HOUSE SECRETARY GENERAL REGINALD “REGGIE” S. VELASCO

The House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, reiterates that it has not authorized the use of official plates for vehicles of House Members in the current 19th Congress. 

These plates hold no official sanction from the House and are not to be considered legitimate.

The House has an existing agreement with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, wherein drivers found using plates with the number “8” will be apprehended, and such plates will be confiscated promptly.

The unauthorized and illegal use of special plates is a matter that should not be tolerated, as it poses a threat to public safety and undermines the integrity of the vehicle registration system. We urge all individuals to comply with the law and refrain from engaging in such activities.

We expect all Members to uphold the highest standards of integrity and adherence to the law.

We remain committed to ensuring accountability and transparency within the House of Representatives, and we appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved in upholding the rule of law. (END)

wantta join us? sure, manure...

Masiglang negosyo sa PBBM admin ng unemployment – Cong. Zaldy Co

Lumobo ang job opportunities para sa mga Pinoy worker sa gitna ng masiglang business climate na bunga ng ‘sound policies’ ng administrasyong Marcos upang makaakit ng investments, mapahusay ang employment at mapalakas ang consumption.

Pinapurihan ni Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co, chairman ng House Appropriations Committee, ang pagsisikap ng administrasyong Marcos na makalikha ng mga trabaho kasunod ng ulat ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) na bumaba ang unemployment rate sa 3.5%.

Sinabi ni Rep. Co na ang pagbaba ay dahil sa pagpupunyagi ng pamahalaan na mabigyan ng trabaho ang mas maraming Pilipino, kung saan iniulat ng PSA na bumaba ang bilang ng mga walang trabaho sa 1.8 million noong February 2024 mula 2.15 million noong January 2024, na nagbaba sa unemployment rate sa 3.5% mula 4.5%.

“This is clear proof that the government is doing a good job in creating more jobs for more Filipinos. A government hard at work puts more people at work,” wika ni Rep. Co sa isang statement.

“Sound policies create an upbeat business climate that attract investments that generate jobs and boost consumption. This is the virtuous cycle that heightened confidence in the country’s economy inspires,” dagdag pa niya.

Pinuri rin ng mambabatas ang administrasyong Marcos sa pagpapababa sa underemployment, mula 6.39 million underemployed Filipinos noong January 2024 sa 6.08 million underemployed Filipinos noong February 2024.

Ayon sa PSA, katumbas ito ng underemployment rate na 12.4 percent noong February laban sa 13.9 percent noong January. Ang underemployed persons ay yaong mga naghahangad ng dagdag na oras sa kanilang kasalukuyang trabaho o magkaroon ng karagdagang trabaho.

Naunang sinabi ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) na tinututukan ng administrasyong Marcos ang pagpapalakas sa ugnayan sa industriya, academe, at sa public sector upang tugunan ang skill mismatches sa labor market.

“The needs of vulnerable groups, including women, youth, older people, and those with disabilities, remain our priority to encourage workforce participation. We will improve access to quality childcare, finance, and entrepreneurship opportunities to support women’s entry and retention in the labor market,” pahayag ni NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan sa hiwalay na statement.

Sinabi ni Balisacan na muling rerepasuhin ng pamahalaan ang umiiral na polisiya hinggil sa alternative work modes, tulad ng Telecommuting Act, at iangkop ito sa umuunlad na work landscape upang matugunan ang lumalaking kagustuhan para sa remote work.

wantta join us? sure, manure...

pinapahanda na agad ni AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee sa Department of Agriculture o DA ang Quick Response Fund (QRF) na bahagi ng calamity funds ngayong taon.

ayon kay Lee, para ito sa mga isinailalim at isasailalim pang mas maraming lugar sa state of calamity dahil sa matinding tagtuyot na lubhang nakakaapekto sa mga magsasaka.

Tinukoy ni Lee na sa ngayon ay nasa 20 local government units (LGUs) na ang nagdeklara ng state of calamity dahil sa El Niño Phenomenon at inaasahang madadagdagan pa ito sa darating na mga linggo.

