Legarda: Protect journalists, defend every Filipino’s right to the truth

As the country marks National Press Freedom Day on August 30, Senator Loren Legarda called for stronger protection for journalists and media workers, stressing that a free and secure press is essential to the public’s right to truthful, timely, and reliable information.
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In the 2026 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Philippines ranked 114th out of 180 countries, an improvement from 116th in 2025. Despite this, RSF continues to describe the Philippines as one of the most […]

Legarda: Make food affordable, livelihoods sustainable to end hunger

Senator Loren Legarda welcomed the decline in hunger in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, but stressed that one in every five Filipino families still experiencing hunger cannot be treated as a sign that the problem is under control.

The June 20 to 29 SWS survey found that 20.3% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the preceding three months, down from 23.2% in March. Hunger, however, rose to 24% in Mindanao, the highest among the country’s […]

Legarda welcomes release of free higher education funds, vows continued push for education funding

Senator Loren Legarda welcomed the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) release of ₱9.75 billion to address accumulated Free Higher Education (FHE) funding deficiencies in state universities and colleges (SUCs), stressing that sustained and timely funding is essential to fulfilling the promise of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).

“Ikinagagalak natin ang paglabas ng pondong matagal nang hinihintay ng ating mga state universities and colleges. Malaking tulong ito upang matiyak na tuloy-tuloy nilang maibibigay ang libreng edukasyon sa […]

Legarda: Tech-voc key to jobs, enterprise, economic development

As the country celebrates National Tech-Voc Day and the 32nd Founding Anniversary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Senator Loren Legarda called for stronger support for technical-vocational education and training as a pathway to decent work, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

“Ang tech-voc ay hindi second choice. Ito ay isa sa mga pangunahing daan tungo sa trabaho, kabuhayan, negosyo, at pag-unlad ng komunidad. Kapag inilapit natin ang skills training sa mga tao at iniugnay natin ito sa pangangailangan […]

Legarda: Poverty Figures must speak to Filipinos’ Lived Reality

Senator Loren Legarda said the reported decline in poverty incidence to 9.7% in 2025, from 15.5% in 2023, should challenge government to ensure that official statistics remain meaningful and reflective of the actual conditions faced by Filipino families.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the number of Filipinos classified as poor declined from 17.54 million in 2023 to 11.08 million in 2025, meaning around 6.46 million Filipinos moved above the official poverty threshold during the period. Around 1.90 million families […]