Latest news with #Francis'Chiz'Escudero
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
LOOK: Senate unveils 20th Congress ‘Legacy Wall'
The Senate on Monday unveiled the new 'Legacy Wall' featuring senators of the 20th Congress. Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero led the unveiling ceremony, noting that the portraits of the senators were arranged in alphabetical order. 'Ito ang kumakatawan sa ika-20 Kongreso, kasama 'yung mga bagong papasok na kongresista sa parte ng Senado,' Escudero said. (This represents the 20th Congress, including the new, incoming senators.) 'Kagaya ng sinabi ko, alphabetical naming in-arrange, so walang partikular na ayos 'to pagdating sa seniority or posisyon sa Senado. Alphabetical ang sinunod namin, hindi katulad ng nagdaan na sinunod ang mga opisyal ng Senado,' he added. (We arranged this alphabetically, so there is no particular order when it comes to seniority or position in the Senate. We put it in alphabetical order, unlike in the past, where the order was based on the senators' positions.) LOOK: The Senate unveils the new 'Legacy Wall' featuring senators of the 20th Congress. @gmanews — Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) July 21, 2025 The mural is currently installed at the second floor of the Senate Building in Pasay City. Escudero said that the Senate allocated a budget of around P800,000 for the legacy wall, which includes the photography of each senator. 'Almost the same as the one last year,' he said when asked if the amount was reasonable. The 20th Congress is set to begin its first regular session on July 28, before President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA). —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
30-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Senators file priority bills in 20th Congress
Several senators on Monday have begun filing their priority bills and resolutions for the incoming 20th Congress. According to the Senate's bills and index section, Senator Loren Legarda was the first to file her 10 priority bills, topped by the One Tablet, One Student Act. Her other bills are as follows: Pangkabuhayan Act Unpaid Care Workers Equity and Empowerment Act Magna Carta of Waste Workers Living Wage Act Monthly Maintenance Medication Support Act for Senior Citizens Women and Children Protection Units Act Low Carbon Economy Act Complementarity in Education Act Blue Economy Act Next to file was Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, who included in his top ten bills is the act mandating government officials and employees to execute and submit a written permission to examine, inquire, or look into all their deposits and investments, thereby waiving the Bank Secrecy Law. Escudero also listed in his priority measures the act lowering the compulsory retirement age of teachers and non-teaching school personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) from 65 to 60 years old. His other priority bills are: An act prohibiting any form of interference by national government agencies with the use of the national tax allotment and locally-generated revenues of local government units; To further strengthen local autonomy through a more rationalized system of decentralization; An act promoting business competitiveness by providing temporary tax relief to single proprietorships, cooperatives, partnerships or corporations classified as micro, small and medium enterprises An act promoting business growth and recovery by reducing the cost of business compliance for micro, small and medium enterprises; An act providing an increase and an automatic adjustment mechanism in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) granted to government employees; An act reinstituting mandatory credit allocation for micro, small and medium enterprises, imposing fines and penalties for noncompliance, and for other purposes; An act providing for the redevelopment of condominiums; An act establishing a tripartite council to address the problems of unemployment, underemployment, job-skills mismatch and technology-induced job displacement. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada came next, pushing for the promotion of safer communities and future-proof essential public services. Among his 20 legislative proposals is a measure that would guarantee a monthly stipend for all Filipino seniors—P1,000 for indigents, and P500 for non-indigents, to be increased after five years. He also sought for a measure granting senior citizens a 20% discount on travel tax. Estrada also filed the Disaster Food Bank and Stockpile Act, Department of Disaster Resilience Act, and the Rainwater Harvesting Facility Act, among others. Meanwhile, included in Senator Robin Padilla's 10 priority bills was an act expanding the grounds for dissolution of marriage, instituting divorce and setting the procedures thereof, providing protections to the parties to the marriage and its common children. He also filed measures seeking the medicalization of cannabis; the establishment of Muslim prayer rooms in all public offices and establishments; a P150 minimum wage increase for employees and workers in the private sector; and the prohibition of political dynasties. Senator Joel Villanueva, on the other hand, highlighted in his priority bills the Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act, which seeks to put a stop to the end-of-contract and labor-only contracting schemes. He also filed a bill on anti-online gambling