Kaya giit ni, dapat siguraduhin ng DA na ready for release at download sa kanilang regional offices ang QRF kapag nagdeklara na ng state of calamity ang mga LGUs para mabigyan ng agarang ayuda ang mga apektadong magsasaka sa naturang mga lugar.

binigyang diin ni Lee na patuloy na mahihirapan ang mga magsasaka sa kanilang produksyon hangga’t hindi sapat ang irigasyon kaya dapat ay maging proactive tayo at hindi reactive dahil buhay at hanapbuhay ang nakataya dito.

###

wantta join us? sure, manure...

Pulong ni PBBM sa mga proponent ng nuclear energy sa Amerika, daan para matamo ang murang singil sa kuryente sa Pilipinas…

Ang pulong ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa mga proponent ng nuclear energy sa Amerika ay daan para makamit ng bansa ang sapat, maaasahan at murang singil sa kuryente.

Ito ang inihayag ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez nang pulungin ni Pangulong Marcos ang Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation o USNC bago ganapin ang makasaysayang trilateral meeting kina US President Joe Biden at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sa Washington DC.

Follow up meeting ito sa nauna nang pulong ni Pangulong Marcos sa USNC sa sidelines ng APEC Summit sa San Francisco noong November 2023.

Nagresulta ito ng kasunduan ng USNC sa Meralco para sa deployment ng Micro Modular Reactors sa Pilipinas.

Ayon kay Romualdez, sa data ng Department of Energy, 96 percent ng buong bansa ay may serbisyo na ng kuryente.

Pero sabi ni Romualdez, marami pa rin island communities sa bansa ang sine-serbisyuhan ng fuel-fired power generation facilities kaya nararanasan ang madalas na rotational brownouts.

Umaasa din ang House Speaker na kung matutuloy ang layunin ng kasunduan, maibaba ang mataas na singil ng serbisyo ng kuryente sa bansa.

wantta join us? sure, manure...

Trilateral Summit to bring stabilization, peace not just in Phl but in entire region – AML Ortega

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s meeting in Washington with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to provide stability and peace in the Into-Pacific region amid repeated incursions of China in the West Philippine Sea. 

 

“We hope that with this Trilateral Summit, the heightened tensions in the WPS will be reduced, if not totally stopped. These were brought about by the unprovoked actions of Beijing where their vessels have been hitting ours with water canons,” House Assistant Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo P. Ortega V, a member of Young Guns or a group of dynamic leaders in the House of Representatives, said. 

 

“This is a step in the right direction. We need all the support we can get from our usual allies in the international community. We also need them to guide us how to deal with such a recurring problem, since China has been doing this despite our complaints,” Ortega, whose province faces the West Philippine Sea, noted. 

 

Ortega said he is hoping that President Marcos’ meeting with the American and Japanese heads of state will help persuade China to back out from encroaching on Philippine territory, which is very well within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. 

 

“We cannot afford to just let their (Chinese) vessels block our ships and prevent our fishermen from getting their daily livelihood in our very own shores. That is simply not fair, to say the least,” Ortega remarked. 

 

Ortega also underscored the importance of such a summit, which is an “avenue where allies like US and Japan can discuss ways on how to mitigate incidents” in the waters off Palawan and Zambales, which is getting in the way of fishermen, and the resupply mission team. 

 

He also commended Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez for “helping lighten the load of the President who obviously has his hands full,” owing to the multiple problems he has to face in trying to give Filipinos a better life. (END)

wantta join us? sure, manure...

Speaker says trilateral meet to accelerate AFP modernization, capacitate PH with credible defense posture in WPS; cites bipartisan bill in US Senate seeking $2.5 billion security aid to PH

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez today expressed optimism the historic trilateral summit between US President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Romualdez believes would help accelerate the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He said the assistance and security cooperation with the US and Japan would enhance our country's ability to maintain a credible defense posture in the face of increasing aggressive provocations by China in the West Philippine Sea.

"The trilateral meeting presents a significant opportunity for strategic collaboration among like-minded allies in the Indo-Pacific region," said Speaker Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives.

