28-Jul-12, 5:57 PM | Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr.
This was my prediction: 'Noynoy will come out strongly and demand not just a vote but the passage of the RH bill if not the FOI bill as well. Great PR.' So, okay, I fell flat on my face with my two prophecies.
28-Jul-12, 6:21 AM | InterAksyon.com
Who says President Aquino left 'FOI' out of his State of the Nation Address? Freedom of Information advocate Vince Lazatin took a closer look at PNoy's speech and found the devil in the details.
27-Jul-12, 8:16 AM | Jefry M. Tupas, InterAksyon.com
The spokesman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in Mindanao said President Benigno Aquino III's third State of the Nation Address held almost nothing for the Filipino people but was, indeed, a report to his real bosses -- the 'imperialists and the ruling class.'
26-Jul-12, 4:30 PM | Cher Jimenez, InterAksyon.com
As President Benigno Aquino III boasts that dengue cases have gone down in some provinces because of the introduction of a mosquito trap developed by the Department of Science and Technology, many parts of the country continue to suffer through a totally different reality.
25-Jul-12, 6:24 PM | Chichi Conde, InterAksyon.com
The Department of Interior and Local Government has ordered an increase in police visibility in Metro Manila amid reports that the crime rate went up by 36 percent for the first six months of the year.
25-Jul-12, 6:24 PM | Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, InterAksyon.com
The Government Service Insurance System on Wednesday said nearly half of the disabled and retired civil servants are poised to enjoy a higher pension of P5,000.
25-Jul-12, 5:58 AM | Victor C. Agustin
Not only did he sound more and more like his late father in public speaking, but PNoy could be likened to be the Filipino version of the youthful, charismatic President Obama in the mastery of rhetorical devices but, more important, in his similar resort to the uplifting rhetoric of hope.
24-Jul-12, 5:45 PM | Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
Aiming to address the country's infrastructure bottleneck is good, Mr. President. But the question is, how will the government fund it?
24-Jul-12, 5:38 PM | Cher S. Jimenez, InterAksyon.com
Two organizations of health workers were not impressed by President Benigno Aquino's pronouncements of his administration's achievements in health, claiming he had been falsely informed.
24-Jul-12, 2:46 PM | Romel Lopez, Radyo Singko and Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
(UPDATE 3:35 PM) The Quezon City police are readying charges against rally leaders whom they hold responsible for the violence that marred Monday's anti-SONA protest march on Commonwealth Avenue, but the militant group BAYAN said police had ignored the fact that protesters complied with all the legal requirements for holding the rally, and imposed unlawful barriers.
24-Jul-12, 10:05 AM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. acknowledged that President Benigno Aquino III is opposed to charter change when the he left out the issue in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday. But the leader of the House of Representatives will continue his push to amend the Constitution, limited to its economic provisions, by talking to the President.
24-Jul-12, 7:02 AM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
Deputy House Speaker Lorenzo Tanada III is not disheartened by President Benigno Aquino III's failure to mention the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying that its passage still depends on Congress.
23-Jul-12, 7:48 PM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez and Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
Legislators and advocates of the RH bill are hopeful that President Benigno Aquino III's passing mention of the phrase 'responsible parenthood' in his SONA will give the controversial measure the final push to become a law.
23-Jul-12, 7:20 PM | Krista Angela M. Montealegre, InterAksyon.com
Local businessmen by and large welcomed President Benigno Aquino III's 3rd State-of-the-Nation Address, which was littered with "lots of positive news" that gave the private sector something to look forward to in the next four years.
23-Jul-12, 7:13 PM | InterAksyon.com
Human Rights Watch on Monday said President Benigno Aquino III 'missed an important opportunity during his State of the Nation Address to highlight or even mention his administration's proclaimed policy to hold state security forces accountable for human rights abuses.'
23-Jul-12, 7:03 PM | Joseph Holandes Ubalde, InterAksyon.com
Maguindanao Governor Esmael 'Toto' Mangudadatu said he almost shed a tear when President Benigno Aquino III said in his State of the Nation Address on Monday that he would not 'forgive and forget' the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan massacre.
23-Jul-12, 6:41 PM | InterAksyon.com
Senator Jose 'Jinggoy' Estrada on Monday thanked President Benigno Aquino III for confirming in his third State of the Nation Address that he would seek a higher budget for state universities and colleges.
