Legarda Expresses Optimism for Key Issues in President’s 3rd SONA

Highlights from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos 3rd SONA today, with key issues addressed and attended by leading senators. 

Senator Loren Legarda expressed her expectations that critical issues such as food security, literacy, inflation, support for the agriculture sector, climate crisis, and peace and order will be prominently addressed in the 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Monday.

Legarda emphasized the urgency of tackling food security, highlighting the 2023 report of the United Nations on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, which showed that the Philippines had the highest number of people facing moderate or severe food insecurity in Southeast Asia, with 50.9 million people lacking constant access to adequate food in the Philippines in 2022.  

“This statistic underscores the urgency of our efforts to transition from systems that are losing viability to more diverse and natural methods that are more resilient to ensure that no Filipino goes hungry,” Legarda said.

“We must ensure that every Filipino can access affordable and nutritious food. We must provide our people with the kind of support that will have long-term effects to effectively reduce, if not eliminate, hunger and malnutrition in the country,” Legarda added.

Legarda called for more support for the agriculture sector in connection with food security. "Our farmers and fisherfolk are the backbone of our food supply chain. We must provide them with the necessary resources, technology, and infrastructure to boost productivity and ensure sustainability," she said.

She also underscored the importance of enhancing the literacy of Filipino children, citing the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) report. The report highlighted that while the net enrollment rate for elementary schools has stayed above 95% since the 1970s and secondary school participation rose from 65% in the 1980s to 90% by 2015, there are still significant challenges. The 2020-2021 National Achievement Test for Grade 6 showed students are nearly proficient in Filipino (54%) but low proficiency in Math (41%), English (44%), Araling Panlipunan (44%), and Science (44%). The 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) also revealed that over 75% of 15-year-olds scored below the minimum proficiency level in Math, Reading, and Science.

“As the EDCOM II Year One Report recommends, we need to enhance teacher support and training, streamlining the assessment landscape and ensuring timely procurement of learning resources. There is also a need to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) governance, prioritizing equitable distribution of nutrition resources, decentralizing education service delivery to local government units, and tailoring technical-vocational education and training (TVET) programs to meet specific needs,” Legarda said.

“As our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, once said, _‘Without education and liberty, which are the soil and the sun of human being, no reform is possible, no measure can give the result desired.’_ Providing access to quality education is one of the best investments we can make to lessen illiteracy and alleviate poverty. These children are the future leaders of our country. We need to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive world," she stressed.

Addressing the ongoing issue of inflation, Legarda noted its impact on the daily lives of Filipinos. "Inflation has hurt the labor sector, and most families do not have the means to make ends meet. We need comprehensive measures to stabilize prices and support vulnerable sectors,” Legarda said.

Legarda is the author of Senate Bill 2662, which aims to establish the standards for a living wage to meet the basic needs of workers and their families, considering the cost of living and the employers' capacity to pay. She also co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill 2534 calling for a minimum wage increase for employees and workers in the private sector.

“Ensuring a fair minimum wage is essential for improving the living standards of Filipinos. The cost of living continues to rise, and our laborers find it hard to keep up. While the employment rate is high at 95.9%, we must focus on creating stable and better-paying jobs. Employment alone is not enough; the quality of these jobs must ensure that every Filipino can achieve a dignified standard of living,” Legarda said.

Legarda also highlighted the significance of peace and order in fostering a conducive environment for growth and development. "To sustain economic growth and social stability, it is important that peace and security are maintained. The people expect and deserve good governance. We must improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies and encourage community-based initiatives to maintain peace and order," she said.

Legarda praised the current administration for its proactive stance on the environment. She noted that the Philippines' selection as host of the Loss and Damage Fund Board demonstrates the country’s serious commitment to addressing climate issues and advocating for climate justice for developing nations like the Philippines, which are severely affected by climate change.

