AUG
27
2014

Recto : Pouring more funds into the health bucket is the real challenge

Government was challenged today to “pour more money into the health bucket” so it can improve health facilities, hire more doctors and reduce deaths from curable diseases like tuberculosis. The dare was aired by Senator Ralph Recto who said that while health spending of the
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AUG
21
2014

Bill on Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens

Sponsorship Speech of Sen. Ralph G. Recto on SB No. 712 Mr. President, my dear colleagues: If it takes a village to raise a child, then it must also take a village to care for the old. And one that does so is great, for that is how a society is measured – not by the strength of
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AUG
21
2014

Recto files “Green Energy Government Offices Act”

Energy, water bill of gov’t offices to rise to P13 B With the national government coughing up more than a billion pesos a month for electricity and water in its offices, calls for conserving utility use in the bureaucracy have been aired anew in the Senate. Senate President
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AUG
17
2014

1-ft thick, 11-kg, 5,020-page budget docs don’t show status of previous yr’s itemized projects

Although the proposed national budget is almost fully itemized, there is however no document which shows if indeed the itemized projects have been completed, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said today. Recto said that for all the voluminous budget documents that the
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AUG
15
2014

DOTC wants P6.7 B for MRT subsidy

Recto says Senate will ask if it can deliver on its promises Government is asking for a P6.6 billion subsidy for the Metro Rail Transit for next year and the Senate will assess when it hears the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) 2015 budget if the MRT can
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AUG
14
2014

2016 combatants urged to observe ‘political ceasefire’

Ang dapat pag-ukulan ng pansin  ngayon ay mga isyung malapit sa bituka – trabaho, suweldo, presyo, pagkain, krimen  – at hindi yung bagay na malayo pa – tulad ng 2016. Di hamak na mas interesado ang mga tao kung saan sila makakabili ng murang manok na lulutuin kesa kung sino ang
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AUG
11
2014

Comelec budget jumps six-fold to P16.8 B, P3.7 B for PCOS machines

The proposed budget of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for 2015 will soar to P16.8 billion, or six times its 2014 budget of P2. 8 billion, an increase Sen. Ralph Recto described “as a high price we’re being told to pay to have clean elections in 2016.” Recto said P3.76
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AUG
10
2014

Recto: High PPP bids could lead to higher user charges

Sen. Ralph Recto today called for a review of the government policy of awarding multi-billion Public-Private Partnership projects to highest bidders as this scheme could lead to higher fees paid by the public who will use them. “If a public infrastructure or basic service is the
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AUG
08
2014

Recto calls for immediate debate on bill raising tax exempt cap on worker bonuses

Sen. Ralph G. Recto today pressed for immediate debates on his measure raising the annual tax exemption ceiling on employee bonuses, 13th month pay and allowances to P75,000 from the current threshold of P30,000. He said changing the current limit is long overdue “as it was
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