which aims to ban all forms of online gambling in the country, among others. Topping the list of Senator Erwin Tulfo's priority measures was a resolution urging the Senate to review the Rice Tariffication Law, restoring the regulatory powers of National Food Authority. The first-termer senator also filed his version of the National Land Use Act which seeks to create a rational, holistic, and sustainable land use and physical planning mechanism. As a former secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the younger Tulfo also proposed a bill that seeks to simplify the documentary requirements for accessing government financial assistance or ayuda. Senator Bong Go also filed his top 10 bills in the 20th Congress which included magna carta for barangays, across-the-board wage hike, establishment of Department of Disaster Resilience, and provision of expanded tertiary education subsidy. Returning senator Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III also filed 10 landmark bills aimed at strengthening government accountability, social welfare, public safety, and institutional reform. Among these were the People's Freedom of Information Act of 2025, Anti-False Content and Fake News Act, 14th Month Pay Law, Maternal Surname for Legitimate Children Act, and Rightsizing the National Government Act. For his part, Senator Bam Aquino filed 10 education-related measures, including proposals to bridge the education-to-employment gap and strengthen the implementation of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under the Free College Law. Aquino will also push for the School-to-Employment Program (STEP) Act which seeks to establish job placement offices in all public senior high schools, state universities and colleges, and local universities and colleges. He also filed the E-Textbook Para sa Lahat Act, which intends to improve access to textbooks for teachers and learners by requiring all DepEd-approved textbooks for basic education to be made available in digital format, free of charge, through official platforms or other authorized channels. —RF, GMA Integrated News
The Star
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Killing of P200 pay hike bill also kills bid for living wage in Philippines
MANILA: To have a basic but decent standard of living, a local think tank stressed the need for a P1,217 (US$21) living wage in Metro Manila, where most workers are compelled to make do with a minimum wage of P608 to P645. Outside Metro Manila, the minimum wage is also way lower than the P872 to P2,030 living wage, which Ibon Foundation computed based on the government's wage and inflation data. This was the reason that the proposed P100 or P200 wage hike would have been an important step toward a living wage, not only in Metro Manila but all over the Philippines, the think tank said. It pointed this out as 'minimum wage earners will feel immediate benefits and should be able to look forward to a living wage that actually raises their families' standard of living to a decent level.' But since the 19th Congress ended without the Senate and House of Representatives agreeing on how much the wage hike should be, workers will not have anything to expect, not even P50. The P100 wage hike proposal in the Senate was approved last year, Feb 19, while the House of Representatives approved its bill, proposing a P200 wage hike, on June 5. It would have been the first legislated wage hike since 1989, when the Wage Rationalization Act was signed and created the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. But Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said House Bill No. 11376 and Senate Bill No. 2534 were not a priority of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council. Last year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., declining to certify the bills as urgent, asked the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards to initiate a review of minimum wages. The regional boards in Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region and Mimaropa, among others, approved wage hikes, but only worth P35 to P40, effective last year. 'As pointed out by the government's economic managers, an across-the-board wage hike could have 'dangerous repercussions' on the economy, saying that it could lead to higher inflation, and even jobless rates. They stated on June 11, a few days after the House of Representatives approved its bill, that a P200 increase could raise inflation by two percentage points, while a P100 hike may lead to an increase of 0.7 percentage points. Likewise, they estimated that a P200 wage hike would lead to a 0.6 percentage points increase in joblessness, and a 0.2 percentage points increase if the wage hike is P200. This, as MSMEs, or micro, small and medium enterprises, which constitute over 90 per cent of all businesses, and who considerably depend on minimum wage workers, 'may struggle.' The proposed wage hike, they said, may lead, as well, to higher production costs, which could result in higher prices that may disproportionately affect low-income households. But for Ibon Foundation, the government can intervene if it is concerned about MSMEs that could not shell out an additional P2,000 to P4,000 for every worker a month. It said 'contrary to government misgivings and employer complaints, a P200 wage hike is feasible and takes up just a small portion of company profits: 11.1 percent for large; 9.1 per cent for medium, and 12.9 per cent for small businesses.' A wage hike of P200 would be 15 per cent of the profit of micro businesses. Ibon Foundation stressed that any large increase in minimum wage would bring 'substantial relief to wage earners and their families by increasing the households' purchasing power.' 'Wage hikes also help boost the informal economy, where workers spend their earnings, and overall they are a strong driver of economic activity and more inclusive growth,' it said. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
