By Macon Araneta While the Department of Energy (DoE) awaits Malacañang’s reply on its submitted nuclear policy, Sen. Win Gatchalian said the DoE should release a report to the public on the integrated work plan for nuclear power infrastructure in the country. The government concluded a week-long discussion in November last year with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which gave its Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) on introducing a safe, secure and...

By William Casis Sen. Win Gatchalian called on telecommunication companies to immediately put in place a mechanism for the implementation of the Mobile Number Portability Act (MNPA) now that telecom giants Smart and Globe and newcomer Dito Telecommunity announced they agreed to get US-based Syniverse to provide mobile number portability services. Gatchalian, principal author of the MNPA, stressed that mobile number portability should be available within six months from the ...

By Macon Araneta Sen. Panfilo Lacson recently said he would rather say that President Rodrigo Duterte's war  against illegal drugs has not been successful enough rather than call it a failure. But in her public report on January 6, Vice-president Leni Robredo described the President's  drug war as a “massive failure," saying that the government hardly scratched the surface of society’s problem despite the money and resources spent by the administration. She said that if it...

By Corina Oliquino MANILA --The Department of Finance (DoF) in a press statement, confirmed Qatar Fund for Development’s (QFFD) openness in exploring opportunities for development cooperation in the country, In a meeting with a visiting delegation from QFFD last year led by senior advisor Samer Frangieh, Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez III said areas that would benefit immensely from Qatar’s support include the government’s capacity-building efforts for the Bangsamoro Aut...

By Corina Oliquino MANILA --Detained Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima on January 5, released a statement calling for an investigation into the China-backed Safe Philippines project, which will install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in select cities in Metro Manila and Davao City. De Lima said the project “is an opportunity for China to conduct espionage operations in the country,” adding that Filipinos’ right to privacy requires a Senate inquiry into how informat...

By Daniel Llanto Amid the rising tension between Iran and the United States, President Duterte instructed Congress and the Finance department to prepare funds for the “huge, gargantuan” repatriation of Filipinos in the whole Middle East. Speaking after he signed the PHP4.1-trillion budget for 2020, Duterte called for emergency funding and measures to secure the lives of Filipinos in the Middle East in light of escalating tensions between the US and Iran. “I am afraid...

By Beting Laygo Dolor, Contributing Editor To the original two US senators banned by the Duterte administration from entering the Philippines, a third was added last week. The American lawmakers were among the most supportive of a US ban on Philippine officials who took an active role in the imprisonment of Sen. Leila de Lima, allegedly on trumped up drug charges with highly suspicious prisoners serving as witnesses. It was President Rodrigo Duterte himself who order...

By Beting Laygo Dolor, Contributing Editor After a spate of scandals involving the banking industry, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP, the Philippines’ central banking authority) approved new rules that make it easier to partially or perpetually disqualify persons from serving as bank directors or officers, depending on the gravity of the offenses they commit. Specifically, the punishments are aimed at those found to have committed detrimental acts against the banks...