Latest news with #SherwinGatchalian
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
DepEd urged to expedite repairs of classrooms damaged by bad weather
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to fast-track the assessments and repairs of classrooms damaged by tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, as well as the enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat. Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said that the DepEd should work with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units in order to expedite the rehabilitation of affected classrooms. 'Kung mananatiling sira ang ating mga classroom, magpapatuloy ang banta sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mag-aaral at guro,' he said in a statement. (If our classrooms remain damaged, the threat to the safety of our students and teachers will continue.) Based on DepEd's situation report as of Wednesday night, its disaster risk reduction and management service recorded 1,876 classrooms with minor damage, 562 with major damage, and 531 that were totally damaged. Most of the classroom damage was logged in the Cordillera Administrative Region (738), followed by the Ilocos Region (732) and then Central Luzon (227). DepEd said that it had initiated the release of response funds to affected schools to support immediate clearing and clearing operations. Gatchalian also underscored the importance of making classrooms and school buildings climate-resilient 'not just to protect lives, but to break the costly cycle of repair and reconstruction every time disaster strikes.' 'Investing in resilient infrastructure now will save resources, safeguard learning, and ensure continuity in education,' the senator added. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
20-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DOF eyes strengthening info campaign amid spread of fake news on CMEPA
The Department of Finance (DOF) on Sunday said it is looking into amplifying its public information campaign following the spread of viral posts on interest income. 'Sa ngayon, hindi pa namin alam kung bakit ito nag-viral. Lesson learned ito sa DOF that we need to intensify our campaign information particularly sa aming mga reporma,' DOF Assistant Secretary Karlo Adriano told Super Radyo dzBB. (As of now, we still don't know why it went viral. This serves as a lesson for the DOF to strengthen our public information efforts, particularly regarding our reforms.) In a separate dzBB interview, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the spread of fake news related to the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA) is a move intended to scare and deceive the public. 'Sinasadya talagang linlangin at i-confuse ang ating mga kababayan (It's a clear attempt to mislead and confuse the public),' Gatchalian said. The spread of fake news came right after the passage of the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA), which mandates banks to implement the uniform 20% final withholding tax (FWT) on interest income, regardless of the term or currency denomination, starting this month. The passage of the CMEPA gained public attention, perhaps due to confusion, as several online posts have circulated claiming it imposes a 20% tax on total savings or bank deposits. 'Ang binubuwisan natin since 1998 ay 'yung interest income ng inyong savings sa bangko. Kumikita 'yan ng interest kapag natutulog sa bangko at 'yan ay binubuwisan ever since 1998,' Adriano explained. (What we've been taxing since 1998 is the interest income from your bank savings. That money earns interest while sitting in the bank, and it has been taxed since 1998.) — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
20-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
GAB should be posted on House website for transparency — Gatchalian
The General Appropriations Bill (GAB) should be posted on the website of the House of Representatives to allow the public to keep track of the country's annual budget, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Sunday. Gatchalian made the remark after he was asked if he is in favor of opening the bicameral budget deliberations to the public. 'Dadagdagan ko pa yan. Kung ako, pati 'yung GAB, dapat i-post sa website. Sa ngayon, hindi 'yan kaya bulag ang taumbayan kung ano ang isinusumite ng Kamara sa Senado,' Gatchalian told Super Radyo dzBB. (I would add to that. In my opinion, I think the General Appropriations Bill should be posted on the website. Right now, it's not, which means the public is blind to what the House is submitting to the Senate.) 'Kung ako, dapat ipost yan ng House of Representatives sa website (if it were up to me, the House should post the GAB on its website),' he added. The senator added the Senate's committee report and GAB's third reading version should also be posted online. 'Para makita natin yung takbo at para nasusundan ng taong bayan kung ano yung napapalitan, ano yung nadadagdag at ano yung final version ng GAA (General Appropriations Act),' the solon said. (So that we can see the progress, and so that the public can follow the changes and the final version of the GAA.) Earlier this week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the proposed P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for Fiscal Year 2026. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the DBM had to trim down requests for budget proposals that reached P10.101 trillion due to limited fiscal space and the fiscal consolidation strategy, which targets gradually reducing the national government's deficit from 5.5% of GDP in 2025 to 4.3% by 2028. — RF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Gatchalian urges crackdown as Pakistan emerges as new transit point for human trafficking
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday expressed serious concern over reports identifying Pakistan as a new transit hub being exploited by human trafficking syndicates to facilitate the illegal deployment of Filipinos abroad. The senator urged the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and other law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts in dismantling criminal networks operating across international routes. 'Reports indicating Pakistan as a new human trafficking route are deeply alarming. The government must act swiftly to put an end to human trafficking,' Gatchalian said in a statement. He also warned that individuals formerly linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) may be behind the illegal operations. 'Malamang na mga taong dating sangkot sa POGO ang gumagawa ng ganitong kriminalidad na nambibiktima ng mga walang malay nating kababayan,' the senator added. The senator's remarks came after four Filipinos were intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 on July 6 while attempting to fly to Pakistan, where they had been recruited to work as cleaners and a cook in an online gaming compound. The Bureau of Immigration described the incident as a 'dangerous shift in trafficking patterns similar to POGO-like operations.'
GMA Network
07-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DigiPlus to buy back P6-B shares
BingoPlus operator DigiPlus Interactive Corp. on Monday announced a P6-billion share buyback program, which it said demonstrates its confidence in the company's long-term growth amid proposals in Congress to implement stricter rules on online gaming. DigiPlus said the share repurchase program, approved by its board of directors, is valid over a 12-month period and can be renewed subject to approval. It will be funded through internally generated cash flows. 'The share repurchase program demonstrates our firm confidence in DigiPlus' long-term growth and solid fundamentals,' DigiPlus chairman Eusebio Tanco said in a regulatory filing. 'By strategically deploying our capital through this buyback, we are sending a clear signal that DigiPlus is committed to delivering sustainable returns for shareholders while remaining well-positioned to pursue expansion and innovation,' he added. Aside from BingoPlus, DigiPlus also operates ArenaPlus and GameZone. Its subsidiaries include Blue Chip Gaming and Leisure Corp., First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corp., LR Data Center Solutions Inc., AB Leisure Global Inc., LR Land Developers Inc., Bingo Bonanza (HK) Limited, Prime Investment Korea Inc., and Hotel Enterprises of the Philippines Inc. The company last week said it is on track to launch operations in Brazil this September, after its wholly-owned subsidiary DigiPlus Brazil Interactive Ltd. passed the qualification stage for a federal license in November 2024. 'DigiPlus remains well-capitalized, balancing disciplined capital management with its investments in growth, technology, and new markets,' it said. Shares in DigiPlus closed last Friday at P29.50, down by 23.87%. They were last trading at P33.30 apiece, up by P3.80 or 12.88%. Just last week, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian proposed a measure imposing strict regulations for online gambling, including banning the use of e-wallets, increasing the minimum age from 18 to 21, and having a minimum bet of P10,000 and a top up of P5,000. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has also circulated a draft circular which seeks to require Philippine financial institutions to limit the gaming access of their users, in a bid to protect clients of digital platforms from risks associated with online gambling. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