The four-term Senator underscored her commitment to working with the administration to advance advocacies focused on inclusive economy, employment, education, and peace and security while continuing to strongly advocate for the environment, indigenous people’s rights, women, and cultural preservation. 

"In all these efforts, we must be guided by the principles of holistic development and happiness as exemplified by Bhutan's four pillars of Gross National Happiness: incorporate the status of the environment, good governance, equitable and sustainable socio-economic growth, and the promotion and preservation of culture when measuring the growth of countries. The quality of life is just as important as the growth rates that we have been working so hard to increase,” Legarda concluded. (30)

Legarda, DOT and Antique LGU launch documentary on Antique's marine treasures on Discovery Channel

Antique, a province in Panay Island in Western Visayas in the Philippines, is often overlooked as a tourist destination because of its proximity to the more popular Boracay Island in Aklan. But Antiqueños believe this will soon change.

"Antique is a paradise where the mountains meet the sea. It is a province that may have been in the doldrums for three decades but is now experiencing (its) Golden Age," says Loren Legarda, Deputy Speaker and Representative of the Lone District of Antique.

Under Legarda’s vision of discovering, documenting and protecting Antique’s rich marine biodiversity, she allocated a budget under the Department of Tourism that was implemented by the local government of Antique and the DOT regional office.

In early 2021, Studio H2O organized an expedition team composed of marine researchers, scientists, and underwater cinematographers. Aside from conducting a scientific survey of the reefs in Antique, particularly around the coastal areas of Pandan Bay and Libertad, the project also held a freediving workshop for fisherfolks with the intention of teaching them how to survey, protect and do an inventory of their own marine areas.

"Part of the survey is to have the local people learn the method so they can continue on with the monitoring, or at least be interested in learning more about it," says Tara Abrina, one of the team's researchers and freediving instructors. "The objective of the project was really for tourism, to see where people can go to dive, where guests can stay, and what might be interesting underwater," she adds.

During the survey, a rare sighting of an oceanic manta ray, a creature known to visit nutrient-rich waters that provide zooplankton, surprised and excited the team. The oceanic manta ray is famous for its majestic form that could reach up to twenty-three feet across. For the researchers, the encounter was truly magical. But no one was more delighted than the staunch environmental champion herself. "The discovery and sighting of the existence of the manta ray in our waters is so important because it shows they thrive in a healthy marine ecosystem," says Deputy Speaker Legarda. "And the manta ray, of course, must be protected at all costs, especially because it is identified as possibly threatened for extinction," she further emphasizes.

Antique: Where the Mountains Meet the Sea

Deputy Speaker Legarda is aware that the oceanic manta ray sighting can draw in more visitors and open up more possibilities for ecotourism. That is why she believes that the tedious task of survey and documentation is crucial in educating the public about the all-important work of protecting the environment. Thus, her continued support for projects such as this remains steadfast. "How can we protect something we don't know exists and so documenting all of this-- taking photos and video without destroying their habitats—is very important."

Legarda authored several landmark environmental laws, as well as laws on marine protection and conservation such as Ecological Solid Waste Management Law, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, the Climate Change Act, Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System, National Environmental Awareness and Education Act, People’s Survival Fund Act, and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, among others. As Deputy Speaker and Representative of the Lone District of Antique, Legarda has also authored bills for the province’s marine protection such as the establishment of a multi-species marine hatchery in Tibiao and the Northern Antique Protected Seascape and Landscape.

Watch the journey of the Antique expedition team in Antique: Where the Mountains Meet the Sea, a new documentary produced by Studio H2O through the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda, the Department of Tourism in partnership with the Province of Antique. The 20-minute documentary, which captures the underwater beauty of the province, as well as the true heart of the Antiqueños, will air on Discovery Channel on March 23, 2022 (Wednesday) at 6:15 pm (Philippine standard time), with replays on March 24, 2022 at 8:15 am and 11:25 am (Philippine standard time). Discovery Channel airs in the following countries: Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and India.

Loren Legarda topped the latest “Tugon ng Masa” survey conducted by OCTAResearch

Three-time senator and Antique representative Loren Legarda topped the latest “Tugon ng Masa” survey conducted by OCTAResearch from February 12 to 17, 2022.

 

Awareness for Legarda was at 100% with 66% voting for her in the upcoming Senatorial Race which puts her in the top spot.

 

The survey came from 1,200 respondents with a 3% margin of error.

 

Legarda, who is currently busy with the campaign trail, previously said that regardless of the ranking in surveys, she’s grateful that people recognized the work she has done both as senator and representative of Antique.

“Yung ranko naman sa survey ay numero lamang bagamat ako’y nagpapasalamat. Heartfelt gratitude,” she said during an interview with Politiskoop last week. “ Makapaglingkod lang ay okay na po sa atin yan. Ang importante ay kayo’y nasa isang posisyon. The Senate is a platform for me to do the good I want to do for the world.”

 

In her time in the Senate, Legarda sat as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. She has also pushed and authored several bills to causes close to her heart such as the Environment, Entrepreneurship, Culture and the Arts, and Education. She is also known for helping in the Health Care Act after authoring the National Health Insurance Act of 2013 allowing affordable and accessible healthcare for many Filipinos.  

 

As Antique representative, Legarda has authored the “One Tablet, One Student Act of 2021,” which seeks to have each student a tablet to use for school for online classes during the pandemic. She has also continued to ensure her fellow Antiquenos get affordable health care and training for small and medium businesses.

 

Trailing her at second is journalist Raffy Tulfo with 97% awareness and 63% voting for him. Taguig-Pateros 1st District Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano is at third with 100% awareness but just 61% voting for him.

 

Legarda: Innovation is key to inclusive growth and development

Almost three years after the enactment of the Philippine Innovation Act, its principal author, three-term Senator Loren Legarda maintained that innovation and competitiveness are vital strategies towards pursuing sustainable economic growth.

 

Now a Senatorial aspirant, Legarda stated that when implemented properly, the principles embodied in Republic Act No. 11293 will not only help the country produce highly skilled members of our workforce, but also help further enhance the capacities of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and allied sectors.

 

Legarda likewise stressed that the national government may utilize science, innovation, and technology in transforming the Philippines into a competitive nation saying that, “we must adopt a broader view in developing its goals and strategies covering all potential types and sources of innovation.”

In view of this, Legarda urged the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Trade Industry (DTI), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to ensure that the law is adequately funded and that the pressing needs of the various sectors, particularly the MSMEs, are properly addressed. These include access to finance, coaching, and mentoring in the areas of design, technology extension services, quality control, marketing and promotion, patents and other forms of intellectual property rights, among others.

 

Legarda also pointed out that by putting a premium on innovation, government agencies can pursue convergence with other institutions in order to add greater value to already existing programs, citing the convergence between the DOST and the University of Antique (UA) as an example.

 

The DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST), which Legarda funded under the 2019 national budget, established livelihood support hubs in UA campuses and technology-based barangay economic enterprises (TechnoBEEs) in select municipalities in her home province. These granted assistance and support to MSMEs, taking into consideration the available agricultural produce and resources in the municipality.

 

This project provided Antiqueños not only with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and expertise.  More importantly, it also generated employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, increased the productivity level of the municipalities, and even curbed the problem of malnutrition through the production of DOST-FNRI complementary food.

 

Legarda also recalled the convergence project between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), under its Shared Service Facilities (SSF) program and the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) in Bacnotan, La Union which she funded under the 2018 national budget.  This project, which involved silk processing and weaving, introduced sericulture to the residents and gave them gainful employment, while promoting the silk industry in the province.

 

The other SSF projects which Legarda supported in recent year included, among others, fish processing which provides additional income for coastal communities, fisherfolk and their families; homemade ice cream production, which utilizes the community’s dairy produce; and the craft of weaving, which supports traditional weavers and boosts the income of farmers who plant the pineapple, abaca, and banana from which the fibers used in weaving are derived.  

 

During Legarda’s stint as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance in 2018, the budget allocation of SSF increased from 50 million to 1 billion, thus allowing more MSMEs all over the country to access capital, skills building and technical assistance.

 

“MSMEs constitute 99.5% of our local economy.  Training, research and development efforts are needed for the MSMEs to come up with innovative and useful products that can be sold in the market and benefit the consumers,” she added.

 

“We have to ensure the effective implementation of and adequate funding for the enabling programs under the Philippine Innovation Act to help MSMEs sustain and promote their businesses, not just in the domestic market, but also in the global arena,” Legarda concluded.

 

 

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To help the country recover, Loren Legarda advocates stricter implementation of Environment and Entrepreneurship laws

Senatorial candidate and Antique representative Loren Legarda said that stricter implementations on laws involving the environment and businesses involving small and medium enterprises can help the country recover from the pandemic.

During an interview on Politikscoop, Legarda was asked about three concerns candidates should address; environment, economy, and health. She cited some of the laws and bills she authored that were to address these concerns.

“Sa pandemic recovery kailangan po, una, alagaan ang kalikasan at kapaligiran. In my three terms I was able to author, co-author, and sponsor 10 environmental laws,” Legarda said.  “Mula sa karagatan, sa tubig, sa ating air quality, sa ating solid waste, ang mahalaga dito 'yong istriktong implementasyon at 'yung oversight function ng Congress, at 'yung pagpopondo ng mga batas na ito. Ito po'y papa-igtingin ko.”

“Pangalawa po, sa ekonomiya. Gaya po ng binanggit ko, sa micro enterprises and small business, na siyang 99% ng ekonomiya. The backbone of the Philippine economy is small business, kaya nga po 'yung DTI Shared Service facilities, 'yung DOLE Pangkabuhayan, 'yung sustainable livelihood program para sa 4P families – ito po'y maliliit na programa ng gobyerno na dapat ipagsama-sama sa isang Pangkabuhayan Law, para po taon-taon ito'y mapondohan for our pandemic recovery. And that's what I'm doing and will continue to do.”

She also cited the importance of the “One Tablet, One Student Act" which will  help many students for their online classes once enacted into law, and the institutionalization of social services for employment, like DOLE Tupad Cash for Work. 

Legarda also emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship playing a key role in the country’s economic recovery.

“Why is this important? Hindi naman po lahat kailangan maging empleyado. The others, may desire maging self-employed – magkaroon ng maliit na negosyo. Gaya doon sa amin sa Antique, hanggang kagabi kausap ko si Mario Manzano ng Bagtason Loomweavers. 'Yung mga lumang patadyong, ina-up-cycle nila. Yung kanilang mga bariw na weeds sa bundok ng Pandan, Antique ginagawang mga bags. So, may talento ang tao para kumita at gawin ang kanilang skills at natural resources na sustainable para magkaroon ng income. 'Yun ang purpose ng aking Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office Bill, para po pa-igtingin natin ang grassroots economy,” she said.

Legarda, who is making a comeback attempt in the Senate, said that it’s important to go down ‘to the grassroots,’ which led her to relaunch the LOREN sa Bawat Barangay that she started in 1998.

“Sa pagbalik ko sa Senado, on my fourth term, I will focus on LOREN sa Bawat Barangay dahil ang ating pag-ahon mula sa pandemya ay dapat galing sa barangay level: barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, hanggang sa paghihiwalay ng basura, hanggang sa growing your own food, hanggang sa pag-protekta ng ating mga ilog at karagatan,” Legarda said.  “Everything should be local, everything sa barangay level. Maski anong ganda ng batas na ginagawa namin sa national, kung hindi po ito naiintindihan ng lokal; kung hindi po ini-implement ito hanggang sa barangay level, ay sayang lang po ang ating magagandang isinulat na batas.”

“LOREN sa Bawat Barangay is not my name only. That is Livelihood, Opportunity to Raise Employment and Entrepreneurship Nationwide. Ito po'y nilulunsad nating muli para ipakita po ang kahalagahan ng local, not politics, but local sustainable governance."

Currently, Legarda places third in the latest Senatorial preference surveys.

Happy Birthday 3-Term Senator, Deputy Speaker, Antique Congresswoman, Loren Legarda

From a multi-awarded broadcast journalist to a top-notch senator, and beyond. For the past three decades, Loren has dedicated her life to serving the Filipino people. In 1998, Loren became the youngest senator in the Philippines. She is also the only female to top the Senate race twice and the only female to become Senate Majority Leader.

Because of her advocacies on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and management, sustainability, and climate justice, the Philippines has been recognized for her pioneered laws on the environment.

 

Loren is also a women’s & children’s rights advocate, consistent with her efforts to promote the welfare of women and the protection of the Filipino youth.

 

She is a true Filipina at heart, passionately advocating for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and promoting arts and culture in the local and international arena.

Mensahe ni Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda Araw ng Kalayaan June 12, 2021

Sa ika-isandaan at dalawampu’t tatlong pagdiriwang natin ng kalayaan bilang bansa, ang hangad natin ay makamtan din ng bawat Pilipino ang kalayaan sa kahirapan na siyang gumagapos sa marami nating kababayan.

Matagumpay man nating nabawi ang ating Kalayaan sa pang-aapi ng puwersang kolonyal, hindi natin maipagkakaila na may mga kapwa tayong Pilipino na patuloy na nagdurusa sa kahirapan na siyang pumipigil sa kanilang pag-unlad at pamumuhay nang maginhawa.

Ang isang tunay na malayang bansa ay isang bansa kung saan ang mga tao ay nakakapamuhay ng kontento at hindi nakakaranas ng pagdurusa, kung saan ang bawat isa ay nakaka-benepisyo sa pangunahing mga programa at serbisyong sosyo-ekonomiko, at kung saan kasamang umuunlad ng mga komunidad ang mga taong naniniharan dito.

Ang kasalukuyang pandemya at sunod-sunod na pananalasa ng mga sakuna ay naging dagdag-hamon sa bawat Pilipino. May mga kababayan tayong nawalan ng trabaho at kabuhayan na siyang tanging pinagkukunan ng kita para maitaguyod ang pangangailangan ng pamilya. May mga kababayan tayong halos isang beses sa isang araw nalamang kumakain at kung minsan nga ay wala ng makain dahil sa kawalan ng panggastos. May mga kabataang natigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa kawalan ng sapat na kagamitan para maipagpatuloy ito. May ibang namamatay na lang nang hindi man lang nakakapagpagamot.

Huwag na sana nating hayaang patuloy na magdusa ang ating mga kababayan. Huwag na nating hayaang madagdagan ang mga kumakalam na sikmura, mga pangarap na hindi naabot at ang bilang ng mga nasawi ng dahil sa hirap ng buhay. Isang hamon din sa pamahalaan na mabigyan ang mga mamamayan ng mas maraming oportunidad sa trabaho, pantay na pagkakataon upang magkaroon ng kalidad na edukasyon, serbisyong pangkalusugan, trabaho at pangkabuhayan, at ligtas na pamumuhay laban sa kalamidad bilang mahahalagang hakbang tungo sa matagumpay na pagsugpo sa kahirapan sa bansa.

Ngayong Araw ng Kalayaan, sama-sama nating ipaglaban din ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na magkaroon ng maayos at maginhawang buhay. Kasabay ng patuloy nating pakikipaglaban sa kasalukuyang pandemya, patuloy din nating isulong ang kalayaan ng bawat Pilipino sa kahirapan at bigyan sila ng pag-asang makamit ang buhay na kanilang inaasam.

              Sa muli, isang Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan sa ating lahat.