Latest news with #FerdinandMartinRomualdez
Barnama
18 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Top News Headlines In Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: Aug 16, 2025
The Ministry of National Defence said that the ASEAN Interim Observation Team completed its two-day mission to assess security along the Cambodia-Thailand border. The Malaysian defence attache led the seven-member team. The government is engaging the China Centre for Language Education and Cooperation to improve the quality of Chinese language teachers in Cambodia. The move enhances cooperation in the education sector. 1. MEKONG-LANCANG TO BE MORE DEVELOPMENT-CENTRIC -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR The Mekong-Lancang Cooperation is focusing on critical areas. Agriculture development, energy security, tackling transnational crimes, water resources, and climate change were highlighted at the 10th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Yunnan Province. 2. LAND PERMIT RENEWAL FOR MANGO GROWERS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Authorities have directed mango growers in Nay Pyi Taw to apply for permits by August 31 before the season begins. The permit is to legitimise the use of land where they are currently farming. PHILIPPINES 1. TROUGH OF LPA, 'HABAGAT' TO BRING RAINS ACROSS PH -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY The trough of a low-pressure area (LPA) and the southwest monsoon or 'habagat' will bring rains in most parts of the country, the weather bureau said Saturday. 2. PBBM'S PLAN TO BUILD 10 MODERN FISH PORTS TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Saturday said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s plan to establish 10 state-of-the-art fish ports nationwide is a vital step toward enhancing the country's food security. SINGAPORE 1. DRUG TRAFFICKER GETS DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED AFTER PRESIDENT THARMAN GRANTS CLEMENCY -- THE STRAITS TIMES A man who was on death row for drug trafficking has had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment after succeeding in his petition for clemency, which is rarely granted. 2. THE TRUTH ABOUT WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN EUROPE, AS TOLD BY SINGAPOREAN EXPATS -- CNA Fresh into his first office job in France in 2024, Mr Ruzaini Mazani was all set to reply to a sales lead right away. However, his manager advised the opposite: play it cool and let the prospect wait. THAILAND 1. THAI HOTELS BRACE FOR Q3 DIP IN FOREIGN TOURISTS AS NEARLY ONE-THIRD EXPECT CHINESE GUESTS DROP OVER 30 PCT -- THE NATION Thai hotels predict a Q3 slowdown in foreign visitors, with almost a third expecting Chinese guests to fall by more than 30 per cent due to safety concerns. 2. OPPOSITION PEOPLE'S PARTY REJECTS 2026 BUDGET BILL IN FINAL READING -- BANGKOK POST The People's Party (PP) has resolved to vote against the 2026 fiscal budget bill during its third and final reading in Parliament on Friday, saying the government's spending plan failed to reflect the current economic situation. VIETNAM 1. GOVT MONITORING AIRFARES DURING PUBLIC HOLIDAYS -- VIETNAMPLUS The Civil Aviation Authority has ordered airlines to enforce strict pricing regulations during the upcoming 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day celebrations. Air travel is expected to surge during this period. 2 . VIETNAM ASSIST CUBA IN HEALTHCARE, CYBERSECURITY -- VIETNAM NEWS Vietnam and Cuba are expanding bilateral ties, with special focus on cybersecurity. Both governments agreed to collaborate in biotechnology, healthcare and explore agricultural cooperation to assist Cuba in achieving self-sufficiency. -- BERNAMA BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
House to enforce reforms in scrutinizing 2026 national budget
At least five significant reforms will be enforced by the House of Representatives in the scrutiny and enactment of the budget for fiscal year 2026, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Wednesday. Romualdez made the commitment during the turnover of the P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program to the lower chamber, which was witnessed by House leaders and Department of Budget and Management officials. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman turned over the NEP to the House leadership. Romualdez pointed out that the reforms seek to ensure full transparency and to involve the public through people's organizations, noting that the budget is the people's money. 'A budget is not just a spending plan—it is a mirror of our priorities and a measure of our accountability to the people. And because this is the people's money, the process of crafting it must be transparent, inclusive, and worthy of public trust,' Romualdez said. The NEP is more than numbers on paper, according to Romualdez, saying that it is the government's plan ''to make the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas real—roads that connect communities, markets where food is affordable, schools that open doors to opportunity, hospitals that save lives, and safe, secure communities for every Filipino.'' Among the reforms is the removal of the 'small committee' that collated institutional amendments. 'Bukas ang talakayan. Lahat ng amendments, alam ng mamamayan,'' the Speaker said. (The discussions are open. The public should know all amendments.) Also, the House will open the Bicameral Conference Committee on the budget to the public and the media. The chamber will also invite civil society, people's organizations, and the private sector to join budget hearings. ''Ang pambansang budget ay hindi pag-aari ng mga politiko; ito ay pera ng bawat Pilipinong nagbabayad ng buwis,'' Romualdez said. (Politicians do not own the national budget. This is the money of every Filipino who pays taxes.) Romualdez further said the chamber would strengthen oversight—requiring timely reports from agencies and enabling real-time tracking of major projects. He vowed that lawmakers would also prioritize investments that truly change lives including: agriculture for food security, infrastructure for connectivity and jobs, education for opportunity, health for all, and defense and disaster preparedness for national safety. Romualdez said the reforms are not meant to slow the process; but they are meant to make it ''better, stronger, and more trusted.'' — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
27-07-2025
- Business
- Filipino Times
Romualdez Vows House Will Turn Marcos' SONA Vision Into Reality Through Legislation
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assured that the House of Representatives will work to turn President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s goals—laid out in his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA)—into tangible results through legislative action. Romualdez praised Marcos' leadership, citing achievements in economic recovery, infrastructure development, agriculture, education, and digital innovation. He emphasized that the SONA offers an opportunity to push further progress and address pressing concerns such as inflation, job creation, and access to healthcare and education. Calling the SONA a 'chance to build on what we've achieved,' Romualdez reaffirmed the House's commitment to support the administration's priorities. He said lawmakers are ready to pass laws that will ease the burdens faced by Filipino families and drive inclusive growth.
