Legarda secures swift Senate approval for cultural agencies’ 2026 funding

November 24, 2025

Senator Loren Legarda, Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, secured committee endorsement for the 2026 budgets of the country’s cultural institutions during the plenary deliberations of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

Presenting the allocations for agencies at the forefront of heritage, cultural preservation, and the creative economy, Legarda said, “Karangalan ko pong i-sponsor ang panukalang badyet para sa taong 2026 ng ating mga pangunahing ahensyang pangkultura. Hindi luho ang kultura—ito ang kaluluwa ng ating sambayanan.”

As the Chair of the […]

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Speech of Senator Loren Legarda | 7th International Forum on Law and Religion in the Philippines: Charting the Future of Women, Peace and Security Agenda | 21 November 2025

November 21, 2025

Twenty-five years after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, nations must decide what it truly means to advance the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. Today, conflicts have become more protracted, humanitarian needs continue to rise, and the climate crisis pushes families into displacement while straining essential resources. Digital systems widen access to information and economic activity, yet these same innovations expose women and girls to new vulnerabilities, from online exploitation to disinformation that fuels division. These realities […]

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Legarda: Women, Peace, Security Agenda must shape every sector of governance

November 21, 2025

Senator Loren Legarda called for the full institutionalization of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda across all sectors of government during her keynote address at the 7th International Forum on Law and Religion in the Philippines, held at the University of the Philippines BGC Campus in Taguig City on November 21.

Speaking to legal scholars, civil society, faith leaders, and international partners, Legarda urged embedding WPS principles in government planning and budgeting with clear accountability.

“The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda […]

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Legarda pushes Nature-Based Future: “Nurturing nature is our strongest flood defense”

November 19, 2025

Senator Loren Legarda, in a privilege speech delivered at the Senate on November 11, called for a nationwide shift in flood governance following the devastation of Typhoons Tino and Uwan. Rather than relying solely on concrete infrastructure, she urged government agencies to embrace nature-based, science-driven systems rooted in ecosystems, community resilience, and climate foresight.

“Nurturing nature is our strongest flood defense,” she declared. “Flood protection should begin not with cement but with soil, trees, and ecosystems, a layered defense shaped by […]

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Legarda presses government to restore full PhilHealth budget, seeks clarity on missing funds

November 19, 2025

Senator Loren Legarda called for full transparency on PhilHealth’s funding during deliberations on the 2026 national budget, stressing that mandated subsidies must be properly allocated and released.

In her interpellation on the General Principles of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill, Legarda raised concerns over gaps in PhilHealth’s budget for 2024, 2025, and 2026. She asked where the funds were originally placed, why they were removed, and how the government plans to fully restore them.

Legarda noted that PhilHealth received zero national government […]

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