Latest news with #RisaHontiveros
GMA Network
14-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Hontiveros wants e-wallets, super apps to also ‘self-regulate' vs. online gambling
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday expressed hope that e-wallet and super app companies will take steps to self-regulate amid the prevalence of online gambling in the country. Hontiveros, who earlier filed a bill seeking to ban online gambling access in e-wallets and super apps, made the remark as three of the country's largest integrated resort-casino operators said that their online gaming operations comply with laws and regulations. 'Kung sinasabi ng malalaking mga casino na sumusunod na sila sa mga kasalukuyang regulasyon, okay yun. Ibig sabihin, hindi rin magiging problema kung magdagdag man ng paghihigpit pagdating sa online gambling,' the lady senator said. (If big casinos say they are following regulations, that's well and good. That means there should be no issue if we tighten access to online gambling.) Despite this, she questioned why e-wallet and super app companies are seemingly silent regarding claims that have made online gambling easier to access. 'Sa dami ng reklamo na napadali ng e-wallets at super apps ang online gambling, bakit tila tahimik ang mga kumpanyang ito? Umaasa akong magkakaroon rin sila ng sarili nilang regulasyon dahil hindi biro ang mga buhay na nasira at pwedeng masira dahil sa online gambling,' Hontiveros said. (With so many complaints pointing to how phones have made online gambling too easy to access, why are e-wallet and super app companies silent? I hope that they would also take steps to self-regulate. Too many lives have been ruined and could be ruined by online gambling. Too many families have already been hurt.) 'Napakaraming nagme-message sa opisina namin sa Senado, dahil sa dami na ng nalululong, nalulubog sa utang, at namamatay dahil sa bisyo na ito. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, hindi na sapat ang pagsunod lamang sa batas. Kailangan din nating makiisa,' she added. (My office in the Senate has received numerous messages from people desperate for help. These are reports of loved ones who have become addicted, buried in debt, and who've taken their own lives due to this vice. In this situation, it's not enough that we follow the law. We also need to care. We need to act together.) 'Enablers of debt' Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito, who also filed a resolution seeking for the regulation of online gambling and lending in the country, said that e-wallet companies have become a way for Filipinos to go into debt. 'Ang e-wallet ay ginawa para padaliin ang buhay ng mga Pilipino, hindi para maging enablers ng sugal at utang—dalawang bagay na sumisira sa mga pamilya at kinabukasan. Hindi dapat pinapayagan na gatasan pa ang kahinaan ng ilan nating kababayan,' Ejercito said. (E-wallets were created to make the lives of Filipinos easier, not to be enablers of gambling and debt—two things that destroy families and the future. It should not be allowed to take advantage of the weakness of some of our countrymen.) 'Once a financial tool begins enabling addiction, it is the government's duty to intervene. To strictly regulate and stop them from further fueling this gambling culture,' he continued. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), for its part, is now looking to have payment service providers (PSPs) create a facility that would allow users to create a separate online gambling transaction account (OGTA), which will then be placed under stricter rules in a bid to protect clients from risks associated with the industry. Under a draft circular released to stakeholders for exposure, the central bank is looking to have players create an OGTA in order to participate in online gambling. With the creation of an OGTA, all lending options in the digital platform will be disabled. Monumental step Senator Sherwin Gatchalian welcomed this move by the BSP, emphasizing that it is a monumental step toward the responsible use of digital services. 'Daily caps, time limits, and biometric verification can help curb the alarming rise of gambling addiction, especially among the youth,' he said. Like the other senators, Gatchalian has also proposed a measure that would impose strict regulations for online gambling in the country as part of efforts to address the growing gambling addiction especially among the youth. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
03-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Risa Hontiveros files SOGIE equality bill anew
Senator Risa Hontiveros has refiled in the 20th Congress a bill seeking equality and protection against all forms of discrimination and violence based on a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Hontiveros, a pro-LGBTQIA+ advocate, has long been pushing for the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill, which seeks to protect individuals and communities that are at a greater risk of experiencing human rights violations on the basis of SOGIESC. The proposed piece of legislation was included in Hontiveros' top 10 priority bills for the incoming 20th Congress, which is set to convene its first session on July 28. "For a long time, exclusion and discrimination has been the reality of persons of diverse SOGIESC. The prejudice they experience have far-reaching effects, resulting in the deprivation of their full enjoyment of fundamental human rights," the explanatory note of the unnumbered bill read. "Addressing the human rights gap must not stop at the local and administrative level. The national government must also work to address the lack of protective legislation and supportive policies to safeguard the right of all persons against discrimination on the basis of their SOGIESC," it added. Included as proposed discriminatory practices on the basis of the SOGIESC are: Refusing admission or expelling a person from any educational or training institution open to the general public, including police and military academies or training institutions; Refusing or revoking the accreditation, formal recognition, registration or plan to organize of any organization, group, political party, institution, or establishment; Denying a person access to emergency and/or necessary health services open to the general public; Subjecting a person deprived of liberty to extortion, physical, verbal abuse, or sexual abuse, and cruel and degrading punishment, because of their SOGIESC. Also among Hontiveros' proposed legislative measures for the 20th Congress are the P200 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2025, Anti-ENDO and Contracting Law, Interns' Right and Welfare Act of 2025, and Anti-Hospital Detention bill. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Senators call for peace, safety of Filipinos amid Israel-Iran conflict
Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Malacañang to avoid complacency and to prepare for the potential impact of armed conflict on millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East. Senators on Monday called on the Philippine government and concerned agencies to ensure the safety of the Filipinos living and working in the Middle East amid the rising tensions in the region. For her part, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Malacañang to avoid complacency and to prepare for the potential impact of armed conflict on millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East. 'The whole of government must prepare measures to safeguard OFWs in the region. Milyon-milyon ang Pilipinong maapektuhan kung sakaling lumala ang krisis sa Middle East. There is no room for complacency. Ano na nga ba ang kahandaan ng pamahalaan? May plano na nga ba para iligtas ang napakaraming OFW?' Hontiveros asked. (Millions of Filipinos will be affected if the conflict in the Middle East worsens. There is no room for complacency. What are the preparations of the government? Is there a plan to save so many OFWs?) She thus called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to make sure that contingency plans are in place and that there are sufficient resources for mass evacuation, transport, and care of OFWs if needed. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada urged the DFA and other relevant agencies to continuously reassure Filipinos in the Middle East that the Philippine government is prepared to provide them all necessary assistance and protection. 'Diplomacy should always prioritize tact over aggression, and dialogue must take precedence over hostility. I stand with those who strongly advocate for restraint, open communication, and the de-escalation of the armed conflict between Israel and Iran,' Estrada said in a statement. Senator Joel Villanueva said that Filipinos in the Middle East should coordinate closely with the DFA, DMW, and concerned Philippine embassies to facilitate repatriation. He also called on the agencies to prioritize any requests with urgency and compassion. 'We want our kababayans in Israel and Iran to be safe and secure. Our government agencies, particularly the [DFA] and the [DMW], are responding to repatriation requests from our fellow Filipinos in these areas,' he said. Senator Bong Go also said the DFA and DMW should have 24/7 government assistance to protect overseas Filipinos. 'Dapat importante safe po ang ating mga kababayan na naiipit sa giyera po. Dapat po'y tugunan ito ng gobyerno. Kung kailangang ibalik dito, ibalik,' Go said. 'Pero importante muna ang kanilang kalagayan, safe sila at mayroong peace of mind ang kanilang pamilya.' (Our countrymen who are stuck in the war must be safe. The government should address this. If they have to repatriate, then do so… But their condition is important first, they should be safe and their family should have peace of mind.) US airstrikes Senator-elect Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson, meanwhile, aired concerns following the United States (US) forces' attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran as it may trigger a possible world war. The incoming senator said he trusts that Philippine authorities have evacuation and contingency plans in place for more than two million Filipinos deployed in the Middle East who may be affected by the conflict. 'US President Trump's unprecedentedly dangerous move to 'obliterate' Iran's highly fortified nuclear facilities, if not as factual as he had described it could trigger a world war on a scale nobody has ever witnessed or read about,' Lacson said. Over the weekend, Senate committee on foreign relations chairperson Senator Imee Marcos said that the involvement of the US in the Israel-Iran conflict 'signals a significant escalation of hostilities and elevates the risk of a broader conflict within the region.' She appealed to the international community to prioritize peace, avoid further escalation of the hostilities, and seek every diplomatic channel available to put an end to the crisis. 'I am deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of millions of Filipinos in the region who may be caught in the cross-fire and whose jobs may now be in peril,' Marcos said. 'I am also troubled by the effects of the conflict on our economy as fuel prices continue to surge, affecting not only the transport sector, but also the agricultural, manufacturing, and industrial sectors of the Philippines, among many others,' she added. Senate committee on migrant workers chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo also encouraged affected Filipinos to evacuate and leave crucial areas to ensure their safety. 'Nakahanda ang buong puwersa ng ating gobyerno upang tumulong sa inyo pabalik ng bansa at makapagsimulang muli, kaya hinihikayat ko po na kayo ay makipag-ugnayan sa ating mga opisyales at ahensiya. Dasal ko rin po ang kaligtasan ninyong lahat, maging ng mga opisyal na tumutulong sa ating mga OFWs,' Tulfo said. (The government is ready to help you return to the country and start over, so I encourage you to contact our officials and agencies. I also pray for the safety of all of you, even the officials who help our OFWs.) Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Monday that Filipinos in the US should be on the lookout for any eventuality that may occur following the US airstrikes vs Iran. The Philippines has called for de-escalation of tensions and called on concerned parties to pursue diplomacy after the United States struck Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend. The DFA said the country, which has a huge presence of workers in the Middle East, is "greatly concerned" over the developments in the region "in these last few hours." Trump has said the US "obliterated" Iran's key nuclear facilities — Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow — and called the strikes a "spectacular military success." Iran, on the other hand, vowed to retaliate. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
