‘Amidst global shortage, local sand must be for PH housing, infra’

06 April 2019, Comment are Off
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Senate probe into the “poaching or export of sand and other landfill materials” should cover not only the reported sand dredging in Batangas “but similar cases in other parts of the country.” Recto said he will a file resolution...

Senate budget provision allows critical gov’t projects to skirt election ban

31 January 2019, Comment are Off
I support the call of Budget Secretary Ben Diokno to exempt infrastructure projects from the election period ban on certain activities. In fact, the Senate version of the 2019 national budget contains this General provision which I sponsored: “Notwithstanding the provisions of...

4Ps bill prioritizes farmers, shuns epal politics and weaknesses of P.5 trillion program

30 January 2019, Comment are Off
The Senate-approved bill institutionalizing the state’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program carries provisions which “shield it from epal politics, prioritize farmers and fishermen, reward work equity, link it to livelihood programs,” Sen. Ralph Recto said. “This is not...

Senate OKs bill tapping Malampaya fund to stave off power hikes

29 January 2019, Comment are Off
The Senate approved on second reading Monday a bill which will use a portion of the Malampaya collection to defray a looming hike in electricity prices caused by stranded power sector privatization costs, which will be passed on to consumers. The measure, principally authored by...

Recto: Jolo bombing is MILF’s leadership test as future Bangsamoro rulers

29 January 2019, Comment are Off
The bloody Sulu cathedral bombing is the first leadership test of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders who are set to assume the reins of the Bangsamoro autonomous government, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. Recto said solving Sunday’s twin explosions which...

Recto’s bill lifts ban on motorbikes-for-hire but says safety, insurance, expert driver a must

25 January 2019, Comment are Off
A bill has been filed in the Senate defining which types of motorcycles may qualify as public utility vehicles, which if approved will lift the ban on two-wheel vehicles from ferrying paying passengers. Sen. Ralph Recto’s Senate Bill 2173 classifies public utility motorcycles as...

‘Don’t make hike in car registration fees the sequel of Road Board abolition’

24 January 2019, Comment are Off
The abolition of the Road Board should not tempt the administration to push through with its plan to raise motor vehicle registration fees, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. “’The end’ na ang Road Board. But raising car registration fees should not be its sequel....

Senate budget provision blocks payment for Chinese CCTV project

23 January 2019, Comment are Off
The Senate has plugged a hole in the 2019 national budget, through which multi-billion-peso Chinese and other foreign-funded projects unilaterally approved by the executive can be paid, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. The “block payment” provision in the Senate...