador Locsin as DFA Secretary

“This is one of the rare times that “the best and the brightest“ rule in presidential appointments has been followed. If diplomacy is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip, Teddy Boy has this skill in abundance. Rarely can you
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OCT
12
2018

On Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Law

I will be introducing a bill that will repeal Republic Act 10912, or the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Law. Like many pieces of legislation, its intention was good, but not its implementation. It is not the first time that what was appealing in theory, failed in
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OCT
11
2018

Casino, lotto, sin tax income to finance UHC

“Tax on vices to fund virtue of health-for-all” Multiple sources of finances underpin the Senate-approved Universal Health Care (UHC) bill so that its many mandates will not go unfunded, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. Among government revenues that will be
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OCT
10
2018

On Rice Tariffication

This is a tough balancing act. We must hit the sweet spot that will protect farmers from bankruptcy and spare consumers from high rice prices. Hindi pwedeng busog ang isa, gutom naman yung isa. We should give what the rice consuming poor want without harming the rice producing
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OCT
09
2018

SSS agrees with Senate on ‘endo’ insurance for workers

Social Security System members who will find themselves jobless will soon be entitled to unemployment insurance—if this Senate proposal will be included in the SSS Reform Bill that will soon be sent to President Duterte for signature. The provision’s sponsor, Senate President Pro
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SEP
20
2018

Recto: Duterte right in putting rice “under one conductor”

Bringing the NFA under the control and direction of the DA Secretary is the right move. There should be no two separate orchestras, with a conductor each, when it comes to rice. Para isang kumpas, it should be one symphony under the baton of one conductor. I hope that this move
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