SEP
27
2015

Senate to OK law ‘reforming, revamping’ controversial agri fund

The Senate is set to approve a law that would reform a multi-billion fund financed by tariffs collected from rice and sugar imports to make sure that funds would go to legitimate farmers and fishermen. Sen. Ralph G. Recto said the bill being debated on the Senate floor “will not
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SEP
26
2015

Planting ammo carries life in jail penalty, time for Senate to probe many airport scams

The 2013 Firearms Law says that if you are a public official and you plant a bullet in the person or property of an individual for the purpose of framing him up, you go to jail for life. Isang bala lang, hindi ka na sisikatan ng araw sa tagal mo sa bilangguan. Section 38 of
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SEP
19
2015

Inform public of APEC flight disruptions in advance–Recto

When Pope Francis flew into town, we closed the airport for hours. When His Holiness left, we shut down the airspace above NAIA for almost half a day. And that was for one head of state only. How much more if 21 heads of state would descend on our congested, single-runway airport
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SEP
18
2015

Recto presses Medal of Valor for SAF 44, MILF retraction of false report

What’s the best prologue to President Aquino’s unequivocal declaration that it was the SAF group that killed Marwan? First, for the government to expedite the evaluation of the recommendation that some, if not all, of the Fallen 44, plus some of their surviving comrades be
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SEP
16
2015

Recto seeks Palace action on EDSA-like pace classroom construction

One way to solve the “EDSA-like” pace in building classrooms is to list down in the national budget the names of the schools where they will be built, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto proposed today. Recto made the proposal after the Department of Education (DepEd)
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SEP
16
2015

Good luck and Godspeed to Grace, Chiz, Allan, Sonny, BongBong

The more aspirants for the presidency, the better for our country. The bigger the field, the more choices for us. Better to have a surplus of aspirants than a shortage. It is within this context – of how pluralism in politics will do us good – that I welcome Sen. Grace’s
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SEP
13
2015

Without proof, new Mamasapano theory “assassinates” memory of SAF 44

If unsupported by facts, the claim is slanderous. It has the effect of devaluing the heroism of the SAF 44. Those who are peddling a revisionist take on what happened in Mamasapano should come up with solid proof. Because if what they are alleging will be later proven false, the
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SEP
10
2015

250,000 more seniors to get pension due to hike in program budget

Almost a quarter-million more indigent senior citizens will receive the P6,000 annual pension from the government next year, the chair of the Senate Finance Sub-Committee that reviews the budget for that program said today. Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto, who
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SEP
08
2015

As Customs sets 2016 seizure targets, Recto wants clear rules on OFW boxes

One in seven incoming shipments that will be inspected by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) next year could be seized, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto said, citing the agency’s performance target for 2016. Recto said that in the proposed 2016 national budget, BoC stated as
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