February 16, 2026
How do we measure the life of a man who always seemed to stand at the crossroads of our nation’s story?
Today, I speak not only as a Senator of the Republic, but as one of the many whose paths were defined by the generosity and faith of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
He was our beloved Manong Joe – a statesman to the world, a peacemaker in times of division, but to many of us, a mentor and a friend. […]
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February 10, 2026
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues:
Long before I entered public service, I saw how syndicates prey on vulnerability and poverty, and how victims are silenced by fear, shame, and coercion. I listened to stories of women and children lured by promises of a better life, only to be trapped by syndicates that thrive on secrecy, intimidation, and impunity.
Through their stories, I learned that perpetrators do not stand still. They move with technology, hide behind new fronts, and exploit every gap in law, […]
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February 3, 2026
Mr. President,
Sa ating bansa, isang karaniwang kuwento na kapag may nagkakasakit sa pamilya, apektado ang takbo ng buhay ng bawat miyembro, may kailangang mag‑overtime sa trabaho, may humihinto muna sa pag‑aaral, may nagtitipid sa pagkain para lang may maipambili ng gamot at pamasahe papunta sa ospital.
The fight for a just and equitable health system in the Philippines has never been easy. Today, it is a race against time, a test of whether this government still has the moral courage to […]
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February 2, 2026
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues,
I rise today to sponsor Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 09, co-signed by Sen. Joel Villanueva, which seeks to adopt the National Education and Workforce Development Plan for 2026 to 2035, together with the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, or EDCOM II, as the ten-year policy framework of the National Government.
This resolution is born out of a simple but difficult truth: the challenges facing Philippine education are systemic, longstanding, and deeply intertwined with our workforce […]
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January 27, 2026
To my co-chairpersons, Commissioners, our Technical Secretariat headed by Executive Director Karol Mark Yee, and our valued partners and advisers in EDCOM II, our partners in development, magandang hapon po sa ating lahat.
I have said this before, and I will say it again: kapag edukasyon ang inuuna natin, ang buong bansa ang itinataas natin.
We all know that our education sector continues to face serious challenges, from learning poverty and classroom backlogs to teacher shortages and weak links to the labor […]
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