23-Jul-12, 6:26 PM | InterAksyon.com
Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara praised the gains in education cited by President Benigno Aquino III in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.
23-Jul-12, 6:17 PM | Patrick Villavicencio, InterAksyon.com
In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) President Benigno Aquino III heaped praises on his administration's efforts to mitigate the effects of natural disasters with the help of technology, but made little to no mention of his government's overall ICT initiative.
23-Jul-12, 6:12 PM | Storified by Tricia Aquino
Amid celebrity love teams, boy bands, and 20 people others find pretty, President Benigno S. Aquino III made it to the Twitter trends during his State of the Nation Address on Monday afternoon.
23-Jul-12, 5:58 PM | Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
The Chinese government has fined the Aquino administration nearly a million dollars since 2010 because of delays in the implementation of the North Rail Project, according to the National Economic and Development Authority.
23-Jul-12, 5:36 PM | InterAksyon.com
President Aquino on Monday delivered the third State of the Nation Address of his administration. In a flood of feel-good information, however, there were key items that merited practically zero-mentions. Some notable non-mentions: FOI, RH Bill, ICT, and Charter Change.
23-Jul-12, 5:23 PM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com | Manny Mogato, Reuters
President Benigno Aquino III asserted the Philippines' claim to Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, over which the country has engaged China in a standoff.
23-Jul-12, 5:18 PM | Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com
(UPDATED 6:37 p.m.) Senators on Monday cast doubt on whether President Benigno Aquino III's sin tax reform could be passed into law, confirming that his priority revenue measure faces an uphill battle.
23-Jul-12, 4:25 PM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
The Philippine National Police renewed its call for activists to keep their rallies on Monday orderly after two persons were hurt as protesters and policemen clashed in Quezon City.
23-Jul-12, 4:10 PM | Erwin Mascarinas, InterAksyon.com
About 2,000 activists in the Caraga region took to the streets of three different key cities Monday to protest what they see as the failure of President Benigno Aquino III to fulfill the promises he made to the people two years ago.
23-Jul-12, 3:53 PM | Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
The Cabinet Committee of the National Economic and Development Authority has approved multibillion-peso expressway and airport projects in Luzon.
23-Jul-12, 3:40 PM | Tricia Aquino, InterAksyon.com
A media crew was hurt some two hours ago as police "violently blocked protesters from Hacienda Luisita near Ever Commonwealth," according to a Tweet by activist and writer Arnold Padilla.
23-Jul-12, 3:28 PM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
Activist lawmakers on Monday arrived at the House of Representatives for President Benigno Aquino III's second State of the Nation Address literally wearing political statements.
23-Jul-12, 3:27 PM | Joseph Holandes Ubalde, InterAksyon.com
On the day of the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President, Senator Pia Cayetano will have two dresses, one each for the morning and afternoon events, her office told media outfits on Monday, setting off the chatter on what has come to be known as 'another fashion show' during the traditional Congress rites.
23-Jul-12, 1:05 PM | Karl John C. Reyes and Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
The leaders of the two chambers of Congress on Monday urged lawmakers to begin the work of reviewing and amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.
23-Jul-12, 12:42 PM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
Two organizations scored President Benigno Aquino III saying he had ignored human rights organizations, with Karapatan saying he 'has been, in fact, inflicting terror and violence against the Filipino people.'
23-Jul-12, 11:49 AM | InterAksyon.com
In his speech at the opening of the House of Representative's third regular session on Monday, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. looks back on the year past and rolls out his wishlist of priority tasks - including a review of the Constitution's economic provisions - and legislation.
23-Jul-12, 11:04 AM | Karl John C. Reyes, InterAksyon.com
(UPDATE, 11:39 a.m.) Three senators were absent during the opening of the third regular session of the 15th Congress at the Senate Monday.
23-Jul-12, 10:50 AM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
Despite of threats of rain, thousands of protesters are expected to attend the protest actions against President Benigno Aquino III's State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday.
23-Jul-12, 10:06 AM | Agence France-Presse
Senator Francis Escudero, who is close to the President but does not belong to Aquino's ruling Liberal Party, said the President needed to reassure the public his government was in control of the situation amid fears of increasing Chinese aggression.
