By Jovee Marie de la Cruz - January 8, 2018

Liberalizing the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution and the possible removal or extension of term limits of government officials are among the top issues that would be discussed by Congress when it convenes into Constituent Assembly (Con-ass) early this year, a leader of the House of Representatives said last Sunday.

House Committee on Constitutional Reforms Chairman Roger G. Mercado of the Lone District of Southern Leyte said he sees no opposition among members of Congress on the proposal amending the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions by removing the provisions that limit foreign ownership in various sectors of the economy.

By Jovee Marie de la Cruz - September 27, 2017

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a joint resolution authorizing the redistribution of thousands of housing units intended for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Through viva voce voting, the lawmakers passed on Tuesday House Joint Resolution 11 authorizing the National Housing Authority (NHA) to award the unoccupied and unawarded government housing units to other qualified beneficiaries.

House Committee on Housing and Urban Development Rep. Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental, sponsor of the resolution, said the measure seeks to award the unawarded housing that are not yet occupied and whose ownership and possession is surrendered by their respective awardees.

By Elmer Recuerdo - September 18, 2017

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar—Residents of Barangay 6, a coastal community of over 400 households of this historic town, are edgy when visitors come to make inquiries on their issues with the housing project of the National Housing Authority (NHA).

They have a valid reason for their anxiety. While Supertyphoon Yolanda flattened almost all of the more than 400 houses except for about a dozen or less, the NHA has identified only 165 households qualified for relocation in the resettlement site. Those identified for relocation have issued a “notice of refusal”, citing the poor structural design of the houses built.

By Jovee Marie de la Cruz - AUGUST 30, 2017

Legislative and Executive officials have agreed to start the process of changing the form of government to federal system from a unitary one through a constitutional overhaul.

In a news conference, Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez said the shift to federal system was discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting on Tuesday.