Budget

FILE PHOTOS: Combination pictures of Rep. Isidro Ungab and Rep. Eric Yap (left). MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker Isidro Ungab has dismissed as “baseless” allegations that deficient pension and gratuity funds for uniformed personnel was due to slashes in the 2020 national budget. Ungab, who previously served as chair of the committee on appropriations in the House of Representatives, was responding to the remarks made by current appropriations panel head Eric Yap that the P74 billion cuts in the 2020 budget were the reason for the inadequate pension fund. “The accusation therefore of Congressman Eric Yap that the supposed fund deficiency in the pension and gratuity fund budget was brought on by the P74 billion 2020 budget cut is actually baseless, again baseless, as the same is disputed by the cited report by the Department of Management (DBM),” Ungab said in his speech on Monday. Ungab explained that both the House and the Senate were responsible for the P74 billion ... » Learn More about Scarce pension fund due to 2020 budget cuts? That’s baseless – Ungab

SINGAPORE - Parliament on Monday (March 8) approved the Government's $107 billion spending plans for the coming financial year, following nine days of debate on the national Budget where hot-button issues featured prominently on the agenda. These included sustainability, industry transformation, job security and mental health. Capping the debate, Leader of the House Indranee Rajah reminded MPs that Singapore may face difficult choices ahead as its spending needs grow despite a tight fiscal situation. While the House was agreed on Singapore's fiscal approach for this year's Budget, she said, it will likely have to debate the impending goods and services (GST) tax hike again - given what opposition MPs have said on the topic. "I wish only to leave Members with this thought: If we want to do more for our people, we will have to spend more," added Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development. "In a tight fiscal situation, this Parliament will ... » Learn More about Parliament has to choose between what’s popular and what’s right as spending needs grow: Indranee

KUALA LUMPUR: The systematic roll-out of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme and the country’s economic recovery plan that embeds strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be the key to drive Malaysia back on its track, making it stronger by end-2021, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said. He said based on the current data, the country’s gross domestic growth has slowly shown signs of recovery since the movement control order (MCO) 1.0 in March 2020. "We have many reasons to believe that the worst is behind us. I am certain that Malaysia will emerge stronger by the end of the year,” he told Bernama. Tengku Zafrul said the economic sectors that were allowed to operate based on strict SOPs covers 93 per cent of the economy during MCO 2.0 and this has resulted to an output loss of RM300 million per day compared with the RM2.4 billion per day during MCO 1.0. He also said the four economic stimulus packages totalling RM305 billion, or ... » Learn More about Tengku Zafrul: Worst is behind us, Malaysia will emerge stronger by year-end

ON Monday, March 1, 2021, the Senate adopted a resolution honoring and expressing its sorrow over the death of Princess Tarhata Alonto-Lucman, who passed away in Marawi City last February 24 at the age of 94. She was a remarkable woman, who defied convention and fought for gender equality when most Filipino women, let alone Muslim women, struggled to have their voices heard. Princess Tarhata was born to a political family in Ditsaan Ramain, Lanao (now Lanao del Sur) on June 26, 1926. She was a daughter of the first Maranao senator under the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935, she was a sister of congressmen, she was the wife of Rep. Sultan Rashid Lucman, she was the mother of vice governors, and she was an aunt to other political figures in the family. But Princess Tarhata was more than a relative of politicians. She was an intelligent woman, who refused to be bound by the religious and cultural constraints of her time. Princess Tarhata served as the first female governor of Lanao ... » Learn More about Senate adopts resolution honoring Princess Tarhata

THE former shunned area under Alabang Viaduct is no longer an eyesore to motorists traversing the South Luzon Expressway and local residents following its conversion as a blooming open space featuring native flora and fauna design. Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi leads the inauguration ceremony of Phase 1 of the Development of Alabang Viaduct, an initiative of the National Government through its “Green, Green, Green” program on February 24. Fresnedi thanked the Department of Budget Management for selecting Muntinlupa as one of the recipients of the “green fund” amounting to P17.29 million. The local exec said the beautification of the area is a welcome development to the city’s green space and park improvement efforts. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) launched the “Green, Green, Green” program which aims to make the country’s 145 cities more livable and sustainable through the development of public open spaces. The newly constructed open space in Alabang ... » Learn More about Alabang Viaduct in Muntinlupa gets facelift via ‘Green, Green, Green’ project

