Content about Congress

MANILA, August 27, 2011—The Burgos Media Center (BMC) assailed the Aquino administration for alleged dilly-dallying of the passage of the Freedom of Information bill, with 13 versions now pending in the 15th Congress.

Mr. President, My Distinguished Colleagues in this August Chamber, Mga Minamahal kong Kababayan:

On several occasions, I rose in this August Chamber, in defense of the environment and other issues affecting our country and our countrymen.

Today, I rise on a personal privilege in defense of my and my family's honor, integrity and dignity.

And I address this speech to reach our people to whom I owe my present position.

MANILA, Philippines (July 18, 2011) - A cue from a Malacañang legal team that now assesses the “value and plausibility” of the allegations of two key witnesses is all the Department of Justice (DOJ) needs to start the formal investigation of perceived massive election fraud in 2004 and 2007.

MANILA, Philippines (June 11, 2011) - Malacañang has given the assurance that the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill will become a law under the Aquino administration. And we are counting months, not years, before it becomes a reality.

Presidential Communications Group Secretary Herminio Coloma told the “No Holds Barred” media forum at the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila, that it is reasonable to expect tha passage of the bill within the coming months.

Naga City (June 27) – Poles apart in their positions, Camarines Sur Governor L-Ray Villafuerte and 4th district Congressman Noli Fuentebella embraced each other after a heated debate on the issue of partitioning the province of Camarines Sur during a summit held at the amphitheatre of the University of Saint Anthony (USANT) in Iriga City.

Fuentebella and Villafuerte attended the event as guests but the listed speakers deferred to them to allow the two highest officials in the thick of the partition debate to hash out the pros and cons of the issue.

MANILA, Philippines (June 6 2011) (Xinhua) - The controversial reproductive health (RH) bill has finally been endorsed for plenary debates at the Senate, but discussions and voting on the legislation will take place in July as Congress goes on recess on Thursday.

Twenty senators signed Committee Report No. 49 of the Senate committees on finance, health and demography, and youth, women and family relations, paving the way for heated arguments, just like in the House of Representatives, on whether to allow or not unhindered public access to contraceptives.

MANILA, Philippines (May 18, 2011) - President Benigno Aquino III remains steadfast in his support for responsible parenthood and reproductive health (RH) as he reiterates today that passing an RH law "is the right thing to do."

While speaking before a crowd of medical professionals during the 104th annual convention of the Philippine Medical Association, President Aquino also called on Catholic bishops to work with the government in its pro-poor programs.

It’s great that Ateneo will be hosting a non-political, private sector summit on the proposed partition of Camarines Sur into two provinces through a new province covering the fourth legislative district in the Caramoan Peninsula. Indeed, ABOUT TIME we divided Cam Sur. But, of course, the devil will be in the details. Hence, the conference could very well thresh all these things out in time for the next session of Congress.

WASHINGTON USA (April 30, 2011) – Pork barrel recipients in the Philippines: be careful, be very careful.

Heidi Mendoza, newly appointed commissioner said the Commission on Audit (COA) is putting into place mechanisms to examine the pork barrel allocations of members of Congress to bring transparency to a process that has been mired in corruption almost from its inception.

She declined to give details or discuss when the audits would start.

25 years since EDSA-1 and it seems that there has been increasing cynicism about it especially with the return to power of the Marcoses.

Imelda is back in Congress. Imee is Governor of Ilocos Norte. And Bong-Bong is a Senator—and likely presidentiable. More, Marcos himself may yet be buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani.

It should be remembered that the corruption scandals that involved the Arroyo family were the subject of so many congressional inquiries and were made as basis for the impeachment complaints that were filed against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. There are already numerous evidences that were gathered. And yet, the Aquino government has not yet demonstrated the political will to run after the Arroyo family.

MANILA – The news that the Philippines has overtaken India in the number of new hires in the call center industry has prompted a labor education NGO recently to warn industry stakeholders and the government against risking its workers’ welfare for the sake of such boom, or the projected boom up to 2016.