MANILA - The leadership of the House of Representatives on Tuesday expressed confidence on meeting the September 30 deadline in approving the proposed national budget for 2023. In a press conference, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said the national budget or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for next year would face smooth sailing in the lower chamber, which has the power of the purse. The National Expenditure Program (NEP), the precursor of the GAB, will be submitted to the House on Aug. 22. The House will begin its first recess in the 19th Congress on Sept. 30 and will convene until over a month later on Nov. 6. "Last Congress nagawa natin 'yun (In the last Congress we made it), we were able to beat the September 30 deadline, giving all members of the House of Representatives time to deliberate, interpellate intelligently with all the departments. Dito nagsimula 'yung proseso, at gusto naming mabigyan lahat ng mga miyembro ng Kamara ng panahon na ma-scrutin
MANILA - A solon said Friday the latest incursion of China should be a cause of alarm for Philippine security officials, as this was the "first publicly disclosed incident" of the presence of a Chinese navy reconnaissance ship in the Philippine territorial waters in the Sulu Sea. PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles said in a statement that the incident, which happened at a time when the Philippines and the United States were holding Marine Exercise 2022 (MAREX 22), was "deliberate and calculated" to test the country's border security amid the escalating tension between China and Taiwan. He emphasized the need for the country to have full documentation of such incidents as there might be a need to elevate the issue during the 77th United Nations General Assembly in September. "I ask the Navy, Coast Guard, and PNP (Philippine National Police) Maritime Group to fully disclose to the Congress the number of Chinese incursions into Philippine territori
MANILA - Malacanang has issued a memorandum circular requiring all government agencies and instrumentalities to remain operational regardless of the Covid-19 alert level of the area where they are located. Under Memorandum Circular No. 96 issued by the Office of the President, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said all agencies and instrumentalities of the government under Alert Level 1 "shall adhere to 100 percent on-site workforce." "This issuance is consistent with the de-escalation of certain areas in the country to Alert Level 1, and the release of an updated Alert Level System Guidelines," Nograles said in a statement. On Sunday, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved placing the National Capital Region and 38 other areas under Alert Level 1. Other areas under Alert Level 1 are: Abra, Aklan, Angeles City, Apayao, Aurora, Bacolod City, Baguio City, Bataan, Batanes, Biliran, Bulacan, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro
(File photo) MANILA - Malacanang said Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte would not be physically joining his endorsed senatorial candidates in their campaigns for the May 9 elections as there are no official entries set yet in his calendar. Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the President is currently "busy with work". "Okay naman si Pangulo (The President is okay) busy with work. But with regard to physically joining mga senatorial candidates ay wala pong official entries in his official calendar to that effect," Nograles said in a press briefing. Duterte has supported the senatorial bids of former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, former senator JV Ejercito, and former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chairperson Greco Belgica. Currently, Duterte still has not endorsed any presidential candidate for the upcoming elections. "Well, balikan natin 'no iyong sinabi ni Pangulo (Let's r
NOT POLITICKING. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his Talk to the People at the Malacanan on Jan. 24, 2022. Duterte said naming "most corrupt" candidates is not politicking but part of his job as head of the country. (Presidential photo by Toto Lozano) MANILA - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday said he would start talking about the May 9 elections and candidates in due time, as part of his job as the head of the country. "I will personally name the candidates and maybe what's wrong with them na kailangan malaman ng tao (for the people to know) because you are electing a president. Sino 'yung pinaka-corrupt na kandidato (Who is the most corrupt candidate)," Duterte said in his prerecorded Talk to the People aired on Tuesday morning. Duterte noted that this move is not a form of politicking, but rather merely informing the public ba