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan: A total of 85,248 indigent patients from Pangasinan, Tarlac and La Union provinces has been served by the Malasakit Center based at the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) here since its opening on Feb. 26, 2019. This was announced on Wednesday by R1MC chief Dr. Joseph Roland Mejia during the first anniversary celebration of the center in the presence of Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. The Malasakit Center, according to Mejia, has already disbursed more than P120 million to pay the hospital bills of the indigent patients of R1MC and other hospitals in the Ilocos Region. “This is a very important initiative of President Rodrigo Duterte and [Sen. Bong Go] that has assisted many poor folks in the three provinces,” he said. Mejia cited incumbent Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia, son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former representative Gina de Venecia, for his continuing support in improving and constructing buildings at R1MC ... » Learn More about 85K served by Malasakit Center in Ilocos Region

In a survey of 24 countries conducted by YouGov, it was found that Thai Food is one of the world’s top five foodie favorites. – In this article we offer tips on where to Find the Best Thai Restaurants Thailand became a popular holiday destination in the 1980s, and the country’s fare, along with its stunning nature and fascinating culture, is one of the primary reasons people travel there. According to the survey, Thailand had more entries in the World’s 50 Best Foods than any other country. Luckily, these dishes aren’t only found in Thailand and are readily available in other locations across the globe. Here are the three destinations around the world with the best Thai restaurants, and where to stay to make sure you can access them easily. Bangkok Thai Food While Chiang Mai may be considered the culinary capital of Thailand, Bangkok is much larger and is home to many more restaurants. Indeed, one of the most famous Thai restaurants on the planet is located in the ... » Learn More about How Thai Food Conquered the World, Where to Find the Best Thai Restaurants

MANILA, Philippines — The 2021 national budget should have up to P150 billion in standby appropriations for the COVID-19 vaccination of 60 percent of the country’s population, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Monday. “Shouldn’t we provide the appropriation if not in the program, since we’re borrowing the money anyway, in the unprogrammed fund of at least a P100 billion to 150 billion because that should provide confidence to the people,” Recto said during the Senate plenary debates on the budget. Under the proposed budget being deliberated on in the Senate, a total of P18 billion is allocated for the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program . Of the amount, P8 billion is under the programmed appropriations while P10 billion is considered as unprogrammed appropriations. Unprogrammed appropriations refer to those “which provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceeds targets, and ... » Learn More about Recto pushes for P150B standby funds for COVID-19 vaccination in 2021

Carlos Dominguez III (left) and Carlito Galvez Jr. The government is considering borrowing up to $9 billion (P433.3 billion) from the World Bank to help fund the country’s purchase of a potential COVID-19 vaccine as it starts negotiations with a leading pharmaceutical company for at least 3 million doses of the drug that will be given primarily to health workers. Carlito Galvez Jr., COVID-19 national task force chief, said on Monday that the country would have to enter into “multilateral engagements with our credit partners,” such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, since the allotted budget for the vaccine cannot be used to buy the drug in advance. Galvez said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III was already working on how much the government could borrow from the World Bank for the advance procurement of the vaccine. ‘A lot of funds’The government has set aside P10 billion and may get an additional P8 billion for vaccines, Galvez said. This is apart from the ... » Learn More about Gov’t mulls $9-billion loan for purchase of vaccine

BEIJING – The tariff war between Washington and Beijing poses one of the biggest challenges yet for Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially exposing his political vulnerabilities at a time when the Chinese economy is already slowing. The U.S. effort to win concessions from China on strategic industrial policies has put Xi’s own prestige on the line. In this Wednesday, May 8, 2019, photo, a worker drives an electric cart past a display featuring the U.S. and Chinese flags in a special trade zone in Qingdao in eastern China’s Shandong province. China said Thursday it will retaliate if President Donald Trump goes ahead with more tariff hikes in a fight over technology and trade, ratcheting up tensions ahead of negotiations in Washington. (Chinatopix via AP) It also has cast into question the ruling Communist Party’s social contract with the Chinese people: keeping authoritarian, one-party rule and ruling class privileges in exchange for delivering robust economic growth, ... » Learn More about Trade dispute with US a political challenge for China’s Xi