GMA Network
09-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Wage hike bill not LEDAC's priority — Escudero
Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said Monday the measures seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage of workers is not a priority of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). The version of the legislated P200 wage hike approved by the House of Representatives offers a higher increase than the P100 approved by the Senate. 'Ang pinasa ng Kamara ay, ayan na naman sila, P200 across the board huling linggo ng aming sesyon ni hindi kasama'y binanggit sa LEDAC. Ba't ba ang hilig hilig nilang sa mga ganyan,' Escudero said. (The House passed the P200 across the board in the last week of our session and it was not even discussed in the LEDAC. Why do they even like to do such things?) 'Ipapasa pa lang nila 'yan ba't hindi brining up sa LEDAC para napag usapan na? Hindi ba? Siguro naman hindi ito maliit na bagay para hindi mabanggit o mapagusapan. Ano 'to napag isipan lamang pagkatapos ng LEDAC?' (If they would approve that, why didn't they bring it up during the LEDAC so we could have discussed it? I believe it's not a small matter for them not to mention or talk about it. Did they only think about that after the LEDAC?) Escudero said there will be a bicameral conference once the Senate receives the copy of the House bill that was passed on third and final reading on Wednesday, June 4. However, he pointed out that it is still unclear whether or not the Senate would adopt the House bill or they would compromise on the amount so as to not impact the economy. 'If you remember the Senate Bill providing for a P100 across the board wage increase, marami kaming in-exempt para maprotektahan 'yung maliliit talaga, 'yUng micro and small industries na hindi kakayanin maski na P100,' the senate president said. (If you remember the Senate Bill providing for a P100 across the board wage increase, we have exempted a lot in order to protect the small businesses, the micro and small industries that cannot afford even the P100 wage increase.) Labor groups Partido Manggagawa and the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition on Monday morning trooped to the Senate, calling for the immediate convening of the bicameral committee to come up with a final version of the measure of the wage hike. 'We demand that Congress proceed forthwith with organizing the bicam for a final version of the legislated wage increase,' Partido Manggagawa secretary general Judy Miranda said. 'The P200 wage hike is not excessive but responds appropriately to the wage recovery demand and workers' just share in the fruits of production. Rigorous research belies the black propaganda and blackmail of employers against wage hikes,' she added. The House and the Senate have until June 13 or the last session day of the 19th Congress to reconcile their differing versions of the wage hike measure and ratify the reconciled version for the bill to be ready for the President's signature. Otherwise, the bill has to be refiled next Congress. Malacañang said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will look into the economic implications of the proposed increase in the minimum wage hike. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Escudero rejects pressure to fast-track VP Duterte impeachment trial: 'We will follow the Constitution'
Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero dismissed mounting calls to expedite the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, asserting that the Senate will adhere strictly to its constitutional procedures and timeline. Escudero reaffirmed that the Senate is set to hear the articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives and formally convene as an impeachment court on June 11, as scheduled. 'I've said this from the beginning: Whether someone is for or against the impeachment, whether they support VP Sara or oppose her — I will not listen to them,' he said in Filipino during a press briefing. 'I will do what is right, proper, and in accordance with the Constitution and the law, based on what I believe is right.' The Senate leader made the statement when asked whether he felt pressure from various groups urging immediate Senate action. Among those demanding swift proceedings are the Akbayan Party, the Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party, and Tindig Pilipinas, who held a rally outside the Senate on Monday to push lawmakers to fulfill their constitutional duty. 'They want us to rush our constitutional duty,' Escudero said.'But the Senate will not be swayed by public pressure or political noise.' Senator Jinggoy Estrada earlier also assured the public that the Senate will proceed with the trial, denying rumors that it would be abandoned. Escudero emphasized that the upper chamber's responsibility is to uphold the Constitution, not respond to political pressure, and that due process will be observed throughout the proceedings.