23-Jul-12, 9:05 AM | Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
After two years in office, President Benigno Aquino III's Public-Private Partnership Program remains largely in the preparation stage, with only one out of 10 projects presented to investors in November 2010 auctioned off as of last year.
23-Jul-12, 8:04 AM | Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, InterAksyon.com
The Department of Budget and Management is gunning for the passage of the government’s 2013 spending bill no later than December this year.
23-Jul-12, 7:25 AM | Joseph Holandes Ubalde, InterAksyon.com
(UPDATE 2 - 12:21 p.m.) The red alert at La Mesa dam has been downgraded to yellow after the 5 a.m. water level of 79.52 meters, or just 63 centimeters below the overspill level of 80.15 meters, subsided to 79.49 meters.
23-Jul-12, 12:08 AM | Philippines News Agency
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is deploying over 900 of its personnel to ensure orderly traffic flow in the vicinity of the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City during President Benigno S. Aquino III's third State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
22-Jul-12, 4:00 PM | Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
On the eve of his third State-of-the-Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III received a higher rating from a non-government organization that tracks good governance.
22-Jul-12, 1:57 PM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
A staged funeral wake for women who died of pregnancy and childbirth complications for lack of reproductive health (RH) services will welcome President Benigno Aquino III as he delivers his State of the Nation Adress (SONA) on Monday.
22-Jul-12, 1:28 PM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
(UPDATE, 2 p.m.) The Philippine National Police (PNP) went on full alert Sunday, a day before President Benigno Aquino III's State of the Nation Address (SONA).
22-Jul-12, 1:09 PM | Karl John C. Reyes, InterAksyon.com
The Senate of the Philippines will resume its third regular session of the 15th Congress tomorrow, July 23, and will continue working for the passage of several economic and other measures, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said.
22-Jul-12, 11:07 AM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
A total of 27 measures have been enacted into law and a number of bills are lined up for passage since the 15th Congress started in June 2010, proof that the legislative chamber was a "bastion of reform and outstanding performance."
22-Jul-12, 5:59 AM | InterAksyon.com
Not even heavy rains will stop protesters from turning out on Monday for the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III, umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), which has called for nationwide protests during the SONA, said in a news release.
22-Jul-12, 1:26 AM | Perfecto T.Raymundo Jr., Philippines News Agency
The government has so far filed 42 smuggling and 117 tax evasion cases four days before the third State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III.
21-Jul-12, 7:32 PM | Krista Angela M. Montealegre, InterAksyon.com
Ahead of President Benigno Aquino III's third State of the Nation Address, InterAksyon.com's Krista Angela M. Montealegre compiled 10 things that businessmen want the government to do to improve business and investment conditions in the Philippines.
21-Jul-12, 7:01 PM | Nonoy Oplas
The old and endless argument that "government does not have enough money" is simply not true. Government does have plenty of money, but more than a fifth is used to pay its debt. So if government wants to reduce its interest payment and use more money for various services, all it has to do is to drastically cut its annual borrowings
21-Jul-12, 5:09 PM | InterAksyon.com
Eight bishops from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) have expressed support for the ongoing fast and hunger strike of political prisoners, who last week decried the continuing tack of government to throw criminal cases at the detainees in order to keep them in jail.
20-Jul-12, 5:19 PM | UP Diliman University Student Council pre-SONA statement:
Dalawang taon na ang lumipas ng ihalal natin ang isang pangulong nangako ng tuwid na daan sa ilalim ng kaniyang administrasyon. Dalawang SONA na ang lumipas ngunit kakarampot na pag-unlad pa rin ang naabot ng mga mamamayan.
20-Jul-12, 5:17 PM | Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com
There is a reason to be optimistic about the Philippines these days, but this must be tempered by the need to address the slow pace of legislative reform and the lack of policy coherence, an economist said on Friday.
20-Jul-12, 2:41 PM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez and Patricia Aquino, InterAksyon.com
Students of the University of the Philippines gave a preview of the protest they plan to mount for President Benigno Aquino III's state of the nation address on Monday, staging a 'freeze mobilization' inside the campus to show what they said is the "true state" of Philippine education.
20-Jul-12, 11:04 AM | Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad will submit the proposed P2-trillion 2013 national budget to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 24, a day after President Benigno Aquino III's state of the nation address.
