Legarda advances GIDA Schools Act to guarantee education access in remote areas

Senator Loren Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, has introduced Senate Bill No. 1937, the GIDA Schools Act, a measure that institutionalizes support for public basic education schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

The bill, principally authored by Legarda, ensures that children in remote communities will have schools within reach, guided by national accessibility standards, a mapping system, and annual reporting to Congress.

The proposed law directs the Department of Education (DepEd) to adopt […]

Legarda moves to ease household burden with comprehensive VAT reform package

Senator Loren Legarda has filed three complementary measures aimed at easing the burden on Filipino households by reforming the country’s value-added tax (VAT) system. The proposals lower the general VAT rate, exempt basic goods and services, and correct distortions in electricity billing to ensure fairness and fiscal responsibility.

“Relief must be responsible,” Legarda said. “We can ease the burden on ordinary families without draining government funds. This reform lowers VAT where it matters most, on everyday consumption, while ensuring that those […]

Legarda acts on fuel crisis, seeks tax breaks for Filipinos

Senator Loren Legarda has moved decisively as fuel prices in the Philippines hit record highs, with diesel climbing by ₱17 to ₱24 per liter and gasoline by ₱7 to ₱13 per liter this week. The relentless increases, driven by Middle East tensions and global supply disruptions, have intensified inflationary pressures and strained Filipino households, transport workers, and small businesses.

Unlike other proposals that focus solely on suspending excise taxes, Legarda’s Senate Bill No. 1942, or the Fuel Price Relief Act, filed […]

Legarda pushes bill granting benefits and protections to unpaid care workers

As the country observes National Women’s Month, Senator Loren Legarda is urging support for a proposed law that will extend tangible benefits and protections to unpaid care workers, many of whom are women who perform long hours of household and caregiving work without pay.

Legarda’s Senate Bill No. 161, or the Unpaid Care Workers Equity and Empowerment Act, treats unpaid care work – such as caring for children, the sick, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, as well as cooking, cleaning, […]

Legarda’s Veterans’ Month Act targets institutional reform, national consciousness

Senator Loren Legarda sponsored Senate Bill No. 1719, declaring April of every year as Philippine Veterans’ Month while establishing a permanent national framework to honor Filipino veterans and ensure sustained access to services and education.

In her sponsorship speech on March 4 during the plenary session, Legarda emphasized the urgency of institutionalizing veterans’ recognition and shifting from ceremonial observances to concrete services. She noted that the bill is designed to embed veterans’ legacy into law, classrooms, and public service.

“Scarcity changes perspective: […]