"I am optimistic that the discussions between President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, and President Marcos, Jr. will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in advancing our defense capabilities and ensuring regional security and stability."

He noted that on the eve of the historic trilateral meeting US Senators Bill Hagerty (Republican) and Tim Kaine (Democrat), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act of 2024 (PERA Act), a bill to strengthen and modernize the U.S.-Philippines alliance through significantly increased U.S. security assistance.

Among others, the bill annually authorizes $500 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grant assistance to the Philippines for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029—a total of $2.5 billion over five fiscal years.

Speaker Romualdez emphasized the urgency of bolstering the AFP's modernization efforts to effectively address evolving security challenges, particularly in the West Philippine Sea to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He noted that last March 28, President Marcos, Jr. issued a statement saying the Philippines will now implement a “response and countermeasure package that is proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable” against increasing illegal and dangerous provocations by China.

"By working closely with our allies, we can expedite the modernization of the AFP and enhance our ability to respond effectively to any potential threats to our national security."

Furthermore, Speaker Romualdez highlighted the trilateral meeting as an opportunity to deepen diplomatic ties and foster greater cooperation in addressing common security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region.

He expressed confidence that the discussions would push forward concrete initiatives aimed at promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

Speaker Romualdez noted following separate high-level dialogues held last year, the Philippines and the United States agreed to develop the Philippine Security Sector Assistance Roadmap (P-SSAR) to support the Philippines’ defense modernization efforts.

Expected to be signed this year, the P-SSAR will facilitate US investments in the modernization of the AFP and the Philippine Coast Guard by providing a clear picture of our country’s capability requirements throughout 5 years as well as technologies the U.S. can provide to match funding facilities. 

Likewise, Speaker Romualdez noted that on 5 November 2023, during the official visit to the Philippines of PM Kishida, an OSA—a new cooperation framework for security cooperation—was signed between the two countries for a grant of 600 million Yen or over USD4 million, for a brand-new Coastal Radar System,

The new Coastal Radar Systems will capacitate the AFP with additional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

"As we confront the challenges posed by aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, it is imperative that we stand united with our allies to uphold the rules-based order and defend our shared values and interests," Speaker Romualdez said.

He reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the House of Representatives to supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening the Philippines' defense capabilities and ensuring the nation's security and sovereignty. 

“The House of Representatives has been proactive in ensuring that our Armed Forces are sufficiently and properly equipped to safeguard our nation while also prioritizing the welfare of both retired and active-duty personnel,” he earlier assured AFP officials. 

(END)

wantta join us? sure, manure...

Ipinanawagan ni House Assistant Majority Leader at Zambales First District Representative Jefferson Khonghun ang pagsasagawa ng imbestigasyon hinggil sa umano'y gentleman's agreement sa pagitan nina dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Chinese President Xi Jinping patungkol sa West Philippine Sea.

Sa isang statement, kinondena ni Khonghun ang kasunduan na aniya'y nakababahala dahil nakokompromiso ang teritoryo at soberanya ng bansa.

Hindi aniya dapat ipinapasok sa sikretong kasunduan ang integridad ng soberanya ng Pilipinas na sumisira sa karapatan ng mga Pilipino sa hurisdiksyon sa WPS.

Paliwanag ni Khonghun, marapat lang na maliwanagan ang lahat ukol sa gentleman's agreement dahil mahalaga ang transparency at accountability sa usapin ng pambansang soberanya at seguridad.

Karapatan din umano ng taumbayan na malaman ang katotohanan at panagutin ang sinumang responsable sa anumang hakbang na maglalagay sa alanganin ng pambansang interes.

Umaasa ang kongresista na sa gagawing pagdinig ay magiging malinaw at mailalatag ang "decisive measures" upang tumindig para sa interes ng bansa sa WPS.

Dagdag pa nito, nangangamba ang publiko sa posibleng maging epekto ng anumang sikretong kasunduan partikular sa isyu ng soberanya kaya bilang public servants ay dapat tiyaking natutugunan ang kanilang hinaing.

wantta join us? sure, manure...