House Bill making AICS 'permanent' approved on final reading
This happened as all 176 House members voted yes for the passage of House Bill 11395 on An Act Institutionalizing the AICS Program.
House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, who voted yes with reservations on the measure, said making the AICS program permanent is "necessary" but should not be used by public officials to promote themselves.
"We recognize that it is the mandate of the State to provide adequate assistance, social services, projects, and programs geared towards alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of Filipinos. Sa harap ng hindi maampat-ampat na presyo ng mga bilihin at bayarin, mataas na inflation rate (In the face of unsustainable prices of goods and services, high inflation rate)... The need for an immediate economic relief will always be there," Brosas said.
"Hindi natin kinukuwestiyon ang pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan para sa agarang tulong (We do not question the citizens' need for immediate assistance.)... Rather, we are particularly worried about those who are in the position to provide assistance, but takes it as an opportunity to forward their personal and political interests," Brosas added.
Brosas said that government policies should not promote political patronage and mendicancy but instead emphasize that government assistance is funded by the taxpayers' money.
"As legislators and as public servants, let us be true to our mandate to put forward measures that will alleviate poverty and address the deepening inequality in our country towards genuinely raising the quality of life of Filipinos," Brosas said.
Latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that 63% self-rated poverty among Filipinos, the highest in 21 years.
The same poll showed that involuntary hunger among Filipino families, on the other hand, doubled to 7.5 million in March 2025 from 2.9 million from June 2022. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos arrives in US to meet Trump
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is welcomed upon his arrival at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, USA by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and another American official on Sunday, July 20, 20025 (Monday, July 21, PH time). Screenshot from RTVM videoPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is welcomed upon his arrival at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, USA by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and another American official on Sunday, July 20, 2025 (Monday, July 21, PH time). Screenshot from RTVM video WASHINGTON, DC - President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. arrived in Washington, DC on Monday at 2:48 a.m. Manila time. The President is set to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House. He is also scheduled to visit the Pentagon for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said Marcos and Trump are set to discuss defense and security. 'Essentially it's really the reaffirmation of all these agreements that we have with the United States specifically surrounding the Mutual Defense Treaty. So, it will be more on discussions on how we can continue to cooperate with the United States, our major ally.' Romualdez said. The West Philippine Sea situation is also expected to be discussed in the President's meetings here. 'At the same time, I think President Marcos would like to see how we can work with the United States and other countries that have the same mindset as far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned. So, it will be on those general subjects of discussion,' Romualdez added. Marcos will also be meeting with business leaders. 'Generally he'll be talking to semiconductor industry which is very important for us. One of our biggest industries that we're having economic ties with the United States. I think the President of the Semiconductor Association will be meeting with the President," the ambassador said. "And then we have other business leaders particularly those who have already invested in the Philippines or planning to expand their investments in the healthcare,' Romualdez said, adding that groups interested in developing the Luzon Economic Corridor will likewise attend the meeting. Marcos and Trump are also expected to tackle the 20% tariff on Philippine goods entering the US with the Philippines, hoping to arrive at a trade agreement beneficial to both countries. Romualdez also told the media covering the President's visit that the controversial immigration policy of President Trump is not on the agenda. There are currently 3,772 Filipinos identified by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement who are not detained but with 'final orders of removal.' —KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
19 hours ago
- GMA Network
GAB should be posted on House website for transparency — Gatchalian
The General Appropriations Bill (GAB) should be posted on the website of the House of Representatives to allow the public to keep track of the country's annual budget, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Sunday. Gatchalian made the remark after he was asked if he is in favor of opening the bicameral budget deliberations to the public. 'Dadagdagan ko pa yan. Kung ako, pati 'yung GAB, dapat i-post sa website. Sa ngayon, hindi 'yan kaya bulag ang taumbayan kung ano ang isinusumite ng Kamara sa Senado,' Gatchalian told Super Radyo dzBB. (I would add to that. In my opinion, I think the General Appropriations Bill should be posted on the website. Right now, it's not, which means the public is blind to what the House is submitting to the Senate.) 'Kung ako, dapat ipost yan ng House of Representatives sa website (if it were up to me, the House should post the GAB on its website),' he added. The senator added the Senate's committee report and GAB's third reading version should also be posted online. 'Para makita natin yung takbo at para nasusundan ng taong bayan kung ano yung napapalitan, ano yung nadadagdag at ano yung final version ng GAA (General Appropriations Act),' the solon said. (So that we can see the progress, and so that the public can follow the changes and the final version of the GAA.) Earlier this week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the proposed P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for Fiscal Year 2026. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the DBM had to trim down requests for budget proposals that reached P10.101 trillion due to limited fiscal space and the fiscal consolidation strategy, which targets gradually reducing the national government's deficit from 5.5% of GDP in 2025 to 4.3% by 2028. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
VP Sara not in favor of online gambling
Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday expressed her opposition to online gambling amid proposals in Congress for a total ban. 'I am against online gambling. Hindi ako sang-ayon sa lahat ng klase ng pagsusugal online dahil hindi nakokontrol ng mga magulang ang access ng kanilang mga anak diyaan sa internet,' Duterte said during an interview at the Free Duterte Now rally in The Hague, Netherlands. (I am against online gambling. I am not in favor of any type of online gambling because parents could not control the access of their children on the internet.) According to the vice president, online gambling makes it easy for Filipinos to lose money and often puts families in debt. 'Okay ako sa regulated gambling kung saan di lahat nakakasugal, pero kapag nilagay mo siya online kung na hindi na natin macocontrol kung sino makakapagbukas ng account para magsugal, di ako sang-ayon doon dahil nakakasira ng pamilya yun at nakakasira ng kinabukasan ng kabataan,' she added. (I am okay with regulated gambling where not anyone can gamble, but if you place it online where we can no longer control who can open an account to gamble, I am not in favor of that, as it destroys families and it destroys the futures of the youth.) Several lawmakers from both the Senate and House of Representatives have backed proposals seeking an outright ban on online gambling as they believed regulation would not be enough. The Department of Health also said that online gambling is a health issue that can affect a person's capacity to perform his or her job or can even cause harm. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
