Use PCSO income to boost anemic gov’t drug spending of 70 centavos per Pinoy daily

23 July 2016, Comment are Off
Latest government figures show that government drug purchases translate to P73 per capita annually, underscoring the need for the state lottery income to augment the state’s measly medicine budget. “It comes up to 20 centavos per Filipino a day,” Senator Ralph Recto said in...

Lack of IRR bogs down PWD law’s implementation

22 July 2016, Comment are Off
It has been four months since the signing of the law expanding the tax breaks and other benefits for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and its Senate principal author is asking the responsible agencies to speed up the release of the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR...

To avoid repeat of GMA case, Recto files bills putting all PCSO funds into health, away from Palace hands

20 July 2016, Comment are Off
With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the charges against former President Arroyo for illegally diverting PCSO funds, Senator Ralph Recto has filed bills in the Senate placing state lottery income “beyond the reach of the most powerful person in the land” by earmarking it for...

With NG debt near P6 trillion, Recto files debt cap bill

19 July 2016, Comment are Off
With the country’s outstanding debt hitting P5.9 trillion in 2015, Senator Ralph Recto has filed a bill capping government’s indebtedness at 50 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Recto said a mandatory debt cap is needed as “uncontrolled public debt can...

Recto: Solar power in gov’t offices to free P1.2 billion a year for social services

18 July 2016, Comment are Off
Why spend more than P1 billion a month for electricity use of national government agencies when such can be reduced by tapping abundant solar power? This possibility was raised by Senator Ralph Recto in a bill requiring government agencies to spearhead the use of renewable energy...

Recto bills lengthen validity of passport to 10 yrs, driver’s license to 5 yrs

17 July 2016, Comment are Off
Senator Ralph Recto has filed bills extending the validity of a driver’s license from three years to five years and that of a Philippine passport from five years to 10 years. Recto said “lengthening the expiry date of these two important documents” will spare the holder of the...

Recto: Flying commercial gives Pres. Digong opportunity to monitor NAIA’s improvement

14 July 2016, Comment are Off
President Duterte’s decision to take commercial flights in regularly shuttling between Manila and Davao would allow him to personally check on the improvements done on the the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). This is the observation of Senator Ralph Recto, who said that...

Recto backs Palace’s ‘no gloating policy’ over The Hague victory

14 July 2016, Comment are Off
Senator Ralph Recto said Malacañang’s “no gloating” policy over an international tribunal’s favorable decision on the country’s protest against Chinese incursion in the West Philippine Sea “is the best tack because there is no need to amplify a decision whose elements are so loud...