National News - In The Press

A day after the oil companies raised pump prices, militant lawmakers on Saturday called on the Independent Oil Price Review Committee to mitigate the price “shocks” on consumers by halving the value added tax on oil from 12%. By reducing the VAT on oil, the government could cushion the impact of rising fuel cost and the ensuing price spiral on consumers.  read more »

A Palace spokesperson said over the weekend that it will let the House of Representatives deal with one of its members who advised retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. to continue hiding from authorities.

On Sunday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the case of Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) Rep. Pastor Alcover falls under the House’s committee on ethics.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines - In a bid to end electronic violence against women (EVAW) the Gabriela Women’s party-list is spreading “Scandal,” asking Netizens to append the word to their account names, especially on Facebook.

Gabriela Representatives Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan, who launched the campaign at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in support the “Bury the Past Project,” said adding “Scandal” to account names is intended to disrupt Internet search engines when users try to look up so-called “sex scandal” videos.  read more »

DAVAO CITY—After disposing of Chief Justice Renato Corona over his hidden wealth, the militant bloc of activists are challenging President Aquino and members of his Cabinet to allow the country to take a peek into their own personal and political war spoils.  read more »

Congress is eyeing either tighter regulation or a total ban on beauty contests put up by governors, mayors and barangay (village) captains to check abuses by male politicians who use the pageants to get girls.

Gabriela party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan said Congress should investigate the largely unregulated beauty pageants held at the local level following a complaint filed in the Department of Justice by a beauty contest winner who accused Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, Vice Mayor Romeo Borja Jr. of rape.  read more »

A lady lawmaker today urged President Benigno Aquino III to veto a consolidated bill that proposes to decriminalize vagrancy and criminalize women in prostitution.

Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said in a statement that the consolidated version of Senate Bill 2726 and House Bill 4936 that proposes to decriminalize vagrancy violates Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines -- Lawmakers on Wednesday said the administration’s preoccupation with the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona was distracting it from other urgent matters, such as addressing poverty and ensuring the passage of priority legislation.

Gabriela party-list Representative Emmi de Jesus said the common reaction of ordinary people when asked for their views on the impeachment trial is: “Nakakain ba ‘yan (Can you eat that)?” "  read more »

ADMINISTRATION critics on Friday said President Benigno Aquino III had no one to blame but himself for not acting to stop illegal logging and other activities that harm the environment.

Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus called on the Palace to cancel all logging permits, saying the havoc wrought by tropical storm Sendong should be seen in the context of “large-scale environmental plunder.”  read more »

After a nine-hour wait, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was finally transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) on North Avenue in Quezon City past 4 p.m. Friday.

The former chief executive and current Pampanga representative and her party left for VMMC from St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City past 3 p.m. She boarded a white passenger coaster that was followed by two ambulances and authorities on motorcycles from the Philippine National Police (PNP)'s Highway Patrol Group.  read more »

MANILA, Philippines — Despite all the security and confusion, all the traffic, and all the rain, there was no stopping hundreds of political activists and supporters of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from hitting the streets and lambasting each other in front of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) compound in Quezon City Friday.  read more »