Recto to gov’t: Cut gas and power expense by half, and make college free

05 March 2016, Comment are Off
Government will only have to shell out P9.1 billion – or equivalent to its water, power and gasoline expenses in six months – to make public colleges tuition-free, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said. “The numbers show that it is attainable and affordable,” Recto sai...

Recto: There is still time to pass CCT bill

03 March 2016, Comment are Off
Not all is lost for the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) bill, as there is a three-week post-election window in which the Senate can pass the measure institutionalizing a program all presidential candidates have agreed must be strengthened, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto...

Recto to gov’t: Release P1B LGU share from fire fees, pay registration of volunteer firetrucks

02 March 2016, Comment are Off
To thank them for their services, government should waive vehicle registration fees of volunteer-owned firetrucks and place the brave men manning them under PhilHealth insurance, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto proposed today. This, as Recto called on the national...

Recto hopeful DICT bill will be signed into law “sa tamang panahon”

28 February 2016, Comment are Off
The principal sponsor of the bill creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) remains optimistic that President Aquino will sign the measure into law “sa tamang panahon.” “I think the Palace is searching for the best day for a signing ceremon...

Recto wants PAGASA’s P3 B modernization fund released to cover P2.1 B budget cut.

27 February 2016, Comment are Off
As La Nina looms, PAGASA has only P4.2 M for warning systems in 18 major river basins As the rainless El Niño swings to the other extreme of a rainy La Niña, the government was urged today release funds for the equipment upgrade of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and...

EDSA’s unfinished business is giving back coco levy funds to farmers

26 February 2016, Comment are Off
One unfinished business of the 1986 EDSA revolution is how to plowback the billions in coco levy funds to the millions of farmers who paid them, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said. “Thirty years have passed and the farmers are still waiting for the money, the fund is...

Unless IRA is raised, thousands of LGU workers won’t fully enjoy SSL IV rates

21 February 2016, Comment are Off
Thousands of government employees won’t be able to fully enjoy the pay hikes recently ordered by Malacañang unless the share of barangays, towns, cities and provinces from national tax collections will be increased, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said today. Recto said...

Statement on the Executive Order on Pay Hike of Government Employees

19 February 2016, Comment are Off
Executive Order (EO) 201 makes the provisions of the deadlocked bill on SSL IV permanent. It does not merely implement the congressionally-authorized funding for the first tranche but prescribes a new pay classification system, which must be funded in the coming years. This...