GDP number must be transformed into calories – Recto

30 January 2014, Comment are Off
The 7.2 percent economic growth last year is all the more impressive as it was achieved despite a domino of calamities dragging it down. This is not to say that the economy is fully typhoon-proof or completely earthquake-resistant because misfortunes did dent the final outcome....

Rehab funds in national budget carry “do not plunder” warning

20 January 2014, Comment are Off
The Senate has erected a “do not plunder” sign in the P20 billion fund to rehabilitate Yolanda-hit and quake-damaged areas in the Visayas. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said that a special provision of the P20 billion budget for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction...

Power rate hike freeze sought for other Luzon coops

16 January 2014, Comment are Off
Metro Manila residents welcome with a sigh of relief the Supreme Court TRO on the Meralco increase in power rates. But why single out Meralco? Hindi naman ito lang ang nagtaas ng singil na kuryente. Coops across Luzon also did. So if temporary reprieve was given to Meralco...

Under the law, NBI must process clearance in 10 minutes

14 January 2014, Comment are Off
Nang humingi ang National Bureau of Investigation(NBI) ng kulang-kulang P1 bilyong pisong budget para sa taong ito, P940 million to be exact, nangako itong i-proseso ang NBI clearance sa loob lamang ng 10 minuto. This is the promissory note it issued to the Congress and to the...

Recto: Senate is waiting for Palace’s ‘electricity bills’

13 January 2014, Comment are Off
Malacanang has been urged to submit its “electric bills” to Congress as soon as possible so that legislation needed to prevent power price spikes and blackouts in the future can be hammered out. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Energy officials should be “burning the...

I rechanneled my PDAF to the Calamity Fund

09 January 2014, Comment are Off
Statement of Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto I rechanneled my PDAF to the Calamity Fund It is of public record that I requested that the P200 million in PDAF earmarked for my office be realigned to the Calamity Fund so it can be used to help Yolanda victims. When...

DBM must publicize agencies’ ‘promissory notes’

06 January 2014, Comment are Off
Now that the 2014 national budget has been signed into law, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto wants the Budget department to publicize the “promissory notes” agencies have issued in exchange for receiving taxpayer’s money. Among the “performance guarantees” embedded in the...

Tap P12-B road user’s tax for road safety

17 December 2013, Comment are Off
With one vehicular accident occurring every seven minutes in Metro Manila alone, a senator has called for the “wise utilization” of the portion of the multibillion-peso road user’s tax collection earmarked by law for road safety. By Senator Ralph G. Recto’s calculation, about...