A SENATOR filed a bill on Monday that seeks to limit the powers of government officials designated as officer-in-charge (OIC), after questionable billions-worth of pandemic contracts were signed last year and prompted a lengthy probe in the upper chamber. Senator Francis N. Tolentino’s Senate bill no. 2434 will amend provisions of Executive Order 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987 on OICs. If enacted, the proposed law will inhibit OICs […]
Tag: bill
House approves bill to set up Liloan Children’s Hospital
A CHILDREN’S hospital may soon rise in Liloan, Cebu. This after the House of Representatives passed on Sept. 27, 2021 House Bill 10254 establishing the Liloan Children’s Hospital. The bill has been transmitted to the Senate. The bill was originally filed as HB 8274 by Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco (Cebu, 5th district) on Dec. […]
Foreign chambers back ease of paying tax bill
THE Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) said Wednesday that the Senate should immediately tackle the Ease of Paying Taxes bill, noting that government needs to find creative ways to collect revenue to fund its pandemic response. The House of Representatives on Sept. 15 approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 8942 […]
House approves postponement of Bangsamoro elections to 2025
HOUSE LAWMAKERS approved late Wednesday the postponement of the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). A counterpart measure was already passed at the Senate on Sept. 6. In a 187-0 vote with 0 abstentions, the House approved House Bill 10121 that would move the BARMM parliamentary polls from May 2022 to […]
Bill seeks to make SIM card registration mandatory
A SENATE BILL is seeking to make phone users register their identification details when applying for SIM cards, according to Senator Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe-Llamanzares. On Monday, she sponsored a measure, Senate Bill (SB) No. 2395 or the proposed SIM Card Registration Act, which is intended to deter fraud. If passed, the legislation will […]
Government Wakes up to Blockchain & Cryptocurrency
Washington, D.C., Sep 13, 2021 – (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) – In August, the US Senate approved the $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill, as part of the $3.5 Trillion Budget Bill. Language in this bill suggests that $28 Billion in funding will come from enforcing tax-reporting requirements on cryptocurrency brokers. A cryptocurrency broker is anyone who […]
Senate microgrid bill passes on second reading
A BILL promoting the use of microgrid systems for unserved and underserved areas was approved on second reading in the Senate Tuesday. The proposed Microgrid Systems Act, or Senate Bill No. 1928, also streamlines the process for the competitive selection of microgrid service providers (MSPs), with the ultimate goal of expanding access to power in […]
House approves ease of paying taxes bill on 2nd reading
HOUSE LEGISLATORS approved a measure on second reading Monday that would ease the process of filing taxes in order to encourage taxpayers to pay their dues. House Bill 8942 or the Ease of Paying Taxes Act seeks to simplify rules and processes in filing and paying taxes, such as removing venue restrictions and introducing a medium taxpayer classification. The measure would also remove the […]
Congress approves ‘tri-level’ road project in Mandaue City
THE Lower house approves the “Tri-Level” project bill sponsored by Cebu Sixth District Representative Congresswoman Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon which will be constructed along M.C Briones Street and U.N. Avenue, in Barangay Ibabao-Estancia, Mandaue City. House Bill No. 9886 was approved in the lower house on August 31, 2021 for the final reading. The project is […]
PJ Garcia files bill protecting lawyers
A BILL protecting lawyers in the exercise of their profession was filed in Congress by a Cebuano legislator. House Bill (HB) 9882 or “Protecting the Practice of Law Act” was filed by Deputy House Speaker Pablo John “PJ” Garcia in the House of Representatives in July 2021. Garcia, a lawyer, represents the third district of […]
Postponement of Bangsamoro parliamentary election hurdles House 2nd reading
THE PROPOSED three-year postponement of the 2022 election for 80 parliament members in the Bangsamoro region was approved on second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday, a day after a counterpart bill was similarly passed by the Senate. With 39 ‘yes’ votes, 4 ‘no’, and 0 abstention, three House committees — Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, Muslim Affairs, and […]
House approves tax relief bill for athlete prizes on 2nd reading
HOUSE LEGISLATORS approved on second reading Tuesday a bill that would exempt from tax cash gifts and rewards for athletes and coaches participating in international competition. House Bill No. 9990, also known as the Hidilyn Diaz Act, would amend Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives […]
House passes tax relief bill for private schools on third reading
HOUSE LEGISLATORS approved a measure on third and final reading Monday to explicitly make private schools eligible for preferential tax rates which will allow them to recover from the crisis, after their eligibility for such relief had been questioned by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). House Bill 9913 amends Section 27 (B) of the […]
Prioritization of bill on deposit secrecy crucial amid ‘limited’ legislative window
Making the measure to ease the Bank Secrecy Law a priority for the remainder of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term is a welcome development given the “already very limited window for legislation,” its proponent said. “I think that (inclusion in legislative priorities) will facilitate [its legislation]. If the President will certify it as urgent, they […]
House bill seeks tax exemption for medical oxygen
A BILL filed in the House of Representatives hopes to provide a tax exemption for the procurement of emergency medical supplies, including oxygen. Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the bill’s author, was responding to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s address on Monday in which he […]
Palace still seeking ‘balanced,’ ‘acceptable’ anti-endo measure
By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter THE PRESIDENT’S spokesman said the Executive branch is still working with Congress on a version of the Security of Tenure bill that balances the interests of workers and employers, after the bill was left out of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday. The bill […]
POGO tax bill skips bicam as House adopts Senate version
A PROPOSED law seeking to tax Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) will be transmitted directly to the Palace after the House adopted the Senate version of the measure, doing away with the need for a bicameral conference committee to reconcile the two chambers’ bills, a senior legislator said. House Ways and Means Chairman Jose Maria […]
Exporters back open access bill for ISPs to improve broadband
EXPORTERS are backing the passage of a bill that would ease the entry of internet service providers (ISPs) into the broadband market, which they said would help bridge connectivity gaps. The proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act filed as House Bill No. 8910 and Senate Bills No. 45 and 911 are pending. “An Open […]
Duterte urges Congress to pass remaining tax reform bills
Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday night urged the Congress to pass his administration’s last two tax reform bills. In his speech during the ceremonial signing of several bills in Malacañang, Mr. Duterte called on Congress to ensure the passage of two more measures under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program. The proposed Real Property […]
Utzurrum: Zonta Club of Cebu 2 on child early and forced marriages
Relevantly, the Zonta Club of Cebu 2, in a well-attended webinar, supported Senate Bill 1373 authored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Girls Not Brides Act). In the words of the senator, “Child early and forced marriages are a tragic reality to which girls are subjected largely due to economic circumstances, cultural expectations and outdated beliefs and […]