GMA Network
16-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec can hold special polls without House resolution —SC
The Supreme Court has said that the Commission on Elections can hold special elections to fill congressional seats that become vacant even without a resolution from the House of Representatives. In a 34-page decision, the SC En Banc dismissed a petition seeking to compel the House of Representatives to officially declare a vacancy in the Third Legislative District of Palawan and call for a special election. 'In the event of a vacancy in the House of Representatives that occurs at least one year before the expiration of the term of such seat, it is incumbent upon the Comelec to call for and hold a special election to fill such vacancy not earlier than 60 days nor longer than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy,' the SC said. 'This mandatory and ministerial duty of the Comelec to call and hold the special election emanates from Republic Act (RA) No. 6645 as amended by RA No. 7166, and is no longer conditioned upon any certification or call from the House,' it added. After the passing of the representative in 2023, local government units passed resolutions asking House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to request Comelec to hold a special election. However, the Comelec said that under RA 6645, it needs a resolution from the HOR before calling a special election. This led to the filing of the petition with the SC. For its part, the SC said that the requirement was removed under RA 7166, authorizing Comelec to act without waiting for Congress. It said that Comelec can rely on other means to confirm the vacancy such as official announcements, press releases, or certifications from the Speaker or the secretary-general. 'It should not be unduly constrained to await a certification from Congress—whether in the form of a resolution issued by the relevant chamber of Congress while in session, or a certification from the Speaker or the Senate President while Congress is in recess—before it may call and hold the special election,' the SC said. The SC said that to limit the Comelec to a resolution in determining the existence of a vacancy would be 'to curtail and render ineffectual its power and mandate.' However, the SC clarified that this ruling does not apply to vacancies in party-list seats. Sought for comment, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said the decision strengthens the Comelec's power to conduct special elections in case of vacancies. 'No need to await for the call of the chamber where the vacancy occurs,' Garcia said. The decision, penned by Associate Justice Ramon Hernando, was promulgated in April and made public in July. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Bill seeking regulatory, marketing powers for NFA almost ready — DA
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday said it is almost done with a draft bill that aims to restore critical functions of the National Food Authority (NFA), particularly in stabilizing rice supply and prices in the country. In a news release, the DA said the proposed bill 'reflects a strategic recalibration of government policy, reinforcing the DA's role in safeguarding food security and reviving the NFA's capacity to act decisively during periods of price volatility and supply disruptions.' 'This is one of several measures House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez asked the DA to craft to help the government advance its food security agenda—particularly the program of President Marcos to sustain P20-per-kilo rice for vulnerable sectors through 2028,' said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. According to the DA, the bill seeks to amend key provisions of the Rice Tariffication Law to grant certain regulatory powers to the NFA so it could better manage buffer stocks, regulate rice distribution and marketing, set a floor price for palay, and support farmers' cooperatives and recipients of Rice Processing Systems funded under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. The DA added the bill will also refine protocols for a DA-led rice importation to ensure the country can respond swiftly to supply shortages and sudden spikes in commodity prices. 'Critically, the measure grants the NFA greater flexibility in managing the appropriate level of buffer stock and ensuring that they are always of optimum quality—an essential tool in supporting not only the P20-per-kilo rice goal but also broader government efforts to ensure price stability and protect both producers and consumers,' the department said. 'These changes will significantly address market inefficiencies and promote fairness—especially for farmers who work the land for months but remain the most disadvantaged,' said NFA Administrator Larry Lacson. 'For the NFA, this means becoming more efficient, more responsive, and financially stronger.' —RF, GMA Integrated News
