Co-sponsorship Speech An Act Declaring The Chinese New Year A Special Nonworking Public Holiday In The Philippines

December 18, 2012

Mr. President,
For centuries, Filipino and Chinese communities have had extensive ties that date back to the time of Jose Rizal and General Vicente Lim. While our relationship then was primarily built on trade and commerce, it has gradually evolved so as to encompass the economic, and socio-cultural history of the Philippines.
At present, the ethnic Chinese and the Filipinos with Chinese ancestry, which make up about 23.3% of our country’s total population, have continuously played a crucial role in […]

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Sponsorship Speech PH-France Protocol, the Philippines-Qatar Tax Treaty, and the Philippines-Kuwait Tax Treaty

December 18, 2012

Mr. President,
PH-France Protocol
Background
While globalization brought about an increase in international trade, it also posed greater challenges to the effective enforcement of tax laws. Consequently, the role of international cooperation, as carried out through each country’s implementation of international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes, has become more and more critical.[1]
These international standards set the need to exchange pertinent information required for the enforcement of the domestic laws of a requesting party. Said […]

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Senator Loren Legarda’s Explanation of Vote on the RH Bill

December 17, 2012

GINOONG PANGULO,
Bilang isang babae at ina, ang aking mga personal na karanasan at mga karanasan ng mga ina na aking nakilala sa paninilbihan bilang isang Senador ay makaaapekto sa aking desisyon sa mahalagang panukalang batas ukol sa Reproductive Health.
Mahaba at malalim ang naging talakayan tungkol sa RH Bill. Marami ang aking naging mga katanungan. Nakapagpahayag ako ng aking mga susog at saloobin, at ikinagagalak kong natugunan ang lahat ng mga ito.
Sa pagtatapos ng yugtong ito, alalahanin nating […]

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Legarda Expresses Concern Over Lack of Consensus in Doha Climate Talks

December 17, 2012

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN OVER THE LACK OF CONCRETE RESULT IN THE 18TH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN DOHA, QATAR AS SOME INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE TO A SECOND COMMITMENT PERIOD OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL, AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY THAT LEGALLY BINDS DEVELOPED NATIONS TO REDUCE THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
“We are saddened by the fact that many developed nations were reluctant to deeply cut their greenhouse gas […]

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Freedom of Information is a Must – Legarda

December 15, 2012

AFTER THE PHILIPPINE SENATE PASSED ON SECOND READING SENATE BILL 3208, OR THE PEOPLE’S OWNERSHIP OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION (POGI) ACT OF 2012, SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA REITERATED THAT FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IS A MUST, ESPECIALLY IN MATTERS CONCERNING THE GOVERNMENT.
Legarda, co-sponsor of the measure, explained that the various controversies in the past decade have left Filipino citizens doubting the capability of the government to do its mandate of serving the best interest of the people.
“Under this proposed measure, we […]

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