By strengthening the protection of the citizen whose testimony is necessary and indispensable for the successful prosecution of a case, we also stren… - Francis Escudero

In a way, these people have a point. My family name is only Escudero. I don’t have the same pedigree of Quezon, Roxas, or Osmeña families, of those who have become presidents, heroes or wealthy philanthropists. The Senate is the highest elected position that someone from my family has ever reached, and even this, I never imagined I might achieve.

Lastly, we have also added the proviso in Section 3 on the Use and Release of Funds, that a uniform formula or parameter be developed for the fair and equitable distribution of Emergency Shelter Assistance funds across typhoon-affected barangays, municipalities, or provinces nationwide.

A comparative analysis of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) will similarly show that a total of P19,827,233,000 was realigned within and among the agencies. Total New Appropriations still stands at P1.862 trillion, at exactly the same level as the FY 2015 NEP.