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Senate drug testing to resume Escudero: Process to be more effective, transparent
VOLUNTEER.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri voluntarily takes a drug test amid the controversy over a Senate staff who allegedly smoked marijuana in the Senate. Zubiri’s staff also underwent the test. Red Santos
By Ram Superable
M
ANDATORY random drug testing will soon resume in the Upper Chamber, Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed Monday.
Escudero made the statement in response to a request from Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III for random drug testing following reports of alleged marijuana use inside the Senate premises. “I fully join you in this important initiative and wish to inform you that the Senate has every intention to conduct the MRDT (Mandatory Random Drug Test) for all the officials and employees of the Senate Proper and Senate Secretariat this 20th Congress,” Escudero said in a letter to Sotto. On Monday, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, along with all 35 members of his staff, voluntarily took a drug test and urged fellow senators to do the same. Zubiri explained that anyone who tests
positive will be suspended immediately and required to undergo rehabilitation. He said the Senate minority bloc has already agreed to comply with the testing in response to reports of drug use
Nadia Montenegro
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VOL. XXXIX • NO. 185 • 3 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2025
CHECKING ZERO BILLING.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday visited the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City to personally check the implementation of the zero balance billing program. He is shown here talking to patients at the hospital. PCO
Nadia quits as Padilla aide amid ‘pot’ issue By Ram Superable FORMER actress Nadia Montenegro has resigned as political affairs officer of Senator Robinhood Padilla amid reports of alleged marijuana use inside the Senate premises. “Her resignation has been accepted,” said Padilla’s chief of staff, lawyer Rudolf Philip Jurado. Next page
Remulla: No replacement yet for NBI chief; 2 names floated By Pot Chavez NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago will remain in his post until a permanent replacement is appointed, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla clarified on Monday.
“In his resignation, he said that the irrevocable resignation was effective upon the appointment of his successor... The thought of an OIC [officerin-charge] has not crossed my mind now with respect to his request in his Next page
Fisherfolk to benefit from P20/k rice on Aug. 29—DA PBBM orders DOH to strictly implement ‘zero-billing’ program By Othel V. Campos
By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday ordered the Department of Health to ensure the smooth implementation of the “zerobilling” program in all DOH hospitals. He issued the order after visiting the Eastern Visayas Medical Center to inspect the government’s “zero-billing” program -- a policy that ensures patients confined in state-run hospitals will no longer be charged for medical expenses. The initiative, jointly funded by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
(PhilHealth), seeks to make hospitalization more accessible to millions of Filipinos who often struggle with high out-of-pocket healthcare costs. The President acknowledged reports of long queues and confusion in some hospitals, but said the system appeared to be working well in Tacloban. “Absolutely zero, zero billing. She doesn’t have to pay anything anymore,” Mr. Marcos said in Filipino, recalling how one patient at the Center was discharged without settling any hospital fees. “That’s the contribution of PhilHealth, that’s for the DOH. So, you can really see Next page
TORRE SAYS ALL IS WELL WITH PNP
SKIBIDI, TRAD WIFE NOW IN DICTIONARIES
NEWS / A3
WORLD / A6
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is fast-tracking the rollout of President Marcos’ Marcos flagship food security program dubbed “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” which sells rice at P20 a kilo to 15 million households
DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said government prosecutors will move to discharge Julie Patidongan, the whistleblower in the missing sabungeros case, as one of the accused in the kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 40. “We will ask the court to discharge him as a state witness later on,” Remulla told reporters on Monday.
House issues rules on citizen’s role budget hearings THE House of Representatives on Monday issued interim guidelines to allow people’s organizations and other civil society groups to participate in the 2026 national budget legisla-
tion and oversight while permanent rules or a law are being prepared. “With every peso allocated to the program and project, there is citizen participation. The national budget should truly reflect the people’s dreams and aspirations,” said House
earners, Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Walang Gutom beneficiaries, and farmers and farm workers under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. described the P20-rice proNext page
DOJ moves to admit alias‘Totoy’ as state witness
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By Maricel V. Cruz
nationwide by 2026. Starting August 29, fisherfolk will be added to the growing list of beneficiaries of the subsidized rice program. Initially limited to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and indigents, the program has since expanded to cover minimum wage
Speaker Martin Romualdez. Memorandum Circular No. 20-002 operationalizes House Resolution (HR) 94 for the coming budget cycle, where accredited groups are allowed to observe committee and plenary
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SETTING THE TONE. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez declares that honesty, service, and unity will guide the House of Representatives in deliberating the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026. Ver Noveno
Tulfo eyes banks’ role in curbing online gambling among wage earners By Ram Superable SENATOR Erwin Tulfo on Monday suggested shifting online gambling payments directly to banks to limit access among low-income Filipinos and curb the growing digital betting problem.
Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, said banks impose higher thresholds for deposits and withdrawals compared to ewallets, which could discourage small daily wage earners. “Low-income earners are losing Next page