Alagang Angara

As we commemorate the 123rd year of Philippine Independence, our continued aspiration is for all Filipinos to enjoy all the freedoms under a democratic society. 

There are still a few that we must strive to achieve, including freedom from the hardships brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The past year has tested our country’s ability to cope with the challenges brought about by the pandemic, particularly the assault on our health system and the slowing down of the economy. 

Hirap na nga sa buhay, pagagastusin pa sa pagpapa-swab?

 
Pagkain nga, walang maipangbili, pangbayad pa kaya sa pagpapa-swab?
 
Ito ang  tahasang pahayag ngayon ni Senador Sonny Angara kaugnay sa hirap na kinakaharap ng mga Pilipinong naghahanap ng trabaho na kailangang tumalima sa mga requirement na hinihingi sa kanila ng potential employers. Partikular na kailangang maisumite umano ng job applicants base sa job application requirements ay ang kani-kanilang negatibong resulta sa COVID test.
 

If they can’t  feed hungry mouths, how can they pay for nasal swabs ? 

This, Sen. Sonny Angara said, is the predicament facing jobseekers who are having a hard time complying with the requirement of potential employers that they include a negative COVID test result in the credentials they submit.

“For jobless breadwinners, it is choosing between two sacks of rice or a RT-PCR swab,” Angara said, referring to the P3,500 - P5,000 cost of the test that detects the presence of the coronavirus in the body. 

Senator Sonny Angara today aired his support to the policy of the provincial government of Cebu, led by its Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, regarding the Swab-Upon-Arrival for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) in Cebu.

Angara said the policy is practical and makes perfect sense considering that OFWs and ROFs that land in Cebu will be tested immediately and the results will be out within the day.

As more senators sign as co-sponsor of  the bill explicitly declaring that private schools are exempt from the 25 % corporate income tax,  its author, Sen. Sonny Angara, predicts its approval by an overwhelming majority in the Senate.

“How can you  not support  a measure that is fair and  just, and corrects an injustice to private schools?” Angara, who introduced  Senate Bill 2272 said. 

Senator Sonny Angara paid tribute to Zenaida “Bibot” Amador and Carmen “Baby” Barredo for their contributions to the development of Philippine theatre through Repertory Philippines (Rep).

Following the death of Barredo last May 23, Angara filed Senate Resolution 735 to pay homage to her and fellow Repertory Philippines founder Amador as two of the most prominent and influential figures in Philippine theatre.

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the proposed amendments to Republic Act 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Act of 2015, which seeks to revitalize youth participation in governance.
 
Senator Sonny Angara, the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and the principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill 2124, said the measure will further empower the SK by addressing the various issues that have been raised about the youth organization.
 

The local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should take the cue from its counterparts in the United States and other countries and start studying the use of the available Covid-19 vaccines for children below 18, Sen. Sonny Angara said today.

“In so far as expanding the administration of vaccines to other age groups, we should always be ahead of the curve,” Angara said.

“Greenlighting” certain vaccines for school-age children will address the need of “the largest  population group” to be protected from the coronavirus. 

Senator Sonny Angara called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to expedite the procurement and release of connectivity load for its teachers, something which should have been done months earlier.

The chairman of the Committee on Finance said the budget for this purpose has been available for some time already under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) and the 2021 General Appropriations Act as part of Congress’ response to the requirements of teachers for educating students under a not so normal situation.

Senator Sonny Angara today urged the government and more private entities to replicate the community pantries that have been sprouting up in various areas across the country.

What was apparently started in Maginhawa in Quezon City has now been replicated in several other areas within and outside of Metro Manila with the intention of helping Filipinos who are in need of assistance in their own small way.