Latest news with #Pangandaman
The Star
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Philippines Budget Secretary wants louder calls for FOI law
MANILA: Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (pic) called on the incoming 20th Congress to finally approve the freedom of information (FOI) bill, a measure advocated since the 1980s by lawmakers, anticorruption watchdogs and civil society groups, gaining traction in local ordinances and Palace directives, but which has repeatedly faltered in the national legislature. Speaking during a programme in celebration of Open Government Week on Friday (May 23), Pangandaman underscored the need for upholding the people's right to information as enshrined in the Constitution. 'However, the fact remains that we have yet to pass an enabling law that will truly uphold people's constitutional right to information. This is why I am calling on everyone present here tonight to make our clamour for the passage of a law on right of access to information in the 20th Congress even louder and clearer,' she said. According to Malacañang, Pangandaman is one of the economic managers being retained by President Marcos, who earlier this week ordered all Cabinet officials and agency chiefs to file their courtesy resignations as part of the administration's post-election performance review and 'reset.' Earlier this month, Makati Business Club executive director Rafael Ongpin also cited the FOI bill as one of the measures that the business community would like to see passed in the 20th Congress. The Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), an initiative chaired by Pangandaman, recently conducted stakeholder consultations revisiting strategies for pushing the bill. Two latest drafts—one from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and another from the Presidential Communications Office—have been presented to business, civil society and academic organizations for feedback. In the meantime, the PH-OGP had made some significant strides in embedding 'open government principles' in public service, Pangandaman said in her speech. 'We have moved steadily from commitment to action. We've demonstrated that open government is not just a passing trend. It is a working principle embedded in how we plan, spend, consult, and reform,' she said. Pangandaman cited the Philippines being cited as Asia's most fiscally transparent country in the latest Open Budget Survey, and its improved ranking in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index. The DBM chief also reported that a total of 88 local governments had passed FOI ordinances, showing how the drive for change can emanate from the bottom up. She also cited the New Government Procurement Act (Republic Act No. 12009) signed by Marcos on July 20, 2024, calling it the biggest anticorruption measure in recent years. The legislative drive for an FOI law can be traced to 1987, when then Camarines Sur Rep. Raul Roco filed House Bill No. 498. In 2008, the House approved an FOI bill—HB No. 3732—while the Senate approved its own version the following year. Following a bicameral conference, a reconciled version was approved by the Senate in February 2010 but the House failed to do the same due to a lack of quorum. In July 2016, then President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2, which granted public access to information held by government offices—but only those under the executive branch. Under the EO, local governments were just 'encouraged to observe and be guided' by the order. In the current 19th Congress, more than a dozen FOI-related bills have been filed in both chambers. Among them was Senate Bill No. 2880, filed in November 2024 with Senators Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Robinhood Padilla, Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr., and then senator (now education secretary) Sonny Angara as coauthors. The bill is currently pending second reading. In the House, two FOI bills were filed—1638 and 5022—by Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas and Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, respectively. In June 2023, President Marcos pledged to uphold FOI as a vital tool against misinformation. Yet earlier that year, in March, Malacañang announced the imposition of additional restrictions on the FOI directive issued by Duterte, particularly on information related to national security and the safety of minors. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Marcos economic team intact as secretaries, special adviser retained
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has retained the composition of his administration's economic team following his call for his Cabinet members to file courtesy resignations. At a news conference on Friday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the President chose "after careful evaluation" to retain Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, Economic Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go. 'Itong lima na ito ay magpapatuloy sa kanilang panunungkulan, paninilbihan sa taumbayan at makakaasa kayo na sila naman ay sinsero o dedicated sa kanilang sinumpaang katungkulan,' Bersamin said. (These five will continue to serve the people and you can be assured that they are sincere or dedicated to their sworn duties.) Following Marcos's call for his Cabinet secretaries to submit their courtesy resignations after his pronouncement that the results of Eleksyon 2025 showed that the people are "tired of politics and they are disappointed with the government,' members of the economic team have immediately complied. In a statement, Pangandaman, who chairs the Cabinet-level macroeconomic and fiscal-targeting Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), said she was 'tremendously grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the steadfast trust, support, and confidence he has bestowed not only upon me but upon the entire economic team.' 'This has only reaffirmed my own commitment to public service and reignited my determination to work even harder for our nation and our people," Pangandaman said. "And certainly the entire economic team is one in reinforcing our shared vision for an even more prosperous economy. I would also thank the many business groups, public service institutions, CSOs, and individuals who sent me messages of support,' she added. 'We have always been one with the President in working towards our Agenda for Prosperity while pursuing an open government that is transparent and accountable," Pangandaman said. With the boost of confidence from the President and as the economic managers review the Medium Term Fiscal Program and as the Department of Budget and Management enters budget deliberations, Pangandaman said she was renewing her commitment to "an economic transformation that is inclusive and sustainable, fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people, including the next generations." Marcos' chief economic manager, Recto, also thanked the President. 'I thank the President for his continued trust. More than a vote of confidence, I take this as a marching order to push harder and deliver results faster, and thus we will also do our own recalibration within the department," Recto said. Recto said the DOF would not stop in ensuring that every Filipino family would feel the effects of progress. Balisacan also thanked Marcos "for his continued trust and confidence and assure him of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development's continued efforts, together with members of the Economic Team, to steer the economy to a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient future where every Filipino benefits from our nation's progress." Go and Roque have yet to issue their statement about their retention in the Marcos administration's Cabinet. The Marcos administration's economic team is lookig to bring down the poverty rate to 9% by 2028. It also aims to reduce the country's debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio to below 60% by 2028. It also hopes to achieve an economic growth rate of 6% to 8% between 2025 and 2028. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DBM OKs 10,000 non-teaching positions for DepEd
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday announced it had approved 10,000 non-teaching positions for the Department of Education (DepEd). 'I am happy to confirm that we've approved a total of 10,000 non-teaching positions to provide our teachers with necessary support. This is on top of the 16,000 newly created teaching positions in public schools that we have recently approved for school year 2025 to 2026," Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement. Pangandaman said the approved positions will occupy Administrative Officer II posts with Salary Grade 11 to be distributed in elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools in all regions nationwide. Concerned DBM regional offices shall issue the corresponding Notice of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action (NOSCA) directly to the DepEd schools division offices based on the deployment report submitted by DepEd. 'Actually, this is a campaign promise fulfilled by our beloved President. Noong una pa lang po, pinangako na ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos na bibigyan niya ng kinakailangang suporta ang ating mga guro para padaliin ang kanilang mga trabaho (In the very beginning, President Bongbong Marcos promised to ease the burden of teachers by giving them manpower support),' Pangandaman said. 'Gusto niya na makapag-focus sila sa pagbibigay ng dekalidad na pagtuturo. Kaya nga po dinadagdagan natin 'yung mga non-teaching personnel para bawasan 'yung load ng trabaho sa kanila — na malaking tulong para sa kanilang mental health at overall well-being,' she added. (He wants them to focus on providing quality teaching. That is why we augmented the non-teaching personnel to reduce the workload of teachers and help improve their mental health and overall well-being.) "Noong nilabas din po natin itong mga positions na ito, nakausap natin ang ating Secretary ng Department of Education, si Secretary Sonny Angara. Ang pakiusap po natin, sana mapunan na 'yung mga binuksan nating teaching and non-teaching positions lalo na't malapit na magsimula ang klase. Madami po ito, kaya naiintindihan nating medyo hindi po madali 'yan,' the Budget chief said. (When we opened these positions, we had a dialogue with the Secretary of the Department of Education, Secretary Sonny Angara. Our request was to fill the recently opened teaching and non-teaching positions, especially as the start of the school year approaches. There are too many; we understand that it will not be an easy task.) The DBM had earlier given the thumbs up for the creation of 16,000 new teaching positions in public schools for School Year 2025–2026 in line with Marcos' directive to strengthen the education sector and ensure sufficient manpower in public schools. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
Daily Express
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
P2,000 pay increase for teachers, poll workers
Published on: Sunday, May 11, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 11, 2025 By: Philstar Text Size: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (centre) speaks during a campaign rally of senatorial candidates under his party in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. MANILA: Teachers and other poll workers serving in the May 12 national and local elections will receive a P2,000 across-the-board pay increase, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s approval of the compensation adjustment. With the increase, honoraria rates will now be P12,000 for the chairperson of the electoral board (from P10,000), P11,000 for the poll clerk and third member (from P9,000) and P8,000 for support staff (from P6,000). Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has finalized the necessary funding adjustments to implement the directive, which she described as a recognition of poll workers' critical role in ensuring clean and credible elections. 'Alam po natin na sa pagbantay ng ating mga boto, haharap sa pagod, puyat at sakripisyo ang ating mga guro at poll workers,' Pangandaman said. (We know that in guarding our votes, our teachers and poll workers endure fatigue, sleeplessness and sacrifice.) 'Kaya noon pong inutusan tayo ng Pangulo na itaas ang kanilang benepisyo, hindi po tayo nagdalawang-isip.' (So when the president instructed us to increase their benefits, we did not hesitate.) She said the increase fulfils the president's commitment to supporting teachers' welfare, especially during the demanding poll season. The 2025 national budget allocates P7.48 billion for the compensation of 758,549 poll workers, as estimated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Under the Election Service Reform Act and Comelec Resolution No. 10194, poll workers are entitled to honoraria, travel and communication allowances, meal allowances and service credits. Pangandaman also urged agencies, especially the Comelec, to ensure the prompt disbursement of the increased compensation. 'I urge Comelec to ensure that our teachers and poll workers get compensation as quickly as possible. Dapat timely ang release ng kanilang benepisyo. They deserve nothing less,' she said. (I urge Comelec to ensure that our teachers and poll workers get compensation as quickly as possible. The release of the benefits must be timely. They deserve nothing less.) The spectre of violence, however, looms large the further you get from the capital. In 2022, shortly after polls opened in the presidential election, a trio of security guards was shot dead at a polling station in the far south's autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao. Hours before that, nine were wounded in a grenade attack. This year, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has taken the rare step of temporarily removing top police officials in two southern municipalities, accusing them of 'gross negligence' after they failed to provide security for an election official who was later murdered. The body has officially recorded 81 acts of 'politically related' violence between January 12 and May 7. Police told AFP that 16 of those have resulted in death. A top Comelec official said last month that the numbers were 'very low compared to the past'. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