VP Duterte: Senators shouldn't inhibit from impeachment trial based solely on political bias
Vice President Sara Duterte rejected calls for certain senators to recuse themselves from her impeachment trial, arguing that political bias alone should not be grounds for inhibition. Speaking at a press conference in Davao City, Duterte responded to growing clamor for her Senate allies—including Senators Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, and Robin Padilla—to inhibit themselves from serving as senator-judges in the trial. She countered that if political alignment is to be used as a standard, then even her critics, such as Senator Risa Hontiveros, should also be disqualified. 'We cannot inhibit senator-judges based on bias, because the only position they have is either being for or against Inday Sara,' she said in Filipino. 'If that's the standard, then we should also call for the inhibition of senators who have shown bias against me—like Senator Risa Hontiveros, who publicly said that the Duterte family must be destroyed.' Duterte urged the public to trust that all senator-judges, regardless of political stance, will perform their duties fairly. 'If we start disqualifying senators based on perceived bias, we'll end up inhibiting most of them. That's why I say we should give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them to carry out their responsibilities according to the oath they took,' she added. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers supporting the complaint. The articles of impeachment were sent to the Senate the same day, though the upper chamber adjourned without addressing the case. Duterte faces accusations including betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Last week, the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, voted 18-5 to return the case to the House without dismissing it.
Tatler Asia
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
7 rainy day activities for the city girl
Crocheting Above A fun and engaging activity for the rainy season: crocheting (Photo: Pexels / Castorly Stock) Beyond its artistic appeal, crocheting offers several mental health benefits. The repetitive motions involved can be meditative, helping to reduce stress and anxiety while boosting focus and mindfulness. Shops that sell materials include Shine Pick N Shop Manila, The Craft Central in Greenbelt 5 and more. More from Tatler : Fading traditions: These endangered crafts in Asia are on the brink of extinction Catch up on your 'To-Read' list Above Tatler March 2025 cover Senator Risa Hontiveros holding a book (Photo: Tatler Philippines archives / Mark Nicdao) Catching up on your 'To-Read' list is one of the most rewarding ways to spend a rainy day. Whether you have a stack of novels, non-fiction books or magazines waiting on your nightstand, diving into a good read offers a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Related: Reading list for bibliophiles: 10 page-turning books about books Attend the Fête de la Musique 2025 indoor stages Above The dates and events to watch out for (Photo: Fête de la Musique) This year, the Fête de la Musique Philippines, presented by the Alliance Française de Manille, boasts its 'biggest' celebration yet. The theme Un Monde highlights the festival's commitment to fostering international camaraderie and understanding through music. Indoor stages include Long Bar in Raffles Makati (June 20), Makati pocket stages (June 27) and Edsa Shangri-la (June 13). Read more: What to expect at Fête de la Musique 2025 Join a make-your-zine workshop Joining a make-your-zine workshop is a fantastic way to channel your creativity and express your unique voice, especially on a cosy rainy day. Zines—self-published, small-circulation booklets or magazines—have a rich history rooted in DIY culture and artistic freedom. Attend the Virgin Labfest 2025 Above Virgin Labfest 2025 official poster (Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines) The Virgin Labfest (VLF) returns for its 20th year, featuring 12 new scripts ripe for discovery. Under the theme Hinog (ripe), this festival of untried, untested and unstaged one-act plays showcases fresh stories that celebrate diversity and challenge perspectives. Beyond highlighting both emerging and veteran playwrights, VLFXX: Hinog continues its long-standing tradition of nurturing theatrical wisdom through its educational programs. These include Staged Readings, Theatre Talks, the Playwrights' Fair, the Dramaturgy Fellowship Exhibit and the Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase. From June 11 to June 29, VLFXX: Hinog performances are scheduled for 2 pm matinees and 8 pm gala shows, with educational activities taking place at 5 pm. Journaling Above Let journaling be part of your rainy season activities (Photo: Pexels / Alina Vilchenko) Journaling is a simple yet powerful practice that can transform your rainy day into a time of self-reflection and creativity. Putting pen to paper allows you to process your thoughts, set goals or simply document your daily experiences. NOW READ Holiday hobbies to try this season: Pottery, rage painting, and more The Bouldering Hive to Climb Central: 4 indoor climbing spots in Manila you don't want to miss 7 fun activities and games for your intimate New Year's Eve parties Credits This article was created with the assistance of AI tools
