Camille Naredo

Sen. Win Gatchalian presides over the Committee on Ways and Means hearing on various measures seeking to impose value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions Thursday, July 6, 2023. Joseph Vidal,  Senate PRIB/File

Sen. Win Gatchalian presides over the Committee on Ways and Means hearing on various measures seeking to impose value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions Thursday, July 6, 2023. Gatchalian pointed out that imposing VAT on digital revenues will help shore up the country’s national revenues, which fell as a result of the government’s multiple-pronged programs to stave off the COVID-19 crisis’ worst consequences. “We all know that we are still reeling from the pandemic, as well as high inflation in the past few years. The committee is in unison with the national government in its quest of increasing revenue take to help support priority programs of the government,” the Committee on Ways and Means chairperson said. Furthermore, Gatchalian stressed that the measures will help provide a fair playing field between physical transactions and online transactions. Joseph Vidal,  Senate PRIB

Article (news)

SENATE

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday threatened zero budget for flood control projects in 2026 unless the Department of Public Works and Highways could assure that newer flood mitigation infrastructure would be effective.</p><p>Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, told DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan that the workings inside the agency could no longer be business as usual.</p><p>The senator noted that P274 billion has been earmarked for flood control measures for next year.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/15-contractors-cornered-p100-b-worth-of-flood-control-projects-since-2022-marcos-1053">15 contractors cornered P100-B worth of flood control projects since 2022: Marcos</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi po kami magdadalawang-isip i-zero ho ito at ilagay na lang sa mga eskuwelahan kung itong flood control ay magiging ampaw lang na flood control at hindi po magigng epektibo,&quot; the lawmaker said before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which is investigating anomalous flood control projects from 2022 to 2025. </p><p>&quot;Dahil kung gagastos tayo ng P274 billion sa ampaw at di epektibong proyekto, ilagay na lang ho natin sa paaralan dahil yan po ang ipinaglalaban ni Sen. Bam Aquino para makumpleto natin ang pagkukulang sa ating paaralan,&quot; he added.</p><p>&quot;Ang pakiusap ko kay Sec. Bonoan, tama na ho yung paulit-ulit na problema dahil nasasayang po yung ating pera at ang tao mawawalan ng tiwala.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/a-deeper-look-into-marcos-s-list-of-top-flood-control-contractors-0037">A deeper look into Marcos’s list of top flood control contractors</a></div><p>In a statement on Friday, Gatchalian said the total nationwide classroom shortage stood at 165,443, which he noted would require more than P413.6 billion.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that the DPWH had a P545.64 billion budget for flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025.</p><p>Although he stopped short of making a corruption allegation, the President questioned why only 15 construction companies bagged about P100 billion or 20 percent of nearly 10,000 flood control projects during that period.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/15/marcos-to-summon-st-timothy-construction-over-substandard-flood-control-project-in-bulacan-1437">Marcos to St. Timothy Construction: Explain incomplete, substandard flood control project in Bulacan</a></div><p>Bonoan last week said the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/13/dpwh-probe-focuses-on-flood-control-projects-under-15-contractors-flagged-by-marcos-1046">DPWH began looking into the status</a> of around 9,855 flood control projects after the President&#x27;s state of the nation address.</p><p>He said the focus now of the agency is on the 15 contractors to &quot;see what projects [were] undertaken, what is the status, so that we can report back to the President.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DPWH &#x27;NOT ALL AT FAULT&#x27;</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Miguel Zubiri blamed the supposed &quot;mangling&quot; of the national budget by Congress for the state of infrastructure projects.</p><p>&quot;The DPWH is not all at fault. In our conversations together with [Budget] Secretary Mina [Pangandaman], nama-mangle yung budget. Iba yung NEP (National Expenditure Program) paglabas ng GAA (General Appropriations Act),&quot; Zubiri said.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve had conversations with the good secretary sabi nya ‘wala na yung aming flagship projects, wala na yung aming right of way [projects]. Out of sheer frustration,&quot; he added.</p><p>He urged his colleagues to release the list of lawmakers who amended the proposed budget, saying they should explain their revisions.</p><p>&quot;Kaya for three years na wala yung legacy projects ng ating Pangulo. Dahil nga, siguro, there was a free hand and we&#x27;re all guilty – both House and the Senate. So I think wag na tayong mag santo-santo dito,&quot; Zubiri said.</p><div><strong>—With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WATCH THE SENATE HEARING:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W88jZ-ZRxVU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday threatened zero budget for flood control projects in 2026 unless the Department of Public Works and Highways could assure that newer flood mitigation infrastructure would be effective.</p>

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday threatened zero budget for flood control projects in 2026 unless the Department of Public Works and Highways could assure that newer flood mitigation infrastructure would be effective.

Gatchalian threatens zero budget for flood mitigation in 2026 if projects remain substandard

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Gatchalian threatens zero budget for flood mitigation in 2026 if projects remain substandard

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 19, 2025 12:07 PM PHT

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Updated August 19, 2025 03:39 PM PHT

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