Author: Filane Cervantes-PNA

MANILA – All private and public cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbariums in the country will be closed from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the observance of the Undas season, Malacañang announced on Friday. In a news conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management … Read More

The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final a measure renewing the franchise of the Dennis-Uy led Mislatel consortium, presently known as the DITO Telecommunity Corp., for another 25 years.

A lawmaker at the House of Representatives on Monday said the PHP26.8-billion allocation for Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) fund has far exceeded the estimated cost of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) hospitalizations.

Around 51 hospitals with fraud-related cases have received Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) funds amounting to almost PHP1.5 billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Several officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), including its president and CEO Ricardo Morales, have signed bank secrecy waivers allowing the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to check their transactions amid the alleged irregularities within the agency.

MANILA – House Committee on Public Accounts chairman Michael Defensor on Wednesday recommended the filing of plunder charges against all officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) involved in the so-called “mafia” that runs various fraudulent schemes. During a joint House hearing on the alleged graft and corrupt practices in PhilHealth, Defensor questioned the sharp … Read More

MANILA – A lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Social Security System (SSS) to release funds to its branches for pandemic loans, members’ benefits, and other operational requirements amid reports of long queues and delays.

MANILA – The House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday approved a proposal imposing a 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions in the country. The panel, chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, approved a substitute bill seeking to amend Section 105 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) by taxing digital service … Read More

MANILA – Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has blamed the owners of media giant ABS-CBN for the network’s “inevitable” shutdown.

MANILA – A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday filed a measure seeking to allow virtual marriage with the use of video, audio, and data transmission devices. In filing House BIll 7042, Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo proposed that the legal meaning of presence or personal appearance as an essential requisite for the validity of marriage be liberally … Read More

MANILA – National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba on Monday said the continued operations of ABS-CBN’s digital television service, TV Plus, is a violation of its cease and desist order (CDO) against the network.

MANILA – The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday called for the resumption of operations of provincial buses with minimum health standards strictly observed.

MANILA – Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Wednesday that the ownership of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. remained with the Lopez family despite the sequestration of the network during martial law.

MANILA — A leader of the House of Representatives clarified Monday that the registration of an online business with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is for regulation purposes and does not mean it will automatically be taxed.