Sin taxes to boost health budget to at least P80B — Drilon

The health sector will get at least P80 billion for its budget next year with the Senate's passage of the sin tax reform bill, Sen. Franklin Drilon announced Wednesday."We have earmarked P2.3 billion for the health sector under the sin tax reform bill we approved last night, [so] the health sector will get at least P80 billion in 2013," Drilon said during his sponsorship speech on the proposed P2.006-trillion national budget for 2013.On Tuesday, the Senate approved on third and final reading the sin tax reform bill, which seeks to generate...

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Gov't confident of completing peace pact with MILF by Dec.

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Filipino dead, another missing in US oil rig blast

MANILA, Philippines—The body recovered in the waters near an oil platform that caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico belonged to one of two missing Filipino workers, the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. confirmed Sunday. “We regret to announce that the body that was recovered near the accident scene a few hours ago belongs to one of our two missing kababayans,” Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said as he expressed his condolences to the family of the victim. “We continue to hope and pray that our other kababayan (compatriot) is still alive...

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Aquino appeals for ASEAN cooperation to solve West PHL Sea disputes

President Benigno Aquino III appealed for regional cooperation to address territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) at the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cambodia on Sunday.In his statement during the summit’s plenary session, Aquino urged the ASEAN member-states to implement the body’s six-point principles on the West Philippine Sea, which aim for the “early conclusion” of a regional code of conduct on the disputed region.“I wish to reiterate the need for maritime security and cooperation...

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