ML Partylist

RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, APRUBADO NA SA KAMARA AT SENADO ✨

Looking forward to the bicameral conference committee and the day when access to information becomes a guaranteed right for every Filipino.

Mas malapit na tayo sa isang gobyernong mas bukas, mas transparent, at mas accountable sa taumbayan. Tuloy lang!🇵🇭

RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, APRUBADO NA SA KAMARA AT SENADO

Isang malaking tagumpay para sa transparency at pananagutan sa pamahalaan ang pagkakapasa sa ikatlo at pinal na pagbasa ng Right to Information (RTI) Act sa parehong Kamara de Representantes at Senado.

Sa Kamara, ang House Bill No. 9397 ay isang pinagsamang panukala mula sa iba't ibang mambabatas, kabilang ang House Bill No. 2897 na inihain ng pitong kongresista ng Partido Liberal—Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar "Egay" Erice, Albay 1st District Rep. Krisel Lagman, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Rep. Adrian Amatong, Muntinlupa Rep. Jaime Fresnedi, at Oriental Mindoro Rep. Alfonso Umali Jr.

Sa Senado naman, kabilang si Senador Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan bilang co-author ng bersyon ng panukala na naaprubahan na rin sa ikatlo at pinal na pagbasa.

Layunin ng Right to Information Act na tiyakin ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na magkaroon ng access sa mga impormasyon at dokumentong hawak ng pamahalaan, maliban sa mga itinuturing na sensitibo ayon sa batas. Sa pamamagitan nito, mapapalakas ang transparency, pananagutan, at pakikilahok ng mamamayan sa demokratikong proseso.

Dahil kapwa aprubado na ng dalawang kapulungan ng Kongreso, inaasahan na lamang ang pagpupulong ng bicameral conference committee upang pagtibayin ang pinal na bersyon ng panukala bago ito isumite para sa paglagda ng pangulo bilang ganap na batas.

Matagal nang isinusulong ng Partido Liberal ang pagpasa ng isang batas sa karapatan sa impormasyon bilang mahalagang sandigan ng mabuting pamamahala at aktibong mamamayan.

Ang Right to Information ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagbubukas ng mga rekord ng gobyerno—ito ay pagkilala na ang impormasyon ay pag-aari ng taumbayan, at ang katotohanan ay mahalagang pundasyon ng demokrasya.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐚𝐥
𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐌. 𝐝𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐚
𝟏𝟑 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

I strongly condemn the deployment by the People's Republic of China of a floating structure within the waters of Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc/Panatag Shoal), an area that lies well within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone and over which the Philippines enjoys sovereign rights and jurisdiction under international law.

Philippine authorities have determined that the structure is a manned floating platform equipped with communications or monitoring equipment and is believed to be engaged in maritime research and data-gathering activities without the authorization or consent of the Philippine Government.

While Chinese authorities have attempted to characterize the platform as a scientific or environmental monitoring facility, its presence constitutes yet another unauthorized intrusion into Philippine maritime zones and a direct affront to Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights.

The Filipino people have every reason to view this latest development with grave concern. China's actions in the South China Sea have long followed a familiar and deeply troubling pattern. What begins as a seemingly innocuous civilian presence, a temporary structure, a fishing encampment, or a research activity often evolves into a sustained occupation, followed by the construction of permanent facilities, extensive land reclamation, military fortifications, and the assertion of unlawful control over our sovereign maritime features.

The world has witnessed this pattern before. Features that once consisted of small outposts or temporary installations were gradually transformed into heavily fortified artificial islands equipped with airstrips, ports, radar systems, missile facilities, and military garrisons. The international community was repeatedly assured that such activities were peaceful and limited in scope, only to see those assurances overtaken by the reality of militarization and effective occupation.

It is therefore neither alarmist nor speculative to question the true purpose and long-term implications of this newly deployed floating platform. Prudence requires us to evaluate China's actions not merely by its official statements but by its established conduct over the past decade. The deployment of monitoring equipment and the collection of maritime data within Philippine waters may well be intended to support future efforts to consolidate control over Scarborough Shoal and further restrict the lawful rights of Filipino fishermen and maritime authorities.

This latest incursion likewise demonstrates China's continuing disregard for the 2016 Arbitral Award, which unequivocally invalidated the legal basis of its expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. No amount of floating structures, artificial installations, or unilateral actions can create rights where none exist under international law.

We therefore call upon China to immediately remove the floating platform from Scarborough Shoal, cease all unauthorized activities within Philippine maritime zones, and comply with its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the binding arbitral ruling.

We further call upon our partners in the international community to remain vigilant against incremental actions designed to alter the status quo through coercion and faits accomplis. Respect for international law, freedom of navigation, and the peaceful resolution of disputes remain essential to regional peace and stability.

Scarborough Shoal is not merely a disputed maritime feature. It is a symbol of our nation's sovereign rights, our fishermen's livelihood, and our commitment to a rules-based international order. The Philippines must stand firm against any attempt to normalize unlawful encroachments and must remain resolute in defending the West Philippine Sea for present and future generations of Filipinos.

P15 Bilyong Dagdag Pondo para sa Agarang Tulong at Pagbangon ng mga Apektado ng Lindol sa Mindanao

Mabigat at malawak ang pinsalang dulot ng lindol na yumanig sa Mindanao. Maraming pamilya ang naulila, nawalan ng tahanan, kabuhayan, at access sa mga pangunahing serbisyo.

Para agarang mapondohan at maipatupad ang mga kinakailangan para sa kanilang pagbangon, naghain po tayo sa Kamara ng counterpart measure sa panukalang Senate Bill No. 2259 ni Sen. Kiko Pangilinan na layuning maglaan ng ₱15 bilyong dagdag budget para sa relief, recovery, rehabilitation, repair, at reconstruction sa mga lugar na naapektuhan ng lindol.

Bukod sa pagpapagawa ng mga nasirang mga imprastraktura at pasilidad, ilalaan ang dagdag pondo na ito sa kinakailangang mga programa at social interventions para masiguro ang pagbalik sa normal na pamumuhay ng ating mga kababayan — ang kanilang kaligtasan, tahanan, kalusugan, kabuhayan, edukasyon ng kabataan, at iba pang mahahalagang serbisyo sa iba’t ibang sektor.

Ipagdasal at pagtulungan po natin ang mabilis na pagbangon ng ating mga kababayan sa Mindanao. 🇵🇭🙏🏻

Isang mapagpalaya at makahulugang Araw ng Kalayaan! 🇵🇭✊🏼

Ngayong ika-128 taon ng ating kasarinlan, inaalala natin hindi lang ang tagumpay ng ating mga bayani kundi pati na ang mga pagpapahalagang iniwan nila sa atin – tapang, pagkakaisa, malasakit at pagmamahal sa bayan.

Sa kabila ng mga hamon na hinarap at patuloy na hinaharap ng ating mga kababayan nitong mga nakaraang araw, pag-alabin po natin ang pag-asa, pagtutulungan at paninindigan para sa kung ano ang tama, makatarungan at makabubuti para sa higit na nakararami.

Patuloy nating ipagtatanggol ang atin – ang ating soberanya, teritoryo, mga karapatan, at pambansang dangal, habang buong loob pa ring ipinaglalaban ang tunay na kalayaan mula sa gutom, kahirapan, at katiwalian.

Happy 128th Independence Day! Mabuhay ang mahal nating Pilipinas! ✨

For safe, accessible and affordable mode of transport for Filipinos, pass the Motorcycle-for-Hire Act! 🏍🚦

Under our proposed House Bill No. 9417, which fully adopts Sen. JV Ejercito's Senate Bill No. 10, motorcycles-for-hire shall be placed under the regulatory authority of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and concerned local government units (LGUs).

Panahon na para isabatas at epektibong ipatupad ang pagkilala sa motorcycle taxis bilang lehitimong pampublikong transportasyon para sa kaligtasan ng mga pasahero, riders at iba pang road users, maitaguyod ang seguridad sa trabaho at kapakanan ng mga riders, at higit na proteksyon para sa mga riders at commuters.

HB 9417, isabatas! ✊

PRAY FOR MINDANAO 🙏
Dalangin natin ang kaligtasan at ang agarang tulong para sa mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao at mga karatig probinsya na niyanig ng lindol. Ingat po lahat!

NAPAKAHUSAY MO, ALEX EALA! 🇵🇭🎾

Congratulations on winning the 2026 Birmingham Open Championship and on securing your second WTA 125 title.

Maraming salamat sa panibagong karangalan para sa ating bansa!

📷 GMA News https://www.facebook.com/share/1JhQD8FaTp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Ang protective custody ay hindi para pagtakpan o patakasin ang aarestuhin. Malinaw: may mga duwag at kasabwat ng duwag sa pananagutan.

Sa Senate premises po ako mapayapang humarap at nagpa-aresto noong Feb. 24, 2017. Get your facts straight